31 May2012

Help Seniors: Share the Importance of Valid ID

Written by cathy. Posted in General Notarizations, Notary Public/Loan Signing Agent Fun

“My mom needs to have a power of attorney and advanced healthcare directive notarized, so I can help her pay her bills and make healthcare decisions for her. She hasn’t driven in years, so her driver’s license is expired.” stated the adult child of a senior citizen. I hear this statement occasionally.

As a California notary public, I am unable to use expired driver’s licenses, expired passports, social security cards, credit cards, Medicare cards, etc. to notarize documents. There are other forms of current government issued photo identifications available (senior citizen, passport and military (with photo, physical description, signature, number, expiration or issue date and a physical description).

Documents cannot be notarized without valid government issued photo identification. Many times elderly people need documents notarized in a crisis situation. Adding more stress to the crisis is not being able to have their documents notarized because they do not have a current state identification card, driver’s license, passport or military card.

With identity theft on the rise, more and more medical facilities, financial institutions, businesses and government agencies require a current government issued photo identification.

Here are details how to obtain apply for or renew a senior citizen identification card from the California Department of Motor Vehicles website. Scroll to the “How to apply for or renew an identification (ID) card” section which is about two thirds of the way down the page.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_info.htm#idcard

When I meet with a senior citizen who mentions they will discontinue driving soon or will let their driver’s license expire, I inform about the state senior citizen identification card. It is issued by the DMV and valid for 10 years. It looks just like the driver’s license, but states “Senior Citizen Identification Card”. The process of changing from a current driver’s license to a senior citizen identification card is probably easier since all their information is current with the DMV, than if their driver’s license is expired. They are happy to learn the helpfu information.

I have blogged about this matter before, but I continue to run into this “lack of identification” challenge. Help spread the word to seniors you know. They will be glad you shared it with them.

Stay in touch, join my Facebook Page www.Facebook.com/ChampionMobileNotary. You will also learn more about the daily happenings of a mobile notary public and loan signing agent in the San Francisco Bay Area Peninsula, South Bay and Silicon Valley.

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26 Mar2012

Can You Stamp Each Page of My Document?

Written by cathy. Posted in General Notarizations, Mortgage Loan Signings

A recent phone call I received, “I had my three page document notarized by another notary. My bank wants each page stamped. Can you do this for me?” asked the caller. I informed him that California notaries can only place their stamps when notarial wording is on the page. A loose notary certificate can be attached to each page if each page is signed. He was adamant to only have the notary stamp on each page. I replied, “California notaries can only use their stamp on each page if each page is signed and there is notarial wording on each page or a loose notary certificate is attached to each page.” He was not satisfied with my reply. This is probably the same reply he received from the notary who notarized his document.

Here is the rule from the California Notary Public Handbook 2012. The Secretary of State has the rule in upper case letters.

“A NOTARY PUBLIC SHALL NOT USE THE OFFICIAL SEAL OR THE TITLE NOTARY PUBLIC FOR ANY PURPOSE OTHER THAN THE RENDERING OF NOTARIAL SERVICE. (Government Code section 8207)”

The alternative is if I notarized the document, I can emboss each page of the document that does not have the reproducible notary stamp. Since the embosser is not reproducible this can be done. The recipient knows the embossed pages are part of the notarized document and no pages were added or exchanged. Since I was not the notary who notarized his document, I cannot emboss the pages. His/her notary stamp and my notary stamp are unique, so our notary stamps would not match, which would cause confusion.

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15 Dec2011

What Do You Look Like?

Written by cathy. Posted in General Notarizations, Mortgage Loan Signings, Notary Public/Loan Signing Agent Fun, Realtors/Mortgage Brokers Accommodator

Sometimes I meet clients in public places, such as coffee shops, restaurants, shopping malls, or hospital or health care facility lobbies in Silicon Valley to provide mobile notary service or loan signing service. To make finding each other easier, I ask them, “What do you look like or what is your physical description?” I find interesting how we describe ourselves. Some people are basic:

“I am 6 feet, big and bald.”

“ I am 5 feet 2 inches with short black hair.”

“I have brown hair and wear glasses.”

Some people are very specific:

“I am 5 feet 6 inches, short black hair, Caucasian. I will be wearing a black jacket, black pants and a white striped blouse.”

“I am 6 feet 2 inches tall, brown curly hair, brown jacket and khaki pants.”

“Brown hair, tall, dress shirt, dress pants and I will be with my wife and two young children.”

Some people search for mobile notary service online to find me, so they know what I look like with my photo online. They tell me it is helpful for them.

For the people who need a description of me, I tell them I am 5 feet 9 inches, short black hair, (if I am wearing my glasses I will tell them), describe my clothing and that I have a black briefcase and a big orange name badge with “Champion Mobile Notary” on it.

How do you describe yourself?

Stay in touch, join my Facebook Page www.Facebook.com/ChampionMobileNotary. You will also learn more about the daily happenings of a mobile notary public and loan signing agent in the San Francisco Bay Area Peninsula, South Bay and Silicon Valley.

10 Oct2011

Identification Cards For Non-Drivers?

Written by cathy. Posted in General Notarizations, Mortgage Loan Signings, Realtors/Mortgage Brokers Accommodator

“My dad stopped driving years ago, so he doesn’t have a current driver’s license. He never traveled out of the country, so he doesn’t have a passport. He needs to have a power of attorney and advanced healthcare directive notarized.”

“My grandma is 93 years old and hasn’t driven in years. She has a couple of trust documents to notarize.”

“My mother’s health turned for the worse. She’s been unable to drive for years. She has a couple of power of attorney’s requiring notarization.”

“My uncle always bicycled to work, so he does not have a driver’s license. He is in the hospital and needs a power of attorney notarized.”

These are some of the reasons I hear why a person who needs documents notarized does not have a current government issued photo identification. Without proper identification, notary publics cannot notarize a signer’s documents (Credible witnesses can be used, but are not always convenient to use.)

I wish I could help them in their time of crisis, but I cannot due to lack of appropriate identification.

With the rise in identity theft and to protect you, banks, medical facilities, post offices and some other businesses require a current government issued photo identification.

Here is a link to the California Department of Motor Vehicles who issue identification cards to identify a person. http://www.dmv.com/ca/california/apply-id-card

If you have a current driver’s license and don’t plan to continue driving, obtaining the identification card may be easier since your information is current with the DMV. Ask them to find out.

Be proactive. Minimize your stress. Obtain a California identification card when it’s convenient for you.

Stay in touch, join my Facebook Page www.Facebook.com/ChampionMobileNotary. You will also learn more about the daily happenings of a mobile notary public and loan signing agent in the San Francisco Bay Area Peninsula, South Bay and Silicon Valley.

30 Sep2011

The Police Are Part of Mobile Notary Work Week

Written by cathy. Posted in General Notarizations, Mortgage Loan Signings, Notary Public/Loan Signing Agent Fun, Realtors/Mortgage Brokers Accommodator

Some people wonder what I do as a mobile notary public. Here is a brief summary of my work week as a mobile notary public in Silicon Valley.

I met with business executives and professionals at their offices to notarize various business documents:
1. Business agreements
2. Copies of their government issued identifications to do business in foreign countries
3. Conditional and unconditional waivers and release upon progress payment forms
4. Liquor license transfer

I met with Merill Lynch wealth managers and their clients at their homes to complete notarizations of trustee certification forms. Their San Francisco office contacted me for mobile notary service.

As a certified loan signing agent, I completed sign offs with borrowers at their homes and offices who are refinancing and purchasing properties. I worked with escrow and lenders locally and nationally to complete the signings to beat their rate lock deadlines.

I visited an elder woman at her home to notarize a couple of deeds to help with family affairs.

The most interesting assignment I received involved the police. The CEO of the company was served papers by one of his vendors (“John”) and he would not allow John to remove his expensive equipment from the CEO’s company’s premises. I notarized the papers the CEO was served. About 30 minutes after I left, John called me to return to location. The police needed a statement from me. An employee and the CEO claimed John threatened the employee. John believed he would have been arrested without a witness statement stating otherwise.

The adventures of mobile notary public work in Silicon Valley continue.

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27 Jul2011

Are Notaries Equal?

Written by cathy. Posted in General Notarizations, Mortgage Loan Signings

Do you think notaries are equal? This was a post online which I think is a good question. California notaries are equal with respect to taking the required notary class, passing the exam and the FBI and California Department of Justice background checks (all of these are done every 4 years).

I do not believe the type of service notaries offer are equal. Some notaries are specific to their office, such as real estate documents, estate planning documents, banking documents, hospital documents or business documents. Some mobile notaries are part-time. As a result, staying up on the notary laws and/or best notary practices can be tough. Some mobile notaries only do loan signing. Full time notaries find staying on top of the notary laws and best notary practices easier, since they can learn and practice them more often. Some mobile notaries only do general notarization signings.

Do you think notaries are equal?

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29 Jun2011

How Do You Help Estate Planning Attorneys?

Written by cathy. Posted in General Notarizations

Cathy Wong, Mobile Notary Public

“How do you help estate planning attorneys?” is a question people ask me. Several of my clients are estate planning attorneys.

Some estate planning attorneys have their own practice are also known as solo attorneys. A few of them of them prefer having an on-call notary public to meet with them at their office with their clients. This saves on the responsibility and expense of having an employee. Some of them meet their clients at their homes, offices or healthcare facilities. Having a professional mobile notary public allows them to better serve their clients. A number of estate planning attorneys have paralegals who are notary publics. When they are on vacation or unable to travel with the attorney to their clients, a mobile notary public allows the attorneys to execute estate planning documents with their clients.

Law firms have clients who are unable to travel to their office. Their estate planning attorney travels to their clients and calls for professional mobile notary service to help notarize the documents with their clients. There are times when additional documents need to be notarized and the attorney does not need to be present. In these cases, a professional mobile notary public provides convenience and peace of mind to their clients and to the law firm.

Other times, estate planning attorneys who are notary publics have a financial interest in the documents or are named in the documents that need to be notarized. Having a mobile notary public helps them notarize their important documents.

Another way I can help estate planning attorneys who are notary publics is when their notary public commission expires and they are awaiting their new commission. Not doing business is too costly, so mobile notary public service allows them to continue with their business by notarizing their clients’ documents.

Stay in touch, join my Facebook Page www.Facebook.com/ChampionMobileNotary. You will also learn more about the daily happenings of a mobile notary public and loan signing agent in the San Francisco Bay Area Peninsula, South Bay and Silicon Valley.

25 May2011

Would You Imprint Your Notary Stamp on All the Pages of My Document?

Written by cathy. Posted in General Notarizations

Embossed Seal

This request was made by the adoption agency for a couple who are adopting an international child. The country allowing the adoption wants to be sure all the notarized documents for the adoption are not tampered or manipulated. As a result, they requested that documents with multiple pages be fanned and the notary stamp imprinted. The California Secretary of State does not allow notary publics to fulfill this request. If we do, the Secretary of State will reject the documents during the apostille or certification process. County recorders offices will reject such documents too. This means a delay, more time, energy and probably money to fix the problem.

Last year, a business client’s notary imprinted her notary stamp on fanned pages of a notarized document. It was for a business in a foreign country who also wanted to be sure pages of the documents were not tampered. The document required an apostille from the Secretary of State, who rejected the document because the notary stamp was affixed to the document without the correct notarial wording.

“Many documents that are acknowledged may later be recorded. A document may not be accepted by the recorder if the notary public seal is illegible. Notaries public are cautioned to make sure that the notary public stamp leaves a clear impression. All the elements must be discernible. The seal should not be placed over signatures or over any printed matter on the document. An illegible or improperly placed seal may result in rejection of the document for recordation and result in inconveniences and extra expenses for all those involved.” page 7, Notary Public Handbook 2011, California Secretary of State

“….a notary public seal and signature cannot be affixed to a document without the correct notarial wording.” page 11, Notary Public Handbook 2011, California Secretary of State

http://www.sos.ca.gov/business/notary/forms/notary-handbook-2011.pdf

To meet the California Secretary of State and the adoption agency requirements, I embossed the pages of multiple page documents that did not include the notarial wording and notary stamp. This assures the foreign country and the adoption agency that no one tampered with the notarized documents. My clients were relieved there was a way to comply with the Secretary of State’s and with the adoption agency requirements, so their documents could be apostilled and sent to the adoption agency on schedule. Then, they could adopt their new daughter by the end of this year.

Stay in touch, join my Facebook Page www.Facebook.com/ChampionMobileNotary. You will also learn more about the daily happenings of a mobile notary public and loan signing agent in the San Francisco Bay Area Peninsula, South Bay and Silicon Valley.

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22 Apr2011

What if a Signer Does Not Have Identification?

Written by cathy. Posted in General Notarizations

As a mobile notary public, I have encountered this dilemma. The signer is elderly and no longer drives, so his/her driver’s license is expired. His/her wallet was lost or stolen with their identification.

What is done if a signer for a document requiring notarization does not have proper government issued identification? Two credible witnesses can be used to identify the signer. The credible witnesses should not be named in the document, nor have a financial interest in it, nor be a spouse or immediate family member and should have personally known the signer for at least a year. They will present their current driver’s license, state identification or passport to the notary public. Their identification information is entered in the notary public’s journal.

They swear or affirm the following oath to identify the signer (Civil Code section 1185(b)(1)(A)(i)-(v)):

1. The individual appearing before the notary public as the signer of the document is the person named in the document;
2. The credible witness personally knows the signer;
3. The credible witness reasonably believes that the circumstances of the signer are such that it would be very difficult or impossible for the signer to obtain another form of identification;
4. The signer does not possess any of the identification documents authorized by law to establish the signer’s identity; and
5. The credible witness does not have a financial interest and is not named in the document signed.

Lastly, they sign the notary public’s journal.

One credible witness can be used if the notary public and the signer know the credible witness.

Stay in touch, join my Facebook Page www.Facebook.com/ChampionMobileNotary. You will also learn more about the daily happenings of a mobile notary public and loan signing agent in the San Francisco Bay Area Peninsula, South Bay and Silicon Valley.

25 Feb2011

Apostille Service for Local and International Clients

Written by cathy. Posted in General Notarizations

Sometimes local and international clients have documents that require an apostille (authentication) by the Secretary of State, since their notarized documents will be sent to a recipient in a foreign country. The recipient requires the documents have apostilles which authenticates the documents origin.

Clients locally sometimes do not have time to wait the few days to several days (this time may be extended due to budget cuts) turn around by mail or drive to the Secretary of State for same day apostille (authentication) service. I refer them to an affiliate document service company that turns around their documents in a couple days to a few days from when they receive them. This turn around time is based on the Secretary of States service to document service companies. (Unfortunately, this turn around time cannot be accelerated, as the Secretary of State has no rush service with document service companies. The quickest way for apostille service is to drive to the Secretary of State office in Sacramento Monday through Friday during business hours for same day service.)

The affiliate document service will bring the notarized documents to the Secretary of State the same day, if they receive them in the morning. In the best case scenario, the document service will return the apostilled documents within a couple of days domestically of when they receive them. In the worse case scenario, the document service will return the documents with apostilles within a few days domestically of when they receive them.

Added services the affiliate document service provides are emailing the documents with the apostille certificates, working with the Department of State, working with Consulates and shipping the documents anywhere in the world.

To learn more about apostille service with the California Secretary of State and the Apostille Convention, Hague Conference, members and parties and more, visit:
http://www.sos.ca.gov/business/notary/authentication.htm

A client in Dubai needed apostille service for her college diploma and transcripts. I met with the Registrar at Stanford University to notarize her diploma and transcripts. The document service brought the documents to the Secretary of State for apostille service. Next, they were certified with the Department of State in Washington, D.C. Then, they were certified with the United Arab Emirates Consulate in Washington D.C. to complete the legalization of the documents. Lastly, the legalized documents were sent to Dubai. My client was glad she could stay focused on her work and ease her stress, while I and my affiliate document service worked together to complete the legalization of her documents. These documents were required for her work visa.

Local clients usually work directly with my affiliate document service for assistance with apostille service. When their deadlines are too tight, they drive to the Secretary of State for apostille service for their notarized documents bound for receipt by someone overseas in a country that is part of the Apostille Convention.

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