Notary.net Blog

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andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:27:00 +0000

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Christmas Newsletter

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:56:00 +0000

Check out our Christmas newsletter at: http://www.notary.net/christmas_2009.html

Cyber Monday

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:53:00 +0000

Cyber Monday!

We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving with family and friends. We are thankful for you and your continued loyalty to GSN/Notary.net. We also wanted to let you know that we are celebrating Cyber Monday by offering FREE shipping on orders of $25* or more. Go to www.Notary.net to order your notary supplies.

*Not applicable to package items.

November Newsletter

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:02:00 +0000

We're Going Green

We have just unveiled our two economical and high quality "green" stamps. We now offer the Eco-Mark pre-inked (flash) stamp and the Trodat EcoPrinty self-inking (rubber) stamp. In addition to offering these new "green" stamps, we also manufacture our own stamps and embossers. We use the latest in laser technology to make the most precise stamps and embossers available. Not only does this increase our quality, but it also reduces turnaround time. Most stamps ordered prior to 12pm Pacific (3pm Eastern) will be sent out same day. We can also do overnight rush orders.

EcoMark

The EcoMark stamp can be best compared to the iStamp pre-inked stamp, however, it has the look and feel of a traditional self-inking stamp. It is manufactured using a low energy process that leaves little to no waste. It is delivered in a box made from recycled materials and printed with soy based ink. The EcoMark was designed so you never have to throw it away. When it is time to get a new stamp, you just replace the die box instead of replacing the entire unit. The EcoMark stamp is good for tens of thousands of impressions without reinking. If it does need to be reinked, it uses the iStamp waterproof oil-based ink. This is by far the highest quality stamp we make.

EcoPrinty

The EcoPrinty stamp is manufactured from 75% POST-CONSUMER material (excluding transparent parts, pad and die plate). The carton is made from 100% RECYCLED material. The EcoPrinty is comparable to the popular Ideal model stamps. It uses water-based ink for minimal bleed-through. Our supply packages include the EcoMark, but you can substitute an EcoPrinty simply by calling us at (888) 263-1977.

Order Now

State-Approved Pennsylvania Online Video Course

We are now approved to offer the Pennsylvania State-Approved 3 hour notary course to all new Pennsylvania notary applicants. We are the first company to offer streaming video notary courses to Pennsylvania notaries. The best part is we do not charge extra for this superior product. Don't take our word for it though. Watch our free preview

PayPal

We now offer a safer and more secure way to pay for our California customers. PayPal allows members to send money without sharing financial information, with the flexibility to pay using their account balances, bank accounts, credit cards or promotional financing. With many people tightening their financing and saying "goodbye" to their credit cards, this is a great way to order with Golden State Notary. We will soon have PayPal available nationwide.

Trivia Question

You are given a document from your close neighbor. It is in his father's name. He says, no problem, I have a Power of Attorney from my father saying that I can sign for him. You inspect the Power of Attorney and it is current and applies to the document he is having notarized. You ask him how his dad is doing. He tells you that his father passed away two days ago. What do you do?

a) Notarize the document and make a copy of the ORIGINAL Power of Attorney for your records.
b) Refuse to notarize since the principal is deceased.
c) Notarize the document as long as he writes his name as Attorney In Fact for his father.
d) Refuse to notarize since you must have a personal appearance by the person named in the document.

The correct answer is B. You cannot allow the attorney in fact to use a power of attorney for a deceased principal. When the principal "expires" so does the power of attorney. How do you know? You ask the attorney in fact how the principal is doing. If they say they passed away, then you cannot notarize. What if they lie? You cannot eliminate all fraud but you can at least avoid honest mistakes. It is always best to trust your gut. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. Refer them to a "more competent" notary.

Bail Me Out Please

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:44:00 +0000

I'm proud to tell you that I'm being locked up...that's right, I'm going behind bars to help Jerry's Kids© and MDA. To be released on good behavior I have to raise bail and I need your help!

All you have to do is click here to make a secure, online donation before 08/26/09. Your donation will help families living in our community and help guarantee me an early release. I can't wait to add you to my list of contributors.

Thanks in advance for your help. Don't hesitate to call or email me with any questions.

Together we'll make a difference,

Andy

P.S. I'm counting on you, click here to donate.

If the link above does not work, please cut and paste the address below into the address bar of your Internet browser.

https://www.joinmda.org/franklinstars2009/andy/

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:38:00 +0000

Happy 4th of July!

Amidst the cookouts, watermelon, family, friends and fireworks, take the time to remember where we came from and where we are going as a country. America is still the greatest country on Earth. Despite the recession, politics, unstable world events, we still are blessed to be here. We are blessed to live here and blessed to be able to serve our members.

New Laws Share Common Theme

Illinois, Colorado and Montana each have passed laws regarding notary records effective June, July and October respectively. For many years we have taught you that the notary journal is your best friend if you are ever called to court. It is 100% proof positive that the constituent appeared before you for notary service. As was the case in a recent Illinois court case, the notary could have saved $30,000 had he properly maintained the journal and followed sound notary practices.

Our journals have been flying off the shelves. In fact, we are nearly completely out. Our next shipment is scheduled to be here on July 7. We are offering our high quality journals for 1/2 price through July 7. Stock up now and save yourself from a potential lawsuit later.

Order Notary Journals

Join us on Facebook

We now have a Facebook page! Become a fan and get access to exclusive content and deals you will not be able to find anywhere else. Facebook is a great way to connect with friends and colleagues around the world and will also allow you to stay up to date with notary law changes and special offers.

Trivia Question

Which of the following is true?

A. Every notary in the country is required to keep accurate notary records
B. If a notary does not keep written records and signs and seals a document, the notary could be called to court and be required to testify about the details of a disputed transaction.
C. If the notary does not keep records if required by the state the notary could be held liable for damages in a civil court.
D. Both B and C are correct.

The correct answer is D. The states that do not require a journal still recommend that notaries maintain a record of all notarial events.

Join us on Facebook

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:05:00 +0000

Social networking sites such as Facebook are a great way to connect with friends, family and colleagues. We have recently launched a new "fan page" for all notaries public across the nation. Our Facebook "fans" will have access to exclusive deals and notary updates not available anywhere else. Not a member of Facebook? Click on the Facebook logo and sign up today.

We take pride in keeping up with technology to better serve our students. If you have any suggestions or comments, you can click on the "Discussions" tab on our Facebook fan page.

Lawsuit Helps Shape Illinois Law

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:03:00 +0000

Effective June 1, 2009, new notary laws have taken effect in Illinois. These new laws affect identification requirements and real estate logging requirements for Cook County. We have incorporated the new laws with the old laws in our updated Illinois Online Video Course. The new course includes the new Cook County notary record form.

The lawsuit that was the catalyst for this new legislation involved a FedEx/Kinkos location where the employee notary notarized a document without all signers present. The EMPLOYER was held liable for the damages due to "negligent training and supervision." Had the FedEx/Kinkos employee taken our Illinois Notary Course, he would have fully understood his and his employer's liabilities and how to avoid such a costly lawsuit.

The case involves improper training, improper identification, no personal appearance, not securing the notary stamp, not securing the notary journal and improper supervision of an employee notary. The lawsuit states that the notary “had a number of problems that he didn’t realize [he had].” We cannot emphasize enough that every notary should go through our training program. Ignorance of the law is not a good enough defense. In this case, the notary settled for $30,000. The FedEx/Kinkos store was ruled liable for over $123,000 in damages plus legal fees. That is much more expensive than one of our online video courses.

Notaries and Employer's of notaries: Do not let this happen to you and/or your employees. Do your due diligence and have your notaries take our course. Whether you are in Illinois or any other state that does not require education, it is imperitive that you and/or your employee notaries know what they are doing and to stay out of trouble. See our notary training options.

For the full text of the Illinios Law Suit: http://www.state.il.us/court/OPINIONS/AppellateCourt/2008/1stDistrict/December/1062750.pdf

New Laws in Illinois

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:24:00 +0000

As is often the case, legislation follows a problem. A recent lawsuit in Illinois has helped to spearhead some changes in notary law. We have made it easy for you and/or your employees to learn the new Illinois Notary Laws and to help protect your (and/or your company's) assets. Check out the free preview before you order the course.

California 3 Hour Renewing Course Now Online

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:23:00 +0000

It's hard to believe that mandatory education has been in California for 4 years already. The laws have changed a bit from 2005. Now, the only significant difference between new and renewing notaries is 3 hours. Renewing notaries who have a commission expiration date of June 30, 2009 or later, are eligible for the 3 hour course in lieu of the 6 hour course. The only catch is you must take and PASS the notary exam before your commission expires to still be considered a renewing notary. If you wait to the last minute and fail your exam, you have to take the 6 hour course again! We try to teach people to RENEW EARLY, RENEW EARLY, RENEW EARLY. There is no penalty for early renewal, but waiting can be big penalties, such as a lapse in your commission.

Wisconsin Notary Section Has A Sense of Humor!

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:02:00 +0000

I came across Wisconsin's top 10 reasons an application is rejected and was surprised to find out they have a sense of humor. See for yourself: http://www.sos.state.wi.us/pdf/notary_top_ten_list.pdf

One of my favorites was the one about the check disintegrating going through the postal system. Do you think that excuse will work for the IRS?

Notaries, Do You Know What You Can Charge???

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:39:00 +0000

We had a lady concerned that she was over charged for a document with three signatures. Here is the transcript from that live chat session:

Customer Service: How may I help you today?

Christine: Is the notary charge per notary signature or per witness signature?

Christine: We just got charged $30 to notarize one document. That has never happened to me before.

Customer Service: The notary charges per signature notarized, per document. That is correct if it is 3 different signers.

Christine: So, if each person signed the same document, but only one notary signature appears and one notary seal. Under California law it is $30 to notarize that document?

Customer Service: That is the maximum the notary can charge, correct. There should have also been 3 separate journal entries as well.

Christine: That is very strange. I have had documents notarized before and we only were charged $10 for the notary seal/signature, even though two people signed the document.

Customer Service: Most notaries do not know what they are doing, unfortunately, or they were just giving you a discount.

Christine: Fed Ex Kinko's seems not to have an overall policy on what the notaries there are charging. Every store is doing it differently, acc'g to their corp H=Q

Customer Service: We have the same problem with UPS Store as well.

Christine: It does not seem right that they can charge so much to notarize a document. It's only a very short procedure, takes no more than 5 minutes.

Customer Service: However, the notary has UNLIMITED liability if they make a mistake. California has the highest paid notaries in the country.

Christine: Are you sure that this is the way it works in California? When I was practicing law in NY and was a notary, we did not do it this way.

Customer Service: New York has the same law as California. You were also under charging if you did it that way.

Christine: She could have charged us $10 for her one signature on the document. "Per signature" is vague to me. My understanding is that you're paying for the notary's signature and seal on your document. If you're notarizing five documents with three witnesses each, you're paying for five signatures, not fifteen.

Customer Service: That is incorrect. The notary is charging per notarized signature, no matter how many times the notary signs or seals the document. 5 documents, three signers each = $150, not $50.

Customer Service: This is not interpretation, this is state law.

Christine: What is the authority? Can you cite to the law?

Customer Service: One moment.

Customer Service: CA GC 8211 defines the fees that a notary can charge.

Customer Service: Section A states that: For taking an acknowledgment or proof of a deed, or other instrument, to include the seal and the writing of the certificate, the sum of ten dollars ($10) for EACH SIGNATURE TAKEN.

Christine: 8211. California Notary Public Maximum FeesFees charged by a notary public for the following servicesshall not exceed the fees prescribed by this section. (a) For taking an acknowledgment or proof of a deed, or otherinstrument, to include the seal and the writing of the certificate,the sum of ten dollars ($10) for each signature taken.

Christine: Yes, I see that. She did not write any certificate. All she did was stamp and sign a document we gave her, and put our signatures in her book. It also says maximum fees charged.

Customer Service: Writing of the certificate means that she wrote the names of the signers and the date the notarization took place, etc on the notary certificate.

Customer Service: Maximum fees, means that she could charge less if she wanted to.

Christine: It still to me could be understood as for her signature. It is hard to know exactly what this means.

Customer Service: I would suggest you speak to a lawyer then.

Christine: No that's fine. This is enough info for now. Thank you.

Customer Service: Thank you. Have a great day.

Custom Magnetic Car Signs Now Available

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:03:00 +0000

You asked and we responded. We now create and ship magnetic car signs to help you promote your notary business. These signs are 100% custom and are only limited by your imagination. These signs can complement your current business cards design. You can also include your photo or company logo. The possibilities are endless. Go to our notary supplies page to order your Custom Magnetic Car Sign today!

We Want Your Feedback

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:01:00 +0000

If this blog is a car, your comments are the gas. By clicking on the comments link below the post, you can let me know what you want from this blog. Plus it is great way for me to see who is actually out there reading it. Without feedback, I don't know which direction YOU would like me to go. I can come up with content, but I would like to come up with content that YOU want to read. I look forward to hearing from YOU.

2009 California Notary Public Handbook Now Available

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:16:00 +0000

"The new phone book is here, the new phone book is here!" - The Jerk, 1979

You don't have to be a "jerk" to be excited about the new 2009 California Notary Handbook. It is wonderful to have this available in January. Last year we didn't get our grubby little hands on it until April. The Secretary of State's office did an amazing job getting this delivered early in a big election year, no less. If you are a notary in California, you must have a copy of this handbook nearby at all times. You can download it in PDF form here: http://www.sos.ca.gov/business/notary/forms/handbook.pdf or order it from us here: http://gsn.notary.net/supplies/?productid=118

Signing Services Could Make You More Money

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:37:00 +0000

It has long been thought that title companies are the holy grail for the loan signing agent. They pay the most money, so naturally you are going to want to concentrate your time and effort on these contacts. Lacey Horton, posted an interesting blog on her ActiveRain site: http://activerain.com/blogsview/232810/When-you-can-Work. She lays out the actual costs of a title company job versus a signing service job. What she discovered in this scenario, that the signing service was a higher hourly wage than the title company. Granted, this was based on several variables that likely will change from job to job, but here analysis brings up a good point. Many times notaries do not look at the bottom line profitability of an assignment. Instead they look at the income only. It is a good idea to create cost estimation of each of your services, such as cost per page printed and cost per mile driven. Once you know how much these items cost you, you will know what to charge and whether to accept an assignment or not.

UPS Notary Training Video Update

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:17:00 +0000

This video was made private by the content creator, Dennis Stein, so it is no longer available for viewing. I know he thinks I am picking on him, but I am here to make sure that people follow notary law and keep themselves out of trouble. I have offered Dennis a free online notary course and am waiting to hear back from him. I used to send people to the UPS Store for notary service, but this video has given me reason to reconsider that.

How Not To Perform Notary Service in California

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:05:00 +0000

This video shows that even with mandatory education, notaries still do not follow the law. The beginning of this video the notary pulls his journal and stamp from an unlocked drawer. California law says your journal and stamp must be in your exclusive control, in a safe and locked location.

The next mistake is that the notary chooses the type of service "Let's just do a jurat then." That is unlicensed practice of law. The notary cannot choose which service to perform.

He then says that it is best to fill out the document prior to signing it. IT IS REQUIRED that the document be filled out. You cannot notarize a document with blanks left unfilled.

The other problem is during the journal entry, he does not hide the previous entries. The journal is limited public record and you cannot give away the information on previous journal entries without written request of the Name of the person, Month of Notary Service and Document Name.

He also fails to put the person under oath. You must swear or affirm to the contents of the document.

Please, no matter whether you are in California or Alaska or any other states, take one of our classes so you know what you are doing.

King Of Queens - Notary Public Episode

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 21:30:00 +0000

Arthur decides to take a notary public class at the community college. The bit isn't until the end, but it is still funny. Previous versions of this video were removed due to copyright issues so, this is (hopefully) the permanent location.

Another YouTube Video of Note

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:49:00 +0000

I thought this one was another creative way to advertise notary services. I'm not sure if it is the image you would want, but it is still worth taking a look at.

It's a New World

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:23:00 +0000

Sunil Jaswal, a California notary public gets it. He has used YouTube to promote his notary business. This simple video, shows his potential clients how professional he is and that he is a leader in technology. It bestows trust without even meeting him. What a contrast this video is compared to a traditional view of a notary public.

Oregon State-Approved Course Now Online!

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:58:00 +0000

Notary.net now offers its popular online video course in Oregon. You can view a free preview at: http://or.notary.net

Notary.net is only the second private company to be approved for the mandatory education course in Oregon. We are still the only company to offer online video courses in any state.

Notary Training After You Get In Trouble?!?

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:43:00 +0000

I received a nice phone call from the Secretary of State's office in Maryland. They wanted to preview our Maryland Online Notary Course prior to referring notaries to take it. For lesser notary offenses, the Maryland Secretary gives notaries the option to take a training class, similar to defensive driving school if you get a ticket. While Maryland has attempted to pass a mandatory education law, it seems a little backwards to be trained after you do something wrong. Keep yourself out of trouble by getting your training first, then become a notary. The cost of our course is MUCH less than possible fines and attorney fees.

Make $100,000 a Year as a Loan Signer!

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:12:00 +0000

This claim made the loan signing industry boom a few years back. People were eager to jump on this "get-rich-quick" program by setting your own hours and only working a few hours a day. People quickly realized how difficult it is to gross $100k as a loan signer, let alone net that amount.

Assuming you work 5 days a week and take a 2 week vacation and make an average of $100.00 per loan signing, you would need to have 2.667 loan signing assignments PER DAY to GROSS $100k per year. If you factor in printing costs, gas, wear and tear on your car, your NET gets down closer to $50,000. It is still a respectable amount of money, but most notaries are lucky to get 3 assignments per week, let alone one day.

This is not meant to discourage you, only to show you how it is neither easy nor automatic. Real Estate agents can make $1,000,000 a year, but they probably do not do so in the first year! Any business takes time. Have patience, build your business steadily and you will be able to have steady work. Eventually, you may make more than $100k or realize it is just too much work and move on to the next late night get-rich-quick scheme.

To Journal or Not to Journal

andy@notary.net (Andy Johnson) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:01:00 +0000

I get calls all the time about whether you should log an event in the journal or not. For the record, here is our policy on the journal:

If you perform notary service, log it in the journal.
If you deny notary service, for any reason, log it in the journal
If your state does not require journals, log your service anyway.
If you have multiple documents from the same signer, make one journal entry per document, per person signing.
If you do not charge for notary service, log it in your journal and the reason why you did not charge.
Make sure the signer signs your journal and, if possible, thumbprint the journal as well.
If you run out of space in your journal, buy another one and possibly a back-up!

The notary journal with the signature and thumbprint of the signer is positive proof that the signer appeared before the notary. It is fool proof evidence if ever called to court. Your journal is your best friend, as long as you are consistent in using it.