California isn't a witness state (thank goodness!), but I don't get how this is supposed to be a notary responsibility, even at a respectable fee. If the notary brings the witnesses, that implies that these people need to be present the whole time - or drive themselves, which involves even more expense. So do they assume the notary is going to compensate these people out of their own fees or is the expectation that we know people who are sitting around with nothing better to do with their lives than to 'help us out' by tagging along?! Or maybe they expect us to pick up someone on a street corner? 
I've done many a trust execution where witnesses were needed, but we've always handled it one of three ways:
1) An attorney was present and (s)he and I acted as witnesses;
2) Whether or not an attorney was there, the signers arranged to have friends or neighbors (of THEIRS) present to witness, then leave; or
3) On a very few occasions, we met at a public place (e.g. Starbucks), and asked a favor of a total stranger.
Getting trust docs signed is something that most people deal with rarely, so it's an exception for them to have to ask someone. But what about those of you in states where this comes up all the time? Do they expect you to have a spouse/parent/adult child/neighbor/friend at your beck and call - for free? And for $40?? That's just hysterical!
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| Messages in this Thread |
|  LPC, Kentucky. Outrageous, Insulting $40, seller, FXBCKS - HeatherR/CA on 3/23/18 1:47pm |
|  Re: LPC, Kentucky. Outrageous, Insulting $40, seller, FXBCKS - Yoli/CA on 3/23/18 2:45pm |
|  Re: LPC. Yoli, in answer to your inquisitive mind ;) lol - HeatherR/CA on 3/23/18 9:45pm |
| Re: LPC, Kentucky. Outrageous, Insulting $40, seller, FXBCKS - Linda_H/FL on 3/23/18 3:31pm |
| They've been low-pay, slow-pay for a long time. I stopped -  MW/VA on 3/23/18 6:35pm |
| Re: LPC, Kentucky. Outrageous, Insulting $40, seller, FXBCKS - SteveS/CA on 3/23/18 7:05pm |
| If it's close by, I'd do $40 for the witness part. n/m - docs1954CA on 3/23/18 7:53pm |
| Re: LPC, Kentucky. - John/CT on 3/23/18 7:56pm |
| Re: LPC, Kentucky. - pdl/cali on 3/23/18 10:58pm |
 | Fees aside, I don't get 'notary responsible for witnesses'. - JanetK_CA on 3/24/18 12:21am |
| Re: Fees aside, I don't get 'notary responsible for witnesse - SteveS/CA on 3/24/18 11:27am |
| conversation between LPC and HeatherR/CA - Meagan LPC on 3/26/18 1:22pm |
|  IMO, you just shot yourself in the foot... - JanetK_CA on 3/26/18 1:46pm |
|  Re: - Meagan LPC on 3/26/18 2:42pm |
|  OK, so you just shot your employer in the foot - Lee/AR on 3/26/18 5:38pm |
|  Re: - Meagan LPC on 3/27/18 12:03pm |
|  True employee mentality... - JanetK_CA on 3/27/18 3:06pm |
| I never supply witnesses. That's the borrowers - MW/VA on 3/24/18 10:26am |
| Re: I never supply witnesses. That - Cheryl/SC on 3/24/18 12:48pm |
| Re: Cheryl / SC I never supply witnesses. That - HeatherR/CA on 3/24/18 5:39pm |
| Re: Supplying a Witness - John/CT on 3/24/18 7:27pm |
| Re: Supplying a Witness - JanetK_CA on 3/24/18 10:30pm |
| Supplying witnesses is NOT in our job description n/m - Cheryl Elliott on 3/25/18 11:21am |
| Conversation between LPC and HeatherR/CA - Meagan LPC on 3/26/18 1:39pm |
| LPC, don't even think of contacting me for a signing in the - grapebed on 3/27/18 4:19pm |
| Bad for business. No winners. And what OP said. - NVLSlady/VA on 3/27/18 5:57pm |
