Posted by Charm_AL on 4/5/05 2:08pm
Msg #29743

got a call...

from a resident of Huntsville this morning. She is adopting an overseas baby and asked me if I would notarize her health exam? She claims we can go together to her doctor's office for her physical. What am I notarizing? Help, never did a 'persoanl notary service' before. I did quote a $25. trip fee and 1.50 per signature (in AL). Does that sound right? The doc's office is in town and it should be a fairly easy appointment. BTW: she found me here. Any suggestions or advice?
I did a search mommiedearest, couldn't find anything.

Reply by Roger/OH on 4/5/05 2:15pm
Msg #29744

I've done a number of these for foreign adoptions. You just meet them at their doctor's office,
check the doc's ID and notarize HIS/HER signature on the health forms. Very simple. Your fees sound about right for the travel. Be sure and give them a receipt if they pay you in cash, as many adoption related expenses are tax-deductible. I'd also charge additional for each 30 minutes you spend in the waiting room.

Reply by Charm_AL on 4/5/05 2:16pm
Msg #29747

Roger that! thanks :)

Reply by Ted_MI on 4/5/05 4:12pm
Msg #29778

Re: Roger that! thanks :)

Charm,

As a follow-up to what Roger said, if you believe that you may well be doing a fair amount of non-mortgage type work, I would recommend purchasing a receipt book, one with duplicate pages. By way of background over the course of the past number of months I have gotten calls for individual notarizations and usually I was paid in cash. I always gave the client a written receipt (something that I just had written on an 8 1/2 by 11 piece of paper), but then I realized that I really needed something a little more formal, so that I have a breakdown of my fee on record, i.e notarization and travel fee. In Michigan, a notary can charge $10 bucks max per notarized signature.

So I just decided that it probably would be a good idea to have a record.

Reply by Reggie on 4/6/05 12:27am
Msg #29881

Hey Charm AL

I think you are good on your fees. Although I do not live in AL now I did several years ago and I grew up in Pisgah. I think I am going to have to call you when I come to the family reunion in July and get you to Notarize several documents for me and my sister and mother. They live between Scottsboro and Stevenson on US Highway 72. I will give you a call when I get there so we can sit up an appointment. The docs will be a POA for my sister from my mother,POA from my sister to her son or daughter I don't know which yet. An advance directive for health care for all the family but my wife and I we all ready have one.

Reply by Charm_AL on 4/6/05 10:23am
Msg #29908

Thanks Ted, good idea and reggie...

Good deal, I'll look forward to meeting everybody