Posted by Matham on 3/30/11 6:26pm
Msg #378041

Personal Checks

How many of you, when you are performing regular notary work (non-loan signing), accept checks? This wasn't covered in my notary class, and I am kind of curious, if you do, and the check bounces, what to do in that kind of situation?

Reply by Colleen Martin on 3/30/11 6:34pm
Msg #378043

i try to tell them before we meet that i need payment in cash. i have accepted a few checks and had no problems....i suppose if i HAD, i would have called them??

Reply by Matham on 3/30/11 6:35pm
Msg #378044

There are sketchy people out there...

Reply by Pierces Notary Services on 3/31/11 10:33am
Msg #378096

I took a personal check from a girl here and it bounced. Sent her the normal notice and now the Magistrate's office is involved. They have a warrant out for her arrest because she has not responded to them either. All for a $20 check which is going to cost her a lot more now. This has been going on since last September.

Reply by FlaNotary2 on 3/30/11 6:49pm
Msg #378046

I usually don't have a problem taking personal n/m

Reply by FlaNotary2 on 3/30/11 6:51pm
Msg #378047

I usually don't have a problem taking personal checks

If it bounces, I know how to file suit on it, but I've never had it happen.

The only substanial checks I get are for weddings, and I always have all of their contact information together with a signed contract. I also require an upfront partial deposit, so if I don't get the money I dont perform the wedding.

Reply by SheilaSJCA on 3/30/11 6:51pm
Msg #378048

I take personal checks from the public all the time as a notary. I have not had any bounce in 6 years. I think they realize that we have their info and all the info needed to track them down.

Reply by Colleen Martin on 3/30/11 7:11pm
Msg #378050

sheila, that's funny!! right?? address, drivers license number, etc.

Reply by MaggieMae_CA on 3/30/11 7:16pm
Msg #378051

PayPal Account?

I take personal checks all the time and haven't had a problem. I did have a woman from Pennsylvania contact me for a general notarization of her sister's signature in California. I accepted payment via PayPal from the Pennsylvania person.

Reply by CopperheadVA on 3/30/11 7:33pm
Msg #378052

My website is how most people find me for private notary work. I have it listed on my website "cash only, please". I keep a couple of spare $5 bills in my notary bag so I can easily make change. However, I will take a check if someone asks me beforehand.

I always take the check to the bank it's drawn on to cash it, if there is a branch local to me. One time , the check was not good (although the bank won't say that - they just say that they cannot cash it at this time). This check was only for $20!!! The person I did the notarization for said that she was going out of town the next morning for a vacation, so I did not attempt to contact her. I took the check back to her bank a few days later and it was rejected again. Then I decided to wait until the 15th of the month when many people automatically have payroll deposited into their bank account - the bank cashed it that time!

If I had not taken the check to this lady's own bank, and had I deposited it into my own account I would have racked up a returned check fee on MY account. And they usually run it through a second time, so I probably would have racked up two charges. Then I would have had to pursue her for the original amount plus the fees. However, in five years that has been the only time I've had a problem with a check from a non-loan signing customer.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 3/30/11 8:11pm
Msg #378054

Excellent advice.

I think I'll be going to the bank the check is issued on from now on, if at all feasible. (I won't be driving all over town, though, for a small check, at $4+/gal of gas!

In 10+ years, I've had a couple of bounced checks, but did get my money back. As Sheila said, I have all the necessary info. But it's a PITA to chase after re-payment for a $10 fee. (Yes, that really happened!) So I also usually advise the general public that I prefer cash, although I have accepted many checks in the past without problems. For businesses, I take company checks, although I've frequently been paid out of petty cash or someone's pocket for work done for small businesses.

Recently, though, I had someone actually ask me with some hesitation if cash was OK... Reminds me of something I read this week about teaching your children about money. They said, among other things, that you should pay children an allowance and be sure to show them coins and various paper bills so they can learn what real money looks like and that the value varies. So many kids are used to their parents paying for things just by handing over a piece of plastic that the value of money - and that it needs to be earned - is getting lost in the process. (Just thought that was interesting.)

Reply by John Schenk on 3/30/11 7:52pm
Msg #378053

Theft by check is a criminal offense. If I took one, and it bounced, I'd immediately call the hot check writer and inform them that their check bounced, I've been charged $25 by my bank because your check bounced, and I expect you to deliver me either cash or a cashier's check within 24 hours for $XX (amount of check and bank fee, if any), or I will turn the check over to the district attorney's office for collection and prosecution. That's what I'd do in that situation.

JJ

Reply by docs2go/ca on 4/1/11 12:48am
Msg #378241

I like your style..............

Reply by FlaNotary2 on 3/30/11 8:38pm
Msg #378055

I also now take credit cards

Thanks to my new goPayment app by Intuit (the company that makes QuickBooks). Just type in the amount and credit card info, the client signs their name with their finger on my iPhone screen, and a receipt is emailed to them. The money is immediately transferred to my notary business account.

On a $10 notarization, the credit card fee is 3 cents. No setup fee or monthly charge. Even for larger charges for weddings, the charge fee is minimal. For top dollar weddings I might charge a credit card convenience fee also.

Reply by LKT/CA on 3/30/11 9:27pm
Msg #378062

I take both personal and business checks, routinely. Never had one bounce.....like Sheila said, we have all of their info to track them down.

Reply by Jodith/WA on 3/31/11 5:22pm
Msg #378178

I don't do enough non-loan signings to bother with checks, especially since the majority of my non-loan signings are Canadian. I'm not going through the hassle of managing international collections for bad checks. I inform them up front that I need cash in USD. If they want to use a credit card, I send them a paypal invoice which must be paid before I leave the house for the appointment. So far, I've had no one object to cash only (especially since what I charge is so much less than what Canadian notaries charge).