Posted by Caren Dashow on 5/21/11 7:24pm
Msg #383981

is payment neccessary

May I NOT charge for my services.
I am in New York.
I know the signatures are $2, but if I want to not charge, is that legal?

Thank you

Reply by NJDiva on 5/21/11 7:26pm
Msg #383982

ummmm, er, echem, okay

why would it be ILLEGAL?

I do notarization's for my friends for free all the time.

Reply by DaveCA/CA on 5/21/11 8:30pm
Msg #383992

I would charge $1

We had the privilege of being audited twice this year by the IRS. Earlier for 2008 and two weeks ago for 2009. What I didn't know but you may all know is that you cannot deduct expenses for a zero-charged item. So for now, we'll always charge $1 so that the mileage (in case we are driving to them...Yah, I know, hey, it's free so why aren't they coming to you...but it's more convenient for me to go to them) and any other expenses can be deducted from now on. By the way, both cases, the IRS got nothing from us.

I am not an attorney or accountant so please get real advice before following mine.

Reply by Susan Fischer on 5/21/11 10:38pm
Msg #383999

Five Start Post Dave/CA. The devil's in the DETAILS, and

details can have enormous outcomes.

Thanks for this gem of a post.

Reply by Susan Fischer on 5/21/11 10:33pm
Msg #383998

Me too, Diva. On the app for a commission, one selects

whether to either charge a fee. Many company employed Notaries Public select this option, as it's more or less, a part of the job. For those opters, they *cannot* charge a fee.

Others opt for the fee, but there is nothing binding about the fee except the amount. ($10 in OR) and we are free to do pro bono work.

Hope that helps.

Reply by C. Rivera Chicago Notary Services on 5/21/11 7:34pm
Msg #383985

dude, if you're in NY then why even bother asking this

question... your member ID shows...Caren Dashow of AK??

Suggest you read your SOS handbook, a couple of times maybe.

Reply by NJDiva on 5/21/11 7:39pm
Msg #383986

lol...dude?...lmao

YOU TALKIN TA ME????

Reply by C. Rivera Chicago Notary Services on 5/21/11 7:43pm
Msg #383989

I have a 21, 20, 16 & 8 yr old-kid lingo...can't help it! =) n/m

Reply by Susan Fischer on 5/21/11 10:26pm
Msg #383997

Un hogar no se edifica sobre tierra, sino sobre el carácter

de una mujer.

Nodding.

Reply by C. Rivera Chicago Notary Services on 5/23/11 6:19am
Msg #384039

Susan, a quien se le dirige a su puesto? n/m

Reply by Susan Fischer on 5/23/11 9:13am
Msg #384060

I'm in waay over my head... :( It was a quote from a

TV show of an old adage. <feeble grin>

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 5/21/11 7:39pm
Msg #383987

Re: dude, if you're in NY then why even bother asking this

For some reason some members ID comes up as AK even though they are in another state. This problem has come up before. I forget what the reason is.

Reply by Cari on 5/21/11 7:45pm
Msg #383990

is it because they do not choose their state when filling

out their profile?

....so many glitches with this site...oh well, nothing's perfect....

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 5/21/11 8:32pm
Msg #383993

Re: is it because they do not choose their state when filling

No, that wasn't the reason, but darned if I can remember what it was.

Reply by Caren Dashow on 5/22/11 12:04am
Msg #384008

Re: dude, if you're in NY then why even bother asking this

that is the reason, I did not choose a state.
I have read the handbook several times,
and have found not a reference to not charging as opposed to charging too much.
A fellow notary today mentioned upon me not charging that I needed to,
hence I am asking.
Thanks for the info thus far!
(I don't know what being in NY has to do with it, dude?)

Reply by jba/fl on 5/22/11 12:08am
Msg #384010

Being in NY just means you follow NY laws. n/m

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 5/22/11 7:38am
Msg #384013

Your laws don't state you MUST charge those fees

they state you're "entitled" to that fee -

http://www.dos.state.ny.us/licensing/lawbooks/NOTARY.pdf

"§136. Notarial fees.

A notary public shall be entitled to the following fees:

1. For administering an oath or affirmation, and certifying the same when required, except where another fee is specifically prescribed by sta-tute, $2.

2. For taking and certifying the acknowledgment or proof of execution of a written instrument, by one person, $2, and by each additional person, $2, for swearing such witness thereto, $2."

Reply by Caren Dashow on 5/22/11 12:21pm
Msg #384020

Re: Your laws don't state you MUST charge those fees

Thank you, I think that is the answer!

Reply by MW/VA on 5/22/11 5:41pm
Msg #384024

Most states set a maximum fee a notary can charge. We have

the option to do "pro bono" work if we want to. We are not submitting our fees to the state.