Posted by Carlos/CA on 9/11/11 10:37am
Msg #397042

Mileage Charge

Can anyone tell me what I should charge for mileage over and above my regular commute?

Reply by Carlos/CA on 9/11/11 10:43am
Msg #397043

Thanks but I went to the IRS website and found out that business mileage is .51 cents.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 9/11/11 10:46am
Msg #397045

That's not what you can charge...that's what you're allowed

to deduct on your tax return...it's also what the federal government pays its employees

No one can tell you what to charge - it's up to you to determine what your travel costs are. Also be sure to check that your state doesn't limit how much you can charge, both as a notary AND as a business.

Reply by Les_CO on 9/11/11 11:59am
Msg #397054

Do you drive a Hummer, or a turbo-diesel VW? Are you regulated by the State on what you can charge? If not and you can get someone to pay it, I’d say $1000.00 sounds like a nice even number? JMO

Reply by LKT/CA on 9/11/11 12:37pm
Msg #397057

No state reg for travel fees in CA

I doubt that anyone but the Sultan of Brunei will pay a $1,000 travel fee.

We can charge whatever travel fee someone is willing to pay. As with loan signings, if they're unwilling to pay your travel fee, they'll want to "call you back" after they talk to so and so - for which you never hear from them again.

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 9/11/11 1:06pm
Msg #397060

Les was trying to get you to do a little thinking on your own as it's just slightly apparent that you've done no research. That orange search button is your friend. You can also spend time on other notarys' webpages on this and other sites. You should already know what it costs you to operate according to your business model. Personally for general work, I list zipcodes and a set fee. I then charge per mile outside that basic area. NSA work much the same. However, you must set those fees according to your business model, we can't do that for you.

Reply by Erwin/CA on 9/11/11 1:30pm
Msg #397062

IRS mileage is 55.5 cents per mile effective July 1, 2011. See http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=240903,00.html
Erwin

Reply by LKT/CA on 9/11/11 7:09pm
Msg #397084

Erwin, did you see Linda's post above? n/m

Reply by Erwin/CA on 9/11/11 7:51pm
Msg #397090

Re: Erwin, did you see Linda's post above?

I saw Linda's Post. The IRS says that 55.5 cents per mile is a fair reimbursement for the cost of operating your car. This is not payment for your time. The reason I posted it is someone said 51 cents per mile per the IRS and that is incorrect. You have to decide how much to charge for your time in addition to the cost of the car.
Erwin

Reply by Les_CO on 9/11/11 3:20pm
Msg #397068

My “travel fee” encompasses much more that the miles I drive…It has to do with my time and the convenience I offer to ‘come to them’. It also varies on ‘when’ and ‘where’. Things like impassable mountain roads 4-wheel drive, studded snow tires in winter, to rush hour and parking in downtown Denver in summer. If you can’t figure out what to charge in YOUR situation, I suggest you try another business. Something where someone (your boss) can tell you what to do. Remember all us NSA’s are “self employed”…meaning that the only boss we have to ask is us.
As for the Sultan of Brunei if he asks me my travel fee is $5000. I’ve written that in my book (business plan) unless he send his plane, (lots of gold fixtures and stuff) then I will pay him $.01, just to try and be fail and equal, adjusted to our respective incomes.

Reply by MW/VA on 9/11/11 9:19pm
Msg #397098

I live in a densely populated area & most of my signings are under 20 miles. There's one area that involves more travel & takes me 30 miles or more one way. I charge an extra $15-$25. I don't nickel & dime my clients. I quote a flat fee & charge an upcharge for extra travel or extra large pkgs. IMO it's best to keep it simple. :-)

Reply by Virginia Notary Services Statewide Service on 9/12/11 12:37am
Msg #397108

I have my mileage cost by counties and I do the whole state. I figure my mileage charge by what county I go to from my home base. I will do the entire state. I have 35% of my signings coming direct to me from attorneys. I will also record docs for them. They pay well like the old days and when I pick up the docs I get a check for the signing. No waiting to get paid. I did a signing on a $800K purchase last week. I drove to Alexandra to get the docs, then to Williamsburg to have them signed and then back to Alexandra to return docs. About 250 miles that day. Good payday…..

Reply by jnew on 9/12/11 1:37pm
Msg #397126

If you are going to use fixed charges for each of your expenses, you will have to determine what your true costs per closing are for each expense. After you determine that, it would be possible to determine what your travel expenses are per business mile driven. Then you could multiply the number of miles for your proposed closing by the expense per mile. Then you should mark up that total by the amount of return you want as a percentage of the total cost. You can then quote that number to the customer. I personally like to have one charge per closing for each separate zip code I service. I have it in a spread sheet and copied it into my planner. I have a normal price, an end of month price and a weekend price. Those time periods have a higher value to me, so I expect my price to reflect that.