Posted by dk_reed07/IL on 12/20/12 2:41pm
Msg #447258

POA

I did a really horrible mistake. I have only notarized one other Power of Attorney and directions were sent on how to have the borrower sign. Plus all the documents had how to sign under every signature.

The POA I had last night only had the printed attorney in fact wording under 4 signatures. She had to original POA to put in the loan package. And the only instructions I got were to have borrower sign exactly how name is printed. Not knowing she should have signed and initialed every signature with attorney in fact, I had her only do that on the four that were stated.

Is this common knowledge that every signature should be written out with attorney in fact?

I have always seen information on how to sign POA but nothing about it being used on every signature.

Reply by MW/VA on 12/20/12 2:55pm
Msg #447259

When in doubt, always check with your hiring party,

especially on POA or Trust signings.
I've done many POA signings, and always have them sign with all the verbage throughout the pkg.
Common knowledge or not, you should have asked.

Reply by CopperheadVA on 12/20/12 3:00pm
Msg #447262

Yes - whenever someone signs as POA for someone else, there is going to be a specific way for them to sign. I always ask the hiring party to send me an email with the way they want it signed and initialed. Then I print that out and put it in front of the signer for them to refer to during the closing appointment.

Usually it's something like "John R. Doe by Jane A. Doe, his Attorney-in-Fact" but there are some different ways to do it so I always ask every time. Then in your notary certificates you must be careful not to ackowledge the signature of the person who is not there. Your notary handbook likely gives you an example of the proper wording for this type of notarization.

And yes the original POA needs to be returned with the signed docs because it will be recorded at the county with the DOT/Mortgage.