Posted by Deborah Breedlove on 3/7/12 8:23pm
Msg #414251

sigh....

Ok, so today I'm up to my eyeballs with tax returns and accounting stuff (my day job), and I get a call from an older lady - (disclaimer* I have nothing against older ladies, as I am technically an older lady myself).

So, she says "I just talked to the Registrar of Deeds, and she told me you could help me."

Me: Yes Ma'am, how can I help you?

Her: I want to set up a "Transfer on Death" for my house, and they told me you would have the form.

Me: What form?

Her: The TRANSFER ON DEATH forms! (implied..."you idiot!")

Me: I don't have a form for that.

Her: But the REGISTRAR OF DEEDS said that any notary would have the form I need!!! (as if this is supposed to intimidate me into admitting that I do, in fact, have this form, but am intentionally lying and withholding this information from her)

Me: I am a notary public, and I can notarize your signature if necessary, but I am not an attorney and am not allowed to prepare legal documents.

Her: Well, I'm not asking you to prepare the form, but the REGISTRAR OF DEEDS said you would have the form!

Me: I would really love to help you, but I do not have the form.

Her: Well, where can I get the form? I don't know what to do now, since the REGISTRAR OF DEEDS SAID YOU WOULD HAVE IT!

Me: Well, you could either call an attorney or a title company for advice on where to find this form, or go to a website like LegalZoom. Otherwise, I really don't know what to tell you, and I don't know why the REGISTRAR OF DEEDS told you that I would have the form.

Her: WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, and I'M SORRY I WASTED YOUR TIME!!

Me: OK, thank you for calling. Sigh......

Ok, that was my irritation for today....back to work now

Reply by ikando on 3/7/12 9:01pm
Msg #414253

Deborah, can I empathize with you. I've had two calls today for GN work where they expected me to bring the paperwork to them. Took me a while to get one to understand that SHE needed to get the papers, fill them out (except for signing), and then I could ID and notarize. Must be the full moon.

BTW, I've just learned about Transfer on Death Deeds through my work as a legal assistant to an estate planning attorney. Seems like they've suddenly become popular as a way to avoid probating real property.

Reply by taxpro on 3/7/12 9:39pm
Msg #414256

So, do you have THE FORM? LOL n/m

Reply by Priscilla Witman on 3/7/12 9:16pm
Msg #414255

I think, sometimes, people think Notary Public=

cheap legal advice. A lot of people approach me at my day job ask me legal questions I would have no idea how to answer. Simply because they know I'm a notary. I would never have thought to ask a notary the questions I get asked. I even had an old lady (coincidentally) yell at me that I wasn't doing my job properly because I wouldn't fill out the POA for her. So that's why I put the "I am not an attorney" disclaimer on my website. :/

Reply by 101livescan on 3/7/12 10:58pm
Msg #414261

Re: I think, sometimes, people think Notary Public=

Amen to that. Happens all the time.

Reply by CJ on 3/7/12 11:50pm
Msg #414264

I had a borrower ask me . . .

He asked me what the difference between a notary and a CPA was. I almost laughed out loud. That is like asking me what the difference between a notary and an astronaut is. I told him that for starters, notaries only take one day of class and CPAs have an entire degree.

(I'm not a complete idiot: I have a paralegal background, and I can have a knack for deciphering legaleze, but when it comes to numbers, I think I would flub a teller job at a bank. Thank God (or whomever) for Quicken and Turbo Tax.)

Reply by FlaNotary2 on 3/8/12 6:35am
Msg #414280

Wow, telling a person that a notary "just takes a class" is

a great way to increase public perception of notaries!

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 3/8/12 10:50am
Msg #414307

Though I can appreciate what you're saying Robert

he's right..don't need a college degree or vocational certificate to be a notary - just need to take a class. It's why I steer away from overinflation of my role as a notary...

Reply by FlaNotary2 on 3/8/12 12:04pm
Msg #414313

If someone had asked me "What is the difference between

a notary and a CPA?", I wouldn't have said "Notaries just have to take a measley one day class while CPAs have to go to school for years and sit for a state exam", as this makes it sound like A) notaries are unimportant and are certainly beneath a CPA and B) becoming a notary is so easy that anyone can do it!

I would say: "A notary is a state officer who ensures that documents are executed voluntarily or under oath, and (for Florida notaries also perform marriage ceremonies and make attested true copies of documents. A CPA is a licensed professional that prepares tax returns and acts as a financial/business advisor".

Who says that a notary is better than a CPA? Commerce depends on notaries just like it depends on CPAs. Do they make more money? Sure. But a football player makes more money than a teacher. That doesn't mean football players are more important/essential to society than teachers.

Reply by FlaNotary2 on 3/8/12 12:04pm
Msg #414314

I meant "who says that a CPA is better than a notary" n/m

Reply by Leo Farmer on 3/8/12 4:54pm
Msg #414352

Re: If someone had asked me "What is the difference between

Maybe you should have ask the lady what wasshe going to do with this form. It may have provided you with enough information to get the lady on the right track .

Reply by ikando on 3/8/12 5:05pm
Msg #414355

Re: "the form"

Leo, I referred her to either the internet or an office supply store to get the generic forms. Those are not the best, but for people who have no idea at all, they're better than nothing.

Reply by Deborah Breedlove on 3/8/12 5:19pm
Msg #414361

Re: If someone had asked me "What is the difference between

I understood that she wanted the title of her home to "Transfer on Death" to her heirs. This is common and I have no problem with that. The issue was that she couldn't understand why I didn't have the form in stock in my office, since the Registrar of Deeds told her that any notary would have it. I did try to get her on the right track, but she just didn't like my answer.

Reply by ikando on 3/8/12 4:54pm
Msg #414353

Re: If someone had asked me "What is the difference between

I like your response, Robert.

And to respond to the earlier question, as a legal assistant, I DO have Access to "the form", but choose not to offer it to people who contact me as a notary.

The ones who get to me are those who contact me to find out how to become a notary. NOWHERE have I ever advertised notary educational services. I usually refer them to the SOS site. But they have still interrupted me and taken up my time with their questions when they have no need for services that I DO advertise.