Dont Ask the Notary

There are many misconceptions about notaries public. Those faulty thoughts can lead to conflicts between you and a notary. If you follow these simple guidelines, you will not be disappointed.

Don't ask the notary public for legal advice. We are not allowed to give legal advice. When you are signing documents related to a tax shelter, you might be tempted to get one last opinion. Don't ask for mine, because I will not give it to you. Speak to your lawyer, your accountant, your sister-in-law, but not the notary whose sole purpose is to notarize your signature on the documents.

Don't ask the notary public for other advice either. You might want to ask my opinion about how your divorce agreement stands up to others I have seen, but I will not answer that query.Don't ask the notary public to use the notary seal on a paper that will be signed later. A notary can only notarize a document signed in his or her presence by a person who is either personally known to the notary or who has produced an acceptable form of photo identification. There are some exceptions for those who have no photo identification, but those are handled differently in each state. No state, however, allows a notary to affix the notary seal to a document in the absence of a person who will sign it later.

Don't ask the notary public to perform a function that is not within his or her responsibility. In Florida, for instance, a notary cannot notarize a birth certificate.Above all, don't ask the notary public to bend the rules. Notaries exist to protect your rights. The rules that have been established, even though they might appear silly to you, are necessary.

Feel free to ask questions during your time with the notary, but don't be offended if he or she refuses to give an answer to some of them. Your notary is not a lawyer or an advisor. I can give you advice as a friend, but once you ask me to act as a notary on your behalf I will no longer be able to offer my opinions.Copyright 2006 by Marc Seligman.

Marc Seligman is a notary public in Florida specializing in providing notary services to nudists and naturists living or vacationing in the Sunshine State.The website http://www.NudeNotary.com offers more information about the functions of notaries in Florida.

By: Marc Seligman