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joanbergst
California
360 Posts |
 Posted - 10/24/2008 : 9:34:24 PM
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Well, if this isn't the best post for mobile notaries, since the 12th of never, I give up!
Mobile notaries: rich people have tons more documents to notarize than poor people!
Thank you Ken!!
This guy is very very bright and I am totaly impressed with him.
Joan Bergstrom
24/7 To Riverside & San Bernardino Counties.
State Notary exam teacher for www.notaryclasses.com
www.joanbergstromnotarypublic.com
joan.bergstrom@yahoo.com
Cell: 951-522-4919
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edelske
New York
815 Posts |
Posted - 10/24/2008 : 4:59:08 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by catmama47
I would like to know how other notaries explain their fees to potential clients.
You lost even before you started. "explain their fees" is starting from a defensive position of weakness. Did you ever ask your dentist to itemize the cost. Lets see Dentist - how much for the exam, the drilling, the injection, the mouthwash, etc....
Of course not.
My card calls my company "Key Client Services" and trust me, it's a lot better to work for wealthy clients than poor ones. If asked about my fee - I respond that my service is for folks who "Have more money than time", if you have "More time than money" - consider going to the county clerk where (in New York State) notarization is free. No, they don't work at 8PM or on Sunday......
Kenneth A Edelstein
Mobile Notary, Apostille / Legalization Processing & Fingerprinting
http://www.kenneth-a-edelstein.com |
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civey
North Carolina
76 Posts |
Posted - 10/23/2008 : 1:45:18 PM
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| I don't even have a mileage rate, since notaries in NC can not charge it. I do take the deduction at the end of the year, because it is my cost as a signing agent. I was dividing my billing for the notartizations but now it just includes charges for fax backs, e-docs etc and I do flex a little, but not a lot, I do add for reverse mortgages, because of the time envolved. I am a signing agent period and if I want to do signings I have to have to be a notary, however a RESPA doesn't require me to notarize anything. I get calls to do inspections from this sight and they call me because I am a notary, but I don't notarize anything. |
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azdocsign
Arizona
89 Posts |
Posted - 10/23/2008 : 05:44:41 AM
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Arizona notaries please keep in mind that when you charge for mileage. You cannot use the federal mileage rate. You must charge according to the amount authorized for mileage expenses for state employees. Currently the rate is 40.5 cents per mile.
The federal rate applies only when completing your income tax returns so please be careful to charge correctly.
 Kathy Fletcher
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n/a
California
1 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2008 : 5:12:15 PM
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The IRS mileage rate is currently at 58.8 cents per mile. It is the standard rate that may be deducted for NON REIMBURSED auto expenses for business use. It is usually adjusted annually...although it can go up (or down) depending on surging fuel rates. This year was one of those times.
You have to be careful using this rate, though. Remember this is a deduction rate, and it is optional. Some prefer to use different ways of deducting expenses and depreciation. The IRS mileage rate is designed to encompass all of that (fuel, repairs, depreciation, etc.) as a standard deduction (vs itemized). If you are reimbursed for mileage at that rate on your invoices or expesnes, you may not be eligible to take the deduction, too. The right to that deduction would pass to the company who reimbursed you because that would be their expense, not yours.
I have an accountant friend who made it very clear to me that I should *NOT* be charging the IRS mileage rate on top of everything else because it would be increasing my taxable income, not only by bringing in more money but losing the right to the deduction, too.
He did say, though, that if you want to figure the rate into a travel fee than that's fine, or add some kind of a surcharge...fine. But he said that you should not use the exact published rate nor refer to it as the IRS allowable rate or something like that. The IRS doesn't "allow" you to charge that rate to customers. That rate is a deduction... and is a guide for business to use in helping reimburse employees and such for use of their personal vehicles, letting the business take that deduction instead of the employee. It works the same for small business and self-employed people, too.
I'm just passing on what he told me. He said it's all a matter of playing with the numbers and making the right decisions for your unqie needs. No one answer works for everyone. |
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CopperheadVA
Virginia
420 Posts |
Posted - 10/18/2008 : 05:27:35 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Conniek
If my understanding is correct the government, for IRS taxes, on independent contractors, has a maximum of .58 cents per mile mileage rate but it changes either monthly, quarterly. Maybe others have same info.
My travel fee includes the cost of operating my vehicle as well as a fee for my time while traveling to and from the appointment.
CopperheadVA
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joanbergst
California
360 Posts |
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Conniek
Oregon
78 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2008 : 12:07:40 AM
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If my understanding is correct the government, for IRS taxes, on independent contractors, has a maximum of .58 cents per mile mileage rate but it changes either monthly, quarterly. Maybe others have same info.
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CopperheadVA
Virginia
420 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2008 : 04:13:00 AM
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I agree with Lisa T. I have a couple of locations (Starbucks is one, library is another) that are less than 2 miles from my home. I meet people there for a reduced travel fee of $10, plus fee for notarizations. For a higher travel fee, I will go to their home or farther. I have a lot of people who take me up on the $10 fee and think it's a great deal.
I simply am not willing to travel to meet them for the $5 that my state allows to charge per notarization, especially since most people only need one notarization. But for $15 (or more with multiple notarizations) which includes the nominal travel fee, I am willing to do it since it's close-by and convenient for me. Additionally, I don't allow people to come to my home for notarizations. First, I value my privacy and that of my family and don't want people who I don't know showing up to my house (I don't list my home address on any of my listings), and second I believe it is illegal for me to have paying customers come to my home, as I am zoned as residential.
If I sense that someone does not want to pay the $10 travel fee, I direct them to the local shipping store where I drop my packages. I have a good relationship with the owner and she refers business to me too.
CopperheadVA
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Edited by - CopperheadVA on 10/02/2008 09:53:55 AM |
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Lisa T.
California
391 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2008 : 6:47:36 PM
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| I always give customers an option of waiving the travel fee by meeting me at a location convenient for ME, which is a Starbucks inside a grocery store less than 5 minutes from my home. Works out great, I don't lose business and one time a customer hands me a $100 bill, I just got change at the register. Most prefer to meet me there but I still have customers request that I drive to them for their convenience and they are more than willing to pay the travel fee with no hassle. |
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crtowles
California
553 Posts |
Posted - 09/30/2008 : 11:33:12 PM
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I charge a 50.00 travel fee plus 10.00 per notarization. I try to stay within about 10 miles of my house. I ask allot of questions to find out the callers particular's needs/situation. Some, I just refer to the neighborhood Kinko's or UPS store because I can tell that they cannot afford the fees. But a great deal of them are in office buildings need my services because they do not have time to go to a notary. I am getting quite a few calls for these per week.
Carmen
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jbelmont
California
3106 Posts |
Posted - 09/29/2008 : 2:47:54 PM
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My fee schedule used to be more based on the time involved and degree of difficulty. As a California notary, I was entitled to $10 per signature, but only charged $5. I had a travel fee based on how far I was going and how long it would take. Jail and hospital notarizations had a much higher travel fee.
I figured that once I was paid to get to a job, doing the actual notarizations took only minutes compared to an hour of phone and car time. That is why I charged less for notarizing signatures. With the hospital and jail folks, getting ID's or credible witnesses was always time consuming, so I included that as part of the travel fee even though it was more of a waiting or nuissance fee.
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Patti
California
20 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2008 : 11:36:16 AM
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When the price of gas hit the $3.75 mark a few weeks back, I started asking for $10 more for signings to cover the surging gas prices. I've only had a problem a couple times. Everyone has been very reasonable, their going through the same thing so can easily empathize and it's only $10! Come on now...
When the question about after hours and weekend general notary work came up here, my question was can't we charge a separate fee for travel/afterhours/hoilday/weekends, etc? We're bound by what we can charge to stamp and notarize but the additional time and travel, etc is "service, right? 
Tish
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Patti
California
20 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2008 : 10:59:16 AM
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When the price of gas hit the $3.75 mark a few weeks back, I started asking for $10 more for signings to cover the surging gas prices. I've only had a problem a couple times. Everyone has been very reasonable, their going through the same thing so can easily empathize and it's only $10! Come on now...
When the question about after hours and weekend general notary work came up here, my question was can't we charge a separate fee for travel/afterhours/hoilday/weekends, etc? We're bound by what we can charge to stamp and notarize but the additional time and travel, etc is "service, right?
Tish
www.mountaintopsigners.com |
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Shannon
California
360 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2008 : 09:47:45 AM
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I've been cautious since work has been thin...I have already had what others view as "premium" price points for the six counties I serve. I'd like to bump things by $25 for a loan package but feel I'd lose work. Maybe the $10 bump is the way to go...
"A Quick Note"
www.aquicknote.net
Now Providing "Service of Process" in Orange County, CA |
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BrendaTx
Texas
60 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2008 : 07:04:54 AM
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Thanks AZ...I'd never do it without talking to the SoS. I am like you...I figure if I charged a penny over $6 I'd be drawn and quartered. Maybe it is unethical to charge an upcharge on weekends/evenings when you KNOW they cannot find anyone else. I don't know.
Those who need the GOTTA HAVE IT NOW notary act generally don't take care of their business in any aspect of life...I'd just like to be able to open my front door and charge them $10 for the inconvenience of doing it. $6 just doesn't cut it.
When people come to my house I set up a wooden tv tray by the front door on my porch for them to sign on and meet them out there. I walk out with my journal, pen and stamp. If it is hot or cold out there it makes them move along faster. No point in letting them in to figure out I am alone. I don't let them into my house to scope things out. My yappers (dogs) put up such a fuss that it is very distracting to them so if they are thinking anything about "no good" they probably think I am too high maintenance of a victim to deal with.
quote:
Originally posted by AZSigner
Hi Brenda,
I do know a few notaries here in Arizona who do in-home notarizations and charge $10 per signature ...
NSA Book - Free at
http://tinyurl.com/4t4f3p
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LindaH
Florida
1754 Posts |
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Lee-AR
Arkansas
678 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2008 : 05:37:14 AM
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Absolutely! FedEx/UPS/DHL do it! Airlines do it! Truckers do it!
Even little ol' NSAs can do it. You must stay profitable...and say No to anyone who can't meet what you need to do so. |
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Shannon
California
360 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2008 : 11:08:05 PM
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Anyone considering an increase in fees with gas approaching and passing $4.00/gal ?
"A Quick Note"
WWW.AQUICKNOTE.NET
Now Providing "Service of Process" in Orange County, CA |
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AZSigner
Arizona
93 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2008 : 12:29:42 PM
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Hi Brenda,
I do know a few notaries here in Arizona who do in-home notarizations and charge $10 per signature and claim it's an "after hours" or "weekend" fee. Although technically it's illegal to do that, they've been doing it for years with no problems.
At one point I considered just doing it too, since I typically get those requests after-hours or on weekends, but I decided not to. Murphy's law says that even though other notaries have been doing it for years, I'll be the one who ends up getting caught for it. I decided not to risk losing my commission (and therefore my loan signing abilities) for $10.
Another of my notary friends suggested getting a petition together, collecting signatures, and sending it to the governor's office since that's the office that sets the notary fees. (In AZ, the SOS is in charge of commissioning notaries, but the Governor's office sets the legal fee limits). I'm not sure what the chances are of pulling that off, but it sounds better than breaking the law. I'll let you all know how it ends up working out.
-Mike |
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BrendaTx
Texas
60 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2008 : 11:37:40 AM
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Mike - I hear you. I often do allow people to come to my home on weekends because I am a sucker for kids and these college students need notaries at the last hour. (Don't fuss, I said I know I am a sucker. Usually it is for traffic court affidavits.)
Anyhow...in a perfect world, notaries would be allowed to charge a weekend fee...after hours fee...whatever you want to call it fee.
Some weekends I get so many calls that I consider calling my SOS to ask them if I could get by with a $20 fee for opening up after 5 pm.
quote:
Originally posted by AZSigner
If they insist on coming to me, I tell them I'm strictly a travelling notary, and that if they can travel to a notary themselves their best bet is to go to their local bank or UPS store as they have notaries. One lady who insisted on coming to me became very beliggerant even after I explained that I don't offer in-home notarizations. She persisted and finally I told her, "MA'AM, I DON'T ALLOW STRANGERS INTO MY HOME." It was Sunday, so I told her she would either have to pay the travel fee if she wanted my services and allow me to travel to her, or she could wait until the following Monday morning and get it done at her bank, where they may not even charge her at all if she has an account.
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BrendaTx
Texas
60 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2008 : 11:10:22 AM
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A couple of days ago I answered my phone and a young man said that his mom was giving him a piece of property...could I notarize the documents on Sunday?
Sure...we set a time.
If he'd have left it right there I would have done it for him, but then he said...she's getting a divorce and we don't want it to go through the courts.
Divorce?
More words tumbled out...
"They own it but...
"And now...she's going to give it to me rather than....
" 'He' doesn't need to know....
"Court doesn't need to get involved...
Experience and age counts for something. You finally realize when you're about to get neck deep in a mess...so I said....
Call someone else. I don't want to wind up in court on my own time discussing how you or your mom told me any of this.
And, I don't want to explain why I'd participate in such thing...whether it's lawful or not for me to, I don't want to know anything about fraud.
When I said "fraud" he got off the phone quickly understanding that his self-assumed cleverness at figuring out how to keep this piece of property away from his step-dad and bragging about his prowess to the notary was probably not a very smart move.
Nope...didn't get his name or report him to the police. I believe they would have said it was a civil matter (purported/hearsay, etc.) and I'd have wasted my time trying.
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AZSigner
Arizona
93 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2008 : 4:46:25 PM
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For general notary work, I tell them that my fee is XX "which includes travel and the notarization fee." If they're still interested, I tell them I accept cash or credit card via Paypal (unless it's a business or corporate office calling for a client, in which case I would tell them I accept checks as well.) If they're paying in cash, I tell them I don't carry cash myself and that they'll need exact change.
If they insist on coming to me, I tell them I'm strictly a travelling notary, and that if they can travel to a notary themselves their best bet is to go to their local bank or UPS store as they have notaries. One lady who insisted on coming to me became very beliggerant even after I explained that I don't offer in-home notarizations. She persisted and finally I told her, "MA'AM, I DON'T ALLOW STRANGERS INTO MY HOME." It was Sunday, so I told her she would either have to pay the travel fee if she wanted my services and allow me to travel to her, or she could wait until the following Monday morning and get it done at her bank, where they may not even charge her at all if she has an account.
It would be a different story if I lived in California where you can charge $10 per signature, but I'm not going to wait around for someone to show up at my home for $2 per signature here in Arizona. No sir, not worth my time.
To respond to one of Lee's points: I personally have never been stiffed on a notary call or shown up and had the client try to renegotiate the fee except for ONCE on a jail call. I confirmed with the client over the phone that they would have the travel fee in cash which is due up front. I showed up and he didn't have the cash. He tried to jerk me around saying that his "friend" was on his way with the cash. He wanted me to perform the notarization for his inmate brother and his friend would be here by the time I was done. I said no and just left. He didn't call back which leads me to believe that the "friend" never showed up. I was out maybe $7 in gas (plus time wasted), but I'm not going to let anyone jerk me around, and I'm NOT going to work for free. Of the hundreds of general notary calls I've done, that's the only one that was ever a problem. The rest always either pre-pay with a credit card or they have the cash waiting for me on the table when I arrive.
-Mike |
Edited by - AZSigner on 05/03/2008 4:49:16 PM |
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Lee-AR
Arkansas
678 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2008 : 2:33:51 PM
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| You should always quote a fee in advance. Also remember that even if they do agree to your fee, you stand an excellent chance of getting there and then they will try to renegotiate your fee or come up with a variety of reasons why they can't pay you as agreed. Got change for $100? I only have $5 on me. Take a check? (Is it good?) And on & on. Mostly, your best bet is to first find out 'what' they want. If it's a simple notarization--send 'em to their bank or parcel store. |
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vince
Kansas
324 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2008 : 12:15:59 PM
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| As general notary work does not require the same degree of experience, the fees generated do not typically pay for much travel. That in mind, I refer 2 to 5 calls a week to the zip code search feature of this and two other notary sites to save the person time and money (and suggest the parcel stores and the person’s local bank as a “non-private” last resort. |
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catmama47
81 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2008 : 2:46:50 PM
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I would like to know how my fellow notaries handle this. I've been a mobile notary for almost four years and I have been listed with 123notary.com for almost three years. A caller sees my listing and they contact me. The first thing they as is to confirm that I'm a notary and of course I respond that I am. I also tell them that I'm a "mobile" notary and I come to them. I also explain there's a nominal travel fee. Of course the caller asks if I have an office and I respond that I don't. Again, I make it clear that I'm a mobile notary, I come to them. I tell them my travel fee. On occasion, I ask them the following, "if your appliances break down, you call a repair man." They respond that they do. I mention to the caller that the repair man charges a service call fee and I ask them if they pay the fee. The caller responds that they do. The next thing I tell them is that I'm also a service based business, I also charge a fee for my time, gas, etc. I also mention that my fees are quite reasonable, I know some notaries who charge alot more than me. By this time, if I can tell that they have no interest in paying the travel fee, I suggest that they drive to Kinkos or Mailboxes Etc. I explain that these places have a notary, but I can't guarantee the notary will be there. I also thank the caller for contacting me. I would like to know how other notaries explain their fees to potential clients. I can only "assume" that potential clients only want to pay the $10 notarization fee, not pay for our gas, car insurance, time, etc.
I'm very open for suggestions.
Ellen Michaels |
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Notary Travel Fees
