Signing all pages in a legal Document

[tacoma5050]

When signing a document, why don't we have to sign each page? Wouldn't that protect the document from some malicious person swapping out or modifying one of the middle pages?

I never understood why we only have to sign the last page. Wouldn't it be safer to sign each page?

In the old days some multi-page documents or forms were one physical peice of paper, so this was not an issue.

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? VTWhat is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

 

[tranquility]

Why not fingerprint each page? It's all a matter of cost/benefit. There are some documents here we submit (For an estate tax return, for example.) that is literally a ream of paper to print. Are things really better if we force the person to sign 500 times?

 

[tacoma5050]

Good point..500 pages, yeah I guess that would be a pain.

If I decide I want to sign every page to protect myself, how would I do that?
Can I just sign each page in the bottom right corner? Can I just write a note on the last page that all provious pages have my signature on them?

Why not fingerprint each page? It's all a matter of cost/benefit. There are some documents here we submit (For an estate tax return, for example.) that is literally a ream of paper to print. Are things really better if we force the person to sign 500 times?

 

[You Are Guilty]

Initial them?

 

[tranquility]

There would be nothing wrong with that.

 

[TrustUser]

hey tq,

i actually sign and fingerprint ALL PAGES.

and each page is numbered 1 of 40, 2 of 40, etc.

for the very reason brought up by the OP.

i see it differently. what the heck trouble is there to sign every page of a trust document once, when it serves the purpose of distributing a fair sum of wealth ?

 

[tacoma5050]

With "WillMaker Plus 2011" when you print your completed Will, it prints this at the bottom of each page:
"Page 1 or 5 Initials ____ ____ ____ Date: _____"

This is for the two witnesses and the Will creator to all initial each page.

 

[applecruncher]

Some documents require initialing each page and signing the last page.
(I've never signed a 500 page document nor do I know anyone who has, and I've seen plenty of wills, trusts, contracts, settlement agreements, estate tax documents, etc. ) A 500 pg document - sounds like a manuscript.

 

[AdivceGiver]

I cut a finger off and staple one to every page ....

 

[applecruncher]

That's fine if you have digits to spare.