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where to get a will notarized

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You can have documents of any kind notarized at any place where a licensed Notary exists. This could be a bank, (usually the best place because most people at banks don't charge for the service), auto dealerships, mortgage companies, funeral homes, (not the best but usable in a pinch), some Attorney's offices (but my GOSH they want SOOOOOOOOOOOO much money!!!!!). ok ok, joke. No need to beat up the fat guy.
 

anteater

Senior Member
There is no requirement that a will itself be notarized.

Will form, execution, attestation.
474.320. Every will shall be in writing, signed by the testator, or by some person, by his direction, in his presence; and shall be attested by two or more competent witnesses subscribing their names to the will in the presence of the testator.
However, a will can be made self-proving:
Written will self-proved, how.
474.337. 1. A written will may at the time of its execution, or at any subsequent date, be made self-proved, by the acknowledgment thereof by the testator and the witnesses, each made before an officer authorized to administer oaths under the laws of this state, and evidenced by the officer's certificate, under official seal, attached or annexed to the will in form and content substantially as follows:

THE STATE OF ******************************************.

COUNTY OF ******************************************....

I, the undersigned, an officer authorized to administer oaths, certify that ****************************., the testator, and the witnesses, whose names are signed to the attached or foregoing instrument, having appeared together before me and having been first duly sworn, each then declared to me that the testator signed and executed the instrument as his last will, and that he had willingly signed or willingly directed another to sign for him, and that he executed it as his free and voluntary act for the purposes therein expressed; and that each of the witnesses, in the presence and hearing of the testator, signed the will as witness and that to the best of his knowledge the testator was at that time eighteen or more years of age, of sound mind, and under no constraint or undue influence.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my official seal this ****************************. day of **************...., 20.. . (Signed) **************************************************************************************************************** (SEAL) ****************************************************************************************************************..

(Official capacity of officer)
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
Regarding the cost of a notary: I don't know about other states, but in my state notary fees are set by the state. When I was sworn in I was given a list - you may not charge more than x for this service or y for that service. You can charge less, but you may not charge more. This applies no matter where the notary is working from.

Of course, if you go to an attorney's office they can only charge you x or y for the notary service, but they can charge you the attorney's hourly rate for the visit!
 

TrustUser

Senior Member
in california, several years ago the lawyers association was able to use their clout and prevent most banking institutions from notarizing wills. it did not stop other notaries from doing so, though.

but i checked last year, and now my credit union does them again.

a notarized signature has more clout than a non-notarized signature has.

i would create a trust for my assets. but if all i had was a will, i would get the signature notarized, if at all possible.
 
To my knowledge, if a document has been notarized, it becomes sworn testimony, if in fact it is offered as such. A document that has no notary affirmation is not sworn, nor can it be offered as such.

I could be wrong, but I've always known the correlation between legal docs and notaries to carry this reasoning.
 

TrustUser

Senior Member
Mr

hi zigner,

as old and tired put it.

basically a notarized signature is one in which a state employee has verified that the signer is who he says he is, and he is of able mind, etc.

a "witness" does not carry that same credibility. i would think that a will without a trust would be one of the most important documents to have notarized, in that it is probably one of the most common documents to be disputed, if it is distributing assets of worth.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
To Oldandtired & Trustuser -

Please cite something - ANYTHING to show that the assertion is true for our OP's situation.
 

anteater

Senior Member
I am unaware of any state that requires notarization of a will.

Nor have I heard of any will contests where notarization has made a difference. They may be out there and I am all ears....
 
To Oldandtired & Trustuser -

Please cite something - ANYTHING to show that the assertion is true for our OP's situation.
I believe, since I re-read it again twice, the OP has been given a fully competent and complete answer to their question.

Anything beyond that, you're going to have to look that up yourself. I'm just too lazy and can't be bothered.
 

TrustUser

Senior Member
hi anteater,

just wanted to make sure that you knew that i did not say that a will needed to be notarized to make it legal.

hi zigner,

dont know what you want me to cite ? a notary is a legal person whose job it is to verify the person who is signing. it is gonna be harder for someone to say said person was not aware of what he is doing, etc. that is not the case with a witness. the notary would be breaking the law. with regards to what anteater said about contests where notarization has made a difference, i cant say.

but i will say one thing - if someone is contesting my will, i would say that my chances are always as good, and possibly better with a notarized signature, versus one that is only witnessed.

2 people could get a relative to sign a document that was in their best interest, without the relative knowing what he was doing. that could not happen with a notary, unless the notary was willing to break the law for strangers.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
hi anteater,

just wanted to make sure that you knew that i did not say that a will needed to be notarized to make it legal.

hi zigner,

dont know what you want me to cite ? a notary is a legal person whose job it is to verify the person who is signing. it is gonna be harder for someone to say said person was not aware of what he is doing, etc. that is not the case with a witness. the notary would be breaking the law. with regards to what anteater said about contests where notarization has made a difference, i cant say.

but i will say one thing - if someone is contesting my will, i would say that my chances are always as good, and possibly better with a notarized signature, versus one that is only witnessed.

2 people could get a relative to sign a document that was in their best interest, without the relative knowing what he was doing. that could not happen with a notary, unless the notary was willing to break the law for strangers.
And THAT is false.
 

TrustUser

Senior Member
i am not interested in guessing games with you. if you want to provide some details with your answers, i will reply back.

the chances of a notarized signature being false is much less than if the signature is just witnessed. in one situation, you have a legal person whose job it is to verify said situation. a witness has no such legal job.
 
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