Before the appointment: names, verified
Estate documents arrive pre-printed with the signers’ legal names. Before I schedule anything, I confirm who is signing, check their identification requirements, and verify the exact spelling of every name against the documents. A mismatch caught on the phone costs nothing; one caught at the recorder’s office can delay an entire estate plan.
At the table: guided, page by page
A trust package typically bundles the living trust itself, an advance health care directive, a durable power of attorney, sometimes guardianship documents, a last will and testament, and deeds moving property into the trust. Each has its own signature and initial pattern, and some need oaths administered. My job is to guide the signers through every page in order, keep everyone calm, and perform the authorized notarial acts — never to explain what the documents mean. Legal questions belong to the attorney who drafted them; that separation protects you.
Wills are the exception
In California, wills are witnessed, not notarized — a detail that surprises many families. If your package includes a will, the witnessing is coordinated as part of the same appointment. Deeds, on the other hand, are always notarized, because they’re headed to the county recorder.
Before I leave: the triple-check
This is the part that separates a professional signing from a stack of stamped paper. Some documents stay with the family; some go to recording; an error discovered later is expensive to fix. So before I leave the table, the complete package gets a final review — every signature present, every initial in place, every notarial certificate completed and stamped legibly. I never assume someone else will catch it. And if I ever make a mistake, I come back and fix it as soon as possible.
Where and when
Homes, attorney offices, hospitals, and assisted living facilities across Greater Los Angeles, 8 AM–10 PM daily — trust signing packages from $175. For estate attorneys: your clients get the same care at their kitchen table as they would in your conference room. My job is to protect your reputation while taking excellent care of your clients. Se habla español.
General information about California notary practice, not legal advice. Documents come from your attorney or document preparer.
