05/29/2024
What to do if you need a notary while in the hospital ......
.....The Impossible Happens
You or a loved one is hospitalized and unable to move about freely, but life continues and the day-to-day bills still need to be paid, the taxes need to be submitted, a home repair needs to be scheduled, or your child needs to be enrolled in an extracurricular activity. All of these activities continue and require your involvement.
Let us Help you Focus on What Matters Most
Recovery and Family. Have a professional mobile notary travel directly to your hospital bedside or schedule a virtual notary appointment online.
Michelle's Mobile Notary and Signing Agent Services notary expert! Call 862-276-6584 to discuss your unique notary needs or schedule online.
Here are some things to have ready for your notary:
Signer Identification: Please have ready your Government Issued Identification
The Document needing signed and notarized
Have any witnesses ready with Identification
Documents Commonly Notarized
The most commonly notarized documents for hospitalized patients might include, but are not limited to:
Affidavits: A sworn written statement made by a person voluntarily.
Powers of Attorneys: Electing someone to act on an individual’s behalf financially or medically while they are alive.
Contracts: A legally-binding agreement between two or more parties.
Wills: An individual’s wishes on how they want their assets distributed and guardianship handled after death.
Trusts: A fiduciary agreement where an appointed trustee holds on to designated assets for beneficiary distribution before or after the individual’s death.
Living Wills and Healthcare Directives: An individual’s medical care wishes in the event they are unable to make decisions for themselves.
Guardianships or Conservatorships: One or more people appointed to make decisions on an individual’s behalf due to age or disability or for their dependents.
Grant Deeds, Quitclaim Deeds, or a Transfer of Property Ownership: The transfer of property ownership from one person to another.
Real Estate Closing Documents: The documents required for selling a property.
Mortgage Documents: The terms and agreements for financing a property.
Vehicle Titles and Registration: The transfer of a vehicle to another person or state-issued registration documents.
Adoption Papers or Forms: New or existing adoption documents, such as a Certificate of Adoption.
Personal Loan Agreements: A personal loan agreement between two parties.
Prenuptial Agreements: The terms and agreements from both parties before getting married, which might include the division of assets in the event of divorce or death.
What you will need to notarize a document
To prepare for document notarization, there are a few important things that you need to have on-hand. First, you need the document itself, as the notary needs to review and verify the notarial certificate before proceeding with the notarization process. Second, you need a government-issued photo ID so the notary can verify your identity, such as a valid driver’s license or passport.
On the day of your notary appointment, bring the document and your ID with you. The notary will review the document to ensure that the notarial certificate is complete and correct, then they will ask you to confirm that the contents are accurate. Afterwards, the notary will ask you to sign the document in front of them and apply a thumbprint [if required].
Basic notary requirements
A notary requires at least the following:
A copy of the document you want to sign and have notarize
A government-issued photo ID, such as valid driver’s license or passport
All witnesses present [as needed] with a government-issued photo ID present.
Special considerations for hospital notarizations
A Public Notary considers the following special circumstances in their notarial process for hospitalized patients:
Are they able to appear in person?
Are they competent and willing to sign?
Can they sign their name without assistance?
Are they under duress or pressure from another party to sign?
Completing the document notarization process
After the notary verifies all requirements, they will then affix their official seal or stamp onto the document, which includes their signature, date, and any other required information such as the location and time.
