The Notary Hotline receives hundreds of calls daily from Notaries nationwide who find themselves in challenging situations. To boost your knowledge of Notary best practices, we’ve created a series of scenarios based on actual situations and ask a simple question: What would you do?
Imagine you’re called to the home of an elderly woman to notarize a power of attorney. When you arrive, the woman is there with several relatives.
The notarization goes smoothly. You check the woman’s ID. You engage her in conversation and determine that she is willing to sign the power of attorney and appears to understand that it grants control over her finances to her nephew, who is sitting a few feet away.
After completing the journal entry and notarization, the nephew and other relatives quickly leave. But before you can depart, the woman tells you that she did not want to sign the document. She felt pressured.
What would you do?
This true scenario poses a number of important issues and is particularly relevant given the growing threat of elder financial abuse.
To participate in this week’s “What Would You Do?” scenario, share your answers in the comments section below. We may mention your response in next week’s Bulletin, when we offer the best possible answer(s) to this notarial challenge.
Related Articles:
What every Notary needs to know about journals
FAQs from Notaries about powers of attorney
What Would You Do: 2 women, same name — your answers
Additional Resources:
NNA Webinars: Commonly Asked Questions
NNA Hotline