The Importance of Having Your Documents Notarized

The Bay Area Notary accommodates countless notarization requests every single day of the week. Loan document signings, notarizing trust and estate planning documents, and assisting with powers of attorney and advance health care directives are some of the most frequent requests. Aside from requesting that the documents be notarized, almost all of our clients also inquire as to why the notarization process is such a critical component of signing on the dotted line.

Before we expound upon the importance of having your life essential documents and other vital forms notarized, lets briefly revisit the definition and role of a Notary Public.

A notary public is a person who has the authority to verify and certify the authenticity of documents. The notary certifies that the person signing the document: is who they say they are, that they are signing voluntarily, and that the signer understands what they are signing. Outside of the aforementioned notarial acts, notarization is commonly used for important documents like contracts, wills, deeds or any other document where it’s important to prove that the identity of the signer is not in question.

The notarial process when it comes to important documentation is important for a number of reasons; the number one reason being - it deters any fraudulence. By the notary public formally confirming the signer’s identity and also verifying that the signer has completed the document out of their own cognizance, it eliminates the possibility of any blatant malpractice. In addition, it also gives your documents more credibility in some regards, and enables the documents to be be fully enforced.