Before you schedule a mobile notary for your will, Power of Attorney, or healthcare documents, make sure these details are handled.
You finally did it.
You met with the estate planning attorney, answered the questions, made the decisions, and received your documents.
Now it's time to sign.
But before you invite everyone over and start passing around pens, there are a few things worth checking.
I'm Kerrie L. Smith, owner of Signature Move Notary Services in Indianapolis.
I provide mobile notary appointments and professional witness coordination for estate planning signings.
And here's something I want families to remember:
Having the documents prepared and having them properly executed are two different steps.
Step 1: Make sure you have the final documents
Your attorney should confirm that the documents are ready for execution.
Don't assume an unsigned draft or a document you've edited yourself is ready to sign.
A notary cannot provide legal advice, correct legal provisions, or determine whether your documents accomplish your goals.
Step 2: Know which documents require witnesses
An estate planning package may include a will, financial Power of Attorney, healthcare documents, and additional authorizations.
They may not all have identical signing requirements.
For example, a traditional Indiana will generally requires two witnesses under the applicable execution rules.
Other documents may require notarization or have different witness provisions.
Ask your attorney for written signing instructions.
You can find Indiana's laws through the Indiana General Assembly.
Step 3: Arrange witnesses before the appointment
This is one of the most common logistical problems families encounter.
Everyone assumes someone else will bring the witnesses.
Then the appointment arrives, and nobody has arranged them.
If your attorney requires two witnesses, tell your notary when scheduling.
Signature Move Notary Services can coordinate professional witnesses for eligible estate planning appointments.
Step 4: Prepare identification
Have acceptable identification available for everyone whose identity must be verified by the notary.
If the signer doesn't have standard identification, discuss that before scheduling.
Indiana notarial law provides specific identity-verification requirements, and not every alternative is appropriate for every situation.
Step 5: Choose the right location
Estate planning signings don't always happen in an attorney's office.
I've coordinated appointments in homes and care settings where convenience and accessibility matter.
Choose a quiet location where the signer can communicate, review the documents as needed, and participate without pressure or unnecessary interruptions.
If the signer is in a hospital or rehabilitation facility, confirm access and scheduling requirements beforehand.
Step 6: Don't sign documents prematurely
Some documents require signatures to be made or acknowledged in a particular way.
Follow your attorney's instructions and the notary's directions for the notarial act.
Don't assume that signing every page before the appointment will be acceptable.
Step 7: Allow enough time
An estate planning appointment involving several documents and witnesses can take longer than a simple one-page acknowledgment.
Tell me how many documents and participants are involved so we can plan appropriately.
What makes a well-organized estate planning signing?
It's not about rushing through the paperwork.
It's about having the right documents, the right participants, the proper instructions, and a setting where the signer can participate comfortably.
That's what I want families to experience when they schedule with Signature Move.
Need a mobile estate planning notary with witnesses?
I coordinate mobile notarization and professional witnesses for eligible estate planning signings throughout Indianapolis and surrounding communities.
When contacting me, share your signing location, document list, witness requirements, and preferred date.
Request an Estate Planning Signing Appointment
Signature Move Notary Services | Indianapolis, Indiana
When the Documents Matter, So Does the Notary.
Signature Move Notary Services provides notarization and witness coordination, not legal advice. Your attorney should confirm document execution requirements.
