When people create an estate plan, there are many legal documents that must be completed. Part of ensuring these documents are legally binding is by getting them notarized or witnessed. However, during times of the Coronavirus pandemic and social distancing laws, this can be made difficult, but it is not impossible. Continue reading to learn more and retain the services of an experienced California attorney to guide you through the process of estate planning.
How Do I Notarize a Document?
In order to have a document notarized, you must physically appear before the notary public or witnesses. Due to social distancing laws and many businesses closing due to self isolation, it can be hard to accomplish this. While some states passed laws and issued regulations regarding remote online notarization, there are other creative ways this can be done as well.
If you and your witnesses must sign the document together, it is possible to do so through “window-separated signings,” as recommended by the National Notary Association. This can be done by meeting in locations, such as parking lots, where people can keep a window between them to sign the documents in front of one another. It is important for them to be able to communicate through sight and sound. During this process, it is important to keep the following in mind:
- Notaries must follow all federal, state, and local guidelines for social distancing, health protection, and sanitization
- The signer must provide their identification to the Notary to view and inspect. It must be possessed by the Notary, not simply viewed through the window.
Once the documents are signed, they can be exchanged by leaving them in a place, such as a hood of a car, and staying six feet away from one another while retrieving them. Afterward, it is important to wash your hands and use hand sanitizer.
Contact our Firm
Working with an experienced estate planning attorney, such as Jaci Feldman of the Woodland Hills, California, Law Office of Yacoba Ann Feldman, will ensure that you are taken care of when you need it most. Contact The Law Offices of Yacoba Ann Feldman to schedule a consultation today.
