Service · Estate plan signings
Estate plan signing appointments in Hayward and the Bay Area
SoHay Notary handles the notarial side of trust, power of attorney, and advance healthcare directive signings, at your home or another convenient location. Shawn Silverman is a commissioned California Notary Public and 2026 NNA Certified Notary Signing Agent.
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Certified, screened, bonded, and insured.
Shawn Silverman is a commissioned California Notary Public and a 2026 NNA Certified Notary Signing Agent. Credential images are shown for verification and trust, not as government endorsements.
NNA Member
2026 NNA Certified
NNA Background Screened
SPW Standards
California Commissioned
Bonded and Insured
The signing
What a notary does at an estate plan signing
Estate planning documents are written by an attorney or another document preparer. A notary joins at the signing. SoHay Notary verifies each signer's identity, completes the notarial acts the documents call for, and records them as California law requires. The notary does not draft, review, or advise on the plan.
Not every estate document needs notarization, and the notary does not decide which ones do. Your preparer's instructions say what needs a notary, what needs witnesses, and how everything must be signed. Tell us what those instructions say when you book, so we can see which notarial acts are expected.
Signing sets can include several documents and several signers. A couple signing together, for example, means two people who must each appear personally and show acceptable identification. Appointments take place at a home, a workplace, an escrow office, a care facility, or a public meeting location.
Documents
Estate documents we notarize
- Living trusts
- Signing appointments for trusts, with identity verified for each signer before a notarial certificate is completed.
- Powers of attorney
- Requested notarizations for financial and medical powers of attorney.
- Advance healthcare directives
- Notarization of the signer's signature when the document calls for it.
- Certified copies of powers of attorney
- California notaries may certify copies of powers of attorney under Probate Code section 4307. Notaries generally cannot certify copies of vital records or most other documents.
- Related estate planning documents
- Other acknowledgments or jurats that come with the signing set, when the preparer's instructions call for them.
Preparing
How to prepare for an estate plan signing
- Follow the preparer's instructions
- Your attorney or preparer decides execution and witness requirements. We do not.
- Witnesses
- If the document calls for witnesses, tell us in advance. Witness coordination may be charged separately and is quoted before the appointment.
- Bring a complete set
- Have every document in the signing set ready, with the signature lines untouched if a jurat is needed.
- Identification
- Every signer should bring an identification document accepted under California law. Many common IDs may be accepted if they are current or were issued within the last five years.
- Readiness check
- Before the appointment, we can check for obvious blanks, confirm signer names, and see whether a notarial certificate appears to be present.
Fees
Estate plan signing fees
California caps the notarial fee at $15 for each signature taken for an acknowledgment and $15 for a jurat. A signing set with several notarized acknowledgments is counted signature by signature.
Travel, printing, waiting time, and witness coordination are quoted separately, in advance, so the total is clear before you confirm.
Check availability and travel pricing
Send the document type, number of signers, appointment location, and preferred time for an accurate quote.
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Estate planning and the limits of a notary
Notarizing a document does not make it valid and does not mean the notary reviewed its contents. The notary confirms who signed and completes the certificate. Whether the plan does what you want is a question for your attorney or preparer.
SoHay Notary is not a law firm and cannot give legal advice, select legal forms, or prepare legal documents, including trusts, wills, and powers of attorney.
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Common questions
Questions about estate plan signings
Can a notary come to my home to sign a trust?
Yes. SoHay Notary provides mobile appointments at homes, workplaces, hospitals, care facilities, escrow offices, and public meeting locations, by appointment.
Does the notary prepare or review my estate plan?
No. SoHay Notary is not a law firm and cannot give legal advice, select legal forms, or prepare legal documents. The notary verifies identity and completes the requested notarial acts.
Who decides if witnesses are needed?
The document preparer or attorney determines execution and witness requirements. If witnesses are needed, tell us when you book.
What is a certified copy of a power of attorney?
A California notary may certify a copy of a power of attorney under Probate Code section 4307. California notaries generally cannot certify copies of vital records or most other documents.
What should I bring to an estate plan signing?
Bring the complete set of documents and an identification document accepted under California law for every signer. Send the exact ID type ahead of time if you are unsure.
How much does an estate plan signing cost?
California permits a maximum of $15 for each signature taken for an acknowledgment and $15 for a jurat. Travel and other non-notarial charges are quoted separately before the appointment.
Schedule an appointment
Book an estate plan signing
Hayward, California · Bay Area service by appointment
Call, text, or email with the document type, number of signers, preferred appointment time, and meeting location. We will confirm availability, required preparation, and pricing before the appointment.
- Hours
- Sunday through Saturday, 11 AM to 8 PM
- Appointments
- By appointment only. Call or text for current availability.
- Based in
- Hayward, California, with mobile service available throughout the Bay Area.
Notarial inquiries only. Unsolicited sales and service solicitations will not receive a response.