My mom wants to sign a power of attorney to make medical decisions for my grandma. Am I allowed to notarize their signatures? — K.A, Iowa
According to Iowa Code 9B.4, the answer depends on whether you or your spouse is a party to or have a direct beneficial interest in the document. If yes, then you may not notarize your mother’s signature. However, as a professional standard of practice, we recommend that you find an impartial person to notarize your grandmother’s signature. This would better protect the notarization from possible legal challenges.
Hotline answers are based on the laws in the state where the question originated and may not reflect the laws of other states. If in doubt, always refer to your own state statutes. – The Editors
Confronted with a tricky notarization? Unsure how to proceed? NNA members have unlimited access to our expertly trained NNA Hotline counselors to help you with all of your notarial questions. Call 1-888-876-0827, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. PST; Saturday, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.