Notaries are officials who witness legal documents such as wills, affidavits, and real estate deeds. Their job is to prevent document fraud and make sure all legal documents are signed honestly and legally. Notaries have several responsibilities, such as administering oaths, maintaining records, and even taking depositions. If you have ever thought about becoming a notary, some of the following benefits may give you the confidence to explore this career option.
Flexible Work Hours
Before you become a notary, you might be in full-time or part-time employment that requires you to work a set number of hours. You might not enjoy any flexibility in these hours and have to arrange your personal life around them.
However, when you take on the role of a notary, complete flexibility can be one of the most noticeable benefits. You’re essentially running your own notary business, which means you can often schedule notary tasks around your children, family, and social life, not the other way around.
Career Advantages
While many people study to become a notary so that they can make it their full-time or part-time job, others do it to enhance their current career prospects. You might be able to use your notary certification to give you a competitive advantage while looking for new jobs or even as leverage to secure a pay rise or promotion in your current position. Since this certification can be quite valuable for businesses, you may be surprised at how many new opportunities can be headed your way.
Being Able to Help People
If you’ve always wanted to help people but haven’t been in a position to do so financially, becoming a notary might provide you with this opportunity. Your clients and community might look upon you fondly for delivering a service that prevents fraud. You might even go one step further by providing notarization services to individuals in need and charities free of charge.
Ongoing Work
Notaries are required to witness many different legal documents, which means you may never be short of work. Whether you plan on becoming a full-time or part-time notary, there’s every chance that your diary can be as full as you want it to be, giving you much-needed financial security.
Control Your Income
When you work for someone else, you generally have very little control over how much you earn. Your boss sets a salary or wage, and that’s how much you’ll make each week or month. However, you’re generally in complete control of your income as a notary.
When you work independently, you can set your own notary rates based on the value you provide and the demand for your services. In the United States, the average base salary is $47,831 per year, with the potential to earn upwards of $55,000 annually in New York and San Jose. If you become a notary signing agent (NSA) for real estate agents and mortgage professionals, you may be able to earn even more.
Whether you’re looking to enhance your current career or embark on an entirely new one, becoming a notary might be a worthwhile consideration. You may then be able to experience some of the benefits above.
