glxpass said:{snip} I had to pay $10 per signature (the maximum fee in Calfornia) per form at a UPS store. Since we opened a joint account that was $40(!).

I admit I was confused at first by the extra notary slips, but the instructions said two were for you to keep and the other two were to be notarized and mailed back with the app (makes no sense, but I returned 2 for joint account and it was fine). I think you may have done too much notarization.

wow..$40 for 2 notaries....i live in NYC and some drug stores have notaries...i have had them done for about $2 a piece..they use to be even cheaper..about a buck, but went up in recent years.....the last one i did was about 5 or 6 years ago...i find it hard to believe they would have went up THAT MUCH....maybe you are going to the wrong places....

glxpass said:
Neither my local bank (BOA) nor my local credit union (SF Bay Area, CA) would notarize the SBOT slips, saying they would only notarize their own internal documents. I would have been even willing to pay a token amount for that service. The BOA person said they changed their company policy a few years ago. I had to pay $10 per signature (the maximum fee in Calfornia) per form at a UPS store. Since we opened a joint account that was $40(!). Well, at least we'll eventually make up for it in interest.
I am not surprised BoA would not but would have figured your local CU would have. I have 2 local banks that have notarized things for me at no charge. But I feel funny having them notarize papers that show I'm opening some new account. But they know me and that I have accounts all over the place while I still maintain a good amount with them

glxpass said:
Two documents, two signatures per document (joint checking account) came to $40. The fee is based on both the number of documents that need notarizing, and the number of signatures on each document. At least that's my understanding and that's the quote I received from a couple of different Notaries. Please let me know if I'm wrong about that. Thanks!

Yeah, but with the slips of paper, they weren't notarizing documents, they were notarizing signatures. The signature is the same on each document. The letter sent with the package actually said (if I remember correctly, and I paraphrase), "get two notarized and keep the other two for your records" ?????? Don't worry, it won't mess up your app, it still accomplished what needed to be accomplished, just more so.

DavidScubadiver said:Weird. I guess people can try citibank as well. I had city bank "medallion guarantee" a signature for free. Also had Emigrant Savings notarize a form for free as well. Hard to imagine the Northeast being so friendly for banking services but I guess we have it easy out here. I'm a notary myself, but I think I am not permitted to notarize my own signature (though, for the life of me, I don't know why that would be the case).
Wouldn’t there be a conflict of interest if you notarized your own documents since you would have a direct beneficial interest in the transaction?

I think the current maximum fee set by NY law is $2.00 for administering an oath or affirmation, or for taking an acknowledgment or proof of execution. County Clerk's offices usually have someone that does it for free.

mh83 said:DavidScubadiver said:Weird. I guess people can try citibank as well. I had city bank "medallion guarantee" a signature for free. Also had Emigrant Savings notarize a form for free as well. Hard to imagine the Northeast being so friendly for banking services but I guess we have it easy out here. I'm a notary myself, but I think I am not permitted to notarize my own signature (though, for the life of me, I don't know why that would be the case).
Wouldn’t there be a conflict of interest if you notarized your own documents since you would have a direct beneficial interest in the transaction?
Q]I suppose. But if I can notarize somebody else's signature and they accept my word that the person is whom they claim to be, based on my notary identification number, then I still don't see why they can't accept the fact that I am who I say I am based upon the same notary identification number. Its just silly rules. Another silly rule, as an attorney, I can submit an affirmation (under penalty of perjury) which is the same as an affidavit, but un-notarized. But I can only do that if I am representing a party -- but if I am the party myself, I have to get the signature notarized and submit an affidavit instead of an affirmation.

glxpass said:FWIW, I applied for a second Hometown Reward Check account, this one single, not joint, so that I'd have additional money with SBOT still under the FDIC limits. Michele said no inquiry at all would occur for the second account because the first one had been opened fairly recently. Also, she said that since I already had signed up for Internet access, it wouldn't be necessary for the second account. I assume I'll still have to link it to on-line banking. Finally, she called me because she wanted to make sure I was aware of the FDIC limits. I'll interpret this as good customer service, not some impdending sign of trouble! I really like dealing with this bank.Yes, link it to on-line banking and makes sure to sign up for electronic statements, since that is not the default option. Then, of course, use both debit cards, etc.!

Excellent news!

And I am pleased to report that SBoT's online banking website is completely accessible via BlackBerry.

I really like the "Notify Me" feature, which emails you whenever there is any account activity.

I also used the online "Reorder Checks" feature. However, it didn't give me any choice of style or quantity.... :/ I will probably get a box of 1000 super-duper deluxes!

Yay, that is good to know. 100 checks for ~$8.50 is very reasonable.

However---just to be specific---this is not found in your original post, but later in the discussion, and there you seemed to indicate that you ordered the checks by email, not through the Reorder Checks feature.

On the ACH debit, what was the transaction listed as in the Toledo account? Mine displayed under the debit column and the transaction description is 'GMAC Transfer xxxxxxxxxx'. Has anyone done a 'qualified' ACH and what was it listed as?