Signing Appointment Instructions

Congratulations! Your estate planning documents are complete and ready for signing. Please review the following instructions carefully before scheduling your appointment.

Bring Proper Identification

For the Signing Appointment, you must bring a valid, current (unexpired) government-issued photo ID. In some cases, an expired ID issued within the past five years may be acceptable.

Acceptable forms of identification include:

• California driver's license or ID card
• U.S. passport
• Foreign passport stamped by U.S. Immigration or Citizenship Services
• Driver's license from another U.S. state, Canada, or Mexico
• U.S. military ID (must include photo, description, signature, and ID number)
• Inmate ID card issued by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (if applicable)
• Employee ID card issued by a California state or local government agency

Note: Your ID must match the name used in your legal documents. For example:

• If your documents list "John H. Smith" and your ID says "John Howard Smith," this is acceptable.
• If your documents list "John Howard Smith" and your ID says "John H. Smith," this is not acceptable.

Real Property Considerations

If you own real property in California that is being transferred into your living trust, please bring a blank check for each county where the property is located. These checks will be used to pay the Recorder's Office recording fees.

For detailed instructions on how to prepare these checks, please refer to the following document:

Download Instructions for “Not to Exceed” Check

Scheduling Your Signing Appointment

Signing Appointments are generally available Monday through Friday. If you require a Saturday appointment or a different time, please contact me at rpb@lawbob.com to discuss special arrangements.

Appointments are scheduled for 90 minutes, with approximately 60 minutes allocated for signing documents. The additional time allows for any other matters that may need to be addressed.

Please provide at least two business days' advance notice when scheduling your appointment. This allows time to arrange for a signing witness, if necessary, and to prepare your estate planning portfolio binder.

Need Assistance?

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me.