Tax Preparation for Notaries and Loan Signing Agents
Your income comes from two kinds of fees that are not always taxed the same way. We separate them correctly, reconcile your 1099s, track your mileage and tolls, and keep your records ready for your return.
The One Thing Most Signing Agents Need to Get Right
When you close a loan, you are usually paid one fee. That fee may cover two different things:
Notarial Acts
The fee you charge for performing notarial acts, such as acknowledgments and jurats. State law sets the maximum you can charge for each act. Verify the current Florida limits in the notary handbook.
Signing Services
Everything else: printing, scanning, delivery, travel, and handling the loan package.
Fees for notarial acts may be treated differently for self-employment tax than fees for other services. A combined fee has to be split in a reasonable way you can support. Good records of that split are what make the difference on your return.
Illustration only, not a promise of savings. Suppose a signing job pays $150 in total, and you performed 4 notarial acts at $10 each. The notarial portion is $40 and the service portion is $110. Your actual numbers depend on your state's fee limits, what you charged, and how your signing company pays you. The same income is still taxable for income tax purposes; the difference is only in how self-employment tax is figured.
What We Do
Documented preparation for notaries and signing agents, from fee allocation to filing.
Fee Allocation
We help you set up a simple, repeatable way to split notarial fees from signing-service fees, and apply it to your income for the year.
1099 Reconciliation
We match your 1099-NEC and 1099-K forms to your own records. Signing companies and payment platforms report differently, and not everyone receives a form. All income must still be reported.
Mileage and Tolls
We review your mileage log and toll records (including Central Florida toll roads). Mileage needs a log made at the time, and commuting is generally not deductible.
Business Costs
Notary commission, bond, errors and omissions insurance, training and certifications, signing-platform fees, printers, scanners, supplies, phone, and office costs, allocated by business use.
Schedule C Return
We prepare your self-employment return, including the qualified business income deduction if you qualify.
Quarterly Estimates
We estimate your payments through the year so there is no surprise in April.
What You May Be Able to Deduct (If You Can Document It)
- Mileage driven for signings, using a log you keep at the time
- Tolls and parking, with records
- Notary commission, bond, and E&O insurance
- Continuing education, certifications, and background screening
- Signing-platform and software fees
- Printers, scanners, and supplies (business-use share only)
- Phone and internet (business-use share only)
- A home office, only if it meets the exclusive and regular use rules
Whether a cost is deductible and how much depends on your facts. We review it with you.
Pricing
- Tax return for a notary or signing agent (Schedule C)$350 starting
- Fee allocation setup and reviewQuoted individually
- Quarterly estimate calculationQuoted individually
- Monthly bookkeeping (optional)From $99/month
Price depends on your number of jobs, forms, and how organized your records are. You get a written quote before we start. We never charge based on your refund.
Get My Tax EstimateHow It Works
A documented process from intake to filing.
Start secure intake and upload your 1099s, payment reports, mileage log, and expense records.
We split your fees, reconcile your forms, and prepare your return.
You review and sign, and we e-file. You keep a copy in the portal.
Apostille and Document Courier Services
If you run an apostille or document-courier service, your costs may include state fees, shipping, courier charges, mileage, and parking. Some of these may be deductible business expenses, and some may be amounts you pass through to clients. How they are treated depends on how you bill. We help you organize receipts, separate pass-through costs from your own expenses, and keep track of any contractors you pay, including 1099 requirements. Keep every receipt and client invoice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions from notaries and signing agents.
Is all my notary income exempt from self-employment tax?
No. Fees for notarial acts may be treated differently, but other signing-service fees generally are not. We help you separate them.
Do I still owe income tax on notary fees?
Yes. Notary income is still income. The difference is in self-employment tax.
What if my signing company does not send a 1099?
You must still report all income. Keep your own records and payment statements.
What is my state's maximum fee per notarial act?
That is a notary law question. Check your state's notary handbook or statute. We can tell you how the split affects your return, but we do not give notarial or legal advice.
Can you represent me if the IRS audits me?
Responding to IRS notices and audits is a separate service. We will tell you what we can and cannot do for your situation. Either way, keep good records.
Ready to Get Your Fee Split Right?
Authorized IRS e-file Provider | PTIN holder | Encrypted client portal | English and Spanish
Hiring subcontractors this year? We also prepare and file the 1099s your business issues — managed 1099 filing.
General information, not legal or tax advice for your situation. Tax rules and notary fee limits change and vary by state. Results vary.