I went through the same process last year, but it was in a judge advocates building on a military base. They were kind enough to provide the witnesses by grabbing a couple of guys out of their offices, and I was thankful for that. They also had a notary all ready to go. I was so glad about how very kind and sensitive everybody was, and was thankful that I didn't have to drag my daughters along. What a surreal day.

Usually your local bank will do it for you for free, and they grab office workers as witnesses...

They wouldn't do it. Said it was against bank rules.

Really My bank in WA did it for me. HMMM might be the different banks or states??? Course it was a local town credit union too.

Ask friends if they know anyone who got a notary for their work or business? Our local fancy dining place/bar/motel place keeps one on hand, but we knew them like most locals do -
Gosh ...hmmm ...is there a list of directory of notarys I wonder????

In Florida, a will has to be both witnessed and notarized. As far as finding a notary, usually banks, real estate offices, and law offices have them. There are directories of notaries through your State's Secretary of State's offices as they are regulated at the State level. In Florida, your notary commission is issued through them and signed by the Governor.

The responsibility of a witness is only as to the signing of it, it has nothing to do with the content of the document. If there was ever a court case where the signature was in question, they could be called upon to testify to the fact they saw you sign it. That's all.

As a notary, the responsibility goes a bit further as you have to see some sort of identification before you can sign and stamp it, and the identification produced is indicated on the notary's acknowledgment. I had a notary commission for many years (gave it up when I moved to England), and I was required to be bonded and I also kept additional liability insurance. But again, the responsibility was regarding the signature, not the content.

I have witnessed and notarized hundreds of documents. Hope this helps.

Love and Hugs, Martha

I'm not sure if it is different from state to state, but if you fill out a living will and maybe even leave an additional letter or note explaining your wishes (for the eyes of the witness only) it really isn't that complicated. It is possible, however, that the people you asked are uncomfortable about carrying out your wishes. Some people think life should be preserved even if it is only a heartbeat. Personally, I prefer not to be hooked up to life support unless there is reasonable hope that I would recover with some quality of life. Of course, these wills are often "black or white" and that is where problem can exist. That is why I suggest something be written to clarify your wishes.

I think Caroline makes a good point, too, that sometimes it looks black-or-white and being clear is important. One of my sisters, who is single with no kids, wanted to make a will and medical directive by letter. She wanted to include some very rambling comments in it. I had to tell her to remember that she needs to keep it clear as it could wind up in front of a judge to interpret. So it is a good idea to have your directives as clear as possible as it will save your loved ones much heartache and headache later.

Sorry you had to go through such a hassle. Not long after my husband died, I asked my one niece to be my medical advocate. She is stated as such on all my medical records. In addition, I received a folder from our life insurance company which has a section for all docs of importance, even those we would never think of. You enter contact and company information, as well as where the document or bank books are located in your home. My niece has a copy of this portfolio. The original is locked in our safe. I also prepared personal letters stipulating who sentimental items are to go to, and what is to be buried with me when I pass. My funeral arrangements have been pre-done, my headstone inscribed. I didn't leave much untouched for anyone else to have to worry about, including taking out Long Term Care Insurance in the event I need to be cared for. It may have been a lot to do, but my mind is at ease.

I had one person explain that people didn't want to do it because they didn't want to end up being called to court. So sad. These forms need to be just notarized. That's all. I hate asking for favors. Especially for something that will never happen. I fully intend to die a healthy old woman.