How Notaries Can Build an Estate Planning Empire

Let’s face it, most notaries are still grinding through $75 signings, hustling from one appointment to the next, hoping the phone keeps ringing tomorrow.

But what if you didn’t have to start over every single day?

What if your notary commission could be the foundation of something bigger, a true business that serves families deeply, earns you recurring income, and makes you the go-to expert in your community?

You don’t need to become a lawyer, and you don’t need to ditch what’s already working. And you definitely don’t need to start from scratch.

Here’s how you build your estate planning empire, step by step.

Step 1: Get Certified as a Notary Trust Delivery Agent

The Certified Notary Trust Delivery Agent (CNTDA) program trains you to handle estate planning appointments with confidence, accuracy, and professionalism.

Why does this matter?

Because the easiest way to create repeat business is to do the job right the first time.

When you show up as a polished professional to help clients sign their estate planning documents, arguably one of the most important moments of their lives, you build trust. And trust turns into referrals.

This certification sets you apart from every notary with a stamp and a stack of business cards. It also gives you the knowledge and tools to serve both the general public and estate planning professionals with confidence.

Learn about the certification course here

Step 2: Build a Powerful Referral Network

Inside the CNTDA training, in addition to document training, we also teach you exactly how to connect with estate planning attorneys and other professionals who need what you do.

Again, why should this matter to you?

Because notaries who build relationships become a resource. Resources get referrals.
Referrals turn you into the trusted go-to.  And trusted go-to’s stay busy.

You’ll learn real-world strategies to build a referral list of attorneys, financial advisors, and other professionals so you can always point your clients in the right direction when they need help.

That makes you the connector.

That makes you valuable.

 That makes you stand out.

In fact, many of your clients are already hinting they need this support.

They say things like:

“We’ve talked about getting this house in a trust for 20 years…Do YOU know anyone”

or

“We need to get our affairs in order, don’t we, Bob? I wonder where we should go…”

And when they do, most notaries just nod awkwardly or shrug it off as “not my problem.”

That’s a big miss in forming lifetime clients. Try this instead:

“I work with some amazing local estate planning attorneys. If it’s helpful, I can introduce you to my three favorites. They offer free consultations to my clients so you can see who’s the best fit. Want me to send you their info after I leave today?”

It’s a simple offer, but it opens doors.

Step 3: Offer More Than One Option

Notice I said I’d refer them to three attorneys, not just one.

That’s intentional. Estate planning isn’t one-size-fits-all. After I ask a few more questions, I like to provide 2-3 attorneys I know that vary by geographic proximity to the prospect, their specialty, and their price point. 

And sometimes, an attorney isn’t the right fit. 

That’s why your referral list should include more than just attorneys. You also need solutions for families who can’t, or won’t, work with an attorney.

Here are two great ones:

Legal Document Preparation Firms

These exist all over the U.S., often run by attorneys, paralegals, or licensed document preparers (rules vary by state). They offer done-for-you document prep services without full legal representation.

I work closely with Premier Estate Planning, a national legal doc prep firm based in Arizona that can service all 50 states. They love working with notaries, offer your referrals a free consultation, and give $500 off their trust package. It makes you look real good to your clients! 

And if your client moves forward, they will hire you as the mobile notary/trust delivery agent, and pay you $250 to deliver the completed appointment (CNTDA grads only).

Read more about referring clients to Premier Estate Planning here

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Document Solutions

Did you know clients can legally create their own Living Trusts without an attorney or legal doc prep firm?

DIY platforms like LegalZoom and Wills & Trusts offer document services to the public. But I’ve partnered with a higher-quality, attorney-owned option:

EverythingLivingTrusts.com

They use the same software attorneys use, provide state-specific documents, and offer notaries a 25% affiliate commission.

With DIY packages often priced between $500–$1,000 (or more), that commission adds up quickly.

Check out the affiliate program and test the process yourself

Step 4: Fill the Biggest Gap in Estate Planning

Even when families have their documents in order, most are missing one critical piece:

A place to store it all and make sure loved ones can find it when it matters most.

That’s why we’ve partnered with My Life & Wishes to bring you the Legacy Vault, a secure digital platform that stores estate documents, final wishes, and critical information for loved ones. (This is the same vault estate planning professionals across the country use)

As a Notary-Partner, you can:

• Offer the Legacy Vault for free or sell it at your own price
  
  
• Suggested retail price of the Legacy Vault is $495 for lifetime access
  
  
• And you keep 100% of the revenue
  
  

Register for the next free Notary-Partner Info Session here

This Is How You Build an Empire

(Without Abandoning the Notary Business That Got You Here)

Let’s break it down.

With this one funnel, you can:

• Get certified and elevate your professionalism
• Build relationships that send you steady work
• Offer trusted resources when your clients need more
• Fill the biggest gap in modern estate plans
• Stack multiple income streams, all under the notary umbrella

This isn’t just theory. This is working, right now.

You build trust. You offer real solutions. You create a reputation and a revenue stream that grows over time.

And you don’t have to reinvent yourself to do it.

Ready?

Here are your next five steps:

1. Get certified as a Notary Trust Delivery Agent
   
   
2. Introduce yourself to Premier Estate Planning
   
   
3. Join the EverythingLivingTrusts.com affiliate program
   
   
4. Register for the next Legacy Vault Notary-Partner Info Session
   
   
5. Start building your referral list today