CJR Mobile Notary Services, LLC

03/13/2026

After many wonderful years serving our community, I want to share a personal update.

CJR Mobile Notary Services will officially close on March 31, 2026. This decision comes as I step into retirement after a long and rewarding career. I began working when I was 16 years old, and the time has come for me to slow down a bit and enjoy more time with family, friends, and the simple pleasures of life.

It has truly been an honor to serve so many individuals, families, attorneys, and businesses throughout Southwest Florida. I am incredibly grateful for the trust you placed in me to assist with important life moments from estate planning documents and real estate transactions to apostilles, weddings, and more.

I also want to extend a special thank you to the many colleagues and partners I’ve had the privilege of working alongside, including the wonderful team at My Life & Wishes – Legacy Vault, whose mission of helping families organize and protect their important information aligns so closely with the work we do as notaries.

This next chapter will be about rest, reflection, and enjoying life a little more while cheering on the many talented professionals who will continue serving this community.

Thank you again for allowing me to be part of your stories. It has meant more than you know.

With gratitude,
Carol J. Ringwald
CJR Mobile Notary Services

03/06/2026

Today in "Wildly Committed to Your Work"

A story about legacy, loyalty, and cylindrical containers

Fredric Baur was a chemist, organic chemistry PhD, and the man who invented the Pringles can in 1966.

Not the chips. The can.

That iconic, perfectly-engineered, saddle-shaped-chip-stacking cylinder? His design. His patent. His magnum opus.

So when he passed away in 2008 at age 89, his family stopped at a Walgreens on the way to the funeral home and bought a can of Pringles.

His ashes were buried in it.

The lesson?

Find work you're so proud of that you'd literally rest in it for eternity. That's not work-life balance. That's work-afterlife balance.

Most of us can't even get our names in the company newsletter. This man got his name on a patent AND made it his final resting place.

Respect.

P.S. His family had to choose between Original flavor and Sour Cream & Onion. Some things are meant to remain a mystery.

02/27/2026

⚖️ Three tools that keep your home out of probate. Same goal, different availability, different price tags.

A TOD deed is the cheapest and simplest option. You sign it, get it notarized, and record it with the county. Total cost is typically under $500. Available in 32 states plus D.C. The property transfers outright to your beneficiary at death. No conditions, no timing, no restrictions on how they use it.

A Lady Bird deed works the same way in practice but is only recognized in five states: Florida, Michigan, Texas, Vermont, and West Virginia. Texas and West Virginia also allow standard TOD deeds, so the Lady Bird deed is a true "only option" in Florida, Michigan, and Vermont. In Florida and Michigan, Lady Bird deeds may offer an additional benefit: protection from Medicaid estate recovery that a standard TOD deed does not provide.

A revocable living trust works in all 50 states and covers all assets you transfer into it, not just one property. The setup cost is higher ($1,500 to $3,000+ with an attorney), and you need to retitle assets into the trust for it to work. The trade-off is flexibility. A trust lets you add conditions: age restrictions, staggered distributions, protections for a beneficiary with creditor issues or a spending problem.

None of the three provides creditor protection during your lifetime. None reduces estate taxes. A revocable trust is not an asset protection trust. The only thing all three do is avoid the probate process.

If your estate is a house and a few accounts, a TOD deed (or Lady Bird deed in FL/MI/VT) may be all you need. If you have multiple properties, blended family dynamics, or minor beneficiaries, a trust is worth the cost.

02/25/2026

Did you know the 50-star American flag was designed by a high school student and he almost didn’t get an A?

In 1958, an Ohio high school junior named Robert G. Heft created a new American flag design as a class assignment.

At the time, Alaska had just been admitted as the 49th state, and Hawaii’s statehood was being discussed. So Heft designed a 50-star flag arranging the stars in nine staggered rows of five and six anticipating what the nation would soon become.

His teacher?
Gave him a B–.

Why? The design lacked “originality.”

Heft wasn’t convinced.

He sent his design to his Congressman, who forwarded it to Washington. When Hawaii officially became the 50th state in 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower selected Heft’s layout from more than 1,500 submissions.

On July 4, 1960, the 50-star flag became the official flag of the United States.

And that B–?

It was changed to an A.

Why This Matters

This isn’t just a fun trivia story. It’s a reminder that:

• Innovation often looks ordinary at first.
• Timing and foresight matter.
• A “B–” can become history.

The flag flying today at homes, schools, courthouses, and military bases traces back to a teenager who simply completed a class project thoughtfully and took initiative when he believed in his work.

Sometimes, the assignment in front of you is bigger than you think.

What’s a project you once underestimated that turned into something meaningful?

02/24/2026

Do I Need Witnesses for a Will Signing in Florida and Can the Notary Provide Them?

If you're signing a Last Will & Testament in Florida, the short answer is, yes, you need witnesses.

Under Florida Statutes, a Florida will must be:

• Signed by the testator (the person making the will)
• In the presence of two witnesses
• Who must also sign in the presence of the testator and each other

Now here’s where many people get confused:

A notary is not legally required for a will to be valid in Florida.

However, many estate planning attorneys include a Self-Proving Affidavit under Florida Statutes. This affidavit is notarized and allows the will to be admitted to probate without needing the witnesses to testify later. It saves time, cost, and stress for your family.

Can the notary provide witnesses?

That depends.

Some mobile notaries can coordinate independent witnesses, but:

* Witnesses cannot be the notary.
* Witnesses should not be beneficiaries under the will.
* They must be competent adults.

Because proper ex*****on is critical in estate planning, coordination matters. A small procedural error can create major complications later.

If you’re planning a will signing in Southwest Florida, make sure your signing is handled correctly from the start. Estate documents deserve precision.

Have questions about how a proper will signing works? Let’s connect.

02/09/2026

🍕 Fact of the Day 🍕

Americans eat about 100 acres of pizza every single day! That’s roughly 350 slices per second! 🤯

Somewhere right now, someone is lifting a slice.
Someone else is saying “I’ll just have one piece” (they won’t.
And another person is folding it New York–style like a pro.

Pizza doesn’t judge.
Pizza shows up for birthdays, breakups, late nights, and celebrations.

Pizza is comfort food, math homework fuel, and the great unifier of all opinions because even when we disagree, we can usually agree on toppings (mostly).

So if today feels a little heavy, remember:
America is collectively eating pizza at an Olympic pace, and that feels oddly reassuring.

Now the real question is:
Are you contributing to today’s 350 slices per second yet? 🍕😄

02/03/2026

I like it! Props to ChatGPT!

02/03/2026

The current administration is pushing to include risky assets like crypto and private equity in 401(k)s.

The article for the Economic Policy Institute by Monique Morrissey on February 2, 2026, provides an FAQ about concerns that the current administration is proposing to make risky investments more widely available to ordinary savers and make it harder to sue the retirement plan sponsors and advisers who encourage these types of investments.

You can read the full article here:
https://conta.cc/45K0LoE

I agree with the problems she identifies, having worked with retirement plans for the better part of 45 years. Retirement plan investing needs to be more simplified for participants, not more complicated and risky.

What are your thoughts on this new proposal?

01/15/2026

* IMPORTANT IRS UPDATE*

The standard mileage rate for vehicles driven for business will increase by 2.5 cents in 2026. The mileage rate for vehicles used for medical purposes will decrease by half a cent, reflecting updated cost data and annual inflation adjustments.

The updated standard mileage rates for the use of a car, van, pickup or panel truck will be:
- 72.5 cents per mile driven for business use
- 20.5 cents per mile driven for medical purposes
- 20.5 cents per mile driven for moving purposes for certain active-duty members of the Armed Forces and certain members of the intelligence community
- 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations

Use of the standard mileage rates is optional; business taxpayers may instead choose to calculate the actual costs of using their vehicle

Here is the news release for guidance on vehicles owned and used for business versus a leased vehicle:

IR-2025-128, Dec. 29, 2025 — The Internal Revenue Service today announced that the optional standard mileage rate for business use of automobiles will increase by 2.5 cents in 2026.

01/05/2026

IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR PA NOTARIES — Regulation Changes Effective March 28, 2026

The Pennsylvania Department of State has adopted comprehensive regulations implementing the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), with significant updates effective March 28, 2026. Key changes include:
• Increased notary bond requirement — from $10,000 to $25,000 for new and reappointed notaries.
• Updated notary stamp format — now must include the commission number and other specified elements.
• Enhanced journal requirements — clearer rules on permitted content and privacy protections.
• Inspection and certified copy procedures — defined timelines and processes for journal access.
• Revised fees — a new $5 fee for witnessing/attesting a signature and up to $20 for electronic or remote notarizations.
• Expanded acceptable identification types and clarified language/translation procedures.
• Mandatory notifications to the Department for changes in personal or commission information.
• Clarified certification rules — lists records not eligible for certified copies.
• Expanded disciplinary provisions — explicit examples of acts or omissions that can lead to sanctions.

These regulations modernize notarial practice in Pennsylvania while enhancing clarity, security, and compliance standards. For notaries public in the Commonwealth, early review and preparation are strongly encouraged.

Read the full article here:
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/notaries/notary-regulations-changes

12/29/2025

Time is running out!

Estate planning is more than drafting documents. It’s making sure those documents can be found and followed when needed.

The My Life & Wishes Legacy Vault gives families a secure, centralized place to store wills, trusts, healthcare directives, account details, digital assets, funeral preferences, and key contact information. It’s a practical tool that supports both personal planning and professional estate administration.

Now through 12/31/2025, the Lifetime Vault is $100 off with promo code LEGACY100.

If you’re an attorney, financial professional, or caregiver who wants to help clients stay organized, this is an excellent resource to recommend and it's the New Year's Gift!

Check it out here at: https://cjrnotary.com/my-life-wishes-online-planning-and-storage/

Have you implemented a digital-legacy solution in your practice?

12/29/2025

Fact of the Day (and a good excuse to read one more chapter):

According to research out of Yale University, people who read books live almost two years longer than those who don’t read at all.

Two years.

That is not a typo. That is practically an extra vacation, several birthdays, and at least one more “I really should have stretched before doing that” moment.

The study suggests it’s not just any reading, either. Regular book readers tend to benefit from reduced stress, better cognitive function, and stronger empathy. In other words, reading exercises your brain the way walking exercises your legs, minus the blisters.

So if you need a scientifically backed reason to pick up that book on your nightstand instead of scrolling one more time, here it is. Your brain and apparently your future self will thank you.

What’s on your reading list right now?