All the documents in a loan package should be signed exactly as the names appear on them. The full signature must be consistent throughout the loan package, even if there is no name typed under the signature line. The operative word from above is should, instead of must.  If the document and the identification are inconsistent, the identification presented will determine the signature a notary can witnessed. 

Given what was stated above, if loan documents are drawn using a customer's first name and their surname, make sure they are signed in that way.  If the documents are drawn to read first name, middle initial and surname, make sure they are signed that way. If the middle name is completely spelled out, it needs to be signed with the middle names spelled out in its entirety. 

If the documents are drawn under a trust, all signatures must be signed as typed followed by the word trustee. Example- John B. Doe, Trustee. 

A Power of Attorney lets you appoint a trusted person to manage important financial and legal matters on your behalf.  Following is an example of the signature requirement for a Power of Attorney, John B. Doe by Mary F. Doe, his Attorney in Fact or Jane E. Doe signing for John B. Doe as Attorney of Attorney.  Jane will sign her name as indicated on the documents, then where his name appears she will sign John B. Doe by Jane E. Doe, his Attorney in Fact. 

If you are not sure how the documents should be signed, contact the person who prepared the document for clarification.  Just remember, your notarial laws trump any intentions of the person who prepared the document.  This can be tricky territory, as you want to avoid the practice of law unless you are an attorney, yet help the client and provide a service. 

In a loan package there are documents, which must be notarized, and documents that only require a signature or witness.  All documents that require a witness do not always require a notarization.  Documents that require signature only may be signed as the names printed or typed on the document and on documents with no printed names, be consistent in the signature as stated above.

These are rules of thumb that will keep you from going back an obtaining the correct signature at a later time and save you on gas.