--- title: "Tools We Use and Recommend | MCC Solutions" description: "E&O insurance, RON platforms, signing agent training, payroll, accounting and document storage: what each is for, what to look for, and who offers it." url: "https://mcc-solutionsnj.com/resources/recommended" --- Resources # What we use and recommend **Disclosure:** Some links may earn us a commission at no cost to you. We only list things relevant to our customers; we're not paid for placement. A short list for notaries, small business owners and families: what each kind of tool is for, what to look for, and well-known providers you can compare yourself. ## For notaries and signing agents ### Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance **What it's for.** E&O insurance helps pay to defend you, and to cover damages, if a signer or a company says a mistake you made in a notarization cost them money. It is different from a notary bond, which protects the public rather than you. Signing services, title companies and remote notarization platforms often set a minimum amount of coverage. **What to look for** - A coverage amount that matches the work you do, and at least the minimum set by each company or platform you work with - Whether the policy covers remote online notarizations as well as in-person ones - Whether the cost of defending a claim is paid on top of the limit or comes out of it - The policy term, and that it renews before your commission or your signing work needs it **Well-known providers** (listed in no particular order) - [National Notary Association (NNA)](https://www.nationalnotary.org/): Notary association that sells E&O policies along with supplies and training. - [American Association of Notaries](https://www.notarypublicstamps.com/): Notary association that sells E&O policies and notary supplies. This is a list of places that sell notary E&O policies, not insurance advice. Read the policy, and ask a licensed insurance agent if you have questions. ### Background screening for signing agents **What it's for.** Signing services and title companies usually ask a notary signing agent for a recent background screening before sending loan signings, and many ask for it again each year. **What to look for** - The screening the signing services you work with say they accept - How long results usually take, and how you share them with the companies you work with - How long the result is treated as current before you need a new one **Well-known providers** (listed in no particular order) - [NNA background screening](https://www.nationalnotary.org/background-screening): The screening the NNA offers for notary signing agents. - [First Advantage](https://www.fadv.com/): A background screening company. Check that the companies you work with accept its report before you order. ### Notary seals, stamps and journals **What it's for.** Most states require an official seal or stamp on each notarization, and many require or recommend a journal entry for each notarial act. **What to look for** - The exact seal format your state's rules set: size, shape, ink color and the wording it must show - A journal with numbered pages and the fields your state asks for - A safe, locked place to keep the seal and the journal when you are not using them **Well-known providers** (listed in no particular order) - [National Notary Association (NNA)](https://www.nationalnotary.org/): Seals, stamps and journals made to each state's format. - [American Association of Notaries](https://www.notarypublicstamps.com/): Seals, stamps and journals by state. **From us** - [Notary journal options compared](/notary/notary-journal-options-compared): Our own guide to paper and electronic journals. - [Free notary journal template](/notary/notary-journal-template): A printable journal page from us. ### Remote online notarization (RON) platforms **What it's for.** To notarize remotely you work on a platform that handles identity proofing, the recorded audio-video session and the electronic seal. Your state decides which platforms and steps are allowed. **What to look for** - That the platform is approved or accepted for notaries commissioned in your state - Identity proofing and recording storage that meet your state's rules - Whether you can bring your own clients, take orders from the platform, or both - Current fees, read on the provider's own site, since they change **What we use.** Our New Jersey remote notarizations run on Proof, and we help the notaries who join us get set up there. **Well-known providers** (listed in no particular order) - [Proof](https://www.proof.com/): Remote online notarization and identity verification platform. - [NotaryCam](https://www.notarycam.com/): Remote online notarization platform. - [OneNotary](https://onenotary.com/): Remote online notarization platform. ### Signing agent training and certification **What it's for.** A notary signing agent handles loan document signings. There is no single government license for it; signing services usually ask for a certification and a background screening on top of your notary commission. **What to look for** - Whether the signing services you want to work with accept the certification - Practice with a full loan package, not only videos - Whether a background screening is included or sold separately - What it costs to renew, and how often **Well-known providers** (listed in no particular order) - [NNA Notary Signing Agent certification](https://www.nationalnotary.org/notary-signing-agent-training): The NNA's signing agent training and certification exam. - [Loan Signing System](https://www.loansigningsystem.com/): Signing agent training course. - [Notary2Pro](https://www.notary2pro.com/): Signing agent training and certification. **From us** - [Our loan signing agent course](/courses/loan-signing-agent): Our own course on running loan signings. ## For small businesses ### Payroll software **What it's for.** Payroll software works out each paycheck, withholds and pays payroll taxes, and files the quarterly and year-end forms, so you are not doing it by hand. **What to look for** - That it files and pays federal and New Jersey payroll taxes for you, not only calculates them - New-hire reporting and year-end W-2 and 1099 forms - Support for employees or contractors who live in another state - That you can export your payroll history if you ever switch **Well-known providers** (listed in no particular order) - [Gusto](https://gusto.com/): Payroll, benefits and contractor payments. - [ADP](https://www.adp.com/): Payroll and HR services for businesses of many sizes. - [Paychex](https://www.paychex.com/): Payroll and HR services. - [QuickBooks Payroll](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/): Payroll that works inside QuickBooks. ### Accounting software **What it's for.** Accounting software keeps your income and expenses, connects to your bank, and produces the profit and loss and balance sheet you or your tax preparer need. **What to look for** - Bank and card feeds for the accounts you actually use - Whether your bookkeeper or tax preparer already works in it - Invoicing, receipts and sales tax tracking if you need them - A way to export everything if you change software later **What we use.** When our bookkeeping service sets up a client's books, we work in QuickBooks Online or Xero. **Well-known providers** (listed in no particular order) - [QuickBooks Online](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/online/): Cloud accounting software from Intuit. - [Xero](https://www.xero.com/us/): Cloud accounting software. - [FreshBooks](https://www.freshbooks.com/): Accounting and invoicing for service businesses. - [Wave](https://www.waveapps.com/): Accounting and invoicing for small businesses. **From us** - [MCC Books](/bookkeeping/mcc-books-downloadable-bookkeeping-software): Our own downloadable bookkeeping app. - [QuickBooks Online setup](/bookkeeping/quickbooks-online-setup): Our setup service, if you would rather have it done for you. ### Business bank accounts **What it's for.** A separate business account keeps business money out of your personal account, which makes bookkeeping and taxes much simpler. **What to look for** - FDIC insurance for a bank, or NCUA insurance for a credit union; check it with the government tools below - Monthly fees, and what it takes to avoid them - Whether it connects to your accounting software - Cash deposits, if your business takes cash **Well-known providers** (listed in no particular order) - [FDIC BankFind](https://banks.data.fdic.gov/bankfind-suite/): The FDIC's free tool to check that a bank is FDIC-insured. - [MyCreditUnion.gov (NCUA)](https://mycreditunion.gov/): The NCUA's consumer site, with a tool to find federally insured credit unions. ### Invoicing and card payments **What it's for.** Invoicing tools send a bill with a pay button, so clients can pay by card or bank transfer and you can see who has paid. **What to look for** - Processing fees per payment, read on the provider's own site - How fast the money reaches your bank account - Automatic reminders for unpaid invoices - That payments flow into your accounting software **What we use.** Our online store takes payments through Stripe. **Well-known providers** (listed in no particular order) - [Stripe](https://stripe.com/invoicing): Online payments and invoicing. - [Square](https://squareup.com/): Card payments in person and online, with invoices. - [PayPal Business](https://www.paypal.com/us/business): Online payments and invoices. ## For families ### Document storage and organizers **What it's for.** Birth certificates, passports, deeds, wills, insurance policies and a list of accounts are hard to replace and are needed fast in an emergency. Keeping them together, protected and findable by the right person saves a lot of trouble. **What to look for** - For a home safe: fire and water ratings tested by an independent lab - For a digital vault: two-step sign-in, encryption, and a way to name someone you trust to get in - A way to export or print everything - Keep the originals of documents that must be originals (such as a signed will) where your family can reach them **Well-known providers** (listed in no particular order) - [Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (FEMA, Ready.gov)](https://www.ready.gov/financial-preparedness): Free government checklists for gathering your family's key documents. - [SentrySafe](https://www.sentrysafe.com/): Fire and water resistant home safes and document boxes. - [Trustworthy](https://www.trustworthy.com/): Online vault for family documents and information. - [Everplans](https://www.everplans.com/): Online vault for estate and end-of-life planning documents. - [Dropbox](https://www.dropbox.com/): Cloud file storage, for scans of your documents. - [Google Drive](https://www.google.com/drive/): Cloud file storage, for scans of your documents. **From us** - [Family emergency plan](/notary/family-emergency-plan): Our guide to putting your family's plan on paper. ## How this list works - We list a provider because people we work with ask about that kind of tool. Being on the list is not a ranking, and we are not paid for placement. - Some links may become affiliate or referral links. Those are labeled "(affiliate link)" and may earn us a commission at no cost to you. - We don't show prices here, because they change. Check each provider's own site for current prices and terms. - This is a resource list, not legal, tax, insurance or financial advice. For advice about your situation, talk to a licensed professional. Last reviewed 2026-11-07. Spotted a broken link? Email us and we will fix it. ## Rather have someone handle it? [Contact us](/contact)[Call (908) 444-6373](tel:+19084446373)