How Do You Fill Out Stock Certificates?
If you hold stock directly rather than in street name through your broker, it is important to know how to fill out those stock certificates. If you need to transfer the ownership of your stock certificates to your family members, or to your favorite charity, it is vital that those certificates be completed properly. Giving stock to charity or to your family members can be a smart tax strategy as well as a smart investing strategy, but it is important to make the transfer the right way. Find the latest statement from your stock broker. You will need to know how many shares of stock you own, and you will need to determine how many shares of stock you wish to transfer. Locate the physical stock certificates and look at the back of each one. Locate the spot on the back of each certificate where the owner can write his or her name. Also locate the signature line on the back of each certificate. Print your name exactly as it appears on the stock ownership records. For instance, if the stock
