Have you lost a stock certificate? Click here to learn how to get an affidavit of lost stock certificate so that you can prove you had it.

How to Get an Affidavit of Lost Stock Certificate: Your Complete Guide

Lost a physical stock certificate? Want to learn how to get an affidavit of lost stock certificate?

Well, you're in the right place. As long as you follow the information below, you will be able to get your affidavit and rest assured that all is well.

In this article, we will cover how to get your affidavit in paperless form, so you don't lose it.

Keep reading to learn more.

On the Paperless Method

For many years now, the world has gone paperless in practically every aspect of life, and personal transactions no longer have to rely on physical documentation.

However, there are some areas of life, in which paper documents are still common. That's where trading and representation of stock share is still a bit slow.

There are millions of paper stock certificates in circulation, and investors keep these documents in a variety of locations. Starting with safe-deposit boxes, all the way to a shoebox in their kid's bedroom.

No matter where it's stored, a physical verification has the capability for being lost or voided via damage. In these cases, a stockholder needs to replace the document, and that process is started via an affidavit of a lost stock certificate.

In order to acquire such documentation, all you need to do is find a template or document packages, and complete the affidavit. A company will often require a stockholder who had lost a certificate to provide the affidavit, in order to issue a replacement. If you follow the guidelines below, you can resolve the issue in a timely manner, and prevent investment loss that you could experience before you have a chance to report it missing.

And that's important because an unendorsed stock can be transferred ownership, and there is nothing you can do about it.

What You Should And Shouldn't Do

You should take care of securities certificates, as they are very valuable and they should be treated with attention and care. If you concerned about the risk of storing them, ask a brokerage firm to hold on to them on your behalf.

You should speak to a transfer agent and ask for a stop transfer to be set against the missing stock certificate/s. This will prevent someone from transferring the documents from your name to their own. The agent will report them being lost to the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission.

You shouldn't wait to request a new certificate or submitting your affidavit. If somebody acquires your certificate and they paid for it, it might be hard to cancel it and obtain a replacement. The investment you had might be lost forever.

You should convert your certificates to book-entry shares, which still resemble your ownership, but in no longer physical form. This process simplifies paperwork for all parties involved, and no party has to be worried about the loss of documentation.

You should make copies of the new documents when you get them. This will help you have in recovering a replacement if your new certificates also get lost or damaged.

If you adhere to the should and should not's of this article, you will ensure that your affidavit process goes smoothly.

The Process for An Affidavit of Lost Stock Certificate

The process that follows will provide you with the necessary information, which will help you understand the terms of your affidavit. After reading through this information, you can review the document and begin the step-by-step process.

If you don't have a template for the Affidavit, you can contact your law firm or find one with a certified online legal company.

1. Describe the Stock

Start by providing an in-depth description of the stock that has been lost or damaged. Input the par value, the share quantity, the type of stock that the certificate represented, the issue date, the name, and type of company that issued the shares.

The detail is paramount to your likelihood of getting an affidavit in your possession.

2. Endorsement Indication

You should note that if the stock certificates have been endorsed before you lost them. If they were, explain how they were endorsed, and what was the manner of application (signature on the back, stock power, so on and so forth).

If you have reference images that are even better. The endorsement will determine the efficacy of the affidavit response, because somebody might be able to endorse the document in their own name, thus making your ownership void.

3. Your Activity

At this point, you should describe in detail all of the steps that you have taken to find the lost certificates. Provide as much information as possible, and show that you made a reasonable effort. If they have been damaged, delete the first provision, and explain the events that have occurred for such circumstances.

4. Notarization

The final step is to notarize the signature of the affidavit. You, in-person, have to visit a notary public and perform this. A list of local notaries can be found online, and make sure to bring two forms of ID.

And that's about. By following the guidelines in this article, you secure and ensure the optimal likelihood of you getting a certified replacement of your original certificates. If you have any other questions, contact your law firm and speak to an attorney who can help you out along the journey.

Stock Certificate, Legal Tabs, Labels, ETC

Now that you have your affidavit of lost stock certificate, and you will receive your replacement - you should get your documents in order.

And this is done by the meticulous organization and concentrated effort for the security of your paperwork. If you're interested in acquiring a variety of indexes, labels, legal tabs, and stock certificates - get in touch with us and we will happily accommodate your needs.