How to Transfer Wachovia Stock Certificates

A stock certificate is a physical representation of ownership in a company.

Transferring Wachovia stock certificates is procedurally the same as transferring any other physical stock certificate. Depending on the location of the shares, different methods can be used to transfer the certificates. If the shares are held in electronic form, the transfer can usually be processed much more quickly and safely.

Things You'll Need

• Wachovia stock certificates

Instructions

1. Locate your shares. Most stock certificates are held in what is known as "street name," which means they are held electronically at a financial services firm. Street name means that the shares are listed as belonging to the financial services firm for your benefit, which means that the firm can easily process the shares electronically on your behalf. Some investors choose to hold onto their own physical stock certificates themselves, so if you cannot locate your shares at your brokerage firm, check your safe deposit box or filing cabinet at home for the actual certificates. If you cannot find them, you may be able to request replacement shares from the company's transfer agent, if you have proof of ownership.

2. Gather information on the ultimate destination of the shares. In order to transfer the shares, you will need to know the exact account information at the other firm. For example, if you are making a charitable donation to a university, you will need to provide your firm with information such as the institution name and address, the account number, and the firm's identifying number, known as the DTC number. Your firm will generally be able to send the Wachovia shares via the Automated Customer Account Transfer Service, or ACATS, in five to seven business days.

3. Sign over your Wachovia shares to another person directly. If you hold your own physical certificates, look at the backside. There will be a line for stock transfer that you can fill out, sign, and date. Bear in mind that the shares will not legally transfer ownership until the new recipient submits the shares to Wachovia's transfer agent. At that time, the agent will take the shares out of your name, register them in the name of the new owner, and issue new certificates, if requested. The same process can generally be handled more safely and swiftly if the recipient submits the shares to his financial services firm.

Tips & Warnings

• Wachovia shareholders are unaffected by the merger of firms A.G. Edwards and Wachovia Corp. and do not have to surrender or exchange their original certificates.

References

• finra.org: Understanding the Brokerage Account Process
• wachovia.com: Wachovia Corporation Transfer Agent
• dtcc.com: Automated Customer Account Transfer Service (ACATS)

Resources

• dtcc.com: Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation