Sorting out shares in a deceased estate.

[jonah35]

Deceased person dies leaving hundreds of share certificates for shares in a ftse 100 company amounting to a considerable sum.

The two stockbrokers the deceased was known to use say he bought x with them and y with the other stockbroker.

Question is the share certificates dont match up to what they claim.

How do you genuinely find out how many shares someone has in a ftse 100 company, how long does it take and what does it cost?

The registrar gave a figure but that is below what the brokers say the deceased had so is clearly wrong.

How do you know if you have all the share certificates, isnt there a central place that logs who owns what shares?

Thanks

[mybrainhurts]

The company's registrar has the correct figure.

You'll also get it from the latest dividend counterfoil.

[jonah35]

Ok thanks. What the registrar says the shares are worth is roughly the dividend payment though so must be wrong.

Thanks again

[mybrainhurts]

Don't understand what you're saying there.

The registrar keeps the company's share register, which lists all the issued shares and how many are held by each member. Whatever it says in the register is the quantity of shares held in the name you have. The registrar records all sales and purchases of shares.

The latest dividend counterfoil will show the dividend payable on that date and the number of shares held.

[jfbrin]

The key here is the fact that the shares were purchased through two different brokers. That implies that there could be two separate accounts in the deceased's name at the Registrar partcilarly if there was a slight difference in the registration details. Eg spelling error in address or middle initial omitted by one broker.

Check latest dividend counterfoils and see if the same account number is on all recent receipts. The number of shares quoted on latest counterfoils reflect the current underlying holding.

Note if the shares in question had a split or capital reorganisation like Vodafone for example, the nominal amount may have changed so that you could have some invalid certificates. The Registrars can confirm what certs are valid and what are not.

Hth.

JB

[jonah35]

jfbrin said:

The key here is the fact that the shares were purchased through two different brokers. That implies that there could be two separate accounts in the deceased's name at the Registrar partcilarly if there was a slight difference in the registration details. Eg spelling error in address or middle initial omitted by one broker.

Check latest dividend counterfoils and see if the same account number is on all recent receipts. The number of shares quoted on latest counterfoils reflect the current underlying holding.

Note if the shares in question had a split or capital reorganisation like Vodafone for example, the nominal amount may have changed so that you could have some invalid certificates. The Registrars can confirm what certs are valid and what are not.

Hth.

JB

Perfect, thanks