Estate planning at AST
How to protect 3 AST accounts — fund a trust by mail, and file claims through AST's EQ Shareowner Services - Transfers
Brand change
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company was combined with Equiniti in December 2021 and is now part of Equiniti Trust Company, LLC (EQ Shareowner Services). astfinancial.com redirects to EQ's AST Access site. Legacy AST-registered shares are serviced by EQ. Effective December 2021.
AST is now part of EQ Shareowner Services. The procedures below reflect AST's accounts during the transition. View the EQ Shareowner Services estate planning page.
EQ Shareowner Services (formerly AST)
EQ Shareowner Services, PO Box 64874, Saint Paul, MN 55164-0874
EQ Shareowner Services - Transfers
EQ Shareowner Services, PO Box 64874, Saint Paul, MN 55164-0874
EQ Shareowner Services - Deceased Shareholder Transfers
EQ Shareowner Services, PO Box 64874, Saint Paul, MN 55164-0874
If the deceased held stock directly (not through a broker), AST is the company that transfers those shares to the estate or heirs. The transfer is handled by AST under its own documentation rules, including medallion signature guarantees.
There are two sides to estate planning at AST: setting things up while you're alive, and the process survivors follow after a death.
Preparing your estate
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to fund a trust by mail, and review 3 account types at AST.
View details →When someone dies
Death claim process
Contact AST's EQ Shareowner Services - Transfers to file a claim. 6-step process, 7 required documents, and contact information for survivors.
View details →AST's EQ Shareowner Services - Transfers can answer questions about beneficiaries, trusts, or death claims at 1-800-468-9716.
Frequently asked questions
AST was combined with Equiniti in December 2021 and its US shareholder-servicing business now operates under the EQ brand. astfinancial.com redirects to EQ's AST Access site, which states "AST is now EQ." Shares that were registered with AST are now serviced by Equiniti Trust Company, LLC (EQ Shareowner Services). Shareholders still search for "AST," so account holders manage their holdings through the EQ AST Access site and the shareowneronline.com portal.
A Medallion Signature Guarantee is a stamp from an eligible guarantor institution (a commercial bank, trust company, securities broker/dealer, credit union, or savings institution participating in a Medallion Signature Guarantee program) confirming the signer is authorized to conduct the transaction. You sign the Transfer of Ownership form in the guarantor's presence. A notary seal is not a substitute for a Medallion Signature Guarantee.
Yes, for US residents. A Medallion Signature Guarantee Waiver is offered for transfers with an aggregate value of $10,000 or less. To use it, submit the signed Transfer of Ownership form, a check payable to EQ ($100 for value under $5,000, or $200 for $5,000 to $10,000), a copy of a valid government-issued photo ID with a signature, and documents showing your capacity to act on behalf of the shareholder if applicable.
Mail the completed Transfer of Ownership form and any original stock certificates by regular mail to EQ Shareowner Services, PO Box 64874, Saint Paul, MN 55164-0874, or by overnight/courier to EQ Shareowner Services, Attn: Imaging Services, 1110 Centre Pointe Curve, Suite 101, Mendota Heights, MN 55120. EQ does not accept faxed or emailed forms; the signatures and the medallion stamp must be original.
Lost certificates must be replaced before a transfer can be completed. Replacing them requires written notification to EQ and a bond of indemnity, which is obtained at the shareholder's expense. Once the replacement is arranged, the transfer can proceed through the Transfer of Ownership form.
Sources
Data sourced from AST primary sources (10 pages reviewed). How we research.
EQ Shareowner Services (formerly AST)
EQ Shareowner Services, PO Box 64874, Saint Paul, MN 55164-0874
EQ Shareowner Services - Transfers
EQ Shareowner Services, PO Box 64874, Saint Paul, MN 55164-0874
EQ Shareowner Services - Deceased Shareholder Transfers
EQ Shareowner Services, PO Box 64874, Saint Paul, MN 55164-0874
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your AST accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
