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GiveAshare Frequently Asked Questions

You have questions? We have answers! If you don't find your answer on this page, or still have questions, please contact us and one of our friendly customer service reps will be happy to help you.

Our Product

Absolutely! The recipient becomes a real shareholder of the company entitled to anything a shareholder gets like annual reports, declared dividends, invites to shareholder meetings etc. That's what makes this gift so unique!

GiveAshare is a highly reputable business founded in 2002. The company is a Google Trusted Store, is recommended by stock brokers and financial advisors, gets constant positive media attention, and has stellar Google Reviews, product reviews, and A+ BBB rating.  Also see our media page.

We specialize in one share stock gifts. We are easier, faster, cheaper, and less bureaucratic than a stock broker AND we provide stock certificates, which brokers no longer do. In fact, brokers refer clients to us. Note that we do not provide investment advice.

Yes. We sell one share ownership at the price stated on the website. You can buy multiple single shares but the price remains the same for each one and you would get that many one share certificates in whatever frame you chose. For those wanting to buy multiple shares under the same name, if your primary purpose is to buy as an investment, you should consider going to a registered stock broker.

Yes. The name of a custodian must be provided for stock that is being bought for a minor. A custodian is a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult whose name will also appear on the registered stock. Only one minor child and one adult custodian name can appear on the stock certificate.

Yes. However, we cannot register the stock until we have a name for the child (and an adult custodian). What you can do in this instance, is purchase a stock using our 2 Part Delivery. We will send the 1st part of the order out without a name, and hold off on registering the stock until you or the new parents have provided us with a name for the child - after he or she is born.

Yes! Generally you will be able to use a credit card but in some cases we may require a wire transfer to protect us from fraudulent orders.

Pricing

This is the fee that we charge for providing our service which includes stock purchase, legal registration, and gift processing. We offer one-stop-shopping at a terrific price. See how we price and price comparison to see the value that you get.

The price on these publicly traded companies is constantly changing. We generally update our prices once a week (more often if the market is volatile). Note that our prices reflect the stock price, our fees, transfer agent fees, and any other fees required to register the stock as well as any adjustments necessary to meet S.E.C. pricing requirements. See how we price.

Yes.

Ordering

No. No accounts, no hassles. It's fast and easy!

It's easy! Go to our stock list to look at our growing list of companies or if you want one that is not on our list, go to our custom stock page. Once you have decided on the stock you want, select it and you will be given a chance to customize your order (frame type, color, plaque engraving, gift-wrap, kids package etc.). The shopping cart guides you through the process.

Yes. Go through the normal checkout process to make all of your selections to price out your order including shipping (select "Phone Order" as the payment method). Then print out the order and call us at the contact numbers provided.

In order to legally register the stock, we will need the new shareholder's name, address, and an adult custodian name if the recipient is a minor. A custodian is a parent, guardian or some other responsible adult.

The answer is NO for 99% of the stocks we offer. After the stock is registered, the company (or their transfer agent) will send the new shareholder a W-9 form (W-8BEN for non-U.S. shareholders).

We only ask for the social security number for the very few companies that require it. If you do not have the S.S.N.O. or if it would ruin the surprise by getting it from the recipient, we recommend selecting 2 Part Delivery which allows the shareholder to provide their S.S.N.O. after the gift is given.

All banks and financial institutions (like transfer agents) are required to get this information which is used to verify identity and prevent money launderers and terrorists from gaining access to the stock market.

We take great care to protect this information with strict internal processes and policies that include not collecting or storing this information on web servers and properly destroying the information after use.

Yes.

We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover for most orders. For high risk orders (high value, or from a high risk country) we may require payment by wire or TransferWise. We perform a fraud check that flags high risk orders. If your order has been flagged, we email you with information on how to pay by wire or TransferWise.

Timing

The legal stock registration process normally takes 3-7 weeks but you have several options to get something fast:

We also offer expedited USPS/UPS shipping. Contact us about your gift deadlines and we can help you determine the right course of action.

Shipping

See Important Shipping Information.

Yes. We require the recipient's address in order to register the stock, but during the ordering process you will also be asked to provide a 'Bill To' and 'Ship To' address that can be different, giving you all the flexibility you need.

Unfortunately our systems and processes do not allow us to charge your UPS/FedEx account.

My Stock Certificate

The transfer agent begins with company-generic certificates pre-printed with the company logo and design and then runs them through a printing process to record the registration and authentication information. In rare cases, this printing process may leave slight creases or blemishes on the certificate. Each transfer agent has a slightly different process, some of which are more conducive to blemishes/slight creases on the certificate. This process makes it the real deal!

We perform a quality review to ensure that the certificate condition is consistent with what the transfer agent normally delivers to all registered owners.

Some companies have opted to record all shareholder ownership electronically instead of issuing paper stock certificates (see stock certificate column on this page). The recipient still becomes a real shareholder of the company entitled to annual reports, declared dividends, invitations to shareholder meetings and anything else afforded to shareholders. See how we handle these companies.

The whole industry is moving to electronic registration in order to save money. Right now, 80% of the companies on our stock list still offer paper but at some point they will all switch, so get them while you still can.

The securities industry has been working for years to phase out paper stock certificates in favor of electronic registration. So over time, a growing list of companies have stopped issuing paper while others have added disincentive fees to get a paper certificate. Although improbable, it is possible for the underlying company to either stop issuing paper certificates or add/change a disincentive fee after an order is placed. In the unlikely event that one of these occurs, we will handle it as follows:

  • If the company stops issuing paper, we provide a personalized replica of the company's certificate and register the ownership electronically. This will look like the real thing and will represent the fact that the recipient owns one share electronically. In addition, the shareholder will receive a Direct Registration Statement (DRS) showing his/her account number and proving ownership.
  • If the company adds or changes its disincentive fee, we will give the buyer the option to either pay the additional fee or opt for the replica certificate w/ electronic registration. If the customer opts for the later and paid a certificate fee originally, it will be refunded.

I'm a shareholder! Now what?

Each company has a transfer agent that manages their stockholder activity. GiveAshare.com works with these transfer agents to get the stock registered in the recipient's name. Once registered, the company whose stock is purchased, may send the shareholder correspondence such as a welcome letter, dividend check, request to participate in the dividend reinvestment plan, or a W9 Form. In certain circumstances, this can even occur before receipt of the physical stock certificate. The reason is that the registration happens first and then the physical certificate is issued to GiveAshare.com for quality review, framing, packing and shipping.

We have developed a patent pending process that enables you to get a tangible gift without spoiling the SURPRISE. During checkout, you must select 2 Part Delivery and then put in your Gift Date and we will adjust the registration process to ensure nothing gets sent to the recipient.

You are entitled to everything that any shareholder gets. This can include annual shareholder reports from the company's management, declared dividends, invites to shareholder meetings, and any special shareholder perks (examples: Starbucks has given coffee cards in the past, IBM has given computer discounts, Willamette Valley has given wine discounts etc.). All of this makes for an everlasting gift that can be extremely educational and enjoyable.

Yes, for all stocks except Nintendo and LVMH. You are a true shareholder and can do anything you want with your stock. You can sell your stock through a broker. In addition, some transfer agents (who handle shareholder activity for your company) allow you to sell shares through them so this is another way to sell if available.

All traditional brokers accept incoming stock transfers. If you hold the authentic registered stock certificate, you simply deposit that into your brokerage account. If your ownership is registered electronically, you would initiate an Incoming DRS Transfer at the receiving broker (ask them how to do this). Some of the newer, no-frills brokers may not offer this capability. For example, it appears that Robinhood may not at this time.