How to Gift Shares

Whether you're the recipient or the giver of a gift of stocks, mutual funds, or other securities, you'll want to ensure this transaction goes smoothly. We can help you receive—or give—shares and make sure they end up in the right place.

How do I handle gifts into and out of a Fidelity account?

For gifts into your account, how the giver sends your gift determines how it's handled. For example, if a relative wants to transfer securities from an outside brokerage account into your Fidelity account, he or she should contact the outside firm. If you'd like to gift shares or securities from your Fidelity account to another Fidelity account, or if you want to send a gift outside of Fidelity, there are a few ways to make this happen.

What do I need to know?

Receiving shares: If a sender wants to give you shares (stocks, mutual funds, or other securities) from an outside firm, he or she needs to contact that firm to verify delivery instructions. In addition to following the firm's specific instructions, the sender may need to provide the firm with these details:

  • Your name, Social Security number (SSN), and your Fidelity account number
  • Your account registration information, including the type of account you have (e.g., nonretirement) and its ownership (e.g., individual or joint)
  • Fidelity's Depository Trust Company (DTC) number, which is 0226

  • Our name and address:

    Fidelity Investments
    Attn: TOA Receives
    PO Box 770001
    Cincinnati, OH 45277-0036

Note:

  • If you received physical stock certificates as a gift, please see Send in Stock Certificates for details.
  • If you received a check as a gift, please see How to Deposit a Check Into Your Account.

Sending shares: Your request to gift shares from your account must be in writing. You'll need to draft a letter of instruction with some specific information based on where and how you're sending your gift.

Gifts sent from one Fidelity account to another Fidelity account:

Gifts sent to an account at a bank:

  • Letter of instruction for sending gifts outside of Fidelity
  • Name, address, and Depository Trust Company (DTC) number of the bank
  • The name of the bank's contact person and the department handling the account
  • Bank account number, if applicable
  • Full name and address of recipient
  • The recipient's SSN or TIN

Gifts sent to an outside brokerage account:

Gifts sent directly to a person (i.e., not sent to an outside bank or brokerage account):

  • Letter of instruction for sending gifts outside of Fidelity
  • The full name and address of the recipient—either the person or the institution
  • The Social Security number (SSN) or tax identification number (TIN) of the recipient
  • The date of birth, if the recipient is a minor (i.e., under age 18)

What to expect

  • The time frames for processing gifts into or out of your account vary, based on the specific security and how it is sent or delivered.
  • Gifts between two Fidelity accounts take 1–4 business days to process.
  • After the transaction is processed, you will receive an email notification within 1–2 business days or a mailed confirmation within 3–5 business days (based on your delivery preferences).