Paper Stock and Bond Certificates

While nowadays bookkeeping for stocks, bond ownership, and transactions might be handled electronically, there are some situations when you might have to deal with actual paper certificates.

The New York Stock Exchange canceled its requirement for physical certificates back in 2001, and you can’t find any more paper savings bonds in banks since 2011. However, you can use your federal tax refund to buy paper Series I U.S. Savings Bonds directly from the U.S. Treasury, in $50 increments.

As there are still some paper certificates that still circulate around, if you ever manage to get such documents, it’s good to store them in a safe deposit box.