Commonwealth of ________ Rev. 133C95E
AFFIDAVIT OF DOMICILE
I, __________, being duly sworn, hereby affirm under penalty of perjury, __________, that I am the __________ of __________.The purpose of this affidavit is to secure the transfer or delivery of securities registered in the name of the Decedent at the time of their death. As exhibits to this affidavit please find a list of the securities owned by the decedent, as well as a Certificate of Death.
The Decedent died on __________. At the time of death, the Decedent’s legal residence was __________, __________, __________, __________ __________.Decedent lived at this residence for __________ years prior to death and was not a resident of any other State within the United States of America at that time. Decedent’s social security number is __________.
NOTARY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Commonwealth of
______________
County of
______________
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this,
_______ day of __________________,
20_____
, by the undersigned,
______________, who is personally known to me or satisfactorily proven to me to be the person whose name is subscribed to the within instrument.
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
What is an Affidavit of Domicile?
An Affidavit of Domicile is a legal document, used after
someone has died, to establish their primary place of
residence. It is often created and sworn by the executor
of the deceased’s estate and required by financial
brokers to transfer securities ownership from the
deceased to their beneficiaries.
Affidavits of domicile must be signed before a notary
public, and the executor of other person signing the
affidavit of domicile must swear, to the best of their
knowledge, that the information contained in it is
accurate. In situations where the deceased had more
than one home, his or her domicile is the place where
they have voted and paid taxes.
WHEN DO I NEED ONE?
An affidavit of domicile is needed when you are appointed
as the executor of an estate and need to transfer the
deceased’s securities to their beneficiaries. This
document is required by a financial broker to confirm the
deceased person’s residence in order to determine which
state’s estate and inheritance taxes will be assessed
against these assets.
The Consequences of Not Using One
Without an affidavit of domicile, the executor of the will
cannot settle an estate that includes stocks, bonds, or
other securities. Under these circumstances, ownership
of the securities cannot be transferred to the appropriate
beneficiary and they cannot be cashed in order for the
proceeds deposited into the estate account. This asset is
also consider a debt against the estate because of the
taxes that must be paid upon transfer or sale.
The estate is forced to remain open until the transfer
occurs and the taxes are paid, which may delay
distribution of other assets to the beneficiaries. In
addition, the executor could be sued by the beneficiaries
for incompetence and failure to fulfill his or her duties to
distribute assets as per the terms of the will.
The Most Common Situations of Using One
The most common situation when an affidavit of domicile
is used occurs when the executor of an estate is
responsible for settling an estate that includes securities.
Some banks may also require this document, unless an
estate account has been opened.
What Should the Affidavit Include?
A basic affidavit of domicile includes:
• The Name of the Deceased
• Their Address
• The Length of Time They Lived There
• The Date They Died
• The Probate Court with Jurisdiction
• Instructions for Transfer or Cashing of Securities
In situations where the decedent was a minor, mentally incompetent, residing in a nursing home, or otherwise
lacking legal capacity, completing an affidavit of domicile can be more complicated and expert advice may be needed.