
6 Ways to Give Stock as a Gift
- SparkGift. SparkGift is an online service that enables you to buy individual stocks as gifts. ...
- GiveAShare. GiveAShare works like the above online stock gift services, except that it’s something of a boutique option.
- UniqueStockGift. ...
- Computershare. ...
- Buying Through Online Brokerage Firms. ...
- Buying Stock Through the Issuing Company. ...
Full Answer
How to give a share of stock as a gift?
Ways To Give Stock To Kids As A Gift
- Buy Shares Or Fractional Shares Of Stocks. One way to give kids stock as a gift is to buy them stock shares from your (or their) favorite companies.
- Open A Custodial Brokerage Account. ...
- Set Up A Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRiP) A third option is to set up a DRiP program for a child. ...
How do I buy one stock for a gift?
Where can you buy stocks as gifts?
- Public. As I mentioned above, Public is one of the best places to purchase stocks to give as gifts. ...
- Betterment. Betterment is a financial advisory company that handles every aspect of investments, from cash management to financial advice, to stock trading.
- SparkGift. ...
- GiveAShare. ...
- UniqueStockGift. ...
- Computershare. ...
Can you give stocks as a gift?
Yes, you can give stocks as a gift. However, there is a procedure to follow and regulations to comply with. Here is an overview of everything you need to know about giving stocks as gifts. Gifting someone stocks simply entails transferring the stocks from your account to theirs.
Can I give stock as a gift?
You can find several ways to give stocks as a gift. Each one varies in ease of use, flexibility, and the amount of risk involved in the purchase. One way to gift stock is through an online brokerage.

What is a stock gift?
Stocks are the gifts that keep on giving. Whether you can’t think of any other gift ideas or you’d like to invest in the future of a friend or relative, buying stocks as a gift is a practical, generous way to show someone you care.
What happens when you buy stocks as a gift?
When you purchase stocks as gifts, you’re giving the recipient an amount of money that has the potential to increase (or decrease) over time. Most people buy stocks with the intention ...
What happens if you gift stock?
If you gift a stock that has appreciated, it will incur capital gains taxes. The tax rate varies depending on the amount of time you have owned the stock before gifting it, the original cost, and the stock’s value at the time of the gift.
How long do you have to hold a stock to get capital gains?
Holding a stock for twelve months or less classifies it in the short-term capital gains category. These stocks are taxed as normal income, so when your recipient cashes out a short-term stock, they will add the stock amount to their regular income and pay taxes on this total amount.
What is a GiveAShare?
GiveAShare. GiveAShare is another site that allows you to purchase stocks as gifts. The founders designed the site as a simple platform for grandparents or parents to buy stock for children. GiveAShare offers a limited number of premium companies in which you can invest, like AT&T, Coca-Cola, Disney, and Facebook.
How much tax do you pay on capital gains?
If you gift a stock that you have held for longer than twelve months, your recipient will pay anywhere from 0% to 20% in taxes at the time of sale.
Does Computershare have stock purchases?
The fee for each also varies depending on the company. Though Computershare does have the option to purchase stocks as gifts, these purchases come with high fees. It may be more practical to buy more than one at a time to cut down on the fee-to-stock ratio.
Purchasing stocks for yourself is simple, but what about buying stocks for someone else?
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How to gift stocks
If you want to gift stocks, there are a few different approaches, depending on who you are giving it to and how much you are gifting.
Bottom line
Gifting stocks may seem a bit complicated, but with a little pre-planning, it can be a fun gift that benefits the recipient for years to come. Whether its a simple index fund, ETF or favorite individual stock, your recipient can become a proud owner of a valuable company or group of businesses.
What is gifting stock?
Gifting stock from an existing brokerage account involves an electronic transfer of the shares to the recipients' brokerage account. Investors can also buy a single share of a stock from their broker or from companies that specialize in selling single shares.
Can you transfer stock in certificate form?
If the stock is being held in certificate form, transferring the physical stock will be required. The owner must endorse the stock by signing it in the presence of a guarantor, which can be their bank or broker. There may also be a form on the back of the certificate, which relates to the transferring of ownership. After the certificate is complete, it will be rendered non-negotiable and becomes transferable.
Can you give stock to a recipient?
Stocks can be given to a recipient as a gift whereby the recipient benefits from any gains in the stock's price. Giving the gift of a stock can also provide benefits for the giver, particularly if the stock has appreciated in value since the giver can avoid paying taxes on those earnings or gains. Although there are multiple ways ...
Do gifted shares have to be taxed?
Please bear in mind that gifted shares with a capital gain will be transferred with the gain to the recipient. As a result, if the recipient sells those shares, they will have to pay taxes on the capital gains, which would include the difference between the original cost basis or the purchase price and the selling price.
Can I gift a single share of stock?
Gifting a Single Share. There is also the option to gift a single share of stock, which can be a way of creating interest in the financial markets for a child. Investors can buy a single stock from their broker or from companies that specialize in selling single shares.
Can I gift a share of Nintendo to a child?
Gifting a share to a child or a teen can be tailored to their interests or hobbies. For example, a single share of Nintendo or Sony could be gifted to a young person interested in gaming. For younger children, gifting a single share of Disney can be a fun way to introduce them to stock ownership.
Can you gift stock through a broker?
Gifting Stock Through a Broker. Typically, there won't be a physical copy of the stock; instead, the shares would be held as an electronic version stored in a brokerage account. The sender or the person gifting the stock can transfer ownership of all, or a portion, of their stock holdings for a particular company.
How much can you gift a stock?
For instance, gifting too much stock to any one person could trigger the gift tax. For 2020, you can gift someone up to $15,000 (or up to $30,000 if you’re married and file a joint return) without having ...
What does it mean to gift stocks?
How Gifting Stocks Works. Gifting stocks simply means giving shares to someone else. You can gift stocks that you own or you can buy shares specifically to give away. Stocks can be gifted to children, other relatives, charitable organizations or anyone else you want to receive them.
What happens if you gift stock to someone?
But if someone you gift stocks to turns around and sells them, they may be responsible for paying capital gains tax if the stocks increased in value while they owned them. In terms of donating stock, you’re generally limited to 50% of your adjusted gross income for a tax deduction.
What does gifting stocks mean?
Gifting stocks through a custodial account means that you maintain control over what happens to them while your child is a minor. But once your kid turns 18, he or she owns the stocks and you’d no longer have a say in how the account is managed. Gifting Stocks to Adult Children or Other Relatives.
How much can you gift someone in 2020?
For 2020, you can gift someone up to $15,000 (or up to $30,000 if you’re married and file a joint return) without having to file a gift tax return. That limit applies to individuals so if you have multiple kids, you could gift each of them stocks up to those amounts without paying gift tax.
Can you leave stock in a trust?
Or, you may decide to leave shares of stock in a trust that your children can receive assets from once you pass away. Alternatively, you may want to grant an early inheritanceby gifting. Putting shares in a trust to pass on to your heirs could offer some tax advantages if you’re able to minimize estate and gift taxes.
Can you gift stocks to someone else?
There are different ways you can gift stocks to someone else, depending on who the recipient is . But the main ways to gift stocks include custodial accounts and trusts, though you may need something different when gifting stock to a charity. Gifting Stocks to Minor Children. If you want to gift stocks to your kids who are under 18, ...
What is stockpile app?
Stockpile. Stockpile is an investment app that’s geared toward parents and children. You can go on the Stockpile website and buy a gift card that kids (or their parents) can use to buy stock shares. As with Public, you can buy fractional stock shares with Stockpile as well.
Can you open a child's brokerage account in their own name?
If you don’t want to be listed as the account’s custodian, you can always ask the child’s parents to open the custodial account in their own name. Anyone can contribute to a child’s custodial brokerage account, even if they’re not the custodian.
Which Stock Should I Buy?
There are many companies out there, and choosing the right stock (s) requires careful consideration. The goal is to make this gift as compelling and profitable as possible, so you'll want to consider the interests of the person you are buying for as well as the growth potential.
Fractional Shares
You might find that buying even one share in a company is more than you can afford. In this case, fractional shares, if available, may be your best option.
Where to Buy Stock Gifts
Gifting stocks has never been easier and can be achieved from the comfort of your home fairly quickly. There are several options available to you. Some of the most common include:
Gifted Stock Tax Considerations
Before taking the leap and buying your loved ones wonderful stock gifts, it's important to be aware of any present or future tax bills. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) might charge you for making the gift if it's a large one.
How Do I Gift Stock to My Child?
If you plan to gift stock to a minor, you can set up a custodial account on their behalf. You’ll then be in charge of the stock held in the account until the child reaches a certain age, usually 18 or 21. Hopefully by then, the beneficiary will be mature enough to manage their own finances and make smart investment decisions.
What Are the Tax Consequences of Gifting Stock?
Gifts are only taxed if they are worth more than $15,000—or $30,000 for couples— not destined for a spouse, and exceed the lifetime gift tax exemption, which as of 2021 is set at $11.7 million.
Can I Transfer My Stocks to Another Person?
Absolutely. The owner of company stocks is permitted to transfer ownership to somebody else without incurring any penalties. The process is fairly straightforward. Online brokers usually provide an option to make a transfer on their platforms. All you need to do is give your written consent and basically fill out some forms.
What is a gift sent to an outside brokerage account?
Gifts sent to an outside brokerage account: Letter of instruction for sending gifts outside of Fidelity. The name, address, and Depository Trust Company (DTC) number of the receiving broker. The recipient's name, SSN, and his or her account number.
What is a gift sent to a person outside of Fidelity?
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.
Why is gifting appreciated investments to someone else a smart tax move?
This can make gifting appreciated investments to someone else a smart tax move because it would shift the tax burden to the recipient. If said recipient is a minor, all the better, as he or she would likely have a lower tax burden than you do.
How much can you gift a year without tax?
You can gift $15,000 per year without incurring gift tax. The limit "is the same if you made a cash gift, or a gift of investments," Van Leeuwen says. "In the case of investments, the gift amount would be the full market value of the investment on the date of the gift.".
What are the two types of gifts?
There are two types of gifts in the world: the depreciating kind and the appreciating kind. De preciating gifts begin losing value the day they're bought. Appreciating gifts, on the other hand, only grow in value with time, like good investments. Investments make some of the most impactful gifts. What's more, when given right, investment gifts ...
What is the lifetime gift exemption?
The lifetime gift exemption is the cumulative amount you can gift tax-free during your lifetime.
Can you give stock to someone else?
Stock isn't the only financial gift you can give. For instance, you could start or contribute to a savings account in someone else's name, Keckler says. If the recipient has earned income, doing this through a Roth IRA can be an even more impactful gift as the funds will grow tax-free until retirement.
Can you gift stock to charity?
When you gift appreciated stock to charity, you get to take an income tax deduction for the stock's fair market value at the time of the gift (even if you bought it for far less) and avoid paying tax on any capital gains when it's sold . The charity, in return, gets a nicely appreciated financial gift they can sell ...
Is stock a good gift?
Stock can make a great gift for you and the recipient. However you choose to give stock, make sure you give your recipient a record of its cost basis. (Getty Images) There are two types of gifts in the world: the depreciating kind and the appreciating kind. Depreciating gifts begin losing value the day they're bought.
