My mother, 91, has dementia. Every bank says I need her signature to unlock her $100,000 stock certificate. What can I do?
News Source
β’Sat, 29 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMT
π° What Happened
A reader cares for her 91-year-old mother, who has dementia, and needs to access a $100,000 stock certificate. Every bank says only the mother's signature can unlock the account. The reader asks what she can do when her mother can no longer sign.
The answer typically involves court-appointed guardianship or a power of attorney that was set up before the dementia worsened. Each option takes time and legal steps, and the right path depends on the state and the type of account.
π The Backstory
Paper stock certificates are old-fashioned forms of ownership that many banks stopped using decades ago. When the owner cannot sign, banks are strict for good reason: they must stop fraud and identity theft. But that caution can trap families in a legal maze.
Planning ahead is the real lesson. A durable power of attorney or joint ownership set up while a person is healthy lets a trusted family member act later. Without it, families often must go to court, which is slow and costly.
π― Why It Matters
Everyone hopes to be healthy, but dementia can strike any family. Knowing how accounts work when someone cannot sign helps you protect aging parents' money and avoid costly court battles.
A reader cares for her 91-year-old mother, who has dementia, and needs to access a $100,000 stock certificate. Every bank says only the mother's signature can unlock the account. The reader asks what she can do when her mother can no longer sign.
The answer typically involves court-appointed guardianship or a power of attorney that was set up before the dementia worsened. Each option takes time and legal steps, and the right path depends on the state and the type of account.
Paper stock certificates are old-fashioned forms of ownership that many banks stopped using decades ago. When the owner cannot sign, banks are strict for good reason: they must stop fraud and identity theft. But that caution can trap families in a legal maze.
Planning ahead is the real lesson. A durable power of attorney or joint ownership set up while a person is healthy lets a trusted family member act later. Without it, families often must go to court, which is slow and costly.
Everyone hopes to be healthy, but dementia can strike any family. Knowing how accounts work when someone cannot sign helps you protect aging parents' money and avoid costly court battles.