Code of Federal Regulations Title 31. Money and Finance–Treasury § 31.330.5 Evidence of owner's or beneficiary's authorization to affix special endorsement

(a) Form of authorization. The Treasury does not prescribe the form or type of instructions an agent must obtain from each owner, co-owner or beneficiary in order to use the special endorsement procedure. In the case of eligible Series E and EE savings bonds and savings notes presented for a redemption-exchange, the owner, coowner or beneficiary authorized to request the exchange (as specified in Circular No. 750, § 321.8(b)), must sign the exchange subscription even though the eligible Series E and EE savings bonds and savings notes are specially endorsed.

(b) Securities in coownership or beneficiary form. Securities registered in coownership or beneficiary form should be accepted for special endorsement only for immediate payment or exchange. Acceptance of bonds and notes for processing at some future date should be avoided as authority to utilize such endorsement generally expires upon the death of the owner or coowner on whose behalf securities were to be paid. Requests for payment of securities present by the surviving beneficiary must be supported by a certificate of death for the owner named thereon, as required by Circular No. 750, part 321 and the appendix to that part.

(c) Record of authorization. Agents should maintain such records as may be necessary to establish the receipt of, and compliance with, instructions supporting the special endorsement. If the agent elects to make notations on the backs of the securities to serve as a record, the Bureau of the Fiscal Service will undertake to produce, on request, photocopies of such securities at any time up to ten years after the redemption date. However, the Bureau does not not assume responsibility for the adequacy of such notations, for the legibility of any photocopy, or for failure to produce a photocopy from its records.