(a) Registration is conclusive of ownership. Definitive savings bonds were issued only in registered form. The registration must express the actual ownership of, and interest in, the bond. The registration is conclusive of ownership, except as provided in § 353.49.

(b) Requests for registration. Registrations requested must be clear, accurate and complete, conform substantially with one of the forms set forth in this subpart, and include the taxpayer identifying number of the owner or first-named coowner. The taxpayer identifying number of the second-named coowner or beneficiary is not required but its inclusion is desirable. The registration of all bonds owned by the same person, organization, or fiduciary should be uniform with respect to the name of the owner and any description of the fiduciary capacity. An individual should be designated by the name he or she is ordinarily known by or uses in business, including at least one full given name. The name may be preceded or followed by any applicable title, such as Miss, Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., Rev., M.D., or D.D.. A suffix, such as Sr. or Jr., must be included when ordinarily used or when necessary to distinguish the owner from another member of his family. A married woman's own given name, not that of her husband, must be used; for example, Mary A. Jones or Mrs. Mary A. Jones, NOT Mrs. Frank B. Jones. The address must include, where appropriate, the number and street, route, or any other local feature, city, State, and ZIP Code.

(c) Registration of bonds purchased as gifts. If the bonds were purchased as gifts, awards, prizes, etc., and the taxpayer identifying numbers of the intended owners are not known, the purchaser's number must be furnished. Bonds so inscribed will not be associated with the purchaser's own holdings. Bonds so registered will not be associated with the purchaser's own holdings. If the purchaser so requests, a bond may be inscribed to provide a “Mail to” instruction, followed by a delivery name and address. No rights of ownership are conferred on such designee.

(a) Natural persons. Only an individual in his or her own right may be designated as coowner or beneficiary along with any other individual, whether on original issue or reissue, except as provided in § 353.7(f).

(b) Residence. The designation of an owner or first-named coowner is restricted, on original issue only, to persons (whether individuals or others) who are:

(1) Residents of the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;

(2) Citizens of the United States residing abroad;

(3) Civilian employees of the United States or members of its armed forces, regardless of their residence or citizenship; and

(c) Nonresident aliens. A nonresident alien may be designated co-owner or beneficiary or, on authorized reissue, owner, unless the nonresident alien is a resident of an area with respect to which the Department of the Treasury restricts or regulates the delivery of checks drawn against funds of the United States or its agencies or instrumentalities. See Department of the Treasury Circular No. 655, current revision (31 CFR part 211). Registration is not permitted in any form which includes the name of any alien who is a resident of any restricted area.

(d) Minors. (1) Minors may purchase with their wages, earnings, or other funds belonging to them and under their control bonds registered in their names alone or with a coowner or beneficiary.

(2) Bonds purchased by another person with funds belonging to a minor not under legal guardianship or similar fiduciary estate must be registered, without a coowner or beneficiary, in the name of the minor or a natural guardian on behalf of a minor.

(3) Bonds purchased with funds of another may be registered to name the minor as owner, coowner, or beneficiary. If the minor is under legal guardianship or similar fiduciary estate, the registration must include an appropriate reference to it.

(4) Bonds purchased as a gift to a minor under a gift-to-minors statute must be registered as prescribed by the statute and no coowner or beneficiary may be named.

(5) Bonds purchased by a representative of a minor's estate must be registered in the name of the minor and must include in the registration an appropriate reference to the guardianship or similar fiduciary estate. Bonds purchased by a representative of the estates of two or more minors, even though appointed in a single proceeding, must be registered in the name of each minor separately with appropriate reference to the guardianship or similar fiduciary estate.

(e) Incompetents. Bonds may be registered to name as owner, coowner, or beneficiary an incompetent for whose estate a guardian or similar representative has been appointed, except that a coowner or beneficiary may not be named on bonds purchased with funds belonging to the incompetent. The registration must include appropriate reference to the guardianship or similar fiduciary estate. Bonds should not be registered in the name of an incompetent unless there is a representative for his or her estate, except as provided in § 353.64.

Subject to any limitations or restrictions contained in these regulations on the right of any person to be named as owner, coowner, or beneficiary, bonds should be registered as indicated below. A savings bond registered in a form not substantially in agreement with one of the forms authorized by this subpart is not considered validly issued.

(a) Natural persons. A bond may be registered in the names of individuals in their own right, but only in one of the forms authorized by this paragraph.

(1) Single ownership form. A bond may be registered in the name of one individual. Example:

(2) Coownership form. A bond may be registered in the names of two individuals in the alternative as coowners. The form of registration “A and B” is not authorized. Examples:

(3) Beneficiary form. A bond may be registered in the name of one individual payable on death to another. “Payable on death to” may be abbreviated to “P.O.D.” Examples:

(b) Fiduciaries (including legal guardians and similar representatives, certain custodians, natural guardians, executors, administrators, and trustees)—(1) General. A bond may be registered in the name of any person or persons or any organization acting as fiduciary of a single fiduciary estate, but not where the fiduciary will hold the bond merely or principally as security for the performance of a duty, obligation, or service. Registration should conform to a form authorized by this paragraph. A coowner or beneficiary may be named only in accordance with the applicable provisions of § 353.6 (c) and (d). A common trust fund established and maintained by a financial institution authorized to act as a fiduciary will be considered a single fiduciary estate within the meaning of these regulations.

(2) Legal guardians, conservators, similar representatives, certain custodians. A bond may be registered in the name and title or capacity of the legally appointed or authorized representative of the estate of a minor, incompetent, aged or infirm person, absentee, et al., or in the name of that individual followed by an appropriate reference to the estate. Examples:

(3) Natural guardians. A bond may be registered in the name of either parent (natural and adoptive) of a minor, as natural guardian. The registration of a bond in this form is considered as establishing a fiduciary relationship. A coowner or beneficiary may be named but only if the funds used to purchase the bonds do not belong to the minor. Examples:

(4) Executors and administrators. A bond may be registered in the name of the representative appointed by a court to act for an estate of a decedent, or in the name of an executor authorized to administer a trust under the terms of a will although not named trustee. The name and capacity of all the representatives as shown in the letters of appointment must be included in the registration and be followed by an adequate indentifying reference to the estate. Examples:

(5) Trustees or life tenants under wills, deeds of trust, agreements, or similar instruments. A bond may be registered in the name and title of the trustee of a trust estate, or in the name of a life tenant, followed by an adequate identifying reference to the authority governing the trust or life tenancy. Examples:

(i) If the trust instrument designates by title only an officer of a board or an organization as trustee, only the title of the officer should be used. Example:

(ii) The names of all trustees, in the form used in the trust instrument, must be included in the registration, except as follows:

(A) If there are several trustees designated as a board or they are required to act as a unit, their names may be omitted and the words “Board of Trustees” substituted for the word “trustee”. Example:

(B) If the trustees do not constitute a board or are not required to act as a unit, and are too numerous to be designated in the registration by names and title, some or all the names may be omitted. Examples:

(6) Employee thrift, savings, vacation and similar plans. A bond may be registered in the name and title, or title alone, of the trustee of an eligible employee thrift, savings, vacation or similar plan, as defined in § 353.13(a). If the instrument creating the trust provides that the trustees shall serve for a limited term, their names may be omitted. Examples:

(7) Funds of lodges, churches, societies, or similar organizations. A bond may be registered in the title of the trustees, or a board of trustees, holding funds in trust for a lodge, church, or society, or similar organization, whether or not incorporated. Examples:

(8) Investment agents for religious, educational, charitable and non-profit organizations. A bond may be registered in the name of a bank, trust company, or other financial institution, or an individual, as agent under an agreement with a religious, educational, charitable or non-profit organization, whether or not incorporated, if the agent holds funds for the sole purpose of investing them and paying the income to the organization. The name and designation of the agent must be followed by an adequate reference to the agreement. Examples:

(9) Funds of school groups or activities. A bond may be registered in the title of the principal or other officer of a public, private, or parochial school holding funds in trust for a student body fund or for a class, group, or activity. If the amount purchased for any one fund does not exceed $2,500 (face amount), no reference need be made to a trust instrument. Examples:

(10) Public corporations, bodies, or officers as trustees. A bond may be registered in the name of a public corporation or a public body, or in the title of a public officer, acting as trustee under express authority of law, followed by an appropriate reference to the statute creating the trust. Examples:

(c) Private organizations (corporations, associations, partnerships)—(1) General. A bond may be registered in the name of any private organization in its own right. The full legal name of the organization as set forth in its charter, articles of incorporation, constitution, partnership agreement, or other authority from which its powers are derived, must be included in the registration and may be followed by a parenthetical reference to a particular account other than a trust account.

(2) Corporations. A bond may be registered in the name of a business, fraternal, religious, non-profit, or other private corporation. The words “a corporation” must be included in he registration unless the fact of incorporation is shown in the name. Examples:

(3) Unincorporated associations. A bond may be registered in the name of a club, lodge, society, or a similar self-governing association which is unincorporated. The words “an unincorporated association” must be included in the registration. This form of registration must not be used for a trust fund, board of trustees, a partnership, or a sole proprietorship. If the association is chartered by or affiliated with a parent organization, the name or designation of the subordinate or local organization must be given first, followed by the name of the parent organization. The name of the parent organization may be placed in parentheses and, if well known, may be abbreviated. Examples:

(4) Partnerships. A bond may be registered in the name of a partnership. The words “a partnership” must be included in the registration. Examples:

(5) Sole Proprietorships. A bond may be registered in the name of an individual who is doing business as a sole proprietor. A reference may be made to the trade name under which the business is conducted. Example:

(d) Institutions (churches, hospitals, homes, schools, etc.). A bond may be registered in the name of a church, hospital, home, school, or similar institution conducted by a private organization or by private trustees, regardless of the manner in which it is organized or governed or title to its property is held. Descriptive words, such as “a corporation” or “an unincorporated association”, must not be included in the registration. Examples:

(e) States, public bodies and corporations, and public officers. A bond may be registered in the name of a State, county, city, town, village, school district, or other political entity, public body, or corporation established by law (including a board, commission, administration, authority, or agency) which is the owner or official custodian of public funds, other than trust funds, or in the full legal title of the public officer having custody of the funds. Examples:

(f) The United States Treasury. A person who desires to have a bond become the property of the United States upon his or her death may designate the United States Treasury as coowner or beneficiary. Examples:

The issuance of bonds in the furtherance of a chain letter or pyramid scheme is considered to be against the public interest and is prohibited.