A friend and former coworker of mine is getting a small dividend check every quarter

[Hello_Kitty]

It's from stock of our former employer (we both got laid off 3 years ago). She thought she'd sold all her stock but the statement she gets with her check says she has 120 shares. She has no idea where they are and I have no idea what to tell her. They used to issue us paper stocks and then changed to electronic in the late 90s.

Is it possible to get paid dividends on stocks that are no longer in your possession?

[rurallib]

1. I think most of it is electronic these days

Used to be you could get paper on request. But why?
Why have valuable paper around when you do not have to.

[Hello_Kitty]

3. But she said she sold all the stock on her online trading account.

The account is closed and she's pretty sure she also sold all the paper stocks.

[rurallib]

6. Could it have been in some kind of 401K or profit sharing plan

that she forgot about?

[Hello_Kitty]

7. She said it's dividends on 120 shares of common stock.

She liquidated her 401K a long time ago.

[elleng]

2. Guess so! Lucky friend and useful 'holding.'

[sharesunited]

4. If the check is in her name and comes to her address

she should submit a lost certificate affidavit to the registrar.

They will cancel her lost certificate and issue her a new one.

That way she can deposit it with a broker and sell her remaining shares if she wants to have the cash.

[Hello_Kitty]

5. Cool! I'll let her know. Thanks.

Wishing I had some "lost" shares right now.