§ 353.40 Special provisions for payment.

(a) Owner's signature not required. A bond may be paid by a paying agent or a designated Federal Reserve Bank without the owner's signature to the request for payment, if the bond bears the special endorsement of a paying agent specifically qualified to place such an endorsement on savings bonds.

(b) Signature by mark. A signature by mark (X) must be witnessed by at least one disinterested person and a certifying officer. See subpart J. The witness must attest to the signature by mark substantially as follows: “Witness to signature by mark”, followed by his or her signature and address.

(c) Name change. If the name of the owner, coowner, or other person entitled to payment, as it appears in the registration or in evidence on file in the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, has been changed in any legal manner, the signature to the request for payment must show both names and the manner in which the change was made; for example, “Mary T. Jones Smith (Mary T. J. Smith or Mary T. Smith) changed by marriage from Mary T. Jones”, or “John R. Young, changed by order of court from Hans R. Jung”. See § 353.50.

(d) Attorneys-in-fact. A request for payment, reinvestment, or exchange executed by an attorney-in-fact will be recognized if it is accompanied by a copy of the power of attorney which meets the following requirements:

(1) The power of attorney must bear the grantor's signature, properly certified or notarized, in accordance with applicable State law;

(2) The power of attorney must grant, by its terms, authority for the attorney-in-fact to sell or redeem the grantor's securities, sell his or her personal property, or, otherwise contain similar authority; and

(3) In the case of a grantor who has become incapacitated, the power of attorney must conform with pertinent provisions of State law concerning its durability. Generally, in such circumstances, the power of attorney should provide that the authority granted will not be affected by the subsequent incompetence or incapacity of the grantor. Medical evidence or other proof of the grantor's condition may be required in any case.

[45 FR 64091, Sept. 26, 1980, as amended at 57 FR 39602, Sept. 1, 1992; 59 FR 10541, Mar. 4, 1994]