Highlights:
- Helping family members with paperwork or settling an estate? Read this
- What to check before shredding old documents
- How to turn old stock certificates into real money
Last year, François Guénette helped his 84-year-old father clean up old paperwork.
Tucked away was something most people under 50 have never seen: a paper stock certificate.
It was one share of Bank of Montreal, purchased on June 21, 1982 for $18.25.
Over the next 43 years, that single share multiplied through stock splits and dividend reinvestment.
He sold in December 2025 for $1,780.28 - a 9,655% increase!
What looks like clutter could be an asset
Helping a family member go through old paperwork can turn up things of real value.
Scan for anything that looks official or investment-related before shredding. It may not look like you’d expect.
In François’ case, the stock certificate looked like a diploma.
Converting a paper stock certificate can be tricky
Before you can do anything with the share (as long as it’s valid and still has value), it has to be converted from paper to electronic.
Many banks charge around $100 per certificate, regardless of how much the share is actually worth.
François found TD would do the conversion for free. His dad opened an account, and 90 minutes later, the conversion was done.
If you are taking care of someone’s estate, it will likely take a bit longer.
It’s worth shopping around to find a bank that will cover the cost.
It’s easier once the share is electronic
At this point your family member can:
- Transfer them to their existing brokerage
- Sell them
- Donate them
- Or continue holding them
Plan for capital gains
If they’re considering selling, transferring, or donating the shares, now is a good time to involve their accountant.
A quick conversation can help estimate the tax owing and decide whether it makes sense to sell all at once or spread it out.
The power of staying invested
François’ dad unintentionally followed buy and hold investing - he bought once, stayed invested, and let compounding work for decades.
Passiv makes it easy to stick with that kind of strategy.
By keeping your portfolio aligned, reinvesting dividends, and removing the guesswork from rebalancing, Passiv helps you do what matters most: staying invested, and investing regularly.
If you’re wondering how to start investing for retirement, click here to read the free guide.
