705.28 Protection of registering entity.

(1) A registering entity is not required to offer or to accept a request for security registration in beneficiary form. If a registration in beneficiary form is offered by a registering entity, the owner requesting registration in beneficiary form assents to the protections given to the registering entity by ss. 705.21 to 705.30.

(2) By accepting a request for registration of a security in beneficiary form, the registering entity agrees that the registration will be implemented upon death of the deceased owner as provided in ss. 705.21 to 705.30.

(2m) If more than one beneficiary is named and at least one beneficiary is predeceased, a security registered in beneficiary form may be reregistered in the name of the surviving beneficiary with a proof of death of the other beneficiary, without regard to claims by the issue of a predeceased beneficiary under s. 705.27 unless the registering entity receives written notice of a claim under sub. (3) (b). If none of the beneficiaries survive, a security registered in beneficiary form may be reregistered in the name of the estate of the deceased sole owner or the estate of the owner who was last to die of multiple owners, without regard to claims by the issue of a predeceased beneficiary under s. 705.27 unless the registering entity receives written notice of a claim under sub. (3) (b).

(3)

(a) Subject to par. (b), a registering entity is discharged from all claims to a security by the estate, creditors, heirs or devisees of the deceased owner if it registers a transfer of a security in accordance with s. 705.27 and does so in good faith reliance on the registration, on ss. 705.21 to 705.30, and on information provided to it by affidavit of the personal representative of the deceased owner, or by the surviving beneficiary or by the surviving beneficiary's representatives, or other information available to the registering entity.

(b) The protections provided in this subchapter do not extend to a reregistration or payment made after a registering entity has received written notice from a claimant to an interest in the security objecting to implementation of a registration in beneficiary form. No other notice or other information available to the registering entity affects its right to protection under this subchapter. If the registering entity has reason to believe that a dispute exists as to the rights of the parties to a security registered in beneficiary form or their successors, the registering entity may refuse to reregister the security pending instructions from a court.

(4) The protection provided by ss. 705.21 to 705.30 to the registering entity of a security does not affect the rights of beneficiaries in disputes between themselves and other claimants to ownership of the security transferred or its value or proceeds.

History: 1989 a. 331; 2005 a. 216.