Last verified 2026-10-08; facts checked against the primary sources below

Affidavit of domicile and debts: what to prepare

Last verified: October 8, 2026

The short answer: An affidavit of domicile records a sworn statement about the deceased person's legal residence. An institution may ask for an affidavit of domicile and debts as part of its death-transfer paperwork. Ask the institution for its exact current form and signing instructions. The forms are not interchangeable, and the affidavit does not replace a death certificate, beneficiary record, or court appointment.

Where do you get the form?

Start with the firm holding the account or securities. Request the form for the account type and your role, rather than downloading a generic affidavit and assuming it will be accepted.

Morgan Stanley's form is an instruction to attach the affidavit, not the affidavit itself. A Firstrade domicile form should not be treated as Morgan Stanley's approved domicile-and-debts form.

Use the Morgan Stanley death paperwork guide or Firstrade after-death guide for the surrounding account process.

What does domicile mean on the Firstrade form?

Firstrade's published affidavit describes domicile as legal residence. It asks for the decedent's address, county, state, time at that domicile, and date of death. It also asks for the person making the statement and their address, and contains statements about that person's estate role and the decedent's residence.

The form says its purpose is to obtain transfer or delivery of securities owned by or registered to the deceased person. It includes a notary section. These are the contents of this particular form, not a universal checklist for all firms.

What should you gather before completing anything?

• The institution's current form and written instructions.
• The deceased person's full name and date of death.
• Records supporting the legal-residence statement the form asks you to make.
• Your name, address, and evidence of your role, if requested.
• Account or securities information identifying the transfer request.
• Questions about any debts language, notarization, or additional documents.

If the person recently moved, lived in care outside their home state, or maintained homes in several places, do not guess the sworn residence statement. Ask the institution and an appropriate legal professional how to resolve the facts before signing. Likewise, confirm who is eligible to sign rather than choosing a role that does not describe your authority.

What does Morgan Stanley require for an IRA death distribution?

Section 3 of Morgan Stanley's published IRA Distribution Form directs an initial death-distribution requester to complete Section 8 and attach a certified death certificate and a notarized affidavit of domicile and debts. It says additional paperwork may be required. It also distinguishes that request from a distribution by someone who already holds an inherited IRA: the listed Section 8 and additional-paperwork instruction does not apply in that same way to those inherited-account distributions.

Ask the advisor which request you are making before choosing a distribution option. An affidavit does not determine whether cash payout or an inherited-account transfer is appropriate. For that separate topic, see inherited IRAs after death.

Is this the same as other estate documents?

Notarization and a medallion guarantee are different requirements. Use our medallion guide when the transfer agent asks for a guarantee; do not substitute a notary stamp.

Before sending the affidavit

Confirm the form, signer, notary instructions, additional documents, and secure delivery route. Keep a copy and record when it was sent. Ask whether it was accepted or whether a particular statement still needs support. Use the inherited stock transfer checklist to track the rest of the request.

Use the receiving institution's instructions. This guide does not establish domicile, certify that debts are settled, or grant authority over an account.