Ohio Code § 5814.02

§ 5814.02.

(A) A person who is eighteen years of age or older may, during the person's lifetime,

make a gift or transfer of a security, money, a life or endowment insurance policy,

an annuity contract, a benefit plan, real estate, tangible or intangible personal

property, or any other property to, may designate as beneficiary of a life or endowment

insurance policy, an annuity contract, or a benefit plan, or make a transfer by the

irrevocable exercise of a power of appointment in favor of, a person who is a minor

on the date of the gift or transfer: (1) If the subject of the gift or transfer is a security in registered form, by registering

it in the name of the donor or transferor, another person who is eighteen years of

age or older, or a trust company, followed, in substance, by the words:  “as custodian

for ................ (name of minor) under the Ohio Transfers to Minors Act;” (2) If the subject of the gift or transfer is a security not in registered form, by delivering

it to the donor or transferor, another person who is eighteen years of age or older,

or a trust company, accompanied by a statement of a gift or transfer in the following

form, in substance, signed by the donor or transferor and the person or trust company

designated as custodian: “GIFT OR TRANSFER UNDER THE OHIO TRANSFERS TO MINORS ACT I, .................... (name of donor or transferor), hereby deliver to (name of custodian) as custodian

for .................... (name of minor) under the Ohio Transfers to Minors Act, the following security (ies):

 (insert an appropriate description of the security or securities delivered, sufficient

to identify it or them). ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ (signature of donor or transferor) ...............(name of custodian) hereby acknowledges receipt of the above described security (ies)

as custodian for the above minor under the Ohio Transfers to Minors Act. Dated:  ․․․․․․․․․․․ ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ (signature of custodian)” (3) If the subject of the gift or transfer is money, by paying or delivering it to a

broker, or a financial institution for credit to an account in the name of the donor

or transferor, another person who is eighteen years of age or older, or a trust company,

followed, in substance, by the words:  “as custodian for .................... (name of minor) under the Ohio Transfers to Minors Act.” (4) If the subject of the gift or transfer is a life or endowment insurance policy, an

annuity contract, or a benefit plan, by assigning the policy, contract, or plan to

the donor or transferor, another person who is eighteen years of age or older, or

a trust company, followed, in substance by the words:  “as custodian for .................... (name of minor) under the Ohio Transfers to Minors Act.” (5) If the subject of the gift or transfer is an interest in real estate, by executing

and delivering in the appropriate manner a deed, assignment, or similar instrument

in the name of the donor or transferor, another person who is eighteen years of age

or older, or a trust company, followed, in substance, by the words:  “as custodian

for ............... (name of minor) under the Ohio Transfers to Minors Act.” (6) If the subject of the gift or transfer is tangible personal property, by delivering

it to the donor or transferor, another person who is eighteen years of age or older,

or a trust company, accompanied by a statement of a gift or transfer in the following

form, in substance, signed by the donor or transferor and the person or trust company

designated as custodian: “GIFT OR TRANSFER UNDER THE OHIO TRANSFERS TO MINORS ACT I, ............... (name of donor or transferor), hereby deliver to .................... (name of custodian) as custodian for .................... (name of minor) under the Ohio Transfers to Minors Act, the following property:  (insert

an appropriate description of the property delivered, sufficient to identify it). ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ (signature of donor or transferor) ......................... (name of custodian) hereby acknowledges receipt of the above described property as

custodian for the above minor under the Ohio Transfers to Minors Act. Dated: ․․․․․․ ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ (signature of custodian)” (7) If the subject of the gift or transfer is tangible personal property, title to which

is evidenced by a certificate of title issued by a department or agency of a state

or of the United States, by issuing title to the donor or transferor, another person

who is eighteen years of age or older, or a trust company, accompanied by a statement

of a gift or transfer in the following form, in substance:  “as custodian for ......................... (name of minor) under the Ohio Transfers to Minors Act;”  or by delivering the title

to another person who is eighteen years of age or older or a trust company, endorsed

to that person followed in substance by the following words:  “as custodian for (name

of minor) under the Ohio Transfers to Minors Act.” (8) If the subject of the gift or transfer is the designation of a minor as beneficiary

of a life or endowment insurance policy, an annuity contract, or a benefit plan, by

designating as beneficiary of the policy, contract, or plan the donor or transferor,

another person who is eighteen years of age or older, or a trust company, followed,

in substance, by the words:  “as custodian for .................... (name of minor) under the Ohio Transfers to Minors Act.” (9) If the subject of the gift or transfer is an irrevocable exercise of a power of appointment

in favor of a minor or is an interest in any property that is not described in divisions

(A)(1) to (8) of this section, by causing the ownership of the property to be transferred

by any written document in the name of the donor or transferor, another person who

is eighteen years of age or older, or a trust company, followed, in substance, by

the words:  “as custodian for .................... (name of minor) under the Ohio Transfers to Minors Act.” (B) Trustees, inter vivos or testamentary, executors, and administrators having authority

to distribute or pay any trust or estate property to or for the benefit of a minor,

or having authority to distribute or pay any trust or estate property to any other

person for the benefit of a minor may, if authorized by a will or trust instrument,

distribute or pay trust or estate property of any type mentioned in division (A) of

this section in the manner and form provided in that division, and may name the custodian

or successor custodian of the property if the will or trust instrument does not name

an eligible custodian, or if the will or trust does not name an eligible successor

custodian and the naming of a successor custodian is necessary.  A person who is eighteen years of age or older, in the person's will or trust instrument,

may provide that the fiduciary shall make any payment or distribution as provided

in this division and may name the custodian and a successor custodian of the trust

or estate property.  As to any distribution or payment so made, the testator of a will, under the provisions

of which a testamentary trust or estate is being administered, or the settlor of an

inter vivos trust shall be deemed the donor or transferor. (C) Any gift, transfer, payment, or distribution that is made in a manner prescribed

in division (A), (B), or (E) of this section may be made to only one minor and only

one person may be the custodian.  All gifts, transfers, payments, and distributions made by a person in a manner prescribed

in sections 5814.01 to 5814.10 of the Revised Code to the same custodian for the benefit of the same minor result in a single custodianship. (D) A donor or transferor who makes a gift or transfer to a minor in a manner prescribed

in division (A) of this section and a trustee, executor, or administrator acting under

division (B) or (E) of this section shall promptly do all things within the donor's,

transferor's, trustee's, executor's, or administrator's power to put the subject of

the gift or transfer in the possession and control of the custodian, but neither the

donor's, transferor's, trustee's, executor's, or administrator's failure to comply

with this division, nor the designation by the donor, transferor, trustee, executor,

or administrator of an ineligible custodian, nor the renunciation by the person or

trust company designated as custodian, affects the consummation of the gift or transfer. (E) If there is no will, or if a will, trust, or other governing instrument does not

contain an authorization to make a transfer as described in this division, a trustee,

executor, or administrator may make a transfer in a manner prescribed in division

(A) of this section to self, another person who is eighteen years of age or older,

or a trust company, as custodian, if all of the following apply: (1) Irrespective of the value of the property, the trustee, executor, or administrator

considers the transfer to be in the best interest of the minor; (2) Irrespective of the value of the property, the transfer is not prohibited by or inconsistent

with the applicable will, trust agreement, or other governing instrument; (3) If the value of the property exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars, the transfer is

authorized by the appropriate court. (F) Except with respect to real property, a donor or transferor who makes a gift or transfer

to a minor in a manner prescribed in division (A) of this section and a trustee, executor,

or administrator acting under division (B) or (E) of this section may also designate

one or more successor custodians, in substance, by adding to such designation the

following words or words of similar import for the successor or successors designated:

 “In the event of the death or inability or unwillingness to serve of .................... (name of custodian), or any successor custodian designated hereby, .................... (name of first successor custodian), followed by .................... (name of second successor custodian), in the order named, shall serve as successor

custodian.”