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Alaska Statutes Relating to Inheritance and Transfer of Native Corporation Stock

Share of Spouse - § 13.12.102
Inheritance of Certain stock - § 13.16.705
Native Corporations; Custodians - § 13.46.085

§ 13.12.102. Share of spouse

(a) Except as provided in (b) of this section, the intestate share of a decedent's surviving spouse is

(1) the entire intestate estate if

(A) no descendant or parent of the decedent survives the decedent; or
(B) all of the decedent's surviving descendants are also descendants of the surviving spouse and there is no other descendant of the surviving spouse who survives the decedent;

(2) the first $200,000, plus three-fourths of any balance of the intestate estate, if no descendant of the decedent survives the decedent, but a parent of the decedent survives the decedent;
(3) the first $150,000, plus one-half of any balance of the intestate estate, if all of the decedent's surviving descendants are also descendants of the surviving spouse and the surviving spouse has one or more surviving descendants who are not descendants of the decedent;
(4) the first $100,000, plus one-half of any balance of the intestate estate, if one or more of the decedent's surviving descendants are not descendants of the surviving spouse.

(b) The intestate share of the surviving spouse in settlement common stock or other inalienable stock in a corporation organized under the laws of the state under 43 U.S.C. 1601- 1641 (Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act) is

(1) all of it if there is no surviving issue; or
(2) one-half of it if the decedent is survived by issue.

§ 13.16.705. Inheritance of Certain Stock

(a) The settlement common stock or other inalienable stock in a corporation organized under the laws of Alaska under 43 U.S.C. 1601 - 1642 (Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act) is not subject to probate nor shall its value be considered in determining the value of an estate or allowance under this title. Upon death of the holder, if the stock does not pass by the testamentary disposition clause on the stock certificate or by the form authorized under (b) of this section, properly executed, it passes by will or intestate succession. In such a case, the determination of the person entitled to the stock shall be made by the corporation that initially issued the stock or its designated agent. The determination shall be made on the basis of an affidavit, furnished to the corporation that initially issued the stock, or its agent, showing the right of the person entitled to the stock to receive it. The affidavit, accepted in good faith by the corporation or its agent, has the same effect as an affidavit under AS 13.16.685, and the person entitled to the stock, if the affidavit is not accepted, has the remedy set out in AS 13.16.685. In case of dispute as to the person entitled to receive the stock, a person claiming ownership may bring an independent action in the superior court.
(b) Unless a separate form is provided that substantially satisfies the requirements of this subsection and that is distributed to the same extent as the certificate, each certificate representing the stock shall bear provisions, on its reverse side, containing blanks to be filled in by the owner, constituting a last will and testament for the purposes of this section and 43 U.S.C. 1606(h) insofar as the shares represented by that certificate are concerned. The clause may be signed by the owner, dated, and notarized. This testamentary disposition may be changed from time to time or revoked, and it governs unless there is a subsequently executed certificate, form, or formal will making specific disposition of the stock.
(c) When ownership of stock passes by devise or inheritance or as a result of court action, the stock shall be partitioned, insofar as practicable, in whole shares among those entitled to them.
(d) If a deceased shareholder has failed to dispose of the stock by will and has no heirs under the applicable laws of intestacy, the shares escheat to the corporation.
(e) The situs of the stock is Alaska.
(f) This section applies to stock as long as the stock remains inalienable.
(g) Where appropriate, terms used in this section have the meanings given in AS 13.06.050. In this section, "stock" means the settlement common stock or other inalienable stock of a corporation organized under the laws of the state under 43 U.S.C. 1601 - 1642 (Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act), and includes membership in a corporation organized under AS 10.20 and inchoate rights to stock.

§ 13.46.085. Native Corporations; Custodians

(a) The stock or membership in a corporation organized under the law of this state under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 - 1642) that a minor is entitled to receive under that Act shall be held by a custodian.
(b) A person making a transfer of stock, whether by gift, devise, or other method, may nominate a custodian. In the absence of a nomination, the custodian shall be determined under the order of priority set out below. The appointment becomes effective upon the corporation's receipt of the custodian's written consent to the appointment. The order of priority is:

(1) the legal guardian, if any, of the minor;
(2) a parent, if any, of the minor, as selected by the parents;
(3) an adult member of the minor's family; in this paragraph, "member of the minor's family" has the meaning given in AS 13.46.990, and also includes members of a family with whom the minor has customarily lived.

(c) For good cause, a district court or the superior court may vary the order of priority set out in (b) of this section or appoint another suitable person as custodian.
(d) The custodianship is governed by this chapter, as modified by the following:

(1) Repealed.
(2) under AS 13.46.150, a third person is responsible for determining whether stock is inalienable under the Act;
(3) the custodian shall give an appropriate receipt for property received for the minor;
(4) the custodian may not alienate inalienable property except within the limits provided by law;
(5) the form of registration or title shall be "as custodian for __________ (name of minor) under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act";
(6) a custodian may not receive compensation except, upon application to and approval by the superior court, for unusual and extraordinary services;
(7) custodial property includes securities, money, and other real and personal property under supervision as a consequence of the Act.

(e) Notwithstanding AS 13.46.190, the stock shall be transferred to the minor when the minor reaches 18 years of age, or to the minor's heirs if the minor dies before reaching 18 years of age.
(f) In this section,

(1) "Act" means the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 - 1642);
(2) "minor" means an individual who is less than 18 years of age;
(3) "stock" means the stock or membership in a corporation that is organized under the law of this state under the Act and that a minor is entitled to receive under the Act, whether by gift, devise, or other method; "stock" includes inchoate rights to stock.