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International Equities

Investing in the United States (US)

If your client wants to invest in US stocks and shares they will be required to complete a W-8BEN form before they can begin trading. This will ensure the correct tax relief is applied on income paid from US stocks and shares.

We require all ISA and Investment Dealing Account customers who wish to trade in the US to complete the form and post back to us to ensure we have a wet signature to keep for our records. This is a compulsory process to be able to trade in the US. If your clients are a SIPP customer Alliance Trust Savings will complete a W-8BEN form on their behalf.

Risk warning

Tax rules may change in the future and taxation will depend on your clients personal circumstances.

What is a W-8BEN form?

By completing this form, a non US person can claim exemption from paying tax on dividends and interest from shares traded in the US. The application approval process may take up to four working days.

Once signed, a W-8BEN form is valid for three calendar years after the year in which it is signed. A new form must be submitted when the existing one expires. Alliance Trust Savings will contact your client prior to your expiry date to complete a new form.

To trade in US stock and shares with us, your clients must be a non-US person.

If your clients are a US person we will be unable to deal with their trade.

How does my client complete a W-8BEN form?

We have created an example W-8BEN to help you get started.

W-8BEN Guide

Complete the following sections only:

The form has been automatically completed and your client will just need to complete the sections which have been highlighted below. This will include their National Insurance number and your client’s signature. You can complete the form for your client, but they will need to complete their own signature for legal reasons.

Part I

Line 1: Enter your client’s full name if an individual.
Line 3: Tick one box only, ‘individual’ for individual accounts.
Line 4: Enter their permanent residence, i.e. their tax address. Do not enter the name of a financial institution, a post office box or an address used solely for mailing purposes.
Line 7: Enter their National Insurance number.

Part II

Line 9a: Enter their country of residence for tax purposes, i.e. United Kingdom.

Part IV

Your client must sign and date the form themselves (you cannot sign on behalf of your client), leaving the ‘Capacity in which acting’ blank.

For further guidance on completing the W-8BEN form, please click here.

Once the Alliance Trust Savings registration form, has been completed, please send it back to us at the address below and once we receive the form (which may take up to four days to process) your client will be informed when they can invest US stocks and shares. One of our Client Services team will give your client a courtesy call, or email to inform your client, the account has been activated.

Alliance Trust Savings Limited
PO Box 164
8 West Marketgait
Dundee
DD1 9YP

If you have any queries please contact our simply call us on 08000 326 323. Our Business Development team will be delighted to help.

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