W8-BEN Form, Part II filling doubt (NRA)

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Topic Author
waskiri
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Apr 12, 2021 10:27 am

W8-BEN Form, Part II filling doubt (NRA)

Post by waskiri »

Firstly, thank you!. Your advice in the forum is really helpful.

I would appreciate your help with a doubt.

Interactive Brokers asked the first regular yearly review of my info, including W-8BEN form.

My doubt is related to Part II of this form.

I do not recall if this was auto-filled when opening the account but the fields were recorded this way:

A. Do you qualify for the benefits of a US income tax treaty?.
Option selected: YES
B. I certify that the beneficial owner is a resident of: (A list of countries is available)
Option selected: I am not claiming the benefits of a tax treaty between...

I think I should choose: NO in field A, doing that field B is not requested anymore.

My doubt is: Should I keep Field A as Yes?. I mean, maybe choosing YES is a requisite to receive the 15% agreement in Ireland’s UCITS etfs.

I checked forum’s feedback in a somewhat similar question, IB’s website info is vague on this point and I prefer to check with you all, who know more.

I am born and resident in a country with no US treaty and investing in UCITS etfs based in Ireland through IB UK.

Thanks a lot.
TedSwippet
Posts: 5166
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2007 4:19 pm
Location: UK

Re: W8-BEN Form, Part II filling doubt (NRA)

Post by TedSwippet »

Welcome.
waskiri wrote: Mon Apr 12, 2021 11:22 am My doubt is: Should I keep Field A as Yes?. I mean, maybe choosing YES is a requisite to receive the 15% agreement in Ireland’s UCITS etfs.
...
I am born and resident in a country with no US treaty and investing in UCITS etfs based in Ireland through IB UK.
I would enter NO for this field. As a resident of a country that has no US estate tax treaty, that is the right answer.

Putting NO in here should not affect your Ireland domiciled ETF holdings' ability to access the US/Ireland tax treaty for a 15% rate. Ireland domiciled ETFs have a 15% US rate because of their own internal -- probably W-8BEN-E -- claim with the US. This claim is completely unaffected by your own US (lack of) treaty status. In practice, the ETF neither knows nor cares who owns shares in it.
Topic Author
waskiri
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Apr 12, 2021 10:27 am

Re: W8-BEN Form, Part II filling doubt (NRA)

Post by waskiri »

TedSwippet wrote: Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:42 pm I would enter NO for this field. As a resident of a country that has no US estate tax treaty, that is the right answer.

Putting NO in here should not affect your Ireland domiciled ETF holdings' ability to access the US/Ireland tax treaty for a 15% rate. Ireland domiciled ETFs have a 15% US rate because of their own internal -- probably W-8BEN-E -- claim with the US. This claim is completely unaffected by your own US (lack of) treaty status. In practice, the ETF neither knows nor cares who owns shares in it.
Thanks a lot TedSwippet!.
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