IG has an obligation under US tax regulation to obtain documentation from our clients that wish to trade on US equities. Please provide us with one of the W-8 forms listed below, or a Form W-9 depending on your circumstances.
US stocks
What do I need to do?
Please complete one of the forms detailed below and return it to us as soon as possible.
Private clients
If you’re not a corporate client, joint account holder, a US citizen or resident of the US, you need to complete our quick and easy electronic Form W-8BEN as soon as possible:
- Log in to your IG account
- Go to the ‘settings’ tab in My IG
- Select ‘dealing US stock’
- Answer a few questions about your tax status and e-sign
The whole process should only take a minute or two. Your information will be stored at IG and only be shared with the IRS on audit.
Joint account holders, US citizens or residents of the US, and corporate clients
Please complete the relevant form and return it to clientlifecycle.ao@ig.com, or to our postal address: IG, Cannon Bridge House, 25 Dowgate Hill, London EC4R 2YA.
Joint account holders that are not US citizens or residents of the US should each complete a Form W-8BEN, and return both to us together.
Individual US citizens or residents of the US should complete and return a Form W-9.
Corporate clients should complete and return ONE of the following forms:
- Form W-8BEN-E — Certificate of Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding and Reporting (Entities);
- Form W-8ECI — Certificate of Foreign Person's Claim That Income Is Effectively Connected With the Conduct of a Trade or Business in the United States;
- Form W-8EXP — Certificate of Foreign Government or Other Foreign Organization for United States Tax Withholding and Reporting;
- Form W-8IMY — Certificate of Foreign Intermediary, Foreign Flow-Through Entity, or Certain U.S. Branches for United States Tax Withholding and Reporting; or
- Form W-9 — Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification
Form W-8BEN-E: Those corporate clients that are (i) resident in a country with which the US has a double taxation treaty and (ii) are making a claim under that treaty should be aware of the treaty’s Limitation on Benefits provisions and the terms within those provisions. For more information, please visit the IRS website.
We may charge a $50 fee on accounts which have not supplied a mandatory Form W-8 or Form W-9 prior to the dividend ex-date of a qualifying trade on a US equity. We will notify you if you have entered into a qualifying trade and need to complete a form.
