Question regarding US share certificate.

[Nomansland]

Hi all,
I have approx 25K worth (euro) of shares in a US company who I am employed with. I intend selling the shares now as I am panicking with the dollar in free fall and the US economy looking like its going to get worse. However a small amount of these shares are in my wifes name (approx 2K worth) and are not with any broker. We have the share certificate. My question is first of all how do I go about selling the shares which are in share certificate form. Secondly, she got a form in the post a number of months ago requesting her to fill out a W-8BEN form in relation to these shares held in certificate. We never completed it. Does this have a tax implication upon selling these shares, or is it only a tax that is charged on the dividend.

 

[ClubMan]

We have the share certificate.

Paper share certs for a US company? Is that not very unusual?

My question is first of all how do I go about selling the shares which are in share certificate form.

Just contact a broker who can deal on the relevant US exchange I presume?

Secondly, she got a form in the post a number of months ago requesting her to fill out a W-8BEN form in relation to these shares held in certificate. We never completed it. Does this have a tax implication upon selling these shares, or is it only a tax that is charged on the dividend.

I think it's only relevant to the taxation of dividends but you might find more info here.

 

[efm]

Paper share certs for a US company? Is that not very unusual?

Unusual but not completley unheard of. Most US brokers charge extra for getting certs issued but nearly all US stocks should be available in cert form if required. Companies like Disney actually have very fancy Share Certificates which a lot of people buy as presents for children.

Nomansland - in order to sell your wifes certificated US shares she will probably have to deliver the shares to the broker first and once they have been dematerialised (ie put in electronic form) the broker can execute the sale.

 

[Nomansland]

Thanks for the info.