How do I complete the Form W-8BEN?
Please refer to the IRS Instructions for Form W-8BEN for use in conjunction with the instructions below.
What is Form W-8BEN?
Form W-8BEN, Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for U.S. Tax Withholding and Reporting, is used by a foreign person to establish foreign status and beneficial ownership and to claim income tax treaty benefits with respect to income.
Detailed Instructions
Line 1: Name - MANDATORY
Ensure your legal name shown and sourced from your stock plan account is accurate. If it is not, contact your HR department.
Line 2: Citizenship - MANDATORY
Enter the name of the country of which you are a citizen
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If you are a U.S. citizen, do not complete this form – complete a Form W-9.
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If you are a permanent resident of the U.S., do not complete this form – complete a Form W-9.
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If you are a citizen of more than one country including the country in which you are a resident, enter the country in which you CURRENTLY reside.
Line 3: Permanent Residence Address - MANDATORY
Your permanent residence address is the address in the country where you claim to be a resident for income tax purposes. If you are completing Form W-8BEN to claim a reduced rate of withholding under an income tax treaty, you must determine your residency in the manner required by the treaty.
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Do not use a P.O. Box or “in care of” address.
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If you do not have a street address, enter a descriptive address (e.g. lot #, site #, concession #).
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If your permanent residence and/or mailing address is inaccurate, make the necessary corrections. Notify your HR department to update the address in your stock plan account.
Line 4: Mailing Address
Enter your mailing address if it is different than your permanent residence address from Line 3.
Line 5: U.S. Taxpayer Identification Number
If you have a U.S. Taxpayer Identification Number (either a social security number (SSN) or an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN)), enter it here.
Line 6: Foreign Tax Identifying Number
6a. Enter your FTIN issued by your country of citizenship. If you do not have one, you need to explain why in this field (e.g. country does not issue FTIN). Do not leave blank and do not fill in “NA” or “not applicable”.
6b. If you are unsure of how to obtain your FTIN, please visit IRS.gov or contact your employer’s HR group.
NOTE: 6b should be checked if you do not have an SSN or an FTIN and neither are required.
Line 7: Reference Number
Individuals may leave this line blank.
Line 8: Date of Birth – MANDATORY
The date of birth entered must match what is in your stock plan account (if available).
Line 9: Treaty Claim
If you are claiming treaty benefits as a resident of a foreign country with which the United States has an income tax treaty, identify the country where you claim to be a resident for income tax treaty purposes. For treaty purposes, a person is a resident of a treaty country if the person is a resident of that country under the terms of the treaty. Do not abbreviate the name of the country. A list of countries that have U.S. tax treaties is available via this link. If you are unsure of your country’s status, please contact your HR department.
Line 10: Special Rates and Conditions
If you are requesting special withholding rates under specific treaty provisions, please refer to these IRS instructions. If you are unsure how to proceed, please contact your HR department.
Certification - MANDATORY
The form must be signed and dated by the beneficial owner of the income of the account.
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Sign and date the form.
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Clearly print the name of the individual who has signed the form.
As an employee, it is your responsibility to understand all tax implications that impact your equity and/or share purchase holdings. Morgan Stanley does not provide tax advice. Please consult your tax advisor about your particular circumstances.
