tax agent services

Reliable, efficient management of withholding tax relief on investor securities

As your appointed tax agent, Sprintax Dividends ensures accurate dividend taxation, replacing manual, fragmented processes with governed, standardized technology.

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  • Relief at source and reclaim
  • Every step auditable
  • ISO 9001 certified
our service

Our tax agent service

Seven things we take off your desk, from the first data upload to the final report.

  • End-to-end tax relief service

    Investors receive their full dividend tax relief entitlement, either at source or through a subsequent reclaim.

  • Global tax office liaison

    We manage relationships with tax authorities worldwide to ensure an efficient tax relief and recovery process on dividend income.

  • Data management

    Our portal processes uploaded data and generates pre-populated documentation, reducing manual administrative burden.

  • Verification

    Our technology verifies investor details against market-specific requirements before submission.

  • Error resolution

    We review shareholder information and documentation, proactively following up with participants when discrepancies are identified.

  • Formal disclosures

    We distribute Important Notices to communicate market requirements and deadlines clearly to all parties.

  • Governed and traceable

    Every step of the process is recorded and auditable through our portal dashboard.

benefits

Key benefits

Cost savings

We help clients avoid the cost and resource burden of in-house tax processing.

Governance

Regular reporting ensures contractual and regulatory requirements are consistently met.

The right rate, at source

Investors benefit from the correct tax treatment from the moment the dividend is paid.

Recovery and return

Reclaim documentation is completed accurately and any over-withheld tax is recovered efficiently.

who we help

Who we help

Four roles sit between an issuer and a beneficial owner, and each one carries a different part of the withholding problem.

  • Transfer agents

    Transfer agents act on behalf of issuers, identifying and tracking registered shareholders and beneficial owners to ensure tax is withheld at the correct rate. Collecting and verifying this information is time-consuming and costly, given the volume of ever-evolving requirements. Sprintax Dividends streamlines this process for transfer agents.

  • Depositaries

    Depositary banks help receipt holders reclaim tax that has been over-withheld on foreign investment income. Doing this well requires both regulatory expertise and the right technology. Our solution enables depositaries to gather and standardize the data and documentation needed to support cross-border tax recovery.

  • DTC participants

    Every market carries its own rules, rates and processes, making it difficult for financial institutions to keep pace with shifting requirements while securing investors’ full tax entitlements. Sprintax Dividends helps DTC Participants efficiently manage the submission and processing of ADR elections and claim applications.

  • Custodians

    Custodians hold securities on behalf of investors, putting them on the front line of collecting documentation needed to apply correct withholding rates and support reclaims. Managing this across multiple markets, each with its own rules and deadlines, adds real operational complexity. Sprintax Dividends helps custodians manage this process efficiently.

functionalities

Three portals, one process

The technology is the same underneath; what changes is the view. All three are below — the one you need depends on where you sit in the chain.

For issuer agents

Issuer agent portal

Built specifically for organizations responsible for securities traded through DTC, giving issuer agents visibility and control over the dividend withholding tax process for the securities they manage.

Key metrics
  • Registered securities
  • Dividend events, submitted and pending, with full details
  • Oversight and action items
Security management

Users upload and maintain core security data — name, CUSIP, ticker, ISIN, exchange, share count, security type, country/tax number and DRIP availability. The Agent Securities tab holds the securities under management, where dividend withholding tax is tracked.

Dividend events
  • Security identification, key dates, DR/ORD ratios and dividend rates
  • DTCC submission status
  • Deadlines for relief at source and any subsequent quick reclaim
Reporting

Access to key reports, including final reports for relief at source and reclaim.

For position data

DTC portal

Built to manage the exchange of position data with DTC, enabling submission of taxable, non-taxable and foreign taxable positions and import of the corresponding data.

Key metrics
  • DTC Participant name and number
  • Total shares
  • Share tax percentage
  • DR rate
  • Net dividend
Key functions
  • Upload of DTC files
  • Import of the DTC Participant list

For DTC Participants

DTC Participants portal

Supports DTC Participants and companies acting on their behalf in submitting underlying account holder positions and managing tax reclaim options for beneficial owners.

Reclaim options
  • Relief at source (RAS) — DWT withheld at the reduced or exempt rate at the time of payment; must be submitted before the applicable election deadline.
  • Quick reclaim — expedited reclaim of over-withheld DWT processed through DTCC.
  • Long form reclaim — statutory reclaim once the RAS or quick reclaim window has closed; typically claimable up to four years from the end of the relevant tax year, subject to jurisdiction, and paid by check or ACH.
Tracking and reporting

The “My Reclaims” dashboard displays real-time status of all reclaims, filterable by beneficial owner, security or status, with aging metrics and CSV export.

FAQs

Your questions, answered

Relief at source applies the correct reduced or exempt withholding tax rate at the time the dividend is paid, so investors receive their full entitlement immediately. A reclaim is used when tax has already been over-withheld at the default rate. The investor recovers the excess after the fact – either through the quick or long form reclaim process, depending on timing and market.

Processing times vary by jurisdiction and tax authority. However, long form reclaims are generally slower than quick reclaims, as they are filed directly with the relevant tax authority rather than through DTCC. Filing windows also vary by market; four years from the end of the relevant tax year is common, but this should be confirmed for each jurisdiction.

Sprintax Dividends supports transfer agents, depositary banks, custodians, DTC Participants and issuer agents – each with portal functionality tailored to their role in the withholding tax and reclaim process.

The Sprintax technology is ISO 9001 certified – an indication of our commitment to the highest standards of data privacy and security. You can learn more about our security policy here.

The platform provides governed, auditable reporting at every stage of the process, including final reports for relief at source and reclaim positions, along with real-time dashboards for tracking reclaim status, aging and outcomes across beneficial owners and securities.

Need help?

Book a demo today to learn how Sprintax Dividends can support your organization’s tax relief and recovery process for investment income.

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