Sprintax Dividends FAQ

Sprintax Dividends is online software that helps investors reclaim dividend withholding tax (DWT) on overseas investments. Built-in tax logic applies tax treaties and local rules to estimate your refund and prepare your application. You can then file it yourself or have our team file it for you.

Dividend withholding tax is tax deducted from dividends before they reach you. If you hold shares in a company based in another country, that country usually withholds tax at its standard rate, and your home country may tax the same income again. Tax treaties often set a lower rate for nonresident investors, so you can reclaim the difference.

Anyone who receives dividends from foreign companies, including:

• Individual investors holding shares through a broker or trading platform
• Employees in employee share plans (ESOPs)
• Organizational investors, such as endowment funds and private equity firms
• Transfer agents and custody services

You don’t need to live in the U.S. Sprintax Dividends supports investors around the world.

Sprintax Dividends currently supports reclaims of dividend withholding tax from the U.S., Ireland and Switzerland, and we’re adding more markets. You can be resident in any country. Usually, your country of residence needs a tax treaty with the country that paid the dividend, though some markets offer other ways to claim a refund.

Reclaiming dividend tax means dealing with foreign tax authorities, treaty rules, certified documents and strict deadlines. Sprintax Dividends works out what you’re owed, prepares your paperwork and handles translation and notarization where required. With Sprintax Pro, we file it for you too. Our in-house tax experts keep the software up to date as treaties and rules change. In its first calendar year, Sprintax Dividends processed over $4 million in refunds.

It depends on your country of residence, your investor status and the tax treaty between your country and the country that paid the dividend. Create a Sprintax Dividends account to check your treaty eligibility and get a free refund estimate for each tax year before you decide to apply.

Usually, the difference between the tax withheld and the treaty rate for your country of residence. For example:

• Switzerland withholds 35%. Residents of many treaty countries, including the U.S., UK, Ireland and Canada, pay 15%, so they can reclaim 20%.
• The U.S. withholds 30%. Residents of many treaty countries, including the UK, Ireland and Australia, pay 15%, so they can reclaim 15%.
• Ireland withholds 25%. Residents of EU and EEA countries, and of countries with a tax treaty with Ireland, may qualify for a full exemption.

In some markets, yes. This is called relief at source: you file a declaration so the correct rate is applied when the dividend is paid. In Ireland, for example, an approved Form V2A (individuals), V2B (companies) or V2C (other entities) gives relief at source for up to five years. Sprintax Dividends can prepare your form, and reclaim any tax that’s already been overpaid.

Often, yes. Many tax treaties only let you credit foreign tax up to the treaty rate on your home tax return. Tax withheld above that rate is the excess you can reclaim. For example, if Switzerland withheld 35% and the treaty rate is 15%, claiming a 15% credit at home doesn’t stop you reclaiming the other 20% from the Swiss tax authorities.

Each country sets its own time limit, known as the statute of limitations. For example:

• Switzerland: you can reclaim up to four years of tax, covering the current year and the three years before it. Your claim must reach the Swiss Federal Tax Administration by December 31 of the third year after the dividend was paid. For example, claims for 2023 dividends must arrive by December 31, 2026.
• Ireland: claims must be made within four years of the end of the year the tax was withheld.

Apply early so you don’t lose older years.

1. Create your Sprintax Dividends account.
2. Answer a few questions about your residency, shareholdings and dividend earnings.
3. We check your treaty eligibility and estimate your refund for each tax year.
4. Upload your dividend statements, and a Certificate of Residence if required.
5. Choose to file your application yourself or have our team file it for you.

Depending on your country of residence and where your dividends come from, you may need:

• Proof of identity, such as a passport
• Dividend statements from your broker, investment platform or employee share plan account
• A Certificate of Residence from your country’s tax authority
• Your tax reference number. U.S. claims need an SSN or ITIN, and we can guide you through applying for an ITIN.
• Bank details for your refund

If we need a power of attorney to act on your behalf, you e-sign it in the platform. There’s nothing to prepare yourself.

A Certificate of Residence (CoR) is an official document from your country’s tax authority confirming you’re tax resident there. For a dividend tax reclaim, it usually needs to name each year you’re claiming for and the tax treaty between the two countries. Sprintax Dividends tells you if you need one, and our team can support your request.

You can apply at any time of year. However, you can generally submit only one application a year, and it must include every year you’re claiming for. If you’re expecting another dividend this year, wait until it’s paid so you can include it in the same application.

Sprintax Pro: our team prepares your application and files it with the tax authority for you.

Sprintax Flex: we prepare your application and filing instructions, and you file it yourself.

You choose your plan in the refund calculator, after you see your estimated refund. Sprintax Pro is currently available for a limited number of countries of residence. U.S. employee shareholders can choose either plan.

We charge a flat fee with no hidden costs. Your fee depends on your plan and is shown in the refund calculator before you pay. Swiss reclaims start from $195. You can pay by credit or debit card, or with Google Pay.

Some tax authorities also charge a processing fee, which is deducted from your refund. For example, Swiss refund applications carry a CHF 25 fee. This is separate from the Sprintax fee.

Organizations can contact our team about partner pricing.

Processing times are set by each tax authority and start when it receives your complete application. U.S. refunds are typically processed within six months, and Swiss refunds currently take 7 to 12 months. You can track your application’s status in your dashboard.

Your refund is paid to the bank account you add to your application. With Sprintax Pro, it’s paid by domestic wire transfer in the currency of your choice. With Sprintax Flex, the tax authority pays it to you directly.

Use the unique link your employer shared with you. It takes you to your company’s own version of Sprintax Dividends, where you can create an account or log in. If you haven’t received a link, check with your HR team. If your employer doesn’t partner with Sprintax, you can still use Sprintax Dividends.

Yes. If your employees hold shares through a cross-border employee share plan, we can set up a dedicated partner portal with your branding, custom email communications and flexible pricing. Our team answers your employees’ dividend tax questions, so your team doesn’t have to. Book a call with our partnerships team.

Sprintax is ISO/IEC 27001 certified, meeting the international standard for managing information security.

The Sprintax Dividends Help Center has step-by-step guides, videos and webinars. You can also contact our team by live chat or by email at dwtrefunds@sprintax.com.