FAQs for Hungarian TBSZ Account
Updated: 2023-11-13
What is a Long-term Investment Account - "Tartós Befektetési Számla" (TBSZ)?
"Tartós Befektetési Számla" or Long-term Investment Account is abbreviated as TBSZ. Its most significant advantage is that after 3 or 5 years respectively, the tax burden on investment returns will be reduced to 10% or 0% from the standard 15% - when realizing the yield.
Who can open a TBSZ?
Any natural person above 18 years old who is a Hungarian tax resident.
Currently, we do not offer TBSZ for condominiums, fiduciary trusts nor private foundations.
How can I open a TBSZ?
You can open a TBSZ directly in the Client Portal or initiate it as a new customer on the website, just like opening any other account. For existing customers, the account opening process takes only a few minutes.
Why do I need to open an Individual Trading account to open a TBSZ?
Your TBSZ will be linked to the Individual Trading account (“primary account”) as the TBSZ can be funded only from an Individual Trading account, and in case the TBSZ matures or breaks, the assets it holds are swept to the Individual Trading account. Additionally, the TBSZ automatically inherits all trading permissions and settings from the Individual Trading account.
Can I open multiple TBSZ?
You can open 1 TBSZ each calendar year with us. (Starting from 2023.)
How can I deposit money into the TBSZ?
You can transfer money to the TBSZ from your primary account. Money deposit is only allowed during the collection year.
How can I place securities into the TBSZ?
You can only deposit money into the TBSZ. The money can be transferred directly from your primary account. Money deposit is only allowed during the collection year.
What is the minimum and maximum amount I can deposit into the TBSZ?
During the collection year, you can deposit any amount with any frequency into the account. The initial deposit must reach at least 25,000 HUF or an equivalent value in any other supported currency. There is no upper limit for the deposited amount.
What is the "collection year"?
The "collection year" refers to the calendar year of opening the account, also known as year 0. You can only deposit money into the account during this calendar year. After the collection year, you can no longer make further deposits, but you can open a new TBSZ with the current calendar year as its collection year.
The lock-in period begins in the year following the collection year.
What is the lock-in period?
This is a 5-year period following the collection year, separated into a 3-year and a 2-year periods. During this time, you can no longer make deposits but can trade with the funds you have already deposited. The 3-year period is called Holding Period 1, while the 2-year period is called Holding Period 2.
At the end of the third year (i.e., the end of Holding Period 1), you can partially or fully withdraw your assets from the account. At the end of the fifth year (i.e., the end of Holding Period 2), you can terminate, or partially or fully reinvest your assets in another TBSZ.
What is Holding Period 1?
Holding Period 1 is a 3-year period that starts in the calendar year following the collection year, beginning on January 1.
If you break the account during this time, you will be required to pay the standard 15% personal income tax on your returns. The 13% social contribution tax (“szocho”) should not apply to this income.
At the end of this period (between December 1-30), you need to notify IBKR by submitting your statement whether you want to withdraw your assets partially or fully to your primary account. If you decide to do so, make sure that the value of assets remaining in your TBSZ is at least 25,000 HUF; otherwise, the account must be terminated.
How can I submit my statement at the end of the third year?
You will receive notification in the Client Portal about the deadline for making the declaration and instructions on how to do it.
What happens if the 3-year period expires, and I don't submit my statement?
In the absence of a declaration, the account will automatically move into the next, 2-year lock-in period, known as Holding Period 2, carrying your assets in their entirety without any changes.
What is Holding Period 2?
Holding Period 2 is a 2-year period that starts in the calendar year following Holding Period 1, beginning on January 1.
If you break the account during this time, you will be required to pay a reduced, 10% personal income tax on your returns. The 13% social contribution tax ("szocho") should not apply to this income.
At the end of this period your TBSZ will be terminated, unless you declare (between December 1-30) that you want to transfer your assets partially or fully to another TBSZ opened in the second year of Holding Period 2. If you decide to do so, make sure that the value of the assets to be transferred is at least 25,000 HUF; otherwise, the transfer will not take place, and your assets will be transferred in their entirety to your primary account.
How can I submit my statement at the end of the fifth year?
You will receive notification in the Client Portal about the deadline for making the declaration and instructions on how to do it.
What happens if the 5-year period expires, and I don't submit my statement?
In the absence of a statement, the account will be terminated, and the assets will be transferred to your primary account in their entirety. In this case, the achieved returns are tax-exempt, and you are not obligated to include them into your Hungarian annual Personal Income Tax return.
If you are a foreign tax resident in addition to your Hungarian tax residency, please consult the tax authority or tax advisor of the country of your tax residency on the tax liabilities arising under your tax law.
When can I trade or adjust my investment portfolio in the TBSZ?
Within the TBSZ, you are free to manage your investments, which means you can trade, open or close positions from year 0 until the end of the fifth year.
Which financial instrument can be traded in the TBSZ?
Any instrument that you can trade on your primary account can be traded in the TBSZ, as the TBSZ inherits all trading permissions and settings of the primary account.
Is investment loan available in the TBSZ?
No. Investment loan (margin) is not supported in the TBSZ.
Is Stock Yield Enhancement Program (SYEP) available in the TBSZ?
No, SYEP is not supported in the TBSZ.
When can I withdraw assets from the TBSZ?
You can withdraw assets at the end of the third year, which is the end of Holding Period 1. By declaring your intent between December 1st and 30th, you can make partial or full withdrawals on January 1st.
You can modify your declaration multiple times during this time. A new declaration overrides the previous one. If the assets requested for withdrawal are not available on December 31, the requested withdrawal will not be executed, and the assets will remain in the TBSZ. For the returns of the amount withdrawn, you will be liable to pay 10% personal income tax. The 13% social contribution tax ("szocho") should not apply to this income.
If you withdraw assets before the end of the third year (within Holding Period 1), the account will be terminated, and you will be taxed at the standard, 15% tax rate on the returns.
If you withdraw assets after the end of the third year, but before the end of the fifth year (within Holding Period 2), the account will be terminated, and you will be taxed at a reduced, 10% tax rate on the returns.
However, the 13% social contribution tax ("szocho") should not apply to this income in either case.
How do I pay the tax?
You are responsible for determining, declaring, and paying the tax to the NAV through self-assessment. If you withdraw assets from your TBSZ - fully or partially - before your TBSZ ceases, as well if your TBSZ ceases at the end of Holding Period 2, then you will be provided a TBSZ tax certificate issued via the Portal until 31 January of the following year.
If your TBSZ ceases at the end of Holding Period 2 (after 5 years from the end of collection year), and your income is subject to 0% tax rate, then you don't have to include this income into your Hungarian Personal Income Tax return.
If you are a foreign tax resident in addition to your Hungarian tax residency, please consult the tax authority or tax advisor of the country of your tax residency on the tax liabilities arising under your tax law.
Can I transfer my assets to another TBSZ at another service provider?
You can transfer a TBSZ in its entirety, including all assets in the account, to another provider.
This is possible even if you already have a TBSZ at the receiving service provider with the same collection year as the TBSZ you wish to transfer. In this case, the two TBSZs will merge.
How can I initiate a TBSZ transfer from IBKR to another service provider?
You can initiate the transfer of an existing TBSZ in the Client Portal where you will receive further instructions about the transfer process.
Can I transfer my TBSZ to IBKR?
Yes. You need to open a TBSZ for each year you wish to transfer, and then to complete the transfer-in request for each of them.
To open a TBSZ in Client Portal, go to Settings > Open an Additional Account > Individual Brokerage Accounts > TBSZ.
To complete a transfer-in request in Client Portal, select the TBSZ on the home screen, then go to Transfer &Pay > Transfer Funds > Transfer from Another Broker.
Note: if you do not see the Transfer from Another Broker option in Client Portal it is because it is not available for you at the moment due to the gradual rollout of the function. Please check the option later.
Can I transfer my NYESZ to IBKR?
No, you cannot transfer NYESZ to IBKR. However, you can convert your NYESZ into a TBSZ at your current service provider and instruct the service provider to transfer the TBSZ to IBKR. The year when the NYESZ is converted to a TBSZ will be the collection year of this TBSZ.
When does the TBSZ expire or terminate?
The TBSZ terminates under the following circumstances:
- At the end of the 5-year, ergo at the end of Holding Period 2 on December 31st, or
- If the value of the account drops below 0 HUF at any time, or
- If you submit a statement for partial withdrawal, but the value of the assets remaining in your TBSZ is below 25,000 HUF at the end of the 3-year Holding Period 1, on December 31st, or
- If an asset is removed from the TBSZ, except at the end of Holding Period 1.
Does the TBSZ offer tax-exemption for dividends?
The TBSZ account shelters the dividend income only when it originates from Hungary. Foreign dividends do not enjoy the tax protection of the TBSZ because the foreign dividend payers may withhold foreign taxes from the payable amount. The Hungarian personal income tax will not be withheld from the dividend amount.
What are the costs and fees associated with the TBSZ?
A minimum activity fee is imposed in the TBSZ, which amounts to 2,000 HUF per month.
This fee applies collectively to all TBSZs, regardless of their number. So, whether you have 1, 3, or 5 TBSZs, the fee remains 2,000 HUF per month.
The minimum activity fee is reduced based on the total commission generated from trading in the TBSZs in each month. For example, if you have four TBSZs, and each generates commission equivalent to 300 HUF, the payable minimum activity fee would be 800 HUF (2,000 – 4 * 300 = 800).
Do I have to notify NAV about the account opening?
Yes. IBKR will provide you with a certification upon the first funding of the TBSZs. This certificate you will need to submit to NAV within 30 days from the first funding in order to enjoy the tax protection of the TBSZ.
Do I have to notify NAV about account transfers?
You have to notify NAV if you transfer your TBSZ from IBKR to another investment firm. Similarly, you should notify NAV when you transfer your TBSZ from another investment provider to IBKR. In the absence of such notification, you cannot enjoy the tax protection of the TBSZ.
The data that NAV should be notified of: the fact of transfer and the amount of the transferred assets. The timeline is within 30 days from the date of the transfer.
Do I have any reporting obligation towards NAV?
Yes. IBKR will provide you with a tax certificate until 31 January of the following year in the case of TBSZ termination or partial withdrawal from the TBSZ. You will be required to include the amount of the taxable income as per the IBKR tax certificate in your annual Personal Income Tax return.
IBUK Trust Account FAQs
Can I open a Trust account with IB UK?
Yes, you are able to open a Trust account under the IB UK legal entity. To open a Trust account, follow these steps:
- From IBKR’s webpage, select Open Account (https://www.interactivebrokers.co.uk/Universal/Application?locale=en_US)
- Click on Start Application
- The Open an Account page will be presented and you will need to Create a Username and Password
- After you enter a username and password and select your country, click on Create Account
- The next screen will allow you to select the account type: Individual followed by Trust
- Follow the remaining steps to complete the application.
What is a Trust Account?
A trust account is a legal arrangement through which funds or assets are held by a third party (the trustee) for the benefit of another party (the beneficiary). The beneficiary may be an individual or a group. The creator of the trust is known as a "grantor" or "settlor."
Main features of a trust:
- Ownership of the assets must be transferred to the trust. This action is called "funding the trust."
- The trustee must be a mentally competent adult and can be anyone the grantor trusts and who has accepted the responsibility of handling the trust account.
- Subject to terms of an agreement that states otherwise, the trustee has the authority to make changes to the account, including to transfer assets, close the account, open a sub-account and name additional beneficiaries or another successor trustee.
- The trustee has a fiduciary duty to consider the best interests of the beneficiaries first in any decisions.
- The trustee is responsible for annual tax returns and may be required to file regular accountings at the request of beneficiaries, depending on state law.
- All distributions to the trust beneficiary and other related expenses must be paid from the trust account.
Can I appoint a financial advisor to manage, on a discretionary basis, my IBUK Trust account?
Yes, you can appoint a financial advisor to manage your IBUK Trust account on your behalf.
Can I trade on margin in the IBUK Trust Account?
Yes, you are able to trade on margin in an IBUK Trust Account as long as the trust account qualifies for margin.
What is the annual fee or charges for the IBUK Trust Account?
There is no annual, custody, platform or minimum fee for an IBUK Trust Account. The IBUK Trust account will be charged commissions for trades.
FAQs: Account Migration from IB LLC to IBSJ
Overview:
This is an important document regarding the proposed transfer of your account from Interactive Brokers LLC (“IB LLC”) to Interactive Brokers Securities Japan, Inc. (“IBSJ”) that requires your attention. Please read the entirety of this document before deciding whether to accept or decline the Invitation sent to you via email.
Background:
This FAQ document summarizes some of the key changes to the regulatory framework that would result from the Proposed Transfer (as described below) and provides answers to some general questions that you may have. The FAQs should be read in conjunction with the Invitation. If you require any further information, please contact us via the details provided in the Invitation.
This FAQ is split into three parts.
- Part A sets out key information in relation to the Proposed Transfer (as described below).
- Part B covers key legal and regulatory topics related to the Proposed Transfer (as described below).
- Part C aims to answer any other questions that you may have and provides some further and more practical information in relation to what will and will not be changing following the Proposed Transfer (as described below).
PART A – THE PROPOSED TRANSFER
1. What is the situation currently and why are things changing?
Interactive Brokers Securities Japan, Inc. (“IBSJ”) was granted authorization by the Kanto Local Finance Bureau to operate as a Japanese securities firm in October 2005. At that time, we attempted to leverage the strength of Interactive Brokers Group (and its ability to provide clients access to global markets) by offering an account structure that would allow clients to access markets worldwide as well as the Japanese market, all through a single domestic account. In the course of establishing this structure, we realized our goal to provide access to overseas markets from a single domestic account would entail a degree of complexity due to differences in settlement in non-JPY currencies and Japanese domestic regulations. Therefore, we implemented an account structure to offer overseas (non-Japanese domesticated) products through IBSJ’s affiliated broker-dealer based in the U.S., Interactive Brokers LLC (“IB LLC”), intermediated by IBSJ, while offering Japanese domestic products through an IBSJ account.
IBSJ is now modifying this approach and will begin providing access to Japanese and Global markets directly, through a single IBSJ account. As a result, IB LLC will no longer support accounts for retail Japanese clients intermediated by IBSJ.
2. What “changes” will Japanese clients experience?
We propose to transfer the business that you currently conduct with IB LLC to IBSJ. In other words, it is our intention that the accounts, investments and services currently provided to you by IB LLC will instead be provided by IBSJ (for convenience we will refer to this as the “Proposed Transfer”).
3. When will the Proposed Transfer occur?
The Proposed Transfer is scheduled to commence soon after June 14, 2023. We will alert you once your account is transferred.
4. Who is IBSJ? What type of firm is it?
IBSJ is a Japanese online securities broker which is regulated by Kanto Local Finance Bureau under the Registration No.187 for its financial business and regulated by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) / Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) for its commodity derivative business.
5. What are IBSJ’s legal details?
IBSJ is registered as a private company limited by shares and is listed in the Register of Companies maintained by Tokyo legal affairs bureau. Its registered address is Kasumigaseki Building 25F, 2-5 Kasumigaseki 3-Chose, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-6025 Japan.
IBSJ’s website is available at: https://www.interactivebrokers.co.jp/en/home.php
6. Who will regulate IBSJ and where are their details?
As set out above, Kanto Local Finance Bureau (KLFB) is the competent financial business regulator for IBSJ while Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) / Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) are the regulators for IBSJ’s commodity derivative business. IBSJ is also a member of Japan Securities Dealers Association (JSDA) and the Commodity Futures Association of Japan (CFAJ).
The details for the regulator and the self-regulatory organizations above are set out in the links below:
Kanto Local Finance Bureau (KLFB)
https://lfb.mof.go.jp/kantou/
https://lfb.mof.go.jp/kantou/
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)
Japan Securities Dealers Association (JSDA)
The Commodity Futures Association of Japan (CFAJ)
7. Where does IBSJ fit in the broader Interactive Brokers group?
IBSJ is a wholly-owned subsidiary that sits within the Interactive Brokers Group.
8. What does the Proposed Transfer mean for me? Will there be any material impacts?
It is very important that you read this FAQs carefully and make sure that you understand what the changes are for you. Initially, IBSJ will have a limited product offering for global markets. However, IBSJ plans to extend its global offering (as further explained in Part C) and will notify you of new products you can trade.
9. What do I have to do if I want to continue doing business with Interactive Brokers?
If you would like to continue to do business with Interactive Brokers, we require your signed consent and action.
Specifically, we require you to consent and agree to the Customer Agreement and other Documents available under the Important Information section of the Proposed Transfer process and to the regulatory matters outlined in the Invitation, the Important Information and Consent sections of the Proposed Transfer process. You can do this by following the instructions in the Invitation.
To be clear, you do not have to agree to the Proposed Transfer. However, if you decide to decline or do nothing, IB LLC will not be able to keep servicing your account after the proposed account transfer period. As part of the process, your account may be restricted, and your account may be forced closed. You have the ability to transfer the positions in your account to either IBSJ or another broker by August 31, 2023. If you wish to decline, please follow the instructions in the Invitation.
In either case, we ask that you read the entirety of this FAQ and the Invitation before deciding to consent to or decline the Proposed Transfer.
10. What happens next?
If you consent to the transfer, please complete all actions detailed in the Invitation and we will prepare your account for the Proposed Transfer. If you already have an IBSJ account, your assets held in the IB LLC account will be consolidated into the IBSJ account following the Proposed Transfer. Following the Proposed Transfer, IBSJ will write to you with further information about the consolidated structure.
PART B – LEGAL AND REGULATORY CHANGES THAT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF
1. What terms and conditions will govern my relationship with IBSJ following the Proposed Transfer? Are these different to the ones that currently apply?
Trades that you conduct after the Proposed Transfer will be governed by the new Customer Agreement between you and IBSJ. A copy of the new Customer Agreement is available in the Important Information section of the Proposed Transfer process. Please see the response to Question A3 above in relation to the timing for the Proposed Transfer.
2. What conduct of business rules (including best execution) will apply to my relationship with IBSJ?
The U.S. conduct of business rules apply to IB LLC accounts. These rules are based on the regulations and rules set by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commissions (“SEC”).
The IBSJ account will be subject to Japan conduct of business rules, which include regulations and rules set by Financial Service Agency (“FSA”), Japan Securities Dealers Association (“JSDA”) and the Commodity Futures Association of Japan (“CFAJ”).
3. How will investments that I custody with IBSJ be held from a legal/regulatory perspective? Are there any material differences that will apply to my agreement with IBSJ compared to those that apply to my existing agreement with IB LLC?
U.S. law and regulations regarding custody of securities and customer funds apply to your accounts with IB LLC. These include rules set by the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). The US custody rules require that any cash and fully-paid securities held by IB LLC on your behalf must be held segregated from the assets of IB LLC.
Going forward, Japan custody rules will apply to your agreement with IBSJ. Similar to the U.S. custody rules, the Japan conduct of business rules are based on the regulations on segregation of customers assets set by Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (further explain below in Question B4).
4. How am I protected against loss? Are there any material differences that will apply to my relationship with IBSJ compared to those that apply to my existing relationship with IB LLC?
IBSJ’s compensation scheme is different from the compensation scheme you have access to at IB LLC.
Currently, your eligible assets are protected from loss under the U.S. Securities Investor Protection Corporation at an amount of up to USD 500,000 (subject to a cash sublimit of USD 250,000).
After the Proposed Transfer, in the unlikely event of IBSJ’s failure, a certain amount of money is protected by the Japan Investor Protection Fund. Here is a summary of how the Japanese investor protection mechanism works:
(1) Segregated custody by securities firms
When investors trade financial instruments (stocks or other securities), they entrust their assets such as money and financial instruments to a securities firm. If the securities firm keeps the assets entrusted by the customer separate from the securities firm's own assets, the customer's assets will be returned to the customer even if the securities firm fails.
This practice of keeping assets entrusted by customers separate from the securities firm's own assets is called segregated custody. This concept is central to investor protection, and segregated custody is required of all securities companies under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law.
(2) Japan Investor Protection Fund
Under this segregated custody system, even if a securities firm files for bankruptcy protection, the assets entrusted by customers will be returned to them in full. However, for instances where the securities firm is unable to smoothly return the full amount for any reason, a compensation system is in place through the Japan Investor Protection Fund, which provides compensation up to 10 million yen per customer.
However, as explained in section (1) above, the Japan Investor Protection Fund regulation serves to prevent such a situation from occurring because the assets entrusted by customers will be returned to them if they are kept in the segregated custody of securities companies.
Please note that the Japan Investor Protection Fund (similar to US rules) does not compensate for losses incurred by clients due to a drop in the market value of securities.
5. How do I make a complaint to IBSJ? Are there any material differences that will apply to my agreement with IBSJ compared to those that apply with IB LLC? What if my complaint relates to something that dates to when I was a customer of IB LLC?
The new Customer Agreement sets out how to file a complaint with IBSJ. The complaints handling procedures are materially similar to those that apply to your existing agreement with IB LLC. If the substance of your complaint relates to something that occurred prior to the Proposed Transfer, then you should address your complaint to IB LLC.
6. After the Proposed Transfer, will I still have access to the US regulators to file a complaint?
In case of a complaint, clients should follow the complaints procedure as referred to in the Customer Agreement. Once your account is transferred to IBSJ, the US regulators will cease to have jurisdiction over any complaints you may have in respect to IB LLC. However, please be aware that Japan has a dispute resolution process in the form of the Financial Instruments Mediation Assistance Center (FINMAC), a non-profit organization, to resolve complaints and disputes between customers and IBSJ regarding covered issues. Please refer to the following link for the details of FINMAC.. https://www.finmac.or.jp/english/
7. How will my personal data be processed and protected? Are there any material differences that will apply to my agreement with IBSJ compared to those that apply to my existing agreement with IB LLC in this context?
Your data will be processed and protected in accordance with the IBSJ Privacy Policy. which can be found at: https://ndcdyn.interactivebrokers.com/Universal/servlet/Registration_v2.formSampleView?formdb=4102&lang=ja. There will be no material change to how your data is protected now.
PART C – OTHER PRACTICAL QUESTIONS AND NEXT STEPS
1. Who should I contact before the Proposed Transfer takes place and after the Proposed Transfer if I have any general questions?
Generally speaking, you should contact IB LLC with any questions that you may have prior to the Proposed Transfer, and you should contact IBSJ with any questions that you may have after the Proposed Transfer takes place. Regardless of who you contact at Interactive Brokers, we will ensure your query is promptly dealt with and we will make best efforts to expediate any issues related to the account migration.
2. Will the range of products offered be the same?
The range of products offered by IBSJ will not be the same as what is currently offered at IB LLC. Initially, IBSJ will offer:
· Fully-paid trading in overseas (non-Japanese domesticated) stocks, ETFs and exchange listed bonds that can be offered in Japan; and
· The Japanese domestic listed stocks and derivatives, Japanese stock CFDs, and some Japanese yen-denominated overseas derivatives that IBSJ has historically offered.
All unsupported holdings in your IB LLC account need to be closed out before your account can transfer to IBSJ. If you hold any product other than those stated above, please take the time to close out such positions before the Proposed Transfer to allow for a smooth transfer of your account and to avoid any account restrictions.
IBSJ plans to expand the types of other overseas products that it offers in the coming months. We will update these FAQs with additional details as we do.
View the list of available IBSJ products here: https://www.interactivebrokers.co.jp/en/trading/products.php
3. What currencies are supported at IBSJ?
IBSJ will support a limited number of deposit currencies. The following four deposit currencies, the "Allowed Deposit Currencies"' are JPY, EUR, USD and GBP.
Clients with multi-currency accounts can make deposits in, and withdraw positive balances held in their account, of any Allowed Deposit currencies.
Multi-currency accounts may hold long currency balances in all available IBKR global currencies, including currencies that are not Allowed Deposit Currencies. Short currency balances are not supported at this time. IBSJ will automatically flatten any short currency balance by converting from a long currency balance available in the account.
For further information, please see IBSJ's Risk Disclosure Statement for IB Multi-Currency Accounts.
4. What happens if I already have an account at IBSJ?
If you have an existing account with IBSJ, the assets in your IB LLC account will be transferred to your IBSJ account after the Proposed Transfer takes place. If you do not have an IBSJ account, we will create a new one for you.
5. Will I have access to the same trading platform or be subject to any software changes following the transfer of my account?
The migration will have no impact upon the software you use to trade or administer your account. The technology will remain the same as it is today.
6. Will all account balances be transferred at the same time?
All balances, with the exception of accruals (e.g., interest, dividends) will be transferred at the same time. Once accruals have been posted to cash, they will automatically be swept to the transferred account.
7. What will happen to my current account following the transfer of my account to IBSJ?
Once all accruals have been swept, your current IB LLC account will be closed and inaccessible for trading purposes. You will still be able to access this closed account via the Client Portal for purposes of viewing and printing archived activity and tax statements.
8. Will IBSJ’s commissions and fees change when my account is transferred?
No. IBSJ commissions and fees do not vary from the ones charged by IB LLC for your current account. However, since IBSJ is a Japanese securities broker, Japanese consumption tax will be added to all fees.
9. Will my trading permissions change when my account is transferred?
Your trading permissions will not change when your account is transferred for products that are supported by IBSJ. Trading permissions not supported by IBSJ will not migrate to the IBSJ account.
10. Will open orders (e.g., Good-til-Canceled) be carried over when my account is migrated?
Open orders will not be carried over to the new account. You must resubmit any orders when your account is migrated.
11. Will I receive a single, combined annual activity statement at year end?
You will receive an annual statement for your existing IB LLC account which will cover the period starting 1 January 2023 through the date of transfer and a second annual statement for your new account at IBSJ which will cover the period starting from the migration date through the end of the year ending December 2023.
12. Will the current cost basis of positions be carried over when my account is migrated?
Yes, this migration will have no impact upon the cost basis of your positions.
13. Will the migrated account retain the same configuration as the current account?
The configuration of the account following migration will match that of the current account to the extent permissible by regulation. This includes attributes such as market data, additional users, and alerts.
14. Will my login credentials change?
No. Your username, password, and any 2-factor authentication process in place for your existing account will remain active following migration. If you have an existing IBSJ account, your account number will not change. If you do not have an IBSJ account and we create a new one for you, you will receive a new account ID.
About Escrow Accounts for Sanctioned Securities
Overview:
An escrow account was opened in your name if you own securities that are subject to comprehensive sanctions imposed by the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Asset Control ("OFAC").
Why do I have an escrow account?
We created an “escrow account” for you to hold positions in sanctioned securities so they are segregated from your other holdings in accordance with sanctions regulations.
What is an escrow account?
This escrow account will be used only to hold your sanctioned securities, which cannot be traded or transferred.
Can I cancel my escrow account?
No, you are not able to cancel your escrow account so long as you hold sanctioned securities.
How do I access my escrow account?
Escrow accounts will be visible in Client Portal in the same way as all other accounts owned by the clients. You will have read only access to the new escrow account and obtain statements & reports.
Do I earn any interest / dividends on the assets held in escrow?
No, IBKR is not allocated the interest or dividend from the custodian and is prohibited from processing dividend payments on sanctioned securities.
How do assets held in escrow affect my account’s NAV?
Your escrow account is linked to your regular account(s) but its equity is not considered part of the value of your non-escrow account(s), as these securities are subject to sanctions.
How do assets held in escrow affect my margin limits?
All sanctioned securities are non-marginable and cannot be used as collateral to support other positions.
How do I generate statements for the escrow account?
You can generate statements through Client Portal just as you would for your regular account.
Can I generate separate and combined statements for my accounts?
Yes, statements should be generated in the same way you would if you held multiple non-escrow accounts.
Can I write off assets held in escrow from my taxes?
The tax impact of your escrowed assets may vary by your location. Interactive Brokers recommends you consult with a local tax professional to understand the specific tax impacts of these sanctioned securities.
Is my escrow account subject to the same protections as my IBKR brokerage account?
Yes, your assets will remain in the escrow account but have the same protections as your IBKR brokerage account.
Information Regarding IBUK JISA (Junior Individual Savings Account)
1. What is a Junior ISA and what benefits does it offer your child?
Junior ISAs (Individual Savings Accounts), or JISAs, were introduced as a replacement for Child Trust Funds (CTFs). A Junior ISA is a tax-free savings or investment account to save or invest in for your child. There are two types of Junior ISA: a Junior cash ISA that pays interest, and a Junior stocks and shares ISA that lets you invest in “qualifying instruments” such as stocks and shares, funds, etc. The interest on cash accumulates on a tax-free basis, as does income and capital gains made on investments.
A Junior stocks and shares ISA is not an investment in its own right. The best way to think of a Junior stocks and shares ISA is as a ‘wrapper’ with which you can shelter your child’s savings and investments from both Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax. The IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA lets you choose from a range of investments to invest in for your child (see below section 12 ‘What can I invest in for my child?’). You can select and manage your child’s IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA yourself or arrange for your financial advisor to do so on your behalf (see below section 9 ‘Can I appoint a financial advisor to manage, on a discretionary basis, my child’s IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA?’).
2. What ISA types are offered at IBUK?
Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited (IBUK) only offers stocks and shares ISAs (including, Junior Stocks and Shares ISA). IBUK does not offer cash ISAs (including, Junior cash ISA).
3. Who is eligible for a Junior ISA?
Your child is eligible for a Junior ISA if they’re under the age of 18, and resident in the UK. You can also open a Junior ISA for your child if you are a crown employee serving overseas.
A child cannot hold both a CTF (Child Trust Fund) account and a Junior ISA. This is relevant to anyone under 18 who was born between 1 September 2002, when CTFs were introduced, and 3 January 2011 when they came to an end. If your child holds a CTF account, you cannot open an IBUK Junior ISA since IBUK does not support CTF transfers, other Junior ISA providers may accommodate your Junior ISA request.
4. How many Junior ISAs can a child have?
A child can have no more than one Junior cash ISA and one Junior stocks and shares ISA at any one time (don’t have to be with the same provider). A child cannot hold both a CTF (Child Trust Fund) account and a Junior ISA.
5. Who can open a Junior ISA and who is the registered contact?
You can open a Junior ISA for a child if you’re their parent or legal guardian. The parent or legal guardian opening the account will be the ‘registered contact’, but the money will not be accessible to them and will always belong to the child. The child normally won’t be able to access the money until their 18th birthday, at which point their Junior ISA is converted into an ‘adult’ ISA.
As the registered contact for a Junior ISA, you are the only person authorised to make decisions about the management of the account. You’ll also need to keep IBUK informed if the child’s personal details change, e.g., if they change their name, address, contact number, etc.
6. How do I change the registered contact for an IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA?
You should use the Interactive Brokers change of registered contact form (via Client Portal) to change the registered contact for an IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA. The existing registered contact must sign this application to authorise this change unless where certain exemptions apply.
NB. IBUK will not allow a child to be the Registered Contact upon their 16th birthday, other ISA providers may allow this (i.e., once the child reaches the age of 16, the child can apply to become the Registered Contact).
For more information on how to change a registered contact please contact our dedicated ISA Support team who are available 8am to 6pm GMT Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays (see below section 29 ‘What if I have additional questions?’)
7. Who owns the Junior ISA and what happens when the child turns 18?
All payments made into a Junior ISA belong to the child (i.e., all payments made into the Junior ISA are a gift to the child and as such cannot be repaid to the subscriber if at a later date the subscriber changes their mind). The parent or guardian who opened the Junior ISA acts as the registered contact, but they can’t access the money once it has been deposited, unless there are exceptional circumstances (see below section 11 ‘Can I make withdrawals from a Junior Stocks and Shares ISA?’). When your child turns 18, the IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA will automatically become an ‘adult’ IBUK Stocks and Shares ISA (i.e., when the child turns 18, account ownership is automatically transferred to them). As an adult, they’ll become the account holder, responsible for managing their account and able to withdraw monies. For more information on how this transfer of control (from the registered contact to the child (upon the child’s 18th birthday)) works, please contact our dedicated ISA Support team who are available 8am to 6pm GMT Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays (see below section 29 ‘What if I have additional questions?’)
8. Can you lose your child’s money paid into a Junior Stocks and Shares ISA?
The value of investments your child holds in the IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA and the income received from them can fall as well as rise. As a result, you may get back less than you invested in for your child. Past performance is not an indication of future performance, and some investments need to be held for the long term to achieve a return. The IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA is an execution only service, Interactive Brokers does not provide investment advice. If you need advice about whether an investment is suitable, you need to consult a suitably qualified financial advisor.
9. Can I appoint a financial advisor to manage, on a discretionary basis, my IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA?
Yes, you can appoint a financial advisor to manage the IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA on your behalf. Click on the link for additional details:
10. Can I trade on margin under the IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA?
No. You can only open an IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA under a GBP cash account type. A cash account requires that all transactions are made with available cash or long positions.
11. Can I make withdrawals from a Junior Stocks and Shares ISA?
No, unless exceptional circumstances exist. All payments made into the IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA are a gift to the child and so cannot normally be withdrawn until the child turns 18. NB. withdrawals are permitted if the child is terminally ill or has died in accordance with the ISA Regulations.
12. What can I invest in for my child?
Under a Junior stocks and shares ISA you can invest in any of the following investments (also known as 'qualifying investments'):
- Shares;
- Securities issued by Companies;
- Recognised UCITS;
- Depository Receipts, American Depository Receipts and American Depository Shares.
13. What exchanges does IBUK support?
HMRC recognised exchanges supported by IBUK:
|
Country
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Exchange
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Australia
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The Australian Stock Exchange (and any of its stock exchange subsidiaries)
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Austria
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Vienna Stock Exchange
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Belgium
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NYSE Euronext Brussels
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Canada
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Toronto Stock Exchange
Montreal Stock Exchange
Toronto Venture Exchange (TSX Venture Exchange)
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France
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MATIF
MONEP |
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Germany
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Frankfurt Stock Exchange
Stuttgart Stock Exchange
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Hong Kong
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Hong Kong Stock Exchange
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Italy
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Italian Stock Exchange (Borsa Italia)
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Japan
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Tokyo Stock Exchange
Osaka Stock Exchange
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Lithuania
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NASDAQ OMX Vilnius
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Mexico
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Mexico Stock Exchange
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Poland
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Warsaw Stock Exchange
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Singapore
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Singapore Exchange Limited
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South Korea
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Korea Exchange
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Spain
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Spanish Stock Exchange (Bolsa de Valores in Madrid)
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Switzerland
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Swiss Stock Exchange (SIX Swiss Exchange)
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United Kingdom
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London Stock Exchange
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United States of America
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BATs Exchange Inc
Chicago Board Options Exchange
Chicago Stock Exchange
International Securities Exchange
National Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
NYSE ARCA
NASDAQ OMX PHLX
NASDAQ
|
14. What is the Junior ISA Allowance for 2023/2024 tax year?
Tax year runs from 6 April to the following 5 April. Each tax year’s Junior ISA subscription limit is specific to that year and can be checked on the HMRC website.
NB. For each tax year, you can check (via the funding page in Client Portal) how much you have subscribed to your child’s IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA and the maximum amount that you can contribute to your child’s IBUK Junior stocks and shares ISA in that tax year, assuming you have not contributed to another Junior ISA away from Interactive Brokers.
For the 2023/24 tax year, the Junior ISA annual subscription limit is £9,000. This is a combined annual limit across both types of Junior ISA: cash, and stocks and shares. The subscription limit can be split in any way between cash, and stocks and shares Junior ISAs each tax year.
15. How do I make subscriptions to my IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA?
You can make one-off payments (wire transfers deposits) as and when you choose, but the combined total of all payments (or subscriptions) must not exceed any given annual tax year allowance (see section 14. What is the 2023/2024 Junior ISA Allowance?).
Interactive Brokers accepts wire transfers only, and there is a minimum subscription amount of £1. Your child’s IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA can only have GBP cash.
Although other Junior ISA providers might have different terms, only parent or legal guardian can pay into your child’s Junior ISA with IBUK.
16. What happens if I exceed my child’s Junior ISA allowance?
If you have accidentally paid too much into your child’s Junior ISAs your child won’t get any tax relief on the excess payments you’ve made. The Junior ISA allowance is a combined annual limit across both types of Junior ISA: cash, and stocks and shares.
17. What should I do if I exceed my child’s Junior ISA allowance?
In the event you oversubscribe to your child’s Junior ISA (in other words your child’s Junior ISA annual allowance was exceeded), you should not attempt to correct the mistake by withdrawing the excess funds from a Junior ISA (including, but not limited to, your IBUK Stocks and Shares ISA). Instead, you should call HMRC’s ISA helpline to explain the situation and inform them about the oversubscription. HMRC will advise you on the next steps. NB. The Junior ISA allowance for the tax year 2023/2024 is GBP 9,000 (this is a combined limit across both types of Junior ISA: cash, and stocks and shares).
18. What is the annual fee for the IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA?
There is no annual Junior ISA fee at IBUK. Other costs and charges apply, see below section 19 for more information.
19. What are the charges for the IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA?
£1 per month minimum activity fee.
One free withdrawal per month. Thereafter, £7 withdrawal fee is applicable.
Click on the link for an overview of our commissions:
20. How do I transfer my child’s Junior Stocks and Shares ISA from my current ISA manager to IBUK?
You will need to submit a transfer instruction to Interactive Brokers (via the transfer & pay funding page in Client Portal), and if, in IBUK’s discretion IBUK decides to accept the transfer, IBUK will instruct your existing ISA manager to transfer the investments (where IBUK supports such investments) and/or cash into your child’s IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA. Where IBUK does not support all the investments held at your existing ISA Manager, you can either liquidate these investments yourself prior to submitting your transfer instruction to IBUK via Client Portal (any cash proceeds of such liquidation will be transferred into your child’s IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA) or you can instruct IBUK (as part of your transfer instruction via Client Portal) to do so on your behalf. NB. IBUK does not accept the transfer of a Child Trust Fund (CTF) over to a Junior Stocks and Shares ISA, other Junior ISA providers might support such transfer service.
Transfers between an ‘adult’ ISA and Junior ISA are not permitted.
21. How do I transfer a Junior ISA out to another Junior ISA provider?
An ISA account transfer to another ISA provider must be requested at the receiving ISA provider. Please contact the ISA provider you wish to have your account transferred and ask them to contact us via email at isa-transfer@interactivebrokers.com (for ISA provider communication only) sending us the client-signed transfer form for processing. Please note your ISA provider may have their own forms and procedures to follow. Please contact them for further information.
22. What are the Transfer Charges?
Interactive Brokers does not charge for transfers (the transferring ISA manager may charge you for transferring investments or cash proceeds to us).
23. Can I cancel my IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA?
You have a legal right to cancel your child’s IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA if you change your mind but there are time limits on doing so, see below section 24 for more information.
24. How can I cancel my child’s IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA?
If you want to cancel your child’s IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA, you must do so within 14 days from the date you receive our email confirming the establishment of your child’s IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA (a cancellation must be requested from the Client Portal).
Cancellation rights will also apply to the receipt of transfer payments. You have 14 days from the date you receive our email acknowledging the transfer to exercise your right to cancel (a cancellation must be requested from the Client Portal). NB. If you cancel the transfer of your child’s Junior Stocks and Shares ISA from another ISA manager to IBUK, that ISA manager may not agree to accept the Junior Stocks and Shares ISA back. This may result in that Junior Stocks and Shares ISA being closed, and the tax benefits being lost.
25. How safe is your child’s IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA?
IBUK is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and is approved by HMRC to act as an ISA manager (including in respect of stocks and shares ISAs).
Under our client terms, and in accordance with the FCA rules relating to client money and assets (Assets), IBUK will be responsible for holding and protecting your child’s Assets. IBUK is required to separate your child’s Assets from its own resources. IBUK is not permitted to use your child’s Assets to carry out its business activities.
In the unlikely event that IBUK became insolvent, an administrator would be appointed to return your child’s Assets to you. If there is any shortfall, eligible claims will be covered by the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). The FSCS is an independent body set up by the UK Government to pay compensation if a UK firm, such as IBUK is in default and cannot meet any valid claims against it. FSCS claims are limited to £85,000 per client. Please note the FSCS applies to designated investments and may not cover all investments or transactions (and in particular these protections don’t apply to investment losses). For more information on the FSCS see www.fscs.org.uk.
26. How can I file a complaint with IBUK?
Customers are actively encouraged to use the WebTicket system for prompt attention.
A copy of our Complaints Procedure is available here: https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/index.php?f=292. You can also direct your ISA specific complaints via email to isa@interactivebrokers.co.uk (Please note that in order to ensure that your complaint is flagged and given the required attention, Interactive Brokers kindly asks you to state "COMPLAINT" in the subject header field of the email).
27. Are Corporate Actions allowed under my child’s IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA?
Allowed to participate but cannot exceed the annual Junior ISA subscription limit. If it were to exceed the subscription limit, the shares should be transferred to a non-ISA account (see above sections 17 ‘What should I do if I exceed my child’s Junior ISA allowance?’.
28. FX Handling and the IBUK Junior Stocks and Shares ISA
Interactive Brokers will automatically convert currencies when trading non-GBP denominated securities. To do this, Interactive Brokers will engage in “spot” currency transactions on your behalf in order to settle your buy orders or convert the proceed of a sell order. Interactive Brokers will base the exchange rate off the spot exchange rate at the time of trade 0.03% fee.
The below example illustrates the cost in GBP of a $1,000 USD Trade
Example GBP/USD Spot Rate: 1.3432/1.3433
| Order Type | FX Conversion Rate inc 0.03% fee | Cost of $1000 USD Trade |
| Buy | 1.3430 | £744.61 |
| Sell | 1.3435 | £744.31 |
29. What if I have additional questions?
Our customer services team are on hand to help via phone or email. If you have any questions about your IBUK Stocks and Shares ISA, please contact our dedicated ISA Support team who are available 8am to 6pm GMT Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
FAQs: IBLUX Migration to IBIE Restricted Account
Background:
As previously explained, Interactive Brokers Luxembourg SARL ("IBLUX") will no longer provide brokerage services to investors and is ceasing regular operations. In June 2021, we invited IBLUX’s existing clients to transfer their account to another Interactive Brokers entity or to otherwise move their account to a bank or a broker outside of the Interactive Brokers family. Despite being reminded repeatedly, you did not to take the actions required to move the assets held in your IBLUX account. As such we are transferring your account to our affiliate, Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited ("IBIE") ("Transfer") where your assets will remain in safe custody until we receive transfer instructions from you. These FAQs provide important factual, legal and regulatory information regarding the Transfer.
1. What does the Transfer mean for me? What terms and conditions will govern my relationship with IBIE following the Transfer?
Following the Transfer, IBIE will be responsible for ensuring the safe custody of your assets and the following terms ("Account Terms") will govern your account and assets. You will not be able to place trades or make other financial decisions on your account and IBIE will not provide any investment services to you unless you sign the IBIE Customer Agreement and complete any other open steps needed to open an IBIE account. IBIE will send you an email following the Transfer with the steps to take to secure your login credentials to access your account at IBIE.
2. What do I have to do if I want to continue doing business with Interactive Brokers?
If you want to continue doing business with Interactive Brokers, we require your cooperation and action in order for IBIE to provide you investment services. Specifically, we need you to open a new account with IBIE, agree to and sign the Customer Agreement and any other required documents and provide any additional documents or information requested.
If you do not want to continue doing business with Interactive Brokers, you may instruct IBIE to transfer your assets to another broker or bank, and IBIE will comply with your instructions subject to applicable laws and IB's standard procedures.
3. How will my assets be custodied with IBIE?
Until you agree to and accept the Customer Agreement and open a brokerage account with IBIE, IBIE will provide custody services in limited scope:
· for any cash balance transferred to IBIE, you will be entitled to the amount of the cash balance in your account base currency on the date it is transferred to IBIE and IBIE will not convert your cash balance to another currency or pay any interest on cash that it holds in custody for you.
· for any financial instruments transferred to IBIE, you will be entitled to those financial instruments and IBIE will not provide any investment services in relation to your financial instruments while they are in IBIE’s custody. For example, IBIE will not take any measures to mitigate losses resulting from market movements. However, in the event your account has insufficient margin, IBIE will take appropriate measures and liquidate positions, without issuing a margin call to you, to bring your account in compliance with margin requirements which are subject to change. More information is provided in FAQ 10.
If you open an IBIE account, Irish custody rules will fully apply to your relationship with IBIE. Further information is provided in the IBIE Client Assets Key Information Document. Like the Luxembourg custody rules, the Irish conduct of business rules are based on the recast Markets in Financial Instruments Directive, the Markets in Financial Regulation and various delegated directives and regulations (collectively, "MiFID").
4. Am I protected against loss? Are there any material differences that will apply to my relationship with IBIE compared to those that apply to my existing relationship with IBLUX?
After the Transfer, the Ireland Investor Compensation Scheme may apply to your account. Ireland’s compensation scheme is similar to the compensation scheme you have access to in Luxembourg. The purpose of the Irish Investor Compensation Scheme is to pay compensation to you (subject to certain limits) if you have invested money or investment instruments in either of the following cases:
· A firm goes out of business and cannot return your investments or money; and
· A Central Bank of Ireland determination or a court ruling has been made under the Investor Compensation Act 1998.
The Investor Compensation Company DAC (ICCL) administers the scheme. IBIE will be a member of the scheme.
The scheme covers investment products including:
- Public and private company shares
- Units in collective investment schemes
- Life insurance policies (including unit-linked funds)
- Non-life insurance policies
- Tracker bonds
- Futures and options
Usually, you can only make a claim after a firm goes out of business and its assets have been liquidated and distributed to those who are owed money. Please check the details of the schemes for any limits that apply – not all losses will be covered as there are maximum levels of compensation. The ICCL will pay you compensation for 90% of the amount you have lost, up to a maximum of €20,000.
5. How do I make a complaint to IBIE? What if my complaint relates to something that happened while I was a customer of IBLUX?
The IBIE complaints handling procedures are materially similar to those that apply to your existing relationship with IBLUX, but the scope of the complaint provisions is much narrower as the services provided to you are limited to IBIE's holding your assets in safe custody until you submit transfer instructions or become a full IBIE client. All formal complaints should be made using one of the following means: (i) by WebTicket in Account Management on the IBIE website; (ii) by letter to Complaints Handling, Compliance Department, IBIE Dublin Landings, North Wall Quay, North Dock, Dublin 1, Ireland; or (iii) by email to complaints@interactivebrokers.ie.
If the substance of your complaint relates to something that happened prior to the Transfer, then you should address your complaint to IBLUX.
6. After the Transfer, will I still have access to the CSSF to file a complaint?
In case of a complaint, investors should follow the complaints procedure as referred to in the IBLUX Customer Agreement. Once the Transfer has taken place, the CSSF will cease to have jurisdiction over any complaints that you may have in respect of IBLUX. However, please be aware that Ireland has a dispute resolution scheme in the form of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman ("FSPO"). The FSPO is a free and independent statutory dispute resolution scheme for financial services. You may be eligible to make a complaint to the FSPO if you are an "eligible complainant". Details of who are “eligible complainants” can be found on www.fspo.ie. The FSPO can be contacted at:
Postal Address
Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman
Lincoln House,
Lincoln Place
Dublin 2
D02 VH29
Telephone
+353 (0)1 567 7000
Info@fspo.ie
7. How will my personal data be processed and protected? Are there any material differences that will apply to my relationship with IBIE compared to those that apply to my existing relationship with IBLUX in this context?
Your data will be processed and protected in accordance with the Interactive Brokers Group Privacy Policy which can be found at: https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/index.php?f=305. There will be no material change.
8. Will the range of services be the same?
No. This account has been created solely for the safe custody of your assets while we wait for you to instruct us on where to transfer your assets or elect to become a full IBIE client. As a result, our services are limited to holding your assets and where relevant taking action to ensure you meet applicable margin requirements.
9. Did you liquidate some or all the positions in my account to facilitate the Transfer?
As we previously wrote to you explaining, in many cases we liquidated positions in client accounts, back to the account’s base currency, to facilitate that Transfer to IBIE. Where positions remain, FAQs 10-11 address how they will be transferred and custodied at IBIE.
10. I have a margin account. Are the margin terms governing my account different following the Transfer to IBIE?
No. Your obligations and responsibilities in connection with your margin account and trading on margin remain following the Transfer as they were at IBLUX. However, you are not able to freely operate the account, including opening of new positions, unless you become a full IBIE client. Please review the Account Terms for more information.
11. What happens to any security I have granted to IBLUX as part of a margin loan?
If you have granted security or collateral to IBLUX this will transfer to IBIE upon the Transfer taking place.
12. Will all account balances be transferred at the same time and what is the timing?
All cash balances will be transferred at the same time, and your current account at IBLUX will be closed and inaccessible for trading purposes. You will still be able to access this closed account via the Client Portal for purposes of viewing and printing historical statements.
13. Will IBKR’s commissions and fees change when my account is migrated?
IBKR commissions and fees do not vary by the broker your account is maintained with.
However, while your assets are held in safe custody at IBIE until you either transfer your assets to another financial institution or to a new account with IBIE, IBIE will apply a monthly fee to hold your account initially set at Euro 100. The monthly fee can be amended at any time in IBIE’s sole discretion notification to you, which might be by way of email or IBIE’s website.
In addition, IBIE will not pay interest to you but shall charge interest to you at such interest rates and on credit or debit balances as are then set forth on the IBIE website.
Keep in mind, when the cash balance of your account is insufficient to cover these fees, IBIE may liquidate assets in the same manner IBLUX would liquidate assets before the Transfer.
14. I have other questions about what will and will not be changing following the Transfer?
If you still have questions, please contact IBKR Client Services.
FAQs: IBLUX Migration to IBCE Restricted Account
Background:
As previously explained, Interactive Brokers Luxembourg SARL ("IBLUX") will no longer provide brokerage services to investors and is ceasing regular operations. In June 2021, we invited IBLUX’s existing clients to transfer their account to another Interactive Brokers entity or to otherwise move their account to a bank or a broker outside of the Interactive Brokers family. Despite being reminded repeatedly, you did not take the actions required to move the assets held in your IBLUX account. As such we are transferring your account to our affiliate, Interactive Brokers Central Europe Zrt ("IBCE") ("Transfer") where your assets will remain under custody in trust until we receive instructions from you. These FAQs provide important factual, legal and regulatory information regarding the Transfer.
1. What does the Transfer mean for me? What terms and conditions will govern my relationship with IBCE following the Transfer?
Following the Transfer, IBCE will be responsible for ensuring the safe custody of your assets. The IBCE General Business Terms [https://gdcdyn.interactivebrokers.com/Universal/servlet/Registration_v2.formSampleView?formdb=4500] ("GBR") will govern your account and assets while they are held under custody in trust at IBCE in this limited capacity. You will not be able to place trades or make other financial decisions on your account and IBCE will not provide any investment services to you unless you expressly agree to the GBR and sign the Client Agreement and complete any other open steps needed to open an IBCE account. IBCE will send you an email following the Transfer with the steps to take to secure your login credentials to access your account at IBCE.
2. What do I have to do if I want to continue doing business with Interactive Brokers?
If you want to continue doing business with Interactive Brokers, we require your cooperation and action in order for IBCE to provide you investment services. Specifically, we need you to open a new account with IBCE, expressly agree to the GBR and sign the Client Agreement and any other required documents, and provide any additional documents or information requested.
If you do not want to continue doing business with Interactive Brokers, you may instruct IBCE to transfer your assets to another broker or bank, and IBCE will comply with your instructions subject to applicable laws and IB's standard procedures.
3. How will my assets be custodied at IBCE?
Until you agree to and accept the GBR and the Client Agreement and open a brokerage account with IBCE, IBCE will provide custody services in limited scope:
· for any cash balance transferred to IBCE, you will be entitled to the amount of the cash balance in your account base currency on the date it is transferred to IBCE and IBCE will not convert your cash balance to another currency or pay any interest on cash that it holds in custody for you.
· for any financial instruments transferred to IBCE, you will be entitled to those financial instruments and IBCE will not provide any investment services in relation to your financial instruments while they are in IBCE’s custody. For example, IBCE will not take any measures to mitigate losses resulting from market movements. However, in the event your account has insufficient margin, IBCE will take appropriate measures and liquidate positions, without issuing a margin call to you, to bring your account in compliance with margin requirements which are subject to change. More information is provided in FAQ 10.
If you open an IBCE account, Hungarian custody rules will fully apply to your relationship with IBCE. Like the Luxembourg custody rules, the Hungarian conduct of business rules are based on the recast Markets in Financial Instruments Directive, the Markets in Financial Regulation and various delegated directives and regulations (collectively, "MiFID").
4. Am I protected against loss?
The Hungarian Investor Protection Fund according to Act CXX of 2001 on the Capital Market may protect your assets from loss, at an amount up to a maximum of EUR 100,000, should IBCE default and be unable to meet its obligations to you. To be eligible for the Fund, you must have a contractual relationship with IBCE.
The compensation provided by the Fund covers claims arising from contracts entered into within the agreement with IBCE of brokerage activity, securities custody, securities account management and client account management activities performed by IBCE.
Hungary's compensation scheme is similar to the compensation scheme you have access to in Luxembourg. The purpose of the Fund is to pay compensation to you in the event that:
· the Central Bank of Hungary initiates liquidation proceedings of IBCE, or
· a court orders the liquidation of IBCE.
IBCE is a member of the Fund (please see https://bva.hu/en/ipf/ipf-members/).
If you are eligible, you can only make a claim after a firm goes out of business and its assets have been liquidated and distributed to those who are owed money. Please check the details of the schemes for any limits that apply – not all losses will be covered as there are maximum levels of compensation. The Fund will pay you compensation for the amount you have lost up to a maximum of EUR 100,000.
The amount paid by the Fund is:
· 100% up to the limit of the EUR equivalent of one million forints (EUR 2,805 on 5th September 2021),
· above one million forints: 1 million forints and 90% of the part above one million forints to a maximum of EUR 100,000.
5. How do I make a complaint to IBCE? What if my complaint relates to something that happened while I was a customer of IBLUX?
The GBR sets out how to lodge a complaint with IBCE. The IBCE complaints handling procedures are materially similar to those that apply to your existing relationship with IBLUX, but the scope of the complaint provisions is much narrower as the services provided to you are limited to holding your assets under custody in trust until you submit transfer instructions or become a full IBCE client.
If the substance of your complaint relates to something that happened prior to the Transfer, then you should address your complaint to IBLUX.
6. After the Transfer, will I still have access to the CSSF to file a complaint?
In case of a complaint, investors should follow the complaints procedure as referred to in the IBLUX Customer Agreement. Once the Transfer has taken place, the CSSF will cease to have jurisdiction over any complaints that you may have in respect of IBLUX. However, please be aware that Hungary has a dispute resolution scheme operated by the Central Bank of Hungary in the form of the Financial Arbitration Board ("FAB"). The FAB is a free and independent statutory dispute resolution scheme for financial services. You may be eligible to make a complaint to the FAB if you are a retail customer. Details of FAB can be found on https://www.mnb.hu/en/hungarian-financial-arbitration-board
The FAB can be contacted at:
Postal Address
Financial Arbitration Board
1525 Budapest
Pf. 172
ugyfelszolgalat@mnb.hu
7. How will my personal data be processed and protected? Are there any material differences that will apply to my relationship with IBCE compared to those that apply to my existing relationship with IBLUX in this context?
Your data will be processed and protected in accordance with the Interactive Brokers Group Privacy Policy which can be found at:https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/index.php?f=305. There will be no material change.
8. Will the range of services be the same?
No. This account has been created solely for the safe custody of your assets while we wait for you to instruct us on where to transfer your assets or elect to become a full IBCE client. As a result, our services are limited to holding your assets and where relevant taking action to ensure you meet applicable margin requirements.
9. Did you liquidate some or all the positions in my account to facilitate the Transfer?
As we previously wrote to you explaining, in many cases we liquidated some or all positions in client accounts back to the account’s base currency to facilitate that Transfer to IBCE. Where positions remain, FAQs 10-11 address how they will be transferred and custodied at IBCE.
10. I have a margin account. Are the margin terms governing my account different following the Transfer to IBCE?
No. Your obligations and responsibilities in connection with your margin account and trading on margin remain following the Transfer as they were at IBLUX. However, you are not able to freely operate the account, including opening of new positions, unless you become a full IBCE client.
Please review the provisions relating to margin in the IBCE Client Agreement [https://gdcdyn.interactivebrokers.com/Universal/servlet/Registration_v2.formSampleView?formdb=4501], as they will apply to your account and assets while they are held under custody in trust at IBCE.
11. What happens to any security I have granted to IBLUX as part of a margin loan?
If you have granted security or collateral to IBLUX this will transfer to IBCE upon the Transfer taking place.
12. Will all account balances be transferred at the same time and what is the timing?
IBCE will support a limited number of deposit currencies. The following ten cash deposit currencies, the "Allowed Deposit Currencies" are: EUR, USD, GBP, CHF, DKK, NOK, SEK, HUF, CZK and PLN
Where appropriate to facilitate the Transfer, we converted long cash balances in other currencies to one of the Allowed Deposit Currencies before migration.
In accordance with the client asset protection rules in Hungary, client funds must be protected in the same form that they were received by the broker. This contrasts with your previous broker, IBLUX, whose regulatory client asset rules allowed them to protect your funds in equivalent value in another currency. Short currency balances are unaffected.
All cash balances will be transferred at the same time, and your current account at IBLUX will be closed and inaccessible for trading purposes. You will still be able to access this closed account via the Client Portal for purposes of viewing and printing historical statements.
13. Will IBKR’s commissions and fees change when my account is migrated?
IBKR commissions and fees do not vary by the broker your account is maintained with.
However, while your assets are held in custody in trust at IBCE until you either transfer your assets to another financial institution or to a new account with IBCE, IBCE will apply a monthly fee to hold your account initially set at Euro 100. The monthly fee can be amended at any time in IBCE’s sole discretion notification to you, which might be by way of email or IBCE’s website.
In addition, IBCE will not pay interest to you but shall charge interest to you at such interest rates and on credit or debit balances as are then set forth on the IBCE website. IBCE will also charge a currency handling fee for cash balances in currencies that have negative interest rates.
Keep in mind, if the cash balance of your account is insufficient to cover these fees, IBCE may liquidate assets in the same manner IBLUX would liquidate assets before the Transfer.
14. I have other questions about what will and will not be changing following the Transfer?
If you still have questions, please contact IBKR Client Services.
Information Regarding IBUKL ISA (Individual Savings Account)
1. What is an ISA and what benefits does it offer me?
An ISA (Individual Savings Account) is a tax-free savings or investment account that gives you the opportunity to save or invest a certain amount of money every year, without having to pay tax on any growth in your investments or savings. There are 4 types of adult ISA available (stocks & shares ISA, cash ISA, innovative finance ISA , and lifetime ISA). The interest on cash accumulates on a tax-free basis, as does income and capital gains made on investments.
A stocks and shares ISA lets you invest in “qualifying instruments” such as stocks and shares, funds, etc. A stocks and shares ISA is not an investment in its own right. The best way to think of a stocks and shares ISA is as a ‘wrapper’ with which you can shelter your savings and investments from both Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax. The IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA lets you choose from a range of investments to invest in (see below section 10 ‘What can I invest in?’). You can select and manage your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA yourself or arrange for your financial advisor to do so on your behalf (see below section 8 ‘Can I appoint a financial advisor to manage, on a discretionary basis, my IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?’).
When deciding which type of ISA to open, you should consider the pros and cons of each so that you can choose the type that best fits with your personal needs, circumstances and financial goals. We offer stocks and shares ISAs only.
Tax treatments depend on your individual circumstances and may change in the future.
2. What ISA types are offered at IBUKL?
Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited (IBUKL) only offers stocks and shares ISAs (including, Junior Stocks and Shares ISA). IBUKL does not offer cash ISAs (including, Junior cash ISA).
3. Who is eligible for an IBUKL Stocks and Share ISA?
In accordance with HMRC regulations, any individual who is a resident for tax purposes in the UK and over the age of 18 is eligible to open a stocks and share ISA.
Click on the link for additional details:
https://www.gov.uk/tax-foreign-income/residence
4. How many ISAs can I have?
There is no overall limit on the number of ISA accounts, but you can only subscribe to one type of each ISA in the same tax year. This means if you have already subscribed to a Stocks & Shares ISA with a different provider in the current tax year, you cannot also subscribe to an Interactive Brokers Stocks & Shares ISA.
5. What is a flexible Stocks and Shares ISA?
ISA flexibility refers to whether you’re able to withdraw from your ISA without affecting your annual allowance. A flexible stocks and shares ISA allows the individual to withdraw funds from their stocks and shares ISA and put them back into it, within the same tax year, without affecting their annual ISA allowance.
6. Does IBUKL offer a flexible Stocks and Shares ISA?
No, an IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA isn't flexible. That means you can take money out, but it'll count towards your annual ISA allowance if you pay it back in the same tax year.
https://www.gov.uk/tax-foreign-income/residence
7. Can you lose your money paid into a Stocks and Shares ISA?
The value of investments you hold in your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA and the income received from them can fall as well as rise. As a result, you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not an indication of future performance, and some investments need to be held for the long term to achieve a return. The IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA is an execution only service, Interactive Brokers does not provide investment advice. If you need advice about whether an investment is suitable, you need to consult a suitably qualified financial advisor.
8. Can I appoint a financial advisor to manage, on a discretionary basis, my IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?
Yes, you can appoint a financial advisor to manage your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA on your behalf. Click on the link for additional details:
9. Can I trade on margin under the IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?
No. You can only open an IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA under a GBP cash account type. A cash account requires that all transactions are made with available cash or long positions.
10. What can I invest in?
Under a stocks and shares ISA you can invest in any of the following investments (also known as 'qualifying investments'):
- Shares;
- Securities issued by Companies;
- Recognised UCITS;
- Depository Receipts, American Depository Receipts and American Depository Shares.
Full details can be found on the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) website.
Please Note: Ineligible investments
· ISA accounts cannot hold non-qualifying investments.
11. What is a non-qualifying investment in an IBUKL ISA (Individual Savings Account)?
Examples of non-qualifying investments include warrants or delisted securities. On occasion a corporate action (on a qualifying investment) may result in your IBUKL ISA account holding a non-qualifying investment.
12. What happens to non-qualifying investments held in an IBUKL ISA (Individual Savings Account)?
Where such a situation arises, HMRC regulations require IBUKL to remove the non-qualifying investments from the ISA account within 30 calendar days. To do this IBUKL will open a non-ISA account in your name if you do not have one already open and you may be asked to complete that application.
Once the non-ISA account is opened, IBUKL will transfer the non-qualifying investments to ensure we continue to operate your ISA account in accordance with HMRC regulations. If you already have a non-ISA account with IBUKL, then the non-qualifying investments will be transferred to your existing account.
13. What exchanges does IBUKL support?
HMRC recognised exchanges supported by IBUKL:
|
Country |
Exchange |
|
Australia |
The Australian Stock Exchange (and any of its stock exchange subsidiaries) |
|
Austria |
Vienna Stock Exchange |
|
Belgium |
NYSE Euronext Brussels |
|
Canada |
Toronto Stock Exchange Montreal Stock Exchange Toronto Venture Exchange (TSX Venture Exchange) |
|
France |
MATIF |
|
Germany |
Frankfurt Stock Exchange Stuttgart Stock Exchange |
|
Hong Kong |
Hong Kong Stock Exchange |
|
Italy |
Italian Stock Exchange (Borsa Italia) |
|
Japan |
Tokyo Stock Exchange Osaka Stock Exchange |
|
Lithuania |
NASDAQ OMX Vilnius |
|
Mexico |
Mexico Stock Exchange |
|
Poland |
Warsaw Stock Exchange |
|
Singapore |
Singapore Exchange Limited |
|
South Korea |
Korea Exchange |
|
Spain |
Spanish Stock Exchange (Bolsa de Valores in Madrid) |
|
Switzerland |
Swiss Stock Exchange (SIX Swiss Exchange) |
|
United Kingdom |
London Stock Exchange |
|
United States of America |
BATs Exchange Inc Chicago Board Options Exchange Chicago Stock Exchange International Securities Exchange National Stock Exchange New York Stock Exchange NYSE ARCA NASDAQ OMX PHLX NASDAQ |
14. What is the ISA Allowance for 2023/2024 tax year?
Tax year runs from 6 April to the following 5 April. Each tax year’s ISA subscription limit is specific to that year and can be checked on the HMRC website.
For the 2023/24 tax year the annual ISA allowance is £20,000 per person. Any of the ISA allowance that goes unused in the current tax year cannot be rolled over to the subsequent tax year. You can divide this cash allowance across multiple ISAs, provided that not more than 1 of each type of ISA is subscribed to in any given tax year. NB. If you are already subscribed to another stocks and shares ISA in the current tax year, you are not permitted to subscribe to our stocks and shares ISA for the remainder of the tax year.
NB. For each tax year, you can check (via the funding page in Client Portal) how much you have subscribed to your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA and the maximum amount that you can contribute to your IBUKL stocks and shares ISA in that tax year, assuming you have not contributed to another ISA away from Interactive Brokers.
15. How do I make subscriptions to my IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?
You can make one-off payments (wire transfers deposits) as and when you choose, but the combined total of all payments (or subscriptions) must not exceed any given annual tax year allowance (see section 12. What is the ISA Allowance for 2023/2024 tax year?).
Interactive Brokers accepts wire transfers only, and there is a minimum subscription amount of £1. Your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA can only have GBP cash.
16. Can I fund my ISA via Internal Transfer from my existing Interactive Brokers account?
Yes, as long as the existing account is an individual account in the same name, an internal transfer can be requested to fund your ISA account.
Internal transfer from non-ISA to ISA will be considered as a contribution and only allowed if within the yearly contribution limits. Positions cannot be transferred between these accounts.
17. Can I check the tax-year to date contributions i have made into my ISA account?
Yes, if you create a deposit notification for a fund transfer, before selecting "Get Transfer Instructions" on the final page there is a contribution tracker showing how much you have contributed so far during the current tax year.
18. What happens if I exceed my ISA allowance?
If you have accidentally paid too much into your ISAs you won’t get any tax relief on the excess payments you’ve made. The ISA allowance is a combined annual limit across all adult ISA types (e.g. stock & shares ISA, cash ISA, innovative Finance ISA , and lifetime ISAs).
19. What should I do if I exceed my ISA allowance?
In the event you oversubscribe to your ISA (in other words your ISA annual allowance was exceeded), you should not attempt to correct the mistake by withdrawing the excess funds from an ISA (including, but not limited to, your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA). Instead, you should call HMRC’s ISA helpline to explain the situation and inform them about the oversubscription. HMRC will advise you on the next steps. NB. The ISA allowance for the tax year 2023/2024 is GBP 20,000 (this is a combined limit across all 4 types of ISA (stock & shares ISA, cash ISA, innovative finance ISA , and lifetime ISAs).
20. What is the annual fee for the IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?
There is no annual ISA fee at IBUKL. Other costs and charges apply, see below section 19 for more information.
21. What are the charges for the IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?
- £3 per month minimum activity fee. (e.g. if you generate 2 pounds of commission in a particular month, you would be charged the remaining balance of 1 pounds as a minimum activity fee. Generate 3 or more pounds in consolidated commission from linked accounts in a month and there will be no fee.)
- One free withdrawal per month. Thereafter, £7 withdrawal fee is applicable.
Click here for an overview of our commissions:
https://www.interactivebrokers.co.uk/en/index.php?f=39753&p=stocks
22. What transactions are allowed and what transactions are not allowed in an ISA?
a) Example of allowed transactions
An individual subscribes £15,000 into a stocks and shares ISA, £3,000 into a cash ISA and £2,000 into a lifetime ISA. No more than 1 of each type of ISA was subscribed to in the tax year, and the annual ISA allowance of £20,000 was not exceeded.
b) Example of disallowed transactions
An individual subscribes £10,000 into one stocks and shares ISA, £2,000 into another stocks and shares ISA, and the remaining £8,000 into a cash ISA. While the individual did not exceed the annual ISA allowance of £20,000, they subscribed funds into more than 1 stocks and shares ISA.
23. How do I transfer my stocks and shares ISA from my current ISA manager to IBUKL?
Position/in-specie transfers are now available from certain ISA managers. When requesting a transfer in the client portal supported providers will have a position transfer option within the form.
You will need to submit a transfer instruction to Interactive Brokers (go to Client Portal, Transfer & Pay, then Transfer Existing ISA), and if, in IBUKL’s discretion IBUKL decides to accept the transfer, IBUKL will instruct your existing ISA manager to transfer your investments (where IBUKL supports such investments) and/or cash into your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA. Where IBUKL does not support all your investments held at your existing ISA Manager, you can either liquidate these investments yourself prior to submitting your transfer instruction to IBUKL via Client Portal (any cash proceeds of such liquidation will be transferred into your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA) or you can instruct IBUKL (as part of your transfer instruction via Client Portal) to do so on your behalf.
Note Interactive Brokers does not support partial transfers, only full account transfer requests can be made.
24. How do I transfer an ISA out of IBUKL to another provider?
Any transfer out request from IBUKL must be requested via the receiving ISA provider. The requesting broker can email a client-signed transfer form to isa-transfer@interactivebrokers.com or the client may attach a completed form to a web ticket.
25. What are the Transfer Charges?
Interactive Brokers does not charge for transfers (the transferring ISA manager may charge you for transferring investments or cash proceeds to us).
26. Can I cancel my IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?
You have a legal right to cancel your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA if you change your mind but there are time limits on doing so, see below section 25 for more information.
27. How can I cancel my IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?
If you want to cancel your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA, you must do so within 14 days from the date you receive our email confirming the establishment of your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA (a cancellation must be requested from the Client Portal).
Cancellation rights will also apply to the receipt of transfer payments. You have 14 days from the date you receive our email acknowledging the transfer to exercise your right to cancel (a cancellation must be requested from the Client Portal). NB. If you cancel the transfer of your stocks and shares ISA from another ISA manager to IBUKL, that ISA manager may not agree to accept the stocks and shares ISA back. This may result in that stocks and shares ISA being closed, and the tax benefits being lost.
28. How safe is your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?
IBUKL is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and is approved by HMRC to act as an ISA manager (including in respect of stocks and shares ISAs).
Under our client terms, and in accordance with the FCA rules relating to client money and assets (Assets), IBUKL will be responsible for holding and protecting your Assets. IBUKL is required to separate your Assets from its own resources. IBUKL is not permitted to use your Assets to carry out its business activities.
In the unlikely event that IBUKL became insolvent, an administrator would be appointed to return your money/assets to you. If there is any shortfall, eligible claims will be covered by the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). The FSCS is an independent body set up by the UK Government to pay compensation if a UK firm, such as IBUKL is in default and cannot meet any valid claims against it. FSCS claims are limited to £85,000 per client. Please note, the FSCS applies to designated investments and may not cover all investments or transactions (and in particular these protections don’t apply to investment losses). For more information on the FSCS see www.fscs.org.uk.
29. How can I file a complaint with IBUKL?
Customers are actively encouraged to use the WebTicket system for prompt attention.
A copy of our Complaints Procedure is available here https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/index.php?f=292 You can also direct your ISA specific complaints via email to isa@interactivebrokers.co.uk (Please note that in order to ensure that your complaint is flagged and given the required attention, Interactive Brokers kindly asks you to state "COMPLAINT" in the subject header field of the email).
30. Are Corporate Actions allowed under my IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?
Allowed to participate but cannot exceed the annual ISA subscription limit. If it were to exceed the subscription limit, the shares should be transferred to a non-ISA account (see above sections 17 ‘What should I do if I exceed my ISA allowance?’.
31. FX Handling and your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA
Interactive Brokers will automatically convert currencies when trading non-GBP denominated securities. To do this, Interactive Brokers will engage in “spot” currency transactions on your behalf in order to settle your buy orders or convert the proceeds of a sell order. For opening orders Interactive Brokers will base the exchange rate off the spot exchange rate at the time of trade plus our 0.03% fee. For closing orders any non GBP balances will be closed at the end of the trading day at the closing exchange rate of the day plus our 0.03% fee.
The below example illustrates the cost in GBP of a $1,000 USD Trade
Example GBP/USD Spot Rate: 1.3432/1.3433
|
Order Type |
FX Conversion Rate inc 0.03% fee |
Cost of $1000 USD Trade |
|
Buy |
1.3430 |
£744.61 |
|
Sell |
1.3435 |
£744.31 |
32. What if I have additional questions?
Our customer services team are on hand to help via phone or email. If you have any questions about your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA, please contact our dedicated ISA Support team who are available 8am to 6pm GMT Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
33. Can I open a Joint ISA account?
ISA account must be individual accounts in accordance with HMRC ISA guidelines at this time.
34. What is a Cash ISA?
Cash ISAs include savings in bank and building society accounts and some National Savings and Investment products.
Please Note : Cash ISAs are not offered by Interactive Brokers.
35. How can I view statements from my previous ISA IBUK since migration to IBUKL?
You can view the IBUK ISA accounts by following these steps in the Client Portal:
- Log into Client Portal
- Click Performance & Reports followed by Statements under Reports
- Then click Add/Edit next to your account number
- In the pop out menu that appears, please select the blue filter icon.
- Please select ‘Migrated’ and then select the old account.
- Now, you can download the reports/activity statements as you normally would.
36. Can I trade fractional shares in an IB UKL ISA account?
It is not possible to trade fractional shares in the IBUKL ISA account in accordance with HMRC ISA guidelines at this time.
37. Can I set up a recurring investment in an IBUKL ISA account?
No, recurring investments are not allowed in an IBUKL ISA account.
Please Note: Recurring investments require fractional shares trading permissions. Fractional shares trading permissions are not allowed in an IBUKL ISA account.
38. Can I use a Referral Link in my IB UKL ISA account?
No, ISA accounts are not eligible for the referral program.
39. Do I need National Insurance Number to open an ISA?
Yes, you will need a National Insurance Number to open an ISA account.
Please Note: If not already listed then you need to enter the National Insurance Number in the Tax ID section of your profile to open a linked ISA account. The system will return an error if you do not.
(Client Portal -> User Menu -> Settings -> Account Settings -> Account Profile -> Profile -> Edit Profile and on the 'Tax Residency' page you may edit the information or remove Tax Residency and add another Tax Residency.)
40. I have UK Citizenship. However, I am resident of Hong Kong. Can I open an IB UKL ISA account?
You can only open an IBUKL ISA account if you are a full tax resident of the United Kingdom with a National Insurance Number.
FAQs: IBCE Pre-Migration Action item Guide
Overview:
As previously noted, IBKR will cease IBLUX’s regulated business, and as a result, will need to make some changes in relation to which legal entity does business with you. It is our intention that all of your accounts, investments and services currently provided to you by IBLUX will instead be provided by IBCE.
Prior to the Proposed Transfer occurring, certain action items must be completed in the Client Portal. These action items may include:
- Submission of Proof of Identity documentation
- Submission of Proof of Address documentation
- Completion of Identity Verification Selfie task
- Investment Portfolio Changes
Please carefully review this FAQ in order to complete the necessary action items and facilitate the Proposed Transfer. For more information on this transfer, please review the FAQs for IBCE.
How do I access pending items in Client Portal?
Follow the below procedure to access pending items in Client Portal:
- Log in to Client Portal.
- Click the Notifications (bell) icon in the top right corner. The number on the icon shows you how many total unread notifications you have.
- A drop-down menu will open showing your Pending Items, Corporate Actions and Messages.
- Click Pending Items.
- You can open and view any pending item to see the details of the item. Click the View button for the pending item you want to view.
What documents are acceptable for these tasks?
Acceptable documents for Proof of Identity and Proof of Address action items include the following:
| Document Category | Acceptable Documents (only one document per category is needed) |
|
Proof of Identity of the Account Holder Please provide a current and valid document (or documents) that contains the following: full name, date and place of birth, clear photograph, signature of the holder, document number, expiration date, and country of issue. If the information required is on multiple pages, please provide copies of all of those pages. |
• Passport • National Identity Card • Driver’s License |
|
Proof of Residential Address of the Account Holder The document must clearly list the applicant's name and the relevant address and must be less than six months old unless otherwise specified. Please provide a scanned version of a hard copy bill. |
• Utility Bill: For example, a bill for electricity, gas, water, landline telephone, home broadband, or TV. Mobile phone bills are not acceptable forms of proof of address. • Council tax bill • Home insurance bill • Bank, mortgage or brokerage statement • Signed and stamped letter from your bank on the bank’s letterhead confirming address • Credit card statement (not older than six weeks) • Government issued letters or statements: For example, we would accept a property tax bill, confirmation of residential address from the local authorities or a pension statement. Must be on official government letterheaded paper. • Resident permit • Driver’s license or national identity card: If you use your driver's license or national identification card as proof of identity, it cannot also be used as proof of address. • For HUNGARY only: ADDRESS CARD which shows the current residential address. |
What Investment Portfolio Changes do I need to make?
IBCE will support a limited number of deposit currencies. The following ten cash deposit currencies, the “Allowed Deposit Currencies” are:
• EUR, USD, GBP, CHF, DKK, NOK, SEK, HUF, CZK and PLN
You will be required to nominate a base currency from the Allowed Deposit Currencies and if you hold long cash balances in other currencies, you will be required to convert those balances to one of the Allowed Deposit Currencies before migration.
In accordance with the client asset protection rules in Hungary, client funds must be protected in the same form that they were received by the broker. This contrasts with your previous broker, IBLUX, whose regulatory client asset rules allowed them to protect your funds in equivalent value in another currency.
Short currency balances are unaffected. You may borrow in any currency that the IBKR group offers.
All cash balances, with the exception of accruals (e.g., interest, dividends) will be transferred at the same time. Once accruals have been settled and posted to cash, they will automatically be swept to IBCE. Once all accruals have been swept, your current account at IBLUX will be closed and inaccessible for trading purposes. You will still be able to access this closed account via the Client Portal for purposes of viewing and printing historical statements.
Metals CFDs are offered by IBCE but spot and OTC metals futures are not. You will be requested to trade out of those positions before conversion to an IBCE account.
FAQs: IBIE Pre-Migration Action item Guide
Overview:
As previously noted, IBKR will cease IBLUX’s regulated business, and as a result, will need to make some changes in relation to which legal entity does business with you. It is our intention that all of your accounts, investments and services currently provided to you by IBLUX will instead be provided by IBIE.
Prior to the Proposed Transfer occurring, certain action items must be completed in the Client Portal. These action items may include:
- Submission of Proof of Identity documentation
- Submission of Proof of Address documentation
- Completion of Identity Verification Selfie task
- Investment Portfolio Changes
Please carefully review this FAQ in order to complete the necessary action items and facilitate the Proposed Transfer. For more information on this transfer, please review the FAQs for IBIE.
How do I access pending items in Client Portal?
Follow the below procedure to access pending items in Client Portal:
- Log in to Client Portal.
- Click the Notifications (bell) icon in the top right corner. The number on the icon shows you how many total unread notifications you have.
- A drop-down menu will open showing your Pending Items, Corporate Actions and Messages.
- Click Pending Items.
- You can open and view any pending item to see the details of the item. Click the View button for the pending item you want to view.
What documents are acceptable for these tasks?
Acceptable documents for Proof of Identity and Proof of Address action items include the following:
| Document Category | Acceptable Documents (only one document per category is needed) |
|
Proof of Identity of the Account Holder Please provide a current and valid document (or documents) that contains the following: full name, date and place of birth, clear photograph, signature of the holder, document number, expiration date, and country of issue. If the information required is on multiple pages, please provide copies of all of those pages. |
• Passport • National Identity Card • Driver’s License |
|
Proof of Residential Address of the Account Holder The document must clearly list the applicant's name and the relevant address and must be less than six months old unless otherwise specified. Please provide a scanned version of a hard copy bill. |
• Utility Bill: For example, a bill for electricity, gas, water, landline telephone, home broadband, or TV. Mobile phone bills are not acceptable forms of proof of address. • Council tax bill • Home insurance bill • Bank, mortgage or brokerage statement • Signed and stamped letter from your bank on the bank’s letterhead confirming address • Credit card statement (not older than six weeks) • Government issued letters or statements: For example, we would accept a property tax bill, confirmation of residential address from the local authorities or a pension statement. Must be on official government letterheaded paper. • Resident permit • Driver’s license or national identity card: If you use your driver's license or national identification card as proof of identity, it cannot also be used as proof of address. • For HUNGARY only: ADDRESS CARD which shows the current residential address. |
What Investment Portfolio Changes do I need to make?
IBIE will offer the same range of products as IBLUX plus some additional products such as (i) Bonds; (ii) OTC Precious Metals, and (iii) OTC Metal Futures. IBIE will also offer the ability to participate in the Stock Yield Enhancement Programme. Please review the Stock Yield Enhancement Programme Agreement if you are interested in participating.
