Stock Plan guidance FAQs

Account linking allows Fidelity International and Fidelity Stock Plan Services in the US to create a better experience for you, the customer, by simplifying the way you move between your accounts.
 
If you live in the UK, have a Stock Plan Account with Fidelity Stock Plan Services in the US, and your employer is listed on a US stock exchange (eg S&P 500), you can link any existing Fidelity International investment accounts you may hold with your Fidelity Stock Plan Account. You'll need to have registered for online access with Fidelity international to do this. By linking accounts, you’ll be able to quickly switch between your profile onNetBenefits.com^† and fidelity.co.uk to see the value of your share awards (both unvested and vested) and your UK investment accounts without needing to log in to separate portals each time. 

Note: If you live in the UK and have a stock plan from an employer listed on the UK stock exchange (eg FTSE 100), your accounts will already be linked. Log in to your Fidelity International profile and go to your Account Summary page to view your stock plan account.

If you fulfill the criteria in the previous question ('What's account linking and why should I link my accounts?') in terms of who can link accounts, but you’re unable to link your account this may be because your employer may not allow you to do this or your employer portal does not currently technically support account linking. 

To link your accounts:

1. Log in to NetBenefits.com* and you'll see a Fidelity International section.

2. Click on ‘Link your accounts’. You’ll then be prompted to complete a few quick steps. Please make sure you have your Fidelity International investment account login details to hand. Please note you cannot currently link to Fidelity International PlanViewer accounts.

3. Once the process is complete, you'll see a "Go to my Fidelity International accounts" button in NetBenefits.  Selecting this button will take you directly to your Fidelity International investment account summary page.

4. To switch back from your Fidelity International investment account summary page to your Stock Plan Account summary, click on the link ‘View in Fidelity NetBenefits’. This can be found under the section, ‘Fidelity NetBenefits - Stock Plan Account’.

To unlink your account(s):

1. Log in to NetBenefits.com^†. Towards the bottom of the Stock Plan summary page, you’ll see a ‘Fidelity International’ section. Click on the three dots that appear alongside the link, ‘Go to my Fidelity International accounts’.

2. Next, you’ll see an option to ‘unlink accounts'. Select this option and follow the prompt to confirm you want to unlink your accounts.

3. Once account unlinking is complete, the ‘Fidelity International’ section of your Stock Plan Account summary page will no longer show a ‘Go to my Fidelity International accounts’ link. This means you’ll no longer be able to switch back and forth between your existing Fidelity International account summary page and your Stock Plan account summary without logging in separately to each portal.

If you link your accounts (see How do I link my accounts?), you'll be able to view all your balances in one place at Fidelity International. You'll also be able to transfer cash directly from your Stock Plan Account to your Fidelity International account.

When you have linked your accounts (see 'How do I link my account?' above) you can transfer cash from your NetBenefits Stock Plan account to your Fidelity International ISA, SIPP or Investment Account by following these simple steps:

1. On your NetBenefits account summary page, click on your available cash.
2. Select the ‘Transfer’ option.
3. Choose the Fidelity International Cash Management Account.
4. Enter the amount you would like to transfer and preview the details.
5. Submit your instruction. The cash will appear in your Fidelity International account within one working day.
6. Move the cash from the Fidelity International Cash Management Account to the investment account and then submit your investment instruction.

We don't charge a fee to transfer cash to Fidelity International or to hold it in your account. We apply a foreign exchange (FX) charge of 0.35% to convert the transferred cash from US dollars to pounds sterling. For transfers of US$200,000 or more, the charge is 0.25% on the whole amount. Visit our Fees and Charges page for more information.

Please note you can't use this service to transfer to a joint Investment Account, Junior ISA or Junior SIPP.

If you have a Stock Plan Account held by Fidelity SPS in the US and live in the UK, you have the option of transferring some or all of your shares to Fidelity in the UK and enjoying more control over what you choose to do next with your rewards. Learn more about transferring stock plan shares.

Alternatively, if you hold shares from another UK investment provider,find out more about transferring investments from another UK investment provider.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) doesn’t let you transfer shares from a Stock Plan Account into an ISA as they are.

However, here’s what you can do:

Step 1
Sell your shares in your Stock Plan Account via NetBenefits. This sale may be subject to Capital Gains Tax (CGT) if your gain exceeds the annual CGT allowance.

To sell your shares, log in to NetBenefits and select ‘sell’ alongside the shares you want to sell.  

Step 2
After the cash has been received from the sale, visit investing from your employer's stock plan to learn how to transfer your cash from NetBenefits to a Stocks and Shares ISA with Fidelity International.

Alternatively, you can transfer your shares to a Fidelity International account and complete a Bed & ISA following the instructions here
 

When you transfer US shares to Fidelity International in the UK, the value will be shown in both USD and GBP. 

Any dividends and interest you’ve earned but not received at the time of transfer will be paid into your Stock Plan Account. You can then choose to withdraw it to your bank account or transfer it to your Fidelity Investment Account.  Any future dividends paid out on those shares will be credited to the Fidelity Investment Account, not your Stock Plan Account. Dividends relating to any shares that remain in your Stock Plan Account will continue to be paid into that account.

You cannot transfer unvested shares to Fidelity International. Only shares that have vested or matured and are free from blackout periods or company-imposed restrictions can be transferred. Once your shares have vested and are in your Stock Plan Account, you can then request a transfer.

If your investments aren't held in a tax-efficient account (like an ISA) you'll have to pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT) when you sell your stocks, funds, investment trust or exchange-traded funds if the profit (total taxable gains for the tax year after losses/reliefs) exceeds your CGT allowance. Learn more about Capital Gains Tax, how to work out how much you could pay and ways to reduce your liability.

Yes, it's possible to transfer shares. The transfer of assets between spouses/civil partners living together are typically treated as no gain/no loss for Capital Gains Tax (CGT).

Spouses and civil partners are taxed as separate individuals, with each spouse being entitled to his or her own annual exemption. If you are married, or in a civil partnership, and gains are expected to exceed your annual allowance, you can transfer assets into your spouse’s name (if they are a UK resident), and also use up their allowance. This essentially doubles the CGT exemption for married couples and civil partners as it allows each partner to use each other's annual CGT exemption.

If you wish to transfer your shares to your spouse, you’ll need to choose to transfer your shares to a Fidelity International Investment account in your name first.

 Learn how to transfer your company shares

You can consider taking advantage of tax incentives offered by a Fidelity Stocks and Shares ISA or a Fidelity Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP). Learn more about saving tax-efficiently to get your money working as hard as it can. You can also explore ourinvestment options to learn how you can diversify your investments across funds and shares.

If you want to invest in US shares the US government will charge you a tax on any income you earn from those shares if you are not a US resident or citizen. Chances are you'd prefer to pay less of this tax (known as withholding tax) on your shares - this is where a W-8BEN form comes in. Learn more about a W-8BEN form

No, not usually. Transferring your shares from your Stock Plan Account to a Fidelity International Investment Account is not normally a disposal for UK CGT purposes, because you remain the beneficial owner of the shares. CGT arises when you sell or otherwise dispose of shares (for example, by giving them to someone other than a spouse).  The transfer of assets between spouses/civil partners living together are typically treated as no gain/no loss for CGT.

Please note that shares cannot be transferred directly into an ISA unless they come from an HMRC-recognised SAYE scheme or Share Incentive Plan and are transferred within 90 days; in all other cases moving shares into an ISA involves selling them first, which is a disposal for CGT.

Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances, including where you are resident for tax purposes. Fidelity does not provide tax advice; if you are unsure how the transfer or a future sale affects your position, please seek independent advice.

Learn how to transfer your shares

We don't charge a fee to transfer cash or shares to Fidelity International or to hold it in your account. There is no service fee to hold shares in an Investment Account or Junior accounts but there is to hold shares in an ISA or SIPP. Please visit our Fees and Charges page for more information.

For a full breakdown of our Foreign Exchange charges when transferring cash and moving shares please visit  SPS Fees and Charges

Get in touch, our friendly teams are on hand to answer your questions big and small. You can even drop into our Investor Centre in London for a face-to-face chat if you prefer.

Our advice service is designed for people looking to invest a minimum of £100,000 (which can include pensions), for more than 5-years. If you're looking for personalised adviceour financial advice service can help.