I would like to add, not JUST US t-bill ETFs, even corporate bond ETFs are eligible for WHT refund (although you wont get 100% of the WHT refund, more like 80%).

One other pleasant surprise, if you loan out your shares for short sellers, you would get paid a fee, but come dividend time you get a "payment in lieu" from IBKR instead of the dividend, I was worried that this means the WHT refund would be forfeit, but surprisingly, they even refunded it!




THe amount of WHT refundable according to each product can be found here.

https://www.ssga.com/library-content/produc...eation-2024.pdf



This post has been edited by diffyhelman2: Feb 12 2025, 12:19 AM

thats because even BIL doesnt get 100% of WHT refunded, more like 99.8% as shown here. American tax law is very arcane, surprisingly even REITs get a small WHT refund, so of the 30% WHT, i get 12% of it refunded, meaning the effective WHT rate for US Reits is actually 0.88*0.3 = 26%.

If you want to buy foreign stocks and get 100% of the dividend, UK and aussie ADR stocks are the best, NO WHT (a minimal 1 cent per share ADR pass thru fee is deducted from the dividend). I have received ~100% of the dividends for companies like SHELL and RIO TINTO. Canadian stocks (even those listed on US market) are second best, you get 15% WHT instead of 30%.

https://www.ssga.com/library-content/produc...eation-2024.pdf

This post has been edited by diffyhelman2: Feb 12 2025, 12:26 AM