What is computershare.com.au?

[warakawa]

Hello,

I bought some just BHP shares, it was the first time I bought shares in my life, today I received a letter from BHP asking me register with computershare.com.au. In the letter BHP asked me register my payment instructions for dividend, shareholder communication elections and taxation numbers.

My question is this registration even necessary? I thought that the dividend is paid to my cash account I have with my broker, I have already provided my tax file number to my broker so why do I need to give it BHP or computershare.com.au

BTW, what months are the dividend paid anyways?

Thanks.

 

[burglar]

... I received a letter from BHP asking me register with computershare.com.au. ...

Can't tell you much, but this much I know.
Every Company deals with a share registry company!
Computershare is one such share registry company.

 

[warakawa]

what is the function of a share registry company?

 

[Junior]

Hello,

I bought some just BHP shares, it was the first time I bought shares in my life, today I received a letter from BHP asking me register with computershare.com.au. In the letter BHP asked me register my payment instructions for dividend, shareholder communication elections and taxation numbers.

My question is this registration even necessary? I thought that the dividend is paid to my cash account I have with my broker, I have already provided my tax file number to my broker so why do I need to give it BHP or computershare.com.au

BTW, what months are the dividend paid anyways?

Thanks.

Computershare provide share registry services for BHP Billiton shareholders. I believe it works something like this:

If you purchased your shares via a broker, and opted to have them 'CHESS sponsored' then you shouldn't need to worry about entering details with Computershare as this will have been handled by your broker.

If your shares are 'issuer sponsored' then you will need to provide your dividend payment instructions etc. to computershare.

It will tell you on your holding statement whether your shares are issuer or CHESS sponsored.

In either case, you will be able to view your BHP holding via the Computershare website by logging in using your SRN (shareholder reference number).

Dividends: Most dividend-paying companies will pay twice a year. You can find a history of dates and dollar amounts either by visiting the 'shareholder/investor' section of the BHP website, or by entering the stock code into the ASX website.

 

[bellenuit]

If you purchased your shares via a broker, and opted to have them 'CHESS sponsored' then you shouldn't need to worry about entering details with Computershare as this will have been handled by your broker.

I don't believe that is correct. I am with CommSec, but every time I buy a share in a new company for the first time, a week later I get a letter asking me to fill in my dividend payment details and, where applicable, dividend reinvestment details. These forms go to the share registry of the company.

Since you may want your dividend paid differently for different shareholdings that you have, your dividend handling details needs to be specified at the company / share registry level, not once at the broker level. If Chess sponsored, you make the election or subsequent changes to your election through the share registry company.

Another company that provides share registry services for some companies (for example Westpac) is Link Marketing Services.

 

[pixel]

Computershare provide share registry services for BHP Billiton shareholders. I believe it works something like this:

If you purchased your shares via a broker, and opted to have them 'CHESS sponsored' then you shouldn't need to worry about entering details with Computershare as this will have been handled by your broker.

If your shares are 'issuer sponsored' then you will need to provide your dividend payment instructions etc. to computershare.

It will tell you on your holding statement whether your shares are issuer or CHESS sponsored.

In either case, you will be able to view your BHP holding via the Computershare website by logging in using your SRN (shareholder reference number).

Dividends: Most dividend-paying companies will pay twice a year. You can find a history of dates and dollar amounts either by visiting the 'shareholder/investor' section of the BHP website, or by entering the stock code into the ASX website.

You covered the essence, Junior,
... but there's a little more.

If your shares were bought through a broker, you're usually CHESS sponsored. True so far. The registry (think of it as an outsourced shareholding management service) will then know your name, address, and usually also TFN. But they do NOT know your bank connection or email address. If you want to receive the dividend as a cheque, that's fine. But many, if not most, companies are now also offering electronic banking - and for that, you must nominate a bank account. That can be the a/c that you use to fund your dealings with your broker. But you can also nominate another - maybe your regular household cheque a/c. Up to you.

As regards dividends, you can find everything you need to know at the ASX website:
http://www.asx.com.au/asx/markets/dividends.do - type in BHP and click Go.

 

[pixel]

I don't believe that is correct. I am with CommSec, but every time I buy a share in a new company for the first time, a week later I get a letter asking me to fill in my dividend payment details and, where applicable, dividend reinvestment details. These forms go to the share registry of the company.

Since you may want your dividend paid differently for different shareholdings that you have, your dividend handling details needs to be specified at the company / share registry level, not once at the broker level. If Chess sponsored, you make the election or subsequent changes to your election through the share registry company.

Another company that provides share registry services for some companies (for example Westpac) is Link Marketing Services.

Bookmark these four links if you wish. As far as I know, they're Australia's registry services.
http://www.advancedshare.com.au/Home.aspx
http://www.registries.com.au/
https://www.securitytransfer.com.au/index.cfm
https://www-au.computershare.com/investor/

IMHO it pays to be registered with them as an investor; then you have access to all your holdings that each is managing and can make sure that your instructions are correct; you can also easily make wholsesale changes to your contact details etc.
You need to register one user name per CHESS HIN (Holder id number).

 

[warakawa]

Computershare provide share registry services for BHP Billiton shareholders. I believe it works something like this:

If you purchased your shares via a broker, and opted to have them 'CHESS sponsored' then you shouldn't need to worry about entering details with Computershare as this will have been handled by your broker.

If your shares are 'issuer sponsored' then you will need to provide your dividend payment instructions etc. to computershare.

It will tell you on your holding statement whether your shares are issuer or CHESS sponsored.

In either case, you will be able to view your BHP holding via the Computershare website by logging in using your SRN (shareholder reference number).

Dividends: Most dividend-paying companies will pay twice a year. You can find a history of dates and dollar amounts either by visiting the 'shareholder/investor' section of the BHP website, or by entering the stock code into the ASX website.

Hi Junior

Thanks for your reply,

I called computershare, the representative told me that I will need to provide them with dividend payment instruction and TFN. If I do not provide them with bank detail then dividend will be send out in form of cheque. And if neither my broker nor I provide them with my TFN then 47% tax will be withhold by computershare.

 

[So_Cynical]

I called computershare, the representative told me that I will need to provide them with dividend payment instruction and TFN. If I do not provide them with bank detail then dividend will be send out in form of cheque. And if neither my broker nor I provide them with my TFN then 47% tax will be withhold by computershare.

Correct...and please don't call them, just go online and do it all there.

 

[Julia]

About a year/18 months ago, Etrade introduced a facility whereby you could bypass all that filling out of details. Just do it once on the Etrade website and they then handle all the rest. Dividends are paid into your Etrade cash a/c.

I used to have to send off Power of Attorney form copies etc for the second Trustee of my SMSF and fill our all the forms with TFN, bank a/c details etc.

But now, buy a new company, and Etrade take care of all the advising of bank details etc.

 

[warakawa]

do you guys know if CMC gives our my bank detail and TFN to registries? It would a hassle if I have to fill out form every time I buy shares from a different company.

 

[burglar]

do you guys know if CMC gives our my bank detail and TFN to registries? It would a hassle if I have to fill out form every time I buy shares from a different company.

Email them, they will be glad to help!

 

[Junior]

Hi Junior

Thanks for your reply,

I called computershare, the representative told me that I will need to provide them with dividend payment instruction and TFN. If I do not provide them with bank detail then dividend will be send out in form of cheque. And if neither my broker nor I provide them with my TFN then 47% tax will be withhold by computershare.

'View your holding details' through computershare here: https://www-au.computershare.com/Investor/Security/Summary.asp?bhjs=1&fla=1

You don't even need to register, all you need is your SRN and postcode. Then you can enter your payment instructions and TFN online, no forms or signatures required.

 

[matty77]

Get a commsec account and buy the shares yourself. Why would you use a broker to buy BHP shares? You dont need to be internet savvy to set it up even. And make sure you register for a computershare account, then you can always keep track of your shares and control them. There is no way I would let a broker do this for me. Good luck

 

[burglar]

... account I have with my broker ...

Is your broker
a). a telephone advisory broker?
b). a telephone non-advisory broker?
c). an online broker?

If a). I agree 100% with matty77 that you are wasting your hard earned and risking that he makes mistakes, (however unlikely you may think that is.)

I make my own mistakes and take responsibility for them!

Why would you use a broker to buy BHP shares?

matty77,

Didn't see where the Original poster was dissatisfied with his broker, but I agree nuntheless.

 

[warakawa]

Get a commsec account and buy the shares yourself. Why would you use a broker to buy BHP shares? You dont need to be internet savvy to set it up even. And make sure you register for a computershare account, then you can always keep track of your shares and control them. There is no way I would let a broker do this for me. Good luck

Isn't commsec a broker as well, charging traders $19.95 for each trade?

I thought it is compulsory to buy and sell shares through broker? At least that's why I learned through uni textbook, trader>broker>chess>asx.

How can I trade shares without broker? It would be nice though to trade without having to pay any brokerage fee.

thanks.

 

[skyQuake]

Isn't commsec a broker as well, charging traders $19.95 for each trade?

I thought it is compulsory to buy and sell shares through broker? At least that's why I learned through uni textbook, trader>broker>chess>asx.

How can I trade shares without broker? It would be nice though to trade without having to pay any brokerage fee.

thanks.

I think matty meant broker as a person - ie talking to someone on the phone and paying high $$$ for something that can be done at the click of a button.

 

[matty77]

I was more implying that if your strategy was to purchase say, blue chip shares like BHP, why use a 'real broker' for the job when you can just use Commsec, and I would assume Commsec would cost you less anyway per trade.

Nowdays I just cant see the advantages of the "Broker on the phone".

 

[warakawa]

I was more implying that if your strategy was to purchase say, blue chip shares like BHP, why use a 'real broker' for the job when you can just use Commsec, and I would assume Commsec would cost you less anyway per trade.

Nowdays I just cant see the advantages of the "Broker on the phone".

Plus commsec's brokerage fee is 200.5% of CMC's brokerage fee, so why would you suggest commsec?

 

[So_Cynical]

Plus commsec's brokerage fee is 200.5% of CMC's brokerage fee, so why would you suggest commsec?

• Probability of comsec falling over etc 0.001%
• Probability of CMC markets falling over etc 0.002%
• Comsec give you a highish interest (5.5%) account with instant access via your commsec settlement account....and a ATM card all for free.
• CMC markets/Bankwest cash account pays 1.85% _ $10,000 to $19,999 :nono:

http://www.comsec.com.au/Public_FrameSet.asp?Page=HCash

http://www.cmcmarkets.com.au/stockbroking/cash-rates