Taxes can be a bit of a maze, can't they? Especially when you're trying to gather all your documents from various financial institutions. But don't fret! If you're a Morgan Stanley client, getting your tax documents is usually a straightforward process. Let's walk through it together, step by step, and get you squared away for tax season!
How Do I Get My Tax Documents from Morgan Stanley? Your Complete Guide
Getting your tax documents from Morgan Stanley is crucial for accurate tax filing. Whether you're an individual investor, a participant in an employer's stock plan, or a wealth management client, Morgan Stanley offers several convenient ways to access your necessary tax forms.
Step 1: Engage and Identify Your Account Type
Alright, before we dive in, let's figure out what kind of Morgan Stanley client you are. Are you:
An individual investor with a brokerage or wealth management account?
An employee participating in a company stock plan (like stock options, restricted stock units, or an employee stock purchase plan) managed by Morgan Stanley at Work (formerly StockPlan Connect, Shareworks, or E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley)?
Both of the above?
Knowing this will help us pinpoint the most efficient path to your tax documents.
Step 2: Accessing Your Documents Online - The Easiest Way
For most Morgan Stanley clients, eDelivery via their online portal is the quickest and most secure method to retrieve tax documents.
Sub-heading: Morgan Stanley Online (for Wealth Management/Brokerage Accounts)
If you have a general brokerage or wealth management account with Morgan Stanley, the primary platform for accessing your documents is Morgan Stanley Online.
Log In: Go to the official Morgan Stanley website (morganstanley.com) and log in to your Morgan Stanley Online account. If you haven't set up online access yet, you'll need to register. This usually involves providing your account number and personal details to create a username and password.
Navigate to Documents: Once logged in, look for a "Documents," "Statements," or "Account Documents" section. This is typically found under a "Services" or "Profile & Settings" tab in the main navigation.
Select Tax Documents: Within the documents section, there should be a specific category for "Tax Documents" or "Tax Forms." Click on this.
Choose the Tax Year: You'll usually see a dropdown menu or a list allowing you to select the relevant tax year. Choose the year for which you need the documents.
View and Download: Your available tax forms (such as 1099-B, 1099-DIV, 1099-INT, etc.) will be displayed. You can then view, download, or print them as PDFs. It's a good idea to save them to a secure folder on your computer.
Sub-heading: Morgan Stanley at Work (for Employee Stock Plan Accounts)
If your tax documents relate to an employer-sponsored stock plan, you'll generally access them through the Morgan Stanley at Work portal. This includes platforms previously known as Shareworks and E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley.
Log In: Visit the Morgan Stanley at Work website (
morganstanley.com/atwork Locate Tax Resources/Documents: Look for a section like "Tax Resources," "Documents," or "Tax Documents" on your dashboard or within the navigation menu.
Find Your Forms: Here, you'll find forms relevant to your stock plan transactions, which might include 1099-B (for sales of stock), 3921 (for Incentive Stock Option exercises), or 3922 (for Employee Stock Purchase Plan purchases).
Download: Similar to Morgan Stanley Online, you can download these forms for your records.
Step 3: Enrolling in eDelivery (Paperless Option)
Want to make next year even easier? Sign up for eDelivery! This ensures you receive an email notification as soon as your documents are ready, and they are securely stored online.
From Morgan Stanley Online:
Log in to Morgan Stanley Online.
Navigate to the "Services" tab on the homepage and select "eDelivery."
On the "eDelivery Preferences" screen, you can choose to enable eDelivery for all your accounts or select individual accounts.
In the document section, select the checkboxes next to the document types you want to receive electronically (e.g., "Tax Documents").
Click "Update" to save your preferences.
From the Morgan Stanley Mobile App:
Open the Morgan Stanley Mobile App.
Tap the menu icon (usually three horizontal lines) and select "Profile + Settings."
Under "Communication Settings," choose "eDelivery Preferences."
Similar to the online process, select the accounts and document types for eDelivery and tap "Update."
Important Note: Make sure to regularly log into Morgan Stanley Online or the Mobile App to maintain your eDelivery enrollment.
Step 4: When Online Access Isn't an Option (Requesting Paper Copies)
While eDelivery is highly recommended, sometimes you might need a physical copy or prefer to receive documents by mail.
Sub-heading: Contacting Your Financial Advisor
If you work with a Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor, this is often the most direct route. They can assist you in obtaining your tax documents, whether by helping you navigate the online portal or by arranging for paper copies to be mailed to you.
Reach Out Directly: Call or email your Financial Advisor. Provide them with your account details and specify the tax documents and year you require.
Sub-heading: Contacting Morgan Stanley Client Services
If you don't have a dedicated Financial Advisor, or if you prefer to speak with a general representative, you can contact Morgan Stanley's client service line.
Phone Number: You can typically find the most up-to-date client service phone number on the "Contact Us" section of the Morgan Stanley website. For general inquiries, a common number might be in the 1-800-869-3354 range (though this can vary, always check the official site). For E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley, you might find numbers like 1-800-387-2331.
Be Prepared: Have your account number and personal identification ready to verify your identity. Clearly state that you are requesting a paper copy of your tax documents for a specific tax year.
Sub-heading: Understanding Mailing Timelines
If you opt for mailed documents, be aware that it can take several business days or even weeks for them to arrive, especially during peak tax season. Morgan Stanley generally aims to make most 1099 forms available by February 15th, but complex forms or reclassifications can sometimes delay their release until mid-March. It's always better to start this process early!
Step 5: Understanding What Tax Documents You Might Receive
Morgan Stanley provides various tax forms depending on the types of investments and transactions you have. Knowing what to expect can help you ensure you have everything you need.
Sub-heading: Common Tax Forms from Morgan Stanley
Form 1099-B: Proceeds From Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions: Reports sales of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other securities. This is crucial for reporting capital gains and losses.
Form 1099-DIV: Dividends and Distributions: Reports ordinary dividends, qualified dividends, and capital gain distributions from investments.
Form 1099-INT: Interest Income: Reports interest earned on cash balances, bonds, or other interest-bearing investments.
Form 1099-MISC: Miscellaneous Information / Form 1099-NEC: Nonemployee Compensation: Less common for typical investment accounts, but could be issued for certain types of income.
Form 1099-R: Distributions From Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit-Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance Contracts, etc.: Issued if you took distributions from an IRA or other retirement account held at Morgan Stanley.
Form 3921: Exercise of an Incentive Stock Option (ISO) Formerly Acquired: Issued to employees who exercised Incentive Stock Options.
Form 3922: Transfer of Stock Acquired Through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) Formerly Acquired: Issued to employees who purchased stock through an ESPP.
Consolidated 1099: Many brokerages, including Morgan Stanley, often issue a consolidated 1099 form that combines information from 1099-B, 1099-DIV, and 1099-INT, making it easier to manage.
Keep in mind: You may receive multiple tax forms depending on your account activity and if you have accounts with both Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and Morgan Stanley at Work/ETRADE.*
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to: Know when my Morgan Stanley tax documents will be available?
Morgan Stanley generally makes most 1099 forms available by February 15th, but some complex forms or those requiring reclassification of income may not be available until mid-March. They often notify you via email when documents are ready if you're enrolled in eDelivery.
How to: Enroll in eDelivery for Morgan Stanley tax documents?
Log in to Morgan Stanley Online or the Morgan Stanley Mobile App, navigate to the "Services" or "Profile + Settings" section, select "eDelivery Preferences," and choose "Tax Documents" to receive them electronically.
How to: Get my W-2 form from Morgan Stanley?
If you are an employee of Morgan Stanley, your W-2 would typically be provided by their HR or payroll department, not directly through your investment account portal. If your W-2 relates to income from an equity award, it's usually handled by your employer's payroll and not generally provided by Morgan Stanley at Work as a separate tax form.
How to: Get tax documents from Morgan Stanley if I closed my account?
Even if you've closed your account, Morgan Stanley is legally obligated to provide you with tax documents for the year in which the account was active. You should still be able to access them through Morgan Stanley Online or by contacting client services.
How to: Get my 1099-B from Morgan Stanley?
Your 1099-B form, reporting sales of securities, will be available through Morgan Stanley Online (for brokerage accounts) or Morgan Stanley at Work (for stock plan accounts) under the "Tax Documents" section, typically by mid-February.
How to: Contact Morgan Stanley for tax document assistance by phone?
You can find the most accurate contact number on the "Contact Us" section of the official Morgan Stanley website. For general inquiries or wealth management accounts, common numbers are often listed in the 1-800 series. For E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley, a common number is 1-800-387-2331.
How to: Receive a corrected tax document from Morgan Stanley?
If Morgan Stanley needs to issue a corrected tax form (an "amended" form), they will typically send you a notification and make the updated document available online through eDelivery, or mail it to you if you receive paper statements.
How to: Find my cost basis information on Morgan Stanley tax documents?
Your Form 1099-B from Morgan Stanley should include cost basis information for "covered securities." For "noncovered securities," you may need to refer to your original trade confirmations or account statements.
How to: Get tax documents if I have an E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley account?
If your ETRADE account has been fully integrated into Morgan Stanley, you will likely access your tax documents through the Morgan Stanley at Work portal or Morgan Stanley Online. If it's still operating primarily as an ETRADE account, you would access them via the E*TRADE platform directly.
How to: Submit my Morgan Stanley tax documents to my tax preparer?
If you use eDelivery, you can simply download the PDFs and send them electronically to your tax preparer. Many tax software programs also allow for direct import of tax data from major brokerages like Morgan Stanley, though you'll need your login credentials for this. If you receive paper copies, you can provide those directly.
