ATO (tax office) payments by credit card

[drross]

Citi siggy doesn't earn points via ato anymore right?

Ours still does. 6 posts to go vitagen for 1000

 

[Beta4Me]

Ours still does. 6 posts to go vitagen for 1000

What? ? ? ?

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

I'm a little new to all of this so reading through this thread and others, which is the better card to use for ATO payments? I'm interested in warehousing the points and not a direct credit to QFF. Am I right in assuming an accidental overpayment to the ATO would result in a cheque refund?

purely "accidental" of course !!

 

[vitagen]

Awesome time to smash it might test it out with a few hunge... In time for the tax return time as I estimate I've underpaid my tax...

 

[Jack_OC]

Ours still does. 6 posts to go vitagen for 1000

I second Beta4Me's question - what???

Citi apparently stopped paying points on ATO payments (across the board on all cards) in March 2013. Initially this just happened without warning, but later on (June ?) Citi officially notified cardholders that this was the case. Are you definitely still getting points on ATO transactions with a Citi card? If so, do you mind me asking when you last did so?

 

[cove]

Citi Qantas style did keep paying which was unusual seeing I had a robust discussion leading to me draining my Citi non Qantas warehouse around your date Jack1393.
Lots of people were hurt and there would still be customers who are not checking their monthly points earn against their spending .
All I can suggest is you read everything sent to you by your credit card points supplier until you understand what they said.
Then if there is still some doubt do not call them to put a target on yourself . Instead I suggest you do a tester transaction and you will know in a few weeks.

 

[pauly7]

Probably should only discuss this one offline/pm.

Way too late unfortunately.

Pity some people always push the boundaries!

 

[legroom]

Pity some people always push the boundaries!

.... which may harm the remaining abiding ones who do not have non-accidental transactions.

 

[Jack_OC]

.... which may harm the remaining abiding ones who do not have non-accidental transactions.

I very much appreciate everyone's sensitivity about killing the golden goose, but AFAIK, there is absolutely no way for a card provider to know how much any of us owe the ATO. As such, if person A owes $50k but "accidentally" pays $60k, how is that more likely to cause a problem than someone who is putting through a few hundred k per quarter, even if that is genuinely what they owe the ATO?

 

[drross]

What? ? ? ?

I'll check with the household boss tonight as she does all the ATO stuff. I know she was alternating between Citi and AMEX.

 

[DaveB]

Not sure how golden the goose is anyway with the ATO in the poor cousin category for my points earn.
With my bank fees usually zero apart from a token charge relating to writing the odd cheque or excessive number of cheque account transfers, CC charges are effectively the only banking fees or charges the businesses are hit with. With all non ATO CC transactions incurring no charges with some receiving early payment discounts ranging up to 8%, recent P&L review with 2013 revealed additional ATO CC fees and charges post Citi have amounted to two fully paid return suites to the UK. Now stopped using my amex cards for lower earning visa and MC.

 

[legroom]

I very much appreciate everyone's sensitivity about killing the golden goose, but AFAIK, there is absolutely no way for a card provider to know how much any of us owe the ATO. As such, if person A owes $50k but "accidentally" pays $60k, how is that more likely to cause a problem than someone who is putting through a few hundred k per quarter, even if that is genuinely what they owe the ATO?

Yes, .... but.... they would twitch to the odd occasions of issuing a refund (or two, or ... many).

 

[burmans]

I very much appreciate everyone's sensitivity about killing the golden goose, but AFAIK, there is absolutely no way for a card provider to know how much any of us owe the ATO. As such, if person A owes $50k but "accidentally" pays $60k, how is that more likely to cause a problem than someone who is putting through a few hundred k per quarter, even if that is genuinely what they owe the ATO?

Agreed, I dont see the card provider being the issue here (except that some can still reduce points earn). The main scenario where there might be interest is someone who is claiming the fee as a business expense (and deductable) on the basis that paying tax is part of doing business. This is true when you are legitimately paying tax but if you are deliberately overpaying as a means to get points the deductability would be called into question.

 

[medhead]

It is wrong to keep using the word "accidentally". All taxpayers are required to self assess their tax liability. It is entirely legitimate if they assess they liability at a certain level, regardless of whether a refund occurs later. Agreed overpaying to get more points is not legitimate. But I am sure everyone here is a responsible tax payer who uses their best effects to determine their tax liability. If questioned by the tax office I'm sure they will be able to clearly express that situation.

I find it slightly disturbing that anyone would openly, in public, raise doubts about other AFF members properly addressing their responsibilities as taxpayers.

 

[Beta4Me]

It is wrong to keep using the word accidentally. All taxpayers are required to self assess their tax liability. It is entirely legitimate if they assess they liability at a certain level, regardless of whether a refund occurs later. Agreed overpaying to get more points is not legitimate. But I am sure everyone here is a responsible tax payer who uses their best effects to determine their tax liability. If questioned by the tax office I'm sure they will be able to clearly express that situation.

I find it slightly disturbing that anyone would openly, in public, raise doubts about other AFF members properly addressing their responsibilities as taxpayers.

This is quite a self-contradicting post.

 

[Deleted User]

Just sitting here reading all of this makes me wonder what would concern the ATO more...

People paying their liabilities early or more than need be due to their assessment being out from their actual liability.

or

People not filing returns, activity statements, or paying late / failing to pay PAYG & BAS payments.

It's not really hard to work that out now really is it...?

Edit: As an old boss of mine once said, "its better to have and give some back, than to not have any at all" and I'm sure that would also be the opinion of the ATO too

 

[medhead]

This is quite a self-contradicting post.

I'm sorry if you're unable to understand the message. You'll find there is no contradiction in the post. And if you wish to back up your statement I'm more that happy to explain the errors.

 

[legroom]

Just sitting here reading all of this makes me wonder what would concern the ATO more...

People paying their liabilities early or more than need be due to their assessment being out from their actual liability.

or

People not filing returns, activity statements, or paying late / failing to pay PAYG & BAS payments.

It's not really hard to work that out now really is it...?

Edit: As an old boss of mine once said, "its better to have and give some back, than to not have any at all" and I'm sure that would also be the opinion of the ATO too

I used to read the XS thread.

Now, I don't.

Wonder why that is the case when some starts to be more than creative for their own good.

When there is a hint of "accidental" events, that carries some risks to the "goose".

I am more than comfortable with genuine accidentals but if the XS experience is anything, one should be more circumspect rather than shouting "what can they do about it ?"

 

[burmans]

I'm sorry if you're unable to understand the message. You'll find there is no contradiction in the post. And if you wish to back up your statement I'm more that happy to explain the errors.

Well I didn't raise the question but I found it a little confusing too, you have a problem with the word accidentally but also seem to take exception to the suggestion that it might be deliberate.

In defense of myself on the last point, I would point out I'm not raising doubts about AFF members properly meeting their responsibilities as taxpayers because there is in fact no legal requirement not to overpay your tax. However the concept of overpayment has been discussed quite a lot recently and the fact that some have seen fit to point out that their's was accidental (or not deliberate or other form of words you'd prefer) indicates at least some consider like me that some also might be considering overpayment as a deliberate tactic. Are people doing it, I have no clue but I suspect some are considering, hence my suggestion that the fee might not be deductable in this instance.

 

[Deleted User]

Legroom, I appreciate your comments, the biggest risk is not with the ato... They would not be concerned, but yes the other links in the chain might break if there is too much leakage