ATO (tax office) payments by credit card

[hossein_au]

Consider using another service for better forex rate.
the exchange rate is giving you 0.7 ppd if paying with american card.

Can you transfer money overseas (e.g. forex) paying with AmEx?

This discussion was started when there was a suggestion of transferring A$ to $US using Citi accounts (with the aim of paying off one's US CC). I am not quite sure I can follow how your suggestion would work.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Well wouldn't that also depend on who you want/are transferring points across to? E.g. SQ/Etihad

Also would depend on someones annual spend as some people don't spend that much and hence their points earning capacity is somewhat limited if using Visa/MC. To overcome this they would choose the Amex option, albeit at a higher surcharge.

If you can rationalise paying a much higher surcharge for the exact same points earning, you might want to think about how you play the game.

The comments are specific to the product mentioned, which earns 1:1. There are still a few Visa/MC options that do the same.

 

[ninja-tim]

If you can rationalise paying a much higher surcharge for the exact same points earning, you might want to think about how you play the game.

The comments are specific to the product mentioned, which earns 1:1. There are still a few Visa/MC options that do the same.

My current card for ATO is the CBA Platinum Amex, and as we all know is being axed from ATO points earning in a months time. So I was looking for alternatives for myself and I've been rejected a couple times from ANZ, so it's gonna be very hard for me to ever get the ANZ Black. So I've given up on them, for myself that is, but I'll get the missus to apply when she can in the near future. Completely forgot about this card as I've dismissed it for myself and somehow dismissed it for the missus as well for some reason.

My preferred FF is SQ, and there aren't many SQ earning credit cards around for ATO. Just the AMEX's, ANZ Blacks, Westpac Black/Krisflyer (no more new applications) and soon to cease CBA cards. I think these are all that's left for SQ earn, please correct me if I'm wrong.

I understand what you are saying. Paying $1/pt @ 1.42% and then transferring to SQ at 1.35VA:1KF (1VA:0.74KF) is a coughpy way to earn SQ. Westpac Black is in the same boat, at 0.75 ff miles/$ on the Amex. ANZ amex is 1KF/$ (0.66KF/$ on the Visa) so is the best card for transfers to SQ.

If using the ANZ black card:
A return SQ J flight to SEA is roughly 110,000 miles = $110,000 spend on AMEX ($1562 surcharge) or $166,666 on VISA ($700 surcharge). I'm just saying for some people who don't have much spend, and would like to get that J flight quicker, can justify paying $1500 in surcharge to get those J seats, which are roughly valued at $4000 or so. Also, given you can deduct 30% of the surcharge, that's a $1050 surcharge (likewise for the VISA $490 surcharge) otherwise that $450 would have gone to the ATO as Tax and not as a surcharge.

Obviously if you're ATO spend is nearing or over 7-figures, then you wouldn't need to use the Amex, but if you're annual spend is only $100k, then that's an extra 1 year of using the visa card to get the same J flight. Depends how desperate you are for the points I guess.

Please let me know if any of the figures/calculations are incorrect as this will obviously affect how I calculate points.

 

[cove]

Amex cost is 1.45% rate and the tax value can/could vary between zero and 49% depending on personal or business circumstances.
The 0.42% Visa and MasterCard rate can clearly be a bargain but you have to watch out for points capping or worse no points earnt at all.
With the $AUD hovering around 0.70 you can still find value in using US credit cards provided there are no international exchange fees. This is not for those who have never handled foreign exchange transfers.

 

[ninja-tim]

Amex cost is 1.45% rate and the tax value can/could vary between zero and 49% depending on personal or business circumstances.
The 0.42% Visa and MasterCard rate can clearly be a bargain but you have to watch out for points capping or worse no points earnt at all.
With the $AUD hovering around 0.70 you can still find value in using US credit cards provided there are no international exchange fees. This is not for those who have never handled foreign exchange transfers.

Didn't you mention you also need a U.S. residential address to apply for these great US cards? Unobtainable for most folks, including myself.

 

[cove]

One AFFer mentioned to me that he used a family member who is US based to earn those miles for him. Having a US address was helpful for one other who lives in California.

 

[Radio8tiv]

ok so after doing a lot of reading I'm compiling a list (for myself) to show me what cards earn what were i.e. ato payments and bpay etc. Have one question, as I was doing my research I noticed that the Citi Signature does not give points for ato payments, but does give points for bpay, just wondering if anyone has tried or is willing to try to make a payment to the ato via bpay with one of those cards just to settle my curiosity. I don't have one myself yet so can't try it.

 

[Eggsbenedict]

ok so after doing a lot of reading I'm compiling a list (for myself) to show me what cards earn what were i.e. ato payments and bpay etc. Have one question, as I was doing my research I noticed that the Citi Signature does not give points for ato payments, but does give points for bpay, just wondering if anyone has tried or is willing to try to make a payment to the ato via bpay with one of those cards just to settle my curiosity. I don't have one myself yet so can't try it.

Here is the error message received. Did just seem like it would be too easy. Nice thinking though.

Unfortunately, the account type you have selected cannot be used for this payee. You may wish to try another account type, contact the payee regarding your payment options, or call us on 13 24 84 for further assistance.

 

[Radio8tiv]

Here is the error message received. Did just seem like it would be too easy. Nice thinking though.

Unfortunately, the account type you have selected cannot be used for this payee. You may wish to try another account type, contact the payee regarding your payment options, or call us on 13 24 84 for further assistance.

Thanks for trying, there are other cards too with the same anomaly, but it looks like they don't allow it then

 

[ninja-tim]

Thanks for trying, there are other cards too with the same anomaly, but it looks like they don't allow it then

Normally on the invoice/payment slip, for Bpay, they will describe what payments are accepted through bpay for that account. E.g. Cheque/Savings (EFTPOS), Credit Card etc.

https://www.ato.gov.au/Business/Payments-to-ATO/How-to-pay/
Quote from ATO site regarding Bpay payments: "Make a payment from your Australian cheque or savings account at your financial institution's local branch or using their phone or internet banking service."

 

[DaveB]

Received in the mail from Westpac offering 20,000 bonus Altitude points if I spend at least $500 on ATO payments by 31 October using my Altitude Business Plat Amex card.
Having dropped the ATO earn rate to 0.5 points per $ spend, a strange way to now say thank you for (not) banking with Westpac.

 

[cove]

Thought our family needed a third ANZ Black card so it is a work in progress. So far I have three quarterly bills from the ATO for income tax.

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

Thought our family needed a third ANZ Black card so it is a work in progress. So far I have three quarterly bills from the ATO for income tax.

Hi Cove do you use the ANZ Black AMEX or VISA ?? Just got those cards myself and used the Visa to pay some tax, not too bad an earn rate I guess 3 points per $ 4.

Another little tip I will pass on BUT you probably know it already and I won't start a separate post.............. is using PAYPAL. Lots of Australia Post Bill Pay organisations who WON'T ACCEPT Amex or even charge if they do will accept PAYPAL and with no loading .

If you link an AMEX card earning 1.5 points per dollar and pay with PAYPAL.....but ONLINE through the Aust Post Bill Pay website then the payments go straight through. Makes a huge difference paying rates, insurances, etc, etc to point earning capacity.

I got the ANZ Card and met the bonus limit of $ 7,500 in a few weeks easily so 75,000 points here they come

Let's not post this one too widely or it will probably get canned, possibly won't last long anyway, just the secret for the serious AFF'r who reads the posts !!

 

[cove]

Yes I saw that regarding APBY. We have been using Citi Prestige as their earn is really good for business stuff and it all ends up in one spot other than ATO. My Amex Ultimate is getting close to my 3M titanium bladed scissors but this might save it from the cut.
Using non Amex on ATO can be a reasonable option but it ranks behind QCUCC, Bankwest Platinum, HSBC for the moment and Citi AA US cards. Almost capped out on Bankwest so I should get a second and third one but 200,000 QF points may sound a lot but it is less than 3 return flights in business class for us. Well 3 cards gets you almost 9 business class flights so it is something to consider.

 

[Duffa]

Been in Europe for 6 weeks. What have I missed on the ATO scene? Any cards in or out?
Thanks
(p.s SQ suites out and SQ J back - all thanks to JS!)

 

[cove]

Only CBA dropping the ball for us at the end of this month which is officially off after November 1st.
Yes js changed our travel plans. Good to hear you tried SQ.

 

[prozac]

...
Yes js changed our travel plans. Good to hear you tried SQ.

...js?

 

[cove]

Yes go back to post number one prozac as it changed our lives with travel.
We had to think about where in the world we wanted to travel based on that post.

 

[KLN]

Received in the mail from Westpac offering 20,000 bonus Altitude points if I spend at least $500 on ATO payments by 31 October using my Altitude Business Plat Amex card.
Having dropped the ATO earn rate to 0.5 points per $ spend, a strange way to now say thank you for (not) banking with Westpac.

DaveB,
in what form was the mail from WBC out of curiosity

Kathe

 

[prozac]

Yes go back to post number one prozac as it changed our lives with travel.
We had to think about where in the world we wanted to travel based on that post.

Oh, that js...I've been a bit dim all week.
Did js change his/her username? He only ever posted 76 times. Maybe he got sick of all the questions.