ATO (tax office) payments by credit card

[Saltywings]

Fun fact - Easy Bill Pay are charging $24.95 per month for this non-service.

I haven't used EBP for the ATO in a few months, but have been using it roughly once a week with other billers - the last time was last week. So far, I haven't encountered any issues with any of my payments.

Also, your 'fun fact' is incorrect. Literally 8 posts above this one is a post of mine showing that they've stopped charging the fee, even though they've yet to update their FAQ on that front (which I'm definitely not defending). In fact, ever since joining in late July, I've never been charged even once.

 

[aspro2]

I've also had it confirmed in writing that they're not charging. But yeah, competence... not so much. (You'd kinda assume that a business wanting to attract customers would remove mention of a monthly fee pretty quickly.)

 

[JohnK]

Are Visa Only 1 cards still blocked by ATO?

 

[jbman]

Yes. I read somewhere it was the other way around. V1 had blocked ATO use.

 

[cove]

Tonight I loaded two credit cards to start on this months ATO. This month will take a while to do.
The maximum the credit cards will allow for incoming funding is $100,000 per day each.

 

[gourmet333]

Hi, Some help please.
I will soon have to pay the ATO in the region of $250K. I went down the interweb rabbit hole as to what credit card I could use to pay this with but have come back up extremely discombobulated. A few years ago I had a similar bill and was able to use a MasterCard but I know the rules have changed since then and most banks don't allow payments to the ATO with their Visas or MasterCards.I know the fee for paying with an Amex is 1.45% so the fee I would be paying is $3625. This probably isn't worth it if I only end up with 125,000 Qantas FF points but if I was able to get a point per $1 spend then $3625 wouldn't be too bad for 250,000 points which is essentially a business class ticket to Europe.
If I did find a MasterCard that allow payment the fee would be $1750. And then there's the issues that many cards have points caps.....

Any help, suggestions as to what cards I could use or general tips would be much appreciated. I'd hate to see the possibility of all those potential points going to waste!

Many thanks in advance.

 

[JohnM]

You might be better reading and posting to this long-established thread that all the gurus use: ATO (tax office) payments by credit card

(or ask a Mod to move your post from here.)

 

[gourmet333]

Hi, Some help please.
I will soon have to pay the ATO in the region of $250K. I went down the interweb rabbit hole as to what credit card I could use to pay this with but have come back up extremely discombobulated. A few years ago I had a similar bill and was able to use a MasterCard but I know the rules have changed since then and most banks don't allow payments to the ATO with their Visas or MasterCards.I know the fee for paying with an Amex is 1.45% so the fee I would be paying is $3625. This probably isn't worth it if I only end up with 125,000 Qantas FF points but if I was able to get a point per $1 spend then $3625 wouldn't be too bad for 250,000 points which is essentially a business class ticket to Europe.
If I did find a MasterCard that allow payment the fee would be $1750. And then there's the issues that many cards have points caps.....

Any help, suggestions as to what cards I could use or general tips would be much appreciated. I'd hate to see the possibility of all those potential points going to waste!

Many thanks in advance.

 

[gourmet333]

Thanks John I have posted this in the thread you recommended.

 

[amaroo]

Best outcome will depend on the ability to offset CC fee as a tax deduction.

If so, I’d recommend Amex explorer using RewardPay. Fee will be 2.4% + gst earning 2p/$ ... this will give you an earn rate < 0.9c a point

Although this setup doesn’t make sense if you can’t claim the deduction.

Also, the numbers will all change post 15th April due to the recent Amex devaluation.

 

[gourmet333]

Thanks amaroo. Unfortunately as I’m not a business I can’t claim the cc fee as a deduction. So then a 2.4% fee wouldn’t make the points worthwhile. But I really appreciate the suggestion.

 

[kelvedon]

Thanks amaroo. Unfortunately as I’m not a business I can’t claim the cc fee as a deduction. So then a 2.4% fee wouldn’t make the points worthwhile. But I really appreciate the suggestion.

You don’t have to be a business to claim the cc fee back from your next tax return as an individual......I thought !

 

[cove]

I sent you a PM. Please keep the info off social media.

 

[andye]

Hi, Some help please.
I will soon have to pay the ATO in the region of $250K. I went down the interweb rabbit hole as to what credit card I could use to pay this with but have come back up extremely discombobulated. A few years ago I had a similar bill and was able to use a MasterCard but I know the rules have changed since then and most banks don't allow payments to the ATO with their Visas or MasterCards.I know the fee for paying with an Amex is 1.45% so the fee I would be paying is $3625. This probably isn't worth it if I only end up with 125,000 Qantas FF points but if I was able to get a point per $1 spend then $3625 wouldn't be too bad for 250,000 points which is essentially a business class ticket to Europe.
If I did find a MasterCard that allow payment the fee would be $1750. And then there's the issues that many cards have points caps.....

Any help, suggestions as to what cards I could use or general tips would be much appreciated. I'd hate to see the possibility of all those potential points going to waste!

Many thanks in advance.

All of the viable options for a bill of that size are mentioned in the last 5 pages of this thread (as long as you can solve the barely-cryptic naming of the fire-breathing card) And welcome to AFF

 

[Skyhawk]

Maybe you could contact EBP and ask if they are willing to reduce the 0.8% on a large transaction.
They don't have a phone contact, but they have occasionally responded to emails.

 

[gourmet333]

You don’t have to be a business to claim the cc fee back from your next tax return as an individual......I thought !

I've just double checked with the accountant and individuals can't claim the fee as a deduction but businesses can.

 

[coles525]

I've just double checked with the accountant and individuals can't claim the fee as a deduction but businesses can.

Check with more accountants, as well as contact the ATO directly.

Any costs directly related to your tax bill / return / accountant (including driving there!) / money mag are allowed.

 

[Mogul]

Bottom of the page business's only.

Other operating expenses

 

[Mogul]

When did the Mastercard fee change from ..45% to .70% ?

 

[cove]

That was fairly recent. Lucky ours are deductible.