ATO (tax office) payments by credit card

Jack3193 said:
I'm referring to the new Altitude Black card, which is their new "premium" reward card effectively becoming the new Platinum Plus. No points cap and earns 1.25 Altitude points per $ with MC or 3 per $ with Amex, but of course those points convert 2:1 to FF points, hence 0.625 per $ with MC. I believe that is the joint best earn rate you can get with a MC or Visa, on a card that still pays points for ATO transactions (except direct earn QF cards).

But I'm planning to use the Amex, as I believe the extra fee is worth it.

EDIT: sorry just realised your question about Amex Platinum referred to the Amex Platinum charge card rather than Westpac Altitude Platinum (Plus) - I thought you were referring to the introduction of a points cap on the Westpac PP from July. I think the bank issued Amex cards (but not direct Amex issued cards) remain the best, at an effective 1.5 per $, albeit with a hefty fee. Best MC as I said is Altitude Black and some others payign 0.625 per $.
Click to expand...
all good. thanks. check your math though - @0.625 per $1 the cost per dollar at 0.48% is 0.008 where as if you use the Amex which works out to an effective 1.5 points per $1 at 1.45% fee works out to a cost per point of 0.010. you are definitely better off using the Master not the Amex with the Westpac Black cards for ATO transactions at the current fee rates.
 
shifty said:
on WOW EDR? if that's the case I will apply for one and smash it. I guess worst case scenario is I get booted from it. Will they still credit the points for that period?
Click to expand...

I put lots of spending through it. Substantial Council rates ( $ 60 K pa), Land Tax, Tax each month all my business expenses where I can't use AMEX at 1.5 points per dollar, employee PAYG etc and lots of other SMALL transactions, maybe they have a calculation of dollars/transaction average, I don't know but not just occassional big bill. I have to pre-fund each month part way through the month otherwise I go over my limit
 
shifty said:
all good. thanks. check your math though - @0.625 per $1 the cost per dollar at 0.48% is 0.008 where as if you use the Amex which works out to an effective 1.5 points per $1 at 1.45% fee works out to a cost per point of 0.010. you are definitely better off using the Master not the Amex with the Westpac Black cards for ATO transactions at the current fee rates.
Click to expand...

I didn't say Amex is cheaper, I said I believe it's worth the extra. I know the cost per point is slightly higher with Amex, but the difference is marginal, and with Amex I can earn 2.4 times as many points. I have a 6 figure bill to pay (a personal one, so basically a one-off occurrence), and as such I see this as a rare opportunity to buy close to 200k FF points for about $1,000 (taking into account the fee deductibility). If I transfer those points to MH Enrich, that's almost enough for 2 J returns to Europe. Or I could pay only ~$350 or so with the MC, but only earn enough points for half of 1 J return. See where I'm coming from?
 
shifty said:
View attachment 15313points cost sheet from my spread sheet.
Click to expand...

Bear in mind that QF points are not worth anything like as much as points in most other programmes when it comes to redemption rates. If you're QF minded maybe you don't care, but I would take 0.625 points in a flexible multi-airline programme like Altitude over 1 QF point any day of the week.

EDIT: I see you have Altitude down as a Qantas card - it's not, you can transfer to VA, Malaysia, Air NZ, Singapore or Cathay Pacific, but not Qantas.
 
Last edited:
Jack3193 said:
Bear in mind that QF points are not worth anything like as much as points in most other programmes when it comes to redemption rates. If you're QF minded maybe you don't care, but I would take 0.625 points in a flexible multi-airline programme like Altitude over 1 QF point any day of the week.
Click to expand...
true. yes my sheet is specifically for QFF and the costs associated with that. your altitude Amex could well be better off for earning if converting to another program and not at the QF 2 for 1.EDIT - yeah I have it as Qantas because I list it twice for other programs in my spread sheet. calculates costs for flights etc. for me.
 
Jack3193 said:
I didn't say Amex is cheaper, I said I believe it's worth the extra. I know the cost per point is slightly higher with Amex, but the difference is marginal, and with Amex I can earn 2.4 times as many points. I have a 6 figure bill to pay (a personal one, so basically a one-off occurrence), and as such I see this as a rare opportunity to buy close to 200k FF points for about $1,000 (taking into account the fee deductibility). If I transfer those points to MH Enrich, that's almost enough for 2 J returns to Europe. Or I could pay only ~$350 or so with the MC, but only earn enough points for half of 1 J return. See where I'm coming from?
Click to expand...
yup. I am with you. I do need to broaden my horizons beyond QFF earn. what other programs can you transfer into and at what conversion rates. clearly the example with MH converting into to J returns is better than QFF.EDIT - just read previous post. worked out who you can convert to.
 
Anyone going Paypal then using Amex to avoid the fee and still getting the points.
If so can you tell me the process?
 
cove said:
Anyone going Paypal then using Amex to avoid the fee and still getting the points.
If so can you tell me the process?
Click to expand...
PayPal for ATO payments!! Is this another of those hidden links on the ATO website that they don't advertise or did your ATO girlfriend tell you something when you paid your BAS last month
 
cove said:
Anyone going Paypal then using Amex to avoid the fee and still getting the points.
If so can you tell me the process?
Click to expand...

Just opened an email from palpay telling me that I can pay Telstra through them.....like the comment about reward points:cool: Need to go & read the T&C.

Great news! You can now use PayPal to pay your Telstra bills.

And if you pay in May 2013, you can be 1 of 20 lucky PayPal customers to win your Telstra bills paid for up to a year ($1,800 prize value*). It’s that easy to be in the draw!

Paying with PayPal also means:
spacer50.gif
[TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 8%"]•
•No surcharges
•You still earn credit card reward points[SUP]+[/SUP]

[TD="width: 92%"]Faster payment, pay your bill in just a few clicks[/TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
 
Think I may have found a way to pay ATO with CC without paying the surcharge. Need to do a test over the next couple of days but hopefully it works it may also be bank specific.

If it works I have over $100k to pay them in 2 weeks time.
 

Become an AFF member!

Join Australian Frequent Flyer (AFF) for free and unlock insider tips, exclusive deals, and global meetups with 65,000+ frequent flyers.

AFF members can also access our Frequent Flyer Training courses, and upgrade to Fast-track your way to expert traveller status and unlock even more exclusive discounts!

AFF forum abbreviations

Wondering about Y, J or any of the other abbreviations used on our forum?

Check out our guide to common AFF acronyms & abbreviations.

Recent Posts

Currently Active Users

... and 3 more.
Total: 252 (members: 53, guests: 199)
Back
Top