Originally Posted by cincypix
OK I am an IRS employee in my day job as a contact rep on the biz hotline ...
so here's my .02
USING CARDS TO PAY YOUR TAXES IS A RIPOFF IF YOU WANT MILES!
At least if the tax payment sites want more than 2.5 per cent to give your credit limits to your uncle
Most airlines SELL their miles for less than .03 per mile. Research your airline, research your tax payment site, do the math, and watch your mind get blown!
And for small employers, the temptation to use CC to get FF miles can be LETHAL! The tax payment sites themselves warn their systems are not for payroll deposits, because even in their moneygrubbing hearts they know it's suicide for those guys to use CC cards to get more FF miles!
And the businessmen and women scream to high heaven when I parrot the tax payment site line!
If you would read the previous posts in this thread, you would see that is about the opportunity to buy miles/point at less than 1.245 cents each. Official Payments collects 2.49% "vigorish" ("convenience fee"), but SPG AmEx and UA Visa were giving "double miles" for use of their cards to make these tax payments. At 1.245 cents per UA mile or SPG point, I don't think it a ripoff at all.