50000 Membership Reward Points for business gold card
Jul 2, 2010, 11:57 am
#61
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: New Orleans, LA
Programs: DL PM, AA Gold, A3 Gold, WN CP, and lots of points everywhere.
Posts: 344
Finally, I emailed customer support via my Amex login and now have written confirmation that code 3966 is applied to my account. I should've started there, if only to get it in writing. Sometimes I'm inpatient and think that calling will be faster. I have to remember that writing (and printing the outcome) is better!
Nice to have that off my mind. Time to put my new Amex relationship's to work with the recent SPG (arrived today) and this Business Card.
Jul 6, 2010, 12:15 pm
#62
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: UA GS, *G, Bonvoy Titanium, HH Diamond, Platinum on Blockbuster, GameStop, several library cards
Posts: 703
Jul 7, 2010, 11:03 am
#63
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 737
Help
(1) Do not use EIN. Simply use SS number and personal name as name of the business.
(2) Leave the field for business income blank
(3) Enter information for household income like all other apps.
Any other tips?
Thanks!
Jul 7, 2010, 11:10 am
#64
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 143
I don't think you can leave it blank, but if you don't have any income for your business (uh, yet
), you can choose the dropdown $0-49,000, since 0 is part of that range. 
Jul 7, 2010, 11:11 am
#65
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 737
Thanks!
Jul 7, 2010, 11:14 am
#66
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 143
I don't know that for sure, though, but that's how I would reason it out. I'm pretty sure the advice about not using EIN isn't because it makes acceptance more likely, but rather because most people don't have one.
Jul 7, 2010, 11:31 am
#67
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 737
If all the other information is the same, I'd have to question whether leaving off the EIN would help. I'd think, in fact, that having an EIN would help, as it would make the app look more like it's coming from a legitimate business, unless that EIN's been blacklisted for some reason.
I don't know that for sure, though, but that's how I would reason it out. I'm pretty sure the advice about not using EIN isn't because it makes acceptance more likely, but rather because most people don't have one.
I don't know that for sure, though, but that's how I would reason it out. I'm pretty sure the advice about not using EIN isn't because it makes acceptance more likely, but rather because most people don't have one.
Thanks, in advance.
Jul 7, 2010, 11:35 am
#68
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: BGM
Programs: HHonors Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Marriott Platinum, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 771
I'm not an expert on this topic by any means, but wouldn't it be worse to use an EIN if there is absolutely no history associated with it? Where, if you just had your SS#, there is history and then you'll get approved/denied based on that history.
But, I don't know what the requirements are for history when applying with an EIN... somebody else would have to comment on that.
But, I don't know what the requirements are for history when applying with an EIN... somebody else would have to comment on that.
Jul 7, 2010, 11:43 am
#70
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Inasmuch as American Express is also the issuer of the Delta cards I would expect the outcome to be the same. How recent was the declined application, and what reason did American Express provide for the decision?
Jul 7, 2010, 11:43 am
#71
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 143
Maybe, but most people with an EIN have one because they actually have a business with some history, I should think. The advice in this thread is not to bother getting an EIN just for this, and it's probably not just because it wouldn't help chances of getting approved (the iRS might also then expect income to be reported on that EIN).
Jul 7, 2010, 11:46 am
#72
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 737
The reason for that denial was limited business experience and low income. On that application, I selected 0-25K business income from the drop down. Sent them tax returns for the prior two years showing household income from wages (nothing spectacular but decent six figures). They still refused to issue the card.
Timing of that application was end of April.
Jul 11, 2010, 8:42 am
#73
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Lancaster, PA
Posts: 183
Question on the 10k spend for bonus points
I wanted to clarify the terms on the spent on the Gold Card.
The terms state: To be eligible to earn bonus points, you must be enrolled in the Membership Rewards® program at the time of spend and you must charge $10,000 of eligible spending** between April 14, 2010 and December 31, 2010 on an eligible, enrolled Gold Card from American Express.
Then for the points it states:
Bonus Points: To be eligible to earn bonus points you must be enrolled in the Membership Rewards® program at the time of purchase and charge your purchases to an eligible, enrolled American Express® Card
Does this mean all the spend needs to be at the online retailers or through the bonus points mall?
I just want to be sure of the terms.
The terms state: To be eligible to earn bonus points, you must be enrolled in the Membership Rewards® program at the time of spend and you must charge $10,000 of eligible spending** between April 14, 2010 and December 31, 2010 on an eligible, enrolled Gold Card from American Express.
Then for the points it states:
Bonus Points: To be eligible to earn bonus points you must be enrolled in the Membership Rewards® program at the time of purchase and charge your purchases to an eligible, enrolled American Express® Card
Does this mean all the spend needs to be at the online retailers or through the bonus points mall?
I just want to be sure of the terms.
Jul 11, 2010, 9:42 pm
#74
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: BGM
Programs: HHonors Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Marriott Platinum, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 771
I wanted to clarify the terms on the spent on the Gold Card.
The terms state: To be eligible to earn bonus points, you must be enrolled in the Membership Rewards® program at the time of spend and you must charge $10,000 of eligible spending** between April 14, 2010 and December 31, 2010 on an eligible, enrolled Gold Card from American Express.
Then for the points it states:
Bonus Points: To be eligible to earn bonus points you must be enrolled in the Membership Rewards® program at the time of purchase and charge your purchases to an eligible, enrolled American Express® Card
Does this mean all the spend needs to be at the online retailers or through the bonus points mall?
I just want to be sure of the terms.
The terms state: To be eligible to earn bonus points, you must be enrolled in the Membership Rewards® program at the time of spend and you must charge $10,000 of eligible spending** between April 14, 2010 and December 31, 2010 on an eligible, enrolled Gold Card from American Express.
Then for the points it states:
Bonus Points: To be eligible to earn bonus points you must be enrolled in the Membership Rewards® program at the time of purchase and charge your purchases to an eligible, enrolled American Express® Card
Does this mean all the spend needs to be at the online retailers or through the bonus points mall?
I just want to be sure of the terms.
Jul 12, 2010, 7:06 am
#75
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Lancaster, PA
Posts: 183
I'm reading this on the application page for the Credit Card. Look at this page and scroll to the bottom where the terms for the card are. It lists all of the details and I just wanted to be clear.
https://www201.americanexpress.com/s...&showLongApp=1
https://www201.americanexpress.com/s...&showLongApp=1