Aug 1, 2021, 12:53 pm
Last edit by: Dr Jabadski
Note: If you don't have a qualifying investment account, or if your only investment account is an Access Investing account, there is no longer an Engagement Bonus in the first year of having the CashPlus Platinum account.
Recommended step-by-step guide if goal is MS AmEx Platinum card with bonus and effectively no annual fee as of 8/1/21:
- Open MS Access Investing account (to establish the MS relationship) using online application with $5,000.
- Wait a few days.
- Open Platinum CashPlus account (requires existing MS relationship), must be opened by phone or through an advisor, cannot be done online.
- Fund Platinum CashPlus account with $25K.
- Wait a few days.
- Confirm CashPlus account's Account Fee Status page shows “Morgan Stanley Investment Relationship = Yes”.
- Apply for MS AmEx Platinum Card via the link that shows up in the CashPlus account once it's open.
- $5,000 monthly deposit or Social Security deposit in any amount and $25,000 Average Daily Cash Balance in the Bank Deposit Program to avoid Platinum CashPlus Monthly Account Fee.
- Meet minimum spending requirement on the AmEx Platinum card, as of 8/1/21: $6,000 within 6 months to receive sign-up bonus.
- Confirm $695 Annual Engagement Bonus posts to Platinum CashPlus account approximately 6 weeks after credit card approval. (As of 8/1/21, considerable discussion as to whether the FIRST Annual Engagement Bonus is paid within first few months of credit card account opening or at about 1 year after credit card account opening.)
- $1,000+ yearly spending requirement on the AmEx Platinum card needed to avoid having to pay taxes on the Engagement Bonus. (This language was removed from the disclosure statement after the Engagement Bonus was increased to $695.)
- Enjoy the sign-up bonus and all other AmEx Plat perks, don’t eat or drink too much
.
Notes:
All accounts can be opened the same day, best to wait a few days between account openings/applications to ensure each successive account is fully integrated into MS systems to avoid problems.
Few or no reports of MS AmEx Platinum credit card applications being declined for people with Access Investing and Platinum CashPlus accounts, seems once that MS relationship has been established, credit card approval is almost automatic.
The credit card will count toward Chase’s 5/24.
Premier CashPlus not eligible for $695 Annual Engagement Bonus for the MS AmEx Platinum Card.
MS launched Access Investing in December 2017, launched CashPlus in January 2020.
… I’m uncertain as to the requirements and procedures for a thread to have a Wiki(post). As with the New Platinum Card: To-Do List thread, might this thread qualify for a Wiki? Okay mia, you’re on. (Disclaimer: I have never applied for any of these MS accounts ... but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once 
.)
.) - Open MS Access Investing account (to establish the MS relationship) using online application with $5,000.
- Wait a few days.
- Open Platinum CashPlus account (requires existing MS relationship), must be opened by phone or through an advisor, cannot be done online.
- Fund Platinum CashPlus account with $25K.
- Wait a few days.
- Confirm CashPlus account's Account Fee Status page shows “Morgan Stanley Investment Relationship = Yes”.
- Apply for MS AmEx Platinum Card via the link that shows up in the CashPlus account once it's open.
- $5,000 monthly deposit or Social Security deposit in any amount and $25,000 Average Daily Cash Balance in the Bank Deposit Program to avoid Platinum CashPlus Monthly Account Fee.
- Meet minimum spending requirement on the AmEx Platinum card, as of 8/1/21: $6,000 within 6 months to receive sign-up bonus.
- Confirm $695 Annual Engagement Bonus posts to Platinum CashPlus account approximately 6 weeks after credit card approval. (As of 8/1/21, considerable discussion as to whether the FIRST Annual Engagement Bonus is paid within first few months of credit card account opening or at about 1 year after credit card account opening.)
- Enjoy the sign-up bonus and all other AmEx Plat perks, don’t eat or drink too much
. Notes:
All accounts can be opened the same day, best to wait a few days between account openings/applications to ensure each successive account is fully integrated into MS systems to avoid problems.
Few or no reports of MS AmEx Platinum credit card applications being declined for people with Access Investing and Platinum CashPlus accounts, seems once that MS relationship has been established, credit card approval is almost automatic.
The credit card will count toward Chase’s 5/24.
Premier CashPlus not eligible for $695 Annual Engagement Bonus for the MS AmEx Platinum Card.
MS launched Access Investing in December 2017, launched CashPlus in January 2020.
Morgan Stanley American Express Platinum Card (2012 - 2021)
Jul 9, 2021, 4:05 pm
#556
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 78
This thread was a huge help as I navigated this process, so I wanted to try to give back by documenting my experience and adding my data points. In the end, it seems like my experience was pretty typical: a couple of dead ends and false starts, 75+ minutes on the phone with MS, 2 months start to finish, but in the end everything worked out. Hope this can help someone else down the line!
.
.
- 01/13/2021
- Opened the Access Investing account online in the morning
- Wire transfer of $5,000.00+ hits the Access Investing account in the afternoon
- Tried to open the Platinum CashPlus account online but got the "Unfortunately, we are unable to open your CashPlus account online at this time." message
- Called 1-866-479-1844 in the late afternoon and got the CashPlus account set up in ~39 minutes
- Opened the Access Investing account online in the morning
- 01/15/2021
- ACH transfer of $25,000.00+ hits the CashPlus account
- 01/19/2021
- Applied (and approved) for the MS AmEx Platinum online
- Was able to get the card number online immediately
- Requested an additional Platinum card (for no additional annual fee)
- Applied (and approved) for the MS AmEx Platinum online
- 01/20/2021
- CashPlus debit card arrives
- AmEx card arrives
- 01/22/2021
- CashPlus checks arrive
- 01/26/2021
- Additional AmEx card arrives
- 01/31/2021
- First Access Investing statement is cut
- First CashPlus statement is cut
- 02/05/2021
- Annual fee of $550.00 posts to the AmEx account
- First AmEx statement is cut
- First monthly deposit of $5,000.00+ hits the CashPlus account
- 02/10/2021
- Used the Morgan Stanley Online Mailbox to send a message to [email protected] about the fact that my CashPlus account's Account Fee Status page was showing Morgan Stanley Investment Relationship = No
- Never received a response
- Used the Morgan Stanley Online Mailbox to send a message to [email protected] about the fact that my CashPlus account's Account Fee Status page was showing Morgan Stanley Investment Relationship = No
- 02/16/2021
- Met the $1,000.00+ yearly spending requirement on the AmEx
- This is apparently needed to avoid having to pay taxes on the Engagement Bonus
- Met the $1,000.00+ yearly spending requirement on the AmEx
- 02/20/2021
- Paid the AmEx's first statement's balance
- 02/23/2021
- Called 1-888-454-0555 about the fact that my CashPlus account's Account Fee Status page was showing Morgan Stanley Investment Relationship = No
- ~23 minutes later I was told that the accounts were now linked and that I should see that status change by the next morning
- Called 1-888-454-0555 about the fact that my CashPlus account's Account Fee Status page was showing Morgan Stanley Investment Relationship = No
- 02/24/2021
- Account Fee Status page still showing Morgan Stanley Investment Relationship = No
- 02/26/2021
- Called 1-888-454-0555 about the fact that my CashPlus account's Account Fee Status page was still showing Morgan Stanley Investment Relationship = No
- ~14 minutes later I was told that the accounts were now linked (for real this time) and that I should see that status change by the next morning
- Called 1-888-454-0555 about the fact that my CashPlus account's Account Fee Status page was still showing Morgan Stanley Investment Relationship = No
- 02/27/2021
- Account Fee Status page now shows Morgan Stanley Investment Relationship = Yes
- 02/28/2021
- CashPlus monthly account fee grace period ends
- Second Access Investing statement is cut
- Second CashPlus statement is cut
- For the first time, a Consolidated Account Statement (for both the Access Investing & CashPlus accounts) is also cut
- 03/05/2021
- Second monthly deposit of $5,000.00+ hits the CashPlus account
- 03/08/2021
- Second AmEx statement is cut
- 03/12/2021
- Engagement Bonus of $550.00 hits the CashPlus account
Jul 9, 2021, 6:41 pm
#559
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 234
Ignore.
Last edited by Stockjock; Jul 21, 2021 at 4:38 pm
Jul 9, 2021, 8:36 pm
#560
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 587
I’m still waiting for the engagement bonus to post to my account. The annual fee was paid in mid -May and I already have two combined statements (May and June). The MS relationship is listed as “yes.” Should I follow-up with MS now regarding the engagement bonus or wait till the end of this month ?
Jul 9, 2021, 8:49 pm
#561
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Proud resident of flyover country.....
Programs: MS AMEX PLAT- Marriott Titanium-HH G- UA Silver-JPM RC . DL-AA-BA
Posts: 3,892
As soon as the investment funds arrive I'm going to talk with them about how want to direct those funds. I explained in the beginning that I was looking for a way to diversify and that they were not going to be my primary investment company. They seemed happy with the business.
Jul 9, 2021, 9:12 pm
#562
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 88
The Experian Benefit really looks good.
How many Experian enrollments are available to me?
Eligible owners of Platinum CashPlus Account(s) may receive up to four (4) enrollments per Account Link Group.
A good way to protect your accounts/identity.
x4 is maybe a $80 monthly value.
How many Experian enrollments are available to me?
Eligible owners of Platinum CashPlus Account(s) may receive up to four (4) enrollments per Account Link Group.
A good way to protect your accounts/identity.
x4 is maybe a $80 monthly value.
Jul 9, 2021, 9:19 pm
#563
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Proud resident of flyover country.....
Programs: MS AMEX PLAT- Marriott Titanium-HH G- UA Silver-JPM RC . DL-AA-BA
Posts: 3,892
The Experian Benefit really looks good.
How many Experian enrollments are available to me?
Eligible owners of Platinum CashPlus Account(s) may receive up to four (4) enrollments per Account Link Group.
A good way to protect your accounts/identity.
x4 is maybe a $80 monthly value.
How many Experian enrollments are available to me?
Eligible owners of Platinum CashPlus Account(s) may receive up to four (4) enrollments per Account Link Group.
A good way to protect your accounts/identity.
x4 is maybe a $80 monthly value.
Jul 9, 2021, 9:22 pm
#564
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 88
Well, thank you. Yes, I am new here.
I am angling for this card but I am probably not like most of you guys. I fly at most 1x a year but the engagement bonus makes it interesting enough for me to try this out.
So far.. Investment and checking account opened. Appllied for MS Amex Platinum but it's been under review for 3 days now.
Hope to be part of the crew soon.
I am angling for this card but I am probably not like most of you guys. I fly at most 1x a year but the engagement bonus makes it interesting enough for me to try this out.
So far.. Investment and checking account opened. Appllied for MS Amex Platinum but it's been under review for 3 days now.
Hope to be part of the crew soon.
Jul 9, 2021, 9:25 pm
#565
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 234
Ignore.
Last edited by Stockjock; Jul 21, 2021 at 4:39 pm
Jul 9, 2021, 9:27 pm
#566
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 88
As I mentioned earlier, that Experian suite is outstanding, in my view. Only problem for me is that one of my e-mail addresses is really simple/common, since I got it a long time ago ([email protected] not quite, but similar). So many people sign up for bogus accounts using my e-mail address, that I get alerts for random people who created an account by pulling my e-mail address out of the air.
But that's my problem. Otherwise, it's extremely good.
But that's my problem. Otherwise, it's extremely good.
Jul 10, 2021, 1:11 am
#567
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 78
i get it but again, clearly there's a way for you sign up for the cash plus account online or else they wouldn't have a website dedicated to doing it.
Jul 10, 2021, 1:20 am
#568
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: MSP
Posts: 494
I'm not sure there's actually a way to open the account online? I think "Open Account" link takes you to the MSO login as a way to verify that you have an existing MS relationship before telling you who to contact. Since the account itself is only available to existing Morgan Stanley clients there's no number published without logging in, and the main product page itself is just plastered with a bunch of references to contact your Morgan Stanley team.
Jul 10, 2021, 2:10 am
#569
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,188
With interest rates being what they currently are, how much does this matter, unless you're Bill Gates. My primary checking account currently has an interest rate of 0.01% and Ally savings is 0.5%. They might as well be zero, it would not really matter. Which is a large part of why the MS Plat/Cash Plus account is currently such a good value proposition, at least to me. If and when risk free rates climb and the opportunity cost changes, I'll re-evaluate.
Jul 11, 2021, 10:24 am
#570
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 88
The Experian Benefit really looks good.
How many Experian enrollments are available to me?
Eligible owners of Platinum CashPlus Account(s) may receive up to four (4) enrollments per Account Link Group.
A good way to protect your accounts/identity.
x4 is maybe a $80 monthly value.
How many Experian enrollments are available to me?
Eligible owners of Platinum CashPlus Account(s) may receive up to four (4) enrollments per Account Link Group.
A good way to protect your accounts/identity.
x4 is maybe a $80 monthly value.
It appears I will need to add my wife's name to the Platinum CashPlus Account as an account owner for identify and credit protection.
So the x4 enrollment is really good for one user. If you are married and trust your spouse then good for two users. You will most likely not be able to use enrollments 3 and 4 unless you trust them with access to your Platinum Cashplus Account.