Hollyau

Thanks percysmith, allowing multiple payments is very helpful! I shall call up before I make the rest of my IRD payment to double check my designated card.

maya1005

Hi Percy and folks,

Just got my tax bill for the year... cry...

Might as well get something out of it... so will apply for CCB.

Just to make sure I understand how it works, I just need to pay tax with my CCB Dual Pay (never actually used credit card to pay tax before, is it via online?) and then use HSBC Plat (which hubby has already) to cover the CCB bill, right? Do I remember that Percy pays his tax bill over several months to maximise the points? Does it matter whether I get the CCB or hubby? My tax bill is greater but the HSBC Plat is in his name.

Thanks!

percysmith

Yes

No need to split it now - that was dah sing 1% which ended this year.

Actual taxpayer doesn't matter. It's just a bill number.

ffs852

CX Amex Elite Card - Priority Pass is now limited to 4 free visits to the lounges per year with spending over HKD $150,000. Anything over 4 times is billable.

percysmith

Changes notified in post 2208 above.

But I get why you're writing - there's a letter in my mailbox asking me to confirm the changes in writing. Else, no more Priority Pass after 31 December 2014.

maya1005

Thanks Percy! ^

percysmith

The loophole may be closed at any time. Tho it's pretty well known one - the cost should be with HSBC - no idea why they allowed this card to earn RewardCash in the first place and no idea when they will choose to discontinue it.

percysmith

Only applicable if you received a letter like this or will receive this letter in the next few days (I called HSBC and managed to have them confirm I will be receiving this letter):

http://www.hongkongcard.com/forum/fo...p?id=13480&p=1



There are a few variations of the offer:

1. bhyuen http://www.hongkongcard.com/forum/fo...w.php?id=13480 #1 (and me also):

Offer 1: spend $4K in spending with sales slip, pay $250 tax --> earn 1RC, cap 100RC
Offer 2: spend $12K in spending with sales slip, pay tax of any amount, earn extra 100RC.

(so if you spend $12K inspending with sales slip and pay $25K tax you get 200RC)

2. skye 1. bhyuen http://www.hongkongcard.com/forum/fo...w.php?id=13480 #8:

Offer 1: spend $4K in spending with sales slip, pay $250 tax --> earn 1RC, cap 100RC

(no offer 2)



---

I'm not too keen on Offer 1, it's what I'll earn with CCB anyway and I can double eat their $200 coupon for 80K tax there. And repay them later. But I'm sure there are slackers among FTers who couldn't be bothered to get CCB CUP and happily pay all their hundreds of thousands of taxes with HSBC even though the promotion limit is $25,000 tax payment.

I hope to play Offer 2 with any Winter Stories promo coming up hopefully tonight or tomorrow.

percysmith

I've just been privately alerted by a contact that CCB has frozen his account for trying to prepay more than 7 times his CCB CUP credit limit into his credit card (from HSBC) in preparation for a tax payment. CCB claimed the payment was "abnormal" (compared to the CCB CUP credit limit)

I forwarded the story to other card jings and found this is not new. I've got back two versions of what will happen:

1. CCB requires the cardholder to name the merchants and transaction dates before unfreezing the CUP account.

2. CCB refunds the prepayment and charges $50 cheque refund fee


One FTer says he believes this is just a fraud prevention measure - unlike the other "abnormal" bank he does not believe CCB is out to confiscate our miles.

They don't give our miles anyway, HSBC does. HSBC definitely has no problems with prepayment, I prepaid my HSBC account something close to four times my HSBC credit limit in September in order to settle three CCB CUP cards which I have played Summer Reward with plus spend $20K for the off peak promo

As mentioned above (since all my Summer Reward balances have been paid off) I had CCB concentrate all my credit limit to one account so I need not prepay that. Experience from arguing with the other Abnormal (Abuse and Misuse) bank suggests banks have a very hard time arguing cardholders using one times their credit limit per month is improper.

fakecd

Why bother do this and raise red flags?

The way is:
1)make a partial tax payment to IRD within credit limit on CCB.
2) Make HSBC to CCB payment immediately
3) Wait 2-3 days
4) Your CCB credit limit is "freed" again to make next batch of payments repeat 1 above.

So unless your tax is ridiculously high compared to your credit limit, chances are with 2-3 of these cycles you would be able to finish your tax payment... allow 3 business days for this cycle which is max 1-2 weeks.... good planning is part of the game. In HK the card company seems to give out unlimited credit... for my CCB card, which comes out only at tax time, the limit allocated to me from very initial moment is like 4x my monthly salary it's just rediculous... thankfully in HK tax is max 2mths of income... so you line of credit should not be an issue.

percysmith

Fakecd: haha for one time I only had 20K limit with AIG (CCB's predecessor). But my limit is six digits now

The only case people will get caught up is probably when the limit is in another card (like the non-designated CUP card or the V/M card limit)

Sheun

Follow-up question regarding this change.
We can access to Premium Plaza lounges network (including HKG one) just by presenting my CX Amex Elite. (I haven't tried tho, in the past I used to present my Priority Pass).https://www.americanexpress.com/hk/e...plaza-network/ Would that burn 1 of the 4 eligible visits per year if I only present them my Amex but not my Priority Pass at HKG?

I know the Priority Pass is linked to Amex. But Amex website seems to sell this Plaza Premium Lounge as a separate benefit. Also, supplementary cardmembers can access while they don't get complimentary Priority Pass.

IncyWincy

Am I right that the Amex Centurion Card provides unlimited access to the Premium Plaza Lounge?

Does the Citi Premier Miles card provide unlimited access too?

Thank you.

percysmith

Sheun - I assume not. Plaza Premium is charged directly to Amex, and I've been told that still remains unlimited.

Priority Pass is charged under a different system, and that is restricted to four.

You sign the same Amex slip in the HKG Plaza Premium Arrivals Lounge (not accessible via Priority Pass) as you would if you visit Plaza Premium East and West Lounges in the restricted area (accessible via Priority Pass).

percysmith

https://www.redhotoffers.hsbc.com.hk...annings-offer/


Form group of 5 = 8% in rewardcash
Buy from mannings on Fri/sat/sun = 2% extra
--> 10% total

Weekly caps:
8%: 200rc/week
2%: 50rc/week

Promo cap:
8%: 1,400rc
2%: 300rc

So
Buy 6 weeks of $2,500 mannings
Each week: 200rc + 50rc
6 weeks: 1,200rc + 300rc (2% max)

For 7th week, can buy more Mannings/Broadway/TS/TMP $2,500 --> 200rc (1,400rc promo total)

Earn rate: $17,500 spend for 1,700 RC (25,500 miles) --> $0.686/mile.

I think I'll form my group of 5 very quickly. Anyone else needing a group of 5 suggest leave a post here asking others to PM you.

P.S. Promo to 28 Feb 15 not 31 Jan 15 as stated earlier...if you're going for the Mannings strategy it may be worth waiting for the last 7 weeks because HSBC has some history upping the Mannings earn on the second week of January.