topic Re: Using Amex Business card for personal use in Credit Cards

Using Amex Business card for personal use

syeb — Tue, 16 May 2017 21:02:38 GMT

I have read some very informative threads here regarding using personal cards for business use. But information about the other way around is not so easy to find.

I have a new Business Gold charge card I opened in April for a little side Ebay business, more like a hobby of mine (sole proprietorship). I will not make the bonus spend of $5,000 with the business expenses alone. However, I can pay my daughter's college tuition on the card that will get me to where I need to be.

Does Amex have any issues with using the business card for personal expenses? I have been with Amex since 1992 and run about $5,000 per month on my personal cards with them.

I could not find any mention of personal charges in the T&C for the business card.

Thanks!

Re: Using Amex Business card for personal use

bourgogne — Tue, 16 May 2017 21:48:57 GMT

Personal ethics, co-mingling of funds & piercing corp veils aside I don’t think it’s much cause for concern. Is this a 75/5 BGR? I think you will hear arguments on both sides but if this is mostly a one-time deal to grab a bonus I would go for it. Hum I did go for it lol

Re: Using Amex Business card for personal use

CreditCuriosity — Tue, 16 May 2017 21:53:33 GMT

You should be fine paying her tuition.. I am paid a months rent with my SPG business card to help meet the 8k spend on it.. Also have paid rent with my few year old simply cash a few times and no issues either. Unless you do paypal to your last name or something that makes them raise an eyebrow you will be just fine.

with that said amex wants their business cards to be used for business and personal to be used for personal.. All that said once again you will be fine, but that is their offical stance.

Re: Using Amex Business card for personal use

Anonymous — Tue, 16 May 2017 23:36:10 GMT

You could just buy business Amex gift cards, Believe me, they dont frown upon that.

Re: Using Amex Business card for personal use

jamesdwi — Thu, 18 May 2017 03:30:23 GMT

to totally cover your bacon, Hire her, call it tution reimbursement, a bonus, what ever. But do contact your tax advisor for any tax ramifications of this, Its your company you can do anything you like for your employees.

Re: Using Amex Business card for personal use

Anonymous — Thu, 18 May 2017 12:33:44 GMT

I use my Blue for Business for personal dining a lot due to 10x MR per dollar bonus. Used the SPG business for personal stays too.

Unless you're doing something outrightly shady in the first place they don't seem to care.

Re: Using Amex Business card for personal use

Anonymous — Thu, 18 May 2017 14:50:07 GMT

Dining and hotels looks business-y. How far from 5000 is OP?

Re: Using Amex Business card for personal use

syeb — Fri, 19 May 2017 17:57:57 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Dining and hotels looks business-y. How far from 5000 is OP?

I was $4993 away from $5,000 at the time.

I got offered the 75k / $5k bonus in an email from Amex. My little eBay side hobby doesn't really qualify as a business though. But for 75k points and no AF the first year it was certainly worth it.

Re: Using Amex Business card for personal use

Anonymous — Fri, 19 May 2017 18:40:45 GMT

You will see advice not to use business cards for personal use, but this comes from consumer agencies rather than issuers. The concern is that the whole raft of protections on consumer cards are largely absent on business cards.

So you might be out of luck if your daughter's tuition is stolen, breaks after 2 weeks, doesn't arrive or doesn't meet the quality expected! But I assume all but the last aren't real concerns...

Re: Using Amex Business card for personal use

syeb — Mon, 22 May 2017 18:34:05 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
You will see advice not to use business cards for personal use, but this comes from consumer agencies rather than issuers. The concern is that the whole raft of protections on consumer cards are largely absent on business cards.

So you might be out of luck if your daughter's tuition is stolen, breaks after 2 weeks, doesn't arrive or doesn't meet the quality expected! But I assume all but the last aren't real concerns...

Re: Using Amex Business card for personal use

Anonymous — Mon, 22 May 2017 18:50:05 GMT

I've actually called Amex to ask them this exact same question. They have ZERO issues with you using your business card for personal purchases. There is no restriction and nothing 'bad' will happen because of this.

Re: Using Amex Business card for personal use

Anonymous — Tue, 23 May 2017 00:52:21 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I've actually called Amex to ask them this exact same question. They have ZERO issues with you using your business card for personal purchases. There is no restriction and nothing 'bad' will happen because of this.

I was there when you called! Bill covered the speaker and said "You'll never guess what this guy is asking.... I'll have fun with this." And he put on his big serious voice "No, that will be absolutely fine. There is no issue. No problem. Thank you for calling American Express" He hung up then burst out laughing. "I'll alert the FR guys now...."

Re: Using Amex Business card for personal use

Anonymous — Tue, 23 May 2017 12:50:10 GMT

I'm pretty sure i paid tuition on one of my business Amex cards so i have to continue agreeing that they don't care. Bought a new bed on my Blue for Business 2 weeks ago as well, since I signed up with a year of no interest and after sleeping on quality mattresses in Westin hotels i couldn't bear my old broken crap bed any longer.

Re: Using Amex Business card for personal use

syeb — Wed, 24 May 2017 16:56:29 GMT

Thanks for the responses. the 75K bonus posted the day after the charge moved out of pending. Pretty good response time!

Re: Using Amex Business card for personal use

Anonymous — Wed, 24 May 2017 17:01:28 GMT

Yep Amex is pretty good at posting your rewards fairly quickly. My PRG bonus posted right after I paid it off!