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Paying child support with my Amex card...paypal?

Peter PrinciplePeter Principle Registered User regular
edited February 2010 in Help / Advice Forum
I gotta pay fat stacks in child support directly to my ex and it sure would be nice to do it with my American Express card (2% cash back on purchases, ftw). If my ex has a paypal account can she charge my Amex card?

Are there any other ways that I could use my Amex card to pay this? I talked to her bank about paying directly into her account, but that doesn't count as a purchase, just a cash advance.

"A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding other people's business." - Eric Hoffer, _The True Believer_
Peter Principle on

Posts

  • vonPoonBurGervonPoonBurGer Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    In order to be seen as a purchase and not a cash advance your ex would probably need to use PayPal's merchant services so she could charge your Amex as if you were purchasing something. I can't imagine someone going out of their way to gain you 2% at a cost to them of more than 2%, which is what PayPal charges for their merchant services.

    vonPoonBurGer on
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  • Peter PrinciplePeter Principle Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    She might do it for the convenience. Any idea what they would charge?

    Peter Principle on
    "A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding other people's business." - Eric Hoffer, _The True Believer_
  • DeebaserDeebaser on my way to work in a suit and a tie Ahhhh...come on fucking guyRegistered User regular
    edited February 2010
    There probably isn't. Amex makes their money by charging merchants for transactions. Ergo, pretty much any method you find that will count as a purchase will cost your ex-wife and kiddie more than 2% in fees.

    Deebaser on
  • DeebaserDeebaser on my way to work in a suit and a tie Ahhhh...come on fucking guyRegistered User regular
    edited February 2010
    Paypal fees

    YOUR MONTHLY SALES YOUR FEE
    $0 to $3,000 2.9% + $0.30
    $3,000+ to $10,000 2.5% + $0.30*
    $10,000+ 2.2% + $0.30*

    Deebaser on
  • NeylaNeyla Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    I pay child support, and I was always told to have paper trail saying it is for child support. Could you perhaps get amex cheques? That way you have a paper trail, plus add in the memo what it is for. Not sure if you can still get the 2% cash back that way? But atleast that will cover the bases, just in case...

    I learned me the hard way.

    Neyla on
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  • ThanatosThanatos Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    AMEX cheques are cash advances. They don't count as purchases, and you're going to pay way more than 2% in fees on them even if they did.

    The credit card companies make sure there's no way to do stuff like this.

    Thanatos on
  • adytumadytum The Inevitable Rise And FallRegistered User regular
    edited February 2010
    Where are you that you pay child support directly?

    A lot of states have a giant bureaucracy involved and don't take kindly to people making payments outside the system.

    adytum on
  • Peter PrinciplePeter Principle Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    Washington state, and we have that giant...silly goose...bureaucracy here, too. But making use of it is thankfully not a requirement.

    Peter Principle on
    "A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding other people's business." - Eric Hoffer, _The True Believer_
  • o55goteno55goten Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    I work for a county clerks office and see all kinds of child support stuff. For a purchase you might just want to pay into the clerks office for your child support for two reasons. One there is one hell of a back up if she says she didn't get the money you can just point to the courthouse and say i gave it to them. Two if you pay there it will be a purchase.

    o55goten on
    When life gives you lemons
    Chuck'em at dam Cars
  • Peter PrinciplePeter Principle Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    o55goten wrote: »
    I work for a county clerks office and see all kinds of child support stuff. For a purchase you might just want to pay into the clerks office for your child support for two reasons. One there is one hell of a back up if she says she didn't get the money you can just point to the courthouse and say i gave it to them. Two if you pay there it will be a purchase.


    When you say clerk's office, do you mean child support services?

    Peter Principle on
    "A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding other people's business." - Eric Hoffer, _The True Believer_
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