Update 3/23/25: Tax payments with pay1040 & ACI have been working to count as part of the ‘Tax Prep’ category.
Original Post 3/2/25:
In the Chase app, there is showing a “birthday surprise category” on the Chase Freedom and Freedom Flex cards. In celebration of the 15th birthday of the Chase Freedom, the Freedom cards will earn 5%/5x on Insurance payments and on Tax Preparation Services during the month of March.
The fine print states that the regular quarterly $1,500 limit will apply to these March categories along with the other quarterly categories (Grocery, Fitness, Spa).
Personally, I’ll be maxing out my Freedom Flex card with Grocery since I have the 10x signup bonus for the first year at Grocery. On my other Freedom card, I’ll likely try using up the $1,500 limit in March 2025 on Insurance payments.
Hat tip to reader mangorunner
Update 12/18/24: A reader reached out to let us know that apparently there will be bonus categories each of the quarters in the coming year (2025), in honor of Chase Freedom 5% fifteenth birthday. We’ll find out later in the year what the bonus categories are for Q2, Q3, and Q4.
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I paid $3,742 tax directly and was recognized as 5% bonus, but totally I received 3742 points (1% base), which I understand, but bonus points only 5,940, it doesn't looks like 5% , I doubt if it has a maximum limit or I count it wrong way. Any ideas please?
Does anyone know if I charge today it will post by Monday? Since it’s the weekend.
almost same issue. i paid my insurance payment last night and it shows up as "pending". Chase doesn't post transactions very fast. Hopefully they will honor the transaction date, as i doubt it posts monday. i had forgotten about the 5% bonus.
Is it the date the transaction goes pending that matters, or the date it posts?
That's not exactly accurate. What matters is the "Transaction Date", rather than the "Post Date".
However, just because the transaction went pending today doesn't mean that today will be the "Transaction Date" on the statement. 1 example of this happening is when you buy something from Costco for delivery.
But for online transactions like tax prep and insurance, presumably the transaction date will match the date it goes pending?
Most likely that will be the case. However, I just wanted to add that tidbit so people know that what you described is not a blanket policy.
Should be good. On Dec 31 evening I did chase freedom PayPal but it must have been too late bc it had tx date of Jan 1 and no bonus points. I would say should be fine.
Does anyone know for Tax payments with pay1040 & ACI to count as 5x, are people charging directly or via PayPal?
I can add another data point. I made a payment for $1500+service fee on 3/26 for an Estimated Tax Payment. It was pending for 2 days. But it finally went through with a transaction date of 3/26 and a posted date of 3/27. I paid the bill separately going to the irs.gov website and choosing pay1040 (1.75% service fee) as the payment method with credit card. I paid directly. It took half a day before pay1040 came back with an email saying the irs accepted my payment -- so I guess there is a possibility that the payment would not be accepted(??). Both the $1500 & service fee got 5%, except I was capped at a total of $1500 earning 5% (I needed a $1500 payment otherwise I'd have reduced the payment by the service fee).
Yep, paid directly through pay1040 on Tuesday. The pending charges posted Thursday, and as others reported, both the tax payment and the service charge show as qualifying for the bonus "tax & insurance" category.
Directly. Pay1040 is still charging 2.89% for PayPal payments, and ACI via PayPal codes as home utilities and so it might not get 5% back.
DP for tax payments. Paid taxes via pay1040, 1.85% service fee. 2 charges, one for tax and other for service fee. Both Initial charges coded as tax payments/bills and utilities. 2 days later after they both posted, both showing as 5% earned.
For anyone wondering about State Tax payments, I am in NJ and New Jersey State Tax DID NOT work for the 5% category with Freedom Cards. This was paid through the NJ State Tax website.
California worked for both tax and fee. They use ACI.
What was the MCC? Shows up under 'Merchant type' in the transaction details.
@Queue_Underflow The MCC is Government Services. The merchant shows NJ Direct. They charge 2.3% fee, so using US Bank Smartly Visa for 2.5% will at least cover that for me.
Is anyone else’s quarterly reward counter/tracker super off? I spent $1200 and $1500 on insurance payments, with P1 and P2 freedom cards respectively. Our counters are only showing approx $13 and $18 of earned rewards out of $75. Statements and 5x points have already posted for all the bonus spending so far. No refunds. Thoughts/similar experiences?
Where do you find the reward counter/tracker?
Can I pay my geico or famers bill in march then?
Just did pay1040 $1,500 payment on Freedom. Hoping for the best.
Update 3/27/25: worked for the 5x. Yay!
@6,
It must be nice being able to edit your own comments 3 days later!
Please let us know 🤞
Can confirm both the payment and the service fee got 5%.
Can confirm same DP, worked for both payment and the fee. Points pending in tracker.
are these estimates taxes paid in advance or 2024 tax dues being paid with return filing ?
If paying in advance will the refund come with 2024 return or one has to wait until 2025 filing in 2026 ?
Sorry if these are newbie questions.
Most likely either money owed on 2024 return or 2025 estimated taxes for filing in 2026.
Thanks Celia.
Assuming one has 2 freedom cards and both are maxed out to pay $3000 earning $75+$75 Cashback.
Paying this much in advance for 2025 estimated taxes would mean one wont see those funds for a year.
$3K in HYSA for 1 year would earn about the $140. So net gain is $10 ?
am I understanding this right ?
I have to pay estimated tax quarterly. A quick math says even paying the second quarter’s estimated tax (not due until 06/15) with Freedom is worth it for our household. By the time the credit card needs to be paid off, it’s already May so the advance is short.
I have to pay estimated taxes anyway so I don’t look at it that way. But it sounds right that way. Though some value UR points more than 1 cent by using with CSP/CSR or transfer to airlines.
Don't forget about the awesome PYB!
What's PYB ?
pay yourself back
Pay Yourself Back. It's a feature of CSR, which is a part of where some value UR points more than 1 cent. Some purchases in certain categories can be reimbursed using UR points at 1.25.
Nice!
Did anyone get 5% bonus for Geico auto insurance payment?
Yes. Can confirm 5% cash back on GEICO.
Yes, the points are currently pending for me.
Insurance is a great category! so is self care. So was vet services. They are doing a great job making this a useful card. Q2 categories are less exciting so it'll be interesting to see the bonus category.
June surprise category is internet, cable, and phone services.