Back in 2016, American Express stopped prorating the annual fee when you cancel a card in middle of the card-year. Product changes, however, still get the fee prorated. This leaves the option of downgrading a card no longer needed in order to get the desired prorate. Card closures within 30 days also get the full fee refunded.
Reader Mike tells us a very interesting tidbit that upon request you can get the annual fee prorated on an American Express card, provided that you have at least one other Amex card open. You need to specifically request the prorate at the time you call in to close the account; it won’t happen automatically. You can likely get a refund check or ask them to apply the prorated fee to your other card.
DP: Literally just got off the phone with CS to close my gold card. Rep had told me last month that they WILL prorate at cancel if you ask, so long as you have OTHER Amex cards open. It can’t be your only card. She encouraged me to wait until my ~6,000 membership rewards points from the last statement hit before canceling. Sure enough, they just closed the card and prorated the refund for the remaining 10 months on the account.
She was adamant that you have to specifically request this, however.
I’ve never heard of this before; it can be quite useful for the lot of us who have multiple Amex cards. While we only have one report on this, it’s actually based on two different Amex reps who told Mike about this (the first rep who told him about it and the second rep who actually processed the prorate for Mike) which makes me more confident it’ll work for anyone.
I’m not sure if this works with business cards as well, e.g. if you close a Platinum business card in mid-year, and you have a Blue Business Plus card remaining. Please let us know in the comments if this worked for you and if you try it out on a business card.
[Update: Another data point confirms that you can get a manual prorate.]
I cancelled my Am Ex credit card and asked for a new one. They sent me a new card with a new number and today I found out they have been approving purchases on my old account number and posting the amount due on my new account.
I called them and they said they approved 84 transactions on the closed card number since it was closed in 2020. Am I responsible for the charges they approved of since 2020 on the closed cc number?
Anyone know what I can do?
Thank you,
I just tried to cancel my Amex platinum today outside of the 30-day window.. the rep was adamant that he cannot prorate the annual fee.
Though he did suggest a product change will get me a prorated refund. He also noted that if I cancel the new card within 30 days of annual fee being charged, that annual fee will be refunded to me as well.. would you think that’s a legit workaround?
DP: Just closed my Bonvoy Brilliant ($450 annual fee charged 9/23) today after my 50k certificate finally hit my account over the weekend. Offered me 20k Marriott points for $2k spend, but wasn’t interested. Without asking they notified me that my annual fee would be prorated since I’m outside of the 30 day window and would get a check in the mail for $375.
Now just need to get that 130k upgrade offer my regular Bonvoy card!
Just cancelled a Bonvoy Business card (formerly SPG Business) and after transferring to a supervisor (chat) I was able to promptly get a pro rated refund. Was about 1.5 years into the card. First chat rep gave me the 30 days thing but had no problem with the supervisor. I do have other Amex cards.
Recently picked up the 150k Aspire Offer and closed my Surpass to get it. On the closed Surpass there’s now a membership fee adjustment (credit) equal to 2 months of the AF. I didn’t have to request the refund. I didn’t even ask since it’s been widely mentioned the answer would always be no
Did your sign up bonus for the Surpass get clawed back?
I’m looking to downgrade my Surpass after first year (2nd annual fee hits) to the no AF card. I would have 2 x AF cards in total.
Any advice would be appreciated.
This was about 2 weeks ago and the Surpass was open for 20 or so months. I only closed it to get the good Aspire offer. I’d paid the AF since the original offer was 100k after meeting MSR and a FN after paying the 2nd year AF. There’s no reason in my mind to expect a claw back and hadn’t heard of any either
That’s surprising.
Before taking this as fact, where does Mike live?
Certain states make it illegal not to Prorate the fee when you cancel
Certain states = Massachusetts as far as I know is the only one that in fact requires it. Good question. Where does Mike live or more importantly where is Mike’s billing address for his Amex cards?
Hmm, interesting. I pinged Mike here https://www.doctorofcredit.com/micro-hack-timing-your-american-express-annual-fee-refund-for-product-changes/#comment-806203
Hopefully he’ll reply.
Kentucky, he said!
I’m sure this wont work the first year of membership,
Mike, Did you close your account in the first year?
In any case closing the card in 1st year is like inviting the RAT voluntarily for financial review …. Rep themselves will roll their eyes if you do this …
RAT has nothing to do with FR.
Oh is it …. he he …
Closing in the first year is a great way to have your bonus clawed back as it is explicitly against the terms.
Closing within the first 12 months is clearly against the sign up bonus terms but then couldn’t you just cancel at say 13 months and thereby keep the bonus AND avoid another full year of annual fee by closing the account and requesting a refund of the just billed annual fee? Anyone have any experience with this?
People need to be careful with this type of thing in the era of RAT.