Tax season is quickly approaching. If you're looking to maximize the points, miles and cash back you earn while doing your taxes, there are a few things you should consider.
For example, if you plan to use software to prepare your taxes, you'll want to check online shopping portals and credit card merchant offers before settling on a service. And whether you're preparing your own taxes or hiring a professional, you'll also need to consider how to pay for the preparation and any resulting taxes you owe. So, let's dive in.
There are many tax software packages on the market that you may want to use to prepare your taxes. During previous tax seasons, we've seen excellent offers for select tax software providers through online shopping portals.
The best offers tend to appear as the April 15 individual income tax filing deadline approaches. But I recommend using a shopping portal aggregator like CashbackMonitor to quickly compare the choices for your preferred software. For example, here are the options at the time of writing for TaxAct:
It's also worth checking your Amex Offers, Citi Merchant Offers, Chase Offers, BankAmeriDeals, U.S. Bank cash-back deals and American AAdvantage SimplyMiles offers. I've seen offers for TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxAct and Jackson Hewitt on my accounts in the past. But as with the shopping portal offers, the best (and most) offers will likely appear as the filing deadline nears.
You can sometimes stack shopping portal earnings with credit card merchant offers. Just be sure to enroll in the merchant offer before making your purchase and read the fine print to determine if you must use a particular link when making your purchase.
Related: If I cash out my points and miles, do I have to claim it on my taxes?
If you're paying tax preparation fees, consider using one of the best everyday spending cards when you do so. After all, payments to most accounting firms won't code in a way that fits into the bonus categories found on most rewards credit cards.
And, if you owe federal taxes this year, you may want to pay your taxes with a credit card. The Internal Revenue Service uses the following three third-party payment processors for tax payments by credit card:
As you can see, you'll need to pay a fee to pay your federal taxes with a credit card. But, depending on your card, it could be worthwhile. For example, you could use an American Airlines card to earn American Airlines miles and Loyalty Points. Or you could use a card for which you're working toward minimum spending requirements for a bonus or threshold reward.
Using the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card — which would both earn 2 Capital One miles per dollar on the purchase —
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
It's one of the marvels of science that we forget about in our everyday lives but in 2024 it might be time to pay attention to just how much the sun, the moon and our planet Earth can put on a real show. It's an exciting time to become an astrotourist as it's the only chance to see a solar eclipse in the U.S. for the next 20 years.
In January, Alaska celebrated its 65th anniversary of becoming the 49th state. Such a milestone sets the stage for high expectations, and with good reason: Following a record-setting tourism season in 2023 led by more than 1.6 million cruise visitors, predictions are for another banner year in 2024, according to the Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA).
International travelers visiting New Zealand go to Queenstown; Kiwis go to Wānaka. Like its better-known neighbor to the south, Wānaka has spectacular outdoor pursuits, breathtaking scenery, and a buzzy lakefront. But this is where the two towns diverge: Adrenaline-fueled Queenstown increasingly caters to foreign visitors (members of its seasonal workforce frequently have English or American accents), while Wānaka leans in the other direction, creating an oasis of localness that has made it an under-the-radar capital of the Kiwi lifestyle. Now, in-the-know overseas travelers are catching on.
More than 10,000 rooms will surround the lagoon powered by Crystal Lagoons® technology, recently inaugurated in the United States. It is located just steps from Disney World and Universal Studios in the heart of Orlando, the most visited destination in the US, with 75 million tourists annually. This city offers a wide range of entertainment options but lacks a beach, an issue remedied in this great development with a crystalline lagoon of the multinational innovation company founded by the scientist Fernando Fischmann. The lagoon forms part of the Evermore Orlando Resort, one of the largest tourism projects in Florida. The large 8-acre body of water with extensive beaches breaks the hotel paradigm by providing truly superior standards and consolidates the presence of Crystal Lagoons in the hospitality and entertainment industry.
Growing up in the US, I always felt inclined to connect with people through what I shared with them. From as far back as I can remember, connecting through similarities was the default tactic for navigating conversations with strangers and initiating friendships.
Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
Condé Nast Traveler has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Condé Nast Traveler and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Compensation does not impact how or where cards appear on the site. We don't review or include all companies, or all available products. Moreover, the editorial content on this page was not provided by any of the companies mentioned and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are entirely those of Condé Nast Traveler's editorial team.
The creation of a new Asian super-airline has taken a step closer. On Wednesday, Japanese regulators approved Korean Air’s proposed merger with local rival Asiana Airlines.
Startup BermudAir is adding two new U.S. dots to its map. The airline has unveiled new flights between its namesake island and Baltimore and Orlando starting in March.