Topic Wiki

1)   What is a Financial Review?
In short - American Express occasionally freezes the credit card accounts of individuals with high-risk patterns, or for new account holders.
They request a lot of personal information, such as IRS tax returns, bank statements, letters from Banks ect…

Let’s break it down into 2 different types of Financial Reviews
A)   Mini Financial Review
B)   Financial Review

A)   Mini Financial Review

(please fill in info) This form of financial review, is usually a short process, it could be as short as one phone call. American Express might feel a need to verify your finances for whatever reason, and they could call you to verify information. Your accounts could be suspended from using until you get in touch with them, typically they will restore your accounts after a simple phone call.

B)   Financial Review
This type of Financial Review is very common. It often happens when opening a new account for the first time, usually if you are opening a Charge Card, or a Business Card or if on a new account you start off will a lot of high spending.
American Express will suspend your account/s, they will not remove the suspension until the review is over, which takes around 2 weeks.

If you cannot provide the required information, shut down your account right away.

2)   Triggers

Look below for a list of triggers and links.
 
3)   What will happen?
Your accounts will get suspended. You will be able to log in online, and see account activity, but you will get a message that charging is suspended.

They will contact you via phone and email. Once you get in touch with them, (typically) you will be assigned a specific representative to work on your case.

The will require mainly IRS Tax returns. The point of a Financial Review is to verify your income. They may also require Back statements, a letter from a Bank to verify your address, and other documents. People have reported that they did survive a Financial Review with just bank statements.

As long as you could provide the documents they request you will be fine, they might lower your credit lines, but you should be able keep your account open. Even as low as a $6000 tax return people have been able to survive a Financial Review.

In cases of a Financial Review after opening a Business Card, you will need proof of Business income.

If you cannot provide the required information, shut down your account right away.

As long as you could provide the documents they request you will be fine, they might lower your credit lines, but you should be able keep your account open. Even as low as a $6000 tax return people have been able to survive a Financial Review.

4)   What Steps Should I take?

Get in touch with Amex as soon as you could. Send in the request inform promptly. You will have a rep that will be working with you, and telling you what documents are needed. 4506-t is a transcript request from the IRS for you last tax return. You will need to fill out this form, fax it to Amex, it will take them 24-48 hours until they receive this form, they will request the tax return from the IRS that could take about a week.

Important: you only have 2 attempts to send them the fax, if they reject it after 2 attempts you will get shut down. You don't get more than 2 attempts. (source)
You may be able to get 3 attempts if you ask for a manager.

You need to be on top of it, if you don’t follow thru, they could shut your accounts down.


5)   What to do if American Express closed your accounts?

Once American Express closes your accounts, the only way to get back on is if you have the required information needed to pass a Financial Review. They will require you to request a 4506 form from the IRS (which will cost you $57) before they even approve any of your future applications.


To start you may want to read up here:

F/R triggers:
[/color]


Credit line of $25k or more
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=1438.msg10906#msg10906

Family member receiving FR can cause other family members to get Fr'ed as well
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=6223.msg74003#msg74003 http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.msg24759#msg24759

Living at same address as someone who was FR'ed
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.msg77046#msg77046

Using majority of CL
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=7526.msg87716#msg87716

Large cash advance
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=5908.msg82906#msg82906

Nothing...
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=2723.msg30062#msg30062

Changing name on business card
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=3589.msg38101#msg38101

Mint purchases
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=146.msg22932#msg22932

Amex Gift Card Purchases
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=2422.msg26670#msg26670
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.msg40106#msg40106

Unusual spending
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.msg7627#msg7627
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=3710.msg39597#msg39597

Amazon payments (possibly)
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=3657.msg88656#msg88656
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=3524.msg42436#msg42436

Using close to reported income
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/2537

Logging in online too much (!)
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.msg13741#msg13741

Prepaying
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=1712.msg13732#msg13732
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=3710.msg39725#msg39725

Adding Cardholders (many?)
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.msg49318#msg49318

Refunds exceeding total payments made on the card since it was opened
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=8.msg845606#msg845606
[/font]
Though not exactly F/R, it's worth mentioning that Amex takes returned payments very seriously.
They often shut all accounts without going through the F/R process.

Author Topic: Amex F/R Master Thread  (Read 1875128 times)

Offline Aj3042

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3700 on: March 11, 2015, 04:23:37 PM »
I guess if anyone can answer this it would help me: Can I at least talk to them to see what I need or must i cancel everything right away?
I don't think it's an issue to talk to them. But let's see if people agree with me.

Online Boruch999

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3701 on: March 11, 2015, 05:31:56 PM »
You can certainly talk to them. They will ask you for documents.  You can then decide if you want to try and supply the requested docs or close the cards.

Offline Aj3042

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3702 on: March 11, 2015, 05:47:39 PM »
You can certainly talk to them. They will ask you for documents.  You can then decide if you want to try and supply the requested docs or close the cards.
Ok we have someone's haskamah.

Offline yoshi

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3703 on: March 11, 2015, 07:26:39 PM »
In your humble opinion (DDF members) are there any downsides to filling taxes of an amount less than having to legally pay tax? (I'm not officially a resident of usa, although I am American)

Offline noturbizniss

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3704 on: March 11, 2015, 07:52:52 PM »
In your humble opinion (DDF members) are there any downsides to filling taxes of an amount less than having to legally pay tax? (I'm not officially a resident of usa, although I am American)
Audit.?
READ THE DARN WIKI!!!!

Chuck Norris...
...can still do FT method
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Offline hvaces42

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3705 on: March 11, 2015, 07:59:17 PM »
Audit.?
Thats all you got? Tax fraud is the bigger 800lb gorilla methinks.
Fair warning - Any PMs sent in response to forum posts are fair game for ridicule in public.

Offline SrulyP

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3706 on: March 11, 2015, 08:18:55 PM »
Ok we have someone's haskamah.

Ok we have someone's haskamah.

I will call and see what i can do, has anyone heard of one card escaping FR?

Offline Aj3042

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3707 on: March 11, 2015, 08:20:21 PM »
I will call and see what i can do, has anyone heard of one card escaping FR?
-1 from me.

Offline noturbizniss

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3708 on: March 11, 2015, 09:12:29 PM »
Thats all you got? Tax fraud is the bigger 800lb gorilla methinks.
That was my unsaid implication. If no audit then not get caught for fraud.  If audit then busted.
READ THE DARN WIKI!!!!

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Online Boruch999

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3709 on: March 12, 2015, 03:31:25 AM »
In your humble opinion (DDF members) are there any downsides to filling taxes of an amount less than having to legally pay tax? (I'm not officially a resident of usa, although I am American)

Audit.?
Thats all you got? Tax fraud is the bigger 800lb gorilla methinks.
That was my unsaid implication. If no audit then not get caught for fraud.  If audit then busted.

I think you all may have misunderstood the OPs Q.  I think he is asking if there is any downside in reporting income that is below the tax threshold.  Meaning he really only makes that much.  The upside is the child tax credit.  He is wondering if there is any downside.

I would say that it probably increases the risk of getting audited from very near to zero if he doesn't file to a little further from zero if he does.  If he does get audited, it's a hassle, but he's not busted cuz everything is legit.

Offline yoshi

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3710 on: March 12, 2015, 03:38:30 AM »
I think most people can prove that they made $7k in a year. Just need to show bank account details. Or say that you just made a little money here and there which totaled in a rough estimate of roughly $7k. My question is, if an audit ch"v occurs can they see cc applications and what was said on reported income?

Offline noturbizniss

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3711 on: March 12, 2015, 06:34:15 AM »
I think most people can prove that they made $7k in a year. Just need to show bank account details. Or say that you just made a little money here and there which totaled in a rough estimate of roughly $7k. My question is, if an audit ch"v occurs can they see cc applications and what was said on reported income?
No
READ THE DARN WIKI!!!!

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...can still do FT method
...READS THE WIKI!!!

Offline SrulyP

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3712 on: March 12, 2015, 03:08:06 PM »
Baruch Hashem! I spoke to them and all is well. They didnt want any docs sent they were happy to just talk!!!!! HUGE RELIEF!

Offline Malachi

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3713 on: March 12, 2015, 03:11:04 PM »
Baruch Hashem! I spoke to them and all is well. They didnt want any docs sent they were happy to just talk!!!!! HUGE RELIEF!
Good for you man. I dread a F/R so much it's probably a disorder at this point.
Denny Crane

Offline Aj3042

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3714 on: March 12, 2015, 03:14:21 PM »
Baruch Hashem! I spoke to them and all is well. They didnt want any docs sent they were happy to just talk!!!!! HUGE RELIEF!
Well that's what we call mini FR.

Offline Aj3042

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3715 on: March 12, 2015, 03:15:30 PM »
Good for you man. I dread a F/R so much it's probably a disorder at this point.
Yes it's called FR-obia.

Offline yitzf

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3716 on: March 12, 2015, 03:59:39 PM »
Baruch Hashem! I spoke to them and all is well. They didnt want any docs sent they were happy to just talk!!!!! HUGE RELIEF!
Just saw you original post.
When they request your tax transcript, it gives the total income and is not broken down by husband/wife. If one of you has income you both should be able to pass a F/R.

Offline SrulyP

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3717 on: March 12, 2015, 04:00:59 PM »
Just saw you original post.
When they request your tax transcript, it gives the total income and is not broken down by husband/wife. If one of you has income you both should be able to pass a F/R.

Thanks for this, hopefully wont ever need it, but if i do it will help!

Offline TimT

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3718 on: March 12, 2015, 09:49:39 PM »
Thanks for this, hopefully wont ever need it, but if i do it will help!
Amex F/R isn't the end of the world. Many get through it fine. Chase A/A OTOH

Offline steves

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3719 on: March 15, 2015, 09:36:01 PM »
Has anyone has success in passing an F/R when they asked you to send in tax returns and instead you just sent them your bank statements?