Loading your AMEX Serve account is about to get less convenient.
Miles to Memories writes, starting April 16, 2015, you’ll no longer be allowed to add funds to AMEX Serve with credit cards from Discover, MasterCard, Visa, or any credit card not issued by American Express.
What’s AMEX Serve?
Link: AMEX Serve
AMEX Serve is a prepaid debit card, like AMEX Bluebird. You can add funds, direct deposit, pay bills, deposit checks, transfer money, and withdraw cash from ATMs. Many folks use Serve to meet minimum spending requirements on their credit cards.You can load AMEX Serve with cash, debit, or gift cards at stores like Walmart and Family Dollar.
But the most convenient feature is that you can load up to $200 per day (maximum of $1,000 per month or $1,500 if you have Softcard) online using a debit or credit card. But this is changing!
What Are the New Rules
Link: AMEX Serve Changes
If you want to add funds to your AMEX Serve account using a credit card online, you’ll only be able to use American Express cards such as:
This is not good news for folks who use their AMEX Serve account to meet the minimum spending requirement on a variety of cards. Plus, you will NOT earn miles or cash back with most AMEX cards for adding funds to Serve online.
This is still better than AMEX Bluebird, which doesn’t allow folks to add funds directly with a credit card at all.
But there is an alternative!
REDcard to the Rescue!
With the Target REDcard you can use any credit card to add funds directly to your account at Target stores. You can only have 1 AMEX prepaid card (either AMEX Bluebird, REDcard, or Serve). So this may be a good time to make the switch!
Currently, REDcard is only available in certain states, so check the store locator to see if you can pick 1 up in your area.
You can also load more onto the REDcard account directly with a credit card than you can with Serve. Here’s a look at the load limits:
- Direct deposit: $100,000 per year
- “Cash” (loading at Target register, currently includes credit card loads): $2,500 per day and $5,000 per month
- Checking or savings account: $2,000 per month
- Debit card: $200 per day and $1,000 per month
- Request & receive money transactions: $10,000 per month
- Send money transactions: $2,500 per month
- Pay bills: $15,000 per month ($5,000 per month for unregistered payees, like individuals)
- ATM withdrawals: $750 per day and $2,000 per month
- Retail or online purchases: $15,000 per month
Bottom Line
You can currently load up to $1,000 per month ($1,500 with Softcard) online to your AMEX Serve account using any credit card. But that’s about to change!
Starting April 16, 2015, your AMEX Serve will no longer accept Visa, Discover, or MasterCard credit cards for adding funds online. You will only be able to use American Express credit cards.
This isn’t good news for many folks with AMEX Serve accounts. Especially because you will NOT earn miles and points for adding funds to Serve with most AMEX cards.
But luckily there’s an alternative, the Target REDcard! With this card you load up to $5,000 per month using any credit card at Target stores!
What do you think about these changes? And will you be making the switch to Target prepaid REDcard?