Jamie Thompson, WalletHub Analyst
@ExTaxMan
The best credit card to pay taxes is the Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card or the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card for those who don’t plan to carry a balance. However, the Wells Fargo Reflect℠ Card is the best credit card for a tax payment if you’re planning on carrying a balance. All 3 of these cards have rewards rates or redemption values that are worth more than the IRS’s processing fee costs (1.87%-1.99%). But of the 3, only Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has a 0% APR intro period.
Alliant Cashback Visa can give up to 2.5% (if you meet requirements) on all purchases, which is higher than the lowest processing fee for federal taxes. The maximum amount of cash back you can earn on this card is $250 per billing cycle at the 2.5% rate, however, so only use this card if your tax bill is less than $10,000. Alliant Cashback Visa has a $0 annual fee.
Chase Sapphire Preferred is another good contender for paying a tax bill because of its signup bonus: 60,000 points ($750 in travel through Chase) after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. The return is more than most people pay in IRS processing fees – and if you owe $4,000 or more in taxes, you can actually earn the bonus by paying your tax bill. The card also gives 1 - 5 points per $1 spent, which means you’ll earn 1 point for every dollar of your tax bill in addition to the intro bonus. Each point is worth 1.25 cents when redeemed for travel. The annual fee is $95.
If you’re planning to carry a balance after you pay a tax bill with a credit card, Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a good financing option because it has an intro purchase APR of 0% for 15 months from account opening and a $0 annual fee. The initial bonus for this card - and its best tax-paying feature - is $200 cash rewards after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months. Paying taxes with this card will give 2% cash rewards - higher than the IRS credit card processing rate.
Paying taxes with a credit card may sound like a no-brainer, but it isn’t the best idea in many cases. It could end with a high-interest debt and a damaged credit score. Those planning on paying with plastic should weigh out the pros and cons carefully, and having the right credit card is a big part of the decision.

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