American Express® Gold Card Agreement

Account & Service Control · Context

"We" is the issuer, "you" is the applicant (Primary Card Member), and Additional Cards may be requested

We, us and our mean the issuer shown on page 1 of Part 1. You and your mean the person who applied for the Account and for whom American Express opened it, referred to as the Basic or Primary Card Member. The Primary Card Member may request Additional Cards (which include Companion Cards, if available) for Additional Card Members. Card means any American Express Card or other device issued to access the Account. Later sections explain that you are responsible for all use of the Account by Additional Card Members and anyone they allow to use it, and that their use may be reported to credit reporting agencies.

Supporting quotations

We, us, and our mean the issuer shown on page 1 of Part 1. You and your mean the person who applied for this Account and for whom we opened the Account. We will refer to you as either the Basic or Primary Card Member.

You may request Additional Cards (which include Companion Cards, if available) for Additional Card Members. Card means any American Express Card or other device that we issue to access your Account.

You are responsible for all use of your Account by Additional Card Members and anyone they allow to use your Account and you must pay for all charges made.

we may report their use of your Account to credit reporting agencies.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Companion Cards are included in Additional Cards only "if available".
• Responsibility for Additional Card use is set out in the Additional Card Members section.

Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception

American Express decides whether to approve each charge; the Card is for personal, family or household purposes only

You may use the Card to make charges, and American Express decides whether to approve a charge based on how you spend and pay on this Account and other Accounts you have with it. It also considers your credit history and score and the personal resources it knows about. You agree to use the Card for personal, family or household purposes only.

Supporting quotations

We decide whether to approve a charge, based on how you spend and pay on this Account and other Accounts you have with us.

You agree to use the Card for personal, family, or household purposes only.

We also consider your credit history and score and your personal resources that we know about.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Approval is American Express's decision, based on factors listed in the text.
• The personal, family or household purposes limit is an agreement by you.

Not stated here

• The text does not say what happens if the Card is used for another purpose.

Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception

If page 1 of Part 1 shows a Spending Limit, charges are more likely to be declined above it, but may be approved anyway

If there is a Spending Limit on page 1 of Part 1, the Account has a preset Spending Limit. If the total balance exceeds it, American Express is more likely to decline to authorize charges. It may approve charges that cause the total balance to exceed the Spending Limit, and you must still pay for those charges. It may also decline charges even if they do not cause the balance to exceed the limit, and it may change or remove the Spending Limit at any time.

Supporting quotations

if there is a Spending Limit on page 1 of Part 1 of this Agreement, then your Account has a preset Spending Limit.

If at any time your total balance exceeds this Spending Limit, we are more likely to decline to authorize your charges. We may approve charges that cause your total balance to exceed the Spending Limit. If we do, you must still pay us for those charges.

We may change or remove the Spending Limit at any time.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Applies only if a Spending Limit is shown on page 1 of Part 1.
• "More likely to decline" is a likelihood, not a guarantee.

Not stated here

• Whether this Account has a Spending Limit, and its amount, is not stated in this public copy.

Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception

American Express may decline charges for various reasons and is not responsible for losses from a decline or refusal

American Express may decline to authorize a charge for various reasons, including if it suspects fraud or based on its assessment of your creditworthiness, even if your Account is not in default. It is not responsible for any losses you incur if it does not authorize a charge or if any merchant refuses to accept the Card.

Supporting quotations

We may decline to authorize a charge for various reasons, including if we suspect fraud or based on our assessment of your creditworthiness, even if your Account is not in default.

We are not responsible for any losses you incur if we do not authorize a charge or if any merchant refuses to accept the Card.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Applies even if the Account is not in default.
• The disclaimer covers non-authorization and merchant refusal.

Not stated here

• "Various reasons" is open-ended; only suspected fraud and creditworthiness are named as examples.

Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception

Some charges are not eligible for Pay Over Time, and American Express may suspend it and block turning it on

Certain charges, such as cash advances, are not eligible for Pay Over Time, and American Express may change the eligibility of other charges. It may suspend Pay Over Time at any time based on its assessment of your creditworthiness, the status of your Account and/or your enrollment in a payment program. If the Account is past due or Pay Over Time is suspended, you cannot change the setting from inactive to active.

Supporting quotations

Certain charges are not eligible for Pay Over Time, such as cash advances and we may change the eligibility of other charges for Pay Over Time.

We may suspend Pay Over Time at any time based on our assessment of your creditworthiness, the status of your Account, and/or your enrollment in a payment program.

In addition, if your Account is past due or Pay Over Time is suspended, you will not be able to change your Pay Over Time setting from inactive to active.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Suspension may occur "at any time" based on the factors named.
• The inability to switch to active applies when the Account is past due or Pay Over Time is suspended.

Not stated here

• The text does not say how a suspension is lifted.

Account & Service Control · Company commitment

Your Pay Over Time setting stays in effect if you move to a new Card with the same Account number

If you transfer to a new Card with the same Account number, the Pay Over Time setting at the time of transfer remains in effect on the new Card.

Supporting quotations

If you transfer to a new Card with the same Account number, your Pay Over Time setting at time of transfer will remain in effect on your new Card.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Applies when the new Card has the same Account number.

Account & Service Control · Company practice

Pay Over Time Travel adds eligible travel purchases even if Pay Over Time is inactive; cancelling is permanent

If the Account has the Pay Over Time Travel feature, American Express automatically adds eligible travel-related purchases to the Pay Over Time Travel balance, subject to the Pay Over Time Limit, whether the Pay Over Time setting is active or inactive. If you request to cancel the Pay Over Time Travel feature, you will not be able to re-enroll.

Supporting quotations

If you have the Pay Over Time Travel feature on your Account: we will automatically add eligible travel-related purchases to your Pay Over Time Travel balance subject to your Pay Over Time Limit regardless of whether your Pay Over Time setting is active or inactive.

If you request to cancel your Pay Over Time Travel feature, you will not be able to re-enroll.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Applies only if the Account has the Pay Over Time Travel feature.
• Subject to the Pay Over Time Limit.
• Cancelling the feature cannot be reversed by re-enrolling.

Not stated here

• "Eligible travel-related purchases" are not defined in this document, and it does not describe the Pay Over Time Travel balance or its interest rate.

Account & Service Control · Permission or license

Additional Card Members can use your Account under the agreement, and their use may be reported to credit bureaus

American Express may issue Additional Cards on the Account at your request. Additional Card Members can use the Account subject to the terms of the agreement, and American Express may report their use of the Account to credit reporting agencies. If an Annual Fee applies to Additional Cards, the text says it is shown on page 2 of Part 1.

Supporting quotations

We may issue Additional Cards on your Account at your request.

Additional Card Members can use your Account subject to the terms of this Agreement and we may report their use of your Account to credit reporting agencies.

If an Annual Fee applies to Additional Cards on your Account, it is shown on page 2 of Part 1 of this Agreement.

You may request Additional Cards (which include Companion Cards, if available) for Additional Card Members.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Additional Cards are issued "at your request".
• Reporting of use to credit reporting agencies is permitted ("may").

Not stated here

• This stored text does not mark page numbers; the Part 1 fee detail separately states the Additional Card annual fee.

Account & Service Control · Company practice

You are responsible for all use by Additional Card Members, who may get Account information; refunds point to Part 3

You are responsible for all use of the Account by Additional Card Members and anyone they allow to use it, and you must pay for all charges made. You also authorize American Express to give Additional Card Members information about your Account and to discuss it with them. To cancel an Additional Card Member's ability to use the Account, you contact American Express. If an Annual Fee applies for an Additional Card, the text refers to the refund policy in the Closing or suspending your Account sub-section of Part 3; if a single Annual Fee applies for a group of Additional Cards, that policy applies when you cancel the Additional Card on which the fee was assessed. The Part 3 refund text is written about closing the Account: a fee is refunded if you voluntarily close the Account within 30 days after the Closing Date of the statement on which the fee appears, and is non-refundable after that, with an exception for a billing address in Massachusetts.

Supporting quotations

You are responsible for all use of your Account by Additional Card Members and anyone they allow to use your Account and you must pay for all charges made.

You also authorize us to give Additional Card Members information about your Account and to discuss it with them. Contact us if you want to cancel an Additional Card Member's ability to use your Account.

If an Annual Fee applies for an Additional Card, please refer to the refund policy disclosed in the Closing or suspending your Account sub-section of Part 3 of this Agreement. If a single Annual Fee applies for a group of Additional Cards on your Account, this policy will apply when you cancel the Additional Card on which the fee was assessed.

Closing or suspending your Account: We may, at any time and for any reason: cancel your Account, suspend your ability to make charges, or cancel or suspend any feature on your Account.

If an Annual Fee applies, we will refund this fee if you notify us that you are voluntarily closing your Account within 30 days after the Closing Date of the billing statement on which that fee appears. For cancellations after this 30-day period, the Annual Fee is non-refundable. If your billing address is in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the time you close your Account, this policy will not apply to you.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Responsibility covers anyone an Additional Card Member allows to use the Account.
• The refund policy is conditioned on voluntary closing within 30 days after the Closing Date of the billing statement on which the fee appears; not applicable if the billing address is in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at closing.

Not stated here

• The Part 3 refund text speaks of closing the Account; the document does not separately state terms for cancelling only an Additional Card beyond the Part 2 reference to it.
• The text does not say how quickly a cancellation of an Additional Card Member's ability takes effect.

Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception

You must notify American Express immediately of address, email or phone changes, once per Account

You must notify American Express immediately if you change your mailing address, email address, or telephone number. If you have more than one Account, you need to notify it separately for each Account. It may update your billing address if it receives information that the address has changed or is incorrect.

Supporting quotations

You must notify us immediately if you change your mailing address, email address, or telephone number. If you have more than one Account, you need to notify us separately for each Account.

We may update your billing address if we receive information that it has changed or is incorrect.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Separate notice is needed for each Account.

Not stated here

• The text does not say where the information that updates the billing address may come from.

Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception

American Express may treat the Account as in default for violations, false information, bankruptcy or inability to pay

American Express may consider the Account to be in default if you violate a provision of the agreement, give false information, file for bankruptcy, default under another agreement with it or an affiliate, or if it believes you are unable or unwilling to pay your debts when due.

Supporting quotations

Default: We may consider your Account to be in default if:

you violate a provision of this Agreement,

you give us false information,

you file for bankruptcy,

you default under another agreement you have with us or an affiliate, or

we believe you are unable or unwilling to pay your debts when due.

Qualifications & exceptions

• "May consider" leaves the decision to American Express.
• The last trigger rests on what American Express "believes".

Not stated here

• The first trigger refers to "this Agreement", the Card Member Agreement itself; it is not a separate linked document, and no other document text is supplied here.
• The text does not define "unable or unwilling to pay your debts when due" beyond what American Express believes.

Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception

After default, incapacity or death, American Express may suspend charges, cancel features and demand immediate payment

If American Express considers the Account in default, or if you become incapacitated or die, it may, to the extent permitted by federal and applicable state law, suspend your ability to make charges, cancel or suspend any feature on the Account, require you to pay more than your Minimum Payment Due immediately, and require you to pay the Account balance immediately.

Supporting quotations

If we consider your Account in default, or if you become incapacitated or die, we may, to the extent permitted by federal and applicable state law:

suspend your ability to make charges,

cancel or suspend any feature on your Account,

require you to pay more than your Minimum Payment Due immediately, and

require you to pay your Account balance immediately.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Applies to default, incapacity or death.
• Limited "to the extent permitted by federal and applicable state law".

Not stated here

• The text does not say whether notice or a cure period is given before these steps.

Account & Service Control · Permission or license

American Express may cancel the Account or suspend features at any time for any reason; you still owe all charges

American Express may, at any time and for any reason, cancel the Account, suspend your ability to make charges, or cancel or suspend any feature on the Account. If it does, you must still pay for all charges under the agreement. It may agree to reinstate the Account or any Additional Cards, and charge any applicable annual fees and a fee to reinstate the Account.

Supporting quotations

Closing or suspending your Account: We may, at any time and for any reason: cancel your Account, suspend your ability to make charges, or cancel or suspend any feature on your Account. If we do any of these, you must still pay us for all charges under the terms of this Agreement.

We may agree to reinstate your Account, reinstate any Additional Cards issued on your Account, and charge you any applicable annual fees and a fee to reinstate the Account.

Qualifications & exceptions

• "At any time and for any reason" is stated without conditions.
• Reinstatement is optional ("may agree").

Not stated here

• The reinstatement fee amount is not stated in this passage; the Part 1 fee detail lists a $25 re-opening fee.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

You may close the Account by calling or writing; the Annual Fee is refunded only if you close within 30 days

You may close the Account by calling or writing to American Express. If an Annual Fee applies, it refunds the fee if you notify it that you are voluntarily closing the Account within 30 days after the Closing Date of the billing statement on which the fee appears. For cancellations after those 30 days, the Annual Fee is non-refundable. This refund policy does not apply to you if your billing address is in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the time you close the Account. If the Account is cancelled and re-opened at your request, American Express may charge a $25 fee.

Supporting quotations

You may close your Account by calling us or writing to us.

If an Annual Fee applies, we will refund this fee if you notify us that you are voluntarily closing your Account within 30 days after the Closing Date of the billing statement on which that fee appears. For cancellations after this 30-day period, the Annual Fee is non-refundable.

If your billing address is in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the time you close your Account, this policy will not apply to you.

If your Account is cancelled and we re-open it at your request, we may charge you a $25 fee.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Refund requires voluntary closing and notice within 30 days after the Closing Date of the statement on which the fee appears.
• Massachusetts billing address exception.

Not stated here

• Part 1 lists the re-opening fee as "$25 if your Account is cancelled, you ask us to re-open it, and we do so", while this passage says it "may" charge $25; the document does not say whether the fee is ever waived.

Cross-references

• contrast (model-proposed): Account re-opening fee is $25 if a cancelled Account is re-opened at your request — Part 1 states the re-opening fee as $25 when an Account is cancelled, re-opened at your request and American Express does so, while Part 3 says American Express "may charge" $25; the document does not say whether the fee is ever waived.
• referred to by (model-proposed): Additional cards: no annual fee for the first 5, then $35 for each additional card — The Additional Card annual fee points to the refund policy in the Closing or suspending your Account sub-section of Part 3.

Account & Service Control · Permission or license

American Express may add, modify or remove any benefit, feature or service tied to your Account at its discretion

American Express has the right to add, modify or remove any benefit, feature or service included with or related to the Account at its discretion.

Supporting quotations

We have the right to add, modify or remove any benefit, feature or service included with or related to your Account at our discretion.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Applies to any benefit, feature or service "included with or related to" the Account.
• Exercised "at our discretion".

Not stated here

• The text does not say whether notice is given before a benefit is changed or removed.

Account & Service Control · Permission or license

American Express may sell or assign the agreement and Account without notice; you may not

American Express may sell, transfer or assign the agreement and the Account, and may do so at any time without notifying you. You may not sell, assign or transfer your Account or any of your obligations under the agreement.

Supporting quotations

We may sell, transfer or assign this Agreement and your Account. We may do so at any time without notifying you.

You may not sell, assign or transfer your Account or any of your obligations under this Agreement.

Qualifications & exceptions

• American Express may assign "at any time without notifying you".
• The restriction on transfer applies to you.