# Merging WM accounts



## DaveNV (Apr 25, 2019)

How does it all work?  When you buy a second WM account that has a different anniversary date than the first one, and you combine the accounts, do the anniversary dates get adjusted? Or do they stay the same as they were?  And if they stay the same, do you just have to wait till you have all/enough credits in your account before you can book something?

I currently have a 12K account.  I'm thinking I'd like to add another 8K, for a total of 20K.  But do I need to find an account with the same anniversary date as my current one?

And then when you sell the account later on, (using my example above), do I sell one 20K account, or two accounts, for 12K and 8K separately?

Dave


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## Tacoma (Apr 25, 2019)

WHen you combine they like to keep the anniversary of your first account. At that time it is one 20000 point account. When I combined last year they did the combine but in October when my account gets points they gave me the 20000 points but took back 10000 points since I had already received the 10000 points from thee first account earlier in the year. They had warned me that they would do that so look for anniversaries that are at least close.


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## DaveNV (Apr 25, 2019)

Thanks! Will they take that back every year, or just the one time?

Dave


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## JohnPaul (Apr 26, 2019)

Once


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## geist1223 (Apr 26, 2019)

After merger you will have one 20k Point account in all respects. Merge them at the time of purchase to save on a 2nd $299 fee. If you miss this option some how you will select the surviving account. The account going away will be frozen. So before you start the merger transfer all the Points from the account going away to the surviving account so you have access to the Points during the merger process. This will count as part of your 2X in/out for that year. The HKC will not show up in the surviving Account until the merger is complete. Wyndham changed the process a few years ago to stop people from getting double Points on the anniversary date. I did one year. I was merging an Account that had a February Anniversary Date into an Account that had an August Anniversary Date. I started the process in March. I had already received the 7K Points in the February date account. Prior to August the Accounts were merged and I had one account with 89K. On August 1 I received 89K Points.


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## ecwinch (Apr 26, 2019)

As Tom mentions this was a loophole that was being exploited and resulted in a number rule changes in the last few years.

Some people where doing what Tom described - only in reverse. They would have a large account (ie 250k) that just received their anniversary credits, and then merge that account into a small account (ie 6k) that was approaching its anniversary (say Aug 2019). After the merger the 6k account would be 256k and then receive another 256k on its approaching anniversary. Then rinse and repeat into another small acct nearing anniversary.


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## DaveNV (Apr 26, 2019)

ecwinch said:


> As Tom mentions this was a loophole that was being exploited and resulted in a number rule changes in the last few years.
> 
> Some people where doing what Tom described - only in reverse. They would have a large account (ie 250k) that just received their anniversary credits, and then merge that account into a small account (ie 6k) that was approaching its anniversary (say Aug 2019). After the merger the 6k account would be 256k and then receive another 256k on its approaching anniversary. Then rinse and repeat into another small acct nearing anniversary.




Wow! That’s sneaky! I’m way small potatoes, in the grand scheme of things. I was just trying to figure out the best way to bump my 12K account. Adding 8K seems to be the best bang for the buck, comparing MF and HKT on the account. I just would want things to match my August anniversary of my existing account.

That begs the question: Is there any advantage to keeping one account over another, with regards merging? Is anniversary date the only changing parameter? My current account was originally purchased in 2006, so is nothing special. They gave me a new account number when I bought two years ago from that owner, and other than congratulating me for being a Premier(Premium?) member every time I call in (what’s that about?), I don’t see anything special about what I own.

Dave


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## ecwinch (Apr 26, 2019)

It is only important if one account has some unique feature - like NHK or grandfathered WM+A credits. I don’t know what would happen if a Travelshare account was merged into a WM resale acct, but I would not risk it.


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## DaveNV (Apr 26, 2019)

ecwinch said:


> It is only important if one account has some unique feature - like NHK or grandfathered WM+A credits. I don’t know what would happen if a Travelshare account was merged into a WM resale acct, but I would not risk it.



I’ve already asked WM about my account, and whether there is anything hidden in my account I don’t know about. That’s how I learned my account started in 2006. They always congratulate me at the beginning of the call, but then say, “Oh wait. I see you bought this from a third party...” as if that suddenly changes things. I have no idea what I would have received if they didn’t notice that detail. Other than Club Pass and Travelshare, what else am I not getting?

Dave


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## geist1223 (Apr 26, 2019)

With a 12k Account you have one HKC, two GC, and 4 Wait Lists. With an 8k Account you have one HKC, one GC, and four Wait Lists. If you merged into one 20k you would have two HKC, two GC, and four Wait Lists. So you would lose a GC and four Wait Lists. Also Monday Madness and BT limitations are by Account. So you have fewer of these. It is true that with one 20k account your MF are slightly less than having two accounts. It is easy to transfer Points between Accounts. You just can not transfer HKC. I merged two non Travelshare Accounts into a Travelshare Account. It shows "X" WM Points and "Y" WTS Points.


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## DaveNV (Apr 26, 2019)

So then, it makes the most sense to NOT merge the accounts? For the difference in MF, I can just transfer credits as needed? And if I happened to find an 8K account with an August anniversary, it’d land at the same time as my current 12K account. Right? 

Dave


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## ecwinch (Apr 26, 2019)

DaveNW said:


> So then, it makes the most sense to NOT merge the accounts? For the difference in MF, I can just transfer credits as needed? And if I happened to find an 8K account with an August anniversary, it’d land at the same time as my current 12K account. Right?
> 
> Dave



It's a trade-off. There are some things that are possible with two accounts, since all the guidelines only apply at the account level and not at the member level (like they should).


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## Panbad (Apr 26, 2019)

DaveNW said:


> So then, it makes the most sense to NOT merge the accounts? For the difference in MF, I can just transfer credits as needed? And if I happened to find an 8K account with an August anniversary, it’d land at the same time as my current 12K account. Right?
> 
> Dave


If my calculations are correct, you'd save $377 a year in maintenance fees by merging them. 

I'm not an owner yet but just started looking at WM and hoping to buy approx. 12k credits.  I think that would suit my families needs, but not a lot out there in that credit range.  So considering buying 2 6k credit contracts and then combining them.  There seems to be a lot of 6k credit contracts available right now.


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## geist1223 (Apr 26, 2019)

ecwinch said:


> not at the member level (like they should).



In some folks opinions.


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## geist1223 (Apr 26, 2019)

Like Eric said it is a trade off. It depends on how you use your Account(s). We have only had to rely upon Wait List 3 times in 16.5 years. Came through all times (Mau'i, Sydney, and West Yellowstone). We do not use cash option - Monday Madness, BT (even though my BT is called Funtime and I can Book 42 days in advance), and Inventory Specials. We plan trips 2 years out and reserving 10 to 13 months out. We are planned and half Book through 2020 and now looking at 2021. We got into this habit while working and it now helps in scheduling our house/pet sitter.


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## ecwinch (Apr 26, 2019)

Panbad said:


> If my calculations are correct, you'd save $377 a year in maintenance fees by merging them.
> 
> I'm not an owner yet but just started looking at WM and hoping to buy approx. 12k credits.  I think that would suit my families needs, but not a lot out there in that credit range.  So considering buying 2 6k credit contracts and then combining them.  There seems to be a lot of 6k credit contracts available right now.



As you note, the smaller accounts can be harder to find. So consider buying a 15k and split them into two 7.5k accounts - since the dues are the same for 6k as they are for 7.5k.





So 2ea 7.5k = $1413 total for 15k vs $1413 total for 12k

And $1413 for two accts vs $1200 for one. Personally I would not pay $200 extra a year for two accounts.


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## ecwinch (Apr 26, 2019)

geist1223 said:


> In some folks opinions.



Aren't most posts?


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## bizaro86 (Apr 26, 2019)

ecwinch said:


> As you note, the smaller accounts can be harder to find. So consider buying a 15k and split them into two 7.5k accounts - since the dues are the same for 6k as they are for 7.5k.
> 
> View attachment 11443
> 
> ...



I pay the extra for another account to get the extra waitlist capacity, and so I can have more Monday madness reservations. I go over the 6 sometimes when my favorite resort comes on Monday madness, as I book lots and cancel what I can't make later.

One other note - are you sure it's possible to make a 7500 credit account? I've never seen one that wasn't an integer multiple of 1000...


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## ecwinch (Apr 26, 2019)

bizaro86 said:


> I pay the extra for another account to get the extra waitlist capacity, and so I can have more Monday madness reservations. I go over the 6 sometimes when my favorite resort comes on Monday madness, as I book lots and cancel what I can't make later.
> 
> One other note - are you sure it's possible to make a 7500 credit account? I've never seen one that wasn't an integer multiple of 1000...



There is nothing in the by-laws or guidelines that prohibits it. I would think it would come up when an account is divided between two members for some reason.


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