# Depositing vs. Rescuing



## Dennyha (Aug 21, 2013)

I am also a new owner (via resale).
Reading the club rules, I fully understand Home Week, Club Season, and Open Season.  I understand conversion to HHonors points (have to do it prior to the end of the current year for next years's points), and rescueing points.  I don't understand Depositing Points, and how it is functionally any different from rescueing them.
If I understand correctly, I have to "deposit" next years points, prior to the end of this year, into the following year.  For example, prior to Dec 1 of this year, I would deposit my 2014 points into 2015.  This relinquishes my use of the home week, but I could still "borrow" them for any vacations in 2014.  All of the deposited points would need to be used by the end of 2015.  The fee to make a "deposit" is $69.
Alternatively, I could choose to not "deposit" them at the end of this year.  My 2014 points would go into the 2014 bucket, where I could use them if I wish.  If I didn't use all of them by the end of 2014, I could rescue them for $69, placing all unused points into 2015, where they would have to be used by the end of 2015.
It seems like the same thing to me.  Why deposit points?  What am I missing?


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## presley (Aug 21, 2013)

I had it drilled in my head before I bought to always be in debt with my points.  So, I haven't done any rescuing, but I think you would never deposit into the next year.  You would use what you have and if you had any leftovers, you could rescue them for a fee.


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## holdaer (Aug 21, 2013)

Dennyha said:


> I am also a new owner (via resale).
> Reading the club rules, I fully understand Home Week, Club Season, and Open Season.  I understand conversion to HHonors points (have to do it prior to the end of the current year for next years's points), and rescueing points.  I don't understand Depositing Points, and how it is functionally any different from rescueing them.
> If I understand correctly, I have to "deposit" next years points, prior to the end of this year, into the following year.  For example, prior to Dec 1 of this year, I would deposit my 2014 points into 2015.  This relinquishes my use of the home week, but I could still "borrow" them for any vacations in 2014.  All of the deposited points would need to be used by the end of 2015.  The fee to make a "deposit" is $69.
> Alternatively, I could choose to not "deposit" them at the end of this year.  My 2014 points would go into the 2014 bucket, where I could use them if I wish.  If I didn't use all of them by the end of 2014, I could rescue them for $69, placing all unused points into 2015, where they would have to be used by the end of 2015.
> It seems like the same thing to me.  Why deposit points?  What am I missing?



You are on the right track.  Today, 2013, you can 'deposit' 2014 points into 2015 bucket.  Then, in 2014 if your are not going to be able to use your points, then you can 'rescue' them and move those points into 2016 bucket.  

You can move points forward two years by leveraging a deposit first and then a rescue.


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## UWSurfer (Aug 21, 2013)

It's also worth noting that probably most owners don't take advanatge of the Home Week booking EXCEPT those in high demand locations &/or times.   For instance HHV properties &/or holiday periods.   

The entire program works because of the flexibility of the points system and home week requires you book your purchased season, in the size of the unit you own for 7 consecutive days.   Thus, you end up spending all your points associated with your week with that booking.

As noted if you are in deficit of points there is no charge for borrowing from the year ahead.   A couple of times I have ended up with unused points I didn't want to loose and "rescued" them into the next year...a decision you make with current year usage points.   Depositing is something you do with the next future year points.  Also worth noting, you can rescue this years points but you can't deposit them into Hhonors.   Depositing into Hhonors requires next year's points.   Many here would say the exchange rate for the conversion (deposit) is not favorable to the points owner, and not worth doing.


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## Dennyha (Aug 21, 2013)

holdaer said:


> You can move points forward two years by leveraging a deposit first and then a rescue.



Wait...this is new.  So it might be beneficial to deposit them with the idea that if I don't use them by the end of 2015, I can rescue them into 2016.  So, I could deposit 2014 points into 2015, where I could potentially use them over 3 years? (borrow them back into 2014, use them in 2015, or rescue them into 2016).  I misunderstood that if you deposited them into the following year, it was use 'em or lose 'em.

Then, if I do a rescue at the end of 2015, I could rescue any unused "deposited" points from 2014 along with the 2015 points, into 2016 for one $69 fee?

Thanks


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## Dennyha (Aug 21, 2013)

Also, I'm understanding that "depositing" is different than just not using your home week.  I know that depositing relinquishes home week, but I could decide to not deposit, and still skip the home week booking, right?


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## holdaer (Aug 21, 2013)

Good question about the fee.  I'm not sure how you would get charged.  I'm thinking that there would be a fee to rescue the deposited points, and then another fee to rescue the 2015 pts.  But I'm not 100% sure.


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## SmithOp (Aug 21, 2013)

Deposit refers to putting your HGVC points into RCI, where you have 2 years to use them.  Once you put them in RCI you have to use them for exchanges, no going back to HGVC points.

Rescue moves current year HGVC points to next year HGVC points for a fee, these stay as HGVC points.  

You can deposit rescued points, so you can stretch them out three years.  I don't know why anyone would do that, pay for a vacation three years before taking it, plus pay rescue and exchange fees, but it can be done.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


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## topdog (Aug 21, 2013)

My understanding also was that since I deposited 2012 points into 2013, I cannot now rescue them to 2014.  Is that correct?


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## johnf0614 (Aug 21, 2013)

topdog said:


> My understanding also was that since I deposited 2012 points into 2013, I cannot now rescue them to 2014.  Is that correct?



I believe that's correct. You can't rescue more than once. However you can deposit the rescued points to RCI giving you another year "extension"


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## HatTrick (Aug 21, 2013)

A quick way to find out what options you have with your points allotment is to log into your account, choose My Points from the menu, and select an activity (Deposit, Rescue, etc.).


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## holdaer (Aug 21, 2013)

SmithOp said:


> Deposit refers to putting your HGVC points into RCI, where you have 2 years to use them.  Once you put them in RCI you have to use them for exchanges, no going back to HGVC points.
> 
> Rescue moves current year HGVC points to next year HGVC points for a fee, these stay as HGVC points.
> 
> ...



Club deposit is a separate event from a RCI deposit.  

Also, Club deposits and Rescued Point deposits are 2 separate and distinct events.  These are points stretching strategies defined on page 6 and 7 of the member guide.  But, when in doubt, call a club counselor and they will explain it for you.  That's how I found out about the difference between a club deposit and rescuing points.


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## alwysonvac (Aug 21, 2013)

There's a helpful table in the HGVC Club Member Guide that shows the difference between Deposited vs Rescued Points (see attachment). The table shows that Rescued Points can't be used for hotel reservations and partner perk reservations.

Also the Club Member Guide states the following regarding RCI Deposits.


> _*RCI Deposit:* Members may deposit current-year ClubPoints or previously deposited ClubPoints into the RCI Exchange Program for future weekly and nightly RCI exchange reservations. RCI deposits are valid from the date of deposit through an additional two calendar years. Once ClubPoints are deposited into the RCI Exchange Program, the transaction is final and ClubPoints may not be returned to a Member’s Club account. An RCI Deposit Fee applies. An RCI Exchange fee will be charged at the time of confirmation or the initiation of an RCI search request.
> 
> On or before December 31 of the current year, Members may deposit any remaining “rescued” ClubPoints into RCI for future weekly and nightly exchange reservations. Rescued Points deposited into RCI are valid from the date of deposit through an additional calendar year. A Rescue Fee applies. _



NOTE: HGVC started off with just Borrowed and Deposited Points. Years later they added the option to Rescue Points.


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## poleary2000 (Aug 25, 2013)

I know it's not your issue I am responding to, but I've found the best approach to be constantly borrowing from future years such that my balance at the end of any year for that year is zero. For example, I spent all of my 2013 points in 2012 and all of my 2014 points in 2013. I already have reservations setup for 2014 using 2015 points. This negates the need for me to deposit, rescue or even understand the difference between them.


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## Talent312 (Aug 25, 2013)

Mentioned in passing, the major difference between depositing 2014 points into 2015 versus waiting until 2014 to do a rescue, is that "deposited" points are still full-featured ('cept for home-week), while "rescued" points may only be used for club reservations (and cannot be rescued again).

But it really only makes a diff to peep who want to use them for other things, like cruising.

*Also:* You can completely avoid banking fees with an RCI reservation.
There is no need to bank points at all for stays in the next two calendar years.
.


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## buzglyd (Aug 25, 2013)

I think what happens when someone closes later in the year that it is difficult to use 2013 points now. 

I just went ahead and paid the rescue fee this year knowing I could borrow them back for free if I had to.

I expect to get to the borrowing phase soon enough and won't be rescuing in the future.


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## PassionForTravel (Aug 26, 2013)

As Buzglyd said that was exactly what happened to me. I bought resale, ended up with a full allotment of points, mid year. The mistake I made was that since I knew I wouldn't be able to use all the points this year I should have immediately rescued them and then borrowed them back into 2013 for the reservations that needed. That way if I had to cancel them they would have gone back to 2014 rather than 2013. That a mistake I won't make again. I will try to move to the borrowing model. 

Ian


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## Dennyha (Aug 27, 2013)

Upon closing and getting access to my account last week, I promptly rescued my 2013 points into 2014, and deposited my 2014 points into 2015.  Then, I booked a club week in March of 2014, and another club week in May of 2014.  So I've fully allocated all of my 2013 points, and "borrowed" some of my 2014/2015 points back into 2014.  All of my unallocated points are now sitting in 2015.  

I think I'm in good shape.
Thanks


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## presley (Aug 27, 2013)

For future reference for those who rescue points, you can set your account to automatically rescue unused points at the end of the year.


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## slum808 (Aug 27, 2013)

If you borrow 2015 points to make a reservation in 2014 and then later cancel it, do the points return to 2015 or stay in 2014? Does it matter if these points are 2015 UY or Deposited 2014 points?

Thanks


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## PigsDad (Aug 27, 2013)

slum808 said:


> If you borrow 2015 points to make a reservation in 2014 and then later cancel it, do the points return to 2015 or stay in 2014? Does it matter if these points are 2015 UY or Deposited 2014 points?



The points from a cancelled reservation will go back into the year from which they came, just as if the reservation was never made.

Kurt


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## Blues (Aug 27, 2013)

In the olden days it *was* possible to deposit points one year, and then if unused, rescue them after the deposit year, thus getting 3 years of opportunity to use those points (at a cost of two fees).  E.g., deposit 2012 points into 2013, then rescue them into 2014.  I know, because I did that some years ago.  It is my understanding that that "trick" was disallowed several years ago.

-Bob


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## holdaer (Aug 27, 2013)

Blues said:


> In the olden days it *was* possible to deposit points one year, and then if unused, rescue them after the deposit year, thus getting 3 years of opportunity to use those points (at a cost of two fees).  E.g., deposit 2012 points into 2013, then rescue them into 2014.  I know, because I did that some years ago.  It is my understanding that that "trick" was disallowed several years ago.
> 
> -Bob



It's still allowed but you have to plan in advance.  We are in 2013.  If you 'deposit' 2014 points into 2015, then in 2015 you can 'rescue' those same points into 2016.


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## phil1ben (Nov 4, 2013)

I just rescued about 2500 2013 points into 2014 and paid the fee. I have never used rescued points before. My question is when I do my first booking in 2014 is there a way online to designate that I want to use the "rescued 2013 points" for that first reservation rather than my allocated 2014 points? When I booked prior vacations I do not remember a prompt asking me if I wanted to use rescued points--but perhaps I missed it because it did not apply at the time. Thank you.


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## itradehilton (Nov 4, 2013)

When I book online they don't ask about which points to use first it just works that way. I have never had an issue with them using the wrong points in the last 10 years. I have done this many times since I had purchased twice in November and had lots of points to deposit.


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## PigsDad (Nov 4, 2013)

At the time you make the reservation, the system will always use rescued points first and then dip into your 2014 points if needed.  If you rescued your 2013 points after you made the 2014 reservation, the rescued points will not retroactively be used for that reservation.

Kurt


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## Sandy VDH (Nov 4, 2013)

PigsDad said:


> At the time you make the reservation, the system will always use rescued points first and then dip into your 2014 points if needed.  If you rescued your 2013 points after you made the 2014 reservation, the rescued points will not retroactively be used for that reservation.
> 
> Kurt



I can concur, this is exactly what happens.  It is smart enough to take rescued points first. (Unlike the stupid Wyndham system.)

If you have a reservation with rescued points and a regular reservation and you cancel the rescued points, go through some sort of change on the other reservation, it will then pick up the rescued point and release some of the regular points.  If you can't change it yourself online, because of inventory, then call as see if they can assist you.  

I learned that the hard way.  I used regular points before rescued points by accident.  Only because I cancelled a ressie with rescued and kept the ressie with regular.  Don't do that, it limits your choices later in the year.


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## Conan (Nov 4, 2013)

I don't know if this is unique to New York Hilton Club, which is what I own.

Like other posters here, I bought resale mid-2012, I didn't manage to use my 2012 points that year, and I rescued the 2012 points into 2013.

The rule as I understand it is, rescued points can't be booked into the home resort (NY Hilton) more than six months ahead of the reservation date, so I waited until September 2012 to book a March 2013 stay and the computer automatically charged the reservation to a portion of my rescued points.

This morning I booked a November 2014 reservation and because that was done more than six months ahead, the computer took my my current-year 2014 points for the reservation and left my remaining rescued points from 2013 intact.

Here's my plan - - do you think it will work?  I'm allowed one free reservation cancellation each year.  So I plan to call them in May 2014 (six months prior to November 2014), and if there's still availability for November 2014 I'll cancel the reservation I just made and rebook it and thereby exhaust my rescued points account. My remaining 2014 points (I'll have 2,300 left for the year) I'll rescue into 2015.


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## phil1ben (Nov 4, 2013)

Thank you. Actually I had already (about 1 month ago) made a reservation for January 2014 using 2014 points. Just today I rescued remaining 2013 points. I called on the telephone and at no charge they converted the reservation to use the 2013 rescued points rather than the 2014 points.

That was nice of them.


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## Sandy VDH (Nov 4, 2013)

phil1ben said:


> Thank you. Actually I had already (about 1 month ago) made a reservation for January 2014 using 2014 points. Just today I rescued remaining 2013 points. I called on the telephone and at no charge they converted the reservation to use the 2013 rescued points rather than the 2014 points.
> 
> That was nice of them.



Better to use those rescued point first, then your next year points.  

HGVC is really great about doing that, but they won't do it if you don't ask. 

Glad we could get you to act in your own benefit.


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