Best Gas Credit Cards US 2026: Costco Anywhere Visa vs Chase Freedom vs Discover It vs Sam's Club Mastercard

Gas is one of the few US categories where the best card genuinely depends on which parking lot you pull into. The 5% and 4% headlines from four different issuers all sit in a narrow band on paper, but they diverge sharply once you factor in caps, memberships, quarterly activation, and whether Costco or Sam's Club is on your route home. This guide walks each card through the same lens, so you can pick the one that pays out on your driving pattern rather than the marketing tagline.

The verdict

For most US drivers spending $200 to $400 per month on fuel in 2026, the Costco Anywhere Visa (5% back at Costco gas, 4% on other gas and EV charging, combined up to $7,000 per year, no card annual fee though a paid Costco membership is required) is the strongest single card if you already fill up at Costco (Citi). For non-Costco drivers, the Sam's Club Mastercard (5% gas up to $6,000 per year, no card annual fee, Sam's Club membership required) is the highest steady gas rate on the market (Synchrony).

For fee-averse drivers without warehouse-club memberships, the strongest picks are quarterly rotators. Chase Freedom Flex (5% on rotating quarterly categories, first $1,500 per quarter, activation required) and Discover it Cash Back (5% on rotating quarterly categories, first $1,500 per quarter, activation required, plus first-year Discover Match doubling) both feature gas in at least one quarter most years (Chase) (Discover). Outside those quarters, both drop to 1% on gas, so neither works as a standalone gas card.

A two-card setup that pairs a steady warehouse-club card (Costco Anywhere Visa or Sam's Club Mastercard) with a quarterly rotator (Chase Freedom Flex or Discover it) captures 5% on nearly every gallon you buy year-round, without paying a single annual fee. That layered setup is the strongest realistic play for a fuel-heavy US household in 2026.

The exceptions are drivers who fill up almost exclusively at branded gas stations (Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP) without a warehouse membership, drivers with EV-only households, and drivers who fuel infrequently enough that no dedicated gas card meaningfully outperforms a flat 2% cash back card like Citi Double Cash or Wells Fargo Active Cash.

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Shop warehouse clubs and auto essentials with cashback: Costco · Sam's Club · Amazon · Walmart

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Best US gas credit cards 2026: at a glance

Card	Gas Rate	Cap	Annual Fee	Membership Required	Best For
Costco Anywhere Visa	5% Costco gas / 4% other gas + EV	$7,000/yr combined gas + EV	$0 (card)	Costco ($65 to $130/yr)	Costco members, high fuel spend
Sam's Club Mastercard	5% gas anywhere	$6,000/yr gas only	$0 (card)	Sam's Club ($50 to $110/yr)	Sam's members, all-station drivers
Chase Freedom Flex	5% rotating quarter	$1,500/qtr combined	$0	None	Rotators willing to activate
Discover it Cash Back	5% rotating quarter	$1,500/qtr combined	$0	None	First-year Discover Match maximisers
Amex Blue Cash Preferred	3% US gas	$6,000/yr grocery is separate	$95	None	Households layering grocery + gas
Amex Blue Cash Everyday	3% US gas	$6,000/yr gas	$0	None	Fee-averse general spenders
U.S. Bank Cash+	5% gas + EV (if chosen)	$2,000/qtr combined	$0	None	EV drivers, chooseable-category fans

Two things this table hides. First, warehouse-club gas pumps at Costco and Sam's do NOT code as gas stations on Amex, Chase, or Citi non-cobranded cards. They code as warehouse clubs, which means a Blue Cash Preferred earns 1% at Costco gas, not the 3% US gas rate. Only the co-branded warehouse cards reward warehouse-club fuel at the bonus rate.

Second, the "5%" on rotating quarterly cards is capped tighter than the warehouse cards. Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it each cap at $1,500 per quarter combined across all activated categories, meaning $6,000 per year across all categories, not $6,000 per year on gas alone. A driver spending $400 per month exclusively on gas will cap out the Freedom Flex 5% in less than four months of a gas quarter.

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The four cards, side by side

Costco Anywhere Visa: the top pick for Costco members

Snapshot

• Card annual fee: $0
• Costco membership required: $65/year Gold Star or $130/year Executive
• 5% cash back on Costco Gas
• 4% cash back on other gas and EV charging worldwide
• 3% on restaurants and eligible travel
• 2% on all Costco and Costco.com purchases (Executive members add another 2% via the Costco Executive Reward)
• 1% on everything else
• Combined 4%/5% gas + EV cap: $7,000 per year, then 1%
• Reward payout: annual Costco redemption certificate mailed in February, redeemable at Costco warehouses or on Costco.com only

The 5%/4% split at the pump, the combined $7,000 gas + EV cap, and the annual February certificate mechanic are all documented on Citi's rewards page (Citi).

Worked example. A driver filling up exclusively at Costco for $300 per month ($3,600 per year) earns $180 per year in 5% rewards. A driver splitting fuel between Costco and other stations at $200/$150 respectively earns $120 (Costco) plus $72 (other gas at 4%) = $192 per year. Both stay well below the $7,000 combined cap, so 100% of the fuel spend earns the bonus rate.

The Costco gas advantage. Costco fuel typically runs 20 to 30 cents per gallon below nearby branded stations, verified informally in most US markets. A household filling twice per week at 15 gallons per fill saves roughly $300 to $450 per year on the sticker price alone, before the 5% card rewards layer on top. That combined "cheaper fuel + 5% back" is difficult to beat with any single card.

Watch out for

• The reward certificate is redeemable only at Costco. If you don't shop enough at Costco to burn through the certificate, cash-equivalent value drops.
• Non-Costco fuel earns 4%, not 5%. Sam's Club Mastercard beats it flat 5% at any gas station.
• Costco gas is limited by geography. If the nearest Costco is 20 miles out of your normal route, the fuel savings evaporate in the detour.

Best for: households already shopping at Costco with a Gold Star or Executive membership, drivers filling up at Costco or willing to detour occasionally, and shoppers who redeem the annual certificate on regular Costco purchases so the cash doesn't sit idle.

Sam's Club Mastercard: the strongest steady gas rate

Snapshot

• Card annual fee: $0
• Sam's Club membership required: $50/year Club or $110/year Plus
• 5% cash back on gas at any gas station in the US and Puerto Rico, plus EV charging stations
• 3% cash back on dining and travel
• 3% Sam's Club purchases (Plus members); 1% (Club members)
• 1% on everything else
• 5% gas cap: $6,000 per year on gas alone, then 1%
• Overall rewards program cap: $5,000 per year, issued as Sam's Cash redeemable in-club or toward Sam's Club membership renewal

The 5% gas anywhere, the $6,000-per-year gas cap, and the tiered Sam's Club rate are documented on the Synchrony program page (Synchrony).

Worked example. A driver spending $500 per month on gas ($6,000 per year) at any station earns the full 5% cap: $300 per year in rewards. Compare that to a driver on Amex Blue Cash Preferred at the same spend: 3% gas equals $180 per year, and the $95 annual fee cuts net rewards to $85. The Sam's Club Mastercard delivers roughly 3.5x the net gas rewards at that spend level, and it works at any pump.

The Sam's Club advantage. No other no-fee US card pays 5% on gas anywhere without quarterly activation or an EV-plus-quarter selection. For a fuel-heavy household without a Costco route, Sam's Club Mastercard is the highest steady gas rate on the market.

Watch out for

• The $6,000 gas cap fills at roughly $500/month. Anything above that drops to 1%, which is worse than a 2% flat card.
• Rewards issue as Sam's Cash, redeemable in-club or toward membership renewal. Not a statement credit or ACH deposit.
• Sam's Club Plus is now $110/year (raised from $100 in 2026). Break-even calculations for new members shifted.
• Club-tier Sam's Club membership only earns 1% on Sam's Club purchases with this card, not 3%. Plus tier is required for the 3% Sam's rate.

Best for: drivers spending $200 to $500 per month on gas who don't have a Costco route, existing Sam's Club Plus members, and households that want a single card working across all stations rather than tracking quarterly rotations.

Chase Freedom Flex: rotating quarter gas card

Snapshot

• Annual fee: $0
• 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories (activation required each quarter), first $1,500 in combined purchases
• 5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel
• 3% on dining (restaurants, takeout, delivery)
• 3% on drugstores
• 1% on everything else
• Rotating quarter cap: $1,500 per quarter combined across all activated 5% categories, then 1%
• Requires manual activation each quarter through the Chase app or website

The $1,500 per quarter combined cap, the mandatory quarterly activation, and the rotating category structure are standard for the card (Chase). Historically, gas stations have appeared as a rotating 5% category once or twice per calendar year in most Freedom Flex years, most often in a summer or fall quarter. The exact months shift, and the calendar is published quarter by quarter, so verify the current gas rotation on Chase's category page before assuming any specific window.

Worked example. During a hypothetical Q3 gas quarter, a driver spending $500 per month on gas ($1,500 for the quarter) hits the cap exactly and earns $75 in 5% rewards for that quarter, plus 1% on everything else. Across a full year with one gas quarter, that's $75 in bonus gas rewards. If a second Q4 quarter also includes gas or EV charging, add another $75.

The Freedom Flex advantage. No fee, no membership, and the card layers well on top of a warehouse-club gas card. A driver holding both Costco Anywhere Visa (4% on non-Costco gas year-round) and Chase Freedom Flex (5% during the gas quarter) can toggle to Freedom Flex whenever the quarter is active, then back to Costco for the other nine months.

Watch out for

• Missed activation drops the entire quarter to 1%. Set a calendar reminder for the first week of each quarter.
• $1,500 per quarter combined across ALL activated categories, not $1,500 per category. If Amazon, Whole Foods, and gas are all activated in the same quarter, your total 5% budget is $1,500 not $4,500.
• The gas quarter is not guaranteed every year. Some years gas rotates in twice; other years not at all.

Best for: drivers already in the Chase ecosystem (Sapphire Preferred, Ink Preferred, Freedom Unlimited), fee-averse spenders willing to track activation, and anyone using Freedom Flex as a secondary card layered on top of a steady gas earner.

Discover it Cash Back: first-year Discover Match maximiser

Snapshot

• Annual fee: $0
• 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories (activation required each quarter), first $1,500 in combined purchases
• 1% on everything else
• First 12 months: Discover Match doubles all cashback earned during the first year (effectively 10% on the 5% quarters, 2% on 1% base spend, capped by the standard $1,500 quarterly limit)
• Rotating quarter cap: $1,500 per quarter combined, then 1%
• Requires manual activation each quarter

The rotating category structure, the $1,500 quarterly cap, and the Discover Match first-year doubling are documented on the issuer's card page (Discover). Discover Match applies to all cashback earned in the first 12 months, paid out as a lump sum after the first cardmember anniversary. Gas stations have appeared as a Discover it rotating category in most calendar years, historically most often in Q2 or Q3.

Worked example. A new Discover it holder who spends $500 per month on gas during a Q3 gas quarter earns $75 in the quarter (5% on the $1,500 cap). Because Discover Match doubles all cashback in year one, this becomes $150 effective for that quarter alone. Add any other rotating quarter (grocery, dining, Amazon) and the Match amplifies each. First-year effective rates on Discover it are competitive with almost any US no-fee card.

The Discover Match advantage. No other US issuer offers a first-year doubling bonus of this scale. For year-one gas rewards, Discover it is the highest headline rate available (10% effective in the gas quarter, up to the $1,500 cap).

Watch out for

• Match applies only in the first 12 months. Years two and beyond are standard 5%/1%.
• Discover acceptance is high domestically but weaker at boutique gas stations and outside the US.
• $1,500 combined cap across all activated categories, same structural constraint as Freedom Flex.
• Some quarters do not include gas at all. Check the Discover cashback calendar before applying if gas quarters are your priority.

Best for: first-year cardholders maximising the Discover Match bonus, US-focused drivers who don't need international acceptance, and households pairing Discover it with a steady 2% flat card (Citi Double Cash, Wells Fargo Active Cash) for uncapped rewards outside the rotating quarters.

Route online orders and warehouse-club shopping through ShopBack: Amazon · Costco · Sam's Club · Walmart

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Two-card layered gas setups

Every setup below assumes you already have a general everyday card (Citi Double Cash, Wells Fargo Active Cash, or similar flat 2% option) for non-gas base spend. Gas is layered on top.

Household Profile	Card 1 (Primary Gas)	Card 2 (Layer or Backup)	Combined Annual Fee	Approx. Year-1 Gas Rewards
Costco household, $300/mo gas at Costco	Costco Anywhere Visa	Chase Freedom Flex (5% gas quarter)	$65 to $130 Costco mbr, $0 cards	~$195 to $240
Sam's Club household, $400/mo gas at any station	Sam's Club Mastercard	Discover it Cash Back (5% quarter + Match)	$50 to $110 Sam's mbr, $0 cards	~$260 to $360 (yr 1)
No warehouse membership, $200/mo gas	Chase Freedom Flex	Discover it Cash Back	$0	~$150 (yr 1 with Match)
EV heavy household, minimal gas	U.S. Bank Cash+ (5% gas + EV)	Costco Anywhere Visa (4% EV)	$65 to $130 Costco mbr	Depends on charge mix
Amex household layering grocery and gas	Amex Blue Cash Preferred	Sam's Club Mastercard (5% gas)	$95 + $50 to $110 Sam's mbr	~$300+ if grocery cap used
Amex household, no warehouse, low fee tolerance	Amex Blue Cash Everyday	Chase Freedom Flex (5% quarter)	$0	Modest, ~$100/yr

The layering logic: the co-branded warehouse card handles year-round steady gas at 5%, and the rotating quarterly card fills any calendar gap or covers gas at stations outside your normal warehouse route. Together, they consistently earn 4% to 5% on nearly every gallon.

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The five-layer gas stack

Credit card cashback is one layer of the total gas savings stack. A single fill-up can earn rewards through several parallel mechanisms because each rewards a different party in the transaction chain.

1. Credit card cashback: the issuer rewards the swipe
2. Station loyalty program (Shell Fuel Rewards, ExxonMobil Rewards+, Chevron Techron Advantage, BP Earnify): the retailer rewards the loyalty event
3. GasBuddy Pay With GasBuddy or GasBuddy Premium: pay-app rewards the payment routing
4. Upside: geo-targeted cash back tied to specific stations
5. Warehouse pump price advantage (Costco/Sam's/BJ's): the pump price itself is 20 to 30 cents/gallon lower

A realistic stacked fill-up at Costco with a Costco Anywhere Visa looks like: 5% back on the card + 20 to 30 cents/gallon below branded competitors on sticker price = effectively 10% to 15% total savings versus buying the same gas at a Shell station without any of these layers.

A realistic non-warehouse stack: 5% on Sam's Club Mastercard at a Shell station + Shell Fuel Rewards ($0.05 to $0.10/gallon) + Upside ($0.05 to $0.15/gallon on eligible stations) = effectively 7% to 12% total savings.

The point: the right card is the floor, not the ceiling. A household using only card cashback leaves 30% to 50% of available gas savings on the table.

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When these cards do NOT apply

• You buy gas at Costco or Sam's on a non-club card. Warehouse-club fuel pumps code as warehouse clubs, not gas stations, on Amex, Chase, and Citi non-cobranded cards. Blue Cash Preferred earns 1%, not 3%, at Costco gas.
• You drive an EV and rarely fill up on gas. Most "gas" categories do not include EV charging by default. U.S. Bank Cash+ explicitly lists gas + EV charging as a 5% choose-your-own category. Costco Anywhere Visa covers EV charging at 4%. Tesla Supercharger billing often codes as utilities.
• You spend less than $100 per month on gas. At $1,200 per year in gas spend, 5% pays $60 while 2% pays $24. The $36 delta is not worth the friction of maintaining a dedicated gas card, quarterly activation, or a warehouse membership if you would not hold one anyway.
• You are carrying a credit card balance. At 22% APR, one month of carrying $1,000 costs $18 in interest, more than a full year of 5% cashback on $300 per month of gas. Pay off the balance first, then optimise rewards.
• You already hold Citi Custom Cash (existing cardholder only). Citi Custom Cash's 5% on top eligible category (gas is eligible, up to $500 per billing cycle) is a strong single-card gas earner if you have it. Citi closed it to new applicants on May 28, 2026, so this is not a new-application option.

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What is new for gas cards in 2026

Sam's Club raised membership pricing. Sam's Club is $50 per year and Sam's Club Plus is $110 per year (up from $100 for Plus). Break-even math for a new Sam's Club Mastercard applicant now includes the higher Plus fee. The 5% gas rate on the first $6,000 per year is unchanged.

Chase Freedom Flex 2026 gas rotation. Chase publishes categories quarter by quarter. Gas stations, EV charging, and select streaming have appeared in Q3 2026 rotations, restoring gas access for cardholders willing to activate. Q2 2026 was Amazon, Whole Foods, and Chase Travel, with no gas.

Costco Anywhere Visa rates unchanged. The 5% Costco gas, 4% other gas and EV, and combined $7,000 per year cap are the same as prior years.

Discover it Cash Back Match unchanged. First-year doubling continues to apply to all cashback earned in the first 12 months.

Amex Blue Cash Preferred and Blue Cash Everyday rates and gas caps unchanged. 3% US gas on both, with Preferred's $95 annual fee still requiring roughly $3,167 per year in gas spend to fully justify the fee versus Everyday on gas alone.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best US credit card for gas in 2026?

For Costco members, the Costco Anywhere Visa (5% Costco gas, 4% other gas and EV, combined $7,000/year cap). For Sam's Club members, the Sam's Club Mastercard (5% gas anywhere, $6,000/year cap). For fee-averse drivers without warehouse memberships, a rotating quarter on Chase Freedom Flex or Discover it during a gas quarter. No single card dominates every driver.

Does the Costco Anywhere Visa charge an annual fee?

The card has no fee, but Costco membership is required: $65 for Gold Star or $130 for Executive. Executive membership earns an additional 2% Costco reward on eligible purchases.

How often does Chase Freedom Flex include gas as a 5% category?

Historically once or twice per calendar year, most commonly in a summer or fall quarter. Chase publishes each quarter's categories in advance. Activation is required each quarter or the rate defaults to 1%.

Is Discover it Cash Back still a strong gas card in 2026?

Yes for the quarter or two where gas appears, especially in year one because Discover Match doubles all first-year cashback. Effective rate during a first-year gas quarter can reach 10% up to the $1,500 quarterly cap.

Does the Sam's Club Mastercard earn 5% on gas anywhere or only at Sam's Club?

Anywhere in the US and Puerto Rico, including EV charging stations. Capped at the first $6,000 per year on gas.

Which card is best for EV charging in 2026?

U.S. Bank Cash+ (5% gas + EV as a chooseable category, $2,000/quarter cap). Costco Anywhere Visa covers EV at 4%. Verify Tesla Supercharger merchant coding on your first billing cycle because it sometimes codes as utilities.

Do Costco and Sam's Club gas pumps earn the gas bonus on Amex or Chase?

No. They code as warehouse clubs, not gas stations. Only the co-branded warehouse cards (Costco Anywhere Visa at Costco; Sam's Club Mastercard at Sam's; My BJ's Perks Mastercard at BJ's) reward warehouse-club fuel at the full bonus rate.

Can I stack GasBuddy or Upside with a credit card at the pump?

Yes. Each app rewards a different layer of the transaction, so they stack on top of the credit card cashback. Verify each app's current terms.

How do I earn cashback on Costco and Sam's Club online orders through ShopBack?

Activate ShopBack through the app or browser extension before clicking through to Costco or Sam's Club, then complete the order in one session. Cashback tracks on eligible online orders. In-club fuel and in-warehouse shopping do not track through ShopBack because there is no online click; use the co-branded card at the pump instead.

Which ShopBack routes are relevant to gas and auto shoppers?

For gas-adjacent categories, ShopBack covers Amazon (auto accessories, motor oil, wiper blades), Walmart (auto care), Costco, and Sam's Club (tires, batteries, warehouse-club auto essentials).

Does ShopBack stack with credit card gas rewards?

For online purchases at Costco.com, SamsClub.com, or auto categories on Amazon, Walmart, and Target through ShopBack, cashback layers on top of whatever credit card you use. Direct at-pump gas transactions do not route through ShopBack.

Is a warehouse-club membership worth it just for gas savings?

For heavy drivers, often yes. Costco gas typically runs 20 to 30 cents per gallon below nearby branded stations. A household filling twice per week at 15 gallons per fill saves roughly $300 to $450 per year on pump price before card rewards layer on top. That covers Costco Gold Star ($65) or Executive ($130) multiple times over.

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Key takeaways

• Costco members get the strongest overall gas card in the Costco Anywhere Visa: 5% Costco gas + 4% other gas and EV up to a combined $7,000 per year
• Non-Costco drivers get the strongest steady rate from the Sam's Club Mastercard: 5% gas at any station up to $6,000 per year, with a Sam's Club membership
• Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it Cash Back both include gas as a rotating 5% category in most years, capped at $1,500 per quarter combined, activation required
• Discover it's first-year Match doubles all cashback for 12 months, making it the highest headline rate in year one for a fresh gas quarter
• Warehouse-club fuel pumps do NOT code as gas stations on Amex, Chase, or Citi non-cobranded cards; only the co-branded warehouse Visa or Mastercard earns the bonus there
• A two-card setup that pairs a steady warehouse-club card with a quarterly rotator captures near-5% on gas year-round with no card annual fees
• Stack GasBuddy, Upside, and station loyalty programs on top of the credit card layer for a realistic 7% to 15% total savings per fill-up
• See our Best US Credit Cards for Grocery and Gas in 2026 roundup for the layered grocery + gas play

💡 Add a cashback layer to your everyday shopping with ShopBack Works alongside any gas card above, on eligible online orders at Costco.com, SamsClub.com, and thousands of US retailers.

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Related articles

• Best US Credit Cards for Grocery and Gas in 2026: Stacking Strategy for Everyday Essentials
• Costco Executive vs Sam's Club Plus vs BJ's Perks in 2026: Which US Warehouse Membership Actually Pays Off?
• Best US Credit Cards for Travel Rewards and Cashback in 2026
• Best US Credit Cards for Online Shopping Cashback in 2026

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Sources

• Citi, Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi: 5% Costco gas, 4% other gas and EV up to combined $7,000/year, 3% restaurants/travel, 2% Costco, annual February certificate
• Chase, Freedom Flex: 5% rotating quarterly categories up to $1,500/qtr combined, activation required, 5% Chase Travel, 3% dining and drugstores, no annual fee
• Discover, it Cash Back: 5% rotating quarterly categories up to $1,500/qtr, first-year Discover Match doubles all cashback, no annual fee
• Synchrony, Sam's Club Mastercard: 5% gas anywhere up to $6,000/year, 3% dining and travel, tiered Sam's Club rate, no card annual fee
• U.S. Bank, Cash+ Visa Signature: 5% on two chosen categories including gas + EV charging up to $2,000/quarter combined, no annual fee
• American Express, Blue Cash Preferred: 6% supermarkets, 3% US gas and transit, $95 annual fee

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Disclaimer

The views and recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author.

Annual fees, cashback rates, category caps, quarterly rotations, welcome offers, and category eligibility (including merchant category codes) are subject to change at any time and to issuer approval. Always verify current rates and terms directly with the card issuer before applying.

Warehouse-club membership pricing, gas-station pricing, and app promotions change through the year and vary by market. Verify current prices and terms at the source before making a purchase decision.

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional financial, credit, or tax advice. Consider consulting a licensed financial advisor for guidance specific to your situation.