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Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount: $500
- Availability: Nationwide
- Deposit required: $10,000/$20,000
- Deposit length: 11/15/2019 – 1/31/2020
- APY: 2.15% APY in the protected goals account if balance is $10,000+
- Hard/soft pull: Soft pull
- ChexSystems: Unknown
- Credit card funding: Unknown
- Monthly fees: None
- Early account termination fee: None
- Household limit: None listed
- Expiration date: Must open by 10/31/19
Contents
The Offer
- Simple Bank is offering a bonus of up to $500 when you open a new Simple account. The bonus you receive depends on your deposit:
- Receive a bonus of $250 when you deposit $10,000 by 11/15/2019 4:59 PM PT and maintain a balance of at least $10,000 until 1/31/2020 4:59 PM PT
- Receive a bonus of $500 when you deposit $20,000 by 11/15/2019 4:59 PM PT and maintain a balance of at least $20,000 until 1/31/2020 4:59 PM PT
The Fine Print
- Balances in your Simple Account earn 0.01% APY. Also open an Individual Protected Goals Account to earn up to 2.15% APY and keep it safe from spending. Then we’ll use the combined balance between your Simple Account and Protected Goals Account to calculate your eligibility for the bonus.
- Qualifying customers will receive the bonus credit to their Simple Account by 2/14/2020 4:59 PM PT.
- Balances in Shared Accounts and Shared Protected Goals Accounts are excluded from the combined balance calculation.
- Balances in all Simple accounts are FDIC insured up to the legal limits.
- Customers with any Simple Account opened before 9/30/19 5:00 PM PT do not qualify
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
Monthly Fees
These accounts have no monthly fees to worry about
Early Account Termination Fee
According to the fee schedule there is no early account termination fee.
Our Verdict
They have offered a similar bonus in the past, but they have now simplified it. It’s now no longer necessary to open a protected goals account (although you will want to do this, as that account earns 2.15% APY and balances there count towards the $10,000/$20,00 required to be in there) and you can now do a $500 bonus without needed a shared account (required two people). Previously the biggest bonus you could get was $750 between two people, but now that would be $1,000 (as each person can do $500 each). I would recommend reading through the old post on the old bonus, as lots of people have had issues getting everything set up correctly. That being said, this bonus has been simplified so I’m hopeful it won’t be too difficult this time.
I do think this bonus is worth considering, you get a $250/$500 bonus and the funds can earn 2.15% APY which is just below the best high yield savings accounts with no requirements. That being said it probably doesn’t make sense to transfer across funds just yet as they don’t need to be in there until 11/15 (keep in mind account must be opened by 10/31). Might make sense to wait for a few people to sign up to see if they have improved the whole process or not. I’ll likely add this to our list of the best savings bonuses.
Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
- A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
- Bank Account Quick Reference Table (Spreadsheet) (very useful for sorting bonuses by different parameters)
- PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
- Introduction To ChexSystems
- Banks & Credit Unions That Are ChexSystems Inquiry Sensitive
- What Banks & Credit Unions Do/Don’t Pull ChexSystems?
- How To Use Our Direct Deposit Page For Bank Bonuses Page
- Common Bank Bonus Misconceptions + Why You Should Give Them A Go
- How Many Bank Accounts Can I Safely Open Within A Year For Bank Bonus Purposes?
- Affiliate Links & Bank Bonuses – We Won’t Be Using Them
- Complete List Of Ways To Close Bank Accounts At Each Bank
- Banks That Allow/Don’t Allow Out Of State Checking Applications
- Bank Bonus Posting Times
Is there a Simple way to close the account?
Ha! Surprisingly it seems like they didn’t hide the direct message option like they do other “controversial” things like transferring money between your safe to spend and goal accounts. I would zero out my account and then request that they close through a message.
Try logging in, then under your name in the top right corner in the dropdown select “support,” then the big blue button “send new message.”
Thanks!
If you haven’t pulled out already, here’s one more reason:
“We have a quick update on your Protected Goals Account. As of today:
Balances of $10,000 and over will earn 1.75% Annual Percentage Yield (instead of the previous 1.90% APY)
Balances under $10,000 will continue to earn 1.75%—no changes there.”
And as of today, the UI is still atrocious–no changes there.
Simple just made the decision easy to pull most funds out after 3/1 by lowering the rate to 1.75% across the board effective today.
Opened my account on 10/22/19. Received the $500 bonus on 2/6/20. Just find out today as I don’t check my account often. Probably transfer everything out in early March.
Not asking for legal advice, but HOW DOES ONE REPORT the Shared $250 bonus if so its for a boyfriend / girlfriend who is not married and both file as Single? I feel like if we each did $125 that would raise a red flag and if we both report $250, well thats not accurate and i would end up paying extra $250 tax.
Any idea? Surely I am not the only one wondering this.
I’m not sure how a “shared account” was established, but it would not be reported until tax year 2020 since that is when the bonus was actually deposited. Just wait till 1099 come next Jan to see which SS# is listed.
i am fairly certain i have the 1099 at my house right now, so for 2019 – i guess i need to look at it more detailed. thx
If it was for a promotion earlier in 2019 and paid in 2019 then the current 1099 that you have would have the information you need, as in who’s tax return the interest needs to be reported to.
I am not a tax accountant but here are my thoughts: You don’t both need to report it because then you’d end up paying tax on it twice. Choose one person (perferably the one with a lower effective tax rate) to report the entire amount.
I am fairly certain that you just cannot pick where you want to report the interest, it has to offset where it was reported to, if you get the 1099, then it was reported in your name, then you have to report the bonus and vice versa with partner.
How is it presented on the 1099? Are both SSN’s listed? If just one, you should put it on that person’s return and then have the other person give the 1099 holder the equivalent of half the tax to make it even.
If both, it should probably be included on the return of the person listed first on the 1099 but you could make an argument to split it or put it on the other. You might want to show the positive $250 and then a negative amount to adjust it so the $250 still ties to the $250 on the 1099-INT issued under your SSN. Under no circumstance would you both have to pay tax on the same income.
I did not receive my bonus. I asked about it via secure message, they said that I was not eligible as I opened the account November 1st and the bonus was only for accounts opened through October 31st.
My personal spreadsheet says that I opened the account October 31st but I do not have any emails saved to back this up. My first statement is for November and shows “account originiation” on November 1st.
Am I out of luck on this one? Definitely a lesson to screenshot everything and keep good records!
I received an email titled “You’re in! Now let’s get you set up” on the day they opened my account. This was on a Monday and I had filled out the application and uploaded my drivers license the previous Friday so there may be a one business day lag from when you think you opened the account.
does anyone know how to file a complaint against Simple? They froze my account saying security issues and cannot transfer my balance out and close. Customer service is being sarcastic with me.
Have you got some fun quotes for us?
CFPB their asses
It is interesting you mention the sarcasm, I’ve noticed that when I call, it does not seem like I’m talking to a financial institution, which technically they are not, but rather a more casual talk with a cashier or coffee barista. Don’t get me wrong, they were nice and willing to help, but just the tone and cheerfulness. It would be interesting to get more background info on your account freezing and their sarcasm.
Your best course of action is do whatever they want you to do to get your money out. Then, you can file a CFBP complaint. But they will take forever so concentrate on the priority…getting your money. If they ID, selfies etc….do it.
Got my $500, posted as “Random Fun” hehe.
Got my $500 bonus last week.
hey William Charles Chuck i just got the $500 bonus in my simple account.
Same. Posted 2/6 and they sent an email letting me know as well.