[Expired] [Targeted] Citi $100-$1,500 Personal Checking/Savings Bonus, Direct Deposit Not Required

Deal has ended, view more Citi deals by clicking here.

Offer at a glance

• Maximum bonus amount: $1,500
• Availability: Nationwide
• Direct deposit required: None
• Additional requirements: Deposit and maintain a balance for 60 days
• Hard/soft pull: Soft pull
• ChexSystems: Yes
• Credit card funding: None
• Monthly fees: $12, avoidable
• Early account termination fee: None
• Household limit: None
• Expiration date: 9‌/‌30‌/‌2021

The Offer

No direct link to offer, sent out via e-mail. E-mail subject line is ‘<name>, earn up to $1,500 with this exclusive cardmember bonus’

• Citi is offering a bonus of up to $1,500 when you open a new checking account in the basic account package. The bonus is tiered depending on how much you deposit within 30 days of account opening, this amount also must be maintained for 60 days.
  • Deposit $2,500 & get a $100 bonus
  • Deposit $5,000 & get a $200 bonus
  • Deposit $15,000 & get a $400 bonus
  • Deposit $50,000 & get a $700 bonus
  • Deposit $200,000 & get a $1,500 bonus

The Fine Print

• You can earn a $100, $200, $400, $700 or $1,500 Bonus by opening a new Checking Account in the Basic Account Package, funding it with New‑to‑Citibank Funds within 20 days, and maintaining that balance for another 60 days. You must also have a Citi credit card from the time you open your account until you receive the Bonus.
• Qualify So long as you are at least 18 years old, are a primary Citi cardmember, have received a communication from Citi inviting you to participate, and furnish or have a valid Form W‑9 or Form W-8BEN on file with Citibank and are not subject to backup withholding, you can participate in the Tiered Cash Bonus Checking Offer in select markets. Customers who open via phone or apply online with a residential/home (not mailing) address in an Eligible Location can qualify. “Eligible Locations” include Military Customers elsewhere in the Americas, Military Customers in Africa, Canada, Europe or Middle East, AK, AL, Military Customers in the Pacific, AR, American Samoa, AZ, CO, DE, GA, GU, HI, IA, ID, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, Northern Mariana Islands, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VI, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY and select markets in Florida and Illinois.
• Certain “Checking Accounts” are eligible for the Tiered Cash Bonus Checking Offer. Your new Checking Account must be a Regular Checking Account in the Basic Banking Package from the time you open your account until you receive your Bonus.
• Checking Accounts that are living trust accounts and custodial accounts are eligible, but fiduciary, estate, business, retirement (IRAs, SEPs, CESAs, money purchase pension plans and profit sharing plans), and other trust accounts will not qualify for this offer.
• International Personal Bank customers are not eligible for this offer.
• Here are the steps to qualify:
  • First, open a new Checking Account in the Basic Account Package between July 1, 2021 and September 30, 2021 (“Offer Period”).
  • Second, so long as September 30th has not passed, enroll in the Tiered Cash Bonus Checking Offer on the same day you open your new Checking Account pursuant to the instructions provided. You can enroll online by clicking “enroll now” and following the instructions for online account opening or by contacting a Citibank representative by phone and asking the representative to enroll you in the Tiered Cash Bonus Checking Offer. However, if you open your account on citi.com by any other means than those described, you will not be eligible to earn the Tiered Cash Bonus Checking Offer.
  • Third, on the 20th Day after you open your account, we will check your “On Deposit” balance in New‑to‑Citibank Funds which will determine the Bonus you can try to earn (“Balance”). Your Balance must be held in your eligible Checking Account. As long as you maintain at least a $2,500 Balance every day for 60 calendar days after your 20th Day (“Maintenance Period”) you will remain eligible for a Bonus, but please understand if your Balance falls into a lower Balance Tier for even one day during the Maintenance Period, your Bonus will change (see Chart).
• For example, if your Balance on the 20th Day is $200,000, the Bonus you can try to earn is $1,500. If your Balance is $150,000 on day 45, however, the Bonus you can earn changes to $700.
• “New‑to‑Citibank Funds” are 1) funds deposited from external accounts or payees other than Citibank, N.A. and 2) must be deposited using domestic ACH transfer, Direct Deposit, checks drawn on banks other than Citibank, N.A. or wire transfer. Cash deposits, Citi Global Transfers, international ACH transfers, Zelle® transactions and person‑to‑person transfer services such as Apple Pay, PayPal®, and Venmo, and Zelle®, do not qualify as New‑to‑Citibank Funds.
• You cannot use a Citi Accelerate Savings Account or a Citi Savings Account to maintain your Balance as part of this offer and still be eligible to earn the Bonus.
• “20th Day” means the 20th calendar day after you open your Checking Account, but don’t worry if your 20th Day falls on a weekend or U.S. National holiday. If that happens, we will count the next Business Day as your 20th Day instead. If you open your new Checking Account by calling Citibank at 1‑833‑382‑0004 EXT 10‌73, we will look at the 30th Calendar Day to determine your Bonus.
• All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

Monthly Fees

Citi Basic Account Package $12 

The fee is waived on this account if you do any of the following:

• Make one qualifying direct deposit per statement period and one qualifying bill payment per statement period or
• Maintain a $1,500+ combined average monthly balance in eligible linked accounts
• Fee also waived when first listed account owner is 62 or older.

Early Account Termination Fee

In the past, Citi has not charged any ETF, and none is mentioned for this offer.

Our Verdict

This is better than the public bonus for $300-$700 ($300 tier is $400 here). Won’t add this to our list of the best bank account bonuses as it’s targeted.

Hat tip to Wesley B & Andy

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• PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
• Introduction To ChexSystems
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