Deal has ended, view more bank account bonuses by clicking here.
Update 7/11/24: Offer extended through 12/31/24 and available from local Small Business Bankers even if you were not targeted. Not available in-branch
Update 5/13/24: There is an online link through July, 31 2024. Hat tip to Venka
Update 4/3/24: Deal is back through May 31, 2024. No online link but being offered by small business bankers in-branch. Hat tip to Rapid Travel Chai.
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount:Â $1,500
- Availability:Â Nationwide, but terms do have targeted language
- Direct deposit required:Â No
- Additional requirements:Â Deposit and maintain $30,000 for
- Hard/soft pull:Â Soft
- ChexSystems:Â Unknown
- Credit card funding:Â None, but can fund with a debit card up to $300
- Monthly fees:Â Avoidable
- Early account termination fee:Â None
- Household limit:Â None listed
- Expiration date:Â December 31, 2023
Contents
The Offer
- Bank of America is offering a $1,000 bonus when you open a new business checking account and complete the following requirements:
- Make Qualifying Deposits of $20,000 or more in new money within 30 days of opening the new business checking account
Maintain an average balance of $20,000 or more for next 60 days (day 31-90) during the maintenance period
- Make Qualifying Deposits of $20,000 or more in new money within 30 days of opening the new business checking account
- There is also a $1,500 bonus when you open a new business checking account and complete the following requirements:
- Make Qualifying Deposits of $50,000 or more in new money within 30 days of opening the new business checking account
- Maintain an average balance of $50,000 or more for next 60 days (day 31-90) during the maintenance period
The Fine Print
- This offer is only available to business owners who receive this offer via a direct communication from a Bank of America Specialist or from a Bank of America communication. This offer is intended for new customers only; you are not eligible for this offer if you were an owner or signer on a Bank of America Business Advantage Banking account within the last twelve (12) months. Only one bonus ($1,000) per business customer, regardless of the number of businesses owned or operated by the customer. Bank of America employees are not eligible for this offer. Offer expires on December 31, 2023, and all qualifying activities must be completed within the stated time frames in order to be eligible for this offer. Bank of America may change or discontinue this offer at any time before this date without notice. Reproduction, purchase, sale, transfer or trade of this offer is prohibited.
- Requirements to Receive a $1,000 cash bonus:
- Open a new Business Advantage Relationship Banking or Business Advantage Fundamentalsâ„¢ Banking account by December 31, 2023: AND
- Make Qualifying Deposits of $30,000 or more in new money* into your new Business Advantage Banking account within thirty (30) days of account opening; AND
- Maintain an average balance of $30,000 or more during the Maintenance Period** into the new Business Advantage Banking account.
- All account applications are subject to approval. Your account does not qualify for the bonus until you provide all of the information we require in connection with opening the account by the promotion end date December 31, 2023. This includes information we require to identify each account owner and to report the bonus to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), including a validly completed IRS Form W-9 or Form W8 (as applicable). The value of this bonus may constitute taxable income to you. To the extent required by law, Bank of America may withhold tax or other amounts from the payment. Please consult your tax advisor, as neither Bank of America, its affiliates, nor their employees provide tax advice. Please consult a financial center, visit bankofamerica.com, or see the Business Schedule of Fees found at bankofamerica.com/businessfeesataglance for other account fees, rates and information.
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
Monthly Fees
The lower level account is the Business Fundamentals at $18 per month. Fee is waived with one of the following:
- Maintain a $5,000 combined average balance, or
- Spend at least $250 in new net purchases on your business debit card, or
- Become a member of Preferred Rewards for Business
Early Account Termination Fee
There is no early account termination fee.
Our Verdict
This is a $1,000 bonus but you need to tie up the $30,000 for 90 day. These accounts basically earn 0% APY, if you had the $30,000 in a 5% APY account for 90 days you’d earn $375 so this bonus is significantly better. After the 90 days you’ll have to keep $5,000 in the account to keep the account fee-free until the bonus posts (doesn’t look necessary). Probably not worth the risk with the targeted language so we won’t add this to the list of the best bank account 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
Post history:
- Update 1/18/24: Deal is back, this time the $1k option for $20k deposit (previously 30k) or a $1.5k option for $50k deposit (not previously offered)
- This offer has targeted language ‘This offer is only available to business owners who receive this offer via a direct communication from a Bank of America Specialist or from a Bank of America communication’. Some people have seen the offer on the Bank of America homepage and in the past this language hasn’t been enforced so YMMV.
Just sharing a DP. Was targeted & had documentation. Bonus never posted. Chat was useless. Called in two months after requirements were met. Front line biz rep said couldn’t see on my profile and said to go into a branch (which I knew would go nowhere). Pushed back and got to a supervisor, who said he did see it but on my personal profile not business profile (he said they have two profiles internally even though only one is visible to end user) and opened up case that would take 7-10 biz days (he gave me a case number). Two weeks later exactly bonus posted. Not sure why, but this is the second time this has happened to me with BofA biz bonuses even though targeted and click through while logged in. First time I had to go to CFPB. This time resolved with BofA but after a couple hours extra work.
How do you check if your account has been upgraded to preferred rewards?
Opened 10/15
deposit 50k 11/13
holding until 1/13
How do I know if I will be fee-free for next month until bonus posts?
You must enroll in the program. Once logged in, if enrolled and qualified you would see a message box, “You’ve been enjoying Preferred Rewards for Biz since.. “. The banker that opened my account in Sept. enrolled us and the Preferred Rewards became active in Nov.
Sauce.
https://business.bankofamerica.com/preferred-rewards-business.html
If I am a preferred rewards member and have no fees, is it safe to pull out my 50k after meeting the qualifications for the bonus? What will happen in the next statement?
December statement reads below:
Service fees The Monthly Fee on your primary Business Advantage Relationship Banking account was waived for the statement period ending 11/29/24. A check mark below indicates the requirement(s)
you have met to qualify for the Monthly Fee waiver on the account. $15,000+ combined average monthly balance in linked business accounts has been met
Become a member of Preferred Rewards for Business has been met
I also haven’t received my bonus yet its 1/18/2025.
If you have a personal BofA online account, my understanding is that it only shows your personal Preferred Rewards status, and you need to create a separate business online account to see the Preferred Rewards for Business status. (The BofA website didn’t let me create the business online account; I called BofA and they gave me a username & temp password.)
Though, it sounds like you already got a statement showing your status. The status should stay the same for a year, so if you’ve already held the balance for the required period to get the bonus, you can withdraw, even before the bonus posts. Though, I left $17 to be safe (some banks close accounts with $0 balance; and I didn’t want the account to go negative in case a fee is mistakenly charged).
Thanks,
I left $50 on the account and will call to waive the monthly fee the first month. I rather keep the 50k in a interest earning account. Hopefully the bonus posts as it 50k holding ends on 1/13/2025.
The terms and condition only mention that the funds need to be there from days 30 to 90 from account opening.
I thought you were saying that the statement showed you already had Preferred Rewards; if so, I wouldn’t expect any fee to be charged. Also, when I opened my account, the website said something about the monthly fee being waived for the first 12 months, which I think was regardless of Preferred Rewards; but that might’ve been a limited time offer.
through small biz advisor there’s a similar biz savings account offer available, ending mid February. 30d to make deposit, Maintenance period lasts from day 31 ends 91. $500 for holding 50k, $1000 for holding 100k, $2500 for holding 250k, $5000 for holding 500k
DP
9/24/2024 Acct opened.
9/26/2024 Pushed $100.
10/22/2024 Pushed $50k.
10/25/2024 Maintenance period starts.
12/24/2024 Maintenance period ends.
12/26/2024 Pulled $50k.
1/03/2025 Bonus $1.5k.
Visited a local branch w/small business advisor and got immediate push back that offer doesn’t even exist bs, lame and left even more determined to try again. A day later switch tactics..
Opened by cold calling a few branches till a local small business advisor could find the offer($500/$20k, $1.5k/$50k) AND agreeing to do the app via phone. Requested a copy of the offer via email prior to app, applied (sole prop) and reassured offer attached. P2 applied afterwards on same call. Banker reviewed offer details and mentioned to fund acct with $100 within 10 days once opened to keep account active. Rec’d welcome email 2 days later, both not targeted, P1 with only personal CC relationship and P2 none. Also rec’d $5(AMZ GC) experience survey about a month later, nice suprise! Never contacted bank for anything after app.
Overall good offer and worth it if you have the funds to wait it out. Ka-ching!
09/27/2024: Account opened
10/21/2024: $50,000 check deposited
12/27/2024: The last day to hold funds
I was expecting to see the bonus today (1/3/205) since most DP says they arrive the next Friday of the week of 90 days after account open. No bonus yet. Should I start worrying?
9/20/24 Applied & Opened in branch.
12/20/24 Met requirements.
No bonus yet.
According to the terms, they still have time. “Once you’ve met these requirements, we’ll attempt to deposit your cash bonus within 60 days”
Just want to check, did you get it yet?
Not yet
12/23/24 went in branch to talk to business solution advisor
From my understanding is that the banker have to input LLC info first and see if the system populate the offer. It took couple minutes to generate(targeted) and make sure your banker look under both your social and EIN. (He first told me there’s no business offer but then realized he was looking under my personal side)
Offer flyer 00-56-0585NB
5K/25
10K/500
20K/1000
Also, he mentioned it takes about 48hr for you to be able to merge personal and business login into one.
Was able to contact a BoA SB Banker over phone and they opened the account for the $1500 offer for 50K deposit over the phone call after verifying my existing relationship with BoA. Was able to get P1 and P2 for the offer.
It shows “Now with no monthly fee for 12 months!” from the introduction page of business checking (https://www.bankofamerica.com/smallbusiness/deposits/business-advantage-banking/).
William Charles There is a new tier I was offered, $3k for $500k. That is 2.4% if you hold it exactly for 90 days.
WTF, I only received $760, not $1000 as I applied? I saw someone mentioned this earlier, are these tax withheld? They are not supposed to do tax withholding. I will talk to the banker who opened the account for me. Anyone who had this issue and how to have it resolved? Thanks.
If someone opened it for you, I believe they can’t select “no” for tax withholding for you unless you specify that. You will get it back when you do your taxes if they took more than needed.
Thanks for the rely. I opened my account in a branch. I remember I chose not subject to tax withholding as i always do for this question whenever opening a bank accounts. I think they made a mistake by withholding the tax for me, I am wondering once they did this, is there anyway I can ask to correct it and give back to me?
Same situation! I will contact my banker as well. I certainly never did anything during application to indicate tax should be withheld.
Thanks for the info. Please let me know what they say. I will also update mine.
Update: Called the banker who opened account for me in branch the other day regarding the $760 bonus. Today she called me saying that it was tax withheld 20%. I asked if this can be corrected and give me the full 1000, was not not possible. So I will have no choice but take it. Hopefully I can have it adjusted when filing my tax nex year.
The tax withholding will be shown on the 1099 int you receive in January. Just input it in the tax return you will be good. The only difference is to pay the tax early or pay it when you fill the tax return.
Thanks. I guess so, but it’s their mistake after all.