This deal has expired, current top checking bonuses can be found here.
According to a reader this is a targeted promotion, only existing users are eligible?
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount:Â $350
- Availability:Â Nationwide
- Direct deposit required:Â Yes, no minimum specified
- Additional requirements:Â See below
- Hard/soft pull:Â Hard
- ChexSystems: Yes, inquiry sensitive
- Credit card funding:Â None
- Monthly fees:Â None
- Early account termination fee:Â Unknown
- Household limit:Â None
- Expiration date:Â April 30th, 2018
The Offer
- First Tech Federal Credit Union is offering bonuses of up to $350 for opening a checking/savings account. Offers are as follows:
- Open a Dividend Rewards checking account and set up direct deposit within 60 days and get a $100 bonus
- Open a new instant savings bonus and get:
- $150 bonus when you transfer $15,000 of new funds in within 10 business days and maintain that balance for 90 days
- $250 bonus when you transfer $25,000 of new funds in within 10 business days and maintain that balance for 90 days
The Fine Print
- Offer expires 04.30.18.
- Bonus offer is not valid for multiple accounts and is available by invitation only. (keep in mind this showed up as a Google ad, so everybody should be eligible)
- This offer is non-transferable and is not available to members with existing Dividend Rewards Checking or Instant Access Savings accounts or those whose accounts have been closed within 90 days. New accounts must be personal accounts, not fiduciary or business accounts.
- For new members, opening a Membership Savings Account with a deposit of $5.00 is required prior to opening any other type of accounts. After meeting criteria below, we’ll deposit bonus amounts to your Membership Savings Account month-end after you meet all criteria.
- The checking bonus may be combined with only one savings bonus option. Account must be in good standing (not in default, closed, or otherwise not in good standing.) Bonus amounts are considered interest and will be reported on IRS form 1099 INT.
- To receive $100 checking bonus: 1) Open a new Dividend Rewards Checking account AND 2) Have your direct deposit made to this account within 60 days of account opening. Direct deposit must be electronic deposit with paycheck, pension or government benefit description.
- To receive $150 savings bonus: 1) Open a new Instant Access Savings account; 2) Deposit $15,000 in new money within 10 business days of account opening; AND 3) Maintain a minimum daily account balance of $15,000 for 90 days after the first 10 business days. New money cannot be held by First Tech or its affiliates.
- To receive $250 savings bonus: 1) Open a new Instant Access Savings account; 2) Deposit $25,000 in new money within 10 business days of account opening; AND 3) Maintain a minimum daily account balance of $25,000 for 90 days after the first 10 business days. New money cannot be held by First Tech or its affiliates.
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
The savings accounts do not have any monthly fees, checking account also has no monthly fees to worry about. I wasn’t able to find any fee schedule so I’m unsure if there is any early account termination fee or not.
Our Verdict
Hard pull and ChexSystems sensitive kill this deal unfortunately. Personally I’d just give this one a miss, but if you don’t really care about hard pulls and haven’t opened many bank accounts then maybe you could go for it. Although I’d recommend just focusing on bigger checking & saving bonuses personally and just giving this one a miss instead.
Big thanks to reader, Michael G who let us know. Learn how to find bonuses and contribute to the site here.
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
Very old post, and this update is for a very select audience but if you are an Intel Corp employee or immediate family member, you get $200 with a new checking account and $15k deposit plus an additional $500 bonus with a DD of $2,000 by 04.30.19. I don’t have all the fine print available yet.
This is now targetted. Called trying to get set up (kept getting thrown to callback form online). Successfully got promo email, but open account links would not work. Lady on phone said targetted to existing members and I was not on list (even after forwarding promo email). She chased down supervisor who said targeted. Post needs update.
William Charles
Thanks, will update.
Any experience on what counts as DD for them besides payroll?
Where does it say anything about a hard pull? How do you know there is one?
It says it at the start of the post:
Hard/soft pull:Â Hard
Just opened account and no hard pull.
Checked all 3 bureaus? Can you recheck a few days later? Would be contradicted DP.
Just Experian. Whar do you use for others that are free?
Check Credit Karma other 2 (Transunion/Equifax). Then let us know. This DP would contradict and be welcome news.
I just checked Credit Karma and no HP either for TU & Exp
Did you have to open the member savings account with the $5 first/separately?
No. It was combined.
The hard pull is the dealbreaker, so I’ll pass.
What I’m curious about (and will try to find out from them) is whether existing checking account prevents eligibility for the savings bonus.
Anybody got the skinny on DD as what counts and what doesn’t? tia
Anybody know whether it’s ChexSystems sensitive even if one opens ONLY the savings account? Seems like a savings account should be less sensitive than a checking acct …
good question. I’m curious too. I’d probably go for only the Savings account if it’s not chex sensitive. I just opened 3 accounts this week though so if anyone wishes to try please report back here. I may need to wait a week or two before opening another one. Thanks!
Anyone tried CC funding with amex?
No CC funding allowed