Deal has ended, view more bank account bonuses by clicking here.
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount: $235
- Availability: New Jersey, New York & Pennsylvania
- Direct deposit required: Yes, $500+ per month
- Additional requirements: See below
- Hard/soft pull: Soft
- ChexSystems: Unknown, sensitive (might not be sensitive in branch)
- Credit card funding: Usually up to $500 online, but most likely not available in branch or a cash advance
- Monthly fees: None
- Early account termination fee: 12 months, bonus forfeit
- Household limit: None listed
- Expiration date: 12/31/22
Contents
The Offer
- OceanFirst is offering a bonus of $235 when you open a new free style checking account and complete the following requirements:
- Use promo code Fall22W
- At least two cycles of an electronic recurring direct deposit of $500 or more has posted to the account
- eStatements is elected
- Accountholder is active on the OceanFirst Bank mobile app within 30 days leading up to the bonus payout date
The Fine Print
- Promotion runs 09/06/22 through 12/31/22.
- Offer available for New FreeStyle Checking account customers only.
- Account must be opened with funds not currently on deposit at OceanFirst Bank.
- Eligibility for the $235 bonus requires that all three of the following conditions are met: At least two cycles of an electronic recurring direct deposit of $500 or more has posted to the account, eStatements is elected and the accountholder is active on the OceanFirst Bank mobile app within 30 days leading up to the bonus payout date.
- Bonus will be paid on the first business day after your 90-day account opening anniversary.
- All cash bonuses are taxable.
- $50 minimum to open any OceanFirst checking account.
- FreeStyle Checking features no monthly minimum balance requirement.
- Account must remain open and active for one year or bonus will be forfeited. All Annual Percentage Yields (APYs) on interest-bearing accounts subject to change.
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
Monthly Fees
This account has no monthly fees to worry about
Early Account Termination Fee
Bonus forfeit if closed within 12 months
Our Verdict
Not as good as the most recent $250 deal with no direct deposit required. But that hasn’t been available since 2019 so if you live in an eligible area then this deal is worth doing. We will add this to our list of the best checking bonuses.
Hat tip to Bockrr
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
Did anyone get this? I wasn’t sure what it was, I thought they were removing the bonus even though the account was closed. Any insights?
Dear Valued Customer,
Thank you for opening a new OceanFirst FreeStyle Checking account and meeting the requirements to receive $235. The $235 was previously credited to your account.
However, in the coming weeks you will notice the following activity in your account related to this credit:
There will be $235 interest posted to your account.
There will be $235 debited from your account to offest the previous credit.
There will be a Form 1099-Int provided in early 2024 for tax reporting purposes.
Should you have any questions, the Customer Care Center team at OceanFirst is available Monday through Friday from 7am to 7pm and Saturday from 8am to 5pm; please call 1.888.623.2698 or visit oceanfirst.com to engage with Live Chat. Please remember to consult a tax advisor to discuss your specific tax reporting requirements.
Are you saying that you closed your account before the required year of keeping it open?
I received this letter. I think that they are implying that the initial $235 credit didn’t get posted the correct way so they are doing a matching debit for that. They are adding $235 “interest” so that the 1099 will be correct.
Anyway, you never answered my previous question. Did you close your account before it was open for 12 months? If so, you will probably owe them $235.
Promotion runs from 7/11/23 through 8/22/23. Employees of OceanFirst Bank N.A. excluded from this special offer. Account must be opened with funds not currently on deposit at OceanFirst Bank. Offer subject to change at any time. Bonus limited to one per customer. Business accounts do not qualify & offer is not transferable. Eligibility for the $150 bonus requires that the following conditions are met: Statement savings account is opened with new funds not currently on deposit at OceanFirst Bank and a minimum daily balance of $15,000 is maintained for 90 days. Eligibility for the $250 bonus requires that the following conditions are met: Statement savings account is opened with new funds not currently on deposit at OceanFirst Bank and a minimum daily balance of $20,000 is maintained for 90 days. Preselected offer and promo code must be presented at time of account opening. $100 minimum to open an OceanFirst statement savings account. Minimum daily balance of $250 required to earn interest. Bonus will be paid on the first business day after your 90-day account opening anniversary. Once your initial funding is complete, your account balance cannot fall below the minimum daily balance requirement at any time during the 90-day period, or the bonus will be forfeited. All cash bonuses are taxable. All Annual Percentage Yields (APYs) on interest bearing accounts subject to change. Fees may reduce earnings.
Is there a link at all?
None given. Subject of the email: How Does a $250 Bonus Sound?
Anybody receive a 1099 from them that is late? They seem to be sending them in June. What are you going to do about it now that taxes have been filed?
Hey guys..a lil help. I met the requirements for the bonus except one they’re saying I was supposed to use the mobile app within 30 days of Opening.. My understanding is within 30 days LEADING UP to the bonus posting which is what it says on the DOC. Of course if I had a screenshot of the TOC I wouldn’t be going through this.. So lesson learned.. But would anybody out there at all have any kind of screenshot of the terms and conditions? I know it’s just 235 but it’s the principle of the whole thing. Screenshot from now on of everything..TIA
archived 11-09-22 , reads just as you said.
https://web.archive.org/web/20221109153002/https://oceanfirst.com/personal/checking/
Thank You!.I got them to send me a flyer with the terms.I used real DD”s so and they are being super obstinate to the point of obvious flat out lying,so I said “ok”and will just file a complaint.I now have what I need.Will post the results.
The rep that opened my account told me to login once a month but based on the terms, it seems that you are correct.
Complaint filed.Hopefully the CFPB agrees with you.I mean it’s pretty clear🤞🏿🤞🏿
I just reviewed my Chex report and Oceanfirst did not pull Chex. I wonder if that’s because I opened the account in-branch of because I previously had an account with them. Have any of you checked your report recently?
dp from NY:
opened 9/16/22
bonus paid 12/16/22
real work dd’s
DP from NJ:
9/11/2022: Freestyle Checking Opened
09/13/2022: $500 Initial Funding (CC funding via Citi CC coded as purchase)
09/23/2022: $501 real DD
10/07/2022: $501 real DD
10/11/2022: Withdrew from account to make balance $100
12/15/2022: $235 “FreeStyle Checking Bonus Payment 155” credit posted
DP from Pennsylvania:
2022/09/12: “Freestyle Checking” account opened.
2022/09/14: Opening deposit from Ally posts ($100).
2022/09/30: Real DD posts ($510).
2022/10/31: Real DD posts ($510).
2022/11/29: Transferred $1020 from OceanFirst to Ally Checking via the OceanFirst App.
2022/11/30: Real DD posts ($510).
2022/12/15: “FreeStyle Checking Bonus Payment 161” posts ($235).
Now to just keep the account open and active for a year… will probably schedule automated transfers in and out of the account via Ally. Thank you, Doc and team.
DP: Got my $235 FreeStyle Checking Bonus Payment today, only needed to nudge them twice. Monday 12/12 was my first biz day after 90 calendar day account opening anniversary. Now have to leave account open and ‘active’ a year to avoid bonus forfeit.
Customer Service confirmed I’ve met qualifications for bonus and they’re aware a number of people are awaiting overdue bonus, they’re looking into it and will get back to me. It’s absurd they keep talking to me about 90-biz-day anniversary when offer plainly says 90-day anniversary. Nice to see some got their bonus on time.