Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount: $100
- Availability: PA, NJ, NY, MA, VT, and CT. In branch only [Branch locations here]
- Direct deposit required: Yes, no minimum specified
- Additional requirements: See below
- Hard/soft pull: Unknown
- ChexSystems: Unknown
- Credit card funding: Unknown
- Monthly fees: None
- Early account termination fee: $25, 90 days
- Household limit: None
- Expiration date: May 31st, 2017
The Offer
- Berkshire Bank is offering a bonus of up to $100 when you open a new free checking account and complete the following requirements:
- $25 for setting up direct deposit by May 31st, 2017
- $25 for paying a bill using bill pay
- $25 for signing up for eStatements
- $25 when you replace your bank’s debit card with a Berkshire Bank debit card
- You can also get $25 when you refer a friend (note you’re limited to earning a maximum of $100, so only refer a friend if you won’t do one of the above). Limit of referring two friends
The Fine Print
- In order to qualify for up to a $100 cash bonus, you need to be a new Berkshire Bank customer or current Berkshire Bank customer without a checking account relationship and open a Free Checking account with a minimum balance of $10 and choose up to four of the following options: (1)$25 when you establish and receive at least one direct deposit to your account by 05/31/17, (2)$25 when you set up and pay a bill through online banking using Bill Pay, (3) $25 when you enroll in eStatements at account opening, (4)$25 when you turn in your bank’s debit card and replace it with a Berkshire Bank debit card, (5) $25 when you refer a family member who opens a free checking account by using the Refer-A-Friend coupon.
- Limit one $100 bonus per individual.
- Limit of two $25 bonuses available to individuals when a friend opens a new personal checking account.
- The direct deposit, debit card and bill payment bonus will be credited within seven days of your notifying us that the transaction(s) have occurred.
- To notify us, visit a branch or call us at 800.773.5601.
- The debit card bonus will be credited within 7 business days of new Berkshire debit card application.
- The $25 Refer-A-Friend bonus is credited when the friend opens the checking account with the Refer-A-Friend coupon.
- The value of the bonus may be reported on an IRS form 1099MISC. Other fees may apply.
- This offer may be withdrawn at any time. By referring a friend, you and the friend waive the right to privacy and disclose you are customers for this transaction.
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
This account does not have any monthly maintenance fees to worry about. According to fee schedule there is an early account termination fee of $25 if the account is closed within 90 days.
Our Verdict
Quite a lot of requirements for only a $100 bonus, especially as going in branch is also required. Probably not worth the effort involved, but if anybody does sign up please share your data points below.
Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
- A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
- 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
Applied via mailer qr code and auto approved on 9/10. Funded 1k on wyndham biz. I am in footprint. Chex 0/1, 1/2, 2/3, 8/6, 31/12, 33/24
Did not receive any calls, just a bunch of welcome emails.
Organic debits and ACH deposit completed on 10/12/23. Bonus posted on 11/21/23 — much faster than the 12/29/23 date on the mailer.
Bonus transaction type is “adjustment” which looks very manual to me. Glad I went with real debits.
Can you post your referral link so that I can apply using it?
Hey Dan, thanks for asking but it’s against the rules to post referral links here. Feel free to reach out to me directly.
William Charles Received a mailer for a $200 bonus, no promo code required.
Unfortunately couldn’t find any mention of it on their website.
QR code leads to https://open.berkshirebank.com/productselection/?selected=003&SegCode=4141
Get a $200 REWARD in 3 simple steps:
1. Open a new Spend Checking account online by September 15, 2023
2. Make 15 or more debit card purchases by November 15, 2023
3. Establish and receive at least one direct deposit (ACH Credit) of $100 or more by November 15, 2023
To receive the $200 checking reward, open a new Spend Checking account by 9/15/2023, establish and receive at least one direct deposit (ACH Credit) of at least $100 into the Spend Checking account by November 15, 2023 (initial funding deposit does NOT qualify), and make a minimum of 15 purchases with your Berkshire Bank Debit Card by November 15, 2023. Debit card transactions must post and settle to your account to meet the qualification requirements. Minimum opening deposit is $10. Courtesy Pay, our discretionary service, is not available for this account. The reward will be deposited into the checking account by December 29, 2023. The value of the reward may be reportable to the IRS on Form 1099-MISC. Only one reward per household. Your account must be open and in good standing when the reward is deposited. Offer may be withdrawn at any time.
Banking products are provided by Berkshire Bank: Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Berkshire Bank is a Massachusetts chartered bank.
There is an Early Account Closure fee of $35 if closed in 12 months
https://www.berkshirebank.com/getmedia/7a6bb4dd-954e-4cdd-b791-bac8061020c8/2023-08-01-092_Consumer-Account-Related-Fee-Schedule
Application went to Pending Further Review.
I am in state but have lots of chex dings.
Submitted $1,000 funding on a Citi Mastercard.
Charge does not show on credit card.
$1,000 posted as Purchase for Citi Mastercard.
This is a very hands-on bank, expect lots of phone calls to get everything set up.
Based on a comment by the banker on the phone, they are tracking bonus eligibility via that QR code URL (first comment)
Woori could you give a numerical estimate of your chex inquiries? I got a mailer too but not sure how sensitive they are.
My application went pending for Identity verification, not Chex review. I don’t have the exact numbers (Chex refuses to email me my report, only snail mail), but I opened 2 accounts in the 90 days before this one, and 4 total (including those 2) in the 6 months prior. Lots more in the past 12 and 24 months, didn’t count the exact amount.
ntn
Interesting, unfortunately that landing page doesn’t mention the bonus so probably won’t post
Post should say “upto $100” because the first 3 options are ok to do; but the other 2 seem difficult. How do you turn in your bank’s debit card and replace it with a Berkshire’s? (I dont want to give them 1 of my current banks’ debit card. And, I don’t have any1 to refer this). We also don’t know what counts as DD. I agree; not worth it. This is Berkshire Hills Bancorp’s “Welcome” promo for acquiring First Choice Banks (NJ and Bucks county PA branches).
Changed to up to
From some PDF docs posted online it looks like the early closeout fee is $25 if done within 90 days.
Link?
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0ahUKEwi7qrDanqrTAhXC6oMKHSDtA00QFggtMAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.berkshirebank.com%2FFile%2520Library%2FFirst%2520Choice%2FBB_1stChoice_conversion_web.pdf&usg=AFQjCNGaighhRrEA5NycCKp3NC-WOgjHHQ