[Expired] [Pacific Palisades, CA only] Union Bank $200 Checking Bonus – Direct Deposit Optional

According to this comment, this offer has not been extended and has now expired. You can view the best current offers by clicking here.

Offer at a glance

  • Maximum bonus amount: $200
  • Availability: 15205 West Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades, CA
  • Direct deposit required: Optional
  • Additional requirements: See below
  • Hard/soft pull: Soft
  • ChexSystems: Unknown
  • Credit card funding: None
  • Monthly fees: $5-$10, avoidable
  • Early account termination fee: Unknown
  • Household limit: One
  • Expiration date: May 31st, 2017

The Offer

No direct link to offer [Bonus is advertised in branch and no mailer is needed]

  • Open a new Union Bank $200 checking bonus at their new Pacific Palisades branch and complete one of the following:
    • Establish a single direct deposit of $250 or more per statement period
    • Make three Union Bank online bill payments to three different payees each month
    • Make five debit card purchases or payments each month

The Fine Print

  • Offer only applies to personal accounts opened at the Pacific Palisades Branch.
  • Offer valid only for new Union Bank customers. New customers limited to those who have not maintained an account relationship with Union Bank within the previous six months
  • Bonus will be deposited on or before July 31st, 2017
  • Limit one checking offer per household
  • Cannot be combined with other offers
  • All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

They have two checking accounts you might want to consider:

  • Banking By Design, monthly fee of $5, waived with either of the following:
    • $250+ single direct deposit
    • $250+ single mobile deposit
  • Ready To Go Checking, monthly fee of  $10, waived with any of the following:
    • $500+ combined direct deposits
    • $500+ combined mobile deposit
    • Average balance of $1,500+

I wasn’t able to find any early account termination fee so I am unsure if they charge one or not.

Our Verdict

Not a bad deal if you live within the area, doesn’t seem like the mailer is actually need and it’s a soft pull. We will add this to our list of highly location specific checking bonuses.

Big thanks to reader, Shahriyar B who let us know. Learn how to find bonuses and contribute to the site here.

Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
    William Charles
  • On March 28, 2017, 12:00

View Comments (27)

  • Beware that while not listed on the fees booklet when opening the account, if you close within 90 days there is a fee of $20. Almost closed the account before asking this.

  • No bonus as of yet. I just called the branch and spoke with someone who said the marketing team is finalizing the bonus credit process and everyone should receive the bonus in their accounts tonight, so it should post by early tomorrow morning at the latest.

  • Just opened a personal checking account in the branch for the bonus. The banker I dealt with was extremely suspicious and standoffish. She kept asking how I found out about this and if it was through a "bank bonus website". I was successfully able to open the personal checking, though. But she refused to allow me to open a business checking account (for the other bonus) because my sole proprietorship is not a "real business" because it doesn't have a "business name". I explained that independent contractors and freelancers often don't have a DBA, that their "business name" is always technically their name, and that doesn't mean they're not a business, but she insisted that that didn't qualify as a business under their rules. This whole also took an incredibly long time. Don't bother trying to open a business account - for the bonus or for real use.

    In the past, I have been pleasantly surprised by a bank where I originally signed up just to get a bonus, and I continued doing business with them. This will not be one of those times. What an awful, time-consuming experience with a thoroughly unpleasant person. Can't wait to close the account and GTFO.

    BTW: The building only has valet parking in the back, but the bank validates, so it's free.

        • Sorry to hear about your bad experience. I really don't understand why bankers like that are so condescending and arrogant, treating customers like dirty. We might love chasing bonuses but we are still customers.

  • Oh, there was a $250 Business Checking offer also. Seems easy: 1.) maintain $1000 average balance for 90 days and 2.) perform 5 "transactions" (debits, credits, deposits.) I can send you a scan of the flyer if you'd like DoC. Downside is it states "Offer applies only for business checking accounts opened at the Pacific Palisades branch and cannot be combined with other offers." But the banker claimed I could get the bonus for that one too, even after signing up for the $200 personal checking so I'm not sure. Will probably test it out to see.

  • Opened this last week. The banker confirmed no HP, as lingua already said. Also confirmed they check Chexsystems, "but that only matters if you closed an account with a negative balance.." banker said. Minimum $100 opening deposit (no CC funding) for the basic "Banking By Design" checking account.

    "If the account is not active and in good standing as of June 30, 2017, you will not receive the bonus." The bonus will be deposited on or before July 31, 2017 into the Union Bank checking account."

    So it would seem the account needs to stay open until at least 7/31/17. No mention anywhere else about any ETF or clawbacks for closing the account.

    Anyhow, there do not appear to be any DP's about Union Bank as far as mobile deposit limits, ACH transfer fees etc, so I am eager to find out. Need new local MO depositries for MS!

  • Opened yesterday, confirmed soft pull, as mentioned by Panda advertsied in branch no mailer needed. Not sure about funding.

  • Can we get clarification on the 5 debit card purchases? When you say "each month," how many months are you referring to?

    • If you read the fine print in the second picture, it looks like the "month" language is meaningless marketing copy. The fine print just says, for instance, make five debit card purchases. That "month" stuff is just there because they want to encourage you to start using the account as your regular checking account; that's why banks give account bonuses.

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