[Expired] OneWest Bank $200 Checking Bonus [CA, Pasadena & San Marino only] – Direct Deposit Not Required

This deal has expired, you can view the best bank bonuses here.

Offer at a glance

• Maximum bonus amount: $200
• Availability: Pasadena & San Marino only
• Direct deposit required: No. Direct deposit OR ACH deposit of $650 per month for at least two months is required.
• Additional requirements: Activate debit card, eStatements
• Hard/soft pull: Soft
• ChexSystems: Yes
• Credit card funding: Unknown 
• Monthly fees: $5, waivable
• Early account termination fee: Six months, bonus forfeit
• Expiration date: January 30th, 2017
• Household limit: One

The Offer

Direct link to offer

• Open a new OneWest personal checking, premium checking or OneAccount at their San Marino or Pasadena branches and receive a $200 prepaid gift card (Visa prepaid) or gift valued at $200 when you complete the following requirements:
  • Activate a new debit card on the new checking account within 60 days of account opening;
  • Sign up for eStatements on the new checking account within 30 days of account opening;
  • Set up and receive recurring direct deposits or ACH deposits totaling $650 or more per month for at least two consecutive months to the new checking account within 90 days of account opening.

The Fine Print

• Limited time offer. $200 bonus offer is for new customers aged 18 years or older who successfully open a new OneWest Bank Personal Checking, Premium Checking, or OneAccount checking account at the OneWest Bank Pasadena or San Marino branch only, no later than January 30, 2017
• Bonus will be paid, at customer’s option, in the form of a prepaid card loaded with $200 or a gift valued at approximately $200.
• Customers who satisfy the Eligibility Criteria within the time frames specified above will be sent an e-mail with prepaid card and gift redemption codes and instructions within 30 days following the date on which all Eligibility Criteria were met.
• Checking account must remain open and in good standing for a least six months after account opening. If checking account is closed by the customer or OneWest Bank within six months after opening, the value of the bonus may be deducted from account at closing.
• Bonus is considered forfeited if not redeemed within 180 days after first email sent.
• Offer is subject to change at any time.
• Offer cannot be combined with any other offer.
• Limit one offer per household.
• All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

You need to keep the account open for six months otherwise you will forfeit the bonus. The easiest account to keep fee free is the personal checking account, this has a $5 monthly fee and this is waived if you meet any of the following requirements:

• Maintain $1,000 monthly balance
• Elect to receive eStatements
• Account holder is senior (at least 55 years of age)
• One of the account holders is a minor (less than 18 years of age)

Our Verdict

Good bonus if you live near a branch, it should be a soft pull (but please share your data points in the comments below) and it’s relatively easy to keep the account fee free. We don’t know what codes as a direct deposit yet, so also share those datapoints.

Once we’ve gotten a little bit more information, we will most likely add this to our list of the best bank account bonuses.

Hat tip to olympia_t on /r/churning

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