This offer has now expired, but there is a new better bonus for $200.
- Maximum bonus amount: $200Â
- Availability: Only in the following states:Â FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, MI, MO, NC, OH, PA, TN, WV (may be only for those within a 50-mile radius of a branch). Must open in-branch, not online; fine print indicates that over the phone is an option as well at 1-866-671-5353. Must present coupon for either option.
- Direct deposit required: Yes, no minimum mentioned; in the past, it’s needed to be $100 minimum. Click here to see what’s been working for the direct deposit requirement.
- Additional requirements: Three bill-payments
- Hard/soft pull: Soft
- Credit card funding: None
- Monthly fees: $11-$25, waivable
- Early account termination fee: None listed (there has been some mention of a nine-month requirement in the past so it may be worth verifying)
- Expiration Date: January 16, 2015
The Offer
- Receive a sign-up bonus of $200 when you open a checking account with Fifth Third bank and completing the following:
- Set up a direct deposit ($100 minimum in the past)
- Pay three bills online using Fifth Thirds online bill payment service
Enter you email address to receive the coupon – it comes within minutes.
The Fine Print
- Expires January 16, 2016
- Requirements must be fulfilled within 90-days of account opening
- Must present coupon code at a banking center or during the phone call to receive bonus
- Offer not available to existing checking customers or to those with a Fifth Third checking account that has been closed within the last 12 months
- Offer not available to new Fifth Third checking customers in Northeast Ohio
- Bonus offer available to new consumer checking customers, excluding Fifth Third Basic Checking, Fifth Third Private Bank products, and Business checking accounts
- Limit of one new account-related gift incentive per calendar year
- Bonus will be deposited within 6 weeks of meeting requirements
- One bonus offer per account per household
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
The easiest option for most is to choose the Essential Checking account which has an $11 monthly fee. The fee can be waived by maintaining an average monthly balance of $1,500 or more across your savings and checking accounts.
The fine print indicates that the Military Banking and Student Banking accounts should also work for this bonus.
- If you are in the military, choose the Military Banking option and you’ll have an additional option for getting the monthly fee waived by receiving $500 in direct deposits each month.
- If you are a high school or college student age 16+, choose the Student Banking option for no monthly fee at all.
Our Verdict
Pretty good bonus overall; the direct deposit requirement has been easy to fulfill in the past, and the bill payments shouldn’t be a hurdle for anyone. There is $1,500 getting tied up here (unless you are a student), but that should be worth it for the $200 bonus.
Assuming the phone option works as indicated, this offer can be used by even those who aren’t especially close to a branch.
HT: reader Vijay
