[AL, FL, GA, SC & TN] Synovus Bank $200 Checking Account Bonus

Offer at a glance

• Maximum bonus amount: $200
• Availability: AL, FL, GA, SC & TN only
• Direct deposit required: Yes, recurring $1,000+
• Additional requirements: One bill pay and 15 debit card transactions
• Hard/soft pull: Unknown
• Credit card funding: Unknown
• Monthly fees: $10, waive able
• Early account termination fee: None
• Expiration date: December 31st, 2015

The Offer

Synovus trades under a bunch of different names in different locations. To find the closest branch to you click this link then scroll down and enter your ZIP code. ‘. Bonus via Maximizing Money

• Receive a sign up bonus of $200 when you open any checking account with Synovus and complete the following requirements:
  • Complete their form or apply in branch
  • Open any new checking account with at least $100
  • Set up a recurring direct deposit of $1,000 or more
  • Pay a bill using Synovus Bill Pay
  • Make 15 Visa Check card transactions (signature or PIN – ATM transactions do not qualify towards the 15 transactions)

The Fine Print

• Bonus will be issued by April 15, 2016
• Offer available only to new consumer checking customers and does not apply if you already have a checking account with a division of Synovus Bank
• Requirements must be completed within 90 days of account opening (debit card transactions must post and clear)
• All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

The easiest way to keep this account fee (unless you’re a student or part of the military) is to open an access or gold checking account. Both accounts come with a $10 monthly fee that is waived if you do either of the following:

• Have an average daily balance of $1,000 or more
• Have direct deposits of $500 or more each month

I wasn’t able to find any mention of a early account termination fee in their fee schedule, but one might be charged. Given that the bonus won’t post until April 2016, this is unlikely to be an issue.

Our Verdict

I have two main problems with this bonus, the actual bonus won’t post until April of 2016 which means you’d need to keep funds locked up for a long time and we’re also not sure if it’s a hard or soft pull to open. Because of that I wouldn’t recommend it for most people, but if you give it a shot then please share your experiences in the comments below.

As always it’s been added to our list of checking bonuses that are available nationwide and in specific states. If you’re looking for bonuses that we do recommend, you can go here.

Massive thanks to Maximizing Money for finding this offer