This bonus is no longer available, view the best offers by clicking here.
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount: $300
- Availability: TN & NC only
- Direct deposit required: Yes, no minimum specified
- Additional requirements: Use promotional code “ONLINE”
- Hard/soft pull: Soft
- Credit card funding: Up to $300
- Monthly fees: $5-$9, waive able
- Early account termination fee: Six months, otherwise bonus is clawed back
- Expiration date: March 31st, 2016
Contents
The Offer
- Receive a sign up bonus of $250 when you open a new checking account with First Tennessee and complete the following requirements
- Use the promotional code ONLINE
- Direct deposit (no minimum specified) is required within 60 days of account opening
$50 Referral Bonus
You can also get a $50 referral bonus, other people have been able to get both this bonus and the $250 bonus listed above. Here are the requirements for the $50 bonus:
- Within 90 days of receiving your referral invitation, open a new First Tennessee personal checking account with at least $100, AND complete two direct deposit transactions of at least $100 each within 60 days of account opening
You need to submit the referral form first, then sign up for the other bonus. Make sure you use the same e-mail address for both. You can find referral links in the comments below. Please only leave your link once, if you’re found doing this more than once we will remove your comments and ban you from leaving future referral links.
The Fine Print
- Offer is good from February 5, 2016 to March 31, 2016
- To receive your bonus, you must open the checking account online and ensure the code ONLINE appears in the online application where “Offer/Promo code” is requested
- Opening deposit of at least $300 is required
- Offer is only valid for households in Tennessee and North Carolina
- At least one direct deposit must post to your account within 60 days of account opening. Opening deposit cannot be transferred from existing First Tennessee accounts
- The $250 bonus will be credited to your account within 6 weeks of meeting all requirements
- Limit one bonus per household. Cannot be combined with other checking offers. This offer is for new checking households only, or for households who have not had an open First Tennessee consumer checking account in the previous 12 months. This is now being enforced
- Account must be kept open and in good standing for at least six months
- Account openings are subject to bank approval and may be declined based on certain factors.
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
There are four accounts that can be opened for this bonus: Express Checking, Premier Checking, Classic Checking, Select Checking.
Express Checking $5 Monthly Fee
This is waived as long as you have at least one direct deposit in the month.
Premier Checking Account $9 Monthly Fee
This is waived if you have a minimum of $5,000 in combined monthly balances (checking, savings, bank IRAs or CDs).
Classic Checking $6 Monthly Fee
Cannot be waived
Select Checking $9 Monthly Fee
This is waived if you have at least one direct deposit and 15 customer-initiated debit transactions.
Early Account Termination Fee
Fine print states that the account must be kept open and in good standing for six months, I assume they take the bonus back if you don’t fulfill this requirement.
Our Verdict
This bonus used to be available nationwide, I assume if you signed up before the now you’ll receive the bonus even if you don’t live in the targeted area. Still a great bonus if you do live in the target area, as such we’ve added it to our list of the best state specific bank bonuses. One thing to remember about this bonus is that they seem to batch process the bonuses at the end of the month.
If you have any questions about this bonus, make sure you read through the old post that had ~500 comments first to save me some time answering questions that have already been answered.
Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
- PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
- Introduction To 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?
Thanks to reader info for the heads up
$300 First Tennessee offer is back:
ftb.com/earn300 (promo code COF300 )
$50 Referral link:
https://www.referlive.com/firsttennessee/newcustform/3A16C43D12C8/10/0890058F3X5EZZJ/3394608/ET
TIA.
FYI, I had been using an ACH push from Discover Bank to meet the DD requirement for Express Checking, but it’s now showing up as P2P for me. For the past several months, it showed as:
DISCOVER BANK PREARRANGEYYMMDD########### (My Discover Bank Account Number)
However, my latest push is showing up as:
DISCOVER BANK P2P YYMMDDMATTHEW **** (My Last Name)
They’ve been sending several e-mails lately about their new upgraded online banking system, maybe that’s related to this, who knows.
I know these bonuses are long since expired, but they say it’s required to keep accounts open for a minimum of 6 months, in order to avoid a claw-back. For those of us out there who are still trying to fulfill that requirement, and avoid the Express Checking monthly fee, this might be something to keep an eye on.
If anyone out there is reading this, I hope this data point helps you!
Don’t forget to use the referral link for a $50 rewards card.
https://www.referlive.com/firsttennessee/newcustform/BD80221120F9/4/08400848VEZVBHB
My online statement lists my $100 Discover transaction as P2P instead of ACH. Is this a problem?
I meant P2P instead of Direct Deposit. Same question
Anyone having problems with them honoring the promotion? They are telling me that I didn’t put the promotion code on my application – I challenged them on it and they are mailing me a copy. WTF
Does anyone have a screenshot that indicates the “online” promo is applied? My friend with signed up it when it was a nationwide offer. But they are saying that their system does not show the offer on his account. Thanks!
$50 GIFT Card referral link :
http://bit.ly/1Wd52H2
YOU NEED TO FIRST REGISTER AT THIS LINK and after that you open the account with $250 offer.
In order to satisfy requirements of both bonuses you need to:
1. open account with min opening deposit of $300
2. make TWO direct deposits of at least $100 each within 60 days.
You need to use the same info(name address, email…) when when registering on referral link and when opening account.
You will get $250 deposited to your account and $50 visa gift card in the mail.
Signed up through both promos. Will post back when they hit (or don’t). Funded with my Citi AA card; still waiting for that to come out of “pending” status to see if it’s a purch or cash adv.
Here’s my $50 referral link–appreciate your support!
http://bit.ly/1Ybdaqd
Charge just posted as a purchase for the initial deposit of $300 on my Citi AA card.
Has anyone been able to receive the $50 gc that has made the two $100 DD’s AFTER their account had been open more than 60 days? I opened my acct in early January.