[Expired] [IL, IN, IA, WI only] First Midwest Bank $250 Checking Promotion – Direct Deposit Not Required

Deal has expired, click here for the best current checking bonuses.

Offer at a glance

  • Maximum bonus amount: $250
  • Availability: Offer only available to residents of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin
  • Direct deposit required: No
  • Additional requirements: eStatements, 10 debit card transactions & deposit $2,500
  • Hard/soft pull: Soft
  • ChexSystems: Yes
  • Credit card funding: Up to $2,500, no American Express
  • Monthly fees: $7.49, avoidable
  • Early account termination fee: $25, 12 months
  • Household limit: None listed
  • Expiration date: September 28th, 2019

The Offer

Direct link to offer

  • First Midwest is offering a bonus of $250 when you open a new  checking account and complete the following requirements within 60 days of account opening:
    • Make 10 debit card transactions
    • Make deposits totaling $2,500 or more
    • Enroll in online banking and e-statements

The Fine Print

  • To receive the $250 bonus, the new personal checking client must: 1) Open a new Easy, Midwest or Diamond Checking account with $100 minimum deposit by close of business on 9/28/2019.
  • 2) Make deposits totaling $2,500 or more within 60 days of account opening.
  • 3) Make 10 debit card transactions within 60 days of account opening.
  • 4) Enroll in mobile banking and e-statements within 60 days of account opening.
  • Once all requirements have been met, $250 bonus will be issued as a credit to the account within 30 calendar days of the transactions being verified, following the 90 day period from opening.
  • The account must be open with a positive balance to receive payout.
  • Promotional credit may be subject to IRS 1099-INT form reporting and may be considered taxable as interest income to you.
  • Consult your tax advisor.
  • Limit of one bonus per client, regardless of the number of accounts opened.
  • Offer only available to residents of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin.
  • Offer may be changed or withdrawn at any time without notice. Offer is not available to existing First Midwest Personal checking clients, accounts that have been closed within 90 days or First Midwest colleagues.
  • All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

Monthly Fees

Easy checking account is the easiest to keep fee free. There is a $7.49 monthly fee that is waived if you do any of the following:

  • Maintain $100 average daily balance in Checking OR
  • make qualifying deposits totalling $100 or more per statement period OR
  • be at least 65 years of age

Early Account Termination Fee

Previously account needed to be kept open for six months otherwise you’d forfeit the bonus, but that is no longer in the fine print. Looks like there is an early account termination fee of $25 if closed within 12 months

Our Verdict

Previous best bonus for personal accounts was $100 and that required a direct deposit. This deal is significantly better and definitely worth doing, I’ll be adding this to our list of the best checking bonuses. There is also currently a $350 business checking bonus.

Hat tip to reader Luke

Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
    William Charles
  • On August 11, 2019, 18:59

View Comments (107)

    • Good luck, I was forced to pitch a hard fight with them

      Secure message - tried but they said I have to call (Note: I did have some money in the account)
      Call - tried but they said I have to visit a branch (150 miles away, and Covid be damned)
      Manager - put up a fight, then finally relented. Have to mail in a written request

      Garbage bank, worst ever. I intend to tell them that in my letter, which will be sent certified because I don't trust them

          • I zeroed the account and closed via SM. Hoops' comment below confirms the same. There's no need to go in branch.

        • I mistakenly assumed that their customer service would be helpful. I was wrong. Besides, sometimes it's kind of enjoyable to call a crook out on their practices.
          Please do let me know if things go easier for you if you zero the account first. And be careful, they have some just awful reviews for their fee structures and I wouldn't put it past them to charge you for the day you have < $100 in the account

  • first midwest trying to deny me the bonus now due to the fact im not 'enrolled' in mobile banking..ive used the mobile banking application numerous times now and furthermore it wasn't even a listed requirement in the promotional terms im quite sure...only said 'online banking' was required...

    does anyone possibly have a screenshot of the original offer terms so i can use as evidence? may have to CFPB....

    • Is your account still open? I have screenshots but not sure how to post. Web page landing says "Enroll in online banking..." but fine print says "mobile banking." After I brought this to their attention and they granted the bonus. Their print ad says mobile banking only. So, something slipped by the marketing dept.

      • Do you still have the screenshot? I am going to try and fight them on mine not posting for the same reason.

        • I emailed the screen shots to Chuck, the moderator. He should be able to forward them to you. Try calling and then ask for a supervisor. Tell them the online page says enroll in online banking only the fine print switches to the mobile banking. The super had to ok it with marketing. But you might get lucky. I did.

  • Bonus Posted!

    DP1:
    9-23-2019 acct opened & funded with single deposit of $2600
    All requirements met in the next 3 weeks
    12-12-2019 $250 bonus posted, "CREDIT MEMO CLIENT INCENTIVE CONSUMER CKG OFFER"

    DP2:
    9-25-2019 acct opened & funded with single deposit of $2600
    All requirements met in the next 3 weeks
    12-12-2019 $250 bonus posted, "CREDIT MEMO CLIENT INCENTIVE CONSUMER CKG OFFER"

    Account needs to remain open for 12 months to avoid $25 fee. Will just drop the balance to $101 (min to avoid fees), then close next fall.

    Thanks!

  • 8/13 - account opened
    9/12 - $2500 DD from Alliant (took nearly a month to finally get the damn signature card to unlock my account)
    9/13 - 10x $0.50 Amazon reloads
    11/8 - $250 bonus posted

    Note - I did not enroll in their mobile banking until well after the 60 day mark. I thought it was just online banking until I saw some of the other comments below.

    • I had not enrolled in mobile banking. I also thought online banking will be good enough but Customer service told me today that without mobile banking enrollment bonus will not be posted.

  • 8/12: opened
    8/20: $2400 ACH transfer
    8/21: deposit $700
    8/27:10 transaction completed
    11/08: $250 posted

  • P1 and P2 bonus both posted today. Accounts opened 8/25 and 8/26, requirements met shortly thereafter.

  • DP:
    8/13: Account opened with $100
    8/15: $2,500 ACH Deposit
    8/19 - 9/9: 10 Debit card transactions
    11/8: $250 posted

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