Update 1/14/21: Extended through April 5, 2021 now
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount: $100/$150/$200/$250/$350
- Availability: CT, DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA, WV
- Direct deposit required: Yes, $500
- Additional requirements: None
- Hard/soft pull: Soft
- ChexSystems: Yes
- Credit card funding: Up to $250
- Monthly fees: Avoidable
- Early account termination fee: $50, 180-days
- Expiration date:
JulyAugust 15, 2018 September 5, 2018 October 31st, 2018November 26th, 2018 January 16th, 2019 February 25th, 2019 April 1st, 2019May 13th, 2019March 2, 2020 September 15, 2020January 11, 2021April 5, 2021 - Household limit: None listed
Contents
The Offer
Input your zip code and see what offers show for you:
($400 – in branch only) Open an M&T MyChoice Premium checking account and receive a sign up bonus of $400 when you maintain a $10,000 average daily balance in March & April 2020. Must use promo code CG- ($350 – in branch only) Open an M&T MyChoice Premium checking account and receive a sign up bonus of $350 & maintain a $10,000 average daily balance in November & December 2020. Promo code CF.
($350) – Open a M&T checking account and receive a sign up bonus of $250 when you set up qualifying direct deposits of at least $500 within 90 days of account opening. Open a new relationship savings account along with your new checking account and get a bonus of $100 when you maintain an average monthly balance of $5,000 or more in May & June. Valid until April 30th, 2020 (Link to image of Flyer). Use promo code TK- ($250) Open an M&T MyChoice Plus or Premium checking account and receive a sign up bonus of $250 when you set up a qualifying direct deposit of $500 or more within 90 days of account opening. Promo code: TL or G.
- ($200) Open an M&T EZChoice, Classic, or Basic checking account and receive a sign up bonus of $200 when you set up a qualifying direct deposit of $500 or more within 90 days of account opening. Promo code: TL or TG.
($150)Open any new M&T checking account and receive a sign up bonus of $150 when you set up a qualifying direct deposit of $500 or more within 90 days of account opening. Promo code: TN.($100) Open an M&T EZChoice, Classic, or Basic checking account and receive a sign up bonus of $100 when you set up a qualifying direct deposit of $500 or more within 90 days of account opening. Promo code: TL.
Promo code TN or TL pre-populates the promo code field when using the above link and inputting an eligible zip code.
The Fine Print
- We will credit one cash bonus to the account if the account receives a total of at least $500 in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of account opening.
- Qualifying direct deposits include, but are not limited to, recurring electronic deposits such as payroll, pension or Social Security. Person-to-person, bank transfers or other electronic money transfers such as those made through internet payment services do not qualify.
- Bonus will be credited to the account within 90 days of direct deposit activation as long as the account is in good standing and all of the eligibility requirements are satisfied at the time we seek to credit the bonus.
- Bonus is reportable for tax purposes.
- No more than one bonus will be awarded regardless of the number of accounts, titling on account, or the number of direct deposit arrangements established.
- Bonus offer may vary by product and region.
- Cash bonus offers are not available to employees of M&T Bank or any of its affiliates or to customers who have already received a bonus in connection with an M&T personal checking account within the preceding twelve-month period.
- A $50 early close-out fee applies if the account is closed within 180 days of the date the account was opened.
- This offer is valid on new checking accounts opened by 07/15/2018.
- This offer is nontransferable.
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them.
Avoiding Fees
EZChoice Checking
This account has no monthly fees.
Basic Banking
This account has a non-waivable $3 monthly fee.
Classic Checking
This account has a monthly fee of $4.95 that can be waived with any one of the following methods:
- Have at least 1 direct deposit to your M&T Classic Checking with Interest account
- Keep an average daily balance of $500 or more in the account per monthly service charge cycle
- Make 10 or more debit card purchases or payments
- Keep combined balances of $1,500 or more in eligible personal deposit accounts
MyChoice Plus Checking
This account has a monthly fee of $14.95 that can be waived with any one of the following methods:
- Keep an average daily balance of $2,500 or more in the account per monthly service charge cycle
- Have direct deposits to your MyChoice Plus Checking account totaling at least $1,500 per monthly service charge cycle
MyChoice Premium Checking
This account has a monthly fee of $24.95 that can be waived with any one one of the following methods:
- Keep an average daily balance of $7,500 or more in the account per monthly service charge cycle
- Keep total combined balances of $25,000 or more in eligible personal deposit accounts, loans and home equity outstanding balances, investments6 and business deposit accounts
Early Account Termination Fee
Looks to be $50 now if closed within 180 days.
Our Verdict
The direct link above is just a generic M&T website link, so the bonus should work for any zip code deemed eligible (not sure what the “not transferable” means in the fine print). I’m assuming this bonus is available in the the states listed above, as was the case last time around (note it won’t work in all areas in those states). Let us know if you see eligible areas elsewhere. Remember, you can’t do this if you’ve gotten a bonus within 12 months.
Thanks to reader Michael for letting us know about this bonus. Learn how to find bonuses and contribute to the site here.
Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
- A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
- Bank Account Quick Reference Table (Spreadsheet) (very useful for sorting bonuses by different parameters)
- 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
- Banks That Allow/Don’t Allow Out Of State Checking Applications
- Bank Bonus Posting Times
Bonus history
- Update 7/1/20: Extended through September 15, 2020. It seems like promo codes are now state restricted. E.g TH doesn’t work in NJ/NY.
Update 3/11/20: New $250 checking/$100 savings bonus with promo code TK. Hat tip to Peckerwood17. Valid until 6/1/20Looks like the TK promo code has not been extended.- Update 1/15/20: There is a $400 bonus now.
- Update 1/7/20: Deal has been extended until March 2, 2020.
- Update 11/8/19: Deal has been extended until January 6th, 2020.
- Update 8/20/19: Deal has been extended until November 4th, 2019.
- Update 7/10/19: Deal has been increased to $300 for MyChoice Plus or Premium & $200 for EZchecking & basic. Hat tip to readers Sean A & Allen W
- Update 7/2/19: Now available until August 19th, 2019
- Update 5/14/19: Deal is now available until July 1st, 2019.
- Update 4/7/19: $350 bonus now available in branch. Hat tip to reader Gerald
- Update 2/26/19: Bonus has been extended until April 1st, 2019.
- Update 1/17/19: Offer has been extended until February 25th, 2019.
- Update 11/28/18: Offer has been extended until January 16th, 2019.
- Update 11/01/2018: Offers extended until November 26th, 2018
- Repost 09/17/18: There is now a $300 in branch offer. Details below. Hat tip to Lazy Traveler’s.
- Repost 8/19/18: Offer extended through September 5, 2018.
- Repost 7/19/18: Offer extended through August 15th.
I am still getting January 11, 2021 in incognito mode.
I opened a checking on 7/22/2019 and got my bonus on 8/27/2019. If I close the account and a few days later open a new one, will I get the bonus? Thanks.
You should get it. It has to be at least 1 year since last bonus.
I cleared my cookies and got the new dates to show up. $250 for MyChoice Plus, code TH. Central MD.
Not available in Queens NY
I got an offer in the mail (NJ footprint) TODAY for MyChoice Premium 350 + 100 Money Market bonuses for a total of $450. Both require 10K deposit in there March and April and need to be opened by 2/26/2021 with “Personal” promo code of CE. Says mtb.com, phone or in branch….so should work I guess for all people in the area. I have had accounts in the past but this one appears to have been sent to a name variation which I usually use only in filling out requests for “junk” mail, offers, etc…..so not from past records or official sources, but from some marketing source that collected my data.
So are you going to take the bait and sign up with your throwaway name?
Don’t believe there is a need to sign up with the throwaway name – won’t pass ID verification. Anyone should be able to signup with the code. I am considering this or BoFA business which nets probably $50 more for the same amounts deposited for the same lengths of time.
Which BoA biz bonus is this? I was targeted for the $500 bonus, but that has a $20k deposit requirement.
yes same. For bofa biz, 20k deposit gets 500 in 2 mos. here 20k deposit (10 checking+10 mm) gets 400(350+100) in 2 mos
I got the same sketchy mailer (green with a perforated card)–also addressed to a fake name I use for junk mail.
I can see M&T using this is a basis for not paying out bonus since we’re technically not the target recipients, which might make this offer a bait-and-switch considering all the DPs here about withheld bonuses.
While it is a risk as always, I would think the code is generic enough for anyone to signup. One thing I would do if I do this offer is to call after signing up and verify that the code has been applied before I deposit the 20K or better yet go into a branch as they will give a printed sheet showing that the offer has been applied.
I got one addressed to Fake Name too with same promo code CE
Well, I have a business relationship with M&T and received one of these as well addressed to my business address and my business name thanking me for my business relationship and telling me to open a personal account. I plan on doing it in branch since my home address is different then my business address just to make sure that I receive the bonus.
Do you mind uploading a copy of this mailer (of course removing your personal information)? Thanks.
12 month time frame? is that based on account closing date or bonus payout date?
From doing a comment search, it appears the 12 month clock starts once the bonus posts. I would wait to open an account until after the last payout date.
thank you for the info, last bonus was paid out 12/2019 and account closed 05/2020. new account opened today! guess i will update in about 60 days to see if paid out.
I got an offer by mail for a $350 bonus for MyChoice Premium Checking. Looks like the only requirement is to deposit10K for several months with no direct deposit.
Promo code?
NJ Here “Sorry, but this offer isn’t available in your area.” sucks
I’m also in NJ and got 3 offers:
$250 for MyChoice Premium or Plus.
150 for EZ Checking
Patti, i am in NJ too. did you open your account through local branch? what promo code did branch input? you opened both EZ checking and Mychoice plus checking? thanks
I opened a Plus account for myself and hubby online. I entered our zip code and it automatically attached code TH to the app. Maybe this depends where in NJ. We are within a half hour drive to Philly.
I still have an old M&T checking account > 1 year old. I woke up today to see I’m locked out of my account. I’ll call them tomorrow and straighten it all out.
I was not offered a chance to fund it at all. I was hoping to fund by a credit card but it didn’t even offer to transfer from another account.
In eastern PA, I get the following online offers (did not try the branch offers because I didn’t want to give contact info):
$150 for EZChoice
$250 for MyChoice Plus or Premium
I get the same for Philly suburb in south Jersey
Same here for South Jersey, but some DPs below of people in NJ being told that promo code TH isn’t valid in NJ, so I don’t think it’s worth wasting time.
If you click on Redeem Online and enter your zip code, it lists all offers and you don’t need to enter code. It must be regional. We are a big state. hahaha
How can you tell if you’ve been targeted?