[TN, GA, AL] FirstBank $350 Checking Bonus

Update 5/3/25: Deal is back, this time for $350. Valid until July 3, 2025. Hat tip to ShawntheShawn

Offer at a glance

• Maximum bonus amount: $250
• Availability: TN, GA, AL. Must live near a branch otherwise opening a checking account won’t be possible
• Direct deposit required: Yes, $1,000+
• Additional requirements: None
• Hard/soft pull: Soft pull
• ChexSystems: Unknown, sensitive
• Credit card funding: None
• Monthly fees: None
• Early account termination fee: None
• Household limit: None
• Expiration date: April 29th, 2019 June 28th, 2019 July 3, 2025

The Offer

Direct link to offer

• FirstBank is offering a bonus of $350 when you open a new checking account and complete the following requirements:
  • Post and settle a total of $1000.00 or more in direct deposits into the account during a statement cycle good through September 30, 2025
  • On the last day of the statement cycle in which the qualifying direct deposit requirements are met, the account balance must be $0.01 or above

 

The Fine Print

• Offer extended February 15, 2019 thru April 29, 2019.
• This offer may be modified or cancelled at any time.
• To receive the $250 opening bonus: Open a new eligible FirstBank consumer checking account (eligible accounts are highlighted at FirstBankOnline.com/250Bonus).
• Keep the account in good standing for 60 days.
• Have a single monthly ACH direct deposit of at least $300 after 60 days of account opening date.
• Complete all requirements on or before October 31, 2019.
• Customers with an existing FirstBank checking account are not eligible for this bonus offer.
• You must not have closed a FirstBank checking account within 180 days of the offer start date (February 15, 2019).
• Limit one (1) bonus per customer.
• Enrollment and participation in this promotion does not automatically guarantee eligibility.
• Bonus Processing: After meeting the bonus qualification requirements, the $250 account opening bonus will be credited to the new FirstBank checking account up to eight (8) weeks after all qualifications are met.
• The $250 bonus will appear on the monthly checking account statement when the bonus is credited to the account holder’s checking account.
• The bonus is limited to one (1) per customer.
• If a bonus is earned it will be reported to the IRS as interest, in the year received, as required by applicable law and will be reported on IRS form 1099-MISC for the year received. Customer is responsible for any applicable taxes and consulting a tax advisor.
• For additional fees, see our FirstBank Consumer Schedule of Fees. This offer is non-transferable and may not be combined with any other offers.
• All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

Monthly Fees

Essential checking account has no monthly fees to worry about as long as you opt for paperless statements.

Early Account Termination Fee

I wasn’t able to find any mention of an early account termination fee in the fee schedule.

Our Verdict

Seems like a good deal considering it’s a soft pull and there are no monthly fees to worry about. It’s annoying that you need to live near a branch to have the option to open a checking account but this deal is still worth doing if you’re eligible. I’ll add this to our best checking bonus page.  If anybody has any specific experience with this bank then please share your experiences in the comments.

Hat tip to reader Andrew D

Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:

• A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
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• 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?
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