[WI, IL only] North Shore Bank $100 Checking Bonus & $50 Per Referral

Offer at a glance

• Maximum bonus amount: $100 + $50 per referral
• Availability: Must live, work, attend school or have immediate family in McHenry, IL, Brown, WI, Dodge, WI, Kenosha, WI, Kewanee, WI, Manitowoc, WI, Milwaukee, WI, Monroe, WI, Oconto, WI, Outagamie, WI, Ozaukee, WI, Racine, WI, Shawano, WI, Walworth, WI, Washington, WI, Waukesha, WI, and Winnebago, WI.
• Direct deposit required: Optional
• Additional requirements: See below
• Hard/soft pull: Soft
• ChexSystems: Unknown
• Credit card funding: None 
• Monthly fees: $4.95+, avoidable
• Early account termination fee: $40 if closed within 180 days of opening
• Household limit: One
• Expiration date: August 31st, 2017

The Offer

Direct link to offer

• North Shore Bank is offering a bonus of up to $100 when you’re referred by a friend. The person doing the referring will also earn a $50 bonus (can refer a maximum of four people for $50). To receive the bonus the person opening the account must do the following. You’ll earn $10 per statement cycle where you meet the requirements up to a maximum of $100:
  • Use promo code Spring 2017
  • Have 10 qualified debit card transactions or a direct deposit

The Fine Print

• New customer bonus is for new personal households only and not valid with other offers.
• Customers who have closed accounts in the past year do not qualify for new account incentive credit.
• Debit card or direct deposit bonus of $10.00 will be credited to the new customer’s checking account each month after the statement cycles for up to 10 months provided there are 10 qualified debit card transactions or a direct deposit for that statement cycle.
• Statement credit will begin with the September 2017 statements.
• ATM transactions will not qualify.
• Direct deposit must be payroll, Social Security, pension or other government benefits.
• Fees may be applied and could reduce earnings.
• Existing consumer checking customers can get up to 4 – $50 bonus incentives and will receive the $50 incentive by October 15, 2017. For tax reporting purposes, a 1099 will be issued for all bonus payments.
• When opening online use promo code TAF AUGUST 2017.
• Incentive credit will not be paid if promo code is retrieved from a deals website and North Shore Bank reserves the right to close customer’s accounts that do not live within our service area. Visit northshorebank.com for details.
• All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

Monthly fees are waived on all of their accounts for the first three months. If you close your account within 180 days of opening they will charge you an early account termination fee of $40.

eChecking $4.95 Monthly

This is waived with debit card usage and eStatements or direct deposit (wages or social security) and eStatements.

Better-Than-Free $4.95 Monthly

This is waived with an average balance of $750 or $2,500 in relationship balances or any loan or direct deposits or 10 debit card transactions.

Our Verdict

They have had previous offers of $200, so I don’t think this one is worth considering. Because of that I won’t be adding it to the best checking bonuses.

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