
- Editor Rating
- Rated 3.5 stars
- Very Good
- BOA Personal Checking $150 Bonus
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Bank of America has two personal checking account options to choose from, which I’ll review here, along with some current sign-up promotions.
BOA Personal Checking review highlights:
- Current promotions
- Checking account comparisons
- See all my Bank of America reviews
- See my Best Bank Promotions List
This $300 bonus from Bank of America is for a new Core or Interest checking account and direct deposit is required. You must not already already a personal Checking account with Bank of America to qualify.
This is a targeted offer and the terms state that you must have received this offer via a direct communication from Bank of America, although I’m not sure if they’ll actually verify it.

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How To Get Your $300 Bonus
- Open a Core or Interest Checking account online, in-branch, or over the phone by the offer expiration date.
- Set up qualifying direct deposits totaling $4,000 or more within 90 days from account opening. Bank of America does have some reported alternatives to trigger the Direct Deposit requirement.
- *You must not have been a signer or owner of a Bank of America personal Checking account within the last 6 months.
- Once you’ve met the requirements, you will get the bonus deposited within 60 days.
Waiving The Monthly Fees
The Core Checking Account has a $12 Monthly Fee that you can waive by doing ONE of the following each month:
- Have one direct deposit of at least $250 post to the account, OR
- Maintain an average daily balance of $1,500 or more, OR
- If you are a Bank of America Preferred Rewards client, you can waive the first 4 Checking and Savings accounts
The Interest Checking Account has a $25 Monthly Fee that you can waive by doing ONE of the following each month:
- Maintain combined balances of $10,000 or more. Combined balances can be in the following accounts:
- Eligible linked Checking, Savings and Money Market Savings accounts
- Linked personal CDs and IRAs
- Eligible linked Merrill Edge and Merrill Lynch investment accounts
- If you are a Bank of America Preferred Rewards client, you can waive the first 4 Checking and Savings accounts
Account Features
Bank of America Core Checking | Bank of America Interest Checking |
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Author’s Verdict
I’d go with the Core Checking account as it comes with most of the features you’d likely need, and especially if you’re only opening for the $300 bonus. To me the easiest way to waive the monthly fee would be to keep at least $1,500 in the account. A $300 promotion for a personal Checking account from Bank of America doesn’t come around too often, so take advantage of it while it lasts!
- Coupon Link: $100 Promotion(scroll down to find it)
- Expiration: 12/31/2016
- Bonus Amount: $100
- Account(s) Eligible: Core Checking® & Interest Checking®
- Availability: Nationwide, but you must be an active employee or current retiree of an enrolled Bank of America at Work® employer. You can enter your company’s name when you click on the coupon link to search.
- Hard/Soft Inquiry: Soft
- Opening Deposit Credit Card Funding Eligibility: No, but $250 with a debit card works
- Direct Deposit Requirement: Direct Deposits totaling $2,000 every 30 days from account opening date for 90 days.
- Monthly Service Fee: $12(Core Checking®) or $25(Interest Checking®) *Can be waived(see bottom section).
- Other Requirements: Be sure to enter offer code BAW100N. Minimum open deposit for Core Checking is $25 and Interest Checking is $100.
- *Tips: Must not currently have a personal checking account with BOA, or one closed within the last 6 months.
- Competitor Bonus:
- Related Bonus: BOA Business Checking Promotions

Here’s a $150 bonus offer for new Checking account customers.
- Promotion Link: $150 BOA Promotion
- Expiration: 04/15/2016
- Bonus Amount: $150
- Related Bonus: BOA Business, BOA Savings
- Competitor Bonus:
- Account(s) Eligible: Core Checking, Interest Checking
- Availability: Nationwide
- Hard/Soft Inquiry: Soft
- Opening Deposit Credit Card Funding Eligibility: Not eligible
- Direct Deposit Requirement: Yes, see requirements.
- Monthly Service Fee: $12(Core Checking®) or $25(Interest Checking®) *Can be waived(see bottom section)
- Other Requirements:
- Initial $100 Bonus:
- Open a Bank of America Core Checking or Bank of America Interest Checking account by April 15, 2016.
- Set up and receive 2 qualifying direct deposits of $250 or more each within 90 days of opening your checking account.
- Additional $50 Bonus:
- Direct deposit your federal tax refund of at least $500 into any Bank of America checking or savings account by June 1, 2016.
- Initial $100 Bonus:
- *Tips:
- You are not eligible for this offer if you were a signer on or owner of a Bank of America personal checking account within the last 6 months.
- A “Qualifying Direct Deposit” is a recurring direct deposit of a paycheck, pension, Social Security or other eligible regular monthly income, electronically deposited by an employer or an outside agency into your new checking account.
- A transfer from a brokerage account or Merrill Edge or Merrill Lynch account is not a Qualifying Direct Deposit.

This $500 bonus was sent to BOA customers, such as credit card customers, who don’t have a BOA checking/savings account.
- Coupon Link: *Currently unavailable
- Expiration: Expired
- Bonus Amount: $500
- Account(s) Eligible: (Interest Checking or Core Checking) + Savings combined
- Availability: Nationwide
- Hard/Soft Inquiry: Soft
- Opening Deposit Credit Card Funding Eligibility: No, but $250 with a debit card works
- Direct Deposit Requirement: Two Direct Deposits totaling $2,000 within 90 days of opening.
- Monthly Service Fee: $12(Core Checking®) or $25(Interest Checking®) *Can be waived(see bottom section)
- Other Requirements: The savings account is the Rewards Money Market Savings and you must deposit at least $20K in new balances within 60 days of opening the new checking account and keep that balance for 30 consecutive days.

This is a targeted offer where current Bank of America customers reportedly received communication about it, but you’ll be eligible as long as you currently hold a BOA credit card.
- Coupon Link: *Currently unavailable
- Expiration: Expired
- Bonus Amount: $300
- Account(s) Eligible: Interest Checking or Core Checking
- Availability: Nationwide
- Hard/Soft Inquiry: Soft
- Opening Deposit Credit Card Funding Eligibility: No, but $250 with a debit card works
- Direct Deposit Requirement: Two Direct Deposits totaling $2,000 within 90 days of opening.
- Monthly Service Fee: $12(Core Checking®) or $25(Interest Checking®) *Can be waived(see bottom section)
- Other Requirements: Must not currently have a BOA checking account or one closed in the past 6 months.
Core Checking Features
- Low opening deposit: $25
- Nearly 5,000 branches you can visit
- Online, Mobile, and Text banking: Online Bill Pay, payment reminders, customizable alerts.
- Debit card is chip-enabled
- Sign up for the optional Keep the Change Savings Program where every debit card purchase is rounded up and that difference is transferred to your savings account to promote saving.
- Compare to: Chase Total Checking
- Pair it with: BOA Savings Account
Waive $12 Core Checking® fee meeting ONE requirement each statement cycle:
- Have at least one qualifying direct deposit of $250 or more, OR
- Maintain an average daily balance of $1,500 or more, OR
- When you are a Bank of America Preferred Rewards client (waiver applies to first 4 checking and savings accounts)
- Students under age 23 are eligible for a waiver of the monthly maintenance fee while enrolled in a high school or in a college, university, or vocational program.
Interest Checking Features
Same features as the Core Checking, with these additions:
- Higher opening deposit: $100
- Eligible for 3 additional Interest Checking accounts and 4 savings accounts with no monthly fee
- Earns interest on your balance (see rates)
- Fee-free cashier’s checks/money orders
- No fee for overdraft protection transfers from a linked deposit account.
- Compare to: Chase Premier Plus Checking
- Pair it with: BOA Savings Account
Waive $25 Interest Checking® fee meeting ONE requirement each statement cycle:
- Maintain combined balances of $10,000 or more. Combined balances include:
- Average daily balances for the statement cycle in eligible linked checking, savings and money market savings accounts, AND
- The current balances, as of the end of the checking statement cycle in linked personal CDs and IRAs, AND
- The current balance, as of two business days before the end of the checking statement cycle, in your eligible linked Merrill Edge and Merrill Lynch investment accounts.
- When you are a Bank of America Preferred Rewards client (waiver applies to first 4 checking and savings accounts)
Keep checking back here for updated cash promotions and other offers for these personal checking accounts.
Pros
- Comparable features to other major banks
- 3rd biggest bank in terms of branches
- While not often, very high value bonuses can come around
Cons
- Sign-up promotions and bonuses are less frequent compared with other major banks.
My brother recommended I might like this blog. He used to be totally right. Lyssa Gino Wehrle