Earn up to $500 with tiered qualifying direct deposits in a new eligible checking account.
This is a classic checking-bonus execution page: the upside is meaningful if qualifying direct deposit is easy for you and the bonus still clears fees. The model lands at about $488 net, so the decision is really about operational fit, not just the headline.
PersonalCheckingDirect deposit requiredNo state restriction listedHigh friction
Gross bonus
$500
Headline payout before any modeled fee drag.
Funding threshold
$10,000
$10,000+ qualifying direct deposit
Time to clear
~5 months
Longer runway: plan on about 150 days before the account is truly done.
Friction
High friction
Higher cash commitment, longer hold periods, or several moving parts make this a more hands-on execution play.
Direct deposit
$10,000+ DD
Qualifying payroll or ACH
Opening deposit
No min
No opening minimum listed
Hold period
150 days
Keep open through payout
Fee
~$12
Missed waivers shrink payout
Bonus ROI
5.0%
Bonus vs required funding
Execution Summary
What actually decides this offer
Primary requirement
Route $2,000+ in qualifying direct deposit.
Primary constraint
Keep the account open for ~5 months.
Execution model
Works best if you can route qualifying direct deposit and stay on top of the account for ~5 months.
Cash profile: Low cash drag. Hold period: 150 days.
Checklist
How to complete it cleanly
3 steps
1
At opening
Open the checking account
Save the confirmation email and a copy of the live offer terms before you begin.
2
Qualifying direct deposit of at least $2,000
Keep account open for 150 days
Open a new eligible Bank of America Advantage Banking checking account through the bonus page.
Receive qualifying direct deposits totaling at least $2,000 within 90 days for the first bonus tier.
Hit higher direct deposit tiers ($5,000 and $10,000) for larger payouts.
During qualification window
Route qualifying direct deposit
Send at least $2,000 in qualifying direct deposits and verify the bank counts them correctly.
3
Through day 150
Keep the account open until the bonus is safe
Plan on about ~5 months before you consider the offer done.
Good Fit If
Who should actually do this
You can route at least $2,000 in qualifying direct deposit without disrupting your main bank setup.
You prefer offers that do not require a meaningful opening balance.
You can keep another checking account open for about ~5 months without needing a quick exit.
Think Twice If
Where this can get annoying
Your current direct deposit setup makes qualifying direct deposit hard to move or verify.
You prefer faster-turn bonuses instead of multi-month hold periods.
Missing the fee waiver would eat about $12 of the modeled value.
Watch For
Failure points before you start
The offer depends on qualifying direct deposits totaling at least $2,000.
Do not treat the account as finished until roughly day 150; early closure can wipe out the payout.
Estimated net value already assumes about $12 in fees, so missed waivers can shrink real value further.
Bank of America's Advantage Banking flow still appeared to be the official public path on March 29, 2026, but the bonus terms remain partially gated behind ZIP or application state and should be re-confirmed in a full browser before the next refresh.
Related Offers
Other bank bonuses in the same neighborhood
BMO
BMO Personal Checking Bonus
Lower modeled payout, but potentially cleaner execution for the same use case.
If this offer is the one you want to anchor around, send it straight into the planner and let it decide whether this bank bonus should be first, deferred, or left out.
