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Bank of America has a up to $500 checking account promotion depending on the total direct deposit within the first 90 days.

You must open a new eligible checking account through the offer page by January 31, 2027, then have qualifying direct deposits land in it within 90 days of opening. The bonus is based on the total of those deposits. Three accounts are eligible: Advantage SafeBalance, Advantage Plus, and Advantage Relationship Banking. You can’t have had open BofA personal checking accounts within the last 12 months.

The Advantage Plus monthly fee can be waived either with minimum daily balance of $1,500 or more, or if you have at least 1 qualifying direct deposit of $250 or more made to your account per month.

$10,000 over 90 days is $3,333 a month, so if your net pay is around that or higher, you’d reach the top tier just by switching your deposit. I would not keep a high balance in BofA checking as the account pays no interest.

These days, most payroll systems will let you change your direct deposit bank online with no physical paperwork. There are alternative ways to “simulate” a direct deposit with other ACH transfers, but I simply always try to have my real direct deposit earning some sort of bonus at some bank, fintech, or credit union. Megabanks love paying zero interest, but that often makes these bonuses bigger to attract new customers.