HSBC Checking Bonus
HSBC has just released a new checking account bonus that is both attractive and lucrative. Let’s take a look.
The Offer
Begin a new HSBC Choice Checking, Advance or Premier relationship by opening a corresponding HSBC checking account from September 6, 2016 through November 18, 2016 and receive $350 after completing the offer requirements.
How It Works
- Open your account
- Pay at least two bills per month from your new HSBC checking account via HSBC’s online Bill Pay for three consecutive months within 120 calendar days of account opening OR Receive at least one qualifying direct deposit per month into your new HSBC checking account for three consecutive months within 120 calendar days of account opening. A minimum cumulative amount of $3,000 is required.
- Receive a $350 bonus within 8 weeks of meeting the requirements.
Key Terms
- This offer requires each of the elements to be met.
- Customers who held any HSBC personal account between June 6, 2016 and September 6, 2016 are not eligible for this offer.
- A monthly maintenance fee will be incurred if minimum balance requirements ($1,500) are not maintained for your account relationship.
- HSBC Choice Checking, Advance, or Premier account must be open and in good standing at the time of gift fulfillment.
- Limit one welcome deposit of $350 per customer, including all individual and joint accounts – the first line name on the joint account is considered the customer for gift purposes.
- The welcome deposit to your HSBC checking account will be reported on the applicable IRS form(s).
Need to Know
- This is a soft credit inquiry.
- The account can be opened online.
- You cannot fund your account with a credit card.
- To avoid a $15 monthly fee, you must maintain a $1,500 balance.
- There is a $25 early termination fee if the account is closed within 6 months.
You can find the full offer terms and sign-up for a new account on this promotion page.
Analysis
$350 for opening an account and making a couple of bill pays for a few months seems like a good deal to me. Sure, you’ll have to tie up $1,500 to avoid the monthly fee, but the return justifies it. If you open up the account it would probably be a good idea to simply setup all of your bill pays ahead of time (2 per month for 3 months) and then you don’t have to worry. Pretty easy money if you ask me.
Conclusion
I actually have a very old HSBC savings account just sitting open from a long time ago that I never closed. According to the terms it looks like that may disqualify me from this bonus which is a HUGE bummer. If not for that I would be opening up the account right this minute. Bonuses simply don’t get much easier than this.
Do you have any experience with HSBC checking accounts? Let us know in the comments!
HT:Â Doctor of Credit
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Thanks for the info! That’s what I was coming on here to see, if anyone else had been approved. Funny thing is I had done an online chat with HSBC before applying and asked how long it would take. That individual told me it was only “48 business hours” which I thought was a weird time anyway! I applied on 9/9 so I guess I have a while to wait!
Called today re: my application submitted 9/8/16. She said “looks like they don’t need any further info from me, but application process takes 7-10 business days since they don’t work on weekends.”
Got my “Master Deposit Agreement For Personal Accounts” ( signature card to return in 5 days with deposit slips, but no account number on them & no account number anywhere in pocket!) and no return envelope, despite it says its included…it wasn’t! So after approx 1 hour of hold time and 4 phone transfers, I got mailing address where to return in “specialized services department” where I applied for account on the phone in the first place to make sure I would get bonus. Was told then to wait for another correspondence in mail to get account number and temp username and password to log in. Still have not been asked for funding bank. At least what I plan on doing is to link external funding bank with trials and fund it. I’m with Doug 9/13/16 @ 10:50am I think they are very disorganized. Will see what happens. Very frustrating.
See Comment #16 [GregK] regarding similar offer last year: https://www.depositaccounts.com/banks/hsbc/offers/#p18555
“There’s really no trust issue with HSBC, but to work with them you must recognize this creature as a big lumbering beast which moves very slowly and lacks all deftness and flexibility of movement. An elephant cannot easily pick up a pin, and likewise seemingly simple procedures and tasks provoke in HSBC an awesomely unwieldy and tedious response and action process that seems insane but which the scale of its internal systems and feedback loops apparently demands to prevent the whole enormous structure from toppling or dissolving in chaos. “
Thanks. I agree.
Sad to say, I was disqualified because I held an HSBC credit card — which to HSBC constitutes a personal account. [Customers who held any HSBC personal account between June 6, 2016 and September 6, 2016 are not eligible for this offer.] I just closed the credit card, in readiness for any future offers from them of similar appeal.
Good to know. That disqualifies my wife too then. I am the primary on our old savings account, but she has an old HSBC Credit Card in her name. Boo.
Truth be told, despite being informed both in a branch and over the phone that my existing credit card account is “personal” and disqualifies me, I applied online, anyway. I passed muster on the 6 or so ID questions [all negative — maybe because my Experian account is frozen?] and then supplied ACH info for the external bank from which I would be funding my presumptive new HSBC account. That external account received the trial deposits from HSBC (and withdrawal of same) on Monday, but I’ve yet to receive any calls or correspondence, yay or nay. So I’ll simply wait it out, and see what happens. My take is that this multi-legged global octopus has trouble sorting out left-foot from right (not to mention the other six) and, due to poor infrastructure (internal communication and dated technology) there may still be some opportunity here . . . {Casein point, even though I cancelled my credit card over the weekend, I am still able to log in to my HSBC account online, and verify its “0” balance. For better or worse, there is no indication that my account was “closed”]
Curiously, after being rejected over the phone & in-branch, I applied for this offer online one week ago to see what would happen. I’ve received no email or phone communication from HSBC, but as of this morning I now have an active account number, with a zero balance. And my funding account, which had trial deposits credited & pulled from it on Monday, has now, Friday, been debited the $1,600 with which I chose to fund my new HSBC account. Again, this is with an HSBC “personal” credit card account [though I closed it last weekend]. Will wonders never cease 😉 Just hope the $350 comes through next January, after all my BillPays have been made over the next three months!
What date did you apply for this account online?
One small note. You don’t have to tie up $1500 to avoid the monthly fee if you have direct deposit. It’s on the comparison page with the various accounts.
Thanks.
I’m guessing you don’t know, but I just submitted an application and it went to review. Reading DoC I can’t find any data points of instant approval. Is this standard for HSBC to review all applications, both for approval or denial? Given how long and convoluted their application process was it wouldn’t surprise me if everything is sifted over with a fine tooth comb before making any decisions.
Looks like EVERYONE goes through the same process. No automatic approval
Guess this is reported to the IRS so taxable?
Yup all bank bonuses are taxable, with the exception probably being Citi bonuses paid out in points (that have a value of less than $600 cash). But don’t quote me on that because banks can change that stance at any point. To be safe just assume ALL bank interest/bonuses are taxable, regardless of the amount.