Associated Bank
Associated Bank Associated Checking $300 – $600 Bonus
Associated Bank pays you $300, $400, or $600 depending on how much new money you deposit along with a qualifying direct deposit within 90 days. Available in 9 states. Soft credit pull. The $600 tier requires a $10,000 deposit and is one of the higher single-account bonuses in the Midwest.
- Bonus range
- $300 – $600
- Expires
- Sep 30, 2026
- Time to complete
- ~120 days
- Bonus deposited in
- ~240 days
- Difficulty
- Medium
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Requirements
Last verified: Aug 22, 2026
$300 Tier
Open account
Open a new Associated Bank personal checking account by September 30, 2026. The minimum opening deposit is $25 for Access Checking or $100 for Balanced or Choice Checking.
Direct deposit $500
Receive direct deposits totaling $500 or more within 90 days of account opening.
Deposit $1k
Add at least $1,000 in funds within the first 30 days so the balance is in place before the days 31 to 90 measurement window.
Maintain balance
Associated averages the daily balances across all your Associated Bank personal deposit accounts for days 31 to 90. A total average daily balance of at least $1,000 earns this tier.
$400 Tier
Open account
Open a new Associated Bank personal checking account by September 30, 2026. The minimum opening deposit is $25 for Access Checking or $100 for Balanced or Choice Checking.
Direct deposit $500
Receive direct deposits totaling $500 or more within 90 days of account opening.
Deposit $5k
Add at least $5,000 in funds within the first 30 days so the balance is in place before the days 31 to 90 measurement window.
Maintain balance
Associated averages the daily balances across all your Associated Bank personal deposit accounts for days 31 to 90. A total average daily balance of at least $5,000 earns this tier.
$600 Tier
Open account
Open a new Associated Bank personal checking account by September 30, 2026. The minimum opening deposit is $25 for Access Checking or $100 for Balanced or Choice Checking.
Direct deposit $500
Receive direct deposits totaling $500 or more within 90 days of account opening.
Deposit $10k
Add at least $10,000 in funds within the first 30 days so the balance is in place before the days 31 to 90 measurement window.
Maintain balance
Associated averages the daily balances across all your Associated Bank personal deposit accounts for days 31 to 90. A total average daily balance of at least $10,000 earns this tier.
Bonus is credited within 120 days after meeting all requirements.
Account Details
- $10,000 combined deposit balances or linked HSA/investment accounts to waive monthly fees on Balanced Checking or Choice Checking
Receive direct deposits totaling $500 within 90 days and maintain your balance from days 31-90. The bonus is deposited within 120 days of account opening, and the account must then stay open for at least 12 months. Associated Bank reserves the right to deduct the bonus from the account if it is closed within 12 months.
Eligibility
Cannot have had an Associated Bank checking account in the last 12 months, and cannot have received an Associated Bank new personal checking bonus in the last 24 months.
Tips & Gotchas
- →The bonus is paid within 120 days of opening, but the account must stay open for at least 12 months. Associated Bank can deduct the bonus from the account if you close it within 12 months.
- →Offer available only to new Associated Bank checking customers who have not received a personal checking bonus in the past 24 months and have not had an Associated checking account in the past 12 months.
Direct Deposit Data Points 66
66 community reports across 20 transfer sources, showing what triggers a qualifying direct deposit at Associated Bank.
Can You Earn This Bonus Again?
Fine Print
Offer available to residents of IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, OH, and WI. You must open a new personal checking account and receive $500 in direct deposits within 90 days. Then deposit at least $1,000/$5,000/$10,000 within 30 days and maintain that balance for days 31–90 to earn $300/$400/$600. Bonus credited within 120 days of opening. Only one bonus per customer. Balanced and Choice Checking accounts may have monthly fees unless you maintain qualifying balances.
Taxable income · Reported on 1099-INT
Related Articles
What Counts as a Direct Deposit for Associated Bank Bonuses?
Associated Bank's terms count only deposits from an employer or government agency, and unlike many banks it largely enforces that in practice. Based on 136 community data points, employer payroll is 29 for 29. The standard play is a real payroll-style deposit for the $500 requirement plus parked cash to hit your bonus tier.
What is a direct deposit?
An electronic payment sent directly into your bank account, usually from an employer or government.
Does Zelle Count as Direct Deposit for Bank Bonuses?
Usually no. At most banks a Zelle payment arrives coded as peer-to-peer and will not trigger the bonus. Citi is the clear exception. Its Enhanced Direct Deposit terms name Zelle as a qualifying deposit, and every Zelle report we have from Citi got paid.
Also see: this month's best bank bonuses and community DD data points.
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