$101 Checking Account Bonus at Sterling Savings Bank on the West Coast

Sterling Savings Bank is advertising a checking account promotion in which you can earn $101 for opening a checking account and enrolling in 3 of 4 of the following within 90 days of account opening:

• Bill Pay
• Online Statements
• minimum of 1 incoming Direct Deposit or ACH credit
• use your Check Card a minimum of 3 times (can be ATM, PIN-based or signature-based transactions)

Some other important details mentioned in the small print include:

• New accounts will be reviewed three full calendar months after account opening and the $101 will be credited to your checking account within four calendar months of account opening upon meeting usage requirements.
• $101 incentive is subject to Internal Revenue Service and other tax reporting
• All accounts require a minimum opening deposit of $100

It appears that the free checking account qualifies. It has no monthly service charge.

A branch visit appears to be required to open an account. Branches are located throughout Washington State, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. There are also a few locations in California's San Francisco Bay Area.

The bank is FDIC insured (FDIC Certificate # 32158).