Seacoast Bank $600 Bonus: A Solid Deal for Florida and Georgia Residents

If you live in Florida or Georgia and don't mind a trip to a local branch, Seacoast Bank is offering a pretty tempting bonus right now. You can walk away with up to $600 just for opening a new checking and savings account. The deal has been around for a while and keeps getting extended, so it's worth a look if you're in the market for some easy cash.

What You Need to Do for the $400 Checking Bonus

The checking piece is pretty straightforward. You'll need to open a new Seacoast checking account—any of their personal checking accounts qualify, from the basic Classic up to the Premium Elite. Just make sure you're not an existing Seacoast checking customer, or you won't be eligible.

After opening the account with at least $50, set up a direct deposit of $1,000 or more within 60 days. That could be your paycheck, pension, or government benefits like Social Security. Once that's done, the $400 bonus should hit your account within 65 days.

The $200 Savings Bonus: Worth It If You Have the Cash

The savings bonus requires a bit more commitment. You'll need to deposit $15,000 in new money—meaning funds not already held at Seacoast—within 10 business days of opening the account. Then you have to keep that $15,000 balance for 90 days. After that, the $200 bonus posts within 95 business days.

If you don't have $15,000 sitting around, you can still go for just the checking bonus. The savings bonus is nice, but it's not a deal-breaker if you skip it.

Watch Out for Fees

The checking account has a $21 monthly fee, but there are several ways to avoid it: keep a $5,000 daily balance, a $7,500 average balance, or a $15,000 combined balance across your Seacoast accounts. You can also waive it by having a loan or mortgage with the bank.

The savings account charges $15 per quarter, but that's waived if you keep at least $500 in the account. Since you'll have $15,000 in there for the bonus, you won't see that fee anyway.

There's also a $15 early termination fee if you close either account within 90 days. So plan to keep them open for at least three months after meeting the requirements.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

This offer is only available in-branch, so you'll need to visit a Seacoast location in Florida or Georgia. The bank uses a soft pull for the application, so it won't affect your credit score. However, they may check ChexSystems, so make sure your banking history is clean.

The bonus is considered interest income and will be reported on a 1099-INT form, so factor that into your taxes. Also, you can only get one checking and one savings bonus per household per calendar year.

Bottom Line

• Up to $600 total bonus for opening checking and savings accounts in-branch in FL or GA.
• Checking bonus requires $1,000 direct deposit within 60 days; savings bonus needs $15,000 deposit for 90 days.
• Avoid $21 monthly checking fee with $5,000 balance or other options; $15 quarterly savings fee waived with $500 balance.
• Keep accounts open at least 90 days to avoid $15 early termination fee.
• Offer expires December 31, 2025.

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