What counts as direct deposit for a bank bonus?
The decisive questions are who sent the money, why it was sent, which payment rail carried it, and how the institution classified it.
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Summary
Payroll, pension, and government-benefit payments are the safest categories when they are expressly named. Personal bank transfers, wires, checks, payment apps, and tax refunds are frequently excluded.
Use a four-part test
- Sender: employer, payroll provider, pension administrator, benefits provider, or government agency.
- Purpose: recurring income rather than movement of your own funds.
- Rail: ACH is common, but some offers recognize other electronic payment systems.
- Offer language: explicit inclusions and exclusions override assumptions about the transaction label.
Commonly included
- Employer payroll
- Pension payments
- Social Security and qualifying government benefits
- Other recurring income from an outside agency when expressly allowed
Commonly excluded
- Transfers between personal bank or brokerage accounts
- Zelle and other peer-to-peer transfers
- Wires, checks, ATM deposits, and mobile check deposits
- Merchant-processing credits and tax refunds when the terms exclude them
What the official page often leaves unresolved
Even genuine payroll can occasionally arrive without the designation a bank expects. Save payroll evidence, start early, and use the institution’s secure support channel if an expressly eligible payment is not recognized.
Frequently asked questions
Does payroll usually count?
Payroll from an employer or payroll provider is commonly included, but the institution must recognize it under the specific offer.
Does Social Security count?
Many offers expressly include government benefits such as Social Security. Confirm the current written definition.
Does a transfer from my own bank count?
Often not. Chase, SoFi, and PNC currently exclude common forms of personal account-to-account transfers in the offers tracked here.
Related offers
Official references
Last verified July 25, 2026. This is general educational information, not individualized financial, legal, or tax advice.