Important update: as of May 27, 2026, Bank of America replaced Preferred Rewards with “BofA Rewards,” and old Gold status no longer exists as such.
Under the old Preferred Rewards program, Gold required an eligible checking account plus a three month average combined balance of $20,000 to $49,999 across BofA deposit and Merrill investment accounts, earning a 25% credit card rewards bonus.
Under the new BofA Rewards program launched May 27, 2026, that $20,000 balance now only earns the entry level “Member” tier (10% bonus). Anyone previously at Gold or Platinum was automatically moved to a new “Preferred Plus” tier.
So there’s no longer a separate “Gold” tier to target; check BofA’s site for current Preferred Plus thresholds.