Sign-on Bonus/Relocation Assistance not paid until job start?

So my bank (BB) HR just emailed me that I wouldn't be getting my signing bonus AKA relocation assistance until my start date which is in September. I don't understand--what's the point of relocation assistance if I don't get it until all my relocation is practically over??? I've already spent over $5,000 for an apartment in NYC, and still need to pay rent, buy furniture&necessities, buy sets of decent clothing for my new job, and of course pay for daily life (meals, transport, occasional entertainment). Isn't relocation assistance supposed to help offset some of this existing cost? This is very disappointing as my offer letter made it clear that it would be paid at least 2 months in advance of start date.

Anyone have similar experiences?

7 Comments
 

I believe they now see the relocation assistance as reimbursement rather than a straight up bonus. I know most of my friends who went to citi never had their signing bonuses paid until a year later... simply because someone at HR forgot...

 

Wow, kosky, your friend at Citi must have been really frustrated. I've never had any pleasant experiences with HR.

I will be getting some help from my aunt; most people would be fine because they can fall back to parents and relatives for cash, but I imagine there must be some whose families simply cannot afford it (for ex., coming from a poor country) and I wonder what happens in those cases. I've heard of people contacting payroll directly to eliminate the HR middleman, but I doubt that would work every time.

 

I took care of any "billing or paycheck issues" by sleeping with one of the girls in the payroll department who was directly responsible for my direct deposit. You gotta think ahead kid. She kept coming back ;)

If all else fails you could do what I described above.

The one who does not fall, does not stand up
 

Earum rem aut maiores aut enim ullam qui. Voluptatem vel ducimus cum illo officiis omnis earum ex. Reprehenderit autem nostrum pariatur tempore modi voluptatem.

Nulla quasi sed expedita sint quia dolorem explicabo. Asperiores quas molestias corporis voluptas accusamus architecto harum qui. Perferendis quidem aut rerum dolorem non.

Maxime blanditiis minima ipsum autem ducimus deserunt non et. Officia veritatis amet sit nam ut exercitationem aut. Consectetur amet enim iste deserunt sapiente. Tempora sit quaerat autem ipsum cupiditate praesentium ipsam.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (50) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”