FDIC-Insured—Backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government
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BMO supports customers impacted by the wildfires in Southern California. If you have been impacted and need to close your BMO Alto Online CD early, call us at 1-855-266-8100 to request an early withdrawal penalty waiver.
Have questions about BMO Alto? We can help!
About BMO Alto
We currently offer two products to help you maximize your savings:
- BMO Alto Online Savings Account: Our no-fee, online-only savings account with a great interest rate.
- BMO Alto Online Certificates of Deposit (CDs): Our online-only CD with a fixed interest rate. We offer CD terms of 6 months, 12 months, 24 months, 36 months, 48 months, and 60 months. We do not offer IRA CDs.
- There is no required minimum opening deposit for a BMO Alto Online Savings Account and BMO Alto Online Certificate of Deposit (CD). That’s right, you need $0 to get started.However, a BMO Alto Online Savings Account must be funded within 90 days, or the account will be closed. A BMO Alto Online CD must be funded within 10 days, or the account will be closed.
- U.S. citizens and U.S resident aliens 18 and older can apply for an individual or joint BMO Alto account. An account can’t be opened in the name of a business, trust, or in a fiduciary capacity. BMO Alto does not offer Uniform Transfer to Minor (UTMA) accounts or IRA CDs.
- Yes, all BMO Alto accounts are FDIC insured. Visit www.fdic.gov for current deposit insurance limits. Deposits are insured by the FDIC up to the maximum limits allowed by law. Deposits made through BMO Alto and in other U.S. accounts under the BMO brand name are not separately insured by the FDIC and count toward your FDIC deposit insurance limit at BMO.
- No, BMO Alto does not charge any fees.
Access and security
The following browsers support BMO Alto:
- Chrome (105.0 and higher)
Microsoft Edge (105.0 and higher)
Safari (16.0 and higher)
Firefox (104.0 and higher)
We recommend using the most up-to-date versions of these browsers for a better experience.
- At BMO Alto, we take security very seriously and we work hard to ensure you feel safe banking with us. We have behind-the-scenes monitoring tools, as well as security alerts that will be sent to your e-mail to help keep your accounts secure.
We will never ask you for your account number via email or text. If you receive any communication asking for this information, please send it to phishing@bmo.com.
No, BMO Alto does not have an app. You can only access BMO Alto through the BMO Alto website.
Using your account
You can move money in and out of your BMO Alto account in two easy ways:
- Use BMO Alto Online Banking to transfer funds (Automated Clearing House (ACH)) to and from an external bank account you linked to BMO Alto.
Submit a transfer (ACH) from your external bank account using your BMO Alto routing number and account number.
BMO Alto does not issue checks or debit cards, and does not support wire transfers, Zelle®, or transactions by mail.
Transfers between BMO Alto Accounts are available immediately after we process the transaction.
Transfers that we originate based on your transfer instructions to debit a registered eligible account and credit a BMO Alto Account will generally be available on the third business day after the transaction date.
Transfer Instructions to credit a Registered External Account post to and debit your Eligible Transaction Account immediately after you submit a one-time Transfer Instruction or on the date of the scheduled External Transfer. Funds will be available in your Registered External Account subject to the funds availability policy of the receiving institution.
We may limit the availability of transfers in certain circumstances. Review the BMO Alto Deposit Account and Online Banking Agreement for more information on how we process transfers.No, BMO branches and ATMs are unable to provide support for your BMO Alto account.
BMO Alto accounts, services, and communications cannot be accessed through BMO Digital Banking. You must enroll in BMO Alto Online Banking and create new credentials to access your BMO Alto account. Call at 855-266-8100 for help with your BMO Alto accounts.
- The routing number for BMO Alto is 075906061.
Beneficiaries and Power of Attorney
- You can designate up to five people as beneficiaries to your account. To add a beneficiary, gather their U.S. Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, date of birth, and home address and call us at 855-266-8100
- To designate a Power of Attorney (POA), you will need to:
Complete the following forms:- If you are appointing multiple agents, the Power of Attorney must permit each agent to act independently.
2. A notarized BMO Alto Power of Attorney Certification by Agent Form3. A copy of a valid form of ID:- Driver’s license
- State Identification card
- Passport/Passport card
- Permanent Resident Card
- Tribal ID card
- Consulate/Consular Identification Card
4. For joint accounts, you will also need to complete the following:- For Wisconsin: When using an external POA form, each co-owner must submit a notarized BMO Alto Power of Attorney Certificate by Agent Form or a notarized POA form naming the same agent
- For Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington: Each co-owner must submit a notarized POA form naming the same agent
Mail the documents to: BMO Alto, PO Box 71212, Philadelphia, PA 19176-6212. If you have questions, call us at 855-266-8100. To revoke a Power of Attorney, you will need to:
1. Complete a notarized BMO Alto Power of Attorney Revocation Form or an external notarized document revoking the Power of Attorney.2. A copy of a valid form of ID for the account owner:
- Driver’s license
- State Identification card
- Passport/Passport card
- Permanent Resident Card
- Tribal ID card
- Consulate/Consular Identification Card
Mail the documents to: BMO Alto, PO Box 71212, Philadelphia, PA 19176-6212. If you have questions, call us at 855-266-8100.
Account settlement may only be requested by decedent account’s authorized representative: joint account owner, payable on death beneficiary, executor, estate administrator representative, or small estate beneficiary. To request account settlement, the authorized representative will need to do the following.
Gather the following documents:
1. One original Death Certificate
2. A notarized BMO Alto Decedent Account Letter of Direction- Beneficiaries, trustees, or executors may submit one letter signed by each party or each party must submit their own letter
- If the deceased account owner was a New Jersey resident, an original Form L-8 or copy of the Form L-4 (Tax Waiver) must also be submitted
3. A copy of a valid form of ID for the authorized representative:
- Driver’s license
State Identification card
Passport/Passport Card
Permanent Resident Card
Tribal ID card
Consulate/Consular Identification Card
4. As applicable, copies of executorship documentation or state-specific Small Estate Affidavit
Mail the documents to: BMO Alto, 320 S. Canal St., Floor 11, Chicago, IL 60606. If you have questions, call us at 855-266-8100.
A date of death value letter provides account balance information as of the date the account owner passed away. The date of death letter may only be requested by the decedent account’s authorized representative, joint account owner, payable on death beneficiary, executor, estate administrator representative, or small estate beneficiary. To request a date of death value letter, the authorized representative will need to gather the following documents:
1. One original Death Certificate
2. A notarized BMO Alto Date of Death Value Letter Request Form3. A copy of a valid form of ID for the authorized representative:
- Driver’s license
State Identification card
Passport/Passport Card
Permanent Resident Card
Tribal ID card
Consulate/Consular Identification Card
4. As applicable, copies of executorship documentation or state-specific Small Estate Affidavit
Mail the documents to: BMO Alto, 320 S. Canal St., Floor 11, Chicago, IL 60606. If you have questions, call us at 855-266-8100.