FDIC: Deposit Insurance (2024)

FAQs

Where do millionaires keep their money if banks only insure 250k? ›

Millionaires can insure their money by depositing funds in FDIC-insured accounts, NCUA-insured accounts, through IntraFi Network Deposits, or through cash management accounts. They may also allocate some of their cash to low-risk investments, such as Treasury securities or government bonds.

Q: Can I have more than $250,000 of deposit insurance coverage at one FDIC-insured bank? A: Yes. The FDIC insures deposits according to the ownership category in which the funds are insured and how the accounts are titled.

The FDIC provides deposit insurance to protect your money in the event of a bank failure. Your deposits are automatically insured to at least $250,000 at each FDIC-insured bank.

For example, if the same two co-owners jointly own both a $350,000 CD and a $150,000 savings account at the same insured bank, the two accounts would be added together and insured up to $500,000, providing up to $250,000 in insurance coverage for each co-owner.

Consider depositing funds in multiple banks and accounts to receive FDIC coverage. Diversify your bank accounts by investing money into a variety of savings accounts, such as a high-yield savings account, money market accounts (MMA) or a Certificates of Deposit (CDs) account.

The standard insurance amount is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each ownership category. This means that by having accounts in different ownership categories, like single accounts and joint accounts, you can get more than $250,000 in coverage.

The FDIC refers to these different categories as “ownership categories.” This means that a bank customer who has multiple accounts may qualify for more than $250,000 in insurance coverage, if the customer's funds are deposited in different ownership categories and the requirements for each ownership category are met.

NOTE ON BENEFICIARIES: WHILE SOME SELF-DIRECTED RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS, LIKE IRAS, PERMIT THE OWNER TO NAME ONE OR MORE BENEFICIARIES, THE EXISTENCE OF BENEFICIARIES DOES NOT INCREASE THE AVAILABLE INSURANCE COVERAGE.

What bank has the highest FDIC insurance? ›

Wealthfront also offers some of the industry's highest FDIC protection. Other banks and fintechs offering competitive FDIC insurance include Betterment, Bluevine, SoFi and Ameris Bank, and like Wealthfront, they spread your funds among partnering FDIC-insured banks.

CDs are federally insured by the FDIC. The FDIC insures deposit accounts up to $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank and per ownership category. This includes savings and checking accounts as well as money market accounts and CDs.

Bottom line. Any individual or entity that has more than $250,000 in deposits at an FDIC-insured bank should see to it that all monies are federally insured. It's not only diligent savers and high-net-worth individuals who might need extra FDIC coverage.

However, federally insured banks and credit unions only insure up to $250,000 per depositor per account ownership category. If you put more than this amount in a single CD, some of your money will be at risk. You can still safely invest more than $250,000 in CDs by opening accounts at multiple financial institutions.

Of all the financial institutions reporting, including commercial banks and federal savings banks, there are approximately 860 million deposit accounts (not including retirement accounts). But fewer than one percent–just 0.83 percent–of these accounts have more than $250,000.

Millionaires also have zero-balance accounts with private banks. They leave their money in cash and cash equivalents and they write checks on their zero-balance account. At the end of the business day, the private bank, as custodian of their various accounts, sells off enough liquid assets to settle up for that day.

Millionaires don't worry about FDIC insurance. Their money is held in their name and not the name of the custodial private bank. Other millionaires have safe deposit boxes full of cash denominated in many different currencies.

“J.P. Morgan Private Bank is the more elite program serving ultra-high-net-worth individuals,” Naghibi said. “It offers comprehensive services in savings, checking and retirement account management. But, more than anything, it gives clients access to their bank and team with a concierge feel.”