FDIC: Deposit Insurance At A Glance (2024)

SUMMARY OF TRUST RULE CHANGE:

  • As of April 1, 2024, the maximum insurance coverage for a trust owner with five or more beneficiaries is $1,250,000 per owner for all trust accounts (including POD/ITF, revocable, and irrevocable trusts) held at the same bank.
  • Depositors can name as many beneficiaries as they wish, however the coverage limit will not exceed $1,250,000 as of April 1, 2024.
  • This coverage change applies to both existing and new trust accounts, for all deposit products, including CDs regardless of purchase or maturity date.

You can learn more about the new changes by reviewing this fact sheet.

Questions?

You can submit your inquiry using the FDIC Information and Support Center.
You can also call the FDIC at 1-877-275-3342 or 1-877-ASK-FDIC.

FDIC: Deposit Insurance At A Glance (1)

Deposit Insurance At A Glance

Since the FDIC began operations in 1934, the FDIC sign on bank teller windows has served as a symbol of financial safety and security. When you visit a bank, whether in person or online, and see the FDIC Official Sign, you know the financial institution is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government, and that your money on deposit is safe.

Consumers have a variety of options for where they can deposit their money and how they can access banking products and services. However, FDIC deposit insurance is only available for money on deposit at an FDIC-insured bank.

This brochure provides basic information about the types of accounts that are insured, coverage limits, and how the FDIC insures your money if your bank fails.

For more detailed information about deposit insurance coverage, our Your Insured Deposits brochure may be helpful.

  • View brochure as PDF
  • View brochure as PDF (Español)

What types of deposits are insured?

At FDIC-insured banks, the FDIC insures money in deposit products, including:

  • Checking Accounts
  • Negotiable Order of Withdrawal (NOW) Accounts
  • Savings Accounts
  • Money Market Deposit Accounts (MMDAs)
  • Time Deposits, such as Certificates of Deposit (CDs)
  • Cashier's Checks, Money Orders, and other official items issued by a bank

The FDIC does not insure:

  • Stock Investments
  • Bond Investments
  • Mutual Funds
  • Crypto Assets
  • Life Insurance Policies
  • Annuities
  • Municipal Securities
  • Safe Deposit Boxes or their contents
  • U.S. Treasury Bills, Bonds, or Notes*
    *These investments are not insured by the FDIC, but they are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

How do I know that my money is insured?

FDIC insurance coverage is automatic when you open a deposit account at an FDIC-insured bank. You can confirm that your bank is insured by searching for it in the BankFind tool available on our website at www.fdic.gov or you can call the FDIC at 1-877-ASK-FDIC (1-877-275-3342).

How much of my money is insured?

The standard insurance amount is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category. When calculating an individual’s coverage amount, the FDIC adds together all of the deposit accounts you hold in the same ownership category at the same bank regardless of the deposit type (e.g., Certificates of Deposit (CDs), checking, savings, or money market deposit accounts (MMDAs)).

This means that if you have deposits in different account categories at the same FDIC-insured bank, your insurance coverage may be more than $250,000, if all requirements are met.

If you have accounts at different FDIC-insured banks, the limit applies at each bank: $250,000 per depositor for each account ownership category.

You can calculate your specific insurance coverage amount using the Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator (EDIE), a calculator that is available on the FDIC’s website.

If my bank fails, how does the FDIC protect my money?

Deposit insurance coverage protects depositors against the failure of an insured bank; it does not protect against losses due to theft or fraud, which are addressed by other laws. In the unlikely event of a bank failure, the FDIC acts quickly to ensure that all depositors get prompt access to their insured deposits. FDIC deposit insurance covers the balance of each depositor's account, dollar-for-dollar, up to the insurance limit, including principal and any accrued interest through the date of the insured bank's failure.

In many cases, a failed bank is acquired by another FDIC-insured bank. When this occurs, customers of the failed bank are able to access their money through the acquiring bank.

In the event a failed bank is not acquired by another bank, the FDIC conducts a quick and thorough process to identify all customers, calculate their deposit insurance coverage, and provide their money to them as quickly as possible.

When your money is in an FDIC-insured bank, you can rest assured. Since 1934, no depositor has lost a penny of their FDIC-insured funds.

FDIC Deposit Insurance Coverage Limits by Account Ownership Category
Single Accounts (i.e., accounts owned by one person, no beneficiaries) $250,000 per owner
Joint Accounts (i.e., accounts owned by two or more persons, no beneficiaries) $250,000 per co-owner
Certain Retirement Accounts (including IRAs) $250,000 per owner regardless of the number of beneficiaries
Trust Accounts (With Beneficiaries)
  • Informal Revocable Trusts
    • Payable on Death (POD) or In Trust For (ITF)
  • Formal Revocable Trusts
  • Irrevocable Trusts
$250,000 per beneficiary, using the following formula:

# of Owners X # of Distinct Beneficiaries X $250,000 = Amount Insured
(not to exceed $1,250,000 per owner for all trust accounts)

Corporation, Partnership and Unincorporated Association Accounts $250,000 per corporation, partnership or unincorporated association
Employee Benefit Plan Accounts $250,000 for the non-contingent interest of each plan participant
Government Accounts $250,000 per official custodian
(more coverage available subject to specific conditions)

For More Information from the FDIC

Call Toll-Free
1-877-ASK-FDIC (1-877-275-3342)

Calculate deposit insurance coverage using the FDIC’s Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator (EDIE)

Read more about FDIC deposit insurance on our Deposit Insurance webpage

View frequently asked questions on deposit insurance coverage

Order FDIC deposit insurance products through the FDIC Online Catalog

Submit deposit insurance questions online using the FDIC Information and Support Center

Submit deposit insurance questions by U.S. Mail
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Attn: Deposit Insurance Unit
550 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20429

FDIC: Deposit Insurance At A Glance (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.

How can I maximize my FDIC coverage at one bank? ›

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.

Can I have more than $250000 of deposit insurance coverage at one FDIC-insured bank? ›

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.

What is the FDIC deposit insurance rule? ›

The FDIC helps maintain stability and public confidence in the U.S. financial system. One way we do this is by insuring deposits to at least $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category at each FDIC-insured bank.

How do you protect your money if you have more than $250000? ›

Here are four ways you may be able to insure more than $250,000 in deposits:
  1. Open accounts at more than one institution. This strategy works as long as the two institutions are distinct. ...
  2. Open accounts in different ownership categories. ...
  3. Use a network. ...
  4. Open a brokerage deposit account.

Does FDIC cover two accounts at the same bank? ›

The FDIC adds together the balances in all Single Accounts owned by the same person at the same bank and insures the total up to $250,000.

Is a joint account FDIC insured up to $500,000? ›

If a couple has a joint money market deposit account, a joint savings account, and a joint CD at the same insured bank, each co-owner's shares of the three accounts are added together and insured up to $250,000 per owner, providing up to $500,000 in coverage for the couple's joint accounts.

Do CDs count toward the FDIC limit? ›

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.

Does adding beneficiaries to bank account increase FDIC coverage? ›

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.

Should you keep more than 250k in one bank? ›

The FDIC insures up to $250,000 per account holder, insured bank and ownership category in the event of bank failure. If you have more than $250,000 in the bank, or you're approaching that amount, you may want to structure your accounts to make sure your funds are covered.

How do I insure $2 million in the bank? ›

Here are seven of the best ways to insure excess deposits that you may have.
  1. Understand FDIC limits. ...
  2. Use bank networks to maximize coverage. ...
  3. Open accounts with different ownership categories. ...
  4. Open accounts at several banks. ...
  5. Consider brokerage accounts. ...
  6. Deposit excess funds at a credit union.
Feb 29, 2024

Is Capital One safe from collapse? ›

Deposits are insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category at Capital One. Deposit insurance is calculated dollar-for-dollar—that includes principal plus any interest accrued.

What are three things not insured by FDIC? ›

The FDIC does not insure:
  • Stock Investments.
  • Bond Investments.
  • Mutual Funds.
  • Crypto Assets.
  • Life Insurance Policies.
  • Annuities.
  • Municipal Securities.
  • Safe Deposit Boxes or their contents.
Apr 1, 2024

How much does FDIC cover with two beneficiaries? ›

Maximum Insurance Coverage per Trust Owner:
Number of Unique BeneficiariesMaximum Deposit Insurance Coverage
1 Beneficiary$250,000
2 Beneficiaries$500,000
3 Beneficiaries$750,000
4 Beneficiaries$1,000,000
1 more row

What bank has the highest FDIC insured? ›

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.

Where do millionaires keep their money in banks? ›

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.

Where do rich people keep their money in FDIC? ›

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.

What is the safest bank for millionaires? ›

The Most Popular Banks for Millionaires
  1. JP Morgan Private Bank. “J.P. Morgan Private Bank is known for its investment services, which makes them a great option for those with millionaire status,” Kullberg said. ...
  2. Bank of America Private Bank. ...
  3. Citi Private Bank. ...
  4. Chase Private Client.
Jan 29, 2024

Is it safe to keep millions of dollars in the bank? ›

A bank account is typically the safest place for your cash, since banks can be insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured institution, per ownership category. Banks that are insured by the FDIC often say “Member FDIC” on their websites.

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