FDIC Insurance Limits - Joint + Individual Accounts (2024)

What is FDIC Insurance what are the insurance limits per account? Find out if your money is safe from bank closures and how to maximize your coverage.

FDIC Insurance Limits - Joint + Individual Accounts (1)
  • What is FDIC Insurance?
  • What's Covered by FDIC Insurance (and What's Not)
  • Is the $250,000 Insurance per Account?
  • Are Joint Accounts Insured for $500,000?
  • How can You Insure More than $250,000?
  • What Happens to Your Money When a Bank Fails

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Have money in the bank? You'll want to be sure it's protected in case of bank closure.

That's where FDIC Insurance comes in.

Although bank closures are rare, it's important to know how you're covered. Learn about FDIC insurance limits below. Plus, find out how to maximize your coverage past the $250K limit.

What Does FDIC Insurance Mean?

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is an independent U.S. government agency that protects monetary deposit accounts — such as checking accounts, savings accounts, and CDs — in the event of a bank default or closure.

It does not protect investment vehicles like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, nor does it protect deposits in the event of lost or stolen property.

How do you find out if a bank is FDIC insured?
You can look for FDIC signage at branch locations or online on a bank's website, use the FDIC BankFind tool, or call the FDIC at 877-275-3342.

For credit unions, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) provides the same deposit insurance as the FDIC for the same amounts.

What's Covered by FDIC Insurance (and What's Not)

FDIC Deposit Insurance Covers:[1]

  • Single bank account: Up to $250,000 per owner
  • Joint bank account: Up to $250,000 per owner
  • Certain retirement accounts (such as IRA and 401(k): Up to $250,000 per owner
  • Revocable trust account: Owner insured $250,000 for each beneficiary
  • Irrevocable trust account: $250,000 for the trust (more coverage available if requirements are met)
  • Employee benefit plan account: $250,000 for the noncontingent interest of each plan participant
  • Government account: Up to $250,000 per official custodian
  • Corporation, partnership, or unincorporated association account: up to $250,000 per corporation, partnership, or unincorporated association

FDIC Deposit Insurance Does NOT Cover:[2]

  • Annuities
  • Mutual funds or ETFs
  • Stocks
  • Bonds
  • Life insurance policies
  • U.S. Treasury Securities
  • Municipal securities

Are investments insured another way?
Yes. The SIPC insures investors up to $500,000 in the event of a brokerage firm being forced into bankruptcy.

Is the $250,000 Insurance per Account?

Not exactly. FDIC coverage is $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, per ownership category.

The depositor is the person whose name is on the account - meaning you, or you and your spouse (for a joint account).

The ownership category describes the type of account you have. Ownership categories include single accounts, joint accounts, revocable trusts, irrevocable trusts and more.

For example, a joint account you own with your spouse will be FDIC insured for $500,000 because there are two depositors listed on the account.

Each individual account does not receive $250K in coverage, but rather the owner of the account and per account type.

Do some banks insure more than $250,000?
No, insurance limits are universally applied to all member FDIC banks. Insurance limits are regulated by the government and are not left up to the discretion of individual banks.

Are Joint Accounts Insured for $500,000?

Yes, if a joint account is owned by two people (i.e., depositors), it is insured for $500,000.

Some banks allow more than two people to share ownership of joint accounts, in which case the FDIC insurance on said account would be higher.

The highest deposit amount that can be insured with a single bank entity is $1 million.

Joint accounts carry some additional risk, so careful consideration should be made before opening a joint account.

For example, each party must have equal rights to make withdrawals and each party is individually responsible for the actions of the other. If your partner overdraws a joint checking account, you are on the hook to repay the bank.

How to check how much coverage you have: Use the FDIC's Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator tool to find out how the insurance rules and limits apply to your accounts.

How Can You Insure More than $250,000?

There are a number of reasons why you may want to insure more than $250,000 — even for a short period of time. You may have sold your home or business recently, received an inheritance, or heck, even won the lottery.

Here are four ways to receive more than $250,000 in FDIC deposit insurance:

  1. Use multiple banks: To use this method, each bank must be a distinct entity. Some banks (such as Axos Bank) own other banks but are technically the same business entity. You can check this by checking their FDIC insurance numbers.
  2. Open accounts in separate account categories: For example, if you own a small business, you can open personal and business checking accounts and receive up to $250,000 in FDIC insurance for each account.
  3. Open a joint account: Joint accounts allow you to insure $250,000 for each account owner, up to $1 million at any individual bank entity.
  4. Use MaxMyInterest: For a fee of 0.02% per quarter, MaxMyInterest will divide your large deposit into separate high-yield savings accounts in $250,000 increments.

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What Happens to Your Money When a Bank Fails

If a bank cannot meet its financial obligations or loses substantial revenue from unexpected losses such as a crash in the stock market, it may be forced into bankruptcy.

When this happens, the FDIC will first look for a second bank to take over the assets of the bank facing closure.

If the FDIC cannot locate a bank willing to take on the assets of the failed bank, the FDIC will simply issue checks for the insured amount to each individual depositor. If this is the case, the FDIC typically pays insurance on the next business day, according to their website.

The Bottom Line

While bank closures are rare, they do happen. And when they do, it is often unexpected as the FDIC does not notify depositors in advance if a bank closure is about to take place. As a result, you want to make sure that 100% of your deposits are fully insured to ensure that you don't lose money.

By remaining informed about the different types of accounts you own, you can rest easy knowing that your money is safe.

References

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FDIC Insurance Limits - Joint + Individual Accounts (2024)

FAQs

What is the FDIC insurance limit per account? ›

The standard insurance amount is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category. The FDIC provides separate coverage for deposits held in different account ownership categories.

How do I get around the FDIC limits? ›

Here are some of the best ways to insure excess deposits above the FDIC limits.
  1. Open New Accounts at Different Banks. ...
  2. Use CDARS to Insure Excess Bank Deposits. ...
  3. Consider Moving Some of Your Money to a Credit Union. ...
  4. Open a Cash Management Account. ...
  5. Weigh Other Options.
14 Jun 2021

Does FDIC cover 500000 for joint account? ›

Joint accounts are insured separately from accounts in other ownership categories, up to a total of $250,000 per owner. This means you and your spouse can get another $500,000 of FDIC insurance coverage by opening a joint account in addition to your single accounts.

How does FDIC insurance work with multiple accounts? ›

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.

Can you have more than 250k in bank account? ›

The FDIC wants to make sure it can cover everyone with a bank account, so to make that happen, it caps how much money it insures. The FDIC says its standard is to cover up to “$250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category.

Can you have millions in a bank account? ›

Banks do not impose maximum deposit limits. There's no reason you can't put a million dollars in a bank, but the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation won't cover the entire amount if placed in a single account.

Should you keep all your money in one bank? ›

If you have more than $250,000 in your bank accounts, any money over that amount could be at risk if your bank fails. However, splitting your balance between savings accounts at different banks keeps your money safe, since each bank has its own insurance limit.

How can I insure more than 250k? ›

Single, individually owned accounts are insured up to $250,000 total at FDIC member banks. However, joint accounts — with two or more owners — are insured up to $500,000 total. So to double the insured amount in deposit accounts at a single bank, you can add another owner.

Does adding beneficiaries on an bank account Add to FDIC limits? ›

By setting up beneficiaries on your account, you can increase your FDIC coverage. For example, joint account owners who qualify for $250,000 each in FDIC coverage would increase their coverage to $750,000 each if three beneficiaries are named to their Savings account.

Does beneficiary count for FDIC? ›

In calculating deposit insurance coverage for revocable trusts, the FDIC combines the interests of all beneficiaries the owner has named in all formal and informal revocable trust accounts at the same IDI. 7.

Can I have multiple accounts at the same bank with FDIC insured? ›

The FDIC adds together all single accounts owned by the same person at the same bank and insures the total up to $250,000.

Does FDIC insure more than 250k? ›

The standard deposit insurance coverage limit is $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, per ownership category. Deposits held in different ownership categories are separately insured, up to at least $250,000, even if held at the same bank.

What bank do you put millions of dollars in? ›

Bank of America, Citibank, Union Bank, and HSBC, among others, have created accounts that come with special perquisites for the ultra-rich, such as personal bankers, waived fees, and the option of placing trades. The ultra rich are considered to be those with more than $30 million in assets.

How can I insure more than 250k? ›

Single, individually owned accounts are insured up to $250,000 total at FDIC member banks. However, joint accounts — with two or more owners — are insured up to $500,000 total. So to double the insured amount in deposit accounts at a single bank, you can add another owner.

What is the FDIC limit for 2022? ›

That was back in 1934, and today not much has changed except for the FDIC coverage limit growing by a multiple of 100, from $2,500 to $250,000 as of 2022. Today, the FDIC covers accounts up to $250,000 in deposits per account owner / ownership category at each insured bank.

Is each bank account FDIC-insured? ›

A: Yes. The FDIC insures deposits according to the ownership category in which the funds are insured and how the accounts are titled. The standard deposit insurance coverage limit is $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, per ownership category.

Does adding beneficiaries on an bank account Add to FDIC limits? ›

By setting up beneficiaries on your account, you can increase your FDIC coverage. For example, joint account owners who qualify for $250,000 each in FDIC coverage would increase their coverage to $750,000 each if three beneficiaries are named to their Savings account.

Should you keep all your money in one bank? ›

If you have more than $250,000 in your bank accounts, any money over that amount could be at risk if your bank fails. However, splitting your balance between savings accounts at different banks keeps your money safe, since each bank has its own insurance limit.

Can you have millions in a bank account? ›

Banks do not impose maximum deposit limits. There's no reason you can't put a million dollars in a bank, but the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation won't cover the entire amount if placed in a single account.

Can you have more than 250k in bank account? ›

The FDIC wants to make sure it can cover everyone with a bank account, so to make that happen, it caps how much money it insures. The FDIC says its standard is to cover up to “$250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category.

How much money can you have in a bank account? ›

How much money can you put in a checking account? Generally, there's no checking account maximum amount you can have. There is, however, a limit on how much of your checking account balance is covered by the FDIC (typically $250,000 per depositor, per account ownership type, per financial institution).

Did FDIC insurance limits change? ›

The FDIC coverage limit more than doubled to $100,000, which was again the largest increase in history.

What are some things that the FDIC does not protect? ›

Increasingly, institutions are also offering consumers a broad array of investment products that are not deposits, such as mutual funds, annuities, life insurance policies, stocks and bonds. Unlike the traditional checking or savings account, however, these non-deposit investment products are not insured by the FDIC.

Are any banks not FDIC insured? ›

In general, nearly all banks carry FDIC insurance for their depositors. However, there are two limitations to that coverage. The first is that only depository accounts, such as checking, savings, bank money market accounts, and CDs are covered.

Are all CDs FDIC insured? ›

The short answer is yes. Like other bank accounts, CDs are federally insured at financial institutions that are members of a federal deposit insurance agency. If a member bank or credit union fails, you're guaranteed to receive your money back, up to $250,000, by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

Why is US bank not FDIC insured? ›

The FDIC is an independent agency of the United States government that protects against the loss of insured deposits if an FDIC-insured bank or savings association fails.
...
FDIC deposit insurance coverage.
Ownership categoryCoverage limit
Irrevocable Trust accounts$250,000 for non-contingent, ascertainable interest of each beneficiary
8 more rows

What happens to an FDIC insured bank account if the owner dies? ›

What is the deposit insurance coverage for these accounts? Rule: Upon the death of an accountholder, the FDIC will insure the deceased owner's accounts as if he or she were still alive for six months after his or her death.

Does FDIC cover POD accounts? ›

Deposits opened “POD to a revocable trust”

The FDIC will insure the deposit as an account titled in the name of the formal trust. This treatment is applicable only if the owner (or co-owners) of the deposit account own 100% of the formal revocable trust named as beneficiary.

How do you find out if you are a beneficiary on a bank account? ›

Contact the Bank

Present a copy of the death certificate to the bank, and request information on the account. In some cases, bank officers will be able to tell you if you were a beneficiary on the account, but they cannot give out information such as the name of any other beneficiary that might also be on the account.

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