$100,000
FDIC Insurance
What's
Included
The FDIC protects deposits when an insured depository institution
fails and is closed by the state or federal banking regulator that
chartered it. While the basic federal insurance amount is $100,000, you
actually can receive more than $100,000 of coverage if your funds are
maintained in different ownership categories. For example, you can have
coverage of up to $100,000 for your individual accounts at the bank,
another $100,000 for your share of joint accounts at the same bank, and
yet another $100,000 for your retirement accounts there.
What else factors into the $100,000 coverage? It includes principal
(what you put into the account) plus interest earned to date. Note,
however, that some FDIC-insured CDs recently being offered by financial
institutions or sold through deposit brokers have unusual features that
may result in the FDIC protecting only the principal during the term of
the CD. An example is a five-year CD whose interest rate is not fixed
but varies with the ups and downs of the stock market; that has no
guaranteed minimum interest rate you'll earn; and pays interest only
when the CD matures in five years instead of accruing on a daily or
monthly basis. "If you have that kind of CD and the institution
fails," says FDIC attorney Joe DiNuzzo, "federal insurance
would cover only your principal, not any interest, because there
is no specific, guaranteed interest you've actually earned under the
terms of your contract."
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Table of Contents
Increased
Need For Knowledgeable Consumers
What
is Insured?
Questions
to Ask Before Buying an Investment
What's
Not Insured?
How
to Tell the Difference
$100,000
FDIC Insurance:
What's
Included
Final
Thoughts - Conclusion
For
More Help or Information
Banks: One-Stop
Shopping for Financial Services -
Source: Federal Deposit and Insurance
Corporation (FDIC)
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