UPDATED 2014
YOUR INSURED
DEPOSITS
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
1
. IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THIS BROCHURE
Your Insured Deposits is a comprehensive description of FDIC deposit
insurance coverage for the most common account ownership categories.
This brochure is not intended as a legal interpretation of the FDIC’s
laws and regulations. For additional or more specific information about
FDIC insurance coverage, consult the Federal Deposit Insurance Act
(12 U.S.C.1811 et seq.) and the FDIC’s regulations relating to insurance
coverage described in 12 C.F.R. Part 330.
The information in this brochure is based on FDIC laws and regulations in
effect at publication. These rules can be amended and, therefore, some of
the information in this brochure may become outdated.
The online version
of this brochure, available on the FDIC’s website at www.fdic.gov/deposit/
deposits, will be updated immediately if rule changes affecting FDIC
insurance coverage are made.
Depositors should note that federal law expressly limits the amount of
insurance the FDIC can pay to depositors when an insured bank fails, and
no representation made by any person or organization can either increase
or modify that amount.
This brochure is not intended to provide estate planning advice. Depositors
seeking such assistance should contact a financial or legal advisor.
For simplicity, this brochure uses the term “insured bank” to mean any
bank or savings association that is insured by the FDIC. To check whether
the FDIC insures a specific bank or savings association:
• Call the FDIC toll-free: 1-877-275-3342
• Use FDIC’s “Bank Find” at: http://research.fdic.gov/bankfind/
• Look for the FDIC sign where deposits are received
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2 FDIC INSURANCE COVERAGE BASICS
4 OWNERSHIP CATEGORIES
4 SINGLE ACCOUNTS
6 CERTAIN RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS
8 JOINT ACCOUNTS
11 REVOCABLE TRUST ACCOUNTS
17 IRREVOCABLE TRUST ACCOUNTS
18 EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN ACCOUNTS
21 CORPORATION/PARTNERSHIP/UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATION ACCOUNTS
22 GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTS
26 UNIQUE OWNERSHIP SCENARIOS
29 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
SEE BACK COVER FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM THE FDIC
2
.
WHAT IS THE FDIC?
The FDIC—short for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation—is an
independent agency of the United States government. The FDIC protects
depositors of insured banks located in the United States against the loss
of their deposits if an insured bank fails.
Any person or entity can have FDIC insurance coverage in an insured
bank. A person does not have to be a U.S. citizen or resident to have his
or her deposits insured by the FDIC.
FDIC insurance is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States
government.
Since the FDIC began operations in 1934, no depositor has ever
lost a penny of FDIC-insured deposits.
FDIC COVERAGE BASICS
WHAT THE FDIC DOES NOT COVER
• Stock investments
• Bond investments
• Mutual funds
• Life insurance policies
• Annuities
• Municipal securities
• Safe deposit boxes or their contents
• U.S. Treasury bills, bonds or notes*
*These investments are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S.
government.
FDIC insurance covers depositors’ accounts at each insured bank,
dollar-for-dollar, including principal and any accrued interest through
the date of the insured bank’s closing, up to the insurance limit.
The standard deposit insurance amount is $250,000
per depositor, per insured bank, for each account
ownership category.
FDIC insurance covers all types of deposits received at an insured bank
but does not cover investments, even if they were purchased at an
insured bank.
The FDIC insures deposits that a person holds in one insured bank
separately from any deposits that the person owns in another
separately chartered insured bank. For example, if a person has a
certificate of deposit at Bank A and has a certificate of deposit at Bank
B, the amounts would each be insured separately up to $250,000.
Funds
deposited in separate branches of the same insured bank are not
separately insured.
WHAT THE FDIC COVERS
• Checking accounts
• Negotiable Order of Withdrawal (NOW) accounts
• Savings accounts
• Money market deposit accounts (MMDA)
• Time deposits such as certificates of deposit (CDs)
• Cashier’s checks, money orders, and other official items issued
by a bank
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The FDIC provides separate insurance coverage for funds depositors
may have in different categories of legal ownership. 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.
3
. OWNERSHIP CATEGORIES
This section describes the following FDIC ownership categories and the
requirements a depositor must meet to qualify for insurance coverage
above $250,000 at one insured bank.
If an account title identifies only one owner, but another person has the
right to withdraw funds from the account (e.g., as Power of Attorney
or custodian), the FDIC will insure the account as a single ownership
account.
• Single Accounts
• Certain Retirement Accounts
• Joint Accounts
• Revocable Trust Accounts
• Irrevocable Trust Accounts
• Employee Benefit Plan Accounts
• Corporation/Partnership/Unincorporated Association Accounts
• Government Accounts
The FDIC adds together all single accounts owned by the same person
at the same bank and insures the total up to $250,000.
SINGLE ACCOUNTS
ACCOUNT TITLE
MARCI JONES
MARCI JONES
MARCI JONES
MARCI’S MEMORIES
(A SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP)
TOTAL
AMOUNT INSURED
AMOUNT UNINSURED
A single account is a deposit owned by one person.
This ownership category includes:
• An account held in one person’s name only, provided the owner has not
designated any beneficiary(ies) who are entitled to receive the funds
when the account owner dies
• An account established for one person by an agent, nominee,
guardian, custodian, or conservator, including Uniform Transfers
to Minors Act accounts, escrow accounts and brokered deposit
accounts
• An account held in the name of a business that is a sole proprietorship
(for example, a “Doing Business As” or DBA account)
• An account established for or representing a deceased person’s
funds—commonly known as a decedent’s
estate account
• An account that fails to qualify for separate coverage under another
ownership category
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NOTE ON BENEFICIARIES: IF THE OWNER OF A SINGLE ACCOUNT HAS DESIGNATED ONE OR
MORE BENEFICIARIES WHO WILL RECEIVE THE DEPOSIT WHEN THE ACCOUNT OWNER DIES,
THE ACCOUNT WOULD BE INSURED AS A REVOCABLE TRUST ACCOUNT.
EXAMPLE 1: SINGLE ACCOUNT
DEPOSIT TYPE
MMDA
SAVINGS
CD
CHECKING
ACCOUNT BALANCE
$ 15,000
$ 20,000
$ 200,000
$ 25,000
$ 260,000
$ 250,000
$ 10,000
EXPLANATION
Marci Jones has four single accounts at the same insured bank,
including one account in the name of her business, which is a
sole proprietorship. The FDIC insures deposits owned by a sole
proprietorship as the single account of the business owner. The FDIC
combines the four accounts, which equal $260,000, and insures the total
balance up to $250,000, leaving $10,000 uninsured.
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. CERTAIN RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS
A retirement account is insured under the Certain Retirement Accounts
ownership category only if the account qualifies as one of the following:
• Individual Retirement Account (IRA):
»» Traditional IRA
»» Roth IRA
»» Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) IRA
»» Savings Incentive Match Plans for Employees (SIMPLE) IRA
• Self-directed defined contribution plan account includes
»» Self-directed 401(k) plan
»» Self-directed SIMPLE IRA held in the form of a
401(k) plan
»» Self-directed defined contribution profit-sharing plan
• Self-directed Keogh plan account (or H.R.10 plan account) designed
for self-employed individuals
• Section 457 deferred compensation plan account, such as an eligible
deferred compensation plan provided by state and local governments
regardless of whether the plan is self-directed
The FDIC adds together all retirement accounts listed above owned by
the same person at the same insured bank and insures the total amount
up to $250,000.
The FDIC defines the term “self-directed” to mean that plan participants
have the right to direct how the money is invested, including the ability
to direct that deposits be placed at an FDIC-insured bank.
The FDIC will consider an account to be self-directed if the participant
of the retirement plan has the right to choose a particular bank’s deposit
accounts as an investment option. For example:
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• If a plan has deposit accounts at a particular insured bank as its
default investment option, then the FDIC would deem the plan to be
self-directed for insurance coverage purposes because, by inaction,
the participant has directed the placement of such deposits
• If a plan consists only of a single employer/employee, and the
employer establishes the plan with a single investment option of
deposit accounts at a particular insured bank, then the plan would be
considered self-directed for insurance coverage purposes
The following types of deposits do not qualify as Certain Retirement
Accounts:
• A plan for which the only investment vehicle is the deposit accounts of
a particular bank, so that participants have no choice of investments
• Deposit accounts established under section 403(b) of the Internal
Revenue Code (annuity contracts for certain employees of public
schools, tax-exempt organizations and ministers), which are insured
as Employee Benefit Plan accounts
• Defined-benefit plan deposits (plans for which the benefits are
determined by an employee’s compensation, years of service and
age), which are insured as Employee Benefit Plan accounts
• Defined contribution plans that are not self-directed, which are
insured as Employee Benefit Plan Accounts
• Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (formerly known as Education
IRAs), Health Savings Accounts or Medical Savings Accounts (see the
section on Unique Ownership Situations for guidance on the deposit
insurance 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.
7
. EXAMPLE 2: CERTAIN RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS
ACCOUNT TITLE
BOB JOHNSON’S ROTH IRA
BOB JOHNSON’S IRA
TOTAL
AMOUNT INSURED
AMOUNT UNINSURED
ACCOUNT BALANCE
$ 110,000
$ 75,000
$ 185,000
$ 185,000
$0
EXPLANATION
Bob Johnson has two different types of retirement accounts that qualify
as Certain Retirement Accounts at the same insured bank. The FDIC
adds together the deposits in both accounts, which equal $185,000.
Since Bob’s total in all certain retirement accounts at the same bank is
less than $250,000, his IRA deposits are fully insured.
JOINT ACCOUNTS
A joint account is a deposit owned by two or more people. FDIC
insurance covers joint accounts owned in any manner conforming to
applicable state law, such as joint tenants with right of survivorship,
tenants by the entirety and tenants in common.
To qualify for insurance coverage under this ownership category,
all of the following requirements must be met:
1. All co-owners must be living people.
Legal entities such as
corporations, trusts, estates or partnerships are not eligible for
joint account coverage.
2. All co-owners must have equal rights to withdraw deposits from
the account. For example, if one co-owner can withdraw deposits
on his or her signature alone but the other co-owner can withdraw
deposits only with the signature of both co-owners, the co-owners
would not have equal withdrawal rights.
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3.
All co-owners must sign the deposit account signature card
unless the account is a CD or is established by an agent, nominee,
guardian, custodian, executor or conservator.
If all of these requirements are met, each co-owner’s shares of every
joint account that he or she owns at the same insured bank are added
together and the total is insured up to $250,000.
The FDIC assumes that all co-owners’ shares are equal unless the
deposit account records state otherwise.
The balance of a joint account can exceed $250,000 and still be fully
insured. 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. This
example assumes that the two co-owners have no other joint accounts
at the bank.
There is no kinship requirement for joint account coverage.
Any two or
more people that co-own funds can qualify for insurance coverage in
the joint account ownership category provided the requirements listed
above are met.
Insurance coverage of joint accounts is not increased by rearranging
the owners’ names or Social Security numbers or changing the styling
of their names. Alternating the use of “or,” “and” or “and/or” to
separate the names of co-owners in a joint account title also does not
affect the amount of insurance coverage provided.
NOTE ON BENEFICIARIES: IF THE CO-OWNERS OF A JOINTLY HELD ACCOUNT HAVE
DESIGNATED ONE OR MORE BENEFICIARIES WHO WILL RECEIVE THE DEPOSIT WHEN THE
CO-OWNERS DIE, THE ACCOUNT WOULD BE INSURED AS A REVOCABLE TRUST ACCOUNT.
9
. EXAMPLE 3: JOINT ACCOUNTS
ACCOUNT TITLE
MARY AND JOHN SMITH
MARY OR JOHN SMITH
MARY OR JOHN OR ROBERT SMITH
TOTAL
DEPOSIT TYPE
MMDA
SAVINGS
CD
REVOCABLE TRUST ACCOUNTS
ACCOUNT BALANCE SHARE PER OWNER
$ 230,000
$ 115,000
$ 300,000
$ 150,000
$ 270,000
$ 90,000
$ 800,000
INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR EACH OWNER IS CALCULATED
AS FOLLOWS:
OWNERS
MARY
JOHN
ROBERT
TOTAL
TOTAL OF ALL OWNERSHIP SHARES AMOUNT INSURED
$ 355,000
$ 250,000
$ 355,000
$ 250,000
$ 90,000
$ 90,000
$ 800,000
$ 590,000
AMOUNT UNINSURED
$ 105,000
$ 105,000
$0
$ 210,000
EXPLANATION
• The total amount in each joint account is divided by the number
of co-owners.
• Mary’s ownership share in all joint accounts equals 1/2 of the
MMDA account ($115,000), 1/2 of the savings account ($150,000), and
1/3 of the CD ($90,000), for a total of $355,000. Since her coverage in
the joint account ownership category is limited to $250,000, $105,000
is uninsured.
• John’s ownership share in all joint accounts is the same as Mary’s,
so $105,000 of John’s deposits is uninsured.
• Robert’s ownership share in all joint accounts equals
1/3 of the CD, or $90,000, so his share is fully insured.
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This section explains FDIC insurance coverage for revocable trust
accounts, and is not intended as estate planning advice or guidance.
Depositors should contact a legal or financial advisor for assistance
with estate planning.
A revocable trust account is a deposit account owned by one or more
people that identifies one or more beneficiaries who will receive the
deposits upon the death of the owner(s). A revocable trust can be
revoked, terminated or changed at any time, at the discretion of the
owner(s). In this section, the term “owner” means the grantor, settlor,
or trustor of the revocable trust.
When calculating deposit insurance coverage, the designation of
trustees, co-trustees and successor trustees is not relevant.
They are
administrators and are not considered in calculating deposit insurance
coverage.
This ownership category includes both informal and formal
revocable trusts:
• Informal revocable trusts—often called payable on death, Totten trust,
in trust for, or as trustee for accounts—are created when the account
owner signs an agreement, usually part of the bank’s signature card,
directing the bank to transfer the funds in the account to one or more
named beneficiaries upon the owner’s death.
• Formal revocable trusts—known as living or family trusts—are written
trusts created for estate planning purposes. The owner controls the
deposits and other assets in the trust during his or her lifetime. The
agreement establishes that the deposits are to be paid to one or more
identified beneficiaries upon the owner’s death.
The trust generally
becomes irrevocable upon the owner’s death.
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. COVERAGE AND REQUIREMENTS FOR REVOCABLE TRUST ACCOUNTS
owner, the beneficiaries’ interests and the amount of the deposit.
In general, the owner of a revocable trust account is insured up
to $250,000 for each unique beneficiary, if all of the following
requirements are met:
Two calculation methods are used to determine insurance coverage of
revocable trust accounts: one method is used only when a revocable
trust owner has five or fewer unique beneficiaries; the other method is
used only when an owner has six or more unique beneficiaries.
1. The account title at the bank must indicate that the account is held
pursuant to a trust relationship. This rule can be met by using the
terms payable on death (or POD), in trust for (or ITF), as trustee for (or
ATF), living trust, family trust, or any similar language, including simply
having the word “trust” in the account title. The account title includes
information contained in the bank’s electronic deposit account
records.
2.
The beneficiaries must be named in either the deposit account
records of the bank (for informal revocable trusts) or identified in
the formal revocable trust document. For a formal trust agreement,
it is acceptable for the trust to use language such as “my issue”
or other commonly used legal terms to describe the designated
beneficiaries, provided the specific names and number of eligible
beneficiaries can be determined.
3. To qualify as an eligible beneficiary, the beneficiary must be a living
person, a charity or a non-profit organization.
If a charity or nonprofit organization is named as beneficiary, it must qualify as such
under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations.
An account must meet all of the above requirements to be insured under
the revocable trust ownership category. Typically, if any of the above
requirements are not met, the entire amount in the account, or the portion
of the account that does not qualify, is added to the owner’s other single
accounts, if any, at the same bank and insured up to $250,000. If the trust
has multiple co-owners, each owner’s share of the non-qualifying amount
would be treated as his or her single ownership account.
Insurance coverage for revocable trust accounts is calculated
differently depending on the number of beneficiaries named by the
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If a trust has more than one owner, each owner’s insurance coverage is
calculated separately.
REVOCABLE TRUST INSURANCE COVERAGE – FIVE OR FEWER UNIQUE BENEFICIARIES
When a revocable trust owner names five or fewer beneficiaries,
the owner’s trust deposits are insured up to $250,000 for each
unique beneficiary.
This rule applies to the combined interests of all beneficiaries the
owner has named in all formal and informal revocable trust accounts at
the same bank.
When there are five or fewer beneficiaries, maximum
deposit insurance coverage for each trust owner is determined
by multiplying $250,000 times the number of unique beneficiaries,
regardless of the dollar amount or percentage allotted to each unique
beneficiary. Therefore, a revocable trust with five unique beneficiaries
is insured up to $1,250,000.
MAXIMUM INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR A TRUST OWNER WHEN
THERE ARE FIVE OR FEWER UNIQUE BENEFICIARIES:
NUMBER OF UNIQUE BENEFICIARIES
1 BENEFICIARY
2 BENEFICIARIES
3 BENEFICIARIES
4 BENEFICIARIES
5 BENEFICIARIES
MAXIMUM DEPOSIT INSURANCE COVERAGE
$ 250,000
$ 500,000
$ 750,000
$1,000,000
$1,250,000
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. EXAMPLE 4: POD ACCOUNTS FOR ONE OWNER WHEN
THERE ARE FIVE OR FEWER UNIQUE BENEFICIARIES
ACCOUNT TITLE
JOHN JONES POD
JOHN JONES POD
JOHN JONES POD
TOTAL
AMOUNT INSURED
AMOUNT UNINSURED
OWNER
JOHN
JOHN
JOHN
BENEFICIARIES
JACK, JANET
JACK, JANET
JACK, JANET
DEPOSIT TYPE
MMDA
SAVINGS
CD
EXPLANATION
ACCOUNT BALANCE
$ 10,000
$ 20,000
$ 470,000
$ 500,000
$ 500,000
$0
EXPLANATION
John Jones has three revocable trust accounts at the same insured
bank. For each of these accounts, John has named the same two
unique beneficiaries. Maximum insurance coverage for these
accounts is calculated as $250,000 times two beneficiaries, which
equals $500,000. John Jones is fully insured.
EXAMPLE 5: MULTIPLE REVOCABLE TRUST ACCOUNTS
WITH FIVE OR FEWER UNIQUE BENEFICIARIES
ACCOUNT NUMBER ACCOUNT OWNER(S)
PAUL & LISA LI
1
(LIVING TRUST)
LISA LI
2
(POD)
OWNERS BENEFICIARIES
PAUL
JOHN, SHARON
LISA
JOHN, SHARON, BILL
TOTAL
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ACCOUNT BENEFICIARIES
ACCOUNT BALANCE
JOHN AND SHARON LI
$700,000
SHARON AND BILL LI
$450,000
OWNER’S SHARE
$ 350,000
$ 800,000
$1,150,000
AMOUNT INSURED
$ 350,000
$ 750,000
$1,100,000
When a revocable trust owner names five or fewer beneficiaries,
the owner’s share of each trust account is added together and the
owner receives up to $250,000 in insurance coverage for each unique
beneficiary.
• Paul’s share: $350,000 (50% of Account 1)
• Lisa’s share: $800,000 (50% of Account 1 and 100% of Account 2)
Because Paul named two unique beneficiaries, his maximum insurance
coverage is $500,000 ($250,000 times two beneficiaries).
Since his share
of Account 1- $350,000 - is less than $500,000, he is fully insured.
Because Lisa has named three unique beneficiaries between Accounts
1 and 2, her maximum insurance coverage is $750,000 ($250,000 times
three beneficiaries). Since her share of both accounts - $800,000 exceeds $750,000, she is uninsured for $50,000.
REVOCABLE TRUST INSURANCE COVERAGE - SIX OR MORE UNIQUE BENEFICIARIES
Equal Beneficial Interests
When a revocable trust owner names six or more unique beneficiaries,
and all the beneficiaries have an equal interest in the trust (i.e.,
every beneficiary receives exactly the same amount), the insurance
calculation is the same as for revocable trusts that name five or fewer
beneficiaries. The trust owner receives insurance coverage up to
$250,000 for each unique beneficiary.
As shown below, with one owner
and six beneficiaries, with equal beneficial interests, the owner’s
maximum insurance coverage is up to $1,500,000.
AMOUNT UNINSURED
$0
$ 50,000
$ 50,000
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. MAXIMUM INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR EACH REVOCABLE TRUST
OWNER WHEN THERE ARE SIX OR MORE UNIQUE BENEFICIARIES
WITH EQUAL BENEFICIAL INTERESTS:
NUMBER OF UNIQUE BENEFICIARIES
6 BENEFICIARIES WITH EQUAL INTERESTS
7 BENEFICIARIES WITH EQUAL INTERESTS
8 BENEFICIARIES WITH EQUAL INTERESTS
9 BENEFICIARIES WITH EQUAL INTERESTS
10+ BENEFICIARIES WITH EQUAL INTERESTS
MAXIMUM DEPOSIT INSURANCE COVERAGE
$ 1,500,000
$ 1,750,000
$ 2,000,000
$ 2,250,000
FDIC FAST FACT
An owner who identifies a beneficiary as having a life estate interest in a formal revocable
trust is entitled to insurance coverage up to $250,000 for that beneficiary. A life estate
beneficiary is a beneficiary who has the right to receive income from the trust or to use trust
deposits during the beneficiary’s lifetime, where other beneficiaries receive the remaining
trust deposits after the life estate beneficiary dies.
For example: A husband is the sole owner of a living trust that gives his wife a life estate
interest in the trust deposits, with the remainder going to their two children upon his wife’s
death. Maximum insurance coverage for this account is calculated as follows: $250,000
times three different beneficiaries equals $750,000.
ADD UP TO $250,000 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL UNIQUE BENEFICIARY
Unequal Beneficial Interests
When a revocable trust owner names six or more beneficiaries and the
beneficiaries do not have equal beneficial interests (i.e., they receive
different amounts), the owner’s revocable trust deposits are insured for
the greater of either: (1) the sum of each beneficiary’s actual interest in
the revocable trust deposits up to $250,000 for each unique beneficiary,
or (2) a minimum coverage amount of $1,250,000.
Determining insurance coverage of a revocable trust that has six or
more unique beneficiaries whose interests are unequal can be complex.
For information on coverage beyond the minimum coverage amount of
$1,250,000 per owner, please contact the FDIC for assistance using the
contact information at the end of this brochure.
IRREVOCABLE TRUST ACCOUNTS
Irrevocable trust accounts are deposit accounts held in connection
with a trust established by statute or a written trust agreement in which
the owner (also referred to as a grantor, settlor or trustor) contributes
deposits or other property to the trust and gives up all power to cancel
or change the trust. An irrevocable trust also may come into existence
upon the death of an owner of a revocable trust.
A revocable trust account that becomes an irrevocable trust account
due to the death of the trust owner may continue to be insured under
the rules for revocable trusts.
Therefore, in such cases, the rules in the
revocable trust section may be used to determine coverage.
The interests of a beneficiary in all deposit accounts under an irrevocable
trust established by the same settlor and held at the same insured bank
are added together and insured up to $250,000, only if all of the following
requirements are met:
• The trust must be valid under state law
• The insured bank’s deposit account records must disclose the
existence of the trust relationship
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17
. • The beneficiaries and their interests in the trust must be identifiable
from the bank’s deposit account records or from the trustee’s records
• The amount of each beneficiary’s interest must not be contingent as
defined by FDIC regulations
If the owner retains an interest in the trust, then the amount of the
owner’s retained interest would be added to the owner’s other single
accounts, if any, at the same insured bank and the total insured up to
$250,000.
For example, if the grantor of an irrevocable trust is still living,
and the trust provides that trust assets can either be used by the
grantor or by a trustee on behalf of the grantor, the grantor would
be deemed to have a retained interest. Thus, this irrevocable trust
account would not be insured under the irrevocable trust ownership
category, but as a single ownership deposit of the grantor. The
balance of the account would be added together with any other
single ownership accounts the grantor has at the same bank, and
the total would be insured up to $250,000.
FDIC FAST FACT
Since irrevocable trusts usually contain conditions that affect the interests of the
beneficiaries or provide a trustee or a beneficiary with the authority to invade the principal,
insurance coverage for an irrevocable trust account usually is limited to $250,000.
An owner or trustee of an irrevocable trust account who is unsure of the provisions of the
trust should consult a legal or financial advisor.
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN ACCOUNTS
An employee benefit plan account is a deposit of a pension plan,
defined benefit plan or other employee benefit plan that is not selfdirected. An account insured under this category must meet the
definition of an employee benefit plan in section 3(3) of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974, with the exception
of plans that qualify under the Certain Retirement Account ownership
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category.
The FDIC does not insure the plan itself, but insures the
deposit accounts owned by the plan.
Additional requirements for coverage:
• The investment and management decisions relating to the account
must be controlled by a plan administrator (not self-directed by the
participant).
• The plan administrator must maintain documentation supporting the
plan and the beneficial interest of the participants
• The account must be properly titled as an employee benefit account
with the bank
»» When all of these requirements are met, the FDIC will insure each
participant’s interest in the plan up to $250,000, separately from any
accounts the employer or employee may have in the same FDIC
insured institution. The FDIC often refers to this coverage as “passthrough coverage” because the insurance coverage passes through
the employer (agent) that established the account to the employee
who is considered the owner of the funds.
Even when plans qualify for pass-through coverage, insurance
coverage cannot be determined simply by multiplying the number of
participants by $250,000 because plan participants frequently have
different interests in the plan.
To determine the maximum amount a plan can have on deposit in a
single bank and remain fully insured, the plan administrator must first
identify the participant who has the largest share of the plan assets,
and calculate the participant’s share as a percentage of overall plan
assets. Then, the plan administrator must divide $250,000 by that
percentage to arrive at the maximum fully insured amount that a plan
can have on deposit at one bank.
19
.
EXAMPLE 6: EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN THAT QUALIFIES FOR
PASS-THROUGH COVERAGE
The Happy Pet Vet Clinic has a profit-sharing plan for its employees
ACCOUNT TITLE
HAPPY PET VET CLINIC BENEFIT PLAN
PLAN PARTICIPANTS
DR. TODD
DR. JONES
TECH EVANS
TECH BARNES
PLAN TOTAL
BALANCE
$700,000
PLAN SHARE SHARE OF DEPOSIT AMOUNT INSURED AMOUNT UNINSURED
35%
$ 245,000
$ 245,000
$0
30%
$ 210,000
$ 210,000
$0
20%
$ 140,000
$ 140,000
$0
15%
$ 105,000
$ 105,000
$0
100%
$ 700,000
$ 700,000
$0
EXPLANATION
This employee benefit plan’s $700,000 deposit is fully insured. Because
Dr.
Todd’s share of the $700,000 deposit (35% of $700,000 = $245,000)
is less than $250,000, and all of the other participants’ shares of the
deposit also are less than $250,000, the entire deposit is insured.
To determine the maximum amount this employee benefit plan can
deposit at one bank and ensure all of the funds are fully covered,
$250,000 should be divided by the percentage share of the plan
participant with the largest interest in the plan. In this example, the
maximum fully insured balance for this plan is $714,285. This amount is
calculated as follows: $250,000 divided by 35% or 0.35 = $714,285.
Plan participants who want to know more about how an employee
benefit plan’s deposits are insured should consult with the plan
administrator.
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FDIC FAST FACT
Employee benefit plan deposits that do not qualify for pass-through coverage, such as health
and welfare plans, are insured up to $250,000 per bank.
Health and welfare plans usually
do not qualify for pass-through coverage because the interests of the participants are not
ascertainable. A participant will receive payments from the plan based on claims he or she
files independent of any specific ownership interest in the plan.
CORPORATION/PARTNERSHIP/UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATION ACCOUNTS
Deposits owned by corporations, partnerships, and unincorporated
associations, including for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, are
insured under the same ownership category. Such deposits are insured
separately from the personal deposits of the organization’s owners,
stockholders, partners or members.
Unincorporated associations typically insured under this category
include churches and other religious organizations, community and civic
organizations and social clubs.
To qualify for insurance coverage under this ownership category,
a corporation, partnership or unincorporated association must be
engaged in an “independent activity,” meaning that the entity is
operated primarily for some purpose other than to increase deposit
insurance coverage.
All deposits owned by a corporation, partnership, or unincorporated
association at the same bank are combined and insured up to $250,000.
Accounts owned by the same corporation, partnership, or
unincorporated association but designated for different purposes are
not separately insured.
For example: If a corporation has both an operating account and a
reserve account at the same bank, the FDIC would add both accounts
together and insure the deposits up to $250,000.
Similarly, if a
corporation has divisions or units that are not separately incorporated,
the FDIC would combine the deposit accounts of those divisions or units
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. with any other deposit accounts of the corporation at the bank and the
total would be insured up to $250,000.
The number of partners, members, stockholders or account signatories
established by a corporation, partnership or unincorporated association
does not affect insurance coverage.
For example: The FDIC insures deposits owned by a homeowners’
association at one insured bank up to $250,000 in total, not $250,000 for
each member of the association.
FDIC FAST FACT
Accounts held in the name of a sole proprietorship are not insured under this ownership
category. Rather, they are insured as the single account deposits of the owner, added to the
owner’s other single accounts, if any, at the same bank and the total insured up to $250,000.
GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTS
The category known as government accounts (also called Public Unit
accounts) includes deposit accounts owned by:
• The United States, including federal agencies
• Any state, county, municipality (or a political subdivision of any state,
county or municipality), the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and other
government possessions and territories
• An Indian tribe
Insurance coverage of a government account is unique in that the
insurance coverage extends to the official custodian of the deposits
belonging to the government or public unit, rather than to the
government unit itself.
Accounts held by an official custodian of a government unit will be
insured as follows:
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In-state accounts:
• Up to $250,000 for the combined amount of all time and savings
accounts (including NOW accounts)
• Up to $250,000 for the combined amount of all interest-bearing and
noninterest-bearing demand deposit accounts (since July 21, 2011,
banks have been allowed to pay interest on demand deposit accounts)
Out-of-state accounts:
• up to $250,000 for the combined amount of all deposit accounts
FDIC FAST FACT
A Negotiable Order of Withdrawal (NOW) account is a savings deposit - not a demand
deposit account.
To learn more about deposit insurance coverage for Government Accounts, see the FDIC’s
Fact Sheet – Deposit Insurance for Accounts Held by Government Depositors at:
www.fdic.gov/deposit/deposits/factsheet.html
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: USING MULTIPLE OWNERSHIP CATEGORIES
The FDIC provides separate insurance coverage for a depositor’s funds
at the same insured bank if the deposits are held in different ownership
categories. To qualify for this expanded coverage, the requirements for
insurance coverage in each ownership category must be met.
The example on the next page illustrates how a husband and wife with
three children could qualify for up to $3,500,000 in FDIC coverage at
one insured bank. This example assumes that the funds are in qualified
deposit products at an insured bank and these are the only accounts
that the family has at the bank.
Note: This example is intended solely to describe the use of different
account ownership categories and not to provide estate planning
advice.
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EXAMPLE 7: INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR A HUSBAND AND WIFE WITH
DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS IN MULTIPLE OWNERSHIP CATEGORIES
ACCOUNT TITLE
HUSBAND
WIFE
ACCOUNT
OWNERSHIP
CATEGORY
SINGLE
ACCOUNT
SINGLE
ACCOUNT
OWNER(S)
BENEFICIARY(IES)
MAXIMUM INSURABLE
AMOUNT
$ 250,000
WIFE
$ 250,000
Revocable Trust Account Ownership Category
$ 500,000
To determine insurance coverage of revocable trust accounts, the FDIC
first determines the amount of the trust’s deposits belonging to each
owner. In this example:
HUSBAND
$ 250,000
HUSBAND & WIFE REVOCABLE
HUSBAND &
LIVING TRUST
TRUST ACCOUNT WIFE
CHILD 1
CHILD 2
CHILD 3
$ 1,500,000
HUSBAND IRA
WIFE IRA
WIFE
$ 250,000
HUSBAND
$ 250,000
WIFE
$ 250,000
TOTAL
$3,500,000
EXPLANATION
Single Account Ownership Category
The FDIC combines all single accounts owned by the same person
at the same bank and insures the total up to $250,000. The Husband’s
single account deposits do not exceed $250,000 so his funds are fully
insured. The same facts apply to the Wife’s single account deposits.
Both accounts are fully insured.
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Husband and Wife have one joint account at the bank.
The FDIC
combines each co-owner’s shares of all joint accounts at the bank and
insures each co-owner’s total up to $250,000. Husband’s ownership
share in all joint accounts at the bank equals ½ of the joint account or
$250,000, so his share is fully insured. Wife’s ownership share in all joint
accounts at the bank equals ½ of the joint account or $250,000, so her
share is fully insured.
HUSBAND
HUSBAND & WIFE JOINT ACCOUNT HUSBAND &
WIFE
REVOCABLE
HUSBAND POD
TRUST ACCOUNT HUSBAND
REVOCABLE
WIFE POD
TRUST ACCOUNT WIFE
CERTAIN
RETIREMENT
ACCOUNT
CERTAIN
RETIREMENT
ACCOUNT
Joint Account Ownership Category
• Husband’s share = $1,000,000 (100% of the Husband’s POD account
naming Wife as beneficiary and 50% of the Husband and Wife Living
Trust account identifying Child 1, Child 2, and Child 3 as beneficiaries)
• Wife’s share = $1,000,000 (100% of the Wife’s POD account naming
Husband as beneficiary and 50% of the Husband and Wife Living
Trust account identifying Child 1, Child 2, and Child 3 as beneficiaries)
Second, the FDIC determines the number of beneficiaries for each
owner.
In this example, each owner has four unique beneficiaries
(Spouse, Child 1, Child 2 and Child 3). When a revocable trust owner
names five or fewer unique beneficiaries, the owner is insured up
to $250,000 for each unique beneficiary. Husband’s share of the
revocable trust deposits is insured up to $1,000,000 ($250,000 times
four beneficiaries = $1,000,000).
Wife’s share of the revocable trust
deposits is insured up to $1,000,000 ($250,000 times four beneficiaries =
$1,000,000).
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. Certain Retirement Account Ownership Category
How does the FDIC insure funds deposited by a fiduciary?
The FDIC adds together all certain retirement accounts owned by the
same person at the same bank and insures the total up to $250,000. The
Husband and Wife each have an IRA deposit at the bank with a balance
of $250,000. Because each account is within the insurance limit, the
funds are fully insured.
Funds deposited by a fiduciary on behalf of a person or entity (the
owner) are insured as the deposits of the owner if the disclosure
requirements for fiduciary accounts are met.
UNIQUE OWNERSHIP SCENARIOS
Funds deposited by a fiduciary on behalf of a person or entity (the owner)
are added to any other deposits the owner holds in the same ownership
category at the same bank, and insured up to the applicable limit.
FIDUCIARY ACCOUNTS
What are fiduciary accounts?
Fiduciary accounts are deposit accounts owned by one party but held in
a fiduciary capacity by another party. Fiduciary relationships may include,
but are not limited to, an agent, nominee, guardian, executor or custodian.
Common fiduciary accounts include Uniform Transfers to Minors Act
accounts, escrow accounts, Interest On Lawyer Trust Accounts and
deposit accounts obtained through a broker.
What are the FDIC requirements for fiduciary accounts?
The fiduciary nature of the account must be disclosed in the bank’s
deposit account records (e.g., “Jane Doe as Custodian for Susie Doe”
or “First Real Estate Title Company, Client Escrow Account”).
The name
and ownership interest of each owner must be ascertainable from the
deposit account records of the insured bank or from records maintained
by the agent (or by some person or entity that has agreed to maintain
records for the agent).
Special disclosure rules apply to multi-tiered fiduciary relationships.
If an agent pools the deposits of several owners into one account and
the disclosure rules are satisfied, the deposits of each owner will be
insured as that owner’s deposits.
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Are funds deposited by a fiduciary insured separately from an owner’s
other deposit accounts at the same bank?
For Example: A broker purchases a CD for $250,000 on a customer’s
behalf at ABC Bank. The customer already has a checking account in
his or her name at ABC Bank for $15,000. The two accounts are added
together and insured up to $250,000 in the single ownership account
category.
Since the customer’s single ownership deposits total $265,000,
$15,000 is uninsured.
HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS
What is a Health Savings Account?
A Health Savings Account (HSA) is an IRS qualified tax-exempt trust or
custodial deposit that is established with a qualified HSA trustee, such
as an FDIC-insured bank, to pay or reimburse a depositor for certain
medical expenses.
How does the FDIC insure an HSA?
An HSA, like any other deposit, is insured based on who owns the funds
and whether beneficiaries have been named. If a depositor opens an
HSA and names beneficiaries either in the HSA agreement or in the
bank’s records, the FDIC would insure the deposit under the Revocable
Trust Account ownership category. If a depositor opens an HSA and
does not name any beneficiaries, the FDIC would insure the deposit
under the single account ownership category.
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.
How should an HSA be titled?
COVERDELL EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS
The identification of a deposit as an HSA, such as “John Smith’s HSA,”
is sufficient for titling the deposit to be eligible for single account or
revocable trust account coverage, depending on whether eligible
beneficiaries are named.
How is a Coverdell Education Savings Account insured?
MORTGAGE SERVICING ACCOUNTS
How are Mortgage Servicing Accounts Insured?
Mortgage Servicing Accounts are accounts maintained by a mortgage
servicer, in a custodial or other fiduciary capacity, which are composed
of payments by mortgagors of principal and interest (P&I).
The cumulative balance paid into the account by the mortgagors
is insured, with coverage provided to the mortgage servicer or
mortgage investor, for up to $250,000 per mortgagor (the borrower).
The calculation of coverage for each P&I account is separate if the
mortgage servicer or mortgage investor has established multiple P&I
accounts in the same bank.
For example, a mortgage servicer collects from 1,000 different borrowers
their monthly mortgage payments of $2,000 (P&I) and places the funds
into a mortgage servicing account. Is the $2,000,000 aggregate balance of
the mortgage servicer’s mortgage servicing account insured?
Yes, the account is fully insured to the mortgage servicer because each
mortgagor’s payment of $2,000 (P&I) is insured separately for up to
$250,000.
Although mortgage servicers often collect and escrow tax and insurance
(T&I), these accounts are separately maintained and not considered
mortgage servicing accounts for deposit insurance purposes. T&I
deposits belong to the mortgagors pending payment of their real estate
taxes and/or property insurance premium to the taxing authority or
insurance company. The T&I deposits are insured on a “pass-through”
basis to each individual mortgagor.
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A Coverdell Education Savings Account is insured as an irrevocable
trust account.
Although this account is often referred to as an Education
IRA, the account does not involve retirement and is therefore not
insured as a self-directed retirement account. It is an irrevocable
commitment created for the purpose of paying qualified education
expenses of a designated beneficiary.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
BANK CHANGES
What happens to my deposits if my bank fails?
In the unlikely event of a bank failure, the FDIC acts quickly to protect
insured deposits by arranging a sale to a healthy bank, or by paying
depositors directly for their deposit accounts to the insured limit.
• Purchase and Assumption Transaction: This is the preferred and
most common method, under which a healthy bank assumes the
insured deposits of the failed bank. Insured depositors of the failed
bank immediately become depositors of the assuming bank and have
access to their insured funds.
The assuming bank may also purchase
loans and other assets of the failed bank.
It is important for account owners to note that their deposit contract
was with the failed bank and is considered void upon the failure of the
bank. The assuming institution has no obligation to maintain either the
failed bank rates or terms of the account agreement. Depositors of
a failed bank, however, do have the option of either setting up a new
account with the acquiring institution or withdrawing some or all of
their funds without penalty.
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.
• Deposit Payoff: When there is no open bank acquirer for the
deposits, the FDIC will pay the depositor directly by check up to
the insured balance in each account. Such payments usually begin
within a few days after the bank closing.
What happens to my insurance coverage if I have deposits at two
insured banks that merge?
When two or more insured banks merge, deposits from the assumed
bank are separately insured from deposits at the assuming bank for at
least six months after the merger. This grace period gives a depositor
the opportunity to restructure his or her accounts, if necessary.
CDs from the assumed bank are separately insured until the earliest
maturity date after the end of the six-month grace period. CDs that
mature during the six-month period and are renewed for the same
term and in the same dollar amount (either with or without accrued
interest) continue to be separately insured until the first maturity date
after the six-month period.
If a CD matures during the six-month grace
period and is renewed on any other basis, it would be separately
insured only until the end of the six-month grace period.
Note that in situations of a bank failure where a depositor already has
deposits at the acquiring bank, the six-month grace period described
would also apply to their deposits.
How does the death of a beneficiary of an informal revocable trust
(e.g., POD account) affect insurance coverage?
There is no grace period if the beneficiary of a POD account dies. In
most cases, insurance coverage for the deposits would be reduced
immediately.
For example: A mother deposits $500,000 in a POD account at an insured
bank with her two children named as the beneficiaries in the account
records of the bank. While the owner and both beneficiaries are alive,
the account is insured up to $500,000 ($250,000 times two beneficiaries
= $500,000).
If one beneficiary dies, insurance coverage for the mother’s
POD account is immediately reduced to $250,000 ($250,000 times one
beneficiary = $250,000).
How does the death of a beneficiary of a formal revocable trust affect
the insurance coverage?
Like informal revocable trusts, the six-month grace period does not
apply to the death of a beneficiary named in a formal revocable trust
account. However, the terms of the formal revocable trust may provide
for a successor beneficiary or some other redistribution of the trust
deposits. Depending on these terms, the insurance coverage may or
may not change.
DEATH OF ACCOUNT OWNERS AND BENEFICIARIES
What happens to insurance coverage after an account owner dies?
The FDIC insures a deceased person’s accounts as if the person were
still alive for six months after the death of the account holder.
During
this grace period, the insurance coverage of the owner’s accounts will
not change unless the accounts are restructured by those authorized to
do so. Also, the FDIC will not apply this grace period if it would result in
less coverage.
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31
. NOTES
32
33
. FOR MORE INFORMATION
FROM THE FDIC
Call toll-free
1-877-ASK-FDIC (1-877-275-3342)
Hearing impaired line
1-800-925-4618
Calculate insurance coverage
Use the FDIC’s online Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator (EDIE) at:
www.fdic.gov/edie
Read more about FDIC insurance online
at: www.fdic.gov/deposit/deposits
View frequently asked questions on deposit insurance coverage at:
www.fdic.gov/deposit/deposits/
Order FDIC deposit insurance products online
at: https://vcart.velocitypayment.com/fdic/index.php
Send questions by e-mail
Use the FDIC’s online Customer Assistance
Form at: www2.fdic.gov/starsmail
Mail questions
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Attn: Deposit Insurance Section
550 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20429
FDIC-001-2014 (Large Print)
.