If you’re not familiar with the Raymond James Bank Deposit program, a quick read here could save you a big hassle. The program is designed to help you take advantage of up to $2,500,000 of FDIC coverage without putting any extra work on your plate.
What is FDIC?
The FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) covers cash deposit accounts, dollar for dollar, including principal and accrued interest up to a limit in the event of a bank failure. It is funded by the premiums paid into the corporation by banks on the deposits they hold. Historically, in the event of a failure, funds are available to depositors within days after the closing of the bank.
How much does FDIC cover?
Until October 2008 coverage was limited to $100,000 per depositor. During the financial crisis in the fall of 2008 the government stepped in and increased the insurance limit temporarily to $250,000 to prevent bank runs from occurring as the financial crisis and subsequent bank failures accelerated. Later in 2010 the increase in the limit was made permanent.
How do you calculate the coverage you have?
For example, let’s say Joe has $250,000 at a bank between his checking, savings, CDs and money market accounts maximizing his coverage there. If Joe was married to Sally, and these accounts were titled jointly, then they could have a combined coverage of up to $500,000. The coverage is per bank meaning if Joe and Sally had $500,000 at 10 different banks they would have $5,000,000 in FDIC coverage. But, for Joe and Sally, or anyone, having money spread out between multiple banks could be very confusing and time consuming to keep track of everything.
Gone are the days of playing games to maximize your FDIC insurance coverage on bank deposits!
Insuring more than $250,000 per depositor
One account at Raymond James through the Raymond James Bank Deposit Program (RJBDP) can provide up to $2,500,000 ($5,000,000 for joint accounts) of total FDIC coverage. The work is done behind the scenes by Raymond James as available cash is deposited into interest-bearing deposit accounts at up to 12 banks automatically for our clients.
Another way to qualify for more coverage is by holding deposits in different ownership categories (account types). Below is a table of the categories and limits. The RJBDP can then increase these limits according to the above numbers as well.
Source: Raymond James
As with all insurance, you hope you never need to use it. Cash can play an important role in an overall financial plan and knowing it is protected can lend confidence. When it comes to FDIC insurance coverage you likely have much more than you realize!
Angela Palacios, CFP®is the Portfolio Manager at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Angela specializes in Investment and Macro economic research. She is a frequent contributor to Money Centered as well asinvestment updates at The Center.
The information contained in this report does not purport to be a complete description of the securities, markets, or developments referred to in this material. The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Laws, coverage, and program rules are subject to change. Hypothetical example is for informational purposes only, and does not represent and account or investor experience.
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. and Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. are affiliated with Raymond James Bank, a federally chartered savings bank. Unless otherwise specified, products purchased from or held at Raymond James & Associates or Raymond James Financial Services are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits or other obligations of Raymond James Bank, are not guaranteed by Raymond James Bank and are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal invested. The FDIC insurance limit per depositor is $250,000. Coverage applies to total holdings per bank per depositor. Visit fdic.gov for more information.