Accounts protected by Government Guarantee (2024)

The Australian Government guarantees aggregated deposits with Australian authorised deposit-taking institutions, including Macquarie Bank, of up to $A250,000.

The Financial Claims Scheme (FCS) is an Australian Government scheme that was established during the 2008 global financial crisis to provide financial protection for consumers in the unlikely event of a failure of a bank, credit union, building society or general insurer.

The FCS provides protection for depositors of banks, credit unions and building societies that are incorporated in Australia (also known as authorised deposit-taking institutions or ADIs), for deposits up to $250,000 per account holder per ADI. The scheme aims to return deposits to account holders within seven days of activation of the FCS.

The FCS can be activated by the Australian Government in the unlikely event that an ADI or general insurer fails.

Once activated, the FCS will be administered by APRA.

The objectives of the FCS are to:

  • protect depositors of ADIs, and claimants of general insurers, from potential loss in the unlikely event of the failure of these institutions;
  • provide depositors with prompt access to their deposits that are protected under the FCS; and
  • support the stability of the Australian financial system.

Further information about the Government Guarantee can be obtained from the APRA website at www.fcs.gov.au.

Accounts protected by Government Guarantee (2024)

FAQs

What accounts are protected by FDIC? ›

The FDIC Insures:
  • 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.

Is it safe to have more than $250000 in a bank account? ›

An account that contains more than $250,000 at one bank, or multiple accounts with the same owner or owners, is insured only up to $250,000. The protection does not come from taxes or congressional funding. Instead, banks pay into the insurance system, and the insurance provides their customers with protection.

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.

Are savings accounts guaranteed by the government? ›

The FDIC is the agency that insures deposits at member banks in case of a bank failure. FDIC insurance is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. The FDIC insures up to $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, per ownership category.

What types of accounts will not be 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

Does FDIC cover $500,000 on a joint account? ›

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.

How do millionaires protect 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.

Can banks seize your money if the economy fails? ›

The short answer is no. Banks cannot take your money without your permission, at least not legally. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures deposits up to $250,000 per account holder, per bank. If the bank fails, you will return your money to the insured limit.

How many Americans have 250k in the bank? ›

Of all the financial institutions reporting, including commercial banks and federal savings banks, there are approximately 860 million deposit accounts (not including retirement accounts). But fewer than one percent–just 0.83 percent–of these accounts have more than $250,000.

What bank do most millionaires use? ›

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

What is the number one rule wealth? ›

Rule one is “never lose money” and rule two is “never forget rule one”. At first glance, that might sound trite.

Where is the safest place to deposit a large sum of money? ›

How to Protect Large Deposits over $250,000
  • Open Accounts at Multiple Banks. ...
  • Open Accounts with Different Owners. ...
  • Open Accounts with Trust/POD [pay-on-death] Designations. ...
  • Open a CD Account, or Money Market Account, with a bank that offers IntraFi (formerly CDARs) services.
Mar 17, 2023

What happens if you have more than 250k in the 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.

Are credit unions safer than banks? ›

Generally, credit unions are viewed as safer than banks, although deposits at both types of financial institutions are usually insured at the same dollar amounts. The FDIC insures deposits at most banks, and the NCUA insures deposits at most credit unions.

Which is safer, FDIC or NCUA? ›

The NCUA insures credit union accounts, while the FDIC provides insurance for bank accounts. They both come with the same limits on insurance coverage. A decision about whether to store money in a credit union or bank shouldn't be affected by which federal agency insures the institution.

What is not protected by FDIC? ›

Investment products that are not deposits, such as mutual funds, annuities, life insurance policies and stocks and bonds, are not covered by FDIC deposit insurance.

Which of the following is not protected by the FDIC? ›

The FDIC does not insure money invested in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, life insurance policies, annuities or municipal securities, even if these investments are purchased at an insured bank.

Are 401k accounts FDIC insured? ›

Keep in mind that money in qualified retirement savings plans like 401(k) and 403(b) plans are typically invested in securities such as stocks, bonds and mutual funds and are not FDIC insured.

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

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