What Happens to Your Money if a Bank Fails in the US?
With the recent collapse of three large banking institutions in the United States, many clients of other banks are beginning to worry about what would happen to their money if their bank declares bankruptcy. The first thought that comes to mind for clients is to withdraw all of their money from the institution as soon as possible. However, this may not be a solution since the bank may not have sufficient funds to meet the claim due to the collapse itself.
Fortunately, in the event that a bank declares bankruptcy, the United States has an independent government agency that provides insurance to depositors – The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). This means that your money is protected by the FDIC, but how does the recovery process work exactly?
Once a bank files for bankruptcy, the FDIC takes control of the institution with the goal of maintaining smooth activities. Later, the FDIC will look for a buyer to absorb the failed institution. With this, all the transactions of the existing bank accounts will be able to continue as normal. As for new deposits or movements, these will automatically be diverted to an account at the new bank.
If the FDIC is unable to find a buyer for the failing bank, then it will be time to start depositing the insured money to customers of the institution that collapsed. However, this is a long and time-consuming process, and clients will not be able to access their money until the Corporation sends them payment via check.
It is important to note that the FDIC insured limit is $250,000. This means that if your savings exceed this figure, you will not be able to recover the missing amount. Therefore, it is crucial to keep this number in mind when depositing your money into any bank.
To sum it up, even if your bank declares bankruptcy in the United States, you do not have to worry about losing your money. Thanks to the FDIC, your money is protected up to a certain limit, and if the worst happens, the Corporation will ensure that you receive the money owed to you.
