Is $10,000 Too Much to Keep in a Savings Account? (2024)

FAQs

Is 10k good for a savings account? ›

First things first: There's nothing wrong with keeping $10,000 in a savings account. If you're working with a reputable bank, your money will have Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance up to $250,000 per person per account ($500,000 for joint accounts).

Reaching a five-figure savings account is a significant financial milestone. If you have $10,000 in the bank, you've got something to brag about. According to the TransAmerica Center for Retirement Studies, you've managed to double the non-retirement savings of the median adult in America.

FDIC and NCUA insurance limits

This insurance protects your money if the financial institution you bank with goes out of business or otherwise can't afford to let you withdraw your money. So, regardless of any other factors, you generally shouldn't keep more than $250,000 in any insured deposit account.

The interest that $10,000 would earn over a year depends on the annual percentage yield and frequency of compounding. For example, a 4% APY that's compounded daily would result in $408.08 in annual interest earnings.

Personal Savings in the U.S.

This is about as many people as those who volunteered to give answers about the status of their savings and had more than $1,000 in the bank. 18 percent said their saving were at least $1000 but under $10,000, while 11 percent each had $10,000 to $49,999 and $50,000 or more saved up.

Is $20,000 a Good Amount of Savings? Having $20,000 in a savings account is a good starting point if you want to create a sizable emergency fund. When the occasional rainy day comes along, you'll be financially prepared for it. Of course, $20,000 may only go so far if you find yourself in an extreme situation.

While $20K may not let you quit your job, it's enough to start building financial security, whether you max out your retirement accounts, invest in fine art, or divide your cash between multiple investments.

While reaching the $100,000 mark is an admirable achievement, it shouldn't be seen as an end game. Even a six-figure bank account likely won't go far enough in retirement, which could last as long as 30 years.

How much is too much savings? Keeping too much of your money in savings could mean missing out on the chance to earn higher returns elsewhere. It's also important to keep FDIC limits in mind. Anything over $250,000 in savings may not be protected in the rare event that your bank fails.

Is 40k in savings good? ›

While $40,000 is a good start on the road to building a nest egg, you probably want to retire with a lot more money than that. But it may be more than possible if you commit to saving and investing in a brokerage account consistently for the remainder of your career.

The average money market rate is less than 1 percent. But let's say you put $10,000 in an account that earns a full 1% APY. After a year, your balance would earn 100 bucks. Put that same amount in a money market account with a 4% APY, and it would gain just over $400.

While saving $10,000 in a year may seem daunting, it's achievable with a structured plan, a bit of self-restraint and a goal-focused mindset. More than likely, you'll make some mistakes along the way — but a successful savings strategy should allow for learning from mistakes, rather than shaming yourself over them.

It's not just deposits, either. Banks are required to report any transaction of over $10,000, including withdrawals. And if you think you can avoid reporting by separating your big transactions into smaller ones, you'd be wrong. This is known as "structuring," and banks are required to report that, too.

However, a good rule of thumb for a 21-year-old is to have $6,000 in a savings account for emergencies and long-term financial goals. And that requires you to learn how to start budgeting and saving money. If you're nowhere near that amount, don't panic.