Last October, in part to ward off mounting fears over the safety of funds sitting in traditional banks, the FDIC deposit insurance limit was raised from $100,000 to $250,000 for total deposits for a given individual or family at a given bank.  In other words, as long as all amounts at a given bank total less than $250,000, the funds are completely insured.  This temporary increase in the amount that is insured was set to expire at the end of this year.  However, as part of the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009 signed on May 20, the $250,000 limit has been extended until December 31, 2013.

For more information on deposit insurance, see the FDIC web site.