How secure is Bank of America?
Is Bank of America FDIC insured? Yes, all Bank of America bank accounts are FDIC insured (FDIC #3510) up to $250,000 per depositor, for each account ownership category, in the event of a bank failure.
Rashawn Mitchner is a MarketWatch Guides team editor with over 10 years of experience covering personal finance and insurance topics. Bank of America is a reputable option for customers who want both in-person and online service, but its deposit accounts generally have low rates.
It operates in all 50 states and serves more than 66 million customers. Its financial health is crucial to the stability of the US banking system. In recent years, Bank of America's financial performance has been relatively stable.
Bank of America also maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect against unauthorized access to client information. If we believe an account is at risk for fraud, we will attempt to contact you using the contact information you've shared with us, so make sure that information is current.
| Bank | Forbes Advisor Rating | Learn More CTA text |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Bank | 5.0 | Learn More |
| Bank of America | 4.2 | |
| Wells Fargo Bank | 4.0 | Learn More |
| Citi® | 4.0 |
- First Republic Bank (FRC) . Above average liquidity risk and high capital risk.
- Huntington Bancshares (HBAN) . Above average capital risk.
- KeyCorp (KEY) . Above average capital risk.
- Comerica (CMA) . ...
- Truist Financial (TFC) . ...
- Cullen/Frost Bankers (CFR) . ...
- Zions Bancorporation (ZION) .
- Bank of America CDs have a much lower yield than the national average.
- There aren't any special CDs available, such as bump-up or no-penalty CDs.
Bank of America plans to close up to 134 branches by 2024, showing that the bank is looking to decrease their retail banking footprint.
In most cases, the FDIC will try to find another banking institution to acquire the failed bank. If that happens, customers' accounts will simply transfer over to the new bank. You will get information about the transition, and you will likely get new debit cards and checks (if applicable).
Companies Considered Too Big to Fail
Bank of America Corp. The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. Citigroup Inc. The Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
What is happening to Bank of America?
Bank of America was ordered to pay millions of dollars after regulators learned it had opened fake accounts, double charged customers and withheld credit card rewards. Jul 11, 2023.
Bank of America pays slightly higher interest on your account balance. It also has a lower monthly fee and more options to have it waived. While the comparison between the two banks' checking accounts stacks up as a draw, the clear winner among savings accounts is Bank of America Advantage Savings.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Large bank with 3,900 branches around the US Possible to waive monthly fees Free overdraft protection | Low interest rates on savings and CDs Monthly fees on accounts |
- Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo is the worst bank overall, with a high percentage of unresolved complaints and loss of Better Business Bureau accreditation.
- Citibank. ...
- Bank of America.
- JPMorgan Chase.
- U.S. Bank.
- PNC Bank.
- Citibank.
- Wells Fargo.
- Capital One.
- M&T Bank Corporation.
- AgriBank.
Chase is the largest bank in the country, holding over $3.38 trillion in assets. Bank of America is the second-largest bank with over $2.45 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo is the third-largest bank, holding over $1.7 trillion in assets.
Three banks in the U.S. (Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and Silvergate) have collapsed since early March. The collapses of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank are the two biggest bank failures since 2008.
Unfortunately, these problems have carried into 2024 making many uneasy about the overall security of financial institutions across the country. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has continued to see more banks fail, as outlined by the FDIC failed bank list, with the economy still struggling as a result.
The usual three — State Bank of India among public sector banks and HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank among private banks — found mention in the list. Colloquially, such banks are reckoned as 'too big to fail' and certainly so because they represent over 50 per cent of the country's total banking system.
Final Verdict. Bank of America is a good choice for customers who want the comfort of having a bank branch or an ATM close by. However, that convenience is offset by savings accounts and CDs that have lackluster interest rates.
What is the rating for Bank of America?
| Type | Moody's | Fitch |
|---|---|---|
| Outlook | Stable | Stable |
| Long-term senior | A1 | AA- |
| Short-term | P-1 | F1+ |
| Subordinated | A3 | A |
The Wells Fargo Everyday Checking slightly beats out the Bank of America Advantage Plus Banking® because it requires a lower minimum opening deposit and monthly service fee. It also boasts a higher bank bonus for new customers. However, Bank of America has slightly easier requirements to waive monthly fees.
BofA expects to reach up to 138 branch closures in 2024, signaling that banks' push to rationalize their physical footprints is a long way from being over. The trend of consolidating branches began around 2010 and has since accelerated following ongoing challenges and labor shortages from Covid-19.
Bank of America will continue shuttering branches this year, with over a dozen already scheduled for early 2024. In 2023, Bank of America closed down more than a hundred branches and has already scheduled the closure of dozens more.
BofA branches in Hayward, Los Altos, Pinole and St. Helena, among others, have also already closed. “Financial center closures are driven by changing banking behaviors and where we have multiple financial centers close together,” a BofA spokesperson told KRON4.
