Where do millionaires keep their money?
Millionaires use high-yield savings and money market accounts to keep cash available for emergencies or short-term expenses. These accounts generally offer better interest rates than standard savings accounts.
1. J.P. 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. “With J.P. Morgan, each client is given access to a panel of experts, including experienced strategists, economists and advisors.”
Single, individually owned accounts are insured up to $250,000 total at FDIC member banks. However, joint accounts — with two or more owners — are insured up to $500,000 total. So to double the insured amount in deposit accounts at a single bank, you can add another owner.
The famed wealthy entrepreneur Andrew Carnegie famously said more than a century ago, “Ninety percent of all millionaires become so through owning real estate. More money has been made in real estate than in all industrial investments combined.
Can you have a million dollars in a checking account? No rule says you can't have a million dollars in a checking account, but FDIC insurance typically only covers up to $250,000. Plus, you can get a bigger return on your investment by keeping $1 million elsewhere.
- Federal bonds are considered to be very safe. ...
- Real estate investments can produce income but may be risky.
- Precious metals, especially gold, offer an alternative to stocks and bonds.
- Cash "under the mattress" can make sense to some but it isn't secure, earns no return, and loses value due to inflation.
A safe deposit box at a bank or a safe in your home are good choices. Check with your state's lottery office about their deadlines and rules for claiming the jackpot, which you can do with an anonymous phone call.
Demand Deposit Account (DDA) & Money Market Deposit Account (MMDA) DDA/MMDA allows you to place funds into demand deposit and/or money market deposit accounts. You can deposit up to $100 million for each account type.
During times of uncertainty, you may be wondering where to safeguard your money. Is it better to stash it under your mattress than to keep it in your bank account? The short answer: No. Especially in turbulent times, a federally insured bank is the safest place for your money.
World's Best Private Banks 2025: Introduction | |
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Best Private Bank in the World | J.P. Morgan US Private Bank |
Best Private Bank for Access to Private Equity | HSBC |
Best Private Bank for Women Clients | Bank of New Zealand |
Best Private Bank for Client Education | Standard Bank |
How much do millionaires keep in their checking account?
Millionaires Can Be Erratic With Their Checking Accounts
“Millionaires' checking accounts are all over the place,” Thompson said. “Some clients will only keep enough to pay for immediate expenses (e.g., $10,000) and others will have $150,000 in checking on any given day.”
- The minimum net worth of the top 1% of households is roughly $13.7 million. ...
- An individual would have to earn an average of $407,500 per year to join the top 1%. ...
- The median household income in the United States was $80,610 in 2023.
Most millionaires don't drive fancy cars—and that might surprise you. The truth is, most millionaires live simple, disciplined lives. They don't waste money on luxury cars or big mansions. Instead, they follow a proven plan, avoid debt, and let their wealth grow over time.
- TD Bank. ...
- JP Morgan. ...
- Chase. ...
- Wells Fargo. ...
- Bank of America. ...
- HSBC. ...
- Morgan Stanley. ...
- PNC. PNC's Private Bank serves high net worth individuals and families with at least $1 million in investable assets.
How much is too much? The general rule is to have three to six months' worth of living expenses (rent, utilities, food, car payments, etc.)
Physical safes
A physical safe is a popular option for storing money without a bank. Safes offer a secure way to store cash and other valuables at home or in another familiar location.
- The Tank. There's plenty of room in the toilet's water tank for a jar or some other watertight container stuffed with cash or jewelry. ...
- The Freezer. ...
- The Pantry. ...
- The Bookshelves. ...
- Under the Floorboards. ...
- Old Suitcases. ...
- Closets. ...
- Bureaus.
Wealthy family buys stocks, bonds, real estate, art, or other high-value assets. It strategically holds on to these assets and allows them to grow in value. The family won't owe income tax on the growth in the assets' value unless it sells them and makes a profit.
Asked where they keep their cash at home, about 10% of respondents store it in a safe, making it the most popular place. Other spots are less conventional. About 6% hide their cash in a secret compartment such as "a drawer that has a fake side that you can't see," said Yuval Shuminer, Piere's founder and CEO.
Separate and store cash funds in different places, preferably 2 safes. Invest in a quality, professional-grade, technologically advanced at-home safe. Consider your need for a water-resistant or fireproof safe. Make sure anyone who might need to access an emergency fund of cash can.
Are credit unions safer than banks?
Additionally, their higher capital serves as a buffer against losses during financial crises, and less likely to take the kinds of risks that caused some banks to fail in 2023. While no institution is completely immune to risk, these factors suggest that credit unions may have an edge in safety over banks.
JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Citi Bank, and Goldman Sachs are just a handful of top banks you've probably heard of that offer private banking options for individuals with multi-million-dollar net-worths.
Where is the safest place to keep your lottery winnings? U.S. Treasuries are generally considered the safest investment vehicles in the world. Although they offer low returns and little liquidity, they're generally the gold standard of safe investments.
State taxes vary, ranging from 2.5% to 10.9%, unless you're in one of the eight states that doesn't tax lottery winnings — California, Florida, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.
Ignoring debt. Debt doesn't simply disappear if you suddenly strike it rich — it stays with you until it's paid off. And if you win a large amount of money, you might be tempted to start spending more and worry about how to pay off your debt later, while potentially creating even more.