- Bank Deposits
- Money placed into a banking institution for safekeeping. Bank deposits are made to deposit accounts at a banking institution, such as savings accounts, checking accounts and money market accounts. The account holder has the right to withdraw any deposited funds, as set forth in the terms and conditions of the account. The "deposit" itself is a liability owed by the bank to the depositor (the person or entity that made the deposit), and refers to this liability rather than to the actual funds that are deposited.
When someone opens a bank account and makes a deposit of $500 cash, the account holder surrenders legal title to the $500 cash. This cash becomes an asset of the bank; the account becomes a liability. In the United States, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) provides deposit insurance that guarantees the deposits of member banks up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank. Member banks are required to place signs visible to the public stating that "deposits are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government."
Investment dictionary. Academic. 2012.