WCI #491: How Safe Is Your Cash? FDIC and SIPC Explained

If your bank or brokerage failed tomorrow, would your money actually be protected? In this episode we break down how FDIC protections actually work and what those protections mean for your money. We also cover SIPC protection for brokerage accounts, including what it actually does and what it does not do, and we walk through why a good money market fund is often a smarter place for significant cash than a bank account in the first place. We also cover a run of listener questions, such as: Why the S&P 500 and total stock market index funds are now technically classified as "not diversified", and what that means for your portfolio. How to think about divesting from AI-related stocks. Career and financial planning for a physician facing a degenerative illness. And the asset protection tradeoffs of adding a spouse to a business LLC. Understanding how bank and brokerage accounts are protected, and how they're exposed, is a crucial step in making sure your money is safe. One of the most underrated financial moves in medicine is working locum tenens. It pays significantly more on average, and you can work locums full time or on the side of your full time. When you work with CompHealth, the #1 staffing agency, they cover your housing and travel costs —which on top of higher pay, really adds up. Locums also gives you more control of your career, allowing you to go where you want, when you want, with a schedule that works for you. It's the perfect way to get ahead financially while getting focused on what you love.  Whether it's locum tenens or a regular permanent position, visit https://whitecoatinvestor.com/CompHealth and build your career your way with the power of CompHealth. The White Coat Investor Podcast launched in January 2017, and since then, millions have downloaded it. Join your fellow physicians and other high income professionals and subscribe today! Host, Dr. Jim Dahle, is a practicing emergency physician and founder of The White Coat Investor blog. Like the blog, The White Coat Investor Podcast is dedicated to educating medical students, residents, physicians, dentists, and similar high-income professionals about personal finance and building wealth, so they can ultimately be their own financial advisor-or at least know enough to not get ripped off by a financial advisor. We tackle the hard topics like the best ways to pay off student loans, how to create your own personal financial plan, retirement planning, how to save money, investing in real estate, side hustles, and how everyone can be a millionaire by living WCI principles. Website: https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com  YouTube: https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/youtube  Student Loan Advice: https://studentloanadvice.com  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewhitecoatinvestor  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewhitecoatinvestor  Twitter: https://twitter.com/WCInvestor  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewhitecoatinvestor  Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/whitecoatinvestor  Online Courses: https://whitecoatinvestor.teachable.com  Newsletter: https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/free-monthly-newsletter