Consumers need to be aware that three big U.S. banks––Citigroup Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Wells Fargo & Co.––all announced that they would no longer be insuring checking accounts in the United States above the nationally guaranteed limit of $250,000 (as insured by the FDIC). This decision came a year after the federal government set up a program designed to assuage the fears of runs on the banks.

In a letter sent to financial institutions on May 22, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation issued an extension on the temporary $250,000 increase on bank deposit insurance of up to four years.