4 Reasons You Should Withdraw Your Savings Right Now
I’m a Bank Teller: 4 Reasons You Should Withdraw Your Savings Right Now
July 25, 2024 by Angela Mae GoBankingRates
Roughly 95% of Americans have either a checking or savings account, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). For many people, a savings account is a great place to keep extra money for a major life event, like a wedding or home purchase, or emergencies.
Savings accounts are generally FDIC-insured up to $250,000, meaning your money is protected against bank failure. The funds are also still accessible but separate enough from your checking account to where you’re less likely to use them for everyday expenses.
Still, as useful as savings accounts can be, there is a right time to withdraw the funds. If you’re thinking about withdrawing the money from your savings account, here’s when you should do it — and when you shouldn’t.
You Need Extra Cash To Cover Something Planned
“Typically, the biggest reasons people withdraw their savings are to cover a bill, to make a purchase, home repairs, for vacations or for birthdays and holidays such as Christmas,” said Arielle Torres, an assistant branch manager at Addition Financial Credit Union.
These are all sound reasons to withdraw the funds.
Say you’ve been saving up for a down payment and are ready to close on your new home — that’s a good time to draw from your savings. Upcoming trips and major home repairs, ideally those that are planned out, are also valid reasons.
You might also want to withdraw from your savings account to cover debts, especially high-interest ones that are draining your monthly cash flow. If possible, wait until you have an emergency fund. Then, once you have the funds available, pull from your savings to pay off that debt
You’re Dealing With an Emergency
One of the clearest signs that you should withdraw from your savings account is in the event of unavoidable emergencies, said Torres. Common emergencies include surprise medical bills, a broken down car, necessary home repairs and layoffs at work — basically, anything that wasn’t planned and can’t be covered with your regular income or budget.
Ideally, you’ll have a separate emergency fund for this and won’t have to touch your regular savings account. But if you don’t and you need the money, your savings account is a good alternative. It’s also a better option by far than having to turn to high-interest credit cards or loans to cover the emergency expense.
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