What is a money market account?

Money market accounts are sometimes called money market deposit accounts or money market savings accounts.

Like a regular savings account, a money market account at a bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), while one at a credit union is insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). You cannot withdraw money or make payments more than six times a month from a money market account by check, debit card, draft, or electronic transfer. Withdrawals or payments by ATM, in person, by mail, messenger, or telephone check (where payment is made by using your checking account number and bank routing number) do not count against the six-transaction limit. Your bank or credit union may also have a minimum deposit that it requires to open a money market account.

A money market account is different from a money market mutual fund, or a money market fund. Money market funds are offered by investment companies and others. Money market funds are not insured by the FDIC or the NCUA, which means you could possibly lose money investing in a money market fund.