In the midst of Wall Street's turmoil, those of us on Main Street can be comforted by this fact: The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. backs bank accounts of up to $100,000 with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. According to the FDIC, "When your deposits are 100% FDIC-insured, you can't lose a penny, no matter what." 

The FDIC's EDIE The Estimator can help you determine how much of your money in various bank accounts is fully covered. It also shows how to split those funds among more accounts to protect as much as $800,000 per family.

Other safety nets are in place for credit union and brokerage accounts, pensions, and insurance policies. For a list of who covers what, click here.