Your Money Is Safe

Is my money protected?
Yes. Deposits held through Willow are FDIC insured up to $250,000 per depositor. That means if anything were ever to happen to the banking infrastructure behind your account, your money is protected by the full faith and credit of the United States government - the same protection you have at any federally insured bank in the country. Your money is safe.

Who actually holds my deposits?
Willow's banking services are powered by Column, a nationally chartered bank and one of the most technically sophisticated banking infrastructure providers in the country. Column holds your deposits, maintains the regulated banking backbone, and ensures your accounts operate under full federal banking oversight. Willow builds the member experience, the AI integration, and the connected services on top of that foundation - but your money sits inside a federally chartered, FDIC-insured bank.

What is Column, and why does it matter that Willow uses them?
Column is not a typical banking partner. They are a nationally chartered bank that also operates as a banking infrastructure provider - meaning they hold a full federal bank charter and are subject to the same regulations, oversight, and capital requirements as any major U.S. bank. This matters because it means Willow's banking services are not built on a patchwork of third-party workarounds. They are built on a real bank. Your deposits are held by a real chartered institution, your FDIC protection is real, and the payment infrastructure moving your money is bank-grade.

Does FDIC insurance cover all of my Willow accounts?
FDIC insurance covers up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured institution, per account ownership category. If you hold a checking account and a savings account at Willow, both are covered under the same $250,000 limit through Column. Joint accounts carry separate coverage limits. If you have questions about coverage specific to your account structure, we recommend reviewing the FDIC's official guidelines at FDIC.gov or reaching out to our team directly.

Is Willow a bank?
Willow is a financial technology platform. The banking services available through Willow are provided by Column, a nationally chartered FDIC-insured bank. This structure - a technology platform layered on top of a chartered banking partner - is the same model used by many leading financial technology companies. It allows Willow to build a superior member experience while ensuring that the regulated functions of banking are handled by a fully licensed and supervised institution.

What regulations govern Willow's banking services?
Because Willow's banking services are delivered through Column, they are governed by the full scope of federal banking regulations that apply to nationally chartered banks - including oversight by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Federal Reserve regulations on payment systems, Bank Secrecy Act compliance, and all applicable consumer protection laws. You are not in a regulatory gray area when you bank with Willow.

What happens to my money if Willow shuts down?
Because your deposits are held by Column - not by Willow directly - your money is not at risk in the event that Willow as a technology company were to cease operations. Your deposits would remain at Column, protected by FDIC insurance, and accessible according to standard banking procedures. Willow's technology layer sits on top of your account - it does not sit between you and your money.

What happens to my money if Column shuts down?
In the unlikely event that Column were to fail as a banking institution, your deposits would be protected by FDIC insurance up to $250,000 per depositor. The FDIC's standard resolution process ensures that insured deposits are either transferred to another institution or paid out directly to depositors. This protection exists regardless of what happens to any technology platform or partner arrangement.

Has Column ever been involved in a bank failure or regulatory action?
Column is an active, well-capitalized, nationally chartered bank operating under full federal oversight. As with any banking partner, we encourage members to review Column's publicly available regulatory information if they have specific concerns. Willow conducted thorough due diligence before selecting Column as our banking infrastructure partner, and we are confident in the stability and integrity of that relationship.


Accounts and Features

What types of accounts does Willow offer?
Willow offers free checking and high-yield savings accounts as the foundation of the banking experience. Both are included for every member at no cost, with no minimum balance requirements and no monthly fees. Joint accounts and family account structures are also available, reflecting Willow's focus on multigenerational financial management.

Does Willow offer joint accounts?
Yes. Willow supports joint accounts for members who manage finances with a spouse, partner, or family member. Joint accounts carry their own FDIC coverage considerations - up to $250,000 per co-owner - and integrate naturally with Willow's estate planning and legacy tools so that shared finances are reflected accurately across your complete financial picture.

Does Willow offer family accounts?
Yes. Willow supports family account structures that allow multiple household members to be connected within the same Willow ecosystem. This becomes especially meaningful when using Willow's estate planning, legacy, post-death concierge, and incapacity planning features - all of which are designed to work across a family, not just an individual.

What is the interest rate on the high-yield savings account?
Willow's high-yield savings account offers a competitive rate reviewed regularly in relation to the broader interest rate environment. The current rate is always displayed clearly in the app and on WillowBank.com. There are no promotional periods that expire, no minimum balance required to earn the rate, and no hidden conditions. The rate you see is the rate you get.

Does Willow offer a debit card?
Yes. Every Willow checking account includes a debit card for everyday purchases, ATM access, and online transactions.

Does Willow support wire transfers and ACH payments?
Yes. Willow supports both domestic wire transfers and ACH payments for moving money in and out of your account. Standard processing timelines apply, and transfer limits are detailed in your account terms.

Does Willow offer bill pay?
Yes. Bill pay is included with every Willow checking account, allowing you to manage recurring and one-time payments directly from the platform without maintaining separate logins for each payee.

Can I get a cashier's check through Willow?
Yes. Cashier's checks are available to Willow members for large or formal transactions that require guaranteed funds.

Does Willow support foreign currency exchange?
Yes. Foreign currency exchange is available through the Willow platform for members with international travel or cross-border financial needs.

Does Willow offer notary services?
Yes. Remote online notarization is available through Willow, allowing you to get documents notarized virtually without leaving your home. In-person notary services will be available at physical Willow locations when Phase 3 launches.

Will Willow have physical locations?
Yes, in Phase 3. Willow's first two phases are fully digital and available to members nationwide. Physical locations will be introduced in Phase 3 to support services that genuinely benefit from an in-person presence - including safe deposit boxes, the Heirloom Vault, and in-person notary services.

Does Willow offer safe deposit boxes?
Safe deposit boxes will be available at Willow's physical locations beginning in Phase 3. In the meantime, the Willow document vault provides secure digital storage for important documents, and the Heirloom Vault - also Phase 3 - will offer physical storage for irreplaceable keepsakes and family heirlooms.


Fees and How Willow Makes Money

Does Willow charge monthly fees for banking?
No. Willow's checking and savings accounts are genuinely free. No monthly maintenance fees, no minimum balance fees, no overdraft fees, no inactivity fees. Banking at Willow is a service - not a subscription you have to manage around.

Are there any banking fees at all?
A small number of specific transactions - such as outgoing wire transfers - may carry standard processing fees that are always disclosed before you complete the transaction. These are transactional costs, not account fees, and they apply only when you use those specific services. Day-to-day banking with Willow carries no fees.

How does Willow make money if banking is free?
Willow earns money through the natural economics of banking - the same way every bank in the country operates - without passing those costs to you. When you deposit money with Willow, those funds are deployed through standard banking activity and earn a return. The difference between what Willow earns on those assets and what Willow pays you in interest is called net interest margin - and it is the foundational revenue model of every bank that has ever existed. When you use your Willow debit card, merchants pay a small interchange fee on each transaction. You never see that fee. It is paid by the merchant, not by you. These two revenue streams - invisible to you and never charged to you - fund the cost of delivering every service on the platform.

So Willow makes money on my deposits without telling me?
This is how all banking works - and we want you to understand it clearly rather than discover it later. When you deposit $10,000 in a savings account earning 4%, Willow earns approximately 5 to 5.5% deploying those funds, keeping the difference as margin. This is not a hidden fee. It is the fundamental economic model of banking, disclosed in every institution's account terms. The difference at Willow is what we do with that margin - instead of charging you separately for estate planning, financial advisory, legacy tools, and every other service, we use that margin to fund a platform where those services are included.

What does Willow earn from my debit card purchases?
Every time you use your Willow debit card, the merchant pays a small interchange fee - typically around 1 to 1.5% of the transaction - to process the payment. This fee is paid by the merchant, not deducted from your account. It is a standard feature of how card payments work across the entire financial system. At Willow, that interchange revenue contributes to the cost of running the platform so that we don't have to charge you for the services that matter most.

Why would Willow offer estate planning, financial advising, and tax services for free when other companies charge thousands?
Because the integration that makes Willow valuable also makes those services financially sustainable without individual fees. A standalone estate attorney charges because estate planning is all they offer - that service has to carry its own weight. Willow earns revenue across your entire financial relationship, which means no single service needs to carry the full burden. The connection between services is what makes the pricing possible. This is not a promotional model or a loss leader. It is a fundamentally different business structure.

Is the no-fee model sustainable long-term, or will fees be added later?
The no-fee model is more sustainable long-term than the traditional fee model - not less. Traditional financial service providers depend on fees because they only see one piece of your financial life. Willow sees the complete picture, which means more revenue opportunities spread across a deeper, longer relationship. As members grow with Willow - saving more, investing more, building more wealth - the platform grows with them. That is a business designed to thrive without fees, not one that's temporarily waiving them.

Does Willow charge for financial advisory services?
Willow's financial advisory layer, available in Phase 2, charges a small annual fee based on the assets we help you manage - typically a fraction of what a traditional wealth manager charges. This is the one meaningful fee in the Willow model, and it exists because investment advisory is a licensed, ongoing service that requires professional oversight. Even so, Willow's advisory fee is structured to be well below industry standard, because the integration advantage means our advisors spend their time delivering guidance - not gathering the information they need to give it.

Does Willow sell my financial data to generate revenue?
No. Willow's revenue comes from banking economics and asset management fees - not from selling or monetizing your personal information. Your financial data stays within the Willow ecosystem and is used exclusively to serve you better. We don't sell it, share it for advertising purposes, or use it in any way that isn't directly in your interest. This is not a terms-of-service technicality. It is a foundational principle of how Willow operates.

Why should I trust a platform that offers this much for free?
That is exactly the right question, and we respect you for asking it directly. The financial services industry has conditioned people to assume that free means you are the product. At Willow, the business model is straightforward - we earn money through banking economics and asset management the same way established financial institutions do. We have simply chosen to pass the benefits of that integrated model back to our members rather than charge fees at every turn. We are building a company designed to last generations. That requires your trust far more than it requires your fees.

What is the catch with the high-yield savings account?
There is no catch. Your money earns a competitive rate, you can access it when you need it, and there are no conditions attached. Willow earns a modest spread between what we pay you and what we earn deploying your deposits - which is standard banking practice disclosed in every institution's terms. No minimum balance to unlock the rate. No promotional period. No surprise fee six months in. The rate you see is the rate you get.


Transitioning to Willow

What if I already have accounts at other banks?
You don't have to move everything at once. Many members start with a Willow savings account or document vault and consolidate more over time as they experience the platform. The more of your financial life that lives on Willow, the more powerful the integration becomes - but there is no pressure to do it all at once. We'd rather earn that consolidation by delivering value than ask you to make a leap of faith.

Is it difficult to switch to Willow as my primary bank?
No. Setting up direct deposit, transferring a balance, and closing an old account are all straightforward processes that Willow's team can walk you through. The process is fully digital and does not require a branch visit at any step.

What happens to my Willow account when I pass away?
Willow is specifically designed to handle this transition with care. Because your account is connected to your estate plan, your legacy designations, and your beneficiary information, the platform can guide your family through the process - account access, asset transfer, and ongoing financial management - without the confusion and delay that typically follow a death at a traditional bank. Post-death concierge services, which provide full guided support through this transition, are introduced in Phase 2.

Can I use Willow banking alongside other accounts at other institutions?
Yes. Willow integrates with your broader financial picture and does not require exclusivity. Many members use Willow as their primary banking relationship while maintaining existing investment or retirement accounts elsewhere. The financial advisory tools in Phase 2 are designed to give you a complete view regardless of where all of your assets are held.