The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. insurance limit of $250,000 keeps your money safe, but a smaller chunk of change is also typically eligible for accelerated interest rates in high-yield checking programs.

In 2010, Costlow says ViewPoint Bank lowered the first tier of its reward checking program from $50,000 to $25,000. This puts the bank more in line with industry standards, according to Costlow.

The Bankrate 2011 High-Yield Checking Survey supports the notion that the most prevalent balance cap for earning the highest annual percentage yield, or APY, is $25,000. Once account holders cross the threshold, their funds typically earn interest at much smaller rates, often as low as a few tenths of a percent.

If you reach your balance cap, you may want to search for more competitive rates for the remainder of your money. Some high-yield money market accounts offer rates of more than 1 percent.

To fully understand the difference in earnings potential, compare interest rates to see how varying rates impact your ability to accrue interest.