November 18, 2009
By Gary Grimes
Please understand that this article is about more than safeguarding your money; it’s about saving you headache and heartache. It’s about giving you peace of mind.

Before I explain, please allow me to ask a few questions:

Have you given much thought about the money in your banking accounts lately? Do you know if it’s safe?
Have you thought about what might happen if your bank fails?
Did you know you could be left in the lurch for days, weeks, even months before you get your money back from the FDIC?
What happens if the FDIC can’t cover your funds?
How do you find a safe bank to protect your deposits right now?

I hope you’ve given these questions some serious thought.

I have to be honest: These questions were about the farthest things from my mind until about a year ago, when …

Regulators shut down 5 more banks in Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and California; tally hits 120 so far this year  U.S. regulators on Friday shuttered five more institutions in Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and California , as the recession continues to take its toll on banks. This takes the total number to 120, compared to 25 in 2008 and 3 in 2007.  As the industry has to tolerate bad loans that were made during the credit explosion, the trouble in the banking system goes even deeper, increasing the possibility of more failures. However, the regulators are trying to avoid panic by seizing banks slowly. Also, the slow pace of seizing could be a strategy as it is hard to get buyers for so many failed banks.  The failed banks were -- Georgia-based United Security Bank of Sparta with total assets of $157 million and total deposits ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 20, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: CVB Financial (CVBF), JP Morgan Chase (JPM), Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB), U.S. Bancorp (USB) and Zions Bancorp (ZION).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Monday’s AnalystBlog:

U.S. Bank Failures Reach 99 in ‘09

The failure of San Joaquin Bank represents another impact on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) fund for protecting customer accounts as it has been appointed receiver for the bank. The bank failure is expected to cost the deposit insurance fund

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U.S. bank failures continue unabated as U.S. regulators on Friday closed down San Joaquin Bank of Bakersfield, CA. This takes the total number of failed federally insured banks to 99 in 2009, compared to 25 in 2008 and 3 in 2007. As of September 29, San Joaquin Bank, a subsidiary of San Joaquin Bancorp, had about $775 million in assets, $631 million in deposits and 5 branches. The bank had not been included in a previous list of 89 institutions that were undercapitalized as of March 31. But its first quarter amended filing showed that there were additional loan charge-offs and a higher net loss. As of June 30, San Joaquin Bank’s Tier 1 leverage ratio was 4.12% and the total risk-based capital ratio was 6.70%. Though the Tier 1 leverage ratio was above the minimum level of 4% considered adequately capitalized, its total risk-based capital ratio ...

Regulators shut down 3 more banks including Corus; total failed banks in '09 reach 92   Three more banks including Corus Bank NA, a subsidiary of Corus Bankshares (CORS), were shuttered by the U.S. regulators on Friday as the recession continues to take its toll on banks. This takes the total number of failed federally insured banks in this year to 92, compared to 25 in 2008 and 3 in 2007. Based in Chicago, the Corus Bank was a major lender to condominium, office and hotel projects. Corus is one of the largest banks to fail this year, with about $7 billion in total assets, $7 billion in deposits and 11 branches. Two other small banks were Lacey, WA-based Venture Bank, with $970 million in assets and $903 million in deposits and Woodbury, MN-based Brickwell Community Bank, with $72 million in assets and $63 million in ...

Three more U.S. banks failed; tally reaches 84 this year Bank failures continue unabated as U.S. regulators on Friday closed down three more banks in California, Maryland and Minnesota. This takes the total number of failed federally insured banks this year to 84, compared to 25 in 2008 and 3 in 2007. The failed banks were Ventura, California-based Affinity Bank, with about $1 billion in assets and $922 million in deposits; Baltimore-based Bradford Bank, with $452 million in assets and $383 million in deposits; and Forest Lake, Minnesota-based Mainstreet Bank, with $459 million in assets and $434 million in deposits. Failure of these banks represents another sizable impact on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) fund for protecting customer accounts, as it has been appointed receiver for these banks. The failure of Affinity Bank is expected to cost the deposit insurance fund an estimated $254 million; ...

In the last 18 months, Strategic Short Report readers had the chance to make 432% when Lehman failed, 162% when Allied Capital (NYSE:ALD) came clean, and 220% on PNC Financial (NYSE:PNC)… This month my subscribers are poised to make money on the next bank drop.

And I’m going to give you a chance to join them.

If you think Canada escaped the downward trend in U.S. banking, think again. While the country may not have plunged headfirst into subprime mortgages, it did dip heavily into risky derivatives. The leverage it took on generated impressive returns on equity in good times, but that same leverage is set to wipe out equity today.

Shareholders in one “safe” Canadian bank will have to rethink their loyalty. Its looming solvency crisis practically guarantees a dividend cut. And that’s our catalyst for this month’s short play action - offering us a chance for 200% profit potential.

Accounting

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Do you remember the first time you saw a rain drenched Peter Finch scream, “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!”? We do. We were too young to see Network in the cinema (the movie came out the year we were born: 1976). Instead, we watched it late one night on TV. And we’ll never forget the moment when Finch’s character, news anchor Howard Beale, arrives in the television studio in his tan raincoat with a deranged look on his face and begins to speak to camera.

I don’t have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It’s a depression. Everybody’s out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel’s worth; banks are going bust; shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter; punks are running wild in the street, and there’s nobody anywhere who seems ...

by May Eastwood Elenore Lewis Brenda Warden Pamela Stewart

What’s the FDIC?

The world financial crisis has dried up the credit market, caused money giants like Lehman Brothers to crash, and forced gigantic banks to combine, making many folks wonder where their money will be safe. Through the FDIC or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation the bank is still the best place to keep your money regardless of what occurs to your bank. In October 2008 the deposit insurance was briefly raised to $250,000 per depositor thru December 31, 2009, so if your area bank falls down you can still be guaranteed your deposit up to $250,000.

FDIC 101

Established in 1933, the FDIC was made to guarantee public confidence in the banking system. This worked by providing all depositors in FDIC-insured banks coverage up to $5,000 ( in the thirty’s ), and second by taking over for a failed bank …

It seems I’ve touched a nerve.

The comments queue for my musing yesterday titled “Why I’ll Sit Out the Chicago Tea Party” was filled with people heaping invective on me because I said CNBC’s Rick Santelli failed to take a vigorous stand against bank bailouts, even as he gained fame for opposing homeowner bailouts.

Au contraire, I was reprimanded.  “You’re just plain wrong,” said one of the gentler comments.  “You might want to check on Rick Santelli a bit more carefully,” said another.

And so I have.  I’ve double-checked my homework.  I have searched long and hard for the sort of full-throated condemnation of the $9.7 trillion of bailouts, guarantees, backstops, etc. for irresponsible financiers that Santelli gave of the $275 billion bailout for irresponsible homeowners.

And I’m just not finding it.  A lot of his defenders in the online universe (and one of the commenters) point to this

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