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Also if you are interested here is a quick link to some basic terms in investing that we found easy to follow
Tips for Beginners to Retirement Investing
Safe Banking in the United States
Excerpted from Bob Prechter’s Conquer the Crash
If you must bank in the U.S., or if you prefer it, choose the best bank(s) available. I believe that even in a deflationary crash, many of the safest U.S. banks have a good shot at survival and even prosperity. The reason is that relatively safe banks, if they have the sense to inform the public of their safety advantage, are likely to become even safer during difficult times. Why? Because depositors in a developing financial crisis will move funds out of the weakest banks into the strongest ones, making the weak ones weaker and the strong ones stronger. One of the great ironies of banking is that the more liquid a bank, the less likely it is that depositors will conduct a run on it in the first place.
The Street.com Ratings, Inc., formerly Weiss Ratings, Inc., provides one of the most reliable bank-rating services in America. (See Chapter 18 of the last section of this book for contact information.) CEO Martin Weiss has graciously consented to provide a practical guide for this book. Table 19-1 lists what his researchers consider the two strongest banks in each state in the union. ... For our purposes, I see little point in listing the weakest banks, but if you want to know which ones they are, you can find them listed in the brand-new Ultimate Safe Money Guide, by Martin Weiss (John Wiley & Sons, 2002). Weiss’ book is a good complement to this one for many reasons. Aside from banks and insurance companies (see Chapter 24), his firm also rates mutual funds, brokerage firms, HMOs and corporations with common stock.
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THE TWO HIGHEST-RATED BANKS IN EACH STATE |
|||||
|
Full State |
Bank Name |
City |
State |
TheStreet.com Financial Strength Rating |
Total Assets ($Mil) |
|
ALABAMA |
FIRST BK OF BOAZ |
BOAZ |
AL |
A+ |
150.5 |
|
ALABAMA |
FIRST NB OF TALLADEGA |
TALLADEGA |
AL |
A |
329.5 |
|
ALASKA |
MOUNT MCKINLEY BK |
FAIRBANKS |
AK |
A |
262.0 |
|
ALASKA |
FIRST NB ALASKA |
ANCHORAGE |
AK |
B+ |
2,340.7 |
|
ARIZONA |
MOHAVE ST BK |
LAKE HAVASU CITY |
AZ |
B+ |
359.7 |
|
ARIZONA |
NORDSTROM FSB |
SCOTTSDALE |
AZ |
B+ |
167.6 |
|
ARKANSAS |
FIRST NB IZARD CTY |
CALICO ROCK |
AR |
A+ |
134.2 |
|
ARKANSAS |
FIRST ARKANSAS B&T |
JACKSONVILLE |
AR |
A |
486.8 |
|
CALIFORNIA |
FARMERS & MERCHANTS BK |
LONG BEACH |
CA |
A+ |
3,319.2 |
|
CALIFORNIA |
FIRST SECURITY THRIFT CO |
ORANGE |
CA |
A+ |
156.3 |
|
COLORADO |
FARMERS ST BK |
FORT MORGAN |
CO |
A+ |
144.7 |
|
COLORADO |
FIRST NB OF ESTES PARK |
ESTES PARK |
CO |
A |
86.7 |
|
CONNECTICUT |
CITIZENS NB |
PUTNAM |
CT |
A |
257.5 |
|
CONNECTICUT |
LIBERTY BK |
MIDDLETOWN |
CT |
A- |
2,779.2 |
|
DELAWARE |
APPLIED BANK |
WILMINGTON |
DE |
A |
197.6 |
|
DELAWARE |
DEUTSCHE BK TR CO DE |
WILMINGTON |
DE |
A- |
705.7 |
|
DISCTRICT OF COLUMBIA |
NATIONAL CAPITAL BK OF WA |
WASHINGTON |
DC |
A+ |
263.4 |
|
DISCTRICT OF COLUMBIA |
INDUSTRIAL BANK |
WASHINGTON |
DC |
C |
337.2 |
|
FLORIDA |
FIRST NB NORTHWEST FLORIDA |
PANAMA CITY |
FL |
A+ |
130.0 |
|
FLORIDA |
CITY NB OF FLORIDA |
MIAMI |
FL |
A+ |
2,870.1 |
|
GEORGIA |
MERCHANTS & FARMERS BK |
COMER |
GA |
A |
156.4 |
|
GEORGIA |
SOUTHEASTERN BK |
DARIEN |
GA |
A |
440.2 |
|
HAWAII |
FIRST HAWAIIAN BK |
HONOLULU |
HI |
A- |
12,957.5 |
|
HAWAII |
BANK OF HAWAII |
HONOLULU |
HI |
B |
10,798.0 |
|
IDAHO |
BANK OF COMMERCE |
IDAHO FALLS |
ID |
A+ |
730.0 |
|
IDAHO |
FARMERS NB OF BUHL |
BUHL |
ID |
A |
394.9 |
|
ILLINOIS |
GERMANTOWN T&SB |
BREESE |
IL |
A |
309.7 |
|
ILLINOIS |
ALBANY B&TC NA |
CHICAGO |
IL |
A |
512.4 |
|
INDIANA |
GREENSFORK TOWNSHIP ST BK |
LYNN |
IN |
A |
162.6 |
|
INDIANA |
KENTLAND BK |
KENTLAND |
IN |
A |
214.0 |
|
IOWA |
STATE B&TC |
WAVERLY |
IA |
A+ |
143.8 |
|
IOWA |
IOWA T&SB |
CENTERVILLE |
IA |
A |
140.5 |
|
KANSAS |
FARMERS & DROVERS BK |
COUNCIL GROVE |
KS |
A+ |
115.2 |
|
KANSAS |
FIDELITY ST B&TC |
DODGE CITY |
KS |
A+ |
136.2 |
|
KENTUCKY |
KENTUCKY-FARMERS BK |
ASHLAND |
KY |
A+ |
130.6 |
|
KENTUCKY |
EDMONTON ST BK |
GLASGOW |
KY |
A |
381.9 |
|
LOUISIANA |
GULF COAST BK |
ABBEVILLE |
LA |
A |
232.2 |
|
LOUISIANA |
EVANGELINE B&TC |
VILLE PLATTE |
LA |
A |
526.1 |
|
MAINE |
FRANKLIN SVGS BK |
FARMINGTON |
ME |
A |
303.7 |
|
MAINE |
NORWAY SVGS BK |
NORWAY |
ME |
B |
878.3 |
|
MARYLAND |
CALVIN B TAYLOR BKG CO |
BERLIN |
MD |
A+ |
355.7 |
|
MARYLAND |
ROSEDALE FS&LA |
BALTIMORE |
MD |
A+ |
598.6 |
|
MASSACHUSETTS |
FRAMINGHAM CO-OP BK |
FRAMINGHAM |
MA |
A- |
354.5 |
|
MASSACHUSETTS |
BROOKLINE BANK |
BROOKLINE |
MA |
A- |
2,390.5 |
|
MICHIGAN |
CHELSEA ST BK |
CHELSEA |
MI |
A |
204.7 |
|
MICHIGAN |
UPPER PENINSULA ST BK |
ESCANABA |
MI |
A |
150.9 |
|
MINNESOTA |
VERMILLION ST BK |
VERMILLION |
MN |
A |
396.5 |
|
MINNESOTA |
FIRST NB OF BEMIDJI |
BEMIDJI |
MN |
A |
442.4 |
|
MISSISSIPPI |
FARMERS & MERCHANTS BK |
BALDWYN |
MS |
A+ |
177.5 |
|
MISSISSIPPI |
FIRST ST BK |
WAYNESBORO |
MS |
A |
382.6 |
|
MISSOURI |
FIRST NB |
CAMDENTON |
MO |
A+ |
266.2 |
|
MISSOURI |
LINDELL B&TC |
ST LOUIS |
MO |
A |
317.8 |
|
MONTANA |
FIRST NB OF FAIRFIELD |
FAIRFIELD |
MT |
A |
92.9 |
|
MONTANA |
FIRST ST BK OF MALTA |
MALTA |
MT |
A |
101.6 |
|
NEBRASKA |
MCCOOK NB |
MCCOOK |
NE |
A |
219.9 |
|
NEBRASKA |
WORLDS FOREMOST BK |
SIDNEY |
NE |
A |
383.9 |
|
NEVADA |
FIRST NB OF ELY |
ELY |
NV |
A |
59.0 |
|
NEVADA |
HERITAGE BK OF NEVADA |
RENO |
NV |
A- |
309.1 |
|
NEW HAMPSHIRE |
PISCATAQUA SVGS BK |
PORTSMOUTH |
NH |
B |
182.8 |
|
NEW HAMPSHIRE |
NORTHWAY BANK |
BERLIN |
NH |
B- |
679.4 |
|
NEW JERSEY |
CUSTODIAL TRUST CO |
PRINCETON |
NJ |
A+ |
995.4 |
|
NEW JERSEY |
SUMITOMO TR & BKG CO USA |
HOBOKEN |
NJ |
A |
738.4 |
|
NEW MEXICO |
CITIZENS BK |
CLOVIS |
NM |
A |
212.6 |
|
NEW MEXICO |
WESTERN COMMERCE BK |
CARLSBAD |
NM |
A |
286.7 |
|
NEW YORK |
CHINATOWN FSB |
NEW YORK |
NY |
A+ |
167.1 |
|
NEW YORK |
MASPETH FS&LA |
MASPETH |
NY |
A |
1,339.8 |
|
NORTH CAROLINA |
WAKE FOREST FS&LA |
WAKE FOREST |
NC |
A |
108.6 |
|
NORTH CAROLINA |
FIRST NB OF SHELBY |
SHELBY |
NC |
A |
958.2 |
|
NORTH DAKOTA |
SARGENT COUNTY BK |
FORMAN |
ND |
A |
73.6 |
|
NORTH DAKOTA |
LAKESIDE ST BK |
NEW TOWN |
ND |
A- |
122.8 |
|
OHIO |
ST HENRY BK |
ST HENRY |
OH |
A+ |
166.8 |
|
OHIO |
KILLBUCK SVG BK CO |
KILLBUCK |
OH |
A |
339.3 |
|
OKLAHOMA |
OKLAHOMA B&TC |
CLINTON |
OK |
A+ |
122.0 |
|
OKLAHOMA |
FIRST NB&TC OF MCALESTER |
MCALESTER |
OK |
A |
396.3 |
|
OREGON |
PIONEER TR BK NA |
SALEM |
OR |
A+ |
266.0 |
|
OREGON |
CLACKAMAS COUNTY BK |
SANDY |
OR |
A+ |
154.9 |
|
PENNSYLVANIA |
FIRST NB&TC OF NEWTOWN |
NEWTOWN |
PA |
A+ |
617.1 |
|
PENNSYLVANIA |
WAYNE BK |
HONESDALE |
PA |
A |
484.7 |
|
RHODE ISLAND |
UNION FEDERAL SVGS BK |
N PROVIDENCE |
RI |
B+ |
647.5 |
|
RHODE ISLAND |
TALBOTS CLASSICS NB |
LINCOLN |
RI |
B |
11.5 |
|
SOUTH CAROLINA |
FIRST PIEDMONT FS&LA GAFFNEY |
GAFFNEY |
SC |
A+ |
266.4 |
|
SOUTH CAROLINA |
BANK OF YORK |
YORK |
SC |
A+ |
181.7 |
|
SOUTH DAKOTA |
FIRST FIDELITY BK |
BURKE |
SD |
A+ |
239.8 |
|
SOUTH DAKOTA |
FIRST PREMIER BK |
SIOUX FALLS |
SD |
A |
897.1 |
|
TENNESSEE |
CITIZENS BK |
CARTHAGE |
TN |
A+ |
493.8 |
|
TENNESSEE |
ELIZABETHTON FSB |
ELIZABETHTON |
TN |
A+ |
344.8 |
|
TEXAS |
FIRST ST BK |
BURNET |
TX |
A+ |
156.3 |
|
TEXAS |
PEARLAND ST BK |
PEARLAND |
TX |
A+ |
131.1 |
|
UTAH |
CENTRAL BK |
PROVO |
UT |
A |
616.6 |
|
UTAH |
ADVANTA BK CORP |
DRAPER |
UT |
A |
2,587.5 |
|
VERMONT |
LEDYARD NB |
NORWICH |
VT |
B+ |
324.9 |
|
VERMONT |
MERCHANTS BK |
BURLINGTON |
VT |
B+ |
1,276.0 |
|
VIRGINIA |
VIRGINIA B&TC |
DANVILLE |
VA |
A+ |
152.7 |
|
VIRGINIA |
BURKE & HERBERT B&TC |
ALEXANDRIA |
VA |
A |
1,538.9 |
|
WASHINGTON |
WASHINGTON FS&LA |
SEATTLE |
WA |
A+ |
11,738.0 |
|
WASHINGTON |
SOUTH SOUND BK |
OLYMPIA |
WA |
A |
144.3 |
|
WEST VIRGINIA |
PENDLETON COMMUNITY BK INC |
FRANKLIN |
WV |
A |
201.6 |
|
WEST VIRGINIA |
PEOPLES BK OF MULLENS |
MULLENS |
WV |
A |
119.4 |
|
WISCONSIN |
PREMIER BK |
FORT ATKINSON |
WI |
A+ |
246.9 |
|
WISCONSIN |
SHELL LAKE ST BK |
SHELL LAKE |
WI |
A+ |
116.2 |
|
WYOMING |
FIRST ST BK OF NEWCASTLE |
NEWCASTLE |
WY |
A |
115.6 |
|
WYOMING |
ROCK SPRINGS NB |
ROCK SPRINGS |
WY |
A- |
310.1 |