Function, Purpose and Regulation of Financial Institutions Flashcards
Commercial Banks
Commercial banks offer a variety of financial services, including checking and savings accounts, credit cards, safety deposit boxes, financial consulting, and all types of lending services. Examples of commercial banks include Bank of America, Capital One, and Wells Fargo.
Savings & Loan Institutions
A Savings and Loan Association (S&L), or thrift association, is similar to a bank. They borrow money from depositors and lend this money out primarily in the form of home mortgages.
Two types of S&L Ownership Structures
Mutual
Corporate
Mutual S&L
In a mutual S&L, depositors are the owners. They receive dividends rather than interest on savings.
Corporate S&L
Within a corporate S&L, depositors receive interest rather than dividends, just like in a commercial bank. This is a technical difference, with dividends from mutual S&Ls treated as if they were really interest payments.
Savings Bank
A savings bank is a close cousin of a savings and loan association, especially a mutual S&L, and is generally found in the northeastern United States.
Credit Unions
Credit unions are another type of depositor-owned financial institution. They are “not-for-profit cooperatives” made up of members with some type of common bond.
FDIC Insurance
If your account is with a federally insured institution, it is insured for up to $250,000 per account of the same registration and same institution.
FDIC Insured Ownership Categories
Single Accounts
Certain Retirement Accounts
Joint Accounts
Revocable Trust Accounts
Irrevocable Trust Accounts
Employee Benefit Plan Accounts
Each of these ownership categories receives up to $250,000 of FIDC insurance.
Three General Categories of Brokers
Full-Service brokers
Discount brokers
Deep Discount brokers
Full Service Brokers
Full-Service brokers take buy and sell orders, extend margin credit to customers, hold the clients’ securities in safekeeping, and collect cash dividends. Most importantly, they also provide free investment research and perform “hand-holding” services.
Discount Brokers
Discount brokers simply take orders from their clients - they furnish little or no investment advice. If the discounters provide any investment research, it will likely be in the form of published reports from Moody’s or Standard & Poor’s. Like most brokers, the discounters extend margin credit, hold clients’ securities in safekeeping, and accumulate the client’s cash dividends and interest income.
Deep Discount Brokers
Deep Discount brokers, also known as electronic brokers, take buy and sell orders over the Internet. Most provide no hand-holding. The investor/client might not even speak with a human as a self-service transaction is executed. Some electronic brokers provide printed investment research. If so, it might be free or there may be a modest charge.
Three Types of Margin Calls
Regulation T Call
Maintenance Margin
Minimum Equity Call
Regulation T Call
Regulation T Call: Occurs when the intital margin amout is below the minimum established in Reg T (50%)
Maintenance Margin
Maintenance Margin: Required when the value of an account drops below the specificed maintenance level at the brokerage firm that holds the margin account.
Minimum Equity Call
Minimum Equity Call: There is a required minimum balance to establish and maintain a margin account. When the current account value falls below the required minimum, a minimum equity call is issued. Generally this amount is $2,000, but “pattern day traders” are required to maintain a minimum of $25,000.
Securities Investors Protection Corporation
The Securities Investors Protection Corporation (SIPC) is similar to the FDIC. It provides coverage for customers of its member broker-dealers up to $500,000. Of the $500,000, no more than $250,000 can be for cash losses. Customers who own both a cash account and a margin account will have a combined account under SIPC coverage. Spouses who have joint accounts will have separate coverage. SIPC coverage is for individual customers only and does not apply to institutional clients.
Federal Law Governing Insurance
The governing federal insurance law is the McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945 (Public Law 15). This turns the regulation of the insurance industry over to the states. States regulate the industry through their three branches of government. An insurance commissioner conducts the administration of state laws and applies insurance laws to specific cases. COBRA and HIPPA are federal regulations that affect the continuation of health care coverage.
Two Types of Pension Plans
Defined Contribution
Defined Benefit
Defined Contribution
In a defined contribution plan, each employee has an account into which the employer, and usually the employee, make regular contributions. The employee defines how much is put into the plan. At retirement, the employee receives a benefit whose size depends on the accumulated value of the funds in the retirement account.
Defined Benefit
In a defined benefit plan, the employee’s pension benefit is determined by a formula that takes into account years of service to the employer. In most cases, it also includes salary or wages. The amount the employee receives is defined for him or her. The most common formulas used to determine the benefit are flat amount, flat percentage, and unit credit.
Choose the one that does not apply to Savings and Loans associations (S&Ls).
A. Many times an S&L pays one-quarter percent more on savings accounts than commercial banks.
B. They fund fewer home mortgage loans than banks.
C. They operate on a smaller scale than do commercial banks.
D. The services they offer are very similar to commercial banks.
Correct Answer: B. They fund fewer home mortgage loans than banks.
Explanation: Funding of home mortgage loans is an important feature of S&Ls. Laws require that at least 70 percent of the loans of federally chartered S&Ls go toward home mortgages.
Credit Unions have advantages because of their tax-exempt status. What are they?
A. Pay more than depositors would otherwise earn at a commercial bank.
B. Have lower fees and minimum balances associated with their accounts.
C. Their loans also tend to be at favorable rates, again owing to their tax-exempt status.
D. Have a “cost” advantage over other financial institutions.
E. Restrict membership to those who have a common bond with members.
Correct Answers: A., B., C. and D.
Explanation: Credit unions are a type of depositor-owned financial institution. Due to their “not-for-profit organizations” status they are tax-exempt. There are certain advantages attached to this status like: ablibilty to pay more than a commercial bank, lower fees and minimum balances, favorable rates for loans, and a “cost” advantage. Their exclusivity does not contribute to their tax advantage.
