As we noted recently, the FDIC Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) took another $400 million hickey over the weekend. We have written several times about the de facto bankruptcy of the FDIC, including:
Now, now, we know the US Treasury guarantees the DIF, so depositors need not fear [other than for their tax dollars and the global incentive system], but hopefully this recognition of functional insolvency allows us to get past the ruse that the FDIC has fulfilled its duty of charging appropriate insurance premiums and providing capable regulatory oversight. In fact, the FDIC's has been an abject failure at these core functions. If the FDIC DIF were were an actual insurer, the FDIC Deposit Insurance Fund itself would have been taken over and killed by the government.So the natural thought arises, "TILB, you say the FDIC is broke, but on June 30th the DIF had $10.4 billion remaining. That seems like a lot of money, so why should I worry?"
Keep that track record in mind when the FDIC "experts" espouse their opinions on the "solutions" to our current ills.
This is all happening in front of our very eyes and with another 300+ banks tee'd up to fail, if we assume the average failure costs $200 million (vs [$252] million per failure since 6/30/09), the FDIC will burn through another $60 billion of capital between now and the end of 2010.
Thus begins our regular tally of the DIF. We'll give you a sneak preview: the FDIC is bankrupt.
Deposit Insurance Fund Status:
+ $10.4 billion: DIF balance as of 6/30/09 (FDIC reported)
- $11.1 billion: Insured losses from 6/30/09 - 9/5/09 (FDIC reported)
- $0.2 billion: DIF operating expenses from 6/30/09 - 9/5/09 (estimate based on last 12 quarters)
+ $1.7 billion: Insurance assessments
+ $0.4 billion: TLGP fees (TILB estimate of 65bps p.a. on $339 billion outstanding guaranteed debt at 6/30/09)
+ $0.1 billion: Transaction Accounts Guarantee Program ($736 billion guaranteed at 10bps p.a.)
= $1.3 billion: Total DIF as of September 5th, 2009.
So, on a $4.7 trillion insured deposit base, that $1.3 billion represents less than 3 bps of reserve cushion. While Chairmen Bair, Bernanke and Geithner rail against the evils of overlevered banks and insurers, they share a hand in a government run insurer that is levered 3615 times its reserve base.
Don't you just feel secure? Thanks FDIC: you rock!
Green shoots.
As we noted last week, we expect the DIF to lose more than $60 billion between now and the end of 2009. If the FDIC were analyzing itself, it would look at its equity capital base of $1.3 billion, look at its likely losses of $60 billion (perhaps $20 of which would have already been reserved) and note that the stated net worth of the FDIC would be negative $18.7 billion with more losses on the way.
Given the higher insurance premiums it now charges, the FDIC generates about $10 billion per year in pre-reserving cash flow (i.e., it takes $10 billion of bank capital and sucks it out of the system, ironically weakening the banks it insures by precisely that amount), we suspect the FDIC would need the better part of a decade to "earn" its way out of this mess.
So, by its own standards not only would the FDIC would be on the problem bank list, the FDIC is broke. It is, in fact, a failed financial institution (and a big one at that).
Yes, these are the people in charge of the banking system (in combination with state regulators and the Fed, each of whom acquitted itself miserably over the past decade). As these bureaucrats make recommendations on future regulatory frameworks and on the future financial industry banking business model, please keep in mind that they themselves are proven abject professional failures.
While it is the FDIC that insures banks, it is the US Treasury that insures the FDIC and We The People that insure the U.S. Treasury. As such, the awful management of the FDIC and its failed practices leave you, TILB and the rest of us on the hook. Luckily, nobody is paying attention - Chairmen Bair, Bernanke and Geithner maintain robust credibility with the traditional media.
While they are busy negotiating our future amongst themselves, with not a dash of politics involved we're sure, We The People all sit back in our oversized ergo-chairs made to comfortably support either our 115 pound wives or our 300 pound friends that have a medical condition called "eating too much" and are brain-numbed by our 50 inch Chinese assembled plasmas and watch with placid stares of confusion and would-be bemusement as our country is systematically weakened from above.
Don't worry though, a "great" president frequently invoked by our modern incarnation once said "the only thing we have to to fear is...fear itself."
And spiders.
And snakes.
And werewolves.
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If you find this enlightening, concerning, bemusing or some combination of the above, please let us know and share this with other folks. Spread the word.
We should not accept the revised regulatory profferings of the damned as the pathway to a sin-free future.
Be skeptical.
Be wary.
Most importantly, be angry.
