Competency 4.02Understand the Banking System

Objective 4.02-A

Analyze the roles/responsibilities of the Federal Reserve.

4.0 Understand the Role of Finance in Business

http://www.federalreserveeducation.org/, go to website, learn more about Fed, visit Richmond, visit the bank, tour virtual money museum.

The Federal Reserve System

What is the Federal Reserve System?

Why does it exist?

Who participates?

How is it organized?

The Federal Reserve (The Fed)

A Centralized Banking System

Federal Reserve Act signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson

Organized by the Federal Government in 1913 Why have “ The Fed” ? Purpose:

To establish and maintain confidence in the US monetary system To ensure and safe, healthy and stable economy To supervise and regulate member banks and help serve the public

efficiently.* Prior to the Federal Reserve Act anyone could issue currency or coin

money

Who Participates in Federal Reserve? 1) All National Banks are required to be part of the Fed

1) Optional for state banks

2) Divisions are called DISTRICTS3) There are 12 DISTRICTS in the United States4) Every state comes under a district5) Each Federal Reserve Bank is a corporation, owned by its member

banks

NC is in District 5, the Richmond District. Charlotte has a regional office.

The Federal Reserve

What are the two arms of “The Fed”? Board of Governors

Represents the government (public) sector District Federal Reserve Banks

Represents the business (private) sector

Board of Governors Usually meet about

twice a week, ordinarily on Mondays and Wednesdays

Public is invited to look into the meetings of the Board of Governors

Usually discuss monetary policy such as lowering and raising interest rates

The Board Room at the Federal Reserve in Washington, DC

Members of the Board of Governors Ben S. Bernanke, Current Chairman

Alan Greenspan, Retired Chairman  

Chairman is appointed by President and confirmed by Senate Similar to procedure for Supreme Court Justices

Purpose of Federal Reserve

Established to supervise and regulate banks1. Known as the “Bank’s bank”

2. The central bank of the United States

3. Assists banks with serving the public more efficiently

4. All national banks are required to join the Federal Reserve System

5. State banks have the option of joining the system

The Federal Reserve System Services1. Supervision of banks

2. Agent for the federal government

3. Regulates monetary policy

4. Lends money to member banks

5. Acting as a clearinghouse

6. Participation in open market activities

7. Sets loan limits & standards

8. Supplies currency

1. Fed Supervision: Set Reserve Requirements Member banks are required to keep a

certain percentage (10% for many years) of all deposits in the bank’s vault or on deposit with the district federal reserve bank

Reserves: funds set aside for emergencies Example: a rush of withdrawals by customers

Purpose: to reduce risk of bank panics and protect depositor’s money

1. Fed Supervision: Audits Member BanksInspects banks by auditing financial records Audit -an inspection of records to verify the:

1. accuracy of books (records) of the bank2. bank is complying with banking laws

Similar to Individuals/corporations who are audited by the IRS to review the accuracy of a tax return.

1. FED Supervision: Approves Bank MergersQ: Why do banks merge? To be more competitive

-to offer customers more locations (local, regional, national, international)-to offer a variety of services more efficiently-to compete with a growing array of other financial service companies such as:

*money market and other mutual funds*mortgage companies*credit unions and *credit arms of industrial firms (General Electric and Ford Motor)

Here are some recent bank mergers approved by “The Fed” in 2007-2008 Bank of New York bought Mellon Financial Corporation for $18.3 Billion JPMorgan Chase bought Bear Stearns for $1.1 Billion Bank of America bought Merrill Lynch Bank of America for $50 Billion Wells Fargo bought Wachovia for $15.1 Billion

2. Fed Acts as Agent for Federal Government

The Fed holds a checking account for the US Treasury

Disburses social security benefits and other transfer payments using the direct deposit system

Accepts some types of federal tax money

Example: Federal tax depositories

Payroll taxes - federal income tax, FUTA, and social security taxes are deposited using federal deposit coupon into a national bank

3. FED Regulates Monetary Policy What is Monetary Policy?

When the Federal Reserve influences money and credit conditions in the economy to achieve economic goals

How? The Fed determines amount of money in circulation and available for loans, then either increases or decreases to stabilize/stimulate the economy Tight money- policy when less money is available at

higher interest rates, slows (stabilizes) economy Loose money- policy when more money is available at

lower interest rates, increases (stimulates) economy

4. FED Lends Money to Member Banks

Monitors the discount rate of interest - rate used by the Fed to loan money to member banks Compare banks to intermediaries (go-betweens) trading in

money at “wholesale” prices

The Fed changing interest rates affect borrowers (member banks) who pass rates to consumers

Raising rate - discourages borrowing Reducing rate - encourages borrowing

Note: the Federal Reserve does not loan money to individuals or businesses (only member banks) HOWEVER, rates the Fed charges member banks “trickle down” and affect the interest rates for consumers

5. FED Acts as Clearing House Clears/Processes/Settles checks for

member banks Federal Reserve uses the Automated

Clearing House (ACH) to electronically complete fund transfers (check settlements) between banks

Interdistrict Settlement Fund in Washington, DC used for between district transfers

Checks/deposit slips have MICR coding Magnetic Ink Character Recognition

Scanners read MICR on checks to electronically process data accurately and rapidly through the ACH and Interdistrict Settlement Fund

6. FED Participates in Open Market Participates in open market operations by buying and

selling government securities Q: What are government securities?

A: Treasury bills and bonds – loans to government in various denominations (amounts) and for various time periods

Advantages and Disadvantages+ offer a fixed rate of interest over a fixed period of time

+ attractive because not subject to income taxes

- cannot be easily transferred and are non-negotiable

Open Market Operations

Government securities are sold at a discount (from face value), but are redeemed (cashed in) for face value on the maturity (due) date

Examples: Purchase treasury note for $7500 (discount price),

redeem at maturity date for $10,000 (face value) Purchase Series EE savings bond for $25, redeem

in 7 years at maturity for $50

Government Securities Savings bonds - Example Series EE-

Denomination minimum $25 Payable after 6 months Earns interest up to 30 years

Short-term obligation of the U.S. Treasury Treasury bill – maturity in one year or less Issued to mature in 13 weeks, 26 weeks, 52 weeks

Long-term obligation of the U.S. Treasury Treasury note – maturity at 1 to 10 years, minimum $1000 Treasury bond - maturity at 10 + years

Open Market Operations

Bank discount rates encourages borrowing by member banks, and therefore encourages borrowing by consumers

Purpose of open market operations1. Regulate money supply

Most frequent method of controlling the economy Who controls open market operations?

Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)-

A committee within the Federal Reserve

7. The FED Sets Lending Standards Sets standards for

consumer legislation dealing with lending and credit

Sets limits for loans and investments by member banks

News: Federal Reserve revised bank lending rules since banking crisis

Ex: Lower % of total loans for land/acreage

8. The Fed Supplies Currency Money defined:

a medium of exchange for value US money = currency and coins

Federal Reserve supplies paper currency Legal Tender for all debts, public and private Paper currency supplied is “Federal Reserve Notes”

Printing currency (paper money, bills) Bureau of Printing and Engraving Counterfeiting - federal crime

Coinage Minting supplied and regulated by the Department of

Treasury, US Mint