Bank Safety Guides
Plain-language guides on bank financial health, FDIC insurance, and how to protect your deposits. No jargon. Data from FDIC and NCUA quarterly call reports, covering banks and credit unions across all 50 states; see our methodology.
How Bank Health Grades Work
Learn how PlainBankData computes A-F health grades from FDIC data, Tier 1 capital ratios, ROA, Texas Ratio, and efficiency ratios explained.
FDIC Deposit Insurance Explained
What is FDIC insurance, how much it covers, what account categories qualify, and what happens when a bank fails.
How to Read Bank Financials
Understanding Tier 1 capital, Texas Ratio, ROA, ROE, efficiency ratio, and net interest margin, the key metrics for evaluating bank health.
Understanding Bank Capital Ratios
What Tier 1, leverage, and total capital ratios tell you about bank safety, and the blind spots they cannot capture.
What the Texas Ratio Means for Your Bank
The Texas Ratio was created to predict bank failures. Learn how the formula works, what the numbers mean, and when a rising ratio matters.
How to Compare Banks by Safety Grade
Safety grades simplify complex FDIC data into a single letter. Learn what they capture, what they miss, and how to compare banks effectively.
Bank Failures: What Depositors Should Know
How to spot warning signs, what happens when a bank fails, and how FDIC insurance protects your deposits. A practical guide.
Community Banks vs. Large Banks
Community banks and large banks score differently on safety metrics for structural reasons. Learn how to compare them fairly.
Methodology
Our guides are based on publicly available data from authoritative government sources. All statistics, ratings, and figures cited in these guides are drawn directly from official datasets and publications, with sources clearly referenced throughout.
We aim to present complex government data in plain language that is accessible to general audiences. When methodologies differ between data sources or change over time, we note these variations inline. Our editorial process includes regular reviews to ensure accuracy and timeliness of the information presented.