On February 8, 2006, the President signed The Federal Deposit Insurance Reform Act of 2005 (the Reform Act) into law. The Reform Act merged the Bank Insurance Fund (BIF) and the Saving Association Insurance Fund (SAIF) into a new fund called the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF). This change was made effective March 31, 2006. The Reform Act also established a range of 1.15 percent to 1.50 percent within which the FDIC Board of Directors may set the Designated Reserve Ratio (DRR).

Due to recent disruptions in the financial markets and the large numbers of bank failures in the last year, the DIF reserve ratio has fallen below 1.15 percent and is expected to be negative as of September 30, 2009. In response to these circumstances, the FDIC has recently changed the assessment rate calculation.

This website contains useful information for bankers, consumers, and academics that are interested in learning more about the Deposit Insurance Fund and Assessment Rates.