Mutual institutions—savings banks and savings and loans owned by their depositors—are a unique type of community bank. This paper provides an overview of mutual institutions and their place in the U.S. financial system. They generally earn lower returns on assets than stock community banks, but have higher-quality assets. Mutuals also failed less often between 2008 and 2014 than did stock community banks. From their 19th-century origins as providers of small-denomination savings accounts and the means of pooling funds to finance homeownership, to their dominance of U.S. mortgage finance for much of the 20th century, and to their strong performance during the recent financial crisis, mutuals remain an important segment of the community banking sector.
Last Updated: January 1, 2016