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Question and Answer Guide

Colonial Bank, Montgomery AL

En Español

FDIC Call Center
Toll free number 1-800-405-8739
Hours of Operation – Central Time
Friday, August 14, 2009: Until 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 15, 2009: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, August 16, 2009: Noon – 6:00 p.m.
Thereafter: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

On Friday, August 14, 2009, Colonial Bank, Montgomery, AL, was closed by the Alabama State Banking Department. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was then named Receiver. Subsequent to the closure, Branch Banking and Trust Company, (BB&T), Winston-Salem, NC, acquired substantially all the deposits and assets of Colonial Bank from the FDIC as Receiver for Colonial Bank. Any claims by equity holders were not acquired. Share price does not trigger a bank closing and was not the reason for Colonial Bank’s failure.

The total balance in your account(s) has been transferred to BB&T and will be available for transactions during regular business hours at the former Colonial Bank branches. Each location will operate by the same schedule it did prior to this transaction.

You may continue to use your same checks, ATM cards and debit cards until notified.

All Direct Deposits, including Social Security checks, will continue as usual.

Account(s): What about my account with Colonial Bank?

If you had an account with Colonial Bank, you now have an account with BB&T. All deposit accounts, which include checking, savings, money market, CDs and retirement accounts, have been transferred to BB&T, regardless of the dollar amount. No one lost any money on deposit in Colonial Bank.

Customers of both banks should continue to use their existing branches until BB&T can fully integrate the deposit records of Colonial Bank.

To forewarn you of any scams, please be advised that you will not receive any e-mail notification from the FDIC, the Receiver, or BB&T to claim/unlock/unsuspend your account or to provide any private information. Please be watchful for and resist any such scams to obtain information from you by individuals or entities purporting to act on behalf of Colonial Bank.


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ATM/debit card and/or Billpay: What about my ATM/debit card and/or bill paying with Colonial Bank?

Your ATM/debit card will continue to work, and bill paying will work as it has in the past.


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Brokered Deposits: I am a deposit broker or have brokered deposits. What do I do?

As an All-Deposit Transfer transaction, the total of all deposit accounts, including brokered deposits, have been assumed by BB&T.

Be advised, however, that from and after the date of closing, BB&T will accrue and pay interest on deposit liabilities at a rate it shall determine; accordingly, BB&T shall permit depositors, including brokered depositors, impacted by reduced rates to withdraw their deposits without penalty for early withdrawal.

If you are a customer who has a Colonial Bank deposit through a broker, you must contact your broker with any questions.


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Direct Deposits - Government Deposits: What will happen to my direct deposits?

Direct Deposits, including Social Security checks, will continue as normal.


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Existing Deposits at BB&T: I already have other deposit accounts with the new bank.  When combined with balances at this bank, my deposits exceed $250,000.  Are all funds insured?

The accounts transferred to BB&T will be separately insured for at least six months after the merger. This grace period gives a depositor the opportunity to restructure the accounts, if necessary.

CDs from the failed bank are separately insured until the earliest maturity date after the end of the six-month grace period.

CDs that mature during the six-month period and are renewed for the same term and in the same dollar amount (either with or without accrued interest) continue to be separately insured until the first maturity date after the six-month period.

If a CD matures during the six-month grace period and is renewed on any other basis, it would be separately insured only until the end of the six-month grace period.


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Interest Rates, Early Withdrawal Penalty: Will I continue to earn interest at the same rate?  Will I be charged an early withdrawal penalty?

All interest on insured deposits accrued through Friday, August 14, 2009, will be paid at your same rate. BB&T will review rates and notify you if interest rates will change.

You may withdraw funds from any transferred account without an early withdrawal penalty until you enter into a new deposit agreement with your new bank. Entering into a new deposit agreement can be done by either renewing your CD or making a deposit to or a withdrawal from your account.


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Loans/mortgages: What about my loan or mortgage with Colonial Bank?

Your payment amount and due date remain the same. If you pay by check, you should continue to make your checks payable to Colonial Bank and send your payments to the same address. If your payment is deducted from your account, that payment procedure will continue as it has in the past. You may contact your loan officer to determine whether your loan is now held by BB&T or by FDIC as Receiver for Colonial Bank.


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Loans in Process: What happens if I had a loan in process that had not closed or a line of credit not fully funded?

You should contact your loan officer. All prior contacts remain the same.


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Media: I represent a TV/Newspaper/Radio and would like some information.

Please contact the Office of Public Affairs:

Andrew Gray
1-202-494-1049.
angray@fdic.gov


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Outstanding Checks: What about checks that I have written on my account with Colonial Bank?

Your checks will clear up to the available balance in your account. You can continue to use your existing checks.


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Safe Deposit Boxes: How can I claim the contents of my safe deposit box?

It is business as usual. You can go to your local branch and access your safe deposit box; however, no action on your part is required because of this transaction.


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Shareholders: What about my shares of stock?

All shares of Colonial Bank were owned by its holding company, The Colonial BancGroup, Inc., Montgomery, AL. The holding company was not included in the closing of the bank or the resulting receivership. If you are a shareholder of The Colonial BancGroup, Inc., please do not contact or file a claim with the Receiver. You may contact The Colonial BancGroup, Inc., directly for information as follows:

The Colonial BancGroup, Inc.
P.O. Box 1108
Montgomery, AL
1-334-676-5151 (pre-recorded message)


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Transaction Types: Why do all deposits, insured or not, pass in some transactions but not in others?

The FDIC is required by law to employ the least-cost resolution measure for each failed financial institution. The most frequent result is for the FDIC to transfer only the insured deposits in a merger transaction. The FDIC has been able to transfer all deposits in about 25% of the failures over the past 15 years.


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Unpaid Bills: I did some work for the bank and have not been paid. What should I do?

All claims against Colonial Bank, together with proof of the claims, must be submitted in writing to the Receiver at the following address:

FDIC as Receiver for Colonial Bank
1601 Bryan Street
Dallas, TX 75201
Attention: Claims Agent


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SCAMS: Be watchful for and resistant to any scams to obtain information from you by individuals or entities stating that they are acting on behalf of either the failed bank, new bank, or the FDIC. Should you be contacted by anyone requesting personal information from you related to this event, please contact the call center above and you will be directed to the appropriate person.

For more information: www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/colonial-al.html


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