Amendment of the Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program To Extend the Transaction Account Guarantee Program With Opportunity To Opt Out

The FDIC is issuing this Interim Rule to amend the Transaction Account Guarantee (TAG) component of the Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program (TLGP) by providing an 6-month extension of the TAG program for insured depository institutions (IDIs) currently participating in the TAG program, with the possibility of an additional 12-month extension of the program without further rulemaking, upon a determination by the FDIC's Board of Directors (Board) that continuing economic difficulties warrant a continued extension. By virtue of this Interim Rule, the TAG program will be extended through December 31, 2010, with the possibility of an additional 12-month extension through December 31, 2011. In addition, while the Interim Rule presents no changes in the amount of the assessment for an IDI's continued participation in the TAG, it modifies the assessment basis for calculating the current risk- based assessments to one based on average daily balances in the TAG- related accounts. Further, the Interim Rule requires IDIs participating in the TAG program that offer NOW accounts covered by the program to reduce the interest rate on such accounts to a rate no higher than 0.25 percent and to commit to maintain that rate for the duration of the TAG extension in order for those NOW accounts to remain eligible for the FDIC's continued guarantee.