All Banks Are Not Equal
So you have met the woman you want to marry, and you plan to take her out to dinner to propose! Surely you are going to take her to a 5 star restaurant, that is if you want her to say yes. Shouldn’t where your money is be just as important?  Knowing the star-rating of any banks or credit unions at which you have deposits is the simplest and most reliable way to decide where you place your money. Do your due diligence before choosing a bank or credit union.
If all banks are FDIC (insured by the government), wouldn’t your money be safe in any one of them? There are significant advantages to knowing where your bank stands even if they are federally insured. Whether it be a personal or business checking account, knowing the viability of your bank is important. If your bank fails, it is possible for you to experience many unwanted issues, such as the return of any outstanding checks you may have which could have a domino effect on every area of your life, especially your relationship to those who trust that your check will be honored.
As far as the results are concerned, the most popular five-star rating system is readily understandable:
| 5 Stars | Superior |
| 4 Stars | Excellent |
| 3 1/2 Stars | Good |
| 3 Stars | Adequate |
| 2 Stars | Problematic |
| 1 Star | Troubled |
When it comes to your money, all decisions have great significance and are essential to your peace of mind. You will often find a higher star rating in a small business bank rather than large bank where you get lost as a customer. Star ratings rely on data reported to federal regulators and are based on asset size, net worth, tangible capital ratio, risked-based capitol ratio, and year-to-date net income, to name a few. Understanding the method used to ascertain these determinations on your financial institution can be daunting. But have hope, there are independent institutions out there which are uniquely qualified to supply you with the information you need to make a well-informed choice.