Brokers at several large investment banks today began syndicating a 6.50% syndicated structured note that will close later this month. The note, which pays quarterly, is conditioned on (a) 6 month US LIBOR being greater than 0 and less than 6%, and (b) the S&P falling by no more than 25% from its close date of June 28, 2013. Interest will not accrue on those days where these conditions are not met. The notes have final maturity in 2028 and are callable in 5 years.

Bank-issued structured notes should not be viewed as an equivalent to placing money in a savings account or even in a CD. They are much more similar to a bond and can fit well in a portfolio designed to generate income with low risk. Ordinarily, structured notes provide much higher yield than you can otherwise obtain on a similar credit. The holder receives the higher coupon as consideration for assuming the risks of the payment conditions.

Under these circumstances, the holder of the notes is prepared to forego interest if the stock market should come down and remain dramatically below its current levels or if 6 month LIBOR were to spike dramatically above current levels.

6 month LIBOR, of course, is not likely to spike from its current exceptionally low levels to a level above 6% at any time in the near future, but it is very likely to head there at some point over the next 15 years. It was consistently above 6% in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and again in 1994 and 1995. It was also intermittently above 6% in 1998, in 1999 and in 2000. It approached but did not cross 6% in June of 2006. In a normalized environment, it could easily get to that level again, and in a very high interest rate environment these notes could easily be rendered free of any obligation for JP Morgan Chase to pay interest for long periods of time.

Therefore, these notes may play a role in a portfolio, but are not an alternative to cash. My advice is that investors put 10-20% of their non-equity liquid asset base that they cannot afford to lose in the highest quality (i.e., JP Morgan issued) structured notes and/or municipal bonds while long term interest rates have spiked up. This will serve as a partial hedge against savings and CD rates continuing at such a low level for a significant, continued period of time.

Those interested in this particular note should search CUSIP 48126DX61/US48126DX615.

They say everything in life is negotiable. So, with that in mind, I decided to see just how far I could get trying to negotiate a better rate at the bank.

To start, I had some money that I wanted to keep safe over the next 12 to 18 months. That meant no stock market or other risky investment. Before approaching banks, I took a look at the best online rates to serve as a benchmark and a negotiating lever. I also felt a bit pessimistic. Because banks are awash in cash following the financial crisis, now is a particularly difficult time to ask them for extra yield or perks. But I wanted to try.

As a first step, I contacted several banks via media query to see if they wanted to talk about negotiating with customers. Charlie Crawford, CEO & Chairman of Private Bank of Buckhead provided some useful insight. He told me that:

“Consumers should know that most financial institutions, and particularly those with a high-touch service model, are looking for a "total relationship;" that is, your bank wants to hold your accounts and help you with other products, but it also wants an opportunity to lend you money, whether that is through an SBA or other business loan or for an automobile or home loan. Rate shoppers who have a CD at one bank, a checking account at another and a mortgage at yet another may not actually save money because they are not taking advantage of a *total banking relationship* in which a banker who actually knows them tailors a menu of services just for them and works with the client to ensure a "win" for all parties on an ongoing basis. If a banker can work with a client on that total relationship, they may be more apt to waive fees wherever they can.”

In other words, the more business you bring a bank, the more they will reward you. This is called relationship banking.

According to Mr. Crawford, “there is room to negotiate with a bank if rate-shopping on one product is not your ultimate goal. But if you are just trying to get the best rate on one product (say, a CD) without looking at the big picture - the total-banking relationship I talked about - a bank likely will not be able to work with you on fees and such.”

Testing Negotiation Out in the Field

As a second step, I wanted to take the money I wished to deposit, and shop it around to see what banks would be willing to pay. I visited three banks –a small community bank, a medium sized regional bank, and a mega-bank.

For each of these banks I told them I had money to deposit, I wanted to keep it safe for 12 to 18 months, and that I had already researched rates for the online banks.

Community Bank

The community bank was eager for my business and thought that a special 15 month CD would be the right product. The CD rate, although high for brick-and-mortar standards, was significantly below some of the best online savings rates, nevermind the top CD rates. I brought this up and asked if they would be willing to negotiate the rate. I also told her I had a personal account which I’d be willing to move (true) and a business account (true). She first tried to convince me that opening an online account was not the best option for me because I didn’t have access to my money. For some people this might be a valid concern but I am comfortable online and don’t mind sending my cash into cyberspace. Then, she did tell me that if I deposited enough money and brought my personal and business checking accounts over, she could get her regional manager to discuss the rate. Bingo. I didn’t want to escalate the conversation yet, since I was still in research mode but at least I knew there was an opportunity to negotiate.

Overall, speaking with her was a very pleasant experience and I appreciated her willingness to entertain a negotiation based on what I brought to the table.

Medium Sized Bank

The medium sized regional bank could not compete in any way with the online rates. The banker made a half hearted effort to convince me that a local bank was better than online. She told me that if I wanted to get an “online like” rate I would need to speak to their investment advisor. Of course, investments usually mean a potential for loss and so I was not interested in that. No negotiation. She did try to sell me a checking account and home equity in the process though.

Mega-Bank

I walked into the mega-bank, sat down with the Assistant Branch Manager and told her my story. The bank’s rates were extremely low. I told her the online rates and she smiled and told me that they can’t come close. Game over. I asked if they negotiate – no. I told her I’d be willing to consider bringing them more business – no. She was very polite but it was clear that nothing I could do was going to get me a higher rate.

Bottom Line: Banks aren’t desperate for your cash so they are not eager to negotiate. They do want your lending and checking business so that is the leverage you have. And based on my three bank sample, the smaller banks seem more willing to negotiate than the bigger banks. The mega-banks – forget about it.

Have you negotiated successfully with a bank? Do you have any useful tactics? If so, please help the community and share them below.

• Find the best savings account rates

Bank failures can be messy for depositors. The bank can be closed over several days, a great rate can be lost, and a depositor can wind up at a bank they never selected. Last week we took a look at the safest states to bank according to the Texas ratio, a widely used number that correlates well with bank failures. Now, we’ll look at the ten states with the least safe banks. The idea is not panic anyone. Even the least safe states have strong insitutions that will not fail. And while everyone should know some basic health stats on where the park their money, this is especially true for depistors in states with banks that are stressed.

To determine our list of least safe states, we generated the average Texas ratio for each state. The Texas ratio measures the amount of capital and reserves a bank has to cover loans gone bad. If a bank can't cover its bad loans, then it is insolvent and will eventually be closed.

The ten banks with the highest Texas ratios (the higher the Texas ratio, the greater the change for bank failure) are:

Ten States with the Least Safe Banks

1. Georgia
2. Oklahoma
3. South Carolina
4. North Carolina
5. Florida
6. Maryland
7. Illinois
8. Alabama
9. Arkansas
10. Tennessee

To prevent the mega-banks from distorting the state-by-state numbers the analysis only included banks with assets below $10 billion.

As the data shows, six of the ten states came from the South, where rapid population growth in several states increased speculation and led to a lending boom and bust.

Bank Closings

Now, let's look at how the Texas ratio matches up with some real data. The chart above shows bank closings to-date for 2013. Notice how Georgia, Florida, and Illinois lead the list as predicted by the list. But some of the other states like Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Maryland haven’t seen a single closing so far. The Texas ratio is directional rather than exact and just because a state is on the list, doesn’t mean it will experience drastic bank failures. If you have money deposited in a bank in one of these states, it is especially prudent to check on the health and safety of the institution. Depositors in any state should be on top of the health and safety of where they deposit their money. You can do this on BestCashCow by clicking searching for the bank at the top of the screen and then checking its Financial Details tab (click to view an example for Brookline Bank).

Why does any of this matter with FDIC coverage?

In 2013 alone, thirteen banks have failed through May 14. In the event of a bank failure:

• Not all deposits are covered. According to the FDIC, up to 20% of deposits in U.S. banks are not covered by FDIC insurance because deposits are over the $250,000 limit. In the event of a bank failure depositors can, and have lost money.
• Great rates might not be honored. Banks that fail are often acquired by stronger institutions. But these institutions do not need to honor prior CD rates and other terms from the failed bank.
• It can be inconvenient. While the FDIC generally moves quickly when taking over a failed bank, there can be a several day disruption and lack of access to cash. Depending on the timing this could be a major or minor inconvenience. A depositor of a failed bank may also find themselves a member of another institution that they never chose and prefer not to bank with.

What To Do if Your Bank Has a High Texas Ratio

In general, if you look at a profile on BestCashCow you want your bank’s Texas Ratio to be below 100%. If it’s over 100% then it is an indication that the bank does not have adequate reserves and capital to cover all of its potential losses. A bank’s Texas ratio in excess of 200% is a flashing warning sign. Ideally, your bank would fall somewhere near the national average. If it's below that national average, that's great. You can also look at the Texas ratio trend. Is it going up or down? If up, then your bank maybe accumulating bad loans, not a good sign.

If your bank is above the national average, and especially if its Texas ratio is over 100%, then it would be wise to check that all of your deposits are FDIC insured. Use the FDIC’s deposit insurance tool to make sure you are covered. If you have deposits not insured, move them to another bank so that they are fully insured.