Q. WHAT IS GRAYSTONE BANK'S FINANCIAL CONDITION?
A. Our financial condition is strong. Graystone Bank exceeds the capital levels required to be considered "well-capitalized" under applicable FDIC regulations. (In order to be considered well-capitalized, a bank must have a total risk-based capital to assets ratio of at least 10% and meet other designated capital ratios). Moreover, we have experienced strong earnings over the prior year. Detailed information about out financial performance is available through the FDIC's website at www.fdic.gov by selecting "Call & Thrift Financial Reports" and entering "Graystone Bank." Customers can also access financial information regarding our parent holding company, Graystone Financial Corp., in the Investor Relations portion of our website.
Q. HAS GRAYSTONE BANK PARTICIPATED IN SUBPRIME LENDING?
A. We have not participated in any aspect of the so-called "subprime" lending market. We do not offer, either through the Bank or through Graystone Mortgage, LLC, high-risk mortgage products such as 110% mortgage loans or reverse mortgages.
Q. WHAT IS THE QUALITY OF GRAYSTONE BANK'S LOAN AND INVESTMENT PORTFOLIOS?
A. Our loan portfolio is strong, with low levels of loans that are not being repaid on time in relation to our peer institutions. We have not engaged in lending outside of the local markets where we live and work. Our investment portfolio consists of all AAA-rated investments.
Q. ARE MY DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS INSURED BY THE FDIC?
A. Your deposit account with the Bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) up to a maximum of $250,000 per separately insured depositor through December 31, 2009 and up to a maximum of $250,000 for certain self-directed retirement accounts. For additional information regarding FDIC insurance, please refer to the "FDIC-Insuring Your Deposits" brochure, which is available at any Graystone Bank branch or visit the FDIC's website at www.fdic.gov.
Q. HOW DOES GRAYSTONE BANK PROTECT CUSTOMERS?
A. At Graystone Bank, one of our greatest responsibilities is keeping your financial information secure. We are committed and always working to protect you and your information. To do this, we use secure transmission mechanisms to encrypt communications that may contain your confidential data. We also use firewalls, anti-virus protection, and pass codes as additional safety measures to protect your account(s). In addition, Graystone operates under an information security policy that's purpose is to protect the security and confidentiality of your information. The Graystone information security policy is subject to ongoing regulatory oversight and examination. Every Graystone employee goes through annual privacy training, so you can be assured that you are protected at Graystone Bank.
Q. HOW DO I KNOW A WEBSITE IS SECURE?
A. It is important to look for the "https" in the website address to help determine that the site you are viewing is an authentic site. In addition, authentic sites have a security certificate that you should be able to view somewhere on the site. When utilizing the Graystone Bank Online Banking portal, you will notice a lock in the lower right area of your browser window. This lock is a symbol that the Graystone Online Banking site is secure. If you double-click on the lock, the security certificate will appear.
Q. I HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT CHECK CARD FRAUD ON THE NEWS LATELY. HOW DOES GRAYSTONE PROTECT ITS' CUSTOMERS FROM SUCH FRAUD?
A. Graystone Bank has an extensive fraud detection program that allows us to look for irregular transactions or activity on a frequent and regular basis, and then notify our customers if any suspicious activity is detected. Because of the program and the constant review, you can be assured that we catch any suspicious activity quickly - protecting you and your account(s).