If your bank is acquired by another institution, the change may be a seamless process that has little to no impact on your life. At most, you may need to remember a new company name. In other situations, a takeover can mean a flood of changes that can be overwhelmingly inconvenient and take several days to several weeks to resolve. If you have to accept a new account number, you may need to acquire new checks. You will need to notify anyone doing business with your old account number and update any online accounts linked to your bank account.   In the best case scenario, you may be able to use the checks and debit cards you already possess, and no checks will fail to clear your account. You will be able to do business as usual, keep your safe deposit box, and expect direct deposits to continue normally.   In other cases, there may be a delay in access to your account as items like debit cards are switched over. You may receive a new payment address and account number for loans. You may have to register and complete the online banking process all over again. Rates and fees may change. In some situations, you may have to deal with an out-of-state bank. Branches may close, and familiar employees may be laid off or move to different jobs. Ongoing applications for loans may require customers to follow up with their loan officer to see if the process will be affected.    In the case of a federal takeover of a bank or bank failure, accounts within the limits protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) should remain protected, and customers should not lose those deposits. If you have funds in both the acquired bank and the institution taking over, there is usually a grace period wherein all of your accounts will be separately insured, allowing customers time to restructure those accounts.   Consumers should remain vigilant against “phishing” schemes that may accompany bank mergers or takeovers. To avoid scams, do not give out personal information through email or over the phone to confirm or update your account.    For more information, see:   --      Bank Acquisition Information Question and Answer Guide:  http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/wamu_q_and_a.html --      Failed Bank List and Information for Customers:  http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/index.html --      FTC Consumer Alert: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt089.shtm