NR 2000-89
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE			
Contact: Robert M. Garsson
(202) 874-5770
November 30, 2000				   

OCC Announces Assessment Schedule for 2001

WASHINGTON -- The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency 
announced today that its assessment schedule for 2001 will 
reflect a reinstatement of the inflation adjustment that was 
suspended six years ago. The 2 percent inflation adjustment will 
apply only to the first $20 billion of a bank's assets.

"The fee reductions implemented by the OCC beginning in 1995, 
including the suspension of the inflation adjustment, are now 
saving national banks $90 million a year," said Edward J. 
Hanley, Senior Deputy Comptroller for Administration.  "However, 
the cost of living has increased more  than 16 percent since that 
time and that affects the cost of everything we do.  This modest 
adjustment to our assessment schedule will ensure that we have 
the resources we need to carry out our supervisory 
responsibilities."

Mr. Hanley said the majority of the banks supervised by the OCC -
- those with assets of $100 million or less -- would experience 
an assessment increase of no more than $772.  Many banks will pay 
less, he added.   The assessments for a $20 million bank, for 
example, will rise by $266. 

In 1995, the OCC reduced assessments by 6 percent and suspended 
inflation indexing. Assessments were reduced an additional 3 
percent in 1996, and in 1997 assessments for non-lead banks were 
lowered by 12 percent.

The OCC's assessment regulation authorizes rate adjustments up to 
the amount of the increase in the Gross Domestic Product Implicit 
Price Deflator for the 12 months ending in June.  For the 12-
month period ending June 30, 2000, that inflation index rose by 
2.01 percent.

The OCC also announced that it is changing the way it assesses 
independent trust banks to better reflect the overall scope of 
the operation of such institutions.  Under the change, a new 
component of the assessment paid by independent trust banks will 
be based on the volume of assets they manage for customers.

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The OCC charters, regulates and examines approximately 2,300 national banks and 
56 federal branches of foreign banks in the U.S., accounting for more than 56 
percent of the nation's banking assets. Its mission is to ensure a safe and 
sound and competitive national banking system that supports the citizens, 
communities and economy of the United States.