For many of us, finding a local bank consists of locating nearby branches, surfing banking websites, and maybe visiting bank branch offices. For businesses, the task may be more complicated, based on existing relationships or referrals.

In the case of both business and personal banking, we often neglect researching bank assets, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) certification, and the number of branches in our locale.

To answer all of these questions, and more, The FDIC offers a directory of FDIC certified institutions, with information about total assets, specialized categories, and branch offices. For personal and business banking, this resource is particularly helpful if you are looking at a smaller regional bank and have concerns about long-term solvency, the number of branch offices, or certification. At the minimum, the FDIC directory is worth a few minutes before beginning what may be a very long-term relationship.

For a list of primarily national banks, visit the Banking Services category in the Moneysmartz Directory.