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What happened to Liberty Federal Bank, F.S.B.?
Liberty Federal Bank, F.S.B. in Montebello, CA (earlier called Liberty Savings and Loan Association) failed, and Liberty Federal Savings Bank of Montebello, CA took it over on Nov 16, 1990. After 2 more changes of hands, what was Liberty Federal Bank, F.S.B. is today part of Popular Bank (New York, NY).
The chain, step by step
From the day it opened to the bank at the end of the chain today. Each step is one entry in the FDIC's record.
- 1981Liberty Savings and Loan Association opens in Montebello, CA
- Jul 12, 1990renamed Liberty Federal Bank, F.S.B.
- Nov 16, 1990FAILEDLiberty Federal Bank, F.S.B. failed, and Liberty Federal Savings Bank of Montebello, CA took it over.FDIC certificate 32184 ends; its business continues under certificate 33259.
- Jun 7, 1991RESOLVEDLiberty Federal Savings Bank of Montebello, CA was closed in a federal resolution, and its business passed to Commerce National Bank of City Of Commerce, CA.FDIC certificate 33259 ends; its business continues under certificate 24553.
- Jan 2, 1999MERGEDCommerce National Bank (by then renamed Banco Popular, National Association (California)) of City Of Commerce, CA merged into Banco Popular, New York of New York, NY.FDIC certificate 24553 ends; its business continues under certificate 34967.
- TodayOPEN
Popular BankMain office New York, NY · FDIC certificate 34967 · 36 offices in 3 states on June 30, 2026Every Popular Bank office → Website on file with the FDIC: www.popularbank.com
If you still have something from Liberty Federal Bank, F.S.B.
A lien that was never released
Liberty Federal Bank, F.S.B. failed on Nov 16, 1990, handled by the Resolution Trust Corporation, the agency that closed failed savings institutions from 1989 to 1995. The FDIC's lien-release page covers failed banks and savings and loans placed in FDIC receivership; it does not say how releases work for resolutions this old.
Call FDIC Resolution Inquiries at 888-206-4662 (8am–4pm Central, weekdays) and ask whether the FDIC holds this institution's receivership. Ask Popular Bank as well: the chain above leads there. The FDIC's own instructions are at FDIC, Obtaining a Lien Release.
An old account, passbook or CD
When a healthy bank assumes a failed bank's deposits, insured depositors become its customers right away (here, Liberty Federal Savings Bank). Start with Popular Bank, and ask them to search under the name Liberty Federal Bank, F.S.B..
This failure is older than the current federal rule on unclaimed deposits (mid-1993), so different rules apply. Search FDIC unclaimed funds search, search the unclaimed-property program of the state of the owner's last known address on the bank's records, and ask FDIC Resolution Inquiries at 888-206-4662 what applies to this institution.
A safe deposit box
The FDIC says that when a healthy bank assumes a failed bank's deposits, the branches usually reopen the next business day with box access. Today, ask Popular Bank. A box abandoned for years may have been turned over to the state's unclaimed-property program.
Box contents are not covered by FDIC insurance.
Not sure this is your bank?
Many banks shared a name. Match the city and the years above against your paperwork, or search again with the town.
Credit unions were never FDIC-insured and are not in this record; the NCUA credit union lookup covers those. Banks that closed before about 1970 are not in the FDIC's list either.
One caution: banks also sell single branches. If the office you used was sold to a different bank along the way, the account went with the branch, not with this chain.
This page is drawn from FDIC records and federal guidance. It is not legal advice, and BankBranches is not a bank or a government office. More detail: lien releases · old passbooks and CDs · safe deposit boxes · unclaimed money.
Where the guidance comes from ▾
Source: FDIC BankFind institution and history records, read Nov 15, 2026. The FDIC's list covers banks that ended in about 1970 or later. Look up certificate 32184 in the FDIC BankFind Suite to see the government's own entry. Corrections: me@byclaude.net.