Question and Answer Guide

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Horizon Bank, Bellingham, WA

On January 8, 2010, Horizon Bank, Bellingham, WA, was closed by the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was then named Receiver. Subsequent to the closure, Washington Federal Savings and Loan Association, Seattle, WA, acquired substantially all the deposits and assets of Horizon Bank from the FDIC as Receiver for Horizon Bank. Any claims by equity holders were not acquired. Share price does not trigger a bank closing and was not the reason for Horizon Bank's failure.

The total balance in your account(s) has been transferred to Washington Federal Savings and Loan Association and will be available for transactions during regular business hours at the former Horizon Bank branches starting on Saturday, January 9, 2010.

You may continue to use your same checks, ATM cards and debit cards until notified.

All Direct Deposits, including Social Security checks, will continue as usual.

1. Account(s): What about my account with Horizon Bank?

If you had an account with Horizon Bank, you now have an account with Washington Federal Savings and Loan Association, Seattle, WA. All deposit accounts, which include checking, savings, money market, CDs and retirement accounts, have been transferred to Washington Federal Savings and Loan Association, regardless of the dollar amount. No one, including Canadian depositors, lost any money on deposit in Horizon Bank.

Customers of both banks should continue to use their existing branches until Washington Federal Savings and Loan Association can fully integrate the deposit records of Horizon Bank.

To forewarn you of any scams, please be advised that you will not receive any e-mail notification from the FDIC, the Receiver, or Washington Federal Savings and Loan Association to claim/unlock/unsuspend your account or to provide any private information. Please be watchful for and resist any such scams to obtain information from you by individuals or entities purporting to act on behalf of Horizon Bank or the FDIC.

2. ATM/debit card and/or Billpay: What about my ATM/debit card and/or bill paying with Horizon Bank?

Your ATM/debit card will continue to work, and bill paying will work as it has in the past.

3. Brokered Deposits: I am a deposit broker or have brokered deposits. What do I do?

As an All-Deposit Transfer transaction, the total of all deposit accounts, excluding the Cede & Co. brokered deposits, have been assumed by Washington Federal Savings and Loan Association. The FDIC retained the Cede & Co. brokered deposits and will pay those accounts off directly.

Be advised, however, that from and after the date of closing, Washington Federal Savings and Loan Association will accrue and pay interest on deposit liabilities at a rate it shall determine; accordingly, Washington Federal Savings and Loan Association shall permit depositors, including brokered depositors, impacted by reduced rates to withdraw their deposits without penalty for early withdrawal.

If you are a customer who has a Horizon Bank deposit through a broker, you must contact your broker with any questions.

4. Direct Deposits - Government Deposits: What will happen to my direct deposits?

Direct Deposits, including Social Security checks, will continue as normal.

5. Existing Deposits at Washington Federal Savings and Loan Association: I already have other deposit accounts with the new bank. When combined with balances at this bank, my deposits exceed $250,000. Are all funds insured?

The accounts transferred to Washington Federal Savings and Loan Association will be separately insured for at least six months after the merger. This grace period gives a depositor the opportunity to restructure the accounts, if necessary.

CDs from the failed bank are separately insured until the earliest maturity date after the end of the six-month grace period.

CDs that mature during the six-month period and are renewed for the same term and in the same dollar amount (either with or without accrued interest) continue to be separately insured until the first maturity date after the six-month period.

If a CD matures during the six-month grace period and is renewed on any other basis, it would be separately insured only until the end of the six-month grace period.

6. Interest Rates, Early Withdrawal Penalty: Will I continue to earn interest at the same rate? Will I be charged an early withdrawal penalty?

Interest on all deposits accrued through January 8, 2010, will be paid at your same rate. Washington Federal Savings and Loan Association will review rates and notify you if interest rates will change. Your interest rate may be reduced.

You may withdraw funds from any transferred account without an early withdrawal penalty until you enter into a new deposit agreement with your new bank.

7. Loans/mortgages: What about my loan or mortgage with Horizon Bank?

All mortgages and loans have been assumed by Washington Federal Savings and Loan Association. Your payment amount and due date are the same. If you are having your payment deducted from your account, it will continue as it has in the past. You should continue to make your checks payable to Horizon Bank and send your payments to the same address.

8. Loans in Process: What happens if I had a loan in process that had not closed or a line of credit not fully funded?

You should contact your loan officer. All prior contacts remain the same.

9. Media: I represent a TV/Newspaper/Radio and would like some information.

Please contact the Office of Public Affairs:

David Barr
1-202-898-6992
dbarr@fdic.gov

10. Outstanding Checks: What about checks that I have written on my account with Horizon Bank?

Your checks will clear up to the available balance in your account. You may continue to use your existing checks.

11. Safe Deposit Boxes: How can I claim the contents of my safe deposit box?

It is business as usual. You may go to your local branch and access your safe deposit box; however, no action on your part is required because of this transaction.

12. Shareholders: What about my shares of stock?

All shares of Horizon Bank were owned by its holding company, Horizon Financial Corp., Bellingham, WA. The holding company was not included in the closing of the bank or the resulting receivership. If you are a shareholder of Horizon Financial Corp., please do not contact or file a claim with the Receiver. Any questions should be directed to Thomas A. Sterken, Esq., of Keller Rohrback LLP, the Registered Agent of Horizon Financial Corp. as indicated below:

Thomas A. Sterken, Esq.
Keller Rohrback LLP
Registered Agent of Horizon Financial Corp
1201 3rd Avenue, Suite 3200
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 623-1900

13. Transaction Types: Why do all deposits, insured or not, pass in some transactions but not in others?

The FDIC is required by law to employ the least-cost resolution measure for each failed financial institution. The most frequent result had been for the FDIC to transfer only the insured deposits in a Purchase and Assumption transaction; however, the temporary increase in the deposit insurance limit has assisted in the transfer of all deposits more often in the past year.

14. Unpaid Bills: I did some work for the bank and have not been paid. What should I do?

All claims against Horizon Bank, together with proof of the claims, must be submitted in writing to the Receiver at the following address:

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Receiver: Horizon Bank
40 Pacifica, Suite 1000
Irvine, CA 92618
Attention: Claims Agent