Concerned? Check Your Bank's Debt Level Online

A new report by msnbc.com and the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University in Washington states that while at the end of 2007, only 10 banks had more troubled loans than capital and reserves, by the end of the of the second quarter of 2008, that number rose to 297. While still a small percentage of the total number of banks covered by the FDIC, it's still troubling.

The analysis by the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University relies on information reported through June 30 by banks to the FDIC. American University calculated each bank's troubled asset ratio, which compares troubled loans against the bank's capital and loan loss reserves.

Loans that are 90 days or more overdue are considered troubled assets.

A bank with more troubled loans than money to cover potential losses has a troubled asset ratio greater than 100. The report shows that the highest percentage of banks with ratios over 100 were in Puerto Rico, where 30 percent of banks were in that situation. On the other hand, 16 states have no banks in that situation.

Want to know details about your bank? You can go to the Investigative Reporting Workshop's site and use their BankTracker. You can search for your bank, or even your credit union there.