Skip to content
SuperMoney logo
SuperMoney logo

The Basics of the Federal Reserve System (FRS) and Understanding the U.S. Central Banking System

Last updated 03/20/2024 by

SuperMoney Team

Edited by

Fact checked by

Summary:
The Federal Reserve System (FRS), or the Fed, is the central bank of the United States, responsible for controlling the country’s monetary and financial system. The FRS was established in 1913 with the aim of creating a stable, flexible, and safe financial system, following the financial panic of 1907. The FRS is comprised of a board of seven members and 12 regional banks, responsible for different geographic areas of the country. The FRS’s duties include supervising and regulating financial institutions, conducting monetary policy, maintaining financial stability, and providing essential financial services, such as operating the Fedwire payments system. Understanding the role of the FRS can provide insight into the complex workings of the US financial system and its global influence.

What is federal reserve system (FED)

The Federal Reserve System, also known as the Fed, is a central bank responsible for controlling the production and distribution of money and credit in the United States. Established in 1913 after the financial panic of 1907, the Fed’s goal was to create a stable, flexible, and safe monetary and financial system. It is comprised of seven board members and 12 regional banks, each responsible for a specific geographic area of the country. The Fed’s main duties include conducting national monetary policy, supervising and regulating banking institutions, maintaining financial system stability, and providing essential financial services. The Fed also operates the Fedwire payments system, processes trillions of dollars in transactions between banks every day, and is a major regulator of the country’s financial institutions.
Have you ever wondered about what organization controls the monetary and financial system of the United States? The Federal Reserve System, also known as the Fed was established with the aim of providing a safe, flexible, and stable monetary system. Today, the Fed is the most influential financial institution in the world.
The Fed is made up of a board consisting of seven members, who are responsible for making crucial decisions regarding the nation’s monetary policy. In addition to this, there are 12 Federal Reserve banks, each with its own president representing a different district.
Together, the board and the banks work to ensure the smooth running of the country’s economy by supervising and regulating financial institutions, implementing monetary policy, and conducting research on economic and financial issues. This powerful organization has a major impact on the financial well-being of individuals and businesses alike.
By understanding the role of the Federal Reserve System, you can gain insight into the complex workings of the United States’ financial system and its global influence.

Getting to know the Federal Reserve System (FRS)

Get ready to learn about one of the most important institutions in the United States’ economy – the Federal Reserve System (FRS)! It’s a central bank, which means it has the power to control the production and distribution of money and credit for the country. The Fed is responsible for making decisions that influence economic growth and stability, such as setting interest rates, regulating banks, and supervising financial institutions. The FRS is made up of 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks, each responsible for a specific geographic area of the country.
The creation of the Federal Reserve System in 1913 was a response to the financial panic of 1907, which caused economic disruptions due to bank failures and business bankruptcies. The U.S. was the only major financial power without a central bank at the time, and repeated financial panics made it clear that one was needed to prevent future disruptions. The Fed was established with the goal of creating a safe, flexible, and stable monetary and financial system. It has since become one of the most powerful financial institutions in the world, with broad powers to regulate banks and ensure financial stability. As the primary regulator of banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System, it acts as the lender of last resort to member institutions that have no other place to borrow from. Its mandate is to ensure there is financial stability in the system, and it is the main regulator of the country’s financial institutions.
The Federal Reserve System operates through 12 regional Federal Banks, which are situated across major cities in the United States. These cities include Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Richmond, Atlanta, Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Dallas, and San Francisco.

Federal Reserve System insights

The Federal Reserve System’s main source of income might be surprising to some. Did you know that it comes from interest charges on U.S. government securities it acquires through open market operations? That’s just one of the ways the Fed earns revenue. The other sources include interest on foreign currency investments, loans to depository institutions, and fees for services such as check clearing and fund transfers. Once expenses are paid, the remaining earnings are transferred to the U.S. Treasury.
But that’s not all the Fed does. It also operates the Fedwire payments system, which processes trillions of dollars in transactions between banks every day. These transactions must be settled by the end of the day, which has prompted the Fed to encourage large financial institutions to improve real-time monitoring of payments and credit risk. By doing so, they hope to prevent a repeat of the financial crisis that shook the global economy in 2008.

The Federal Reserve Systems duties and goals

The Federal Reserve has a dual mandate for its monetary policy goals, which are aimed at promoting stable prices and sustainable maximum employment in the economy. Achieving these two goals is critical to ensuring a healthy economy and a stable financial system.
The Federal Reserve System has a wide range of duties, which can be broadly classified into four main categories.
  • First, it conducts national monetary policy by managing monetary and credit conditions in the US economy to achieve maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates.
  • Second, it supervises and regulates banking institutions to ensure the safety of the US financial system and protect consumers’ credit rights.
  • Third, it maintains financial system stability and manages systemic risk.
  • The fourth and final category is providing essential financial services, such as operating the national payments system and serving depository institutions such as the US government, and foreign official institutions.

Understanding the Federal Reserve System’s organization

The Federal Reserve Board of Governors consists of seven members appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, serving a maximum of 14 years with a staggered two-year term to prevent the concentration of power. The appointments are intended to represent diverse sectors of the U.S. economy, ensuring a well-rounded perspective on monetary policy decisions.
Note that as of June 7, 2022, only one board seat remains empty.
Fed Governors (as of June 2022)
Chair
Jerome H. Powell
Vice-Chair
Michael S. Barr
Board Member
Michelle W. Bowman
Board Member
Lisa D. Cook
Board Member
Philip N. Jefferson
Board Member
Christopher J. Waller
Board Member
Seat Currently Empty
Source: Federal Reserve
The 12 regional banks of the Federal Reserve System also have their own presidents, in addition to the governors on the Fed’s board. Each bank is located in a different Federal Reserve district.
Fed Regional Bank Presidents (as of March 2023)
Name of President
Bank Location-District
Susan M. Collins
Boston-1
John C. Williams
New York-2
Patrick T. Harker
Philadelphia-3
Loretta J. Mester
Cleveland-4
Thomas I. Barkin
Richmond-5
Raphael W. Bostic
Atlanta-6
Austan D. Goolsbee
Chicago-7
James Bullard
St. Louis-8
Neel Kashkari
Minneapolis-9
Esther L. George
Kansas City-10
Lorie K. Logan
Dallas-11
Mary C. Daly
San Francisco-12
Source: Federal Reserve

How independent is the Federal Reserve System?

Central bank independence has been a topic of debate for many years. Those who advocate for independence believe that monetary policy should be entirely separate from government influence. This is because politicians often make short-sighted decisions that can cause long-term economic harm. On the other hand, critics argue that the government and central banks must work closely together to ensure regulatory oversight and coordination of economic policy.
The Federal Reserve is considered independent because its decision-making is not influenced by the president or other government officials. However, the Fed is still accountable to Congress and must adhere to the government’s economic and fiscal goals. In this way, the Fed attempts to maintain a balance between independence and accountability.
Demands for transparency and accountability have risen due to fears about the expansion of the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet and risky bailouts for firms such as AIG. In fact, calls for a Federal Reserve audit have been made in Washington, which could potentially compromise the independent status of the U.S. central bank. Despite this, the Fed is still considered to be independent as its decisions are not required to be ratified.

Comparing the Federal Reserve System (FRS) to the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)

The Federal Reserve Board of Governors is tasked with determining the reserve requirements for banks, which dictates the amount of money banks must keep on hand in case of a sudden influx of withdrawals. They are also responsible for setting the discount rate, the interest rate charged by the Fed on loans given to commercial banks and financial institutions.
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), on the other hand, is the primary monetary policymaking body of the Federal Reserve. It manages open market operations, including the buying and selling of government securities. The FOMC is composed of the Board of Governors, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and four other regional Federal Reserve Bank presidents on a rotating basis.
The committee is responsible for three monetary policy objectives: maximizing employment, stabilizing prices, and moderating long-term interest rates. The first two objectives are referred to as the Fed’s dual mandate. Recently, there have been concerns regarding transparency and accountability in the Federal Reserve, particularly after its balance sheet expansion and risky bailouts for companies such as AIG. This has led to calls for increased oversight and a potential audit of the Federal Reserve, which could have implications for its independent status.
Quantitative easing, or QE for short, is a monetary policy tool employed by central banks worldwide, including the Fed. It aims to boost economic activity, increase investment, and lower interest rates by expanding private credit. This is achieved through decisions made by the FOMC. Typically, QE is utilized to stimulate economies during recessions when credit is limited, as it was after the 2007-2008 financial crisis.

What is a central bank?

A central bank is an important financial institution tasked with the responsibility of managing the monetary system and policy of a country. In addition to regulating the money supply and setting interest rates, central banks also implement monetary policy by adjusting the availability of credit and money supply to help maintain the stability of a nation’s economy. The central bank plays a crucial role in keeping the economy in balance, as it can use various measures to stimulate or restrict economic growth based on the prevailing economic conditions.

Who has ownership over the Federal Reserve?

The Federal Reserve System is unique in that it does not have any private owners. It was established in 1913 through the Federal Reserve Act as the United States’ central bank. The Board of Governors, which oversees the Federal Reserve System, is an independent agency of the federal government that is directly responsible to Congress and required to report to it.

Does the Federal Reserve System print money?

The US Treasury Department is responsible for producing coins, but the Federal Reserve is in charge of printing and supervising paper money, also referred to as Federal Reserve notes. At present, Federal Reserve notes are available in six denominations: $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100. However, in the past, the Fed circulated a $10,000 note, which remains the highest denomination ever issued for public use.

How the Fed Set Interest Rates

The Federal Reserve aims to maintain an inflation rate of around 2%, a principle known as inflation targeting. This is because stable prices are essential for long-term economic growth. Inflation rates of 1% to 2% per year are generally deemed acceptable, while higher rates could lead to currency devaluation. To help guide its decision-making, the Fed uses the Taylor rule, which suggests that interest rates should be raised when inflation or gross domestic product (GDP) growth rates exceed the desired level.

The Federal Reserve System and tax collection

The Federal Reserve System is not involved in the approval or collection of federal taxes. These responsibilities are solely entrusted to Congress, which is in charge of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The Fed’s area of responsibility is limited to monetary policy and supervision of the banking system. Similarly, state and local taxes are administered and collected by their respective state or municipal governments.

Key takeaways

  • The United States’ central bank and monetary authority is known as the Federal Reserve System. It provides the country with a secure and stable monetary and financial system.
  • To carry out its duties, the Federal Reserve System is divided into 12 regional banks, each responsible for a specific area of the country. These banks work together to regulate and supervise banks, maintain financial stability, and provide banking services.
  • One of the Fed’s key responsibilities is managing national monetary policy, which includes setting interest rates and controlling the money supply. This duty is carried out by the Federal Open Market Committee, which makes decisions that affect the entire economy.

Share this post:

You might also like