The Federal Reserve System is the central bank of the United States. It was founded by Congress in 1913 to provide the nation with a safer, more flexible, and more stable monetary and financial system. Over the years, its role in banking and the economy has expanded. Today, the Federal Reserve's duties fall into four general areas: conducting the nation's monetary policy, supervising and regulating banking institutions, maintaining the stability of the financial system, and providing financial services to depository institutions, the U.S. government, and foreign official institutions.

Every year The Federal Reserve System publishes a variety of reports on topics such as: Profitability of Credit Card Operations, Fees and Services of Depository Institutions, the Presidential $1 Coin Program, and Availability of Credit to Small Businesses. This is one of those reports.