Abacus Federal Savings Bank was established in December 1984 by business leaders from the Chinese community in New York City with a mission to provide financial services to immigrants and lower Manhattan residents. The bank has since expanded from its original Manhattan base to operate 6 branches across New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, while maintaining its commitment to serving immigrant and local communities with culturally responsive banking services. The bank offers a comprehensive range of personal and business banking services.
On the personal side, customers can access checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, secured and personal credit cards, and chip debit cards. For business customers, Abacus provides business checking and savings accounts, payroll services, merchant services, business credit cards, and online banking. The loan portfolio includes residential mortgages, commercial mortgages, business loans, overdraft lines of credit, and home equity lines of credit.
Additional services include deposit boxes and life insurance products through their subsidiary, Abacus Insurance Agency Corp. Abacus distinguishes itself through its community focus and elder fraud protection. The bank has earned the AARP BankSafe Trained Seal, indicating staff training specifically designed to protect elderly customers from financial exploitation.
The organization actively supports its community, including distributing $100,000 in COVID-19 SBRG checks to 10 non-profit organizations. The bank emphasizes personal service and individual attention, positioning itself as an alternative to larger national institutions with a commitment to understanding local customer needs. Abacus is a legitimate FDIC-insured federal savings bank with a 40-year operating history and a 5-Star rating from Bauerfinancial as of June 2021.
The primary limitation is geographic availability—services are restricted to customers in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Additionally, specific product rates, fees, and comparative terms are not disclosed on the website, requiring direct contact with branches for detailed pricing information.