More banks failed in 2010 than any year since the 1992 banking crisis, but their assets amounted to about half of 2009 failures.

In total, 157 banks ran out of money in 2010 and 140 failed in 2009. About the same number could fail in 2011, according to a Federal Deposit Insurance Corportation watch list.

Banks that fail are normally taken over by neighboring banks. Deposits are covered for up to a certain amount by the FDIC. Loans are usually temporarily interrupted. Otherwise, small banks going under usually doesn't affect the wider system.

"These are very small institutions," one expert told the Washington Post. "The total assets that they represent is insignificant compared to the financial system as a whole. It's quite manageable."