Commentary

Freddie Mac Takes $19 Million More from Taxpayers

Freddie Mac reported last Thursday it needs $19 million from the U.S. taxpayers to remain solvent after making a dividend payment to the Treasury department following first quarter 2012 financial reporting. The government-sponsored enterprise made a net profit in the first quarter, but that was before factoring in the dividend payment they have to make to Treasury for the luxury of being bailed out of losses from previous quarters. Freddie asked for a total of $19 million from Treasury for for the first quarter of 2012.

In total, Freddie Mac has received $71.365 billion in bailout money from the U.S. Treasury since FHFA took the GSE into conservatorship in late August 2008. Here is the most recent breakdown of taxpayer quarterly checks for Freddie Mac:

  • 1Q 2012 — $0.019 billion
  • 4Q 2011 — $0.146 billion
  • 3Q 2011 — $6 billion
  • 2Q 2011 — $1.5 billion
  • 1Q 2011 — $0
  • 4Q 2010 — $0.5 billion
  • 3Q 2010 — $0.1 billion
  • 2Q 2010 — $1.8 billion
  • 1Q 2010 — $10.6 billion
  • 4Q 2009 — $0
  • 3Q 2009 — $0
  • 2Q 2009 — $0
  • 1Q 2009 — $6.1 billion
  • 4Q 2008 — $30.8 billion
  • 3Q 2008 — $13.8 billion

Last quarter Freddie asked for $146 million, so at least their asks have been declining since the third quarter of 2011. (See full details here.)

See our full coverage on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac here.