By Michael Snyder - BLN Contributing Writer

Is the Midwest about to see a massive wave of bank closings?  That is apparently what the FDIC is expecting.  The FDIC is opening up a massive new satellite office in the Chicago area that will be dedicated to managing receiverships and liquidating assets from failed Midwest banks.  This new facility will occupy 7 floors in an 11 floor building.  The office space that the FDIC is leasing is well over 100,000 square feet and will employ approximately 500 temporary employees and contractors.  This is a huge expenditure by the FDIC.  So will there really be so many bank failures over the next couple of years in the Midwest that a 100,000 square foot facility is required to deal with it?

Apparently someone at the FDIC thinks so.  

But this is not the first time the FDIC has done something like this.   

The FDIC has already opened similar offices in Irvine, California and Jacksonville, Florida.  Each time, the number of bank failures in those states increased dramatically after the FDIC opened those facilities.

So what is going to cause such a massive wave of bank failures that the FDIC will need hundreds of new employees just to deal with it?

Well, as we have reported previously, the financial powers in the U.S. are now moving to reduce the money supply, hoard cash and tighten credit.  All of those things cause a slowdown in economic growth.

At the same time, a gigantic "second wave" of adjustable mortgages is scheduled to reset starting this year.  This could push the U.S. economy into "part 2" of the housing crisis.  Just check out the chart below....

In fact, one new study has been released that estimates that 5 million houses and condominiums on which mortgages are now delinquent will go through foreclosure and be put on the market within the next few years.

Another devastating housing crisis would absolutely destroy the vast majority of small to mid-size banks in the United States.  In such a scenario, the FDIC would definitely be able to make use of the new facilities that they are opening up around the United States.

There are even rumors that the big bankers do not intend for most small and mid-size bankers to survive the coming crisis.  There are whispers that the big bankers see all of this economic turmoil as a great opportunity to "consolidate" the banking industry.

So what should you and your family do to get prepared?  Get out of debt and get rid of any unnecessary expenses.  Try to start developing alternate streams of income and come up with a plan for what you will do if you lose your job.

The reality is that hard times are coming and a lot of people are going to lose their homes and their jobs.  Don't just blindly trust "the system" - now is the time to make sure that you and your family will be prepared even if a total economic collapse happens.