SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934



       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) November 27, 2001


                        FLEETBOSTON FINANCIAL CORPORATION
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             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                  RHODE ISLAND
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                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)


                    1-6366                      05-0341324
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           (Commission File Number)    (IRS Employer Identification No.)


                 100 Federal Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110
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               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)


        Registrant's telephone number, including area code: 617-434-2200
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          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

















Item 5.   Other Events and Regulation FD Disclosure.
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          On  November  27,  2001,   FleetBoston   Financial   Corporation  (the
          "Corporation")  authorized the sale of and established the terms of up
          to  $4,000,000,000  in  aggregate   principal  amount  of  its  Senior
          Medium-Term Notes, Series T and Subordinated Medium-Term Notes, Series
          U (collectively,  the "Notes"), under its shelf registration statement
          on Form S-3 (Registration  Statement No. 333-72912) (the "Registration
          Statement").  The Notes,  which may be offered from time to time, will
          be due nine  months  or more  from the  date of  issue  and will  bear
          interest at fixed or floating  rates.  The Notes may be offered by one
          or more of the Corporation's  Agents,  Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc., Fleet
          Securities,  Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner
          & Smith  Incorporated,  Morgan Stanley & Co.  Incorporated,  Robertson
          Stephens,  Inc.  and Salomon  Smith Barney Inc. By filing this Current
          Report on Form 8-K, the Corporation is incorporating by reference into
          the above-referenced  Registration Statement the information contained
          herein relating to the Notes.

Item 7.   Financial Statements and Exhibits.
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       (c)      Exhibits

          (1)       Selling Agency Agreement, dated November 27, 2001, among the
                    Corporation and Bear,  Stearns & Co. Inc., Fleet Securities,
                    Inc., Goldman,  Sachs & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &
                    Smith  Incorporated,  Morgan  Stanley  &  Co.  Incorporated,
                    Robertson Stephens, Inc. and Salomon Smith Barney Inc.

          (4)(a)    Specimen  certificate  of the  Series T  Senior  Medium-Term
                    Notes

          (4)(b)    Specimen   certificate   of  the   Series   U   Subordinated
                    Medium-Term Notes









                                   SIGNATURES

       Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended,  the  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed in its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                    FLEETBOSTON FINANCIAL CORPORATION


                                    By /s/ Gary A. Spiess
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                                      Name:   Gary A. Spiess
                                      Title:  Senior Vice President
                                              Senior Deputy General Counsel and
                                              Assistant Secretary


Date:  November 27, 2001