In the fall of 2008, facing losses on various operations, AIG experienced a significant decline in its stock price and downgrades from the major credit rating agencies. These downgrades led to immediate demands for significant amounts of collateral. As financial demands on the company mounted, bankruptcy appeared a possibility. Many feared that AIG was "too big to fail" due to the potential for widespread disruption to financial markets resulting from such a failure. This book explores U.S. government assistance, exposure and recovery in relation to the "bail out" of AIG with a focus also on TARP.