Charter Financial Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend

The dividend is payable on December 29, 2008, to stockholders of record on December 12, 2008. This equates to an annualized dividend rate of $1.00 per share.

"Our high level of capital and recent operating performance permit us the to declare this dividend," said Robert L. Johnson, Chairman and CEO.

This dividend will be paid on approximately 2.7 million shares and the total dividend payout will be approximately $675,000. First Charter, MHC, which owns approximately 86 percent of Charter Financial, is waiving its right to receive this dividend.

Charter Financial Corporation is a savings and loan holding company and the parent of CharterBank, a full-service community bank and a federal savings institution. CharterBank is headquartered in West Point, Georgia, and operates ten branches on the I-85 corridor from LaGrange, Georgia, to Auburn, Alabama. The Company also operates two loan production offices in Georgia. CharterBank's deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Additional information, including financial highlights, is available on the company's website, www.charterbank.net. Persons interested in receiving e-mail notifications of news about the company may do so by completing the registration form on the investor relations page of the company's website.

SOURCE: Charter Financial Corporation