S-3ASR

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 20, 2009

Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

Synovus Financial Corp.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Georgia	58-1134883
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. employer identification number)

1111 Bay Avenue, Suite 500
P.O. Box 120
Columbus, Georgia 31901
(706) 649-2311
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
including area code, of each registrant’s principal executive offices)

Alana L. Griffin
Deputy General Counsel
Synovus Financial Corp.
1111 Bay Avenue, Suite 501
Columbus, Georgia 31901
(706) 644-2485

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copy to:
Keith M. Townsend
King & Spalding LLP
1180 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
(404) 572-4600

     Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

     If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: o

     If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: þ

     If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering: o

     If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering: o

     If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. þ

     If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o

     Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer þ Accelerated filer o Non-accelerated filer o
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company) Smaller reporting company o

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

	Amount to be Registered/Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per
	Unit/Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price/Amount of
Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered	Registration Fee
Common stock, par value $1.00 per share	(1)(2)
Preferred stock, no par value per share	(1)(2)
Warrants	(1)(2)

(1)	An indeterminate aggregate initial offering price or number of the securities of each identified class is being registered as may from time to time be issued at indeterminate prices. In reliance on Rule 456(b) and Rule 457(r) under the Securities Act, the Registrant hereby defers payment of the registration fee required in connection with this Registration Statement.
(2)	The securities of each class may be offered and sold by the Registrant and/or may be offered and sold, from time to time, by one or more selling securityholders to be identified in the future. The selling securityholders may purchase the securities directly from the Registrant, or from one or more underwriters, dealers or agents.

PROSPECTUS

COMMON STOCK
PREFERRED STOCK
WARRANTS

     The securities listed above may be offered and sold by us and/or may be offered and sold, from time to time, by one or more selling securityholders to be identified in the future. We will provide specific terms of these securities in supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any supplement carefully before you invest in the securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

     This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless accompanied by the applicable prospectus supplement.

     Synovus Financial Corp.’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “SNV.”

     Any securities offered by this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement will be our equity securities or unsecured obligations and will not be savings accounts, deposits or other obligations of any banking or non-banking subsidiary of ours and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the bank insurance fund or any other governmental agency or instrumentality.

     Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is January 20, 2009.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS	2
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION	2
USE OF PROCEEDS	3
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS	3
LEGAL OPINIONS	3
EXPERTS	3
EX-5.1 LEGAL OPINION OF ALANA L. GRIFFIN
EX-12.1 STATEMENT OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
EX-23.1 CONSENT OF KPMG LLP

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     This prospectus is part of a registration statement we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) using a “shelf” registration process. Using this process, we may offer any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings.

     This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we use this prospectus to offer securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement and, if applicable, a pricing supplement that will describe the specific terms of the offering. The prospectus supplement and any pricing supplement may also add to, update or change the information contained in this prospectus. Please carefully read this prospectus, the prospectus supplement and any applicable pricing supplement, in addition to the information contained in the documents we refer to under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

     Unless otherwise mentioned or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this prospectus to “Synovus,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or similar references mean Synovus Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on their public reference room. Our SEC filings are also available to the public at the SEC’s web site (http://www.sec.gov).

     You may also inspect the reports and other information that we file with the SEC at the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

     The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information we file with it. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) until all the securities offered by this prospectus have been issued, as described in this prospectus; provided, however, that we are not incorporating by reference any information furnished (but not filed) under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K:

(a)	Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007;
(b)	Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2008, June 30, 2008 and September 30, 2008 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q/A for the quarter ended September 30, 2008;
(c)	Current Reports on Form 8-K filed January 3, 2008, January 10, 2008, January 24, 2008, January 29, 2008, June 10, 2008, July 8, 2008, July 28, 2008, September 10, 2008, November 14, 2008, December 17, 2008 and December 22, 2008; and
(d)	The description of Synovus’ common stock, $1.00 par value per share, set forth in the registration statement on Form 8-A/A filed with the SEC on December 17, 2008, including any amendment or report filed with the SEC for the purpose of updating this description.

     You may request a copy of these filings at no cost, by writing to or telephoning us at the following address:

Director of Investor Relations
Synovus Financial Corp.
1111 Bay Avenue, Suite 501
Columbus, Georgia 31901
(706) 644-1930

     You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any pricing supplement. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. We are not making an offer of these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any pricing supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of the document and that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

     We intend to use the net proceeds from the sales of the securities as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. We will not receive any proceeds from the sales of any securities by selling securityholders.

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK
DIVIDENDS

     No shares of our preferred stock were outstanding during the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004 and 2003, or during the nine months ended September 30, 2008, and we did not pay preferred stock dividends during these periods. Consequently, the ratios of earnings⁽¹⁾ to fixed charges⁽²⁾ and preferred dividends are the same as the ratios of earnings to fixed charges for the same periods listed above. The ratio of earnings to fixed charges is calculated by adding income before income taxes plus fixed charges and dividing that sum by fixed charges. The ratios of earnings to fixed charges for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 and the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004 and 2003 are as follows:

Consolidated Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock Dividends

	Nine Months Ended		Year Ended December 31,
	September 30, 2008		2007		2006		2005	2004		2003
Including Interest on Deposits		1.15x		1.48x		1.72x	2.05x		2.61x		2.41x
Excluding Interest on Deposits		1.90x		3.88x		5.33x	5.44x		6.65x		6.02x

(1)   Earnings consist of income from continuing operations before income taxes plus minority interest and fixed charges.

(2)   Fixed charges consist of (a) interest expense and capitalized, (b) amortized premiums, discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness, and (c) an estimate of the interest within rental expense.

LEGAL OPINIONS

     The validity of the securities will be passed upon by Alana L. Griffin, Deputy General Counsel of Synovus. Any underwriters will be represented by their own legal counsel.

EXPERTS

     The consolidated financial statements of Synovus Financial Corp. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2007 and 2006 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2007 and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007 have been incorporated herein by reference to Synovus’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The audit report covering the December 31, 2007 consolidated financial statements refers to changes in the Company’s method of

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accounting for income tax uncertainties during 2007 and changes in the Company’s accounting for share-based compensation, the recognition and disclosure of defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans, and the application of Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 108 for the consideration of effects of the prior year misstatements in 2006.

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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

     The following statement sets forth the estimated amounts of expenses, other than underwriting discounts, to be borne by us in connection with the offerings described in this Registration Statement:

Securities and Exchange Commission Registration Fee		*
FINRA Filing Fee	*	*
Registrar and Transfer Agent’s Fees and Expenses	*	*
Printing and Engraving Expenses	*	*
Accounting Fees and Expenses	*	*
Legal Fees and Expenses	*	*
Listing Fees and Expenses	*	*
Miscellaneous Expenses	*	*
Total	*	*

*	We are registering an indeterminate amount of securities under this Registration Statement and in accordance with Rule 456(b) and 457(r), we are deferring payment of any additional registration fee until the time the securities are sold under this Registration Statement pursuant to a prospectus supplement.
**	These fees are calculated based on the number of issuances and amount of securities offered and accordingly cannot be estimated at this time.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Georgia Business Corporation Code

     Subsection (a) of Section 14-2-851 of the Georgia Business Corporation Code, or “GBCC”, provides that a corporation may indemnify or obligate itself to indemnify an individual made a party to a proceeding because he or she is or was a director against liability incurred in the proceeding if such individual conducted himself or herself in good faith and such individual reasonably believed, in the case of conduct in an official capacity, that such conduct was in the best interests of the corporation and, in all other cases, that such conduct was at least not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, in the case of any criminal proceeding, such individual had no reasonable cause to believe such conduct was unlawful. Subsection (d) of Section 14-2-851 of the GBCC provides that a corporation may not indemnify a director in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation except for reasonable expenses incurred if it is determined that the director has met the relevant standard of conduct, or in connection with any proceeding with respect to conduct under Section 14-2-851 of the GBCC for which he was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received by him or her, whether or not involving action in his or her official capacity.

     In addition, Section 14-2-856 of the GBCC permits our articles of incorporation, bylaws, a contract, or resolution approved by the shareholders, to authorize us to indemnify a director against claims to which the director was a party, including claims by us or in our right (e.g., shareholder derivative action). However, we may not indemnify the director for liability to us for any appropriation of a corporate opportunity, intentional misconduct or knowing violation of the law, unlawful distributions or receipt of an improper benefit.

     Pursuant to Section 14-2-854 of the GBCC, a court may order a corporation to indemnify a director or advance expenses if such court determines that the director is entitled to indemnification under the GBCC or that the

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director is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification or advance of expenses in view of all the relevant circumstances, whether or not such director met the standard of conduct set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 14-2-851 of the GBCC, failed to comply with Section 14-2-853 of the GBCC or was adjudged liable as described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (d) of Section 14-2-851 of the GBCC.

     Section 14-2-852 of the GBCC provides that to the extent that a director has been wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he was a party, because he or she is or was a director of the corporation, the corporation shall indemnify the director against reasonable expenses incurred by the director in connection with the proceeding.

     Section 14-2-856 of the GBCC permits our articles of incorporation, bylaws, a contract, or resolution approved by the shareholders, to authorize us to indemnify a director against claims to which the director was a party, including claims by us or in our right (e.g., shareholder derivative action). However, we may not indemnify the director for liability to us for any appropriation of a corporate opportunity, intentional misconduct or knowing violation of the law, unlawful distributions or receipt of an improper benefit.

     Section 14-2-857 of the GBCC provides that a corporation may indemnify and advance expenses to an officer of the corporation who is a party to a proceeding because he or she is an officer of the corporation to the same extent as a director and if he or she is not a director to such further extent as may be provided in its articles of incorporation, bylaws, resolution of its board of directors or contract except for liability arising out of conduct specified in Section 14-2-857(a)(2) of the GBCC. Section 14-2-857 of the GBCC also provides that an officer of the corporation who is not a director is entitled to mandatory indemnification under Section 14-2-852 and is entitled to apply for court ordered indemnification or advances for expenses under Section 14-2-854, in each case to the same extent as a director. In addition, Section 14-2-857 provides that a corporation may also indemnify and advance expenses to an employee or agent who is not a director to the extent, consistent with public policy, that may be provided by its articles of incorporation, bylaws, action of its board of directors or contract.

     Section 14-2-858 of the GBCC permits us to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of our directors and officers against liability incurred by them in their capacities or arising out of their status as our directors and officers, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify or advance expenses to the director or officer for the same liability under the GBCC.

Synovus’ Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws; Insurance

     In accordance with Article VIII of Synovus’ Bylaws, every person who is or was (and the heirs and personal representatives of such person) a director, officer, employee or agent of Synovus shall be indemnified and held harmless by Synovus from and against the obligation to pay a judgment, settlement, penalty, fine (including an excise tax assessed with respect to an employee benefit plan), and reasonable expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) that may be imposed upon or incurred by him or her in connection with or resulting from any threatened, pending, or completed, action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative, formal or informal, in which he or she is, or is threatened to be made, a named defendant or respondent: (a) because he or she is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of Synovus; (b) because he or she is or was serving at the request of Synovus as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise; or (c) because he or she is or was serving as an employee of the corporation who was employed to render professional services as a lawyer or accountant to the corporation; regardless of whether such person is acting in such a capacity at the time such obligation shall have been imposed or incurred, if (i) such person acted in a manner he or she believed in good faith to be in or not opposed to the best interest of such corporation, and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, if such person had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful or (ii) with respect to an employee benefit plan, such person believed in good faith that his or her conduct was in the interests of the participants in and beneficiaries of the plan.

     Pursuant to Article VIII of Synovus’ Bylaws, reasonable expenses incurred in any proceeding shall be paid by Synovus in advance of the final disposition of such proceeding if authorized by the Board of Directors in the specific case, or if authorized in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board of Directors, upon receipt of a

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written undertaking executed personally by or on behalf of the director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified by Synovus, and a written affirmation of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct required for indemnification.

     The foregoing rights of indemnification and advancement of expenses are not intended to be exclusive of any other right to which those indemnified may be entitled, and Synovus has reserved the right to provide additional indemnity and rights to its directors, officers, employees or agents to the extent they are consistent with law.

     Synovus carries insurance for the purpose of providing indemnification to its directors and officers. Such policy provides for indemnification of Synovus for losses and expenses it might incur to its directors and officers for successful defense of claims alleging negligent acts, errors, omissions or breach of duty while acting in their capacity as directors or officers and indemnification of its directors and officers for losses and expense upon the unsuccessful defense of such claims.

     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act, may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of Synovus pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, Synovus has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by Synovus of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of Synovus in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, Synovus will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

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Item 16. Exhibits.

1.1	Form of Underwriting Agreement †
3.1	Articles of Incorporation of Synovus, as amended, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of Synovus’ Quarterly Report on Form 10- Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006, as filed with the SEC on May 10, 2006
3.2	Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation of Synovus, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of Synovus’ Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 17, 2008, filed with the SEC on December 17, 2008
3.3	Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation filed December 17, 2008, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of Synovus’ Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 22, 2008, filed with the SEC on December 22, 2008
3.4	Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation, filed December 18, 2008, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of Synovus’ Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 22, 2008, filed with the SEC on December 22, 2008
3.5	Bylaws, as amended, of Synovus, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of Synovus’ Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 17, 2008
4.1	Form of Warrant Agreement (including form of Warrant Certificate)†
4.2	Form of Preferred Stock Certificate†
5.1	Legal opinion of Alana L. Griffin, Deputy General Counsel of the Company, as to the legality of the securities being offered*
12.1	Statement of ratios of earnings to fixed charges*
23.1	Consent of KPMG LLP *
23.2	Consent of Alana L. Griffin, Deputy General Counsel of the Company (included in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1	Powers of Attorney (included in signature pages)

*	Filed herewith.
†	To be filed as an exhibit as a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.

Item 17. Undertakings.

     The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

     1. To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement (i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement; notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and (iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; provided, however, that paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

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     2. That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     3. To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

     4. That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(a)

Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(b)

Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

     5. That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(a)	Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(b)	Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
(c)	The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(d)	Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

     6. That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefits plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     7. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is

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against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

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SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, on the 20th day of January 2009.

SYNOVUS FINANCIAL CORP.
By:	/s/ Richard E. Anthony
Richard E. Anthony
Chief Executive Officer Vice President and
Chairman of the Board

POWER OF ATTORNEY

     Each person whose signature appears below appoints Richard E. Anthony and Frederick L. Green, III, and each of them, severally, as his or her true and lawful attorney or attorneys-in-fact and agent or agents, each of whom shall be authorized to act with or without the other, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead in his or her capacity as a director or officer of Synovus Financial Corp., to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and all documents or instruments necessary or appropriate to enable Synovus Financial Corp. to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission, with full power and authority to each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents to do and perform in the name and on behalf of each such director or officer, or both, as the case may be, each and every act whatsoever that is necessary, appropriate or advisable in connection with any or all of the above-described matters and to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature	Title	Date
	Principal Executive Officer and
/s/ Richard E. Anthony  Richard E. Anthony	Chairman of the Board	January 20, 2009
/s/ Frederick L. Green, III	President and Director	January 20, 2009
Frederick L. Green, III
	Executive Vice President and Chief
	Financial Officer (Principal
/s/ Thomas J. Prescott	Financial Officer)	January 20, 2009
Thomas J. Prescott

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Signature	Title	Date
/s/ Liliana McDaniel	Chief Accounting Officer	January 20, 2009
Liliana McDaniel
/s/ Daniel P. Amos		January 20, 2009
Daniel P. Amos	Director
/s/ James H. Blanchard		January 20, 2009
James H. Blanchard	Director
/s/ Richard Y. Bradley		January 20, 2009
Richard Y. Bradley	Director
/s/ Frank W. Brumley		January 20, 2009
Frank W. Brumley	Director
/s/ Elizabeth W. Camp		January 20, 2009
Elizabeth W. Camp	Director
/s/ Gardiner W. Garrard, Jr.		January 20, 2009
Gardiner W. Garrard, Jr.	Director
		January ___, 2009
T. Michael Goodrich	Director

II-8

Signature	Title	Date
/s/ V. Nathaniel Hansford		January 20, 2009
V. Nathaniel Hansford	Director
/s/ Mason H. Lampton		January 20, 2009
Mason H. Lampton	Director
/s/ Elizabeth C. Ogie		January 20, 2009
Elizabeth C. Ogie	Director
/s/ H. Lynn Page		January 20, 2009
H. Lynn Page	Director
/s/ J. Neal Purcell		January 20, 2009
J. Neal Purcell	Director
/s/ Melvin T. Stith		January 20, 2009
Melvin T. Stith	Director
		January ___, 2009
Philip W. Tomlinson	Director
/s/ William B. Turner		January 20, 2009
William B. Turner, Jr.	Director
/s/ James D. Yancey		January 20, 2009
James D. Yancey	Director

II-9

EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

ALANA L. GRIFFIN
Deputy General Counsel
(706) 644-2485
alanagriffin@synovus.com

January 20, 2009

Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549

Re:         Registration of an indeterminate amount of Securities

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I am the Deputy General Counsel of Synovus Financial Corp., a Georgia corporation (the “Company”). This opinion is being rendered on behalf of the Company in connection with the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Registration Statement registers an indeterminate amount of:

(a)	Warrants of the Company (the “Warrants”);
(b)	Shares of Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”); and
(c)	Shares of Preferred Stock, no par value, of the Company (the “Preferred Stock”).

The Warrants, Common Stock and Preferred Stock are collectively referred to as the “Securities”.

     In rendering the opinions expressed herein, and except as hereinafter limited, I have examined the Registration Statement and records of the proceedings of the Board of Directors of the Company deemed by me to be relevant to this opinion letter. I have examined and relied upon the accuracy of original, certified, conformed or photographic copies of such records, agreements, certificates and other documents as I have deemed necessary or appropriate to enable me to render the opinions set forth below. In all such examinations, I have assumed the genuineness of signatures on original documents and the conformity to such original documents of all copies submitted to me as certified,

conformed or photographic copies and, as to certificates of public officials, I have assumed the same to have been properly given and to be accurate.

          This opinion is limited in all respects to the laws of the State of Georgia, and no opinion is expressed with respect to the laws of any other jurisdiction or any effect that such laws may have on the opinions expressed herein. This opinion is limited to the matters stated herein, and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated herein.

          Based upon the foregoing, I am of the opinion that:

(i)	The Warrants, when (a) the warrant agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto, (b) the Board of Directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof and the appropriate officers of the Company have taken all necessary corporate action to approve and establish the terms of the Warrants and to authorize and approve the issuance thereof and (c) the Warrants have been delivered and paid for by the purchasers thereof, will be validly issued and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms subject, as to the enforcement of remedies, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors generally and to the effect of general principles of equity;
(ii)	Any shares of Common Stock, when (a) the underwriting or similar agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto, (b) the Board of Directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof and the appropriate officers of the Company have taken all necessary action to approve the issuance of the Common Stock, and (c) the shares of Common Stock have been delivered to and paid for by the purchasers thereof will be duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock; and
(iii)	Any shares of Preferred Stock, when (a) the Board of Directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof and the appropriate officers of the Company have taken all necessary action to approve the issuance of the Preferred Stock and (b) the Preferred Stock has been duly issued and delivered pursuant to an underwriting agreement or a comparable agreement, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

           This opinion is delivered as of the date hereof, and I make no undertaking and expressly disclaim any duty to supplement or update such opinion, if, after the date hereof, facts or circumstances come to my attention or changes in the law occur which could affect this opinion and the other statements expressed herein. This opinion is being rendered solely for the benefit of the Company in connection with the matters addressed herein and is not to be used, circulated, quoted or otherwise referred to or replied upon by any other person or for any other purpose without my prior express written consent.

          I consent to the filing of this opinion as an Exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving my consent, I do not hereby admit that I am in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Very truly yours,
 

/s/Alana L. Griffin  

EX-12.1

Exhibit 12.1

Synovus Financial Corp.
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
(in thousands)

	Nine Months
	Ended September		Year Ended December 31,
	30, 2008		2007		2006		2005		2004		2003
Ratio 1 — Including Interest on Deposits
Earnings:
Income from continuing operations before income taxes		81,713		527,674		645,538		563,340		489,979		426,295
Minority interest		6,347		—		—		—		—		—
Fixed charges		602,955		1,095,972		895,696		535,408		303,451		302,604
Total		691,015		1,623,646		1,541,234		1,098,748		793,430		728,899
Fixed Charges:
Interest on deposits		505,340		912,472		746,669		408,405		216,682		217,726
Interest on short-term borrowings		36,602		92,970		72,958		34,342		20,236		12,412
Interest on long-term debt		55,433		84,014		71,050		88,299		62,571		68,928
Portion of rents representative of the interest factor (1/3) of rental expense		5,580		6,516		5,019		4,362		3,962		3,538
Total fixed charges		602,955		1,095,972		895,696		535,408		303,451		302,604
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges		1.15x		1.48x		1.72x		2.05x		2.61x		2.41x
Ratio 2 — Excluding Interest on Deposits
Earnings:
Income from continuing operations before income taxes		81,713		527,674		645,538		563,340		489,979		426,295
Minority interest		6,347		—		—		—		—		—
Fixed charges		97,615		183,500		149,027		127,003		86,769		84,878
Total		185,675		711,174		794,565		690,343		576,748		511,173
Fixed Charges:
Interest on short-term borrowings		36,602		92,970		72,958		34,342		20,236		12,412
Interest on long-term debt		55,433		84,014		71,050		88,299		62,571		68,928
Portion of rents representative of the interest factor (1/3) of rental expense		5,580		6,516		5,019		4,362		3,962		3,538
Total fixed charges		97,615		183,500		149,027		127,003		86,769		84,878
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges		1.90x		3.88x		5.33x		5.44x		6.65x		6.02x

EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors
Synovus Financial Corp.

We consent to the use of our reports dated February 29, 2008, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets of Synovus Financial Corp. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2007 and 2006, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders’ equity and comprehensive income, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2007, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007, incorporated herein by reference and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.

Our report, with respect to the consolidated financial statements, refers to changes in the Company’s method of accounting for income tax uncertainties during 2007 and changes in the Company’s accounting for share-based compensation, the recognition and disclosure of defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans, and the application of Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 108 for the consideration of the effects of prior year misstatements in 2006.

/s/KPMG LLP

Atlanta, Georgia
January 16, 2009