Filed by Wachovia Corporation pursuant to

Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933,

as amended, and deemed filed pursuant to

Rule 14a-12 under the Securities Exchange

Act of 1934, as amended

Subject Company:

Golden West Financial Corporation

Commission File No.: 1-4629

Date: July 18, 2006

This filing may contain certain forward-looking statements with respect to each of Wachovia Corporation (“Wachovia”) and Golden West Financial Corporation (“Golden West”) and the combined company following the proposed merger between Wachovia and Golden West (the “Merger”), as well as the goals, plans, objectives, intentions, expectations, financial condition, results of operations, future performance and business of Wachovia, including, without limitation, (i) statements relating to the benefits of the Merger, including future financial and operating results, cost savings, enhanced revenues and the accretion/dilution to reported earnings that may be realized from the Merger, (ii) statements relating to the benefits of the merger between Wachovia and Westcorp and Wachovia’s related acquisition of WFS Financial Inc (“WFS Financial”), a subsidiary of Westcorp, completed on March 1, 2006 (the “Westcorp Transaction”), including future financial and operating results, cost savings, enhanced revenues and the accretion/dilution to reported earnings that may be realized from the Westcorp Transaction, (iii) statements regarding certain of Wachovia’s and/or Golden West’s goals and expectations with respect to earnings, earnings per share, revenue, expenses and the growth rate in such items, as well as other measures of economic performance, including statements relating to estimates of credit quality trends, and (iv) statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words “may”, “could”, “should”, “would”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “projects”, “outlook” or similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Wachovia’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on various factors (many of which are beyond Wachovia’s control).

The following factors, among others, could cause Wachovia’s financial performance to differ materially from that expressed in such forward-looking statements: (1) the risk that the businesses of Wachovia and/or Golden West in connection with the Merger or the businesses of Wachovia, Westcorp and WFS Financial in connection with the Westcorp Transaction will not be integrated successfully or such integration may be

more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; (2) expected revenue synergies and cost savings from the Merger or the Westcorp Transaction may not be fully realized or realized within the expected time frame; (3) revenues following the Merger or the Westcorp Transaction may be lower than expected; (4) deposit attrition, operating costs, customer loss and business disruption following the Merger or the Westcorp Transaction, including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, may be greater than expected; (5) the ability to obtain governmental approvals of the Merger on the proposed terms and schedule; (6) the failure of Wachovia’s and/or Golden West’s shareholders to approve the Merger, respectively; (7) the strength of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which Wachovia and/or Golden West conducts operations may be different than expected resulting in, among other things, a deterioration in credit quality or a reduced demand for credit, including the resultant effect on Wachovia’s and/or Golden West’s loan portfolio and allowance for loan losses; (8) the effects of, and changes in, trade, monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including interest rate policies of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; (9) potential or actual litigation; (10) inflation, interest rate, market and monetary fluctuations; and (11) adverse conditions in the stock market, the public debt market and other capital markets (including changes in interest rate conditions) and the impact of such conditions on Wachovia’s capital markets and capital management activities, including, without limitation, Wachovia’s mergers and acquisition advisory business, equity and debt underwriting activities, private equity investment activities, derivative securities activities, investment and wealth management advisory businesses, and brokerage activities. Additional factors that could cause Wachovia’s and Golden West’s results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Wachovia’s and Golden West’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning Wachovia or the proposed Merger or other matters and attributable to Wachovia or Golden West or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Wachovia and Golden West do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, relating to the matters discussed in this filing.

The proposed Merger will be submitted to Wachovia’s and Golden West’s shareholders for their consideration. Wachovia has filed a registration statement, which includes a preliminary joint proxy statement/prospectus, and each of Wachovia and Golden West may file other relevant documents concerning the proposed Merger with the SEC. Shareholders are urged to read the registration statement and the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed Merger when they become available and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to those documents, because they will contain important information. You will be able to obtain a free copy of the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about Wachovia and Golden West, at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). You will also be able to obtain these documents, free of charge, at Wachovia’s website (http://www.wachovia.com) under the tab “Inside Wachovia – Investor Relations” and then under the heading “Financial Reports - SEC Filings”. Copies of the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus and the SEC

filings that will be incorporated by reference in the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus can also be obtained, free of charge, by directing a request to Wachovia Corporation, Investor Relations, One Wachovia Center, 301 South College Street, Charlotte, NC 28288-0206, (704)-374-6782; or to Golden West, Attn: Investor Relations Department, 1901 Harrison Street, Oakland, CA 94612, (510) 445-3420.

Wachovia and Golden West and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Wachovia and/or Golden West in connection with the proposed Merger. Information about the directors and executive officers of Wachovia is set forth in the proxy statement for Wachovia’s 2006 annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with the SEC on a Schedule 14A on March 13, 2006. Information about the directors and executive officers of Golden West is set forth in the proxy statement for Golden West’s 2006 annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with the SEC on a Schedule 14A on March 10, 2006. Additional information regarding the interests of those participants and other persons who may be deemed participants in the transaction may be obtained by reading the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed Merger when it becomes available. You may obtain free copies of these documents as described in the preceding paragraph.

THE FOLLOWING NEWS RELEASE WAS ISSUED BY WACHOVIA ON JULY 18, 2006

	Media Contact:
	Doug Caldwell 704.715.2006
	Press Release: July 18, 2006
	WACHOVIA ANNOUNCES WESTERN REGION HEADQUARTERS FOR GENERAL BANKING GROUP
	Oakland provides foundation for Wachovia’s Western expansion
	Charlotte, N.C. – Wachovia Corporation (NYSE: WB), the country’s fourth largest bank and diversified financial services company, announced today that it has selected Oakland, Calif., as its Western Region headquarters for the General Bank. The offices will be located at 1901 Harrison Street, in the building currently occupied by World Savings Bank, following completion of the merger between Wachovia and Golden West Financial Corp., the parent company of World Savings Bank. Pending shareholder and regulatory approvals, the merger is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2006.
	“We are pleased to name Oakland as the Western headquarters for Wachovia’s General Bank,” said Ken Thompson, Wachovia’s chairman and chief executive officer. “This will also complement our existing brokerage, wealth management and investment banking businesses in California. The opportunity to provide additional financial services to individuals and businesses is exciting, and Wachovia will be a strong community partner as we join forces with Golden West. We look forward to actively participating in California’s economy as we grow in this important market.”
	Wachovia’s General Bank includes traditional retail and wholesale banking operations. The General Bank’s Eastern Region headquarters is located in Charlotte, N.C., along with the company’s corporate headquarters.
	In keeping with its commitment to give back to the communities it serves, Wachovia is also working closely with California community leaders and organizations to develop a community commitment for the state.
	“Any time Wachovia enters a new market, learning the needs of our new communities is a priority. In California, we are meeting with community leaders to learn how we can effectively help meet the state’s unique needs,” said Mike Rizer, director of Community Relations for Wachovia. “Our Oakland decision is just one example of how we are listening and responding to the needs our community partners are helping us identify.”
	This announcement furthers Wachovia’s significant business presence in California, including Wachovia’s dealer business in Irvine, Calif.; Wachovia Small Business Capital in Roseville, Calif.; Wachovia Education Finance in the Sacramento area; and AmNet in San Diego. In addition, Wachovia has retail brokerage, investment management and securities lending offices throughout the state. Wachovia’s corporate and investment bank has offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Pasadena, through which Wachovia offers corporate finance and advisory services to corporate clients.

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	About Wachovia
	Wachovia Corporation (NYSE:WB) is one of the nation’s largest diversified financial services companies, providing 13.4 million household and business relationships with a broad range of banking, asset management, wealth management and corporate and investment banking products and services. Wachovia operates as Wachovia Bank through 3,159 offices in 16 states from Connecticut to Florida and west to Texas, and, until merger integration activity is completed, will continue to be known as Western Financial Bank in California. Two core businesses operate under the Wachovia Securities brand name: retail brokerage in 49 states and in Latin America, and corporate and investment banking in selected industries nationwide. Globally, Wachovia serves clients through more than 40 international offices. Online banking is available at wachovia.com; online brokerage products and services at wachoviasec.com, and investment products and services at evergreeninvestments.com. Wachovia had assets of $541.8 billion, market capitalization of $90.2 billion and stockholders’ equity of $49.8 billion at March 31, 2006.
	Additional Information
	The proposed merger between Wachovia and Golden West (the “Merger”) will be submitted to Wachovia’s and Golden West’s shareholders for their consideration, and, on June 1, 2006, Wachovia filed a registration statement on Form S-4 with the SEC containing a preliminary joint proxy statement/prospectus of Wachovia and Golden West and other relevant documents concerning the proposed Merger. Shareholders are urged to read the registration statement and the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed Merger when they become available and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to those documents, because they will contain important information. You will be able to obtain a free copy of the registration statement and the joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about Wachovia and Golden West, at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). You will also be able to obtain these documents, free of charge, at Wachovia’s website (http://www.wachovia.com) under the tab “Inside Wachovia—Investor Relations” and then under the heading “Financial Reports—SEC Filings”. Copies of the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus and the SEC filings that will be incorporated by reference in the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus can also be obtained, free of charge, by directing a request to Wachovia Corporation, Investor Relations, One Wachovia Center, 301 South College Street, Charlotte, NC 28288-0206, (704)-374-6782; or to Golden West, Investor Relations Department, 1901 Harrison Street, Oakland, CA 94612, (510)-445-3420.
	Wachovia and Golden West and their respective directors and executive officers, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Wachovia and/or Golden West in connection with the proposed Merger. Information about the directors and executive officers of Wachovia is set forth in the proxy statement for Wachovia’s 2006 annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with the SEC on a Schedule 14A on March 13, 2006. Information about the directors and executive officers of Golden West is set forth in the proxy statement for Golden West’s 2006 annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with the SEC on a Schedule 14A on March 10, 2006. Additional information regarding the interests of those participants and other persons who may be deemed participants in the transaction may be obtained by reading the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed Merger when it becomes available. You may obtain free copies of these documents as described in the preceding paragraph.