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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 EHB/Zi5WJoA1iAiNTJDB27gHYyuOYityy49FgYuv3J4waxjw6eU/4Sx5kggwNlOW
 s+6j0FiasJzfK/xlHmP86g==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000050341-03-000098.txt : 20030507
<SEC-HEADER>0000050341-03-000098.hdr.sgml : 20030507
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030507114458
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000050341-03-000098
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030505
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030507

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FLEETBOSTON FINANCIAL CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000050341
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS [6021]
		IRS NUMBER:				050341324
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			RI
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		100 FEDERAL STREET
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02110
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6173464000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		100 FEDERAL STREET
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02210

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	FLEET BOSTON CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19991001

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	FLEET NORSTAR FINANCIAL GROUP INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920525

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	FLEET FINANCIAL GROUP INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19880110

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SEMROD T JOSEPH
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001195081

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-06366
		FILM NUMBER:		03685504

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		FLEETBOSTON FINANCIAL CORP
		STREET 2:		301 CARNEGIE CENTER
		CITY:			PRINCETON
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			08540
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

<documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-05</periodOfReport>
<issuer><issuerCik>0000050341</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FLEETBOSTON FINANCIAL CORP</issuerName>
<issuerTradingSymbol>FBF</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001195081</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SEMROD T JOSEPH</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
<reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>88740</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>16.38</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>218040</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><non
DerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>F</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>12590</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>27.31</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>205450</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercis
ePrice><value>16.38</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>88740</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-03-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-05-09</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>88740</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</
value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Withholding of shares or delivery of previously owned shares to satisfy tax withholding obligations in connection with a stock option exercise.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The reporting person also holds indirect ownership interests in 1,089 shares held by his spouse, 1,359 shares held by his spouse as custodian and 220,102 shares held by a trust.</footnote><footnote id="F3">&amp;quot;0&amp;quot; is entered for technical reasons only as there is no price for this derivative security.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>T. Joseph Semrod</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-07</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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