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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,
 NJQZo8S7eXp5YEbFsMIbfrvmSKF9uDyZ7XmTxPEoBBQLgoEANt2zTL2Bv2Jb/51c
 0M5AXaiVp9rfPzIcQioAZg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000050341-03-000212.txt : 20031223
<SEC-HEADER>0000050341-03-000212.hdr.sgml : 20031223
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031223111435
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000050341-03-000212
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031219
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031223

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:		6174342200

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		100 FEDERAL STREET
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02110

	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:			SZOSTAK M ANNE
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001094176
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	MANIFOLD BUSINESS FORMS [2761]
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0627

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-16431
		FILM NUMBER:		031069820

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O FLEETBOSTON FINANCIAL CORP
		STREET 2:		100 FEDERAL ST
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02110
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9784486111

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O FLEETBOSTON FINANCIAL CORP
		STREET 2:		100 FEDERAL ST
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02110
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-19</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000050341</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FLEETBOSTON FINANCIAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FBF</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001094176</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SZOSTAK M ANNE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>FLEETBOSTON FINANCIAL CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>100 FEDERAL STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02110</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Executive Vice President </officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-04-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2600</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>85703</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwne
rship><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-02</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>15000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>70703</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></s
ecurityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3352</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>67351</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCod
e>F</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4075</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>42.88</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>63276</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-04-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><t
ransactionShares><value>800</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3005</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Brooke Szostak Irrev. Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-04-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>800</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerS
hare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3205</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Katherine Szostak Irrev. Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-02</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>15000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><post
TransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>35000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Spouse</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>16426</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By GRAT </value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Withholding of shares or delivery of previously owned shares to satisfy tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting of restricted stock.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Since the reporting person's last repo
rt, a total of 6,320 shares held through a grantor retained annuity trust (GRAT) established in 2002 have been distributed and are now directly owned, leaving this GRAT with a zero balance.</footnote><footnote id="F3">These shares were previously reported as directly beneficially owned but were contributed to a grantor retained annuity trust on July 28, 2003.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Martha R. Francis,  Attorney-in-Fact for M. Anne Szostak</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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