-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 FztBD8vywdNT1hzTc94+apbB5Q8gagH9L19hkO1Hxm9CkoJtcGBHxkctwPy92mJU
 jfbe2Y1aaYQE9D+IsqwaIQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000050341-04-000118.txt : 20040422
<SEC-HEADER>0000050341-04-000118.hdr.sgml : 20040422
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040422080555
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000050341-04-000118
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4/A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040401
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040422

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:			COUNTRYMAN GARY L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001166518

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4/A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-06366
		FILM NUMBER:		04746757

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		NEIMAN MARCUS GROUP INC
		STREET 2:		1618 MAIN ST
		CITY:			DALLAS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			75201
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2147437600

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		NEIMAN MARCUS GROUP INC
		STREET 2:		1618 MAIN ST
		CITY:			DALLAS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			75201
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-04-01</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2004-04-02</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000050341</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FLEETBOSTON FINANCIAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FBF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001166518</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COUNTRYMAN GARY L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>175 BERKELEY STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02117</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-04-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>9422.149</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Total number of directly held shares was corrected to include 1,538.149 shares previously acquired under the FleetBoston Financial Corporation (&quot;FleetBoston&quot;) dividend reinvestment plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Disposed of pursuant to the merger agreement between FleetBoston and Bank of America Corporation (&quot;Bank of America&quot;). Each share was exchanged for .5553 of a share of Bank of America common stock having a market value of $81.47 per share on the effective date of the merger of FleetBoston with Bank of America.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Martha R. Francis,  Attorney-in-Fact for Gary L. Countryman</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-04-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----