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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                             ----------------------
                                    FORM 11-K


(Mark One)


[x]  Annual Report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange of 1934
     [Fee Required]


                   For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001


                                       OR


[ ]  Transition  Report  pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange
     Act of 1934 [No Fee Required]


                  For the transition period from _____ to _____


                  Commission File Number 1-13578
                                         -------

A.   Full title of the plan and the address of the plan, if different  from that
     of the issuer named below:


                    DOWNEY SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, F.A.
                     EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN


B.   Name of issuer of the securities  held pursuant to the plan and the address
     of its principal executive office:


                             DOWNEY FINANCIAL CORP.
                               3501 Jamboree Road
                             Newport Beach, CA 92660


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                   DOWNEY SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, F.A.
                     EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN

                 Financial Statements and Supplemental Schedule

                           December 31, 2001 and 2000

                  (With Independent Auditors' Report Thereon)



                   DOWNEY SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, F.A.
                     EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN


            INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULE

                                                                            PAGE

Independent Auditors' Report ...........................................    1

Statements of Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits - December 31, 2001
     and 2000 ..........................................................    2

Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits - Years
     ended December 31, 2001 and 2000 ..................................    3

Notes to Financial Statements ..........................................    4

SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULE

Schedule H, Line 4i - Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year) -
     December 31, 2001 .................................................    10


All other  schedules are omitted  because they are not required by Department of
Labor regulations or are not applicable.



                          INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT


The Administrative Committee
Downey Savings and Loan Association, F.A.
   Employees' Retirement and Savings Plan:


We have audited the  accompanying  statements  of net assets  available for plan
benefits of the Downey Savings and Loan Association,  F.A. Employees' Retirement
and Savings Plan as of December 31, 2001 and 2000 and the related  statements of
changes in net assets  available  for plan  benefits  for the years then  ended.
These financial statements are the responsibility of the plan's management.  Our
responsibility  is to express an opinion on these financial  statements based on
our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted
in the  United  States of  America.  Those  standards  require  that we plan and
perform the audit to obtain  reasonable  assurance  about  whether the financial
statements are free of material misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a
test basis,  evidence  supporting  the amounts and  disclosures in the financial
statements.  An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and
significant  estimates  made by  management,  as well as evaluating  the overall
financial  statement  presentation.   We  believe  that  our  audits  provide  a
reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion,  the financial  statements  referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects,  the net assets available for plan benefits of the Downey
Savings and Loan Association,  F.A. Employees' Retirement and Savings Plan as of
December  31,  2001 and 2000 and the  changes in net assets  available  for plan
benefits  for the years  then ended in  conformity  with  accounting  principles
generally accepted in the United States of America.

Our audits  were  performed  for the  purpose of forming an opinion on the basic
financial statements taken as a whole. The supplemental  schedule of assets held
at end of year is presented for the purpose of additional  analysis and is not a
required part of the basic financial statements but is supplementary information
required by the  Department of Labor's Rules and  Regulations  for Reporting and
Disclosure  under the Employee  Retirement  Income  Security  Act of 1974.  This
supplemental  schedule  is the  responsibility  of the  plan's  management.  The
supplemental  schedule has been subjected to the auditing  procedures applied in
the audits of the basic  financial  statements  and, in our  opinion,  is fairly
stated, in all material respects,  in relation to the basic financial statements
taken as a whole.



                                   /s/ KPMG LLP



June 11, 2002



                   DOWNEY SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, F.A.
                     EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN

              Statements of Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits

                           December 31, 2001 and 2000



Assets:                                                    2001         2000
                                                       -----------   ----------
                                                               
Investments, at fair value:
     Money market funds .............................  $ 8,141,477    7,085,790
     Mutual funds ...................................   20,732,369   19,017,225
     Downey Financial Corp. common stock ............    5,925,853    7,253,843
     Participant loans ..............................    1,445,590    1,333,818
                                                       -----------   ----------
                                                        36,245,289   34,690,676
                                                       -----------   ----------
Receivables:
     Employer's contribution ........................    1,967,996    1,604,468
     Investment income ..............................          632        1,868
     Other ..........................................           --       20,305
                                                       -----------   ----------
                                                         1,968,628    1,626,641
                                                       -----------   ----------
                                                        38,213,917   36,317,317
Liabilities:
     Excess contributions payable ...................           --       55,517
     Other liabilities ..............................           69           --
                                                       -----------   ----------
               Net assets available for Plan benefits  $38,213,848   36,261,800
                                                       ===========   ==========


See accompanying notes to financial statements.

                                        2


                    DOWNEY SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, F.A.
                     EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN

         Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits

                     Years ended December 31, 2001 and 2000



                                                                        2001          2000
                                                                    -----------   -----------
                                                                            
Additions to net assets attributed to:
     Net appreciation (depreciation) in fair value of investments   $(3,312,510)    3,986,447
     Interest and dividends .....................................     1,193,947     2,135,390
                                                                    -----------   -----------
                                                                     (2,118,563)    6,121,837
     Contributions:
        Employer ................................................     2,412,451     1,991,468
        Participant .............................................     3,818,232     3,206,245
                                                                    -----------   -----------
                 Total additions ................................     4,112,120    11,319,550
                                                                    -----------   -----------
Deductions from net assets attributed to:
     Benefits paid to participants ..............................     2,144,521     3,822,105
     Fees for participant loans .................................        15,551        16,450
                                                                    -----------   -----------
                 Total deductions ...............................     2,160,072     3,838,555
                                                                    -----------   -----------
                 Net increase ...................................     1,952,048     7,480,995

Net assets available for plan benefits:
     Beginning of year ..........................................    36,261,800    28,780,805
                                                                    -----------   -----------
     End of year ................................................   $38,213,848    36,261,800
                                                                    ===========   ===========


See accompanying notes to financial statements.

                                        3


                    DOWNEY SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, F.A.
                     EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN

                          Notes to Financial Statements

                           December 31, 2001 and 2000

(1)  DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN

     (A)  GENERAL

          The Downey Savings and Loan Association,  F.A.  Employees'  Retirement
          and Savings Plan (the Plan) was  established  as a profit sharing plan
          on January 1, 1978 and was  originally  called the  Employees'  Profit
          Sharing  Plan of Downey  Savings  and Loan  Association.  The Plan was
          amended  and  restated  in its  entirety  as of October  1, 1997,  and
          continues  to qualify as both a profit  sharing  plan and a  qualified
          cash or deferred  arrangement  under  Internal  Revenue Code  Sections
          401(a) and 401(k).  The  following  description  provides only general
          information.  Participants  should refer to the Plan  agreement  for a
          more complete description of the Plan's provisions.

          The Plan is a defined  contribution  plan  which  provides  retirement
          benefits   for  eligible   employees   of  Downey   Savings  and  Loan
          Association,  F.A., its affiliates and  subsidiaries  (Downey).  It is
          subject to the provisions of the Employee  Retirement  Income Security
          Act of 1974 (ERISA).

     (B)  ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN

          The Plan is  administered by Downey (the Plan  Administrator).  Downey
          Savings  and Loan  Association,  F.A.  Administrative  Committee  (the
          Committee)  also  administers  the Plan and consists of at least three
          members and has the  authority to control and manage the operation and
          administration  of the  Plan.  The  assets  of the  Plan are held in a
          nondiscretionary trust by Fidelity Management Trust Company as trustee
          and are  administered  under a trust agreement which requires that the
          trustee  hold,  administer  and  distribute  the  funds of the Plan in
          accordance with the text of the Plan and the  instructions of the Plan
          Administrator, the Committee or its designees.

     (C)  CONTRIBUTIONS

          All  employees  of Downey  are  eligible  to  participate  in the Plan
          provided  they  are 21 years  of age and  have  completed  one year of
          service.  Each year,  participants  may  contribute up to 15% of their
          compensation,  as defined in the Plan. Participants may roll over into
          the Plan  amounts  representing  distributions  from  other  qualified
          plans.

          Downey makes a matching contribution equal to 25% of the participant's
          pretax  contributions  which  do not  exceed  4% of the  participant's
          annual compensation.  In addition,  through an amendment dated October
          11,  1999 and  effective  January 1,  1999,  Downey may make an annual
          discretionary profit sharing  contribution to the Plan.  Allocation of
          the  discretionary  contribution  is based on points  credited to each
          eligible  participant  and salary.  Points are  credited  based on the
          employee's age and vested years of service.  Contributions are subject
          to certain limitations.

          On  March  27,  2001,  the  Plan  Administrative   Committee  approved
          Amendment  No. 5 to the Plan.  The  Amendment is effective  for fiscal
          years after December 31, 2001 and is summarized as follows:

          o    The  definition of  enrollment  date is changed from first day of
               each Plan Year Quarter to first day of each Plan Year Month.

          o    Age requirement for eligibility is changed from 21 to 18.

                                       4                             (Continued)


                   DOWNEY SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, F.A.
                     EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN

                          Notes to Financial Statements

                           December 31, 2001 and 2000

          o    The  annual   discretionary   profit  sharing   contribution   is
               eliminated. Downey will make a matching contribution equal to 50%
               of the first 6% of salary deferred in the Plan year.

     (D)  PARTICIPANT ACCOUNTS

          Each   participant's   account  is  credited  with  the  participant's
          contributions,  allocations  of Downey's  matching  and  discretionary
          contributions  and the Plan's  earnings  and losses.  Allocations  are
          based on participant earnings or account balances, as defined.

     (E)  VESTING

          Participants are immediately vested in their contributions plus actual
          earnings  thereon.  Vesting in  Downey's  matching  and  discretionary
          contributions  plus  actual  earnings  thereon  is  based  on years of
          service.  A  participant  vests at the rate of 20%  after  one year of
          service  and 20% each year  thereafter  until 100%  vesting is reached
          after five years of service.  In addition,  a participant becomes 100%
          vested if the sum of the participant's age and years of service equals
          at least 60.

     (F)  FORFEITED ACCOUNTS

          At years ended December 31, 2001 and 2000,  forfeited accounts totaled
          $55,780 and $65,126,  respectively.  These accounts are used to reduce
          future employer  contributions.  For Plan years 2001 and 2000, $57,055
          and $68,435 of forfeitures, respectively, were used to reduce employer
          contributions.

     (G)  INVESTMENT OPTIONS

          At December 31, 2001, the investment  options  available to the Plan's
          participants were as follows:

          o    Downey  Financial  Corp.  Stock  Fund - The  fund  provides  Plan
               participants  with an opportunity  to invest in Downey  Financial
               Corp.  common stock.  Cash balances within this fund are invested
               temporarily in the Fidelity  Institutional Cash Portfolio,  which
               is a money market fund.

          o    Fidelity  Retirement  Money  Market  Fund  - The  fund  seeks  to
               preserve  capital and maintain a high degree of  liquidity  while
               providing  income.  The fund invests in high-quality,  short-term
               U.S.  dollar-denominated money market instruments of domestic and
               foreign issuers.

          o    PIMCO Low  Duration  Inst.  Fund - The fund seeks total  return -
               both income and capital  appreciation  - consistent  with prudent
               investment management.

          o    Templeton  Foreign  Fund - The fund  seeks  long-term  growth  of
               capital.

          o    Fidelity  Puritan  Fund - The fund seeks income  consistent  with
               preservation of capital.

          o    Fidelity Growth & Income Fund - The fund seeks long-term  growth,
               current income, and growth of income,  consistent with reasonable
               investment risk.

          o    Fidelity   Low-Priced   Stock  Fund  -  The  fund  seeks  capital
               appreciation.

          o    Fidelity  Aggressive Growth Fund - The fund seeks to increase the
               value  of  investments   over  the  long  term  through   capital
               appreciation.

                                       5                             (Continued)


                   DOWNEY SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, F.A.
                     EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN

                          Notes to Financial Statements

                           December 31, 2001 and 2000

          o    Spartan  U.S.  Equity  Index  Fund - The fund  seeks  to  provide
               investment  results that  correspond to the total  performance of
               common stocks of companies publicly traded in the United States.

          o    Fidelity Freedom Income Fund - The fund seeks high current income
               and, as a secondary  objective,  some  capital  appreciation  for
               those already in retirement.

          o    Fidelity  Freedom  2000 Fund - The fund seeks high total  returns
               for those planning to retire in approximately 1 - 10 years.

          o    Fidelity  Freedom  2010 Fund - The fund seeks high total  returns
               for those planning to retire in approximately 10 - 20 years.

          o    Fidelity  Freedom  2020 Fund - The fund seeks high total  returns
               for those planning to retire in approximately 20 - 30 years.

          o    Fidelity  Freedom  2030 Fund - The fund seeks high total  returns
               for those planning to retire in approximately 30 - 40 years.

          o    Fidelity  Freedom  2040 Fund - The fund seeks high total  returns
               for those planning to retire around 2040.

     (H)  PARTICIPANT LOANS

          Participants may borrow from their fund accounts for general purposes,
          as  defined  within  the Plan.  Participant  loans are  limited to the
          lesser of 1) 50% of the  participant's  current vested fund balance or
          2) $50,000 reduced by the highest  outstanding loan balance during the
          previous  12 months.  Loan  transactions  are treated as a transfer to
          (from) the investment  funds.  The loans are secured by the balance in
          the  participant's  account and bear a fixed rate of interest equal to
          prime plus 2% at the time the loan is originated. Participants pay $75
          to  establish  a loan and then pay  $6.25  on a  quarterly  basis  for
          maintenance.  Principal and interest are paid ratably  through payroll
          deductions.

     (I)  PAYMENTS OF BENEFITS

          Upon termination of service, a participant may elect to receive either
          a single  lump-sum  payment in cash or Downey stock equal to the value
          of  the  vested  interest  in  his  or her  account,  or a  series  of
          substantially equal annual or more frequent installments over a period
          not  to  exceed   five  years.

     (J)  ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

          All administrative costs of the Plan, excluding investment  management
          fees and fees for participant loans, are paid by Downey.

     (K)  PLAN TERMINATION

          Although  it has not  expressed  any  intent to do so,  Downey has the
          right under the Plan to discontinue  contributions  at any time and to
          terminate the Plan subject to the provisions of ERISA. In the event of
          Plan  termination,  participants  will  become  100%  vested  in their
          accounts.

                                       6                             (Continued)


                   DOWNEY SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, F.A.
                     EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN

                          Notes to Financial Statements

                           December 31, 2001 and 2000

(2)  SIGNIFICANT  ACCOUNTING  POLICIES

     (A)  BASIS OF ACCOUNTING

          The financial statements of the Plan have been prepared on the accrual
          basis of accounting.

     (B)  INVESTMENTS

          Publicly  traded  securities  are  carried  at  fair  value  based  on
          published  market  quotations.  Purchases and sales of investments are
          recorded on a trade-date  basis.  Net  appreciation or depreciation of
          investments  includes both realized and  unrealized  gains and losses.
          Interest  income is  recorded  on the  accrual  basis.  Dividends  are
          recorded on the ex-dividend date.

     (C)  PARTICIPANT LOANS

          Participant  loans  are  included  in the  statements  of  net  assets
          available  for Plan  benefits  at  their  outstanding  balance,  which
          approximates  fair value of the loans.  The loans are payable  through
          payroll deductions.

     (D)  USE OF ESTIMATES

          The preparation of financial  statements in conformity with accounting
          principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires
          the Plan  Administrator  to make estimates and assumptions that affect
          the reported  amounts of assets and liabilities  and changes  therein,
          and  disclosure of  contingent  assets and  liabilities.  Accordingly,
          actual results may differ from those estimates.

     (E)  PAYMENT OF BENEFITS

          Benefits are recorded when paid.

(3)  INVESTMENTS

     In accordance with the terms of the Plan's Investment Policies,  Guidelines
     and Objectives,  the Plan will offer a minimum of five investment  options.
     Plan  participants  select  the  options  they  prefer and  allocate  their
     contributions between options as they deem appropriate.


                                       7                             (Continued)


                   DOWNEY SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, F.A.
                     EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN

                          Notes to Financial Statements

                           December 31, 2001 and 2000

     The following table presents the fair value of investments, with those that
     represent  5% or more of the  Plan's net assets at the end of the Plan year
     separately identified:



             INVESTMENT                    2001              2000
-------------------------------------   -----------        ----------
                                                     
Downey Financial Corp. Stock Fund ...   $ 5,925,853         7,253,843
Fidelity Retirement Money Market Fund     7,784,306         6,678,766
Pimco Low Duration Institutional Fund     1,917,246         1,367,634 *
Fidelity Puritan Fund ...............     3,323,498         3,107,136
Fidelity Growth & Income Fund .......     7,357,495         7,911,732
Fidelity Low-Priced Stock Fund ......     3,118,937         1,940,782
Spartan U.S. Equity Index Fund ......     2,214,177         2,172,484
Other investments less than 5% ......     4,603,777         4,258,299
                                        -----------        ----------
                                        $36,245,289        34,690,676
                                        ===========        ==========

*    Fair  value  does not  represent  5% or more of the  Plan's  net  assets at
     December 31, 2000.



     During 2001 and 2000, the Plan's investments  appreciated  (depreciated) in
     value as follows:


                                         2001            2000
                                      ------------    ---------
                                                
Mutual funds ......................   $ (1,707,418)    (1,607,883)
Downey Financial Corp. Stock Fund .     (1,605,092)     5,594,330
                                      ------------      ---------
    Net appreciation (depreciation)
      in fair value of investments    $ (3,312,510)     3,986,447
                                      ============      =========


(4)  FEDERAL INCOME TAXES

     The Plan received a favorable tax determination  letter on May 4, 1998 from
     the Internal  Revenue Service stating that the Plan, as amended and adopted
     on September  29, 1997, is qualified  under Section  401(a) of the Internal
     Revenue Code, and is exempt from federal  income taxes under  provisions of
     Section 501(a).

     The Plan has been subsequently amended since September 29, 1997. Subsequent
     amendments of the Plan were adopted on February 1, 1998,  October 11, 1999,
     November 18, 1999 and March 24,  2000.  In the opinion of  management,  the
     Plan continues to meet the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code.

(5)  RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

     Certain Plan  investments  are shares of mutual  funds  managed by Fidelity
     Management  Research,  which is affiliated with Fidelity  Management  Trust
     Company, which is the trustee as defined by the Plan, and therefore,  these
     transactions  qualify as  party-in-interest.  Fees for the trust management
     services are paid by Downey.

                                 8                                   (Continued)


                   DOWNEY SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, F.A.
                     EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN

                          Notes to Financial Statements

                           December 31, 2001 and 2000

(6)  RECONCILIATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO FORM 5500

     The following is a reconciliation  of benefits paid to participants per the
     financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2001 to Form 5500:

     Benefits paid to participants per the financial statements ... $ 2,144,521
       Less loans deemed distributed from 2000 ....................     155,033
                                                                    ------------
                 Benefits paid to participants per the Form 5500 .. $ 1,989,488
                                                                    ============

                                       9


                                                                        SCHEDULE
                    DOWNEY SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, F.A.
                     EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN

          Schedule H, Line 4i - Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)

                                December 31, 2001


                                                  DESCRIPTION OF INVESTMENT
                                                INCLUDING MATURITY DATE, RATE
        IDENTITY OF ISSUE, BORROWER,            OF INTEREST, COLLATERAL, PAR OR
          LESSOR, OR SIMILAR PARTY                      MATURITY VALUE             CURRENT VALUE
--------------------------------------------    -------------------------------    -------------
                                                                                
 *   Downey Financial Corp. Stock Fund          143,657 shares common stock ...    $5,925,853
 *   Fidelity Institutional Cash Portfolio      Money Market Fund .............       357,171
 *   Fidelity Retirement Money Market Fund      Money Market Fund .............     7,784,306
     PIMCO Low Duration Inst. Fund              190,392 shares mutual fund ....     1,917,246
     Templeton Foreign Fund                     98,203 shares mutual fund .....       908,380
 *   Fidelity Puritan Fund                      188,087 shares mutual fund ....     3,323,498
 *   Fidelity Growth & Income Fund              196,830 shares mutual fund ....     7,357,495
 *   Fidelity Low-Priced Stock Fund             113,747 shares mutual fund ....     3,118,937
 *   Fidelity Aggressive Growth Fund            32,739 shares mutual fund .....       622,688
 *   Spartan U.S. Equity Index Fund             54,483 shares mutual fund .....     2,214,177
 *   Fidelity Freedom Income Fund               47,881 shares mutual fund .....       523,337
 *   Fidelity Freedom 2000 Fund                 1,850 shares mutual fund ......        21,308
 *   Fidelity Freedom 2010 Fund                 16,846 shares mutual fund .....       212,428
 *   Fidelity Freedom 2020 Fund                 17,918 shares mutual fund .....       225,403
 *   Fidelity Freedom 2030 Fund                 19,330 shares mutual fund .....       242,785
 *   Fidelity Freedom 2040 Fund                 6,047 shares mutual fund ......        44,687
 *   Participant loans                          Participant loans (interest
                                                   rates from 6.75% to 11.5%) .     1,445,590

 * Denotes a party in interest.



See accompanying independent auditors' report.

                                       10


                              REQUIRED INFORMATION


I.   Financial Statements.

     Financial statements and schedule prepared in accordance with the financial
     reporting  requirements of the Employee  Retirement  Income Security Act of
     1974, together with independent auditors' report thereon.


II.  Exhibits:

     Consent of Independent Auditors.


                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
trustees (or other persons who administer the Plan) have duly caused this annual
report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.




                                       DOWNEY SAVINGS AND LOAN
                                       ASSOCIATION, F.A. EMPLOYEES'
                                       RETIREMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN



Date:  June 25, 2002                   By:      /s/  THOMAS E. PRINCE
      ---------------                     --------------------------------------
                                                  Thomas E. Prince
                                          Member, Administrative Committee


                                       11