MADISON, Wis. -- Like the rest of the nation, Wisconsin residents watched helplessly this week as the financial markets posted big losses this week. But in the Badger state, it's not all bad news.

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Some local money experts believe there's some light at the end of the tunnel for general investors, and they said the vast majority of bank customers have nothing about which to worry.

With fear prompting stock market selling at a fast and furious rate, some Wisconsin residents are pondering their options.

Some might even be considering pulling their money out of banks.

But Kurt Bauer, CEO and president of the Wisconsin Bankers Association, said people shouldn't do that.

"That's the dumbest thing you can do. Banks are safe and sound... that's the safest place for your money," said Bauer.

He said the 300 banks based in Wisconsin, which are nearly all of the banks in the state, are stable and secure.

That's because unlike investment banks, Wisconsin bank deposits are federally insured for up to $250,000 each. Bauer said that insurance is backed up, too.

"The insurance is backed by $42 billion in a fund... actual money that's there right now, that the banks have paid into over the years and then it's also backed by an additional $1.3 trillion in bank assets," said Bauer.

Bauer said Wisconsin banks are also safe and sound because past lending practices excluded subprime mortgages.

He said that means they are free to continue lending and are doing so, though credit standards have been tightened, in part due to tougher regulatory oversight.

"It's kind of a chain reaction -- the regulators are putting more pressure on the banks. The banks are putting more pressure on the borrower," said Bauer.

Other money experts said there's some good news for families, too, when it comes to 401(k) funds and stock investments.

One vice president of a local private investment firm that manages mutual funds said he sees a light at the end of the tunnel as well as a stock turnaround in as little as two years.

John Thompson of Thompson Investment Management in Madison said, "We think the market will bottom in the next few days if not week... the expected return -- we think -- in the stock market is in the double digits -- 12 to 15 percent a year over the next five years."

There's been a lot of financial pain the last year and a half, but Thompson , who helps manage $800 million, thinks the worst is just about over -- provided the federal Reserve and Treasury move to execute some of their big plans to ease credit and guarantee all bank deposits.