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                     CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

                                     BETWEEN

                             DOWNEY FINANCIAL CORP.

                                 (AS GUARANTOR)

                                       AND

                            WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
                                  (AS TRUSTEE)




                                   DATED AS OF

                                  JULY 23, 1999




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                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                            PAGE

Article I         DEFINITIONS.................................................2

    SECTION 1.1   Definitions.................................................2

Article II.       TRUST INDENTURE ACT.........................................4

    SECTION 2.1   Trust Indenture Act; Application............................4

    SECTION 2.2   List of Holders.............................................4

    SECTION 2.3   Reports by the Guarantee Trustee............................4

    SECTION 2.4   Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee...................5

    SECTION 2.5   Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent............5

    SECTION 2.6   Events of Default; Waiver...................................5

    SECTION 2.7   Event of Default; Notice....................................5

    SECTION 2.8   Conflicting Interests.......................................6

Article III.      POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE..........6

    SECTION 3.1   Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee..................6

    SECTION 3.2   Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee.........................7

    SECTION 3.3   Indemnity...................................................9

Article IV.       GUARANTEE TRUSTEE...........................................9

    SECTION 4.1   Guarantee Trustee.  Eligibility.............................9

    SECTION 4.2   Appointment, Removal and Resignation of the Guarantee
                  Trustee.....................................................9

Article V.        GUARANTEE..................................................10

    SECTION 5.1   Guarantee..................................................10

    SECTION 5.2   Waiver of Notice and Demand................................10

    SECTION 5.3   Obligations Not Affected...................................10

    SECTION 5.4   Rights of Holders..........................................11

    SECTION 5.5   Guarantee of Payment.......................................12

    SECTION 5.6   Subrogation................................................12

    SECTION 5.7   Independent Obligations....................................12

Article VI.       SUBORDINATION..............................................12





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                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                   (CONTINUED)

                                                                            PAGE

    SECTION 6.1   Subordination..............................................12

    SECTION 6.2   Pari Passu Guarantees......................................12

Article VII.      CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE.......13

    SECTION 7.1   Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms.....13

    SECTION 7.2   Successor Guarantor Substituted............................13

Article VIII.     TERMINATION................................................14

    SECTION 8.1   Termination................................................14

Article IX.       MISCELLANEOUS..............................................14

    SECTION 9.1   Successors and Assigns.....................................14

    SECTION 9.2   Amendments.................................................14

    SECTION 9.3   Notices....................................................14

    SECTION 9.4   Benefit....................................................15

    SECTION 9.5   Interpretation.............................................15

    SECTION 9.6   Governing Law..............................................16





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                             CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*

          Section of Trust                                Section of
  Indenture Act of 1939, as amended                   Guarantee Agreement
  ---------------------------------                   -------------------
               310(a)                                       4.1(a)
               310(b)                                     4.1(c), 2.8
               310(c)                                    Inapplicable
               311(a)                                       2.2(b)
               311(b)                                       2.2(b)
               311(c)                                    Inapplicable
               312(a)                                       2.2(a)
               312(b)                                       2.2(b)
               311(c)                                    Inapplicable
               312(a)                                       2.2(a)
               312(b)                                       2.2(b)
                 313                                          2.3
               314(a)                                         2.4
               314(b)                                    Inapplicable
               314(c)                                         2.5
               314(d)                                    Inapplicable
               314(e)                                    1.1, 2.5, 3.2
               314(f)                                      2.1, 3.2
               315(a)                                       3.1(d)
               315(b)                                         2.7
               315(c)                                         3.1
               315(d)                                       3.1(d)
               316(a)                                    1.1, 2.6, 5.4
               316(b)                                         5.3
               316(c)                                         9.2
               317(a)                                    Inapplicable
               317(b)                                    Inapplicable
               318(a)                                       2.1(b)
               318(b)                                         2.1
               318(c)                                       2.1(a)


- --------
* This Cross-Reference  Table does not constitute part of the Capital Securities
Guarantee  and  shall  not  affect  the  interpretation  of any of its  terms or
provisions.






                     CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

     This  CAPITAL  SECURITIES  GUARANTEE  AGREEMENT  (the  "Capital  Securities
Guarantee"),  dated as of July 23,  1999,  is executed  and  delivered by DOWNEY
FINANCIAL CORP., a Delaware  corporation (the "Guarantor")  having its principal
office at 3501 Jamboree Road, North Tower, Newport Beach,  California 92660, and
WILMINGTON  TRUST  COMPANY,  a Delaware  banking  corporation,  as trustee  (the
"Guarantee  Trustee"),  for the benefit of the Holders (as defined  herein) from
time to time of the Capital  Securities (as defined herein) of DOWNEY  FINANCIAL
CAPITAL TRUST I, a Delaware statutory business trust (the "Trust").

     WHEREAS,  pursuant to an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement,  dated as of
July 23,  1999 (the  "Trust  Agreement"),  among  the  Guarantor  as  Depositor,
Wilmington  Trust  Company as  Property  Trustee,  Wilmington  Trust  Company as
Delaware Trustee, the Administrative Trustees named therein and the holders from
time to time of undivided  beneficial  interests in the assets of the Trust, the
Trust is issuing on the date hereof  $120,000,000  aggregate  Liquidation Amount
(as defined in the Trust Agreement) of its 10% Capital  Securities,  Liquidation
Amount $25 per Capital Security (the "Capital Securities");

     WHEREAS,  the  Capital  Securities  will be  issued  by the  Trust  and the
proceeds  thereof,  together  with the proceeds from the issuance of the Trust's
Common  Securities (as defined  below),  will be used to purchase the Debentures
(as defined in the Trust  Agreement) of the Guarantor  which were deposited with
Wilmington  Trust Company,  as Property  Trustee under the Trust  Agreement,  as
trust assets;

     WHEREAS,   as  an  incentive  for  the  Holders  to  purchase  the  Capital
Securities,  the Guarantor desires  irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to
the extent set forth herein, to pay to the Holders of the Capital Securities the
Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make certain other payments on the
terms and conditions set forth herein; and

     WHEREAS,  the  Guarantor  is  also  executing  and  delivering  the  Common
Securities  Guarantee  Agreement,  dated  as  of  July  23,  1999  (the  "Common
Securities Guarantee"),  for the benefit of holders of the Common Securities (as
defined  herein) the terms of which  provide  that if (i) a  Debenture  Event of
Default  (as  defined  in  the  Trust  Agreement)  shall  have  occurred  and is
continuing or (ii) the Trust is dissolved or liquidated  and funds  available to
the  Trust  are  insufficient  to pay in full  the  amounts  due on the  Capital
Securities and the Common Securities or if Debentures are distributed to holders
of the  Common  Securities  and  Holders  of the  Capital  Securities  upon such
liquidation or dissolution and the Holders of Capital  Securities do not receive
the full amount of Debentures to which they are entitled,  the rights of holders
of the  Common  Securities  to  receive  Guarantee  Payments  under  the  Common
Securities Guarantee are subordinated, to the extent and in the manner set forth
in the  Common  Securities  Guarantee,  to the  rights  of  Holders  of  Capital
Securities  to  receive  Guarantee   Payments  under  this  Capital   Securities
Guarantee.

     NOW, THEREFORE,  in consideration of the purchase by each Holder of Capital
Securities,  which purchase the Guarantor hereby  acknowledges shall benefit the
Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Capital Securities Guarantee
for the benefit of the Holders.





                                       1





                             ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS

     SECTION 1.1 Definitions.

     As used in this  Capital  Securities  Guarantee,  the terms set forth below
shall,  unless the context  otherwise  requires,  have the  following  meanings.
Capitalized  or otherwise  defined terms used but not otherwise  defined  herein
shall have the meanings  assigned to such terms in the Trust  Agreement  and the
Indenture (as defined herein), each as in effect on the date hereof.

     "Affiliate"  of any  specified  Person means any other  Person  directly or
indirectly  controlling  or  controlled  by or under  direct or indirect  common
control  with  such  specified  Person.  For the  purposes  of this  definition,
"control"  when used with  respect to any  specified  Person  means the power to
direct the  management  and  policies of such  Person,  directly or  indirectly,
whether  through the ownership of voting  securities,  by contract or otherwise;
and the terms  "controlling" and "controlled"  have meanings  correlative to the
foregoing.

     "Board of  Directors"  means either the board of directors of the Guarantor
or any committee of that board duly authorized to act hereunder.

     "Common  Securities"  means the securities  representing  common  undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust.

     "Event of Default"  means a default by the  Guarantor on any of its payment
or other obligations under this Capital Securities Guarantee; provided, however,
that, except with respect to a default in payment of any Guarantee Payments, the
Guarantor  shall have  received  notice of default and shall not have cured such
default within 90 days after receipt of such notice.

     "Guarantee" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1.

     "Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or distributions, without
duplication,  with respect to the Capital Securities,  to the extent not paid or
made by or on behalf of the Trust: (i) any accrued and unpaid  Distributions (as
defined in the Trust  Agreement)  that are  required to be paid on such  Capital
Securities,  to the extent the Trust shall have funds legally available therefor
at such time,  (ii) the  applicable  Redemption  Price (as  defined in the Trust
Agreement),  to the extent the Trust shall have funds legally available therefor
at such time, with respect to any Capital Securities called for redemption,  and
(iii) upon a voluntary or involuntary termination,  winding up or liquidation of
the Trust (other than in connection  with the  distribution of Debentures to the
Holders in exchange for Capital  Securities as provided in the Trust Agreement),
the  lesser  of (a)  the  Liquidation  Distribution  (as  defined  in the  Trust
Agreement)  or (b) the  amount of assets of the Trust  remaining  available  for
distribution  to the Holders after  satisfaction  of liabilities to creditors of
the Trust as required by applicable law.

     "Guarantee  Trustee"  means  Wilmington  Trust  Company,  until a Successor
Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment  pursuant
to the terms of this Capital  Securities  Guarantee,  and thereafter  means each
such Successor Guarantee Trustee.





                                       2




     "Holder"  means any holder,  as  registered on the books and records of the
Trust, of any Capital Securities; provided, however, that in determining whether
the holders of the  requisite  percentage of Capital  Securities  have given any
request,  notice,  consent or waiver  hereunder,  "Holder" shall not include the
Guarantor,  the  Guarantee  Trustee,  or any  Affiliate of the  Guarantor or the
Guarantee Trustee.

     "Indenture"  means the Junior  Subordinated  Indenture dated as of July 23,
1999, as supplemented  and amended,  between the Guarantor and Wilmington  Trust
Company, as trustee.

     "List of Holders" has the meaning specified in Section 2.2(a).

     "Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities" means, except as
provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by the Holder(s),  voting separately
as a class, of more than 50% of the Liquidation  Amount of all then  outstanding
Capital Securities issued by the Trust.

     "Officers'  Certificate"  means,  with respect to any Person, a certificate
signed by the  Chairman  or a Vice  Chairman of the Board of  Directors  of such
Person or the  President or a Vice  President  of such Person,  and by the Chief
Financial Officer,  the Secretary or an Assistant  Secretary of such Person, and
delivered to the Guarantee  Trustee.  Any Officers'  Certificate  delivered with
respect to compliance with a condition or covenant  provided for in this Capital
Securities Guarantee shall include:

     (a) a statement  that each officer  signing the Officers'  Certificate  has
read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

     (b) a brief  statement  of the  nature  and  scope  of the  examination  or
investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering the Officers' Certificate;

     (c)  a  statement   that  each  officer  has  made  such   examination   or
investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is necessary to enable such officer
to express an informed  opinion as to whether or not such  covenant or condition
has been complied with; and

     (d) a  statement  as to  whether,  in the  opinion  of each  officer,  such
condition or covenant has been complied with.

     "Other  Guarantees"  means any guarantees  similar to the Guarantee issued,
from time to time,  by the  Guarantor on behalf of holders of one or more series
of capital  securities  issued by any Downey Trust (as defined in the Indenture)
other than the Trust.

     "Person"  means a legal  person,  including  any  individual,  corporation,
estate, partnership,  joint venture,  association,  joint stock company, limited
liability  company,  trust,  unincorporated  association,  or  government or any
agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.





                                       3




     "Responsible  Officer" means,  with respect to the Guarantee  Trustee,  any
officer of the Corporate  Trust  Department  of the  Guarantee  Trustee and also
means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to
whom  such  matter  is  referred  because  of that  officer's  knowledge  of and
familiarity with the particular subject.

     "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

     "Successor   Guarantee   Trustee"  means  a  successor   Guarantee  Trustee
possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.1.

     "Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

                         ARTICLE II. TRUST INDENTURE ACT

     SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application.

     (a) This Capital  Securities  Guarantee is subject to the provisions of the
Trust  Indenture  Act that are  required to be part of this  Capital  Securities
Guarantee and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

     (b) If and to the extent  that any  provision  of this  Capital  Securities
Guarantee limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310
to 317,  inclusive,  of the Trust  Indenture  Act,  such  imposed  duties  shall
control.

     SECTION 2.2 List of Holders.

     (a) The  Guarantor  shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee
Trustee (a)  semiannually,  on or before  January 15 and July 15 of each year, a
list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names
and  addresses of the Holders  ("List of Holders") as of a date not more than 15
days prior to the delivery thereof, and (b) at such other times as the Guarantee
Trustee  may  request  in  writing,  within  30 days  after the  receipt  by the
Guarantor of any such  request,  a List of Holders as of a date not more than 15
days prior to the time such list is  furnished,  in each case to the extent such
information  is in  the  possession  or  control  of  the  Guarantor  and is not
identical to a previously  supplied  list of Holders or has not  otherwise  been
received by the  Guarantee  Trustee in its capacity as such;  provided,  however
that the Guarantor is not required to furnish a List of Holders to the Guarantee
Trustee for so long as the Guarantee Trustee is the Securities Registrar for the
Capital  Securities.  The  Guarantee  Trustee  may  destroy  any List of Holders
previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

     (b) The Guarantee  Trustee shall comply with its obligations  under Section
311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

     SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Guarantee Trustee.

     Not later  than  March 31 of each year,  commencing  on the year  beginning
January 1, 2000, the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports
as are required by Section 313 of the





                                       4




Trust  Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner  provided by Section
313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the
requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

     SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee.

     The Guarantor  shall provide to the Guarantee  Trustee,  the Securities and
Exchange Commission and the Holders such documents,  reports and information, if
any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust  Indenture  Act and the  compliance
certificate  required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in
the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act.

     SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.

     The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee  Trustee,  on an annual basis,
such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for
in this Capital Securities Guarantee that relate to any of the matters set forth
in  Section  314(c) of the Trust  Indenture  Act.  Any  certificate  or  opinion
required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in
the form of an Officers' Certificate.

     SECTION 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver.

     The Holders of a Majority in Liquidation  Amount of the Capital  Securities
may, by vote, on behalf of the Holders,  waive any past Event of Default and its
consequences.  Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist,
and any Event of Default  arising  therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured,
for every purpose of this Capital Securities Guarantee, but no such waiver shall
extend to any  subsequent  or other  default  or Event of  Default or impair any
right consequent therefrom.

     SECTION 2.7 Event of Default; Notice.

     (a) The Guarantee  Trustee shall,  within 90 days after the occurrence of a
default which with notice or the passage of time, or both, could become an Event
of Default,  transmit by mail,  first class  postage  prepaid,  to the  Holders,
notices  of all  such  defaults  known to the  Guarantee  Trustee,  unless  such
defaults  have been  cured  before the giving of such  notice,  provided,  that,
except in the case of a default  in the  payment  of a  Guarantee  Payment,  the
Guarantee  Trustee shall be protected in withholding  such notice if and so long
as the Board of  Directors,  the  executive  committee  or a trust  committee of
directors  and/or  Responsible  Officers of the Guarantee  Trustee in good faith
determines  that the  withholding  of such  notice  is in the  interests  of the
Holders.

     (b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such
default unless the Guarantee  Trustee shall have received  written notice,  or a
Responsible  Officer charged with the  administration of this Capital Securities
Guarantee shall have obtained written notice, of such default.





                                       5




     SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests.

     The Trust Agreement  shall be deemed to be  specifically  described in this
Capital Securities Guarantee for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso
contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

                     ARTICLE III. POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS
                            OF THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE

     SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.

     (a) This Guarantee  shall be held by the Guarantee  Trustee for the benefit
of the Holders,  and the Guarantee  Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee to
any Person except to a Holder  exercising his or her rights  pursuant to Section
5.4(iv) or to a Successor  Guarantee  Trustee on  acceptance  by such  Successor
Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee.  The
right,  title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall  automatically vest in
any Successor  Guarantee  Trustee,  upon acceptance by such Successor  Guarantee
Trustee of its  appointment  hereunder,  and such vesting and cessation of title
shall be effective whether or not conveyancing  documents have been executed and
delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

     (b) If an Event of Default has occurred and is  continuing,  the  Guarantee
Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders.

     (c) The Guarantee  Trustee,  before the  occurrence of any Event of Default
and after the  curing of all  Events of Default  that may have  occurred,  shall
undertake  to perform  only such  duties as are  specifically  set forth in this
Capital Securities  Guarantee,  and no implied covenants shall be read into this
Capital Securities  Guarantee against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of
Default  has  occurred  (that has not been cured or waived  pursuant  to Section
2.6), the Guarantee  Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested
in it by this Capital Securities Guarantee,  and use the same degree of care and
skill in its exercise  thereof,  as a prudent person would exercise or use under
the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

     (d) No provision of this Capital Securities Guarantee shall be construed to
relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent  action,  its
own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:

          (i)  prior to the  occurrence  of any Event of  Default  and after the
     curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have occurred:

               (A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee  Trustee shall be
          determined solely by the express provisions of this Capital Securities
          Guarantee,  and the  Guarantee  Trustee shall not be liable except for
          the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set
          forth in this Capital Securities Guarantee; and





                                       6




               (B) in the  absence  of bad  faith on the  part of the  Guarantee
          Trustee,  the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth
          of the  statements  and  the  correctness  of the  opinions  expressed
          therein,  upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee
          Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Capital  Securities
          Guarantee;  but in the case of any such  certificates or opinions that
          by any provision hereof or of the Trust Indenture Act are specifically
          required to be  furnished  to the  Guarantee  Trustee,  the  Guarantee
          Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether
          or not they conform to the  requirements  of this  Capital  Securities
          Guarantee;

          (ii) The  Guarantee  Trustee  shall  not be  liable  for any  error of
     judgment  made in good  faith by a  Responsible  Officer  of the  Guarantee
     Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent
     in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such judgment was made;

          (iii) the  Guarantee  Trustee  shall not be liable with respect to any
     action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance  with
     the  direction  of the Holders of not less than a Majority  in  Liquidation
     Amount of the Capital Securities  relating to the time, method and place of
     conducting  any  proceeding  for  any  remedy  available  to the  Guarantee
     Trustee,  or  exercising  any trust or power  conferred  upon the Guarantee
     Trustee under this Capital Securities Guarantee; and

          (iv) no provision of this Capital  Securities  Guarantee shall require
     the  Guarantee  Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise  incur
     personal financial  liability in the performance of any of its duties or in
     the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall
     have  reasonable  grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or
     liability is not  reasonably  assured to it under the terms of this Capital
     Securities  Guarantee or adequate  indemnity against such risk or liability
     is not reasonably assured to it.

     SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee.

     (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1:

          (i) The  Guarantee  Trustee may rely and shall be fully  protected  in
     acting  or  refraining  from  acting  upon  any  resolution,   certificate,
     statement,   instrument,   opinion,  report,  notice,  request,  direction,
     consent,  order, bond,  debenture,  note, other evidence of indebtedness or
     other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have
     been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

          (ii)  Any  direction  or act of the  Guarantor  contemplated  by  this
     Capital  Securities  Guarantee  shall  be  sufficiently   evidenced  by  an
     Officers' Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

          (iii)  Whenever,  in the  administration  of this  Capital  Securities
     Guarantee,  the Guarantee  Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be
     proved or  established  before  taking,  suffering  or omitting to take any
     action  hereunder,  the Guarantee  Trustee (unless other evidence is herein
     specifically  prescribed)  may,  in the  absence  of bad faith on its part,
     request and rely upon an





                                       7




Officers'  Certificate  which,  upon receipt of such request from the  Guarantee
Trustee, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

          (iv) The  Guarantee  Trustee may consult with legal  counsel,  and the
     written  advice or  opinion  of such legal  counsel  with  respect to legal
     matters shall be full and complete  authorization and protection in respect
     of any action  taken,  suffered or omitted to be taken by it  hereunder  in
     good  faith and in  accordance  with such  advice or  opinion.  Such  legal
     counsel may be legal counsel to the Guarantor or any of its  Affiliates and
     may be one of its employees.  The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at
     any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Capital
     Securities Guarantee from any court of competent jurisdiction.

          (v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any
     of the rights or powers vested in it by this Capital  Securities  Guarantee
     at the request or  direction  of any Holder,  unless such Holder shall have
     provided to the Guarantee  Trustee such adequate  security and indemnity as
     would satisfy a reasonable person in the position of the Guarantee Trustee,
     against the costs,  expenses  (including  attorneys' fees and expenses) and
     liabilities  that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or
     direction,  including such  reasonable  advances as may be requested by the
     Guarantee  Trustee;  provided  that,  nothing  contained  in  this  Section
     3.2(a)(v)  shall  be taken  to  relieve  the  Guarantee  Trustee,  upon the
     occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation to exercise the rights
     and powers vested in it by this Capital Securities Guarantee.

          (vi)  The   Guarantee   Trustee   shall  not  be  bound  to  make  any
     investigation   into  the  facts  or  matters  stated  in  any  resolution,
     certificate,  statement,  instrument,  opinion,  report,  notice,  request,
     direction,  consent,  order,  bond,  debenture,  note,  other  evidence  of
     indebtedness or other paper or document,  but the Guarantee Trustee, in its
     discretion,  may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts
     or matters as it may see fit.

          (vii) The  Guarantee  Trustee  may execute any of the trusts or powers
     hereunder or perform any duties  hereunder either directly or by or through
     its agents or attorneys, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible
     for any  misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent or attorney
     appointed with due care by it hereunder.

          (viii)  Whenever  in the  administration  of this  Capital  Securities
     Guarantee  the  Guarantee  Trustee  shall  deem  it  desirable  to  receive
     instructions  with respect to  enforcing  any remedy or right or taking any
     other action hereunder,  the Guarantee Trustee (A) may request instructions
     from the Holders,  (B) may refrain from  enforcing  such remedy or right or
     taking such other  action until such  instructions  are  received,  and (C)
     shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

     (b) No provision of this Capital  Securities  Guarantee  shall be deemed to
impose any duty or  obligation  on the  Guarantee  Trustee to perform any act or
acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it
in any  jurisdiction  in which it shall be  illegal,  or in which the  Guarantee
Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance  with  applicable law,
to perform any such act or acts or to exercise  any such right,  power,  duty or
obligation. No permissive





                                       8




power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a
duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

     SECTION 3.3 Indemnity.

     The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee for, and to hold it
harmless against,  any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence or
bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee,  arising out of or in connection
with the  acceptance or  administration  of this Capital  Securities  Guarantee,
including  the costs and  expenses  of  defending  itself  against  any claim or
liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or
duties hereunder.

                         ARTICLE IV. GUARANTEE TRUSTEE

     SECTION 4.1 Guarantee Trustee. Eligibility.

     (a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

          (i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and

          (ii) be a Person that is eligible  pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act
     to act  as  such  and  has a  combined  capital  and  surplus  of at  least
     $50,000,000, and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section
     310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of
     condition at least annually,  pursuant to law or to the requirements of the
     supervising or examining authority,  then, for the purposes of this Section
     4.1(a)(ii)  and to the extent  permitted  by the Trust  Indenture  Act, the
     combined capital and surplus of such corporation  shall be deemed to be its
     combined  capital  and  surplus as set forth in its most  recent  report of
     condition so published.

     (b) If at any time the  Guarantee  Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so
act under Section 4.1(a),  the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the
manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.2(c).

     (c)  If the  Guarantee  Trustee  has  or  shall  acquire  any  "conflicting
interest"  within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust  Indenture Act, the
Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions
of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

     SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of the Guarantee Trustee.

     (a) Subject to Section  4.2(b),  the Guarantee  Trustee may be appointed or
removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

     (b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed until a Successor  Guarantee
Trustee  has  been  appointed  and has  accepted  such  appointment  by  written
instrument  executed by such  Successor  Guarantee  Trustee and delivered to the
Guarantor.

     (c) The Guarantee  Trustee  appointed  hereunder  shall hold office until a
Successor  Guarantee  Trustee shall have been  appointed or until its removal or
resignation. The Guarantee





                                       9




Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting)
by an instrument in writing  executed by the Guarantee  Trustee and delivered to
the  Guarantor,  which  resignation  shall  not take  effect  until a  Successor
Guarantee  Trustee has been  appointed  and has  accepted  such  appointment  by
instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered
to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

     (d) If no  Successor  Guarantee  Trustee  shall  have  been  appointed  and
accepted  appointment  as  provided  in this  Section  4.2  within 60 days after
delivery  to the  Guarantor  of an  instrument  of  resignation,  the  resigning
Guarantee  Trustee may petition,  at the expense of the Guarantor,  any court of
competent  jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor  Guarantee Trustee.  Such
court may  thereupon,  after  prescribing  such  notice,  if any, as it may deem
proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

                              ARTICLE V. GUARANTEE

     SECTION 5.1 Guarantee.

     The Guarantor  irrevocably and  unconditionally  agrees to pay in full on a
subordinated basis to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of
amounts  theretofore  paid by or on  behalf  of the  Trust),  as and  when  due,
regardless of any defense,  right of set-off or counterclaim which the Trust may
have or  assert  other  than the  defense  of  payment  (the  "Guarantee").  The
Guarantee is a continuing  guarantee,  and the  Guarantor  fully,  knowingly and
unconditionally  waives any right the Guarantor may have to revoke the Guarantee
as to any future  transactions.  The Guarantor's  obligation to make a Guarantee
Payment  may be  satisfied  by direct  payment  of the  required  amounts by the
Guarantor  to the  Holders  or by causing  the Trust to pay such  amounts to the
Holders.

     SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand.

     The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Capital Securities
Guarantee  and of any  liability to which it applies or may apply,  presentment,
demand  for  payment,  any  right to  require a  proceeding  first  against  the
Guarantee  Trustee,  Trust or any other  Person  before  proceeding  against the
Guarantor,  protest,  notice  of  nonpayment,  notice  of  dishonor,  notice  of
redemption and all other notices and demands.

     SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected.

     The  obligations,  covenants,  agreements and duties of the Guarantor under
this  Capital  Securities  Guarantee  shall in no way be affected or impaired by
reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

     (a) the  release  or  waiver,  by  operation  of law or  otherwise,  of the
performance  or  observance  by the Trust of any  express or implied  agreement,
covenant,  term or condition  relating to the Capital Securities to be performed
or observed by the Trust;





                                       10




     (b) the  extension  of time  for the  payment  by the  Trust  of all or any
portion of the  Distributions  (other than an  extension  of time for payment of
Distributions  that results from the extension of any interest payment period on
the  Debentures as provided in the  Indenture),  Redemption  Price,  Liquidation
Distribution or any other sums payable under the terms of the Capital Securities
or the  extension of time for the  performance  of any other  obligation  under,
arising out of, or in connection with, the Capital Securities;

     (c) any  failure,  omission,  delay or lack of diligence on the part of the
Holders to enforce,  assert or exercise  any right,  privilege,  power or remedy
conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Capital Securities, or any
action on the part of the Trust granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

     (d) the  voluntary or  involuntary  liquidation,  dissolution,  sale of any
collateral, receivership,  insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of
creditors, reorganization,  arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of,
or other similar  proceedings  affecting,  the Trust or any of the assets of the
Trust;

     (e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Capital Securities;

     (f) the  settlement or compromise of any  obligation  guaranteed  hereby or
hereby incurred; or

     (g) any other  circumstance  whatsoever that might  otherwise  constitute a
legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor;

it being the intent of this Section 5.3 that the  obligations  of the  Guarantor
hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

There  shall be no  obligation  of the  Holders to give notice to, or obtain the
consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

     SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders.

     The Guarantor  expressly  acknowledges  that:  (i) this Capital  Securities
Guarantee  will be  deposited  with  the  Guarantee  Trustee  to be held for the
benefit of the Holders; (ii) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this
Guarantee  on  behalf  of the  Holders;  (iii)  the  Holders  of a  Majority  in
Liquidation  Amount of the Capital Securities have the right to direct the time,
method and place of conducting any  proceeding  for any remedy  available to the
Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Capital Securities  Guarantee or exercising
any trust or power  conferred  upon the  Guarantee  Trustee  under this  Capital
Securities  Guarantee;  and (iv)  notwithstanding  the  rights of the  Guarantee
Trustee to enforce  this Capital  Securities  Guarantee  under  Article III, any
Holder may  institute  a legal  proceeding  directly  against the  Guarantor  to
enforce  its rights  under this  Capital  Securities  Guarantee,  without  first
instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee  Trustee,  the Trust or any
other Person; notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Guarantor has failed to make
a Guarantee  Payment,  a Holder may directly  institute a proceeding against the
Guarantor for enforcement of this





                                       11




Capital Securities Guarantee for such payment and the Guarantor waives any right
or remedy to require that any action be brought  first  against the Trust or any
other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

     SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment.

     This Capital Securities Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of
collection.  This  Guarantee  will not be  discharged  except by  payment of the
Guarantee Payments in full (without  duplication of amounts  theretofore paid by
the Trust) or upon  distribution  of  Debentures  to Holders as  provided in the
Trust Agreement.

     SECTION 5.6 Subrogation.

     The  Guarantor  shall be  subrogated  to all (if any) rights of the Holders
against the Trust in respect of any amounts paid to the Holders by the Guarantor
under  this  Capital  Securities  Guarantee  and  shall  have the right to waive
payment  by the Trust  pursuant  to Section  5.1;  provided,  however,  that the
Guarantor  shall not (except to the extent  required by mandatory  provisions of
law) be entitled to enforce or exercise  any rights  which it may acquire by way
of subrogation or any indemnity,  reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases
as a result of payment under this Capital Securities Guarantee,  if, at the time
of any  such  payment,  any  amounts  are  due and  unpaid  under  this  Capital
Securities Guarantee.  If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation
of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for
the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

     SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations.

     The Guarantor  acknowledges that its obligations  hereunder are independent
of the obligations of the Trust with respect to the Capital  Securities and that
the  Guarantor  shall be liable as  principal  and as debtor  hereunder  to make
Guarantee  Payments pursuant to the terms of this Capital  Securities  Guarantee
notwithstanding  the  occurrence  of any event  referred to in  subsections  (a)
through (g), inclusive, of Section 5.3 hereof.

                           ARTICLE VI. SUBORDINATION

     SECTION 6.1 Subordination.

     The  obligations  of the Guarantor  under this  Guarantee  will  constitute
unsecured  obligations of the Guarantor and will rank  subordinate and junior in
right of payment to all Senior and  Subordinated  Debt in the same manner as the
Debentures.

     SECTION 6.2 Pari Passu Guarantees.

     The obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall rank pari passu
with the obligations of the Guarantor under all Other Guarantees.





                                       12





                ARTICLE VII. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE,
                                TRANSFER OR LEASE

     SECTION 7.1 Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms.

     The Guarantor shall not consolidate  with or merge into any other Person or
convey,  transfer  or  lease  its  properties  and  assets  as  an  entirety  or
substantially as an entirety to any Person, and no Person shall consolidate with
or merge into the  Guarantor  or convey,  transfer or lease its  properties  and
assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Guarantor, unless:

     (a) either the Guarantor shall be the continuing  Person,  in the case of a
merger,  or the  successor  Person (if other than the  Guarantor)  formed by the
consolidation  or into  which  the  Guarantor  is merged  or which  acquires  by
conveyance,  transfer or lease, the properties and assets of the Guarantor as an
entirety or  substantially  as an entirety  is  organized  under the laws of the
United States or any state of the United States or the District of Columbia, and
the successor Person expressly  assumes the Guarantor's  obligations  under this
Capital Securities Guarantee and the due and punctual performance and observance
of every obligation in this Capital Securities Guarantee;

     (b) immediately  after giving effect thereto,  no Event of Default,  and no
event which,  after notice or lapse of time,  or both,  would become an Event of
Default, shall have happened and be continuing;

     (c) such consolidation,  merger, conveyance, transfer or lease is permitted
under the Trust Agreement and the Indenture and does not give rise to any breach
or violation of the Trust Agreement or the Indenture; and

     (d) the  Guarantor  has  delivered  to the  Guarantee  Trustee an Officers'
Certificate  and an Opinion of Counsel,  each stating  that such  consolidation,
merger,  conveyance,  transfer  or  lease  and  assumption  of  the  Guarantor's
obligations under this Capital Securities Guarantee comply with this Article and
that all conditions  precedent  herein provided for relating to such transaction
have been  complied  with;  and the  Guarantee  Trustee,  subject to Section 3.1
hereof,  may rely upon such  Officers'  Certificate  and  Opinion  of Counsel as
conclusive evidence that such transaction complies with this Section 7.1.

     SECTION 7.2 Successor Guarantor Substituted.

     Upon any  consolidation  or merger by the Guarantor  with or into any other
Person, or any conveyance,  transfer or lease by the Guarantor of its properties
and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section
7.1,  the  successor  Person  formed  by such  consolidation  or into  which the
Guarantor is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall
succeed to, and be  substituted  for, and may exercise every right and power of,
the Guarantor under this Capital Securities Guarantee with the same effect as if
such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor  herein;  and in the event
of any such conveyance, transfer or lease the Guarantor shall be discharged from
all obligations and covenants under this Capital Securities Guarantee.





                                       13





                           ARTICLE VIII. TERMINATION

     SECTION 8.1 Termination.

     This Capital  Securities  Guarantee  shall  terminate  and be of no further
force or effect upon the (i) full payment of the applicable  Redemption Price of
all Capital  Securities,  (ii) the  distribution of Debentures to the Holders in
exchange for all of the Capital  Securities or (iii) full payment of the amounts
payable in accordance with the Trust  Agreement upon  liquidation or dissolution
of the Trust.  Notwithstanding the foregoing,  this Capital Securities Guarantee
will continue to be effective or will be  reinstated,  as the case may be, if at
any time any Holder must  restore  payment of any sums paid with  respect to the
Capital Securities or under this Capital Securities Guarantee.

                           ARTICLE IX. MISCELLANEOUS

     SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns.

     All  guarantees  and  agreements   contained  in  this  Capital  Securities
Guarantee  shall  bind  the  successors,   assigns,   receivers,   trustees  and
representatives  of the  Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders
of  the  Capital  Securities  then  outstanding.  Except  in  connection  with a
consolidation,  merger or sale involving the Guarantor  that is permitted  under
Article VII hereof and Article VIII of the  Indenture,  the Guarantor  shall not
assign its obligations hereunder.

     SECTION 9.2 Amendments.

     Except with respect to any changes which do not adversely affect the rights
of the Holders in any material  respect (in which case no consent of the Holders
will be required),  this Capital Securities Guarantee may not be amended without
the prior  approval of the  Holders of not less than a Majority  in  Liquidation
Amount of all outstanding  Capital  Securities.  The provisions of Article VI of
the Trust Agreement  concerning  meetings of the Holders of the Trust Securities
shall apply to the giving of such approval.

     SECTION 9.3 Notices.

     Any notice,  request or other  communication  required or  permitted  to be
given  hereunder  shall be in  writing,  duly  signed by the party  giving  such
notice, and delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail as follows:

     (a) if given to the Guarantor, to the address set forth below or such other
address,  facsimile  number  or to the  attention  of such  other  Person as the
Guarantor may give notice to the Holders:

                  Downey Financial Corp.
                  3501 Jamboree Road, North Tower
                  Newport Beach, California 92660

                  Facsimile No.:  (949) 725-0619




                                       14




                  Attention:  Donald E. Royer

     (b) if given to the Trust, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Trust's
(and the Guarantee  Trustee's)  address set forth below or such other address as
the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Trust may give notice to the Holders:

                  Downey Financial Capital Trust I
                  c/o Downey Financial Corp.
                  3501 Jamboree Road, North Tower
                  Newport Beach, California 92660

                  Facsimile No.:  (949) 725-0619
                  Attention:  Donald E. Royer

                  with a copy to:

                  Wilmington Trust Company
                  Rodney Square North
                  1100 North Market Street
                  Wilmington, Delaware 19890-0001

                  Facsimile No.:  (302) 651-1576
                  Attention:  Corporate Trust Administration

     (c) if given to any  Holder,  at the  address  set  forth on the  books and
records of the Trust.

     All notices  hereunder  shall be deemed to have been given when received in
person,  telecopied  with  receipt  confirmed,  or mailed by first  class  mail,
postage  prepaid,  except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery
or cannot be  delivered  because  of a changed  address  of which no notice  was
given,  such notice or other  document shall be deemed to have been delivered on
the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

     SECTION 9.4 Benefit.

     This  Guarantee  is solely for the  benefit of the  Holders  and subject to
Section 3.1(a) is not separately transferable from the Capital Securities.

     SECTION 9.5 Interpretation.

     In  this  Capital  Securities  Guarantee,   unless  the  context  otherwise
requires:

     (a)  capitalized  terms used in this Capital  Securities  Guarantee but not
defined in the preamble hereto have the respective  meanings assigned to them in
Section 1.1;

     (b) a term defined  anywhere in this Capital  Securities  Guarantee has the
same meaning throughout;





                                       15




     (c) all references to "the Capital  Securities  Guarantee" or "this Capital
Securities  Guarantee"  are to this  Capital  Securities  Guarantee as modified,
supplemented or amended from time to time;

     (d) all  references  in this Capital  Securities  Guarantee to Articles and
Sections  are to Articles  and  Sections of this  Capital  Securities  Guarantee
unless otherwise specified;

     (e) a term  defined in the Trust  Indenture  Act has the same  meaning when
used in this  Capital  Securities  Guarantee  unless  otherwise  defined in this
Capital Securities Guarantee or unless the context otherwise requires;

     (f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

     (g) the masculine, feminine or neuter genders used herein shall include the
masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

     SECTION 9.6 Governing Law.

     THIS CAPITAL  SECURITIES  GUARANTEE  SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND
INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE  WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD
TO THE CONFLICT OF LAW PRINCIPLES THEREOF.

     This  instrument  may be  executed in any number of  counterparts,  each of
which so executed shall be deemed to be an original,  but all such  counterparts
shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.





                                       16




     THIS CAPITAL SECURITIES  GUARANTEE is executed as of the day and year first
above written.

                                  Downey Financial Corp.



                                  By: /s/ Daniel D. Rosenthal
                                      -----------------------------------
                                      Daniel D. Rosenthal
                                      President & Chief Executive Officer




                                  Wilmington Trust Company
                                  as Guarantee Trustee



                                  By: /s/ Patricia A. Evans
                                      -----------------------------------
                                  Name: Patricia A. Evans
                                  Title: Financial Services Officer




                                       17