Let's talk about your bottom. When do you think the market can go no lower? Is that when you bail out of the Dow and stick your money under the mattress? There's no sure way to predict the bottom of the market, of course, but history does give some hints. Ben Steverman, a reporter with BusinessWeek.com's investing channel, takes a look at bear markets of the past and what they say about the current market meltdown.

Tell us your version of "the bottom" here or call us at 1-877-8-MY-TAKE.

Starting Wednesday the U.S. government will begin examining how each of the country’s major banks would do in case of a worst-case scenario for the economy. Depending on the results of these so-called “stress tests,” the Treasury Department says it will make sure banks have the capital they need to survive an economic meltdown. Business Week Washington Bureau Chief Jane Sasseen gives a preview of how this process is likely to unfold.

Wall Street's woes have been well reported and as the White House looks to cap executive salaries and denounces bonuses, the nation has been keeping an eye on New York's financial center. But as earnings on Wall Street suffer, so does the budget of New York State. With a deficit of 1.6 billion looming, Governor David Paterson is fighting to keep the state solvent. He joins us now to talk about New York's efforts to survive the fiscal crisis.

Wall Street executives are getting plenty of criticism for handing out $18 billion in bonuses to themselves last year. But maybe there's a way to put bonuses to good use—by paying them to regulators who help keep the system in check. Andrew Ross Sorkin, chief mergers and acquisitions reporter for the New York Times, joins Adaora and Alvin Hall to talk about the idea of rewarding watchdogs with cold, hard cash.

For more information, read Andrew Ross Sorkin's column, What if Watchdogs Got Bonuses? in the New York Times.

Two of the nation's largest and most troubled banks are going through high-level personnel changes. Bank of America has taken over Merrill Lynch, and is now pushing out its chairman John Thain. And under pressure from federal regulators Citigroup has brought in a new chairman, Richard D. Parsons, who used to head up Time Warner. New York Times business reporter Louise Story joins John and Adaora to explain the high level staff shifts and what they might mean for the future of the banks.

For more, read Louise Story's article, Thain Resigns Amid Losses at Bank of America in the New York Times.

What a way to start an administration. As if things weren't bleak enough already, even as President Obama was giving his inauguration speech, the Dow was plunging, taking its biggest slide ever on an Inauguration Day. Despite billions funneled to the banking system by the federal government, that's where the crisis in the economy remains rooted. How are we going to get out of this mess? Newsweek's Dan Gross give his insights on the possible ways for the new President to get things under control, and how long we can expect troubled times to continue.

Despite a massive bailout back in November, giant financial services conglomerate Citigroup is considering radical measures to save itself. The company is likely to sell off its brokerage unit to Morgan Stanley, and may shed other parts of its business as well. Newsweek Senior Editor Dan Gross joins us with a look at what the shrinking of Citigroup says about our economy now and in the future.

Congress could be asked to turn over control of the remaining $350 billion in bailout funds today. The Bush administration is expected to file the request for the rest of the money so the incoming Obama administration can start doling it out almost as soon as the President-elect takes office. The Congressional panel overseeing the Treasury Department’s $700 billion bailout isn't quite ready to approve the release of funds, though. First they would like some answers on how the first $350 billion of the bailout money was spent. Joining The Takeaway is former New Hampshire Senator John Sununu, who is on that Congressional oversight panel.