The bankruptcy filing by Lehman Brothers on Monday and the sale of Merrill Lynch to Bank of America over the weekend rocked Wall Street, so it's no surprise that the ongoing crisis has many average Americans nervous. Before you start pulling money out of your bank account or sell off investments, here are some things to keep in mind:

•The Lehman filing and the Merrill sale underscore the crisis on Wall Street brought on by overexposed investments in subprime loan portfolios. It doesn't mean that every bank in the country is in trouble. In fact, many banks didn't take on risky loan portfolios and are in solid financial shape.

Treasure Secretary Henry Paulson said Monday that the U.S. financial system is sound and resilient and there's no reason for average Americans to panic. Economists seem to agree.

"This is one more step in the resolution to problems we see on Wall Street that have threatened the overall economy," said Scott Brown, economist with Raymond James & Associates in St. Petersburg. "The issues have been with us for a while. It will take some time to clear the mess. I don't see any need for panic."

•Two top economists say obtaining a home or other loan at most banks is not likely to get any tougher than it already is.

"Mortgage rates are relatively low, but you need higher credit than you used to," said Mark Vitner, an economist with Wachovia, the financial services company based in Charlotte, N.C. "But Lehman's problems were well-known. A lot of that was already priced into the market. This is Wall Street's problem. Most consumers getting a mortgage or credit cards won't feel it."

That said, some larger banks that write mortgages and have financial ties to Lehman might be affected and end up being much more critical of applications for mortgages they issue, said Chris Lafakis, with Moody's Economy.com.

Perhaps the best thing consumers should do is review their credit scores, experts say, and look for ways to shore them up for the future, especially if you think you may need to borrow money soon for a home or other big purchase.