<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 21. SUBSIDIARIES OF THE CORPORATION
-------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent State of
Parent Company Subsidiaries Owned Incorporation
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Commercial Federal Corporation Commercial Federal Bank, 100% Nebraska
a Federal Savings Bank
CFC Preferred Trust 100% Delaware
Liberty Mortgage Store, Inc. 100% Iowa
Commercial Federal Bank, Commercial Federal 100% Nebraska
a Federal Savings Bank Mortgage Corporation
Commercial Federal 100% Nebraska
Investment Services, Inc.
Commercial Federal 100% Nebraska
Insurance Corporation
Commercial Federal 100% Nebraska
Service Corporation
Empire Capital 100% Colorado
Corporation I
Tower Title & Escrow Company 80% Nebraska
Roxborough Acquisition 100% Nebraska
Corporation
CFT Company 100% Nebraska
Liberty Leasing Company 100% Iowa
AmerUs Leasing Corporation 100% Iowa
First Savings Securities Corporation 100% California
First Savings Investment Corporation 100% Colorado
REIT Holding Company 100% Nebraska
Wichita Acquisition Corporation 100% Nebraska
M.I. D. Properties 100% Nebraska
TC Manufacturing 100% Nebraska
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 21. SUBSIDIARIES OF THE CORPORATION (Continued)
------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent State of
Parent Company Subsidiaries Owned Incorporation
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commercial Federal Service Commercial Federal 100% Nebraska
Corporation Realty Investors Corporation
Commercial Federal 100% Nebraska
Affordable Housing, Inc.
Community Service, Inc. 100% Kansas
Commercial Federal Insurance ComFed Insurance Services 100% British
Corporation Company, Limited Virgin Islands
First Savings Insurance, Inc. 100% Colorado
Commercial Federal Investment AmerUs 100% Iowa
Services, Inc. Investments, Inc.
Liberty Leasing Company Liberty Leasing Funding 100% Iowa
Corporation I
Liberty Leasing Funding 100% Iowa
Corporation II
Liberty Leasing Funding 100% Iowa
Corporation III
REIT Holding Company Mortgage REIT, Inc. 100% Nebraska
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: All of the material accounts of the above listed companies are consolidated in the Corporation's
consolidated financial statements. All significant intercompany balances and transactions are
eliminated in consolidation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
