TF FINANCIAL CORP
SC 13E4, 1997-09-26
SAVINGS INSTITUTION, FEDERALLY CHARTERED
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                 SCHEDULE 13E-4

                          ISSUER TENDER OFFER STATEMENT
            (PURSUANT TO SECTION 13(e)(1) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
                                  ACT OF 1934)

                            TF FINANCIAL CORPORATION
                                (Name of Issuer)

                            TF FINANCIAL CORPORATION
                      (Name of Person(s) Filing Statement)

                     Common Stock, Par Value $0.10 per Share
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                  872391 10 7 
                      -------------------------------------
                      (CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)

                                John R. Stranford
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                            TF Financial Corporation
                                  3 Penns Trail
                           Newtown, Pennsylvania 18940
                                 (215) 579-4000

                                 With Copies to:

                               John J. Spidi, Esq.
                             Lloyd H. Spencer, Esq.
                      Malizia, Spidi, Sloane & Fisch, P.C.
                               One Franklin Square
                               1301 K Street, N.W.
                                 Suite 700 East
                              Washington, DC 20005
                                 (202) 434-4660
                       (Name, Address and Telephone Number
           of Persons Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications
                    on Behalf of Person(s) filing Statement)

                               September 26, 1997
     (Date tender offer first published, sent or given to security holders)


<PAGE>

                            CALCULATION OF FILING FEE

================================================================================
                                                                 Amount of
Transaction Valuation*                                          Filing Fee
================================================================================

$23,400,000                                                       $4,680
================================================================================

*    For purposes of calculating fee only. Based on the Offer for 900,000 shares
     at the maximum tender offer price per share of $26.00.

[ ]  Check  box  if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Rule 0-11(a)(2)
     and identify the filing with which the offsetting fee was previously  paid.
     Identify the previous filing by registration  statement number, or the form
     or schedule and the date of its filing.

Amount Previously Paid:  Not Applicable            Filing Party:  Not Applicable
Form or Registration No.:  Not Applicable          Date Filed:  Not Applicable

                                        2

<PAGE>


         This Issuer Tender Offer  Statement  (the  "Statement")  relates to the
tender  offer  by  TF  Financial   Corporation,   a  Delaware  corporation  (the
"Company"),  to purchase up to 900,000  shares of common stock,  par value $0.10
per share (the  "Shares"),  including the  associated  Preferred  Share Purchase
Rights,  at prices not  greater  than $26.00 nor less than $22.50 per Share upon
the terms and  subject  to the  conditions  set forth in the Offer to  Purchase,
dated  September  26, 1997 (the "Offer to Purchase")  and the related  Letter of
Transmittal (which are herein collectively  referred to as the "Offer").  Unless
the context requires  otherwise,  all references  herein to Shares shall include
the  associated  Rights.  The  Offer is being  made to all  holders  of  Shares,
including officers, directors and affiliates of the Company.

Item 1.      Security and Issuer.

         (a) The name of the  issuer is TF  Financial  Corporation,  a  Delaware
corporation.  The address of its  principal  executive  office is 3 Penns Trail,
Newtown, Pennsylvania 18940.

         (b) The classes of securities to which this  Statement  relates are the
Shares.  The information set forth in "INTRODUCTION" in the Offer to Purchase is
incorporated herein by reference.

         (c) The  information  set forth in  "INTRODUCTION"  and "Price Range of
Shares; Dividends" in the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

         (d) This statement is being filed by the Issuer.

Item 2.      Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.

         (a)-(b)  The  information  set forth in "Source and Amount of Funds" in
the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 3.      Purpose of the Tender Offer and Plans or Proposals of the Issuer.

         (a)-(j) The information set forth in "INTRODUCTION", "Number of Shares;
Proration",  "Background  and Purpose of the Offer" and "Effects of the Offer on
the Market for  Shares;  Registration  under the  Exchange  Act" in the Offer to
Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 4.      Interest in Securities of the Issuer.

         The  information  set forth in  "Interest of  Directors  and  Executive
Officers;  Transactions  and  Arrangements  Concerning  Shares"  in the Offer to
Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.


                                        3
<PAGE>

Item 5.      Contracts,  Arrangements,  Understandings  or  Relationships   With
             Respect to the Issuer's Securities.

         The  information  set  forth  in  "INTRODUCTION",  "Number  of  Shares;
Proration",  "Background and Purpose of the Offer", "Effects of the Offer on the
Market  for  Shares;  Registration  under the  Exchange  Act" and  "Interest  of
Directors and  Executive  Officers;  Transactions  and  Arrangements  Concerning
Shares" in the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 6.      Persons Retained, Employed or to be Compensated.

         The  information  set  forth in "Fees  and  Expenses"  in the  Offer to
Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 7.      Financial Information.

         The  information  set  forth in  "Certain  Information  Concerning  the
Company -- Selected  Consolidated  Financial  Information"  and "--Unaudited Pro
Forma Financial  Information" in the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by
reference.

Item 8.      Additional Information.

         (a) Not applicable.

         (b) The  information  set  forth  in  "Miscellaneous"  in the  Offer to
Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

         (c) The  information  set forth in  "Effects of the Offer on the Market
for Shares;  Registration  Under the  Exchange  Act" in the Offer to Purchase is
incorporated herein by reference.

         (d) Not applicable.

         (e) The  information set forth in the Offer to Purchase and the related
Letter of  Transmittal,  copies of which are attached  hereto as Exhibits (a)(1)
and (a)(2), respectively, is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Item 9.  Material to be Filed as Exhibits.

         (a)(1) Form of Offer to Purchase dated September 26, 1997.

         (a)(2) Form of Letter of Transmittal.


                                        4
<PAGE>

         (a)(3)  Form of Letter to Brokers,  Dealers,  Commercial  Banks,  Trust
Companies and Other Nominees dated September 26, 1997.

         (a)(4)  Form of Letter to Clients  from  Brokers,  Dealers,  Commercial
Banks, Trust Companies and Other Nominees dated September 26, 1997.

         (a)(5) Form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.

         (a)(6) Form of Letter to Stockholders  from the Chief Executive Officer
of the Company dated September 26, 1997.

         (a)(7) Form of press release issued by the Company dated  September 26,
1997.

         (a)(8) Form of question and answer brochure.

         (a)(9) Form of Letter to Participants in the Third Federal Savings Bank
Employee Stock Ownership Plan dated September 26, 1997.

         (a)(10) Form of Letter to  Participants  in the Third  Federal  Savings
Bank Profit Sharing Plan dated September 26, 1997.

         (a)(11) Form of Letter to  Participants  in the Third  Federal  Savings
Bank Management Stock Bonus Plan dated September 26, 1997

         (b) Not applicable.

         (c) Not applicable.

         (d) Not applicable.

         (e) Not applicable.

         (f) Not applicable.

                                        5
<PAGE>

                                    SIGNATURE

         After due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify
that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated:  September 26, 1997.

                        TF FINANCIAL CORPORATION



                        By:     /s/ John R. Stranford                  
                                ------------------------------------------------
                                Name:  John R. Stranford
                                Title:  President and Chief Executive Officer

 


<PAGE>

                                INDEX OF EXHIBITS

         (a)(1) Form of Offer to Purchase dated September 26, 1997.
 
         (a)(2) Form of Letter of Transmittal.

         (a)(3)  Form of Letter to Brokers,  Dealers,  Commercial  Banks,  Trust
Companies and Other Nominees dated September 26, 1997.

         (a)(4)  Form of Letter to Clients  from  Brokers,  Dealers,  Commercial
Banks, Trust Companies and Other Nominees dated September 26, 1997.

         (a)(5) Form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.

         (a)(6) Form of Letter to Stockholders  from the Chief Executive Officer
of the Company dated September 26, 1997.

         (a)(7) Form of press release issued by the Company dated  September 26,
1997.

         (a)(8) Form of question and answer brochure.

         (a)(9) Form of Letter to Participants in the Third Federal Savings Bank
Employee Stock Ownership Plan dated September 26, 1997

         (a)(10) Form of Letter to  Participants  in the Third  Federal  Savings
Bank Profit Sharing Plan dated September 26, 1997.

         (a)(11) Form of Letter to  Participants  in the Third  Federal  Savings
Bank Management Stock Bonus Plan dated September 26, 1997.
 
         (b) Not applicable.

         (c) Not applicable.

         (d) Not applicable.

         (e) Not applicable.

         (f) Not applicable.





                                 EXHIBIT 99.(a)(1)
<PAGE>

                            TF FINANCIAL CORPORATION

       Offer To Purchase For Cash Up to 900,000 Shares of its Common Stock
           (including the associated Preferred Share Purchase Rights)
   at a Purchase Price not in excess of $26.00 nor less than $22.50 Per Share

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     THE OFFER, PRORATION PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M.,
    EASTERN TIME, ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1997, UNLESS THE OFFER IS EXTENDED.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         TF  Financial  Corporation,  a Delaware  corporation  (the  "Company"),
invites its  shareholders to tender shares of its common stock,  $0.10 par value
per share (the  "Shares"),  including the  associated  Preferred  Share Purchase
Rights  (the  "Rights"),  at prices not in excess of $26.00 nor less than $22.50
per Share in cash, as specified by shareholders tendering their Shares, upon the
terms and subject to the  conditions  set forth herein and in the related Letter
of Transmittal  (which together  constitute the "Offer").  Unless the Rights are
redeemed by the Company, a tender of shares will also constitute a tender of the
associated Rights. Unless the context requires otherwise,  all references herein
to Shares shall include the  associated  Rights.  The Company will determine the
single per Share price,  not in excess of $26.00 nor less than $22.50 per Share,
net to the seller in cash (the  "Purchase  Price"),  that it will pay for Shares
validly tendered pursuant to the Offer, taking into account the number of Shares
so tendered and the prices specified by tendering shareholders. The Company will
select the lowest  Purchase  Price that will allow it to buy 900,000  Shares (or
such lesser number of Shares as are validly  tendered at prices not in excess of
$26.00 nor less than $22.50 per Share). All Shares validly tendered at prices at
or below the Purchase  Price and not withdrawn will be purchased at the Purchase
Price, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer,  including the
proration  provisions.  All Shares acquired in the Offer will be acquired at the
Purchase Price.

       THE OFFER IS NOT CONDITIONED ON ANY MINIMUM NUMBER OF SHARES BEING
      TENDERED, BUT IS SUBJECT TO CERTAIN OTHER CONDITIONS. SEE SECTION 6.

         The Shares are quoted on the Nasdaq National Market ("Nasdaq/NMS").  On
September  25, 1997,  the last full trading day on the  Nasdaq/NMS  prior to the
commencement  of the  Offer,  the  closing  per Share  sales  price was  $23.25.
SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO OBTAIN CURRENT MARKET  QUOTATIONS FOR THE SHARES.  SEE
SECTION 8.

         Any shareholder  wishing to tender all or any part of his or her Shares
should  either (a)  complete  and sign a Letter of  Transmittal  (or a facsimile
thereof) in accordance  with the  instructions  in the Letter of Transmittal and
either mail or deliver it with any required  signature  guarantee  and any other
required  documents  to  American   Securities   Transfer  &  Trust,  Inc.  (the
"Depositary"), and either mail or deliver the stock certificates for such Shares
to the Depositary (with all such other documents) or tender such Shares pursuant
to the procedure for book-entry  delivery set forth in Section 3, or (b) request
a broker, dealer,  commercial bank, trust company or other nominee to effect the
transaction for such shareholder.  Holders of Shares registered in the name of a
broker,  dealer,  commercial  bank,  trust company or other nominee must contact
that broker,  dealer,  commercial  bank,  trust company or other nominee if such
shareholder desires to tender such Shares. Any shareholder who desires to tender
Shares  and  whose  certificates  for such  Shares  cannot be  delivered  to the
Depositary or who cannot comply with the  procedure for  book-entry  delivery or
whose other required  documents  cannot be delivered to the  Depositary,  in any
case,  by the  expiration  of the Offer must tender such Shares  pursuant to the
guaranteed delivery procedure set forth in Section 3. SHAREHOLDERS MUST PROPERLY
COMPLETE  THE  LETTER OF  TRANSMITTAL  INCLUDING  THE  SECTION  OF THE LETTER OF
TRANSMITTAL RELATING TO THE PRICE AT WHICH THEY ARE TENDERING SHARES IN ORDER TO
EFFECT A VALID TENDER OF THEIR SHARES.

         THE BOARD OF  DIRECTORS  OF THE COMPANY HAS  UNANIMOUSLY  APPROVED  THE
OFFER,  HOWEVER,  NEITHER  THE  COMPANY  NOR ITS  BOARD OF  DIRECTORS  MAKES ANY
RECOMMENDATION  TO ANY  SHAREHOLDER  AS TO  WHETHER  TO TENDER OR  REFRAIN  FROM
TENDERING  SHARES.  EACH  SHAREHOLDER  MUST MAKE THE DECISION  WHETHER TO TENDER
SHARES AND, IF SO, HOW MANY SHARES TO TENDER AND AT WHICH PRICE OR PRICES.

         Questions and requests for assistance or for additional  copies of this
Offer to  Purchase,  the  Letter of  Transmittal  or the  Notice  of  Guaranteed
Delivery may be directed to MacKenzie Partners,  Inc. (the "Information Agent"),
at its address and telephone number set forth on the back cover of this Offer to
Purchase.

            The Date of this Offer to Purchase is September 26, 1997


<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     SUMMARY

         This general  summary is solely for the  convenience  of the  Company's
shareholders  and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text and
more specific details in this Offer to Purchase.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                                           <C>
Purchase Price........................................        The Company will select a single Purchase Price
                                                              which will be not more than $26.00 nor less than
                                                              $22.50 per Share.  All Shares purchased by the
                                                              Company will be purchased at the Purchase Price
                                                              even if tendered at or below the Purchase Price.
                                                              Each shareholder desiring to tender Shares must
                                                              specify in the Letter of Transmittal the minimum
                                                              price (not more than $26.00 nor less than $22.50 per
                                                              Share) at which such shareholder is willing to have
                                                              his or her Shares purchased by the Company.

Number of Shares to be Purchased......................        900,000 Shares (or such lesser number of Shares as
                                                              are validly tendered).

How to Tender Shares:.................................        See Section 3.  Call the Information Agent or consult
                                                              your broker for assistance.

Brokerage Commissions.................................        None.

Stock Transfer Tax....................................        None, if payment is made to the registered holder.

Expiration and Proration Dates........................        Monday, October 27, 1997, at 5:00 p.m., Eastern
                                                              time, unless extended by the Company.

Payment Date..........................................        As soon as practicable after the termination of the
                                                              Offer.

Position of the Company and its
  Directors...........................................        Neither the Company nor its Board of Directors
                                                              makes any recommendation to any shareholder as to
                                                              whether to tender or refrain from tendering Shares.
                                                              The Company has been advised that none of its
                                                              directors or executive officers intends to tender any
                                                              Shares pursuant to the Offer.

Withdrawal Rights.....................................        Tendered Shares may be withdrawn at any time until
                                                              5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on Monday, October 27, 1997,  
                                                              unless  the Offer is  extended by  the   Company,
                                                              and, unless previously purchased, after 12:00    
                                                              Midnight, Eastern  time,  on Monday,   November 24,   
                                                              1997.    See Section 4.



Odd Lots..............................................        There will be no proration of Shares tendered by any
                                                              shareholder owning beneficially less than 100 Shares
                                                              as of September 24, 1997, who tenders all such
                                                              Shares at or below the Purchase Price prior to the
                                                              Expiration Date and who checks the "Odd Lots" box
                                                              in the Letter of Transmittal.  See Section 1.
</TABLE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        2

<PAGE>



NO PERSON  HAS BEEN  AUTHORIZED  TO A MAKE ANY  RECOMMENDATION  ON BEHALF OF THE
COMPANY AS TO WHETHER  SHAREHOLDERS  SHOULD  TENDER OR  REFRAIN  FROM  TENDERING
SHARES  PURSUANT  TO THE  OFFER.  NO  PERSON  HAS  BEEN  AUTHORIZED  TO GIVE ANY
INFORMATION  OR TO MAKE ANY  REPRESENTATION  IN CONNECTION  WITH THE OFFER OTHER
THAN THOSE CONTAINED HEREIN OR IN THE RELATED LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. IF GIVEN OR
MADE, ANY SUCH RECOMMENDATION OR ANY SUCH INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATION MUST NOT
BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY.

                           --------------------------

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECTION                                                                                                        PAGE
- -------                                                                                                        ----
<S>                                                                                                              <C>
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................4

THE OFFER.........................................................................................................5

         1.     Number of Shares; Proration.......................................................................5

         2.     Background and Purpose of the Offer.............................................................. 7

         3.     Procedures for Tendering Shares...................................................................8

         4.     Withdrawal Rights................................................................................12

         5.     Purchase of Shares and Payment of Purchase Price.................................................12

         6.     Certain Conditions of the Offer..................................................................13

         7.     Extension of the Offer; Termination; Amendment...................................................15

         8.     Price Range of Shares; Dividends.................................................................16

         9.     Source and Amount of Funds.......................................................................17

         10.    Certain Information Concerning the Company.......................................................17

         11.    Interest of Directors and Executive Officers; Transactions and Arrangements
                    Concerning Shares............................................................................26

         12.    Effects of the Offer on the Market for Shares;  Registration  under the
                   Exchange Act..................................................................................26

         13.    Certain Federal Income Tax Consequences..........................................................27

         14.    Fees and Expenses................................................................................29

         15.    Additional Information...........................................................................30

         16.    Miscellaneous....................................................................................30

SCHEDULE I - Certain Transactions Involving Shares
</TABLE>

                                        3

<PAGE>



To the Holders of Common Stock of TF Financial Corporation:

                                  INTRODUCTION

         TF  Financial  Corporation,  a Delaware  corporation  (the  "Company"),
invites its  shareholders to tender shares of its common stock,  $0.10 par value
per share (the  "Shares"),  including the  associated  Preferred  Share Purchase
Rights (the  "Rights"),  at prices,  net to the seller in cash, not in excess of
$26.00 nor less than $22.50 per Share,  as specified by  shareholders  tendering
their Shares,  upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein and
in the related Letter of Transmittal  (which  together  constitute the "Offer").
Unless the Rights are  redeemed  by the  Company,  a tender of shares  will also
constitute  a tender of the  associated  Rights.  Unless  the  context  requires
otherwise,  all references herein to Shares shall include the associated Rights.
The Company will  determine the single per Share price,  not in excess of $26.00
nor less than  $22.50 per Share  (the  "Purchase  Price"),  that it will pay for
Shares validly tendered pursuant to the Offer, taking into account the number of
Shares so tendered  and the prices  specified  by  tendering  shareholders.  The
Company will select the lowest  Purchase Price that will allow it to buy 900,000
Shares (or such  lesser  number of Shares as are validly  tendered).  All Shares
acquired in the Offer will be acquired at the Purchase Price. All Shares validly
tendered  at prices at or below the  Purchase  Price and not  withdrawn  will be
purchased at the Purchase  Price,  net to the seller in cash, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions of the Offer, including the proration provisions.

         THIS OFFER IS NOT CONDITIONED ON ANY MINIMUM NUMBER OF SHARES BEING
TENDERED BUT IS SUBJECT TO CERTAIN OTHER CONDITIONS.  SEE SECTION 6.

         Upon the terms and subject to the  conditions  of the Offer,  if at the
expiration  of the Offer more than  900,000  Shares are  validly  tendered at or
below the Purchase  Price and not  withdrawn,  the Company will buy Shares first
from all Odd Lot Holders (as defined in Section 1) who validly  tender all their
Shares at or below the  Purchase  Price  and then on a pro rata  basis  from all
other  shareholders  who validly tender at prices at or below the Purchase Price
(and did not withdraw them prior to the expiration of the Offer). See Section 1.
All Shares not purchased  pursuant to the Offer,  including  Shares  tendered at
prices  greater  than the  Purchase  Price  and not  withdrawn  and  Shares  not
purchased because of proration, will be returned at the Company's expense to the
shareholders who tendered such Shares.

     The Purchase  Price will be paid net to the tendering  shareholder  in cash
for all Shares  purchased.  Tendering  shareholders will not be obligated to pay
brokerage  commissions,  solicitation  fees or,  subject to Instruction 7 of the
Letter of  Transmittal,  stock  transfer  taxes on the purchase of Shares by the
Company.  HOWEVER,  ANY  TENDERING  SHAREHOLDER  OR  OTHER  PAYEE  WHO  FAILS TO
COMPLETE,  SIGN AND RETURN TO THE  DEPOSITARY  THE  SUBSTITUTE  FORM W-9 THAT IS
INCLUDED IN THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL  MAY BE SUBJECT TO REQUIRED BACKUP FEDERAL
INCOME TAX WITHHOLDING.  SEE SECTION 3 OF THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE AND INSTRUCTION
12 OF THE LETTER OF  TRANSMITTAL.  The Company will pay all fees and expenses of
American  Securities  Transfer & Trust,  Inc. (the  "Depositary")  and MacKenzie
Partners,  Inc. (the "Information Agent") incurred in connection with the Offer.
See Section 14.

         THE BOARD OF  DIRECTORS  OF THE COMPANY HAS  UNANIMOUSLY  APPROVED  THE
OFFER.  HOWEVER,  NEITHER  THE  COMPANY  NOR ITS  BOARD OF  DIRECTORS  MAKES ANY
RECOMMENDATION  TO ANY  SHAREHOLDER  AS TO  WHETHER  TO TENDER OR  REFRAIN  FROM
TENDERING  THEIR  SHARES.  EACH  SHAREHOLDER  MUST MAKE THE DECISION  WHETHER TO
TENDER SHARES AND, IF SO, HOW MANY SHARES AND AT WHICH PRICE OR PRICES.

         As of September 25, 1997, there were 4,088,432  Shares  outstanding and
496,730 Shares issuable upon exercise of stock options under the Company's stock
option  plans.  The  900,000  Shares  that the  Company is  offering to purchase
pursuant to the Offer represent approximately 22% of the outstanding Shares. The
Shares are quoted on the Nasdaq National Market ("Nasdaq/NMS"), under the symbol
"THRD".  Shareholders  are urged to obtain  current  market  quotations  for the
Shares. See Section 8.


                                        4

<PAGE>

                                    THE OFFER

         1.       Number of Shares; Proration.

         Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer,  the Company
will  purchase  up to  900,000  Shares  or such  lesser  number of Shares as are
validly  tendered (and not withdrawn in accordance  with Section 4) prior to the
Expiration  Date (as  defined  below) at prices not in excess of $26.00 nor less
than $22.50 net per Share in cash. The term  "Expiration  Date" means 5:00 p.m.,
Eastern time, on Monday,  October 27, 1997, unless and until the Company, in its
sole  discretion,  shall have extended the period of time during which the Offer
will remain open, in which event the term  "Expiration  Date" shall refer to the
latest time and date at which the Offer,  as so extended by the  Company,  shall
expire. In the event of an  oversubscription of the Offer, Shares tendered at or
below  the  Purchase  Price  prior to the  Expiration  Date will be  subject  to
proration except for Odd Lots as explained below.
The proration period also expires on the Expiration Date.

         The Company will,  upon the terms and subject to the  conditions of the
Offer,  determine  the  Purchase  Price (not  greater  than $26.00 nor less than
$22.50 per Share) that it will pay for Shares validly  tendered  pursuant to the
Offer  taking  into  account  the  number of Shares so  tendered  and the prices
specified by tendering shareholders.  The Company will select a single per Share
Purchase  Price that will allow it to buy 900,000  Shares (or such lesser number
as are validly  tendered at prices not greater  than $26.00 nor less than $22.50
per Share)  pursuant to the Offer.  The Company  reserves the right, in its sole
discretion, to purchase more than 900,000 Shares pursuant to the Offer.

         If (i) the  Company  increases  or  decreases  the price to be paid for
Shares, increases the number of Shares being sought and any such increase in the
number of Shares being sought exceeds 2% of the  outstanding  Shares,  decreases
the number of Shares being sought, or incurs dealer manager  soliciting fees and
(ii) the Offer is  scheduled  to expire  less  than ten  business  days from and
including the date that notice of such increase or decrease is first  published,
sent or given in the manner  specified  in Section 7, the Offer will be extended
for at least ten business days from and  including the date of such notice.  For
purposes  of the Offer,  a  "business  day"  means any day other than  Saturday,
Sunday or  federal  holiday  and  consists  of the time  period  from 12:01 a.m.
through 12:00 midnight, Eastern time.

         THE OFFER IS NOT CONDITIONED ON ANY MINIMUM NUMBER OF SHARES BEING
TENDERED BUT IS SUBJECT TO CERTAIN OTHER CONDITIONS.  SEE SECTION 6.

         In  accordance  with  Instruction  5  of  the  Letter  of  Transmittal,
shareholders  desiring to tender Shares must specify the price, not in excess of
$26.00 nor less than  $22.50 per Share,  at which they are willing to sell their
Shares to the Company. Shares validly tendered pursuant to the Offer at or below
the Purchase  Price and not withdrawn  will be purchased at the Purchase  Price,
subject  to the terms and  conditions  of the  Offer,  including  the  proration
provisions.  All  Shares  tendered  and not  purchased  pursuant  to the  Offer,
including  Shares  tendered at prices in excess of the Purchase Price and Shares
not  purchased   because  of  proration   will  be  returned  to  the  tendering
shareholders at the Company's  expense as promptly as practicable  following the
Expiration Date.

         Priority of Purchases.  Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of
the Offer,  if more than 900,000 Shares (or such greater number of Shares as the
Company may elect to purchase) have been validly  tendered at prices at or below
the Purchase Price and not withdrawn  prior to the Expiration  Date, the Company
will purchase validly tendered Shares on the basis set forth below:

         (a)  first,  all  Shares  tendered  and  not  withdrawn  prior  to  the
         Expiration Date by any Odd Lot Holder (as defined below) who:



                                        5

<PAGE>



                  (1)  tenders  all  Shares  beneficially  owned by such Odd Lot
         Holder at a price at or below the Purchase  Price (tenders of less than
         all  Shares  owned  by such  shareholder  will  not  qualify  for  this
         preference); and

                  (2) completes  the box  captioned  "Odd Lots" on the Letter of
         Transmittal and, if applicable,  on the Notice of Guaranteed  Delivery;
         and

         (b) second,  after purchase of all of the foregoing  Shares,  all other
         Shares  validly  tendered at prices at or below the Purchase  Price and
         not withdrawn  prior to the Expiration  Date, on a pro rata basis (with
         appropriate  adjustments  to avoid  purchases of fractional  Shares) as
         described below.

         Odd Lots. For purposes of the Offer, the term "Odd Lots" shall mean all
Shares validly  tendered prior to the Expiration  Date at prices at or below the
Purchase  Price and not withdrawn by any person (an "Odd Lot Holder") who owned,
beneficially or of record, as of the close of business on September 24, 1997 and
as of the  Expiration  Date,  an  aggregate  of  fewer  than 100  Shares  and so
certified  in the  appropriate  place  on the  Letter  of  Transmittal  and,  if
applicable,  on the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.  In order to qualify for this
preference, an Odd Lot Holder must tender all such Shares in accordance with the
procedures described in Section 3. As set forth above, Odd Lots will be accepted
for payment before proration,  if any, of the purchase of other tendered Shares.
This  preference is not available to partial  tenders or to beneficial or record
holders  of an  aggregate  of 100 or more  Shares,  even if  such  holders  have
separate  accounts  or  certificates  representing  fewer  than 100  Shares.  By
accepting  the  Offer,  an Odd Lot Holder  would not only  avoid the  payment of
brokerage commissions but also would avoid any applicable odd lot discounts in a
sale of such  holder's  Shares.  Any  shareholder  wishing to tender all of such
shareholder's  Shares pursuant to this Section should complete the box captioned
"Odd Lots" on the Letter of  Transmittal  and, if  applicable,  on the Notice of
Guaranteed Delivery.

         The Company also  reserves  the right,  but will not be  obligated,  to
purchase all Shares validly  tendered by any shareholder who tendered all Shares
owned,  beneficially or of record,  at or below the Purchase Price and who, as a
result of proration,  would then own,  beneficially,  an aggregate of fewer than
100 Shares.  If the Company exercises this right, it will increase the number of
Shares that it is offering to purchase by the number of Shares purchased through
the exercise of the right.

         Proration.  In the event that proration of tendered Shares is required,
the Company will determine the proration factor as soon as practicable following
the Expiration Date. Proration for each shareholder tendering Shares, other than
Odd Lot Holders, shall be based on the ratio of the number of Shares tendered by
such  shareholder  to the total number of Shares  tendered by all  shareholders,
other  than Odd Lot  Holders,  at or below the  Purchase  Price.  Because of the
difficulty  in  determining  the number of Shares  validly  tendered  (including
Shares tendered by guaranteed  delivery  procedures,  as described in Section 3)
and not withdrawn,  and because of the odd lot  procedure,  the Company does not
expect  that it  will be able to  announce  the  final  proration  factor  or to
commence  payment  for  any  Shares  purchased   pursuant  to  the  Offer  until
approximately seven  over-the-counter  ("OTC") trading days after the Expiration
Date.  The  preliminary  results of any  proration  will be  announced  by press
release as promptly as practicable  after the Expiration Date.  Shareholders may
obtain such preliminary  information from the Information  Agent and may be able
to obtain such information from their brokers.

         This Offer to Purchase and the related  Letter of  Transmittal  will be
mailed to record  holders of Shares and will be furnished to brokers,  banks and
similar  persons  whose  names,  or the names of whose  nominees,  appear on the
Company's shareholder list or, if applicable,  who are listed as participants in
a clearing  agency's  security  position  listing for subsequent  transmittal to
beneficial owners of Shares.


                                        6

<PAGE>



         2.       Background and Purpose of the Offer.

         The Offer is designed to  reposition  the  Company's  balance  sheet to
increase return on equity and earnings per share by redeploying a portion of the
Company's equity capital. Following completion of the Offer, the Company and its
wholly owned subsidiary,  Third Federal Savings Bank (the "Bank"), will continue
to have  strong  capital  positions  and  will  continue  to  qualify  as  "well
capitalized"  institutions  under the prompt corrective action scheme enacted by
the Federal Deposit  Insurance  Corporation  Improvements  Act of 1991. On a pro
forma  basis as of June 30,  1997,  giving  effect to the  Offer at the  maximum
Purchase Price of $26.00 per Share and assuming acceptance of the maximum number
of Shares in the Offer,  the Company would have had an equity to assets ratio of
7.73%,  and  the  Bank  would  have  had a total  risk-based  capital  ratio  of
approximately 15.06% and a leverage ratio of approximately 6.62%.

         The Offer will enable  shareholders  to sell a portion of their  Shares
while  retaining a continuing  equity interest in the Company if they so desire.
The  Offer  may  provide  shareholders  who are  considering  a sale of all or a
portion of their Shares the  opportunity  to determine  the price or prices (not
greater than $26.00 nor less than $22.50 per Share) at which they are willing to
sell their Shares and, if any such Shares are  purchased  pursuant to the Offer,
to sell those Shares for cash  without the usual  transaction  costs  associated
with open-market sales. In addition,  Odd Lot Holders whose Shares are purchased
pursuant to the Offer not only will avoid the payment of  brokerage  commissions
but also would avoid any applicable odd lot discounts in a sale of such holder's
Shares. To the extent the purchase of Shares in the Offer results in a reduction
in the number of shareholders  of record,  the costs of the Company for services
to shareholders may be reduced.  For shareholders who do not tender, there is no
assurance  that the price of the stock will not trade below the price  currently
being  offered by the Company  pursuant to the Offer.  For  shareholders  who do
tender,  the trading  price of stock may increase as a result of the Offer or an
unexpected  acquisition  at a premium  could occur in the future.  Finally,  the
Offer may affect the  Company's  ability  to  qualify  for  pooling-of-interests
accounting treatment for any acquisition  transaction for approximately the next
two years.

         THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS  HAS  UNANIMOUSLY  APPROVED THE OFFER.  HOWEVER,
NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAKES ANY  RECOMMENDATION  TO ANY
SHAREHOLDER AS TO WHETHER TO TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM TENDERING ANY OR ALL OF SUCH
SHAREHOLDER'S  SHARES  AND HAS NOT  AUTHORIZED  ANY  PERSON  TO  MAKE  ANY  SUCH
RECOMMENDATION.  SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO EVALUATE CAREFULLY ALL INFORMATION IN
THE OFFER,  CONSULT  THEIR OWN  INVESTMENT  AND TAX  ADVISORS AND MAKE THEIR OWN
DECISIONS WHETHER TO TENDER SHARES AND, IF SO, HOW MANY SHARES TO TENDER AND THE
PRICE OR PRICES AT WHICH SHARES SHOULD BE TENDERED.

         Following   completion  of  the  Offer,   the  Company  may  repurchase
additional  Shares in the open market, in privately  negotiated  transactions or
otherwise.  Any such  purchases  may be on the same terms or on terms  which are
more or less favorable to shareholders  than the terms of the Offer.  Rule 13e-4
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act") prohibits
the Company and its affiliates from  purchasing any Shares,  other than pursuant
to the Offer,  until at least ten business days after the  Expiration  Date. Any
possible future purchases by the Company will depend on many factors,  including
the market price of the Shares, the results of the Offer, the Company's business
and financial position and general economic and market conditions.

         Shares the Company  acquires  pursuant to the Offer will be held in the
Company's  treasury  and will be  available  for the  Company  to issue  without
further shareholder action (except as required by applicable law or the rules of
the Nasdaq/NMS).  Such Shares could be issued without  shareholder  approval for
such  purposes as, among  others,  the  acquisition  of other  businesses or the
raising of additional capital for use in the Company's business.


                                        7

<PAGE>



         3.       Procedures for Tendering Shares.

         Valid Tender of Shares.  For Shares to be validly tendered  pursuant to
the Offer,  (a) the  certificates for such Shares (or confirmation of receipt of
such Shares pursuant to the procedures for book-entry delivery set forth below),
together with a properly  completed and duly executed  Letter of Transmittal (or
manually signed facsimile thereof)  including any required signature  guarantees
and any other documents required by the Letter of Transmittal,  must be received
prior to 5:00 p.m.,  Eastern time, on the  Expiration  Date by the Depositary at
one of its  addresses  set forth on the back cover of this Offer to  Purchase or
(b) the tendering shareholder must comply with the guaranteed delivery procedure
set forth below.

         Unless the Rights are redeemed prior to the Expiration Date, holders of
Shares are  required  to tender one Right for each  Share  tendered  in order to
effect a valid tender of such Share.  Unless and until Rights  Certificates  (as
defined in Section 10) are issued, a tender of Shares pursuant to the Offer will
constitute a tender of the associated  Rights  evidenced by the  certificate for
such  Shares.  If Rights  Certificates  are  issued,  holders of Shares  will be
required to tender Rights Certificates  representing a number of Rights equal to
the number of Shares tendered. If a stockholder sells the Rights separately from
the Shares,  the selling  stockholder will be unable to tender Shares unless the
stockholder reacquires Rights to tender with the Shares.

         IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  INSTRUCTION  5  OF  THE  LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL,
SHAREHOLDERS  DESIRING  TO TENDER  SHARES  PURSUANT  TO THE OFFER MUST  PROPERLY
INDICATE IN THE SECTION  CAPTIONED "PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER SHARE AT WHICH SHARES
ARE BEING  TENDERED"  ON THE LETTER OF  TRANSMITTAL  THE PRICE (IN  MULTIPLES OF
$.125) AT WHICH  THEIR  SHARES ARE BEING  TENDERED.  SHAREHOLDERS  WHO DESIRE TO
TENDER  SHARES  AT MORE  THAN ONE  PRICE  MUST  COMPLETE  A  SEPARATE  LETTER OF
TRANSMITTAL FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH SHARES ARE TENDERED,  PROVIDED THAT THE SAME
SHARES CANNOT BE TENDERED  (UNLESS  VALIDLY  WITHDRAWN  PREVIOUSLY IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE TERMS OF THE OFFER) AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE.  IN ORDER TO VALIDLY TENDER
SHARES, ONE AND ONLY ONE PRICE BOX MUST BE CHECKED IN THE APPROPRIATE SECTION ON
EACH LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

         In addition,  Odd Lot Holders who tender all such Shares must  complete
the box captioned "Odd Lots" on the Letter of Transmittal and, if applicable, on
the Notice of  Guaranteed  Delivery,  in order to qualify  for the  preferential
treatment available to Odd Lot Holders as set forth in Section 1.

         Signature Guarantees and Method of Delivery.  No signature guarantee is
required on the Letter of Transmittal (i) if the Letter of Transmittal is signed
by the registered holder of the Shares (which term, for purposes of this Section
3,  shall  include  any  participant  in The  Depository  Trust  Company  or The
Philadelphia  Depository Trust Company  (collectively,  the "Book-Entry Transfer
Facilities")  whose name appears on a security  position listing as the owner of
the Shares) tendered  therewith and such holder has not completed either the box
entitled  "Special  Delivery  Instructions" or the box entitled "Special Payment
Instructions"  on the Letter of Transmittal;  or (ii) if Shares are tendered for
the account of a member firm of a registered  national  securities  exchange,  a
member of the National  Association of Securities Dealers,  Inc. or a commercial
bank or trust company  having an office,  branch or agency in the United States.
In all  other  cases,  all  signatures  on the  Letter  of  Transmittal  must be
guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (bank, stockbroker,  savings and
loan  association  or credit  union with  membership  in an  approved  signature
guarantee  medallion  program)  pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15  promulgated  under the
Exchange Act (an  "Eligible  Institution").  See  Instruction 1 of the Letter of
Transmittal.  If a certificate  for Shares is registered in the name of a person
other than the person executing a Letter of Transmittal,  or if payment is to be
made,  or Shares not  purchased or tendered are to be issued,  to a person other
than the registered  holder,  the certificate must be endorsed or accompanied by
an appropriate  stock power,  in either case,  signed exactly as the name of the
registered  holder  appears  on  the  certificate,  with  the  signature  on the
certificate or stock power guaranteed by an Eligible Institution.


                                        8

<PAGE>



         In all cases,  payment for Shares  tendered  and  accepted  for payment
pursuant to the Offer will be made only after timely  receipt by the  Depositary
of  certificates  for such  Shares  (or a timely  confirmation  of a  book-entry
transfer of such Shares into the  Depositary's  account at one of the Book-Entry
Transfer  Facilities as described above), a properly completed and duly executed
Letter of  Transmittal  (or  manually  signed  facsimile  thereof) and any other
documents  required by the Letter of Transmittal.  The method of delivery of all
documents,  including certificates for Shares, the Letter of Transmittal and any
other  required  documents,  is at  the  election  and  risk  of  the  tendering
shareholder.  If  delivery  is by mail,  registered  mail  with  return  receipt
requested, properly insured, is recommended.

         Book-Entry  Delivery.  The  Depositary  will  establish an account with
respect to the  Shares for  purposes  of the Offer at each  Book-Entry  Transfer
Facility within two business days after the date of this Offer to Purchase,  and
any  financial  institution  that  is a  participant  in a  Book-Entry  Transfer
Facility's  system may make  book-entry  delivery of the Shares by causing  such
facility to transfer Shares into the Depositary's account in accordance with the
Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility's  procedures for transfer.  Although delivery of
Shares may be  effected  through a  book-entry  transfer  into the  Depositary's
account at a Book-Entry  Transfer Facility,  either (i) a properly completed and
duly executed  Letter of Transmittal (or a manually  signed  facsimile  thereof)
with any required signature guarantees and any other required documents must, in
any  case,  be  transmitted  to and  received  by the  Depositary  at one of its
addresses  set forth on the back  cover of this Offer to  Purchase  prior to the
Expiration Date, or (ii) the guaranteed  delivery procedure described below must
be  followed.  Delivery  of the  Letter of  Transmittal  and any other  required
documents to a book-entry  transfer facility does not constitute delivery to the
Depositary.

         Backup Federal Income Tax Withholding. To prevent backup federal income
tax withholding on payments made to shareholders for Shares  purchased  pursuant
to the Offer,  each  shareholder  who does not otherwise  establish an exemption
from such withholding must provide the Depositary with the shareholder's correct
taxpayer   identification  number  and  provide  certain  other  information  by
completing  the  substitute  Form W-9  included  in the  Letter of  Transmittal.
Foreign  shareholders may be required to submit Form W-8, certifying  non-United
States status,  to avoid backup  withholding.  See Instructions 12 and 13 of the
Letter  of  Transmittal.   For  a  discussion  of  certain  federal  income  tax
consequences to tendering shareholders, see Section 13.

         Withholding  For Foreign  Shareholders.  The  Depositary  will withhold
federal  income  taxes equal to 30% of the gross  payments  payable to a foreign
shareholder or his agent unless the Depositary determines that an exemption from
or a reduced rate of  withholding  is  available  pursuant to a tax treaty or an
exemption  from  withholding  is  applicable  because  such gross  proceeds  are
effectively  connected  with the  conduct of a trade or  business  in the United
States.  In order to obtain an exemption  from or a reduced rate of  withholding
pursuant to a tax treaty, a foreign shareholder must deliver to the Depositary a
properly  completed Form 1001 (or any related successor form). For this purpose,
a foreign  shareholder is a shareholder that is not (i) a citizen or resident of
the United States,  (ii) a  corporation,  partnership or other entity created or
organized in or under the laws of the United States,  any State or any political
subdivision  thereof  or (iii) an estate or trust the income of which is subject
to United  States  federal  income  taxation  regardless  of the  source of such
income. In order to obtain an exemption from withholding on the grounds that the
gross  proceeds paid pursuant to the Offer are  effectively  connected  with the
conduct of a trade or business within the United States,  a foreign  shareholder
must deliver to the  Depositary a properly  completed  Form 4224 (or any related
successor  form).  The  Depositary  will determine a  shareholder's  status as a
foreign shareholder and eligibility for a reduced rate of, or an exemption from,
withholding  by  reference  to  any   outstanding   certificates  or  statements
concerning  eligibility  for a reduced rate of, or exemption  from,  withholding
(e.g., Form 1001 or Form 4224) unless facts and circumstances indicate that such
reliance  is not  warranted.  A  foreign  shareholder  who  has  not  previously
submitted the  appropriate  certificates or statements with respect to a reduced
rate of, or  exemption  from,  withholding  for which  such  shareholder  may be
eligible  should  consider  doing so in order to  avoid  excess  withholding.  A
foreign  shareholder  may be eligible to obtain a refund of tax withheld if such
shareholder meets one of the three tests for sale treatment described in Section
13 or is otherwise  able to establish  that no tax or a reduced amount of tax is
due. Backup  withholding  generally will not apply to amounts subject to the 30%
or treaty-reduced rate of withholding.


                                        9

<PAGE>



         Guaranteed Delivery. If a shareholder desires to tender Shares pursuant
to the Offer  and such  shareholder's  Share  certificates  are not  immediately
available (or the procedures for  book-entry  delivery  cannot be completed on a
timely  basis) or if time will not permit all  required  documents  to reach the
Depositary  prior to the  Expiration  Date,  such  Shares  may  nevertheless  be
tendered, provided that all of the following conditions are satisfied:

         (a)      such tender is made by or through an Eligible Institution;

         (b) the  Depositary  receives  by hand,  mail,  telegram  or  facsimile
transmission,  on or prior to the Expiration Date, a properly completed and duly
executed Notice of Guaranteed Delivery substantially in the form the Company has
provided with this Offer to Purchase  (specifying  the price at which the Shares
are being  tendered),  including  (where  required) a signature  guarantee by an
Eligible Institution; and

         (c) the  certificates  for all  tendered  Shares,  in  proper  form for
transfer  (or  confirmation  of  book-entry  delivery  of such  Shares  into the
Depositary's  account at one of the Book-Entry  Transfer  Facilities),  together
with a properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal (or a manually
signed  facsimile  thereof)  and any  required  signature  guarantees  or  other
documents required by the Letter of Transmittal,  are received by the Depositary
within  three OTC trading  days after the date of receipt by the  Depositary  of
such Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.

         If any tendered  Shares are not  purchased,  or if less than all Shares
evidenced  by  a  shareholder's  certificates  are  tendered,  certificates  for
unpurchased  Shares  will be  returned  as  promptly  as  practicable  after the
expiration  or  termination  of the Offer or, in the case of Shares  tendered by
book-entry  delivery  at a  Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility,  such Shares will be
credited to the appropriate  account maintained by the tendering  shareholder at
the appropriate  Book-Entry  Transfer Facility,  in each case without expense to
such shareholder.

         Employee Stock  Ownership Plan. As of September 25, 1997, the Company's
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (the "ESOP") owned 408,283 Shares of which 104,358
Shares were allocated to the accounts of the  participants.  Shares allocated to
participants'  accounts  will,  subject  to  the  limitations  of  the  Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended,  and applicable  regulations
thereunder  ("ERISA"),  be tendered by the Trustee of the plan  according to the
instructions of  participants to the Trustee.  Decisions as to whether to tender
Shares not  allocated  to  participants'  accounts  will be made by the  Trustee
subject to the terms of the plan and ERISA.  The Trustee will make  available to
the participants whose accounts hold allocated Shares all documents furnished to
the  shareholders  in  connection  with the  Offer  generally  and will  provide
additional  information  in a separate  letter with respect to the operations of
the Offer to the  participants of the ESOP. Each participant will also receive a
form upon which the  participant  may instruct the Trustee  regarding the Offer.
Each  participant  may direct that all, some or none of the Shares  allocated to
the  participant's  account  be  tendered.  Participants  will also be  afforded
withdrawal rights. See Section 4.

         Under ERISA the Company will be prohibited  from  purchasing any Shares
from the ESOP (including  Shares  allocated to the accounts of  participants) if
the Purchase Price is less than the prevailing market price of the Shares on the
date the Shares are accepted for payment pursuant to the Offer.

         Dividend  Reinvestment Plan. Shares credited to participants'  accounts
under the  Company's  Dividend  Reinvestment  Plan (the  "Dividend  Reinvestment
Plan")  will be tendered  by the  Depositary,  as  administrator,  according  to
instructions  provided to the  administrator  from  participants in the Dividend
Reinvestment Plan. Dividend Reinvestment Plan Shares for which the administrator
has not received timely instructions from participants will not be tendered. The
administrator  will  make  available  to the  participants  whose  accounts  are
credited  with  Shares  under  the  Dividend  Reinvestment  Plan  all  documents
furnished to stockholders  generally in connection  with the Offer.  Because the
Depositary for the Offer also acts as administrator of the Dividend Reinvestment
Plan,  participants  in the  Dividend  Reinvestment  Plan may use the  Letter of
Transmittal to instruct the administrator  regarding the Offer by completing the
box entitled "Tender of Dividend Reinvestment Plan Shares." Each participant may
direct  that  all,  some or none of the  Shares  credited  to the  participant's
account under the Dividend  Reinvestment Plan be tendered and the price at which
such participant's Shares are to be tendered.

                                       10

<PAGE>



Participants in the Dividend  Reinvestment  Plan are urged to read the Letter of
Transmittal and related materials carefully.

         If  a   participant   tenders  all  of  such   participant's   Dividend
Reinvestment  Plan  Shares,  and all such  Shares are  purchased  by the Company
pursuant  to the  Offer,  such  tender  will be deemed to be  authorization  and
written  notice  to  the   Depositary  of  termination  of  such   participant's
participation in the Dividend Reinvestment Plan.

         Company Stock Bonus Plans.  As of September 25, 1997, the Third Federal
Savings Bank  Management  Stock Bonus Plan ("MSBP") owned 99,044 Shares of which
94,867  Shares  were  allocated  to the  accounts  of the  participants.  Shares
allocated to participants will, subject to the limitations of ERISA, be tendered
by the Trustee of the plan according to the  instructions of participants to the
Trustee. Decisions as to whether to tender Shares not allocated to participants'
accounts will be made by the Trustee subject to the terms of the plan and ERISA.
The  Trustee  will  make  available  to the  participants  whose  accounts  hold
allocated Shares all documents  furnished to the shareholders in connection with
the Offer generally and will provide additional information in a separate letter
with respect to the  operations  of the Offer to the  participants  of the MSBP.
Each  participant  will  also  receive a form upon  which  the  participant  may
instruct the Trustee  regarding the Offer. Each participant may direct that all,
some  or  none  of  the  Shares   allocated  to  the  participant  be  tendered.
Participants will also be afforded withdrawal rights.
See Section 4.

         Company Stock Option Plans. The Company is not offering, as part of the
Offer,  to purchase any of the Options  outstanding  under the  Company's  Stock
Option plans and tenders of such  Options will not be accepted.  In no event are
any Options to be delivered to the  Depositary  in  connection  with a tender of
Shares  hereunder.  An  exercise of an Option  cannot be revoked  even if Shares
received  upon the exercise  thereof and tendered in the Offer are not purchased
in the Offer for any reason.

         401(k) Profit Sharing Plan. Participants in the Profit Sharing Plan who
wish  to  have  the  plan's  trustees   tender  Shares   attributable  to  their
participant-directed  investment  accounts  should so  indicate  by  completing,
executing  and  returning to the  Depositary  the election  form included in the
notice  sent to such  participants.  Participants  in the  plan  may not use the
Letter of  Transmittal  to direct the tender of the Shares  attributed  to their
accounts, but must use the separate election form sent to them.  Participants in
the plan are urged to read the  separate  election  form and  related  materials
carefully.

         Pension Plan.  The Pension Plan Trustee may within its  fiduciary  duty
elect to tender all,  some or none of the common stock held under the plan trust
as a general trust asset.

         Determination of Validity;  Rejection of Shares;  Waiver of Defects; No
Obligation  to Give Notice of Defects.  All questions as to the number of Shares
to  be  accepted,  the  price  to be  paid  therefor  and  the  validity,  form,
eligibility  (including  time of receipt) and acceptance of any tender of Shares
will be determined by the Company, in its sole discretion, and its determination
shall be final and binding on all  parties.  The Company  reserves  the absolute
right to reject any or all tenders of any Shares that it  determines  are not in
appropriate  form or the  acceptance  for payment of or payment for which may be
unlawful.  The Company  also  reserves  the  absolute  right to waive any of the
conditions of the Offer or any defect or irregularity in any tender with respect
to any  particular  Shares.  No  tender  of  Shares  will be deemed to have been
validly  made  until  all  defects  or  irregularities  have  been  cured by the
tendering  shareholder  or  waived  by the  Company.  None of the  Company,  the
Depositary, the Information Agent or any other person shall be obligated to give
notice of any defects or irregularities in tenders,  nor shall any of them incur
any liability for failure to give any such notice.

         Tendering   Shareholder's   Representation   and  Warranty;   Company's
Acceptance  Constitutes an Agreement.  A tender of Shares pursuant to any of the
procedures   described  above  will   constitute  the  tendering   shareholder's
acceptance of the terms and  conditions  of the Offer,  as well as the tendering
shareholder's   representation  and  warranty  to  the  Company  that  (a)  such
shareholder  has a net long  position in the Shares  being  tendered  within the
meaning of Rule 14e-4  promulgated by the Commission  under the Exchange Act and
(b) the tender of such Shares  complies  with Rule 14e-4.  It is a violation  of
Rule 14e-4 for a person, directly or indirectly, to tender Shares for

                                       11

<PAGE>



such  person's own account  unless,  at the time of tender and at the end of the
proration  period,  the person so tendering (i) has a net long position equal to
or  greater  than the  amount of (x)  Shares  tendered  or (y) other  securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for the Shares tendered and will
acquire such Shares for tender by conversion, exchange or exercise and (ii) will
cause such Shares to be  delivered  in  accordance  with the terms of the Offer.
Rule 14e-4 provides a similar restriction  applicable to the tender or guarantee
of a tender on behalf of another person. The Company's acceptance for payment of
Shares  tendered  pursuant  to the Offer  will  constitute  a binding  agreement
between the tendering  shareholder and the Company upon the terms and subject to
the conditions of the Offer.

         4.       Withdrawal Rights.

         Except as  otherwise  provided in this  Section 4, the tender of Shares
pursuant to the Offer is irrevocable.  Shares tendered pursuant to the Offer may
be withdrawn at any time prior to the Expiration  Date and,  unless  theretofore
accepted for payment by the Company pursuant to the Offer, may also be withdrawn
at any time after 12:00 midnight, Eastern time, on Monday, November 24, 1997.

         For a withdrawal  to be effective,  a notice of  withdrawal  must be in
written,  telegraphic or facsimile  transmission  form and must be received in a
timely  manner by the  Depositary  at one of its addresses set forth on the back
cover of this Offer to Purchase.  Any such notice of withdrawal must specify the
name of the  tendering  shareholder,  the  name  of the  registered  holder,  if
different,  the  number  of  Shares  tendered  and the  number  of  Shares to be
withdrawn. If the certificates for Shares to be withdrawn have been delivered or
otherwise  identified  to the  Depositary,  then,  prior to the  release of such
certificates,  the  tendering  shareholder  must also submit the serial  numbers
shown on the particular  certificates  evidencing the Shares to be withdrawn and
the  signature on the notice of  withdrawal  must be  guaranteed  by an Eligible
Institution (except in the case of Shares tendered by an Eligible  Institution).
If Shares have been tendered  pursuant to the procedure for book-entry  delivery
set forth in Section 3, the notice of withdrawal  also must specify the name and
the number of the account at the applicable  Book-Entry  Transfer Facility to be
credited with the withdrawn  Shares and otherwise  comply with the procedures of
such facility. None of the Company, the Depositary, the Information Agent or any
other person shall be obligated to give notice of any defects or  irregularities
in any notice of withdrawal nor shall any of them incur liability for failure to
give any such notice. All questions as to the form and validity  (including time
of receipt) of notices of withdrawal  will be determined by the Company,  in its
sole discretion, which determination shall be final and binding on all parties.

         Withdrawals  may  not  be  rescinded  and  any  Shares  withdrawn  will
thereafter  be deemed not validly  tendered for purposes of the Offer.  However,
withdrawn  Shares  may be  retendered  prior  to the  Expiration  Date by  again
following one of the procedures described in Section 3.

         If the Company  extends the Offer, is delayed in its purchase of Shares
or is unable to purchase  Shares  pursuant  to the Offer for any  reason,  then,
without  prejudice to the Company's  rights under the Offer, the Depositary may,
subject to applicable law, retain tendered Shares on behalf of the Company,  and
such Shares may not be withdrawn except to the extent tendering shareholders are
entitled to withdrawal rights as described in this Section 4.

         5.       Purchase of Shares and Payment of Purchase Price.

         Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer,  the Company
will determine the Purchase  Price it will pay for the Shares  validly  tendered
and not withdrawn prior to the Expiration  Date,  taking into account the number
of Shares so tendered and the prices  specified by tendering  shareholders,  and
will  accept for  payment  and pay for (and  thereby  purchase)  Shares  validly
tendered at prices at or below the  Purchase  Price as  promptly as  practicable
following the Expiration  Date.  For purposes of the Offer,  the Company will be
deemed to have accepted (and therefor purchased) Shares which are tendered at or
below the Purchase Price and not withdrawn (subject to the proration  provisions
of the Offer) when, as and if it gives oral or written  notice to the Depositary
of its acceptance of such Shares for payment pursuant to the Offer.

                                       12

<PAGE>




         Upon the terms and  subject to the  conditions  of the Offer,  promptly
following  the  Expiration  Date the  Company  will accept for payment and pay a
single per Share  Purchase  Price for  900,000  Shares  (subject  to increase or
decrease  as  provided  in  Section  7) or such  lesser  number of Shares as are
validly  tendered  at prices  not in excess of $26.00  nor less than  $22.50 per
Share and not withdrawn as permitted in Section 4.

         The  Company  will pay for Shares  purchased  pursuant  to the Offer by
depositing the aggregate Purchase Price therefor with the Depositary, which will
act as agent for  tendering  shareholders  for the purpose of receiving  payment
from the Company and transmitting payment to the tendering shareholders.

         In the event of  proration,  the Company will  determine  the proration
factor  and pay for  those  tendered  Shares  accepted  for  payment  as soon as
practicable after the Expiration Date;  however,  the Company does not expect to
be able to announce the final results of any proration and commence  payment for
Shares purchased until approximately seven OTC trading days after the Expiration
Date.  Certificates  for all Shares  tendered and not  purchased,  including all
Shares  tendered  at  prices  in excess of the  Purchase  Price and  Shares  not
purchased due to proration, will be returned (or, in the case of Shares tendered
by book-entry  delivery,  such Shares will be credited to the account maintained
with  the  Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility  by  the  participant  therein  who so
delivered  such Shares) to the tendering  shareholder as promptly as practicable
after the Expiration Date without expense to the tendering  shareholders.  Under
no  circumstances  will interest on the Purchase Price be paid by the Company by
reason of any delay in making payment.

         The Company will pay all stock transfer taxes,  if any,  payable on the
transfer to it of Shares purchased  pursuant to the Offer. If, however,  payment
of the Purchase  Price is to be made to, or (in the  circumstances  permitted by
the Offer) if unpurchased Shares are to be registered in the name of, any person
other than the registered holder, or if tendered  certificates are registered in
the name of any person other than the person signing the Letter of  Transmittal,
the  amount  of all  stock  transfer  taxes,  if  any  (whether  imposed  on the
registered  holder or such other person),  payable on account of the transfer to
such  person  will  be  deducted  from  the  Purchase   Price  unless   evidence
satisfactory  to the  Company of the  payment of the stock  transfer  taxes,  or
exemption  therefrom,  is  submitted.   See  Instruction  7  of  the  Letter  of
Transmittal.

         ANY TENDERING  SHAREHOLDER OR OTHER PAYEE WHO FAILS TO COMPLETE  FULLY,
SIGN AND RETURN TO THE DEPOSITARY THE SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9 INCLUDED IN THE LETTER
OF TRANSMITTAL MAY BE SUBJECT TO REQUIRED BACKUP FEDERAL INCOME TAX WITHHOLDING.
SEE  SECTION 3 OF THIS OFFER TO  PURCHASE  AND  INSTRUCTION  12 OF THE LETTER OF
TRANSMITTAL.  ALSO SEE SECTION 3 REGARDING  FEDERAL INCOME TAX  CONSEQUENCES FOR
FOREIGN SHAREHOLDERS.

         6.       Certain Conditions of the Offer.

         Notwithstanding any other provision of the Offer, the Company shall not
be required to accept for payment,  purchase or pay for any Shares tendered, and
may terminate or amend the Offer or may postpone the  acceptance for payment of,
or the purchase of and the payment for Shares tendered, subject to Rule 13e-4(f)
under the Exchange Act (see Section 7), if at any time on or after September 26,
1997 and prior to the time of payment for any such  Shares any of the  following
events shall have occurred (or shall have been determined by the Company to have
occurred)  which,  in the  Company's  reasonable  judgment  in any such case and
regardless of the  circumstances  giving rise thereto  (including  any action or
omission to act by the Company),  makes it inadvisable to proceed with the Offer
or with such acceptance for payment or payment:

         (a) there shall have been threatened,  instituted or pending any action
or proceeding by any government or  governmental,  regulatory or  administrative
agency or authority  or tribunal or any other  person,  domestic or foreign,  or
before any court or  governmental,  regulatory  or  administrative  authority or
agency or tribunal, domestic or foreign, which: (1) challenges the making of the
Offer,  the acquisition of Shares pursuant to the Offer or otherwise  relates in
any  manner  to the Offer or (2) in the  Company's  reasonable  judgment,  could
materially  affect  the  business,   condition  (financial  or  other),  income,
operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries,

                                       13

<PAGE>



taken as a whole,  or otherwise  materially  impair in any way the  contemplated
future  conduct of the  business  of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  or
materially impair the Offer's contemplated benefits to the Company; or

         (b) there shall have been any claim,  action or proceeding  threatened,
pending or taken,  or any consent,  license,  authorization,  permit or approval
withheld, or any law, statute, rule, regulation,  judgment,  order or injunction
threatened, proposed, sought, promulgated,  enacted, entered, enforced or deemed
to be  applicable  to the Offer or the  Company,  by or before  any court or any
government or  governmental,  regulatory or  administrative  agency or authority
(federal,  state, local or foreign) or tribunal,  domestic or foreign, which, in
the  reasonable  judgment of the Company,  could or might directly or indirectly
(i) make the  acceptance  for  payment  of, or payment  for,  some or all of the
Shares illegal or otherwise  restrict or prohibit the consummation of the Offer,
(ii) delay or restrict the ability of the Company, or render the Company unable,
to accept for  payment or pay for some or all of the  Shares,  (iii)  materially
affect the  business,  condition  (financial  or other),  income,  operations or
prospects of the Company and its  subsidiaries,  taken as a whole,  or otherwise
materially impair in any way the contemplated  future conduct of the business of
the  Company  or  any  of  its  subsidiaries,  or  (iv)  materially  impair  the
contemplated benefits of the Offer to the Company; or

         (c) there shall have  occurred  any of the  following  events:  (i) the
commencement of any state of war,  international  crisis or national  emergency;
(ii) the  declaration  of any banking  moratorium  or  suspension of payments by
banks in the  United  States or any  limitation  on the  extension  of credit by
lending  institutions  in the United  States;  (iii) any general  suspension  of
trading or limitation of prices for securities on any securities  exchange or in
the  over-the-counter  market in the United States; (iv) any significant adverse
change in the market price of the Shares or any change in the general political,
market,  economic or financial  conditions  in the United  States or abroad that
could have a material adverse effect upon the trading of the Shares;  (v) in the
case of any of the  foregoing  existing at the time of the  commencement  of the
Offer,  in the reasonable  judgment of the Company,  a material  acceleration or
worsening effect thereof; or (vi) any decline in either the Dow Jones Industrial
Average or the  Standard  and Poor's  Index of 500  Industrial  Companies  by an
amount in excess of 10%  measured  from the close of business on  September  25,
1997; or

         (d) a tender  or  exchange  offer  with  respect  to some or all of the
Shares  (other  than the Offer),  or a merger or  acquisition  proposal  for the
Company, shall have been proposed,  announced or made by another person or shall
have been publicly disclosed,  or the Company shall have learned that any person
or "group" (within the meaning of Section  13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act),  shall
have  acquired  or proposed to acquire  beneficial  ownership  of more than five
percent of the outstanding  Shares, or any new group shall have been formed that
beneficially owns more than five percent of the outstanding Shares; or

         (e) there  shall  have  occurred  any event  which,  in the  reasonable
judgment  of the  Company,  has  resulted  in an actual or  threatened  material
adverse change in the business, financial condition, assets, income, operations,
prospects or stock  ownership of the Company or which may  adversely  affect the
value of the Shares; and, in the reasonable judgment of the Company,  such event
makes it inadvisable to proceed with the Offer or with acceptance for payment of
or payment for any Shares; or

         (f) the purchase of Shares  pursuant to the Offer would result in there
being less than 300  shareholders of record of the Shares or would result in the
Shares being delisted from the Nasdaq/NMS.

         The  foregoing  conditions  are for the sole benefit of the Company and
may be asserted by the Company  regardless of the  circumstances  (including any
action or inaction by the Company) giving rise to any such condition, and may be
waived by the Company, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time in
its sole  discretion.  The Company's  failure at any time to exercise any of the
foregoing  rights  shall not be deemed a waiver of any such  right and each such
right  shall be deemed an ongoing  right  which may be  asserted at any time and
from time to time.  Any  determination  by the  Company  concerning  the  events
described above will be final and binding on all parties.


                                       14

<PAGE>



         7.       Extension of the Offer; Termination; Amendment.

         The Company  expressly  reserves the right, in its sole discretion,  at
any time and from time to time,  and  regardless  of  whether  or not any of the
events set forth in  Section 6 shall have  occurred  or been  determined  by the
Company to have  occurred,  (a) to extend the  period of time  during  which the
Offer  is open by  giving  oral  or  written  notice  of such  extension  to the
Depositary  and  making a public  announcement  thereof no later than 9:00 a.m.,
Eastern time, on the next business day after the previously scheduled Expiration
Date, and (b) to amend the Offer in any respect (including,  without limitation,
by  increasing  or  decreasing  the range of prices it may pay for Shares or the
number of Shares being sought in the Offer) by giving oral or written  notice of
such  amendment to the Depositary  and, as promptly as  practicable  thereafter,
making a public announcement  thereof. If (i) the Company increases or decreases
the price to be paid for Shares,  increases  or  decreases  the number of Shares
being sought in the Offer or incurs dealer manager  soliciting  fees and, in the
event of an increase in the number of Shares being sought, such increase exceeds
two percent of the outstanding  Shares and (ii) the Offer is scheduled to expire
at any time earlier than the expiration of a period ending on the tenth business
day from, and including, the date that such notice of an increase or decrease is
first  published,  sent or given in the manner  specified in this Section 7, the
Offer will,  at least,  be extended  until the  expiration of such period of ten
business days. The Company also  expressly  reserves the right,  in its sole and
absolute discretion, to terminate the Offer and not to accept for payment or pay
for Shares upon the occurrence of any of the  conditions  specified in Section 6
by giving oral or written notice of such  termination to the Depositary  and, as
promptly  as  practicable  thereafter,  making  a public  announcement  thereof.
Without  limiting  the manner in which the  Company  may choose to make a public
announcement,  except as required by applicable law (including Rule  13e-4(e)(2)
under the  Exchange  Act),  the  Company  shall have no  obligation  to publish,
advertise or otherwise  communicate any such public  announcement  other than by
making a release  to the Dow Jones News  Service.  The  rights  reserved  by the
Company in this paragraph are in addition to the Company's  rights under Section
6. Payment for Shares accepted for payment  pursuant to the Offer may be delayed
in the event of proration  due to the  difficulty of  determining  the number of
validly tendered Shares. See Sections 1 and 5.


                                       15

<PAGE>




         8.       Price Range of Shares; Dividends.

         The  Shares  are  listed  and  quoted  on the on  the  Nasdaq/NMS.  The
following table sets forth, for the periods indicated,  the high and low closing
per Share sales price as published by the Nasdaq statistical report and the cash
dividends paid per Share in each such fiscal quarter.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                     Dividends
                                                                                                       Paid
Fiscal Year                                                   High                Low                Per Share
- -----------                                                   ----                ---                ---------

<S>                                                         <C>                 <C>                    <C>  
1995:

1st Quarter...............................................  $12.75              $10.13                 $0.05

2nd Quarter...............................................   14.38               12.38                  0.05

3rd Quarter..............................................    16.25               13.25                  0.07

4th Quarter...............................................   15.88               14.50                  0.07


1996:

1st Quarter...............................................   15.38               14.00                  0.07

2nd Quarter...............................................   15.13               13.94                  0.08

3rd Quarter...............................................   15.13               13.75                  0.08

4th Quarter...............................................   16.25               14.50                  0.08



1997:

1st Quarter...............................................   19.25               16.00                  0.10

2nd Quarter...............................................   19.63               16.63                  0.10

3rd Quarter (through September 25, 1997)..................   23.25               19.13                  0.10
                                                                      
</TABLE>


         On  September  25,  1997,  the  last  full  trading  day  prior  to the
commencement of the Offer,  the closing per Share sales price as reported on the
Nasdaq/NMS  was  $23.25.   Shareholders  are  urged  to  obtain  current  market
quotations for the Shares.



                                       16

<PAGE>



         9.       Source and Amount of Funds.

         Assuming  that the Company  purchases  900,000  Shares  pursuant to the
Offer at a price of $26.00 per Share,  the cost to the  Company  (including  all
fees and expenses relating to the Offer), is estimated to be approximately $23.5
million. The Company plans to obtain the funds needed for the Offer from cash on
hand.

         10.      Certain Information Concerning the Company.

General

         The  Company is the holding  company for the Bank which was  originally
chartered in 1921.  The Bank is primarily  engaged in the business of attracting
deposits from the general public and using those  deposits,  together with other
funds, to originate  mortgage loans for the purchase or refinance of residential
properties and to purchase mortgage-backed and investment securities.  To a much
lesser extent, the Bank also originates  commercial real estate and multi-family
loans, construction loans and consumer loans.

         The  business  of the Bank is  conducted  through  its main  office  in
Newtown,  Pennsylvania  and thirteen  full  service  branch  offices  located in
Philadelphia and Bucks Counties, Pennsylvania and Mercer County, New Jersey.

         The Bank is subject to examination by the Office of Thrift  Supervision
and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The Company, as a federal savings
and loan  holding  company,  is subject to  examination  by the Office of Thrift
Supervision.

Selected Consolidated Financial Information

         Set forth below is certain selected consolidated  financial information
with  respect to the Company,  excerpted  or derived from the audited  financial
statements  contained in the  Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 1996 and from the unaudited financial statements contained in
the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1997.
The selected information below is qualified in its entirety by reference to such
Reports  (which may be inspected or obtained at the offices of the Commission in
the manner set forth  below) and the  financial  information  and related  notes
contained therein.


                                       17

<PAGE>



                            TF Financial Corporation
                    Summary Historical Financial Information
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                                         At December 31,                                At June 30,
                                     ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     1995              1996                        1996(1)         1997
                                     ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                       (Dollars in thousands)
<S>                                                <C>                <C>                         <C>             <C>     
Selected Financial Condition
and Other Data

Assets..............................               $490,358           $647,853                    $528,910        $640,746

Loans Receivable, net...............                238,275           309,570                      306,224         315,866

Mortgage-backed securities,
 available-for-sale at market
 value..............................                 29,640            22,027                       21,882          35,957

Mortgage-backed securities held
 to maturity........................                137,841           153,758                      128,613         156,690

Investment securities available-
 for- sale at market value..........                 15,044            12,652                        8,076          18,642

Investment securities held to
 maturity...........................                 23,640            38,544                       19,905          56,488

Securities purchased under
 agreement to resell................                     --            25,129                           --           5,000

Deposits............................                337,069           469,088                      341,872         460,847

Advances from FHLB..................                 73,359            98,359                      103,359          98,359

Stockholders' equity................                 73,332            72,575                       75,122          71,227


                                       18
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                   Year Ended December 31,                    Six Months Ended June 30,
                                     ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       1995             1996                       1996(1)             1997
                                     ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                              (Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

<S>                                                 <C>               <C>                          <C>                <C>    
Interest income.....................                $29,630           $38,989                      $18,073            $22,281

Interest expense....................                 14,403            20,797                        9,320             12,250
                                                     ------            ------                       ------             ------

Net interest income.................                 15,227            18,192                        8,753             10,031

Provision for loan losses...........                     72             330                             90                180

Non-interest income.................                  1,161            1,794                           994                878

Non-interest expenses...............                  9,975            13,745                        5,403              6,726

Income taxes........................                  2,470             2,432                        1,758              1,574
                                                     ------            ------                       ------              -----

     Net income ....................                $ 3,871           $ 3,479                      $ 2,496            $ 2,429
                                                     ======            ======                       ======             ======

Net income per share................                $  0.83            $ 0.83                      $  0.58            $  0.60
                                                     ======             =====                       ======             ======

Dividends per share.................                $  0.24            $ 0.31                      $  0.15            $  0.20
                                                     ======             =====                       ======             ======

</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         At or For Year Ended                     At or For Six Months Ended
                                                              December 31,                                 June 30,
                                     ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       1995              1996(1)                   1996(1)            1997
                                     ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                  <C>                  <C>                        <C>             <C>  
Selected financial ratios:

Return on average assets............                  0.88%                0.62%                      0.96%           0.76%

Return on average equity............                   4.99                4.74                       6.70            6.85

Dividend payout ratio...............                  28.11               36.16                      25.08           31.62

Stockholders' equity/total assets...                  14.95               11.62                      14.20           11.10

Allowance for loan losses/loans
receivable..........................                   0.58                0.62                       0.51            0.62

</TABLE>

- ------------------
(1)      The  Federal  Deposit  Insurance  Corporation  has  imposed  a  special
         assessment on the Savings  Association  Insurance Fund members based on
         deposits  as of  March  31,  1995.  The  Bank  paid  an  assessment  of
         $2,200,000 on September 30, 1996,  which was required to be accrued and
         expensed for the quarter ended September 30, 1996.

                                       19
<PAGE>



                    UNAUDITED PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION

         The following unaudited pro forma financial  information of the Company
for the six months  ended June 30, 1997 and the fiscal year ended  December  31,
1996 show the effects of the purchase of 900,000  Shares  pursuant to the Offer.
The  balance  sheet data give effect to the  purchase of Shares  pursuant to the
Offer as if it had occurred as of the date of the balance  sheet.  The pro forma
financial  information  should be read in conjunction with the audited financial
statements  and related notes  contained in the Company's  Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996 and the unaudited financial statements
contained in the Company's  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
June 30,  1997.  The pro forma  financial  information  does not  purport  to be
indicative  of the  results  that  would  actually  have been  attained  had the
purchases  of the Shares been  completed  at the dates  indicated or that may be
attained in the future.

                            TF Financial Corporation
         UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME
                         Six Months Ended June 30, 1997
                  (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                            Shares Purchased at
                                                                                            -------------------
                                                                                        $22.50              $26.00
                                                                                       per Share           per Share
                                                                                       ---------           ---------

<S>                                                                                    <C>                 <C>      
Interest income..................................................................        $21,721             $21,634

Interest expense (3).............................................................         12,250              12,250
                                                                                          ------              ------

     Net interest income.........................................................          9,471               9,384

Provision for loan losses........................................................            180                 180
                                                                                          ------              ------

     Net interest income after provision for loan losses.........................          9,291               9,204

Non interest income..............................................................            878                 878

Non interest expenses............................................................          6,726               6,726
                                                                                          ------              ------

Income before income taxes.......................................................          3,443               3,356

Income taxes (3).................................................................          1,377               1,342
                                                                                          ------              ------

     Net income..................................................................        $ 2,066             $ 2,014
                                                                                          ======              ======

     Net income per share........................................................         $ 0.66              $ 0.64
                                                                                           =====               =====

Weighted average shares outstanding (2)..........................................      3,125,337           3,125,337

</TABLE>


        See Notes to Unaudited Proforma Financial Information on page 24

                                       20

<PAGE>



                            TF Financial Corporation
         UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME
                          Year Ended December 31, 1996
                  (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                             Shares Purchased at
                                                                                             -------------------
                                                                                           $22.50              $26.00
                                                                                          per Share           per Share
                                                                                          ---------           ---------



<S>                                                                                        <C>                 <C>      
Interest income..................................................................            $37,868             $37,695

Interest expense (3).............................................................             20,797              20,797
                                                                                             -------             -------

     Net interest income.........................................................             17,071              16,898

Provision for loan losses........................................................                330                 330
                                                                                             -------             -------

     Net interest income after provision for loan losses.........................             16,741              16,568

Non interest income..............................................................              1,794               1,794

Non interest expenses............................................................             13,745              13,745
                                                                                             -------             -------

Income before income taxes.......................................................              4,790               4,617

Income taxes (3).................................................................              1,916               1,847
                                                                                             -------              ------

     Net income..................................................................            $ 2,874             $ 2,770
                                                                                             =======              ======

     Net income per share........................................................             $ 0.88              $ 0.84
                                                                                             =======               =====



Weighted average shares outstanding (2)..........................................          3,279,624           3,279,624

</TABLE>


        See Notes to Unaudited Proforma Financial Information on page 24

                                       21
<PAGE>
                            TF Financial Corporation
            UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
                                  June 30, 1997
                  (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                Shares Purchased at
                                                                                                -------------------
                                                                                           $22.50              $26.00
                                                                                          per Share           per Share
                                                                                          ---------           ---------
<S>                                                                                      <C>                <C>       
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents........................................................           $5,350              $2,200
Securities purchased under agreements to resell..................................            5,000               5,000
Certificates of Deposit in other financial institutions..........................            3,451               3,451
Investment securities held to maturity..........................................            56,488              56,488
Mortgage backed securities held to maturity .....................................          156,690             156,690
Securities available for sale....................................................           18,642              18,642
Mortgage backed securities available for sale....................................           35,957              35,957
Loans receivable, net............................................................          315,866             315,866
Other assets.....................................................................           22,927              22,927
                                                                                          --------             -------
     Total assets................................................................        $ 620,371          $  617,221
                                                                                          ========            ========
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Liabilities
  Deposits.......................................................................         $460,847            $460,847
  Borrowings (3).................................................................           98,359              98,359
  Other liabilities..............................................................           10,313              10,313
                                                                                           -------             -------
     Total liabilities...........................................................          569,519             569,519
                                                                                          --------            --------
Stockholders' equity
  Common stock...................................................................              529                 529
  Paid in capital................................................................           51,761              51,761
  Retained earnings..............................................................           41,411              41,411
  Unrealized loss on securities available for sale...............................              (3)                 (3)
  Treasury stock (1)(2)(4).......................................................         (38,674)            (41,824)
                                                                                         ---------           ---------
  Unearned ESOP/MSBP.............................................................          (4,172)             (4,172)
     Total stockholders' equity..................................................           50,852              47,702
                                                                                           -------             -------
     Total liabilities and equity................................................        $ 620,371           $ 617,221
                                                                                          ========            ========
   Shareholders' equity/total assets.............................................             8.20%               7.73%
                                                                                             =====               =====
   Book value per common share...................................................          $ 17.68             $ 16.58
                                                                                            ======              ======
   Tangible book value per common share..........................................          $ 14.47             $ 13.37
                                                                                            ======              ======

</TABLE>

        See Notes to Unaudited Proforma Financial Information on page 24

                                       22
<PAGE>

                            TF Financial Corporation
            UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
                                December 31, 1996
                  (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                                                                          Shares Purchased at
                                                                                          -------------------
                                                                                       $22.50                $26.00
                                                                                      per Share             per Share
                                                                                      ---------             ---------
<S>                                                                                   <C>                  <C>       
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents..................................................             $33,757               $30,607
Securities purchased under agreements to resell............................              25,129                25,129
Certificate of Deposit in other financial institutions.....................               4,220                 4,220
Investment securities held to maturity.....................................              43,462                43,462
Mortgage backed securities held to maturity ...............................             153,758               153,758
Securities available for sale..............................................              12,652                12,652
Mortgage backed securities available for sale..............................              22,027                22,027
Loans receivable, net......................................................             309,570               309,570
Other assets...............................................................              22,903                22,903
                                                                                       --------               -------
     Total assets..........................................................           $ 627,478             $ 624,328
                                                                                       ========              ========
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Liabilities
  Deposits.................................................................            $469,088              $469,088
  Borrowings (3)...........................................................              98,359                98,359
  Other liabilities........................................................               7,831                 7,831
                                                                                       --------              --------
     Total liabilities.....................................................             575,278               575,278
                                                                                       --------              --------
Stockholders' equity
  Common stock.............................................................                 529                   529
  Paid in capital..........................................................              51,645                51,645
  Retained earnings........................................................              39,750                39,750
  Unrealized loss on securities available for sale.........................               (127)                 (127)
  Treasury stock (1)(2)(4).................................................            (35,087)              (38,237)
                                                                                       --------              --------
     Unearned ESOP/MSBP....................................................             (4,510)               (4,510)
     Total equity..........................................................              52,200                49,050
                                                                                       --------              --------
     Total liabilities and equity..........................................           $ 627,478             $ 624,328
                                                                                       ========              ========
 Shareholders' equity/total assets.........................................                8.32%                 7.86%
                                                                                          =====                 =====
   Book value per common share.............................................             $ 17.04               $ 16.02
                                                                                         ======                ======
   Tangible book value per common share....................................             $ 14.03               $ 13.00
                                                                                         ======                ======
</TABLE>


        See Notes to Unaudited Proforma Financial Information on page 24

                                       23
<PAGE>



                            TF Financial Corporation
               NOTES TO UNAUDITED PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION


(1)      The proforma financial information reflects the repurchase  of  900,000
         Shares of stock at $22.50 and $26.00 per Share, as appropriate.

(2)      The balance  sheet data give effect to the purchase of Shares as of the
         balance  sheet  date.  The  income  statement  data give  effect to the
         purchase of Shares as of the beginning of each period presented.

(3)      The funds used to purchase Shares were considered to have been obtained
         from cash and cash  equivalents.  The  proforma  data assumes a rate of
         interest  of 5.50% and a tax rate of 40%.  The  income  statement  data
         reflects  the  decrease  in  investment  income  as if cash was used to
         purchase the common stock at the beginning of the period.

(4)      Effect has been given to costs to be  incurred in  connection  with the
         Offer,  which  are  estimated  to  be  $125,000.  Such  costs  will  be
         capitalized as part of the costs of the stock purchased.



                                       24

<PAGE>



         Preferred  Share  Purchase  Rights.  On November 22, 1995, the Board of
Directors of the Company  declared a dividend of one Right for each  outstanding
Share.  Rights are also  issued with Shares  issued  after the initial  dividend
distribution  and  before  the  occurrence  of  certain  specified  events.  The
description  and terms of the  Rights are set forth in a Rights  Agreement  (the
"Rights  Agreement")  between the Company and, American  Securities Transfer and
Trust, Inc., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").  This summary is qualified in
its entirety by the Rights  Agreement,  which has been filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Company's Registration Statement on
Form 8-A filed on November 22, 1995.

         Each Right entitles the registered  holder to purchase from the Company
one  one-hundredth  of a share of the Company's Junior  Participating  Preferred
Stock, Series A, par value $.10 per share ("Preferred Shares") at a price of $45
per one  one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase  Price"),  subject to
adjustment.  Until  the  earlier  to  occur  of (i) 10 days  following  a public
announcement  that a person or group of  affiliated  or  associated  persons (an
"Acquiring  Person")  have acquired  beneficial  ownership of 15% or more of the
outstanding  Shares or more than such person or group held on November  22, 1995
if such person or group held 15% or more of the outstanding  Shares on such date
or (ii) 10 business  days (or such later date as may be  determined by action of
the Board of  Directors  prior to such time as any Person  becomes an  Acquiring
Person)  following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make,
a tender offer or exchange offer the  consummation  of which would result in the
beneficial  ownership  by a person  or group of 15% or more of such  outstanding
Shares or more than such  person  held on  November  22,  1995 if such person or
group held 15% or more of the  outstanding  Shares on such date (the  earlier of
such dates being called the "Distribution  Date"), the Rights will be evidenced,
with respect to any of the Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date,
by such Share certificate.

         The Rights Agreement  provides that,  until the Distribution  Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Shares. As soon as practicable
following the Distribution  Date,  separate  certificates  evidencing the Rights
("Rights  Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the Shares as of
the  close  of  business  on the  Distribution  Date  and  such  separate  Right
Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

         The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution  Date. The Rights
will expire on November 22, 2005 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final
Expiration  Date is extended  or unless the Rights are  earlier  redeemed by the
Company.

         In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other business
combination  transaction  or 50% or more of its  consolidated  assets or earning
power are sold,  proper  provision  will be made so that each  holder of a Right
will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then
current  exercise  price of the Right,  that number of shares of common stock of
the acquiring  company which at the time of such  transaction will have a market
value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that any person
or group of affiliated or associated  persons becomes an Acquiring Person proper
provision  shall be made so that  each  holder  of a Right,  other  than  Rights
beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be void), will
thereafter  have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Shares having
a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.

         At any time after the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or
associated  persons of  beneficial  ownership of 15% or more of the  outstanding
Shares and prior to the  acquisition  by such  person or group of 50% or more of
the outstanding  Shares,  the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the
Rights  (other than Rights owned by such person or group which have become void)
in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Share or one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share per Right (subject to adjustment).


                                       25

<PAGE>



         At any time prior to the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated
or associated persons of beneficial  ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding
Shares,  the Board of  Directors  of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole,
but not in part,  at a price of $.01 per Right  (the  "Redemption  Price").  The
redemption  of the Rights may be made  effective  at such time on such basis and
with  such  conditions  as the Board of  Directors  in its sole  discretion  may
establish.

         Until a Right is exercised,  the holder thereof,  as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.

         11.      Interest of Directors and Executive Officers; Transactions and
                  Arrangements Concerning Shares.

         As of  September  25,  1997,  the  Company's  directors  and  executive
officers  as a group  beneficially  owned  (including  pursuant  to  options) an
aggregate of 633,025  Shares  (approximately  14.25% of the  outstanding  Shares
including  Shares  issuable  upon the exercise of options held by directors  and
executive officers).  Such ownership includes 354,110 Shares as of September 25,
1997  subject  to  stock  options  which  are  held by  executive  officers  and
directors.

         Except  as set  forth in  Schedule  I,  neither  the  Company,  nor any
subsidiary  of the Company nor, to the best of the Company's  knowledge,  any of
the Company's directors or executive officers,  nor any affiliates of any of the
foregoing, had any transactions involving the Shares during the 40 business days
prior to the date hereof.

         Except for outstanding  options to purchase Shares granted from time to
time over recent years to certain employees  (including  executive officers) and
directors of the Company pursuant to the Company's stock option plans and except
as  otherwise  described  herein,  neither the  Company  nor, to the best of the
Company's knowledge,  any of its directors or executive officers,  is a party to
any contract,  arrangement,  understanding or relationship with any other person
relating,  directly or indirectly,  to the Offer including,  but not limited to,
any contract, arrangement, understanding or relationship concerning the transfer
or  the  voting  of  any  such  securities,   joint  ventures,  loan  or  option
arrangements, puts or calls, guaranties of loans, guaranties against loss or the
giving or withholding of proxies, consents or authorizations.

         The  officers and  directors  have advised the Company that they do not
intend to tender any Shares  pursuant  to the Offer.  If the  Company  purchases
900,000 Shares pursuant to the Offer, then after the purchase of Shares pursuant
to the Offer, the percentage of Shares  outstanding  held by executive  officers
and  directors  would  be  approximately   17.87%  of  the  outstanding   Shares
immediately  after the Offer (including Shares issuable upon exercise of options
held by executive officers and directors).

         12. Effects of the Offer on the Market for Shares;  Registration  under
the Exchange Act.

         The Company's  purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer will reduce the
number of Shares  that might  otherwise  be traded  publicly  and may reduce the
number of shareholders.  Nonetheless, the Company anticipates that there will be
a  sufficient  number  of  Shares  outstanding  and  publicly  traded  following
consummation  of the Offer to ensure a continued  trading market for the Shares.
Based upon published guidelines of the Nasdaq/NMS,  the Company does not believe
that its  purchase  of Shares  pursuant  to the Offer will  cause the  Company's
remaining Shares to be delisted from the Nasdaq/NMS.

         The Shares are  currently  "margin  securities"  under the rules of the
Federal  Reserve Board.  The Company  believes  that,  following the purchase of
Shares pursuant to the Offer, the Shares will continue to be "margin securities"
for purposes of the Federal Reserve Board's margin regulations.

         The Savings and Loan Holding Company Act and the Change in Bank Control
Act each set forth  thresholds with respect to the ownership of voting shares of
a savings and loan holding company of 5% to 10%, respectively,

                                       26

<PAGE>



over which the owner of such voting  shares may be  determined  to control  such
savings and loan holding  company.  If, as a result of the Offer,  the ownership
interest of any  shareholder in the Company is increased over these  thresholds,
such shareholder may be required to reduce its ownership interest in the Company
or file a notice with regulators.  Each shareholder whose ownership interest may
be so increased  is urged to consult the  shareholder's  own legal  counsel with
respect to the consequences to the shareholder of the Offer.

         The Shares are registered under the Exchange Act, which requires, among
other things,  that the Company furnish certain  information to its shareholders
and the  Commission and comply with the  Commission's  proxy rules in connection
with  meetings of the  Company's  shareholders.  The Company  believes  that its
purchase of Shares  pursuant to the Offer will not result in the Shares becoming
eligible for deregistration under the Exchange Act.

         13.      Certain Federal Income Tax Consequences

         General.  The federal income tax discussion set forth below  summarizes
the principal federal income tax consequences to domestic  shareholders of sales
of stock pursuant to the Offer and is included for general information only. The
discussion  does not address all aspects of federal income  taxation that may be
relevant to a particular  shareholder nor any relevant foreign,  state, local or
other tax laws. Certain shareholders  (including,  but not limited to, insurance
companies, tax-exempt entities, foreign persons, financial institutions,  broker
dealers,  employee  benefit plans,  personal  holding  companies and persons who
acquired  their  Shares  upon the  exercise  of  employee  stock  options  or as
compensation)  may  be  subject  to  special  rules  not  discussed  below.  The
discussion is based on laws, regulations,  rulings and court decisions currently
in effect as of the date of this Offer to Purchase,  all of which are subject to
change.  The Company intends that, under the terms of the Offer, sales of Shares
will be completed in 1997 and  shareholders  will receive  payment for purchased
Shares in 1997.  In that  event,  shareholders  will  report  the sale of Shares
pursuant to the Offer in 1997 for tax purposes.  In the event that sales are not
completed  this year and/or  shareholders  receive  payments for Shares in 1998,
shareholders  may be required to report the sale of Shares pursuant to the Offer
in 1998 for tax  purposes.  The  Company has neither  requested  nor  obtained a
written  opinion of counsel or a ruling from the Internal  Revenue  Service (the
"Service") with respect to the tax matters discussed herein.  Prior to tendering
any Shares  pursuant  to the Offer,  each  shareholder  is  strongly  advised to
consult with their own tax advisor as to the particular tax  consequences of the
Offer to such shareholder,  including the application of foreign,  state, local,
or other tax laws.

         In  general,  a sale of Shares  pursuant to the Offer will be a taxable
transaction  for  federal  income  tax  purposes.  Such sale will  constitute  a
"redemption"  within the meaning of Section 317 of the Internal  Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the "Code").  Each tendering shareholder will recognize either
gain or loss  from a sale of  Shares  or  dividend  income,  depending  upon the
application of Section 302 of the Code to the shareholder's particular facts and
circumstances.  If the  redemption  qualifies as a sale of Shares under  Section
302, the cash received  pursuant to the Offer will be treated as a  distribution
from the Company in part or full payment in exchange for the Shares  surrendered
("Sale Treatment").  Sale Treatment will result in the shareholder's recognizing
gain or loss equal to the difference  between (i) the cash received  pursuant to
the Offer and (ii) the shareholder's tax basis in the Shares surrendered. If the
redemption  does not qualify for Sale  Treatment,  the  shareholder  will not be
treated as having sold Shares but will be treated as having  received a dividend
taxable as ordinary income,  in an amount equal to the cash received pursuant to
the Offer ("Dividend Treatment").

         Sale  Treatment.  Under  Section  302 of the  Code,  a sale  of  Shares
pursuant  to the Offer  will be treated  as a sale of such  Shares  for  federal
income  tax  purposes  if  such  sale  of  Shares  (i)  results  in a  "complete
redemption"  of  all of the  shareholder's  stock  in  the  Company,  (ii)  is a
"substantially  disproportionate redemption" with respect to the shareholder, or
(iii)  is  "not  essentially  equivalent  to a  dividend"  with  respect  to the
shareholder.  In determining  whether any of these three tests under Section 302
is  satisfied,  shareholders  must take into  account  not only Shares that they
actually  own,  but also any Shares that they are deemed to own  pursuant to the
constructive  ownership  rules of  Section  318 of the Code.  Pursuant  to these
constructive  ownership rules,  shareholders will be treated as owning a certain
amount of (i) Shares held by certain family members, including the shareholder's
spouse,

                                       27

<PAGE>



children,  grandchildren,  and parents,  (ii) Shares owned by certain  trusts of
which the shareholder is a beneficiary, (iii) Shares owned by an estate of which
the  shareholder  is a beneficiary,  (iv) Shares owned by any  partnership or "S
corporation" in which the  shareholder is a partner or  shareholder,  (v) Shares
owned by any non-S  corporation  of which the  shareholder  owns at least 50% in
value of the stock and (vi) Shares that the  shareholder can acquire by exercise
of an option or similar right.

         A  shareholder's  sale of Shares  pursuant to the Offer will  generally
result in a "complete  redemption" of all the shareholder's stock in the Company
if,  pursuant to the Offer,  the Company  purchases  all of the Shares  actually
owned  by  the  shareholder   and   subsequently   the   shareholder   does  not
constructively  own any Shares. If the shareholder's  sale of Shares pursuant to
the  Offer  would  satisfy  the  complete  redemption  requirement  but  for the
shareholder's  constructive  ownership of Shares held by certain family members,
such  shareholder  may, under certain  circumstances,  be entitled to waive such
constructive ownership, provided the shareholder complies with the provisions of
Section  302(c) of the Code.  If the  shareholder  actually owns no Shares after
selling his or her Shares pursuant to the Offer, constructively owns only Shares
owned by certain family members, and the shareholder qualifies to and does waive
constructive   ownership  of  Shares  owned  by  certain  family  members,  that
redemption of Shares would generally qualify as a "complete redemption."

         A shareholder's  sale of Shares pursuant to the Offer will generally be
a "substantially disproportionate redemption" with respect to the shareholder if
the percentage of Shares  actually and  constructively  owned by the shareholder
compared to all the outstanding Shares of the Company immediately  following the
sale of Shares  pursuant to the Offer  (treating as not  outstanding  all Shares
sold by all the  shareholders  pursuant  to the  Offer)  is less than 80% of the
percentage  of  Shares  actually  and  constructively  owned by the  shareholder
compared to all the  outstanding  Shares of the Company  immediately  before the
sale of Shares pursuant to the Offer (treating as outstanding all Shares sold by
the  shareholders  pursuant  to the  Offer).  This test will be  applied to each
shareholder  individually,  regardless  of the effect of the  redemption  on the
other shareholders.

         A  shareholder's  sale of Shares  pursuant to the Offer will  generally
"not be  essentially  equivalent  to a dividend"  if, as a result of the sale of
Shares  pursuant  to  the  Offer,  the  shareholder  experiences  a  "meaningful
reduction"  in  his  proportionate  interest  in  the  Company,   including  the
shareholder's voting rights,  participation in earnings,  and liquidation rights
and taking  into  account  the  constructive  ownership  rules.  The Service has
indicated in a published ruling that even a small reduction in the proportionate
interest of a small minority  shareholder who does not exercise any control over
company  affairs may  constitute a "meaningful  reduction" in the  shareholder's
interest in the company. The fact that the redemption fails to qualify as a sale
pursuant to the other two tests is not taken into account in determining whether
the redemption is "not essentially equivalent to a dividend."

         Shareholders  should be aware that their  ability to satisfy any of the
foregoing tests may be affected by proration pursuant to the Offer. Therefore, a
shareholder  can be given no  assurance,  even if he tenders  all of his Shares,
that the Company will purchase a sufficient  number of such Shares to permit him
to satisfy any of the foregoing tests. Shareholders should also be aware that it
is possible that,  depending on the facts and  circumstances,  an acquisition or
disposition of Shares in the market or to other parties as part of an integrated
plan may be taken into account in determining whether any of the foregoing tests
is satisfied.  Shareholders  are strongly  advised to consult with their own tax
advisors  with  regard to  whether  acquisitions  from  sales to third  parties,
including market sales,  may be so integrated.  Subsequent open market purchases
by the Company may also be taken into account in determining  whether any of the
foregoing tests is satisfied.

         If  any  of  the  above  three  tests  is   satisfied  by  a  tendering
shareholder,  such  shareholder  will  recognize  gain  or  loss  equal  to  the
difference  between the amount of cash received by the  shareholder  pursuant to
the Offer and the  shareholder's tax basis in the Shares sold. Such gain or loss
must be  determined  separately  for each  block of Shares  sold  (i.e.,  Shares
acquired at the same time in a single transaction),  and will be capital gain or
loss,  assuming  the Shares  were held by the  shareholder  as a capital  asset.
Capital gain or loss will  qualify as long-term  capital gain or loss if, at the
time the  Company  accepts the Shares for  payment,  the Shares were held by the
shareholder for more than eighteen (18) months.


                                       28

<PAGE>



         Dividend Treatment. If none of the three foregoing tests are satisfied,
the  tendering  shareholder  generally  will be  treated  as having  received  a
dividend,  taxable  as  ordinary  income,  in an amount  equal to the total cash
received  by the  shareholder  pursuant to the Offer,  provided  the Company has
sufficient accumulated or current earnings and profits. The Company expects that
its current and accumulated earnings and profits will be sufficient to cover the
amount of all  distributions  pursuant to the Offer, if any, that are treated as
dividends.  To the  extent  that the  purchase  of Shares  from any  shareholder
pursuant to the Offer is treated as a dividend,  such shareholder's tax basis in
any Shares  which the  shareholder  actually  or  constructively  retains  after
consummation  of the Offer will be increased by the  shareholder's  tax basis in
the Shares surrendered pursuant to the Offer.

         Treatment of Dividend Income for Corporate Shareholders. In the case of
a corporate  shareholder,  if the cash received for Shares pursuant to the Offer
is  treated  as a  dividend,  the  dividend  income  may  be  eligible  for  the
dividends-received    deduction   under   Section   243   of   the   Code.   The
dividends-received  deduction is subject to certain  limitations  and may not be
available if the corporate  shareholder  does not satisfy certain holding period
requirements  with  respect  to the  Shares  or if the  Shares  are  treated  as
"debt-financed  portfolio  stock." The Company  believes that the Offer will not
result in a pro rata distribution to all shareholders.  Consequently,  dividends
received  by  corporate  shareholders  pursuant  to the Offer will  probably  be
treated as  "extraordinary  dividends"  as defined by Section  1059 of the Code.
Corporate  shareholders should consult their tax advisors as to the availability
of the  dividends-received  deduction and the application of Section 1059 of the
Code.

         SEE SECTION 3 WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF BACKUP FEDERAL INCOME
TAX WITHHOLDING.

         14.      Fees and Expenses.

         The Company has retained MacKenzie Partners, Inc. to act as Information
Agent and American  Securities  Transfer & Trust,  Inc. to act as  Depositary in
connection with the Offer.  The Information  Agent may contact holders of Shares
by mail,  telephone,  telegraph and personal interviews and may request brokers,
dealers and other  nominee  shareholders  to forward  materials  relating to the
Offer to beneficial  owners.  The Information Agent and the Depositary will each
receive reasonable and customary  compensation for their respective services and
will be reimbursed by the Company for certain reasonable out-of-pocket expenses,
including attorneys' fees.

         No fees or  commissions  will be payable to  brokers,  dealers or other
persons  (other  than  fees  to the  Information  Agent  and the  Depositary  as
described  above) for soliciting  tenders of Shares  pursuant to the Offer.  The
Company will, however, upon request,  reimburse brokers,  dealers and commercial
banks for customary  mailing and handling  expenses  incurred by such persons in
forwarding the Offer to Purchase and related  materials to the beneficial owners
of Shares held by any such person as a nominee or in a  fiduciary  capacity.  No
broker,  dealer,  commercial bank or trust company has been authorized to act as
the agent of the Company,  the Information  Agent or the Depositary for purposes
of the Offer. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all stock transfer taxes,
if any, on its purchase of Shares except as otherwise  provided in Instruction 7
in the Letter of Transmittal.



                                       29

<PAGE>



         15.      Additional Information.

         The Company is subject to the informational  filing requirements of the
Exchange  Act and, in  accordance  therewith,  is  obligated to file reports and
other  information  with the  Commission  relating  to its  business,  financial
condition and other matters. Information, as of particular dates, concerning the
Company's directors and officers,  their remuneration,  options granted to them,
the principal  holders of the Company's  securities and any material interest of
such  persons in  transactions  with the Company is required to be  disclosed in
proxy  statements  distributed to the Company's  shareholders and filed with the
Commission.  Such reports,  proxy statements and other information are available
for inspection at the public reference facilities of the Commission at Judiciary
Plaza, 450 Fifth Street,  N.W.,  Washington,  D.C. 20549; and for inspection and
copying at the  regional  offices  of the  Commission,  located  at Suite  1400,
Citicorp Center, 14th Floor, 500 West Madison Street,  Chicago,  Illinois 60661;
and 7 World Trade Center,  Suite 1300, New York, New York 10048.  Copies of such
material  may  also be  obtained  by  mail,  upon  payment  of the  Commission's
customary  charges,  from the Commission's  principal office at Judiciary Plaza,
450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington,  D.C. 20549. The Commission also maintains a
Web site on the World Wide Web at http:\www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy
and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file
electronically with the Commission.

         16.      Miscellaneous.

         The  Company is not aware of any  jurisdiction  where the making of the
Offer is not in compliance  with applicable law. If the Company becomes aware of
any  jurisdiction  where the making of the Offer is not in  compliance  with any
valid  applicable  law, the Company will make a good faith effort to comply with
such law. If, after such good faith effort,  the Company cannot comply with such
law,  the Offer  will not be made to (nor will  tenders be  accepted  from or on
behalf of) the holders of Shares residing in such jurisdiction.

         Pursuant to Rule 13e-4 under the  Exchange  Act,  the Company has filed
with the  Commission  an Issuer Tender Offer  Statement on Schedule  13E-4 which
contains additional  information with respect to the Offer. Such Schedule 13E-4,
including the exhibits and any amendments thereto,  may be examined,  and copies
may be  obtained,  at the same  places and in the same manner as is set forth in
Section 15 with respect to information concerning the Company.




                                           TF FINANCIAL CORPORATION


September 26, 1997

                                       30

<PAGE>
                                   SCHEDULE I



                      CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING SHARES

         During the 40 business  days prior to September  26, 1997,  the Company
and its executive officers and directors effected  transactions in the Shares as
follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                            Person Who                Number                 Price
                             Effected                   of                    Per
       Date                 Transaction               Shares                 Share             Nature of Transaction
       ----                 -----------               ------                 -----             ---------------------

<S>                        <C>                        <C>                  <C>                 <C>                    
      8/18/97              J. Stranford               10,000               $19.625             Acquired through Profit
                                                                                               Sharing Plan

</TABLE>


<PAGE>


         Manually  signed  photocopies  of the  Letter  of  Transmittal  will be
accepted from Eligible Institutions.  The Letter of Transmittal and certificates
for Shares and any other required  documents should be sent or delivered by each
shareholder  or his or her broker,  dealer,  commercial  bank,  trust company or
nominee to the Depositary at one of its addresses set forth below.

                        The Depositary for the Offer is:

                   American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.

           By Mail:                               By Hand/Overnight Delivery:
         P.O. Box 1596                                 938 Quail Street
  Denver, Colorado 80201-9975                             Suite 101
                                                Lakewood, Colorado  80215-5513




                           By Facsimile Transmission:
                          (Eligible Institutions Only)
                                 (303) 234-5340

         Any questions or requests for  assistance or additional  copies of this
Offer to  Purchase,  the  Letter of  Transmittal  or the  Notice  of  Guaranteed
Delivery may be directed to the Information  Agent at the telephone  numbers and
location listed below. Shareholders may also contact their local broker, dealer,
commercial bank or trust company for assistance concerning the Offer.

                     The Information Agent for the Offer is:

                            MacKenzie Partners, Inc.
                                156 Fifth Avenue
                            New York, New York 10010
                          (212) 929-5500 (call collect)


                                 Call Toll Free
                                 (800) 322-2885






                                 EXHIBIT 99.(a)(2)
<PAGE>




                              LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
                       To Accompany Shares of Common Stock
           (Including the Associated Preferred Share Purchase Rights)
                                       of
                            TF FINANCIAL CORPORATION
                         ==============================

                   Tendered Pursuant to the Offer to Purchase
                            Dated September 26, 1997
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     THE OFFER, PRORATION PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M.,
    EASTERN TIME, ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1997, UNLESS THE OFFER IS EXTENDED.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           To: AMERICAN SECURITIES TRANSFER & TRUST, INC., Depositary
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                      <C>                                    <C> 
         By Mail:                            Facsimile Transmission:            By Hand or Overnight Courier:
                                                (303) 234-5340
       P.O. Box 1596                     (for Eligible Institutions Only)               938 Quail Street
  Denver, Colorado 80201-9975                                                           Suite 101
                                                                                Lakewood, Colorado  80215-5513
</TABLE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         DESCRIPTION OF SHARES TENDERED
                           (See Instructions 3 and 4)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
              Name(s) and Address(es) of Registered
              Holder(s) (Please fill in exactly as                                  Certificate(s) Tendered
              name(s) appear(s) on certificate(s))                            (Attached signed list if necessary)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                              <C>                  <C>                     <C>
                                                                                      Number of Shares        Number of
                                                                      Certificate       represented by          Shares
                                                                      Number(s)*        Certificate(s)*       Tendered**
                                                                 ------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                 ------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                 ------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                 ------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                 ------------------------------------------------------------

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   Total Shares Tendered
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         *        Need not be completed if Shares are delivered by book-entry transfer.
         **       If you desire to tender fewer than all Shares evidenced by any
                  certificates  listed above, please indicate in this column the
                  number of Shares  you wish to  tender.  Otherwise,  all Shares
                  evidenced  by such  certificates  will be  deemed to have been
                  tendered. See Instruction 4.

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

         Delivery of this  instrument to an address other than those shown above
or transmission of instructions  via a facsimile  number other than one of those
listed above does not constitute a valid delivery.

         This Letter of Transmittal is to be used only (a) if  certificates  for
Shares (as defined below) are to be forwarded with it (or such certificates will
be delivered pursuant to a Notice of Guaranteed  Delivery previously sent to the
Depositary) or (b) if a tender of Shares is to be made by book-entry transfer to
the account maintained by the Depositary at The Depository Trust Company ("DTC")
or Philadelphia Depository Trust Company ("PDTC") (collectively, the "Book-Entry
Transfer Facilities") pursuant to Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase.

         Stockholders  whose  certificates are not immediately  available or who
cannot deliver their certificates for Shares and all other required documents to
the Depositary  before the Expiration Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase)
or whose Shares cannot be delivered on a timely basis  pursuant to the procedure
for  book-entry  transfer must tender their Shares  according to the  guaranteed
delivery procedure set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to


<PAGE>



Purchase. See Instruction 2. Delivery of the Letter of Transmittal and any other
required  documents  to one of  the  Book-Entry  Transfer  Facilities  does  not
constitute delivery to the Depositary.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>      <C>
|_|      CHECK HERE IF TENDERED SHARES ARE BEING DELIVERED BY BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER MADE
         TO AN ACCOUNT MAINTAINED BY THE DEPOSITARY WITH ONE OF THE BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER
         FACILITIES, AND COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING:

         Name of Tendering Institution:
                                        --------------------------------------------------------------------
         Check Box of Applicable Book-Entry Transfer Facility:

                                                 |_|  DTC                             |_|  PDTC

         Account Number: 
                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Transaction Code Number:  
                                  --------------------------------------------------------------------------

|_|      CHECK HERE IF CERTIFICATES FOR TENDERED SHARES ARE BEING DELIVERED PURSUANT TO A
         NOTICE OF GUARANTEED DELIVERY PREVIOUSLY SENT TO THE DEPOSITARY, AND COMPLETE
         THE FOLLOWING:

         Name(s) of Registered Holder(s): 
                                          ------------------------------------------------------------------

         Date of Execution of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery: 
                                                            ------------------------------------------------
         Name of Institution Which Guaranteed Delivery: 
                                                         ---------------------------------------------------

         Check Box of Applicable  Book-Entry  Transfer Facility and Give Account
         Number if Delivered by Book-Entry Transfer:

         Account Number:                                         |_|  DTC                             |_|  PDTC
                         ---------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>



<PAGE>




- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    ODD LOTS
                               (See Instruction 9)

         To be completed  ONLY if Shares are being tendered by or on behalf of a
person owning  beneficially,  as of the close of business on September 24, 1997,
an aggregate of fewer than 100 Shares.

         The undersigned either (check one box):

         |_|      was the  beneficial  owner  as of the  close  of  business  on
                  September  24,  1997 and will  continue  to be the  beneficial
                  owner as of the Expiration Date, of an aggregate of fewer than
                  100 Shares, all of which are being tendered; or

         |_|      is a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other 
                  nominee which:

                  (a) is tendering,  for the beneficial  owners thereof,  Shares
                      with respect to which it is the record holder; and

                  (b) believes,  based upon  representations made to it by such
                      beneficial   owners,   that  each  such  person  was  the
                      beneficial owner as of the close of business on September
                      24,  1997 and each such  person  will  continue to be the
                      beneficial  owner  as  of  the  Expiration  Date,  of  an
                      aggregate of fewer than 100 Shares and is  tendering  all
                      of such Shares.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         The undersigned hereby tenders to TF Financial Corporation,  a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"),  the above described shares of the Company's common
stock,  par value  $0.10 per  share  (the  "Shares")  including  the  associated
Preferred Share Purchase Rights (the "Rights"), at the price per Share indicated
in this  Letter of  Transmittal,  net to the seller in cash,  upon the terms and
subject to the  conditions  set forth in the Company's  Offer to Purchase  dated
September 26, 1997, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged,  and in this Letter
of Transmittal  (which together  constitute the "Offer").  Unless the Rights are
redeemed by the Company, a tender of Shares will also constitute a tender of the
associated Rights. Unless the context requires otherwise,  all references herein
to Shares shall include the associated Rights.

         Subject  to, and  effective  on  acceptance  for  payment of the Shares
tendered hereby in accordance  with, the terms of the Offer  (including,  if the
Offer is extended or amended,  the terms or conditions of any such  extension or
amendment),  the undersigned hereby sells,  assigns and transfers to or upon the
order of the Company all right, title and interest in and to all Shares tendered
hereby or orders the registration of such Shares tendered by book-entry transfer
that are purchased pursuant to the Offer to or upon the order of the Company and
hereby irrevocably  constitutes and appoints the Depositary as  attorney-in-fact
of the undersigned with respect to such Shares,  with full power of substitution
(such power of attorney being an irrevocable power coupled with interest), to:

         (a) deliver certificates for such Shares, or transfer ownership of such
Shares on the  account  books  maintained  by a  Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility,
together in either such case with all  accompanying  evidences  of transfer  and
authenticity,  to or  upon  the  order  of  the  Company,  upon  receipt  by the
Depositary, as the undersigned's agent, of the Purchase Price (as defined below)
with respect to such Shares;

         (b)      present  certificates for such  Shares  for  cancellation  and
 transfer on the Company's books; and

         (c)  receive  all  benefits  and  otherwise   exercise  all  rights  of
beneficial  ownership  of such  Shares,  subject to the next  paragraph,  all in
accordance with the terms of the Offer.


<PAGE>



The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that:

         (a) the undersigned  understands that tenders of Shares pursuant to any
one of the procedures described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase and in the
Instructions  hereto will constitute the  undersigned's  acceptance of the terms
and  conditions of the Offer,  including the  undersigned's  representation  and
warranty  that (i) the  undersigned  has a "net  long  position"  in  Shares  or
"equivalent securities" at least equal to the Shares tendered within the meaning
of Rule 14e-4 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and (ii) such tender of Shares complies with Rule 14e-4.

         (b) when and to the extent the Company accepts the Shares for purchase,
the Company will acquire good,  marketable and unencumbered  title to them, free
and clear of all security interests, liens, charges,  encumbrances,  conditional
sales agreements or other  obligations  relating to their sale or transfer,  and
not subject to any adverse claim;

         (c) on request, the undersigned will execute and deliver any additional
documents the Depositary or the Company deems necessary or desirable to complete
the assignment, transfer and purchase of the Shares tendered hereby; and

         (d) the  undersigned  has read and  agrees  to all of the  terms of the
Offer.

         The names and addresses of the registered holders should be printed, if
they are not already printed above,  exactly as they appear on the  certificates
representing  Shares tendered  hereby.  The certificate  numbers,  the number of
Shares  represented  by  such  certificates,  the  number  of  Shares  that  the
undersigned  wishes to tender and the  purchase  price at which such  Shares are
being tendered  should be indicated in the  appropriate  boxes on this Letter of
Transmittal.

         The undersigned  understands  that the Company will, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions of the Offer,  determine a single per Share price (not
greater  than $26.00 nor less than $22.50 per Share) that it will pay for Shares
validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer (the "Purchase Price"),
taking into account the number of Shares so tendered and the prices specified by
tendering stockholders. The undersigned understands that the Company will select
the lowest  Purchase  Price which will allow it to buy  900,000  Shares (or such
lesser number of Shares as are validly  tendered and not withdrawn at prices not
greater  than $26.00 nor less than $22.50 per Share)  pursuant to the Offer,  or
such  greater  number of  Shares  as the  Company  may  elect to  purchase.  The
undersigned  understands  that all Shares validly  tendered and not withdrawn at
prices at or below the Purchase  Price will be purchased at the Purchase  Price,
net to the seller in cash,  upon the terms and subject to the  conditions of the
Offer, including the proration provisions,  and that the Company will return all
other  Shares,  including  Shares  tendered at prices  greater than the Purchase
Price and Shares not purchased because of proration.

         The undersigned  recognizes that under certain  circumstances set forth
in the Offer to  Purchase,  the Company may  terminate or amend the Offer or may
postpone the acceptance for payment of, or the payment for,  Shares  tendered or
may not be required to purchase any of the Shares  tendered hereby or may accept
for payment fewer than all of the Shares tendered  hereby.  In either event, the
undersigned  understands that  certificate(s) for any Shares not tendered or not
purchased will be returned to the  undersigned at the address  indicated  above,
unless otherwise indicated under the "Special Payment  Instructions" or "Special
Delivery Instructions" below. The undersigned recognizes that the Company has no
obligation,  pursuant  to the Special  Payment  Instructions,  to  transfer  any
certificate for Shares from the name of their registered holder, or to order the
registration or transfer of such Shares tendered by book-entry transfer,  if the
Company purchases none of the Shares represented by such certificate or tendered
by such book-entry transfer.

         The  undersigned  understands  that acceptance of Shares by the Company
for payment will constitute a binding  agreement between the undersigned and the
Company upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer.



<PAGE>



         The check for the Purchase Price for such of the tendered Shares as are
purchased  will be  issued  to the order of the  undersigned  and  mailed to the
address  indicated  above unless  otherwise  indicated  under  "Special  Payment
Instructions" or "Special Delivery Instructions" below.

         All  authority  conferred  or agreed to be  conferred in this Letter of
Transmittal  shall survive the death or incapacity of the  undersigned,  and any
obligations of the undersigned under this Letter of Transmittal shall be binding
upon  the  heirs,  personal  representatives,  successors  and  assigns  of  the
undersigned.  Except  as  stated  in the  Offer  to  Purchase,  this  tender  is
irrevocable.

                     NOTE: SIGNATURES MUST BE PROVIDED BELOW

               PLEASE READ THE ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY



<PAGE>




- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER SHARE AT
                         WHICH SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED

                      IF SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED AT MORE
                         THAN ONE PRICE, USE A SEPARATE
                 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL FOR EACH PRICE SPECIFIED.
                               (See Instruction 5)

                               CHECK ONLY ONE BOX.
                     IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS CHECKED, OR IF
                     NO BOX IS CHECKED (EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE
              PROVIDED HEREIN), THERE IS NO VALID TENDER OF SHARES.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       |_|  $ 22.500     |_|  $ 23.500     |_| $ 24.500    |_| $ 25.500
       |_|    22.625     |_|    23.625     |_|   24.625    |_|   25.625
       |_|    22.750     |_|    23.750     |_|   24.750    |_|   25.750
       |_|    22.875     |_|    23.875     |_|   24.875    |_|   25.875
       |_|    23.000     |_|    24.000     |_|   25.000    |_|   26.000
       |_|    23.125     |_|    24.125     |_|   25.125
       |_|    23.250     |_|    24.250     |_|   25.250
       |_|    23.375     |_|    24.375     |_|   25.375
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                   TENDER OF DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN SHARES
                              (SEE INSTRUCTION 14)

         This  section is to be completed  ONLY if Shares held in the  Company's
Dividend Reinvestment Plan are to be tendered.

         |_|      By checking  this box,  the  undersigned  represents  that the
                  undersigned  is  a  participant  in  the  Company's   Dividend
                  Reinvestment  Plan and  hereby  instructs  the  Depositary  to
                  tender on behalf of the  undersigned  the following  number of
                  Shares credited to the Dividend  Reinvestment  Plan account of
                  the  undersigned at the Purchase Price per Share  indicated in
                  the box entitled "Price (In Dollars) Per Share At Which Shares
                  Are Being Tendered" in this Letter of Transmittal:


                                            shares1
                             --------------

         /1/      The undersigned understands and agrees that all Shares held in
                  the Dividend  Reinvestment  Plan  account(s)of the undersigned
                  will be  tendered  if the above box is  checked  and the space
                  above is left blank.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        SPECIAL PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS (See
                         Instructions 1, 4, 6, 7 and 8)

     To be  completed  ONLY if  certificates  for  Shares  not  tendered  or not
purchased  and/or any check for the Purchase Price of Shares purchased are to be
issued in the name of and sent to someone other than the undersigned.


Issue |_| Check |_| Certificates to:

Name:   
         -----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        (Please Print)
Address: 
         -----------------------------------------------------------------------

         -----------------------------------------------------------------------

         -----------------------------------------------------------------------

         -----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      (Include Zip Code)

                  --------------------------------------------------------------
                       (Tax Identification or Social Security Number)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       SPECIAL DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS (See
                           Instructions 1, 4, 6 and 8)

     To be  completed  ONLY if  certificates  for  Shares  not  tendered  or not
purchased  issued  in the  name of the  undersigned  and/or  any  check  for the
Purchase Price of Shares  purchased  issued in the name of undersigned are to be
sent to someone other than the  undersigned or to the  undersigned at an address
other than that shown above.

Deliver |_| Check |_| Certificates to:

Name:    
         -----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  (Please Print)
Address: 
         -----------------------------------------------------------------------

         -----------------------------------------------------------------------

         -----------------------------------------------------------------------

         -----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Include Zip Code)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



<PAGE>



- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            STOCKHOLDER(S) SIGN HERE
                           (See Instructions 1 and 6)

               (Please complete Substitute Form W-9 on Back Page)

Must be signed by the  registered  holder(s)  exactly  as name(s)  appear(s)  on
certificate(s) or on a security  position listing or by person(s)  authorized to
become  registered  holder(s) by certificate(s)  and documents  transmitted with
this Letter of  Transmittal.  If  signature  is by  attorney-in-fact,  executor,
administrator,  trustee, guardian, officer of a corporation or another acting in
a fiduciary or  representative  capacity,  please set forth the full title.  See
Instruction 6.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   (Signature(s))

Dated:                                                                   , 1997
      -------------------------------------------------------------------
Name(s):
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   (Please Print)

Capacity (full title):
                      ----------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Area Code and Telephone Number:
                               -------------------------------------------------
Tax Identification or Social Security Number(s):
                                                --------------------------------
Dated:                                                                   , 1997
      -------------------------------------------------------------------

                            GUARANTEE OF SIGNATURE(S)
                           (See Instructions 1 and 6)
Authorized Signature:
                     -----------------------------------------------------------

Name:
     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 (Please Print)
Title:
      --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name of Firm:
             -------------------------------------------------------------------
Address:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               (Include Zip Code)
Area Code and Telephone Number:
                               -------------------------------------------------
Dated:                                                                    , 1997
      --------------------------------------------------------------------
Tax Identification or Social Security Number(s)
                                               ---------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


<PAGE>
                                  INSTRUCTIONS

                     Forming Part of the Terms of the Offer

         1.  Guarantee  of  Signatures.  No  signature  guarantee is required if
either:

         (a) this Letter of Transmittal  is signed by the  registered  holder of
the Shares  (which  term,  for  purposes  of this  document,  shall  include any
participant in a Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility whose name appears on a security
position  listing as the owner of Shares)  exactly as the name of the registered
holder  appears on the  certificate  tendered  with this  Letter of  Transmittal
unless  such  holder has  completed  either the box  entitled  "Special  Payment
Instructions" or the box entitled "Special Delivery Instructions"; or

         (b) such  Shares are  tendered  for the  account of a member  firm of a
registered national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. or a commercial bank or trust company having an office,
branch or agency in the United States. See Instruction 6.

         In all other cases the  signature(s)  must be guaranteed by an eligible
guarantor institution (bank, stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit
union with membership in an approved  signature  guarantee  medallion  program),
pursuant  to Rule  17Ad-15  promulgated  under the  Exchange  Act (an  "Eligible
Institution"). See Instruction 6.

         2.  Delivery  of Letter of  Transmittal  and  Certificates;  Guaranteed
Delivery  Procedures.  This  Letter  of  Transmittal  is  to  be  used  only  if
certificates are delivered with it to the Depositary (or such  certificates will
be delivered pursuant to a Notice of Guaranteed  Delivery previously sent to the
Depositary) or if tenders are to be made pursuant to the procedure for tender by
book-entry   transfer  set  forth  in  Section  3  of  the  Offer  to  Purchase.
Certificates for all physically tendered Shares, or confirmation of a book-entry
transfer  into the  Depositary's  account at a Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility of
Shares tendered electronically,  together in each case with a properly completed
and duly executed  Letter of Transmittal  or duly executed  facsimile of it, and
any other documents required by this Letter of Transmittal,  should be mailed or
delivered to the Depositary at the appropriate address set forth herein and must
be delivered to the Depositary on or before the  Expiration  Date (as defined in
the Offer to Purchase).

                  Stockholders whose certificates are not immediately  available
or who cannot deliver Shares and all other required  documents to the Depositary
before the  Expiration  Date,  or whose  Shares  cannot be delivered on a timely
basis pursuant to the procedure for book-entry transfer, may tender their Shares
by or through any Eligible  Institution  by properly  completing  (including the
price at which the Shares are being  tendered) and duly executing and delivering
a  Notice  of  Guaranteed  Delivery  (or a  facsimile  of it)  and by  otherwise
complying with the guaranteed  delivery  procedure set forth in Section 3 of the
Offer  to  Purchase.  Pursuant  to  such  procedure,  the  certificates  for all
physically  tendered Shares or book-entry  confirmation,  as the case may be, as
well as a  properly  completed  Letter of  Transmittal  and all other  documents
required by this  Letter of  Transmittal,  must be  received  by the  Depositary
within three  over-the-counter  trading days after receipt by the  Depositary of
such Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, all as provided in Section 3 of the Offer to
Purchase.

                  The Notice of Guaranteed  Delivery may be delivered by hand or
transmitted by telegram,  facsimile  transmission  or mail to the Depositary and
must  include a guarantee  by an Eligible  Institution  in the form set forth in
such  Notice.  For  Shares to be validly  tendered  pursuant  to the  guaranteed
delivery  procedure,  the  Depositary  must  receive  the  Notice of  Guaranteed
Delivery before the Expiration Date.

                  THE   METHOD  OF   DELIVERY   OF  ALL   DOCUMENTS,   INCLUDING
CERTIFICATES  FOR  SHARES,  IS  AT  THE  ELECTION  AND  RISK  OF  THE  TENDERING
STOCKHOLDER.  IF  DELIVERY  IS BY MAIL,  REGISTERED  MAIL  WITH  RETURN  RECEIPT
REQUESTED,  PROPERLY  INSURED,  IS  RECOMMENDED.  IN ALL CASES,  SUFFICIENT TIME
SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO ASSURE DELIVERY.

The Company will not accept any alternative,  conditional or contingent tenders,
nor will it purchase any  fractional  Shares.  All  tendering  stockholders,  by
execution of this Letter of Transmittal  (or a facsimile of it), waive any right
to receive any notice of the acceptance of their tender.

         3.  Inadequate  Space.  If the  space  provided  in the  box  captioned
"Description of Shares Tendered" is inadequate,  the certificate  numbers and/or
the number of Shares should be listed on a separate signed schedule and attached
to this Letter of Transmittal.



<PAGE>
         4.  Partial  Tenders  and  Unpurchased   Shares.   (Not  applicable  to
stockholders who tender by book-entry transfer.) If fewer than all of the Shares
evidenced by any  certificate  are to be tendered,  fill in the number of Shares
which are to be tendered in the column entitled "Number of Shares  Tendered." In
such case,  if any tendered  Shares are  purchased,  a new  certificate  for the
remainder of the Shares evidenced by the old  certificate(s)  will be issued and
sent to the registered  holder(s),  unless  otherwise  specified in the "Special
Payment  Instructions" or "Special Delivery  Instructions" box on this Letter of
Transmittal,  as soon as  practicable  after the  Expiration  Date.  All  Shares
represented  by the  certificate(s)  listed and delivered to the  Depositary are
deemed to have been tendered unless otherwise indicated.

         5. Indication of Price at Which Shares Are Being  Tendered.  For Shares
to be validly tendered,  the stockholder must check the box indicating the price
per Share at which he or she is  tendering  Shares under "Price (In Dollars) Per
Share at Which Shares Are Being  Tendered" on this Letter of  Transmittal.  Only
one box may be checked. If more than one box is checked, or if no box is checked
(except as otherwise  provided  herein),  there is no valid tender of Shares.  A
stockholder wishing to tender portions of his Share holdings at different prices
must complete a separate Letter of Transmittal for each price at which he or she
wishes to tender each such portion of his or her Shares.  The same Shares cannot
be tendered (unless previously validly withdrawn as provided in Section 4 of the
Offer to Purchase) at more than one price.

         6. Signatures on Letter of Transmittal, Stock Powers, and Endorsements.

         (a) If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered holder(s)
of the Shares tendered hereby, the signature(s) must correspond exactly with the
name(s) as written on the face of the certificate without any change whatsoever.

         (b) If the  Shares  are  registered  in the names of two or more  joint
holders, each such holder must sign this Letter of Transmittal.

         (c) If any tendered Shares are registered in different names on several
certificates, it will be necessary to complete, sign and submit as many separate
Letters  of   Transmittal   (or   facsimiles  of  it)  as  there  are  different
registrations of certificates.

         (d) When  this  Letter  of  Transmittal  is  signed  by the  registered
holder(s)  of the Shares  listed and  transmitted  hereby,  no  endorsements  of
certificate(s)  representing  such Shares or separate  stock powers are required
unless payment is to be made, or the  certificate(s)  for Shares not tendered or
not purchased are to be issued, to a person other than the registered holder(s).
If this Letter of  Transmittal  is signed by a person other than the  registered
holder(s)  of  the  certificate(s)  listed,  or if  payment  is to  be  made  or
certificate(s)  for shares not tendered or not  purchased  are to be issued to a
person other than the registered holder(s),  the certificate(s) must be endorsed
or accompanied by appropriate stock powers, in either case signed exactly as the
name(s) of the registered  holder(s)  appear(s) on the  certificate(s),  and any
signature(s) on such  certificate(s)  or stock power(s) must be guaranteed by an
Eligible Institution. See Instruction 1.

         (e) If this Letter of Transmittal or any  certificates  or stock powers
are signed by trustees, executors, administrators, guardians, attorneys-in-fact,
officers  of  corporations  or others  acting in a fiduciary  or  representative
capacity for the registered  holder(s) of the certificates  listed, such persons
should so indicate when signing and must submit proper evidence  satisfactory to
the Company of their authority so to act.

         7. Stock Transfer  Taxes.  Except as provided in this  Instruction,  no
stock  transfer  tax stamps or funds to cover such  stamps need  accompany  this
Letter  of  Transmittal.  The  Company  will pay or  cause to be paid any  stock
transfer taxes payable on the transfer to it of Shares purchased pursuant to the
Offer. If, however:

         (a)  payment of the  Purchase  Price is to be made to any person  other
than the registered holder(s);

         (b)  Shares  not  tendered  or  not  accepted  for  purchase  are to be
registered in the name of any person other than the registered holder(s); or

         (c)  tendered  certificates  are  registered  in the name of any person
other than the person(s) signing this Letter of Transmittal;

then the Depositary  will deduct from the Purchase Price the amount of any stock
transfer taxes (whether imposed on the registered  holder,  such other person or
otherwise) payable on account of the transfer to such person unless satisfactory
evidence of the payment of such taxes, or an exemption from them, is submitted.



<PAGE>



         8. Special Payment and Delivery  Instructions.  If  certificate(s)  for
Shares not  tendered or not  purchased  and/or  check(s) are to be issued in the
name of a person other than the signer of the Letter of  Transmittal  or if such
certificate(s)  and/or  check(s) are to be sent to someone other than the signer
of the Letter of Transmittal or to the signer at a different address,  the boxes
captioned "Special Payment Instructions" and/or "Special Delivery  Instructions"
on this  Letter  of  Transmittal  should be  completed  and  signatures  must be
guaranteed as described in Instructions 1 and 6.

         9. Odd Lots. As described in Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase, if the
Company is to purchase less than all Shares  validly  tendered and not withdrawn
before the  Expiration  Date,  the Shares  purchased  first will  consist of all
Shares  validly  tendered  and  not  withdrawn  by  any  stockholder  who  owned
beneficially as of the close of business on September 24, 1997 and who continues
to own as of the Expiration  Date, an aggregate of fewer than 100 Shares and who
tenders all of his Shares at or below the Purchase  Price (an "Odd Lot Holder").
This  preference  will not be available  unless the box captioned  "Odd Lots" is
completed.

         10. Irregularities. The Company will determine, in its sole discretion,
all questions as to the validity,  form, eligibility (including time of receipt)
and acceptance for payment of any tender of Shares, and its determination  shall
be final and binding on all parties.  The Company reserves the absolute right to
reject  any or all  tenders  determined  by it not to be in  proper  form or the
acceptance  of which or payment for which may,  in the opinion of the  Company's
counsel, be unlawful.  The Company also reserves the absolute right to waive any
of the conditions of the Offer or any defects or irregularities in the tender of
any  particular  Shares,  and the Company's  interpretation  of the terms of the
Offer (including these  instructions)  will be final and binding on all parties.
No tender of Shares  will be deemed to be  validly  made until all  defects  and
irregularities  have  been  cured or  waived.  Unless  waived,  any  defects  or
irregularities  in connection with tenders must be cured within such time as the
Company  shall  determine.  None of the Company,  the  Depositary  nor any other
person is or will be obligated  to give notice of any defects or  irregularities
in tenders,  nor shall any of them incur any  liability  for failure to give any
such notice.

         11.  Questions  and  Requests for  Assistance  and  Additional  Copies.
Questions and requests for assistance  may be directed to, or additional  copies
of the Offer to Purchase,  the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, and this Letter of
Transmittal  may be  obtained  from the  Information  Agent at its  address  and
telephone number set forth at the end of this Letter of Transmittal.

         12.  Substitute  Form  W-9  and  Form  W-8.   Stockholders  other  than
corporations  and certain  foreign  individuals may be subject to backup federal
income tax withholding.  Each such tendering stockholder or other payee who does
not otherwise  establish to the satisfaction of the Depositary an exemption from
backup federal income tax withholding is required to provide the Depositary with
a correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN") on Substitute Form W-9 which is
provided  as a part of this  Letter of  Transmittal,  and to  indicate  that the
stockholder or other payee is not subject to backup  withholding by checking the
box in Part 2 of the form.  For an  individual,  his TIN will  generally  be his
social  security  number.  Failure to provide the  information on the form or to
check the box in Part 2 of the form may subject  the  tendering  stockholder  or
other payee to 31% backup federal income tax withholding on the payments made to
the stockholder or other payee with respect to Shares purchased  pursuant to the
Offer and to a $50  penalty  imposed by the  Internal  Revenue  Service.  Backup
withholding  is not an  additional  tax.  Rather,  the tax  liability of persons
subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld.  If
withholding  results in an overpayment  of taxes, a refund may be obtained.  The
box in Part 3 of the form may be checked if the tendering  stockholder  or other
payee has not been  issued a TIN and has  applied  for a TIN or intends to apply
for a TIN in the near future. If the box in Part 3 is checked and the Depositary
is not provided with a TIN within sixty (60) days, the Depository  will withhold
31% on all such payments  thereafter  until a TIN is provided to the Depositary.
Stockholders who are foreign  individuals should submit Form W-8 to certify that
they are exempt from backup withholding, unless Instruction 13 applies. Form W-8
may be obtained  from the  Depositary.  For  additional  information  concerning
Substitute Form W-9, see the enclosed  "Guidelines for Certification of Taxpayer
Identification Number on Substitute Form W-9."

         13. Withholding on Foreign  Stockholders.  The Depositary will withhold
federal  income  taxes equal to 30% of the gross  payments  payable to a foreign
stockholder or his agent unless the Depositary determines that a reduced rate of
withholding or an exemption from  withholding  is  applicable.  (Exemption  from
backup  withholding  does  not  exempt  a  foreign   stockholder  from  the  30%
withholding.) For this purpose, a foreign stockholder is any stockholder that is
not  (i) a  citizen  or  resident  of the  United  States,  (ii) a  corporation,
partnership  or other  entity  created or  organized in or under the laws of the
United States or any political  subdivision  thereof or (iii) an estate or trust
the  income  of which is  subject  to  United  States  federal  income  taxation
regardless  of the  source of such  income.  The  Depositary  will  determine  a
stockholder's status as a foreign stockholder and eligibility for a reduced rate
of, or an exemption from,  withholding by reference to the stockholder's address
and to any outstanding  certificates or statements concerning  eligibility for a
reduced rate of, or exemption  from,  withholding  on the grounds that the gross
proceeds paid pursuant to the Offer are  effectively  connected with the conduct
of a trade or business  within the United  States,  a foreign  stockholder  must
deliver to the  Depositary  a  properly  executed  Form  4224.  Such form can be
obtained  from the  Depositary.  A foreign  stockholder  who has not  previously
submitted the appropriate certificates


<PAGE>



or statements with respect to a reduced rate of, or exemption from,  withholding
for which such  stockholder may be eligible should consider doing so in order to
avoid  excess  withholding.  A foreign  stockholder  may be eligible to obtain a
refund of tax  withheld  if such  stockholder  meets one of the three  tests for
capital gain or loss treatment  described in Section 13 of the Offer to Purchase
or is otherwise  able to establish that no tax or reduced amount of tax was due.
Foreign  stockholders  are advised to consult  their tax advisors  regarding the
application  of federal  income tax  withholding,  including  eligibility  for a
withholding tax reduction or exemption and the refund procedures.

         14. Dividend  Reinvestment Plan. If a tendering  stockholder desires to
have tendered pursuant to the Offer Shares credited to the stockholder's account
under the  Company's  Dividend  Reinvestment  Plan (the  "Dividend  Reinvestment
Plan"),  the box captioned "Tender of Dividend  Reinvestment Plan Shares" should
be completed.  A participant in the Dividend Reinvestment Plan may complete such
box on only one  Letter  of  Transmittal  submitted  by such  participant.  If a
participant  submits more than one Letter of Transmittal  and completes such box
on more than one Letter of Transmittal,  the participant  will be deemed to have
elected to tender all Shares  credited to the  stockholder's  account  under the
Dividend Reinvestment Plan at the lowest of the prices specified in such Letters
of Transmittal.

                  If a  stockholder  authorizes  a tender of Shares  held in the
Dividend  Reinvestment  Plan,  all such Shares  credited  to such  stockholder's
account(s),  including  fractional  Shares,  will be tendered,  unless otherwise
specified  in the  appropriate  space in the box  captioned  "Tender of Dividend
Reinvestment  Plan  Shares."  In the event  that the box  captioned  "Tender  of
Dividend  Reinvestment  Plan  Shares" is not  completed,  no Shares  held in the
tendering  stockholder's account will be tendered. See Section 3 of the Offer to
Purchase  for  a  further  explanation  of  the  procedures  for  tendering  and
consequences of tendering  Dividend  Reinvestment  Plan Shares. If a participant
tenders all of such participant's Dividend Reinvestment Plan Shares and all such
Shares are purchased by the Company  pursuant to the Offer,  such tender will be
deemed to be authorization and written notice to American  Securities Transfer &
Trust, Inc. of termination of such  participant's  participation in the Dividend
Reinvestment Plan.

         15.  ESOP,  Profit  Sharing  Plan and MSBP.  Participants  in the Third
Federal  Savings Bank Employee Stock  Ownership  Plan, the Third Federal Savings
Bank Profit  Sharing Plan and the Third Federal  Savings Bank  Management  Stock
Bonus Plan may not use this Letter of Transmittal to direct the tender of Shares
attributed to a  participant's  account,  but must use the separate  instruction
form sent to them.

         IMPORTANT: This Letter of Transmittal or a manually signed facsimile of
it  (together  with  certificate(s)  for Shares or  confirmation  of  book-entry
transfer and all other  required  documents)  or, if  applicable,  the Notice of
Guaranteed  Delivery must be received by the  Depositary  before the  Expiration
Date.

                            IMPORTANT TAX INFORMATION

         Under the United States  federal  income tax law, a  stockholder  whose
tendered Shares are accepted for payment generally is required by law to provide
the Depositary with such stockholder's correct TIN on Substitute Form W-9 below.
If the  Depositary  is not provided  with the correct TIN, the Internal  Revenue
Service  may  subject  the  stockholder  or  other  payee to a $50  penalty.  In
addition, payments that are made to such stockholder or other payee with respect
to Shares purchased pursuant to the Offer may be subject to backup withholding.

         Certain  stockholders  (including,  among others,  all corporations and
certain  foreign  individuals)  are not subject to these backup  withholding and
reporting  requirements.  In order for a foreign  individual  to  qualify  as an
exempt recipient, the stockholder must submit a Form W-8, signed under penalties
of perjury,  attesting  to the  individual's  exempt  status.  A Form W-8 can be
obtained from the Depositary.  See the enclosed "Guidelines for Certification of
Taxpayer Identification Number on Substitute Form W-9" for more instructions.

         If backup withholding  applies,  the Depositary is required to withhold
31% of any  such  payments  made  to the  stockholder  or  other  payee.  Backup
withholding  is not an  additional  tax.  Rather,  the tax  liability of persons
subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld.  If
withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund may be obtained.

Purpose of Substitute Form W-9

         To prevent backup withholding on payment made to a stockholder or other
payee with respect to Shares purchased pursuant to the Offer, the stockholder is
required to notify the Depositary of the stockholder's correct TIN by completing
the


<PAGE>



form below,  certifying  that the TIN provided on Substitute Form W-9 is correct
(or that such stockholder is awaiting a TIN) and that:

         (a) the  stockholder  has not been  notified  by the  Internal  Revenue
Service that the  stockholder  is subject to backup  withholding  as a result of
failure to report all interest or dividends; or

         (b) the Internal  Revenue Service has notified the stockholder that the
stockholder is no longer subject to backup withholding.

What Number to Give the Depositary

         The  stockholder  is  required  to give the  Depositary  the TIN (e.g.,
social  security  number or employer  identification  number) of the  registered
holder of the Shares.  If the Shares are in more than one name or are not in the
name of the actual owner,  consult the enclosed "Guidelines for Certification of
Taxpayer  Identification  Number on Substitute Form W-9" for additional guidance
on which number to report.



<PAGE>



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  PAYER'S NAME
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                         <C>                                 <C>                

                                            Part 1 - PLEASE PROVIDE                             Social Security Number
SUBSTITUTE                                  YOUR TIN IN THE BOX AT
                                            RIGHT AND CERTIFY BY                     ---------------------------------------        
FORM W-9                                    SIGNING AND DATING                             OR Employer Identification Number
                                            BELOW
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of the Treasury                  Part 2 -  Check  the  box if you are NOT subject  to backup  withholding under the
                                            provisions  of  Section 3406(a)(1)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code because (1) you are
Internal Revenue Service                    Department of the Treasury exempt from backup  withholding,  or (2) you have not been
                                            notified by the Internal  Internal Revenue Service Revenue Service that you are subject 
                                            to backup withholding as a result of failure to report all interest or dividends, or
                                            (3) the Internal Revenue Service has notified you that you are no longer subject to 
                                            backup withholding.  |_|
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            CERTIFICATION - UNDER THE PENALTIES OF
                                            PERJURY, I CERTIFY THAT THE INFORMATION
                                            PROVIDED ON THIS FORM IS TRUE, CORRECT,
Payer's Request for                         AND COMPLETE.
Taxpayer Identification                                                                                           Part 3 -
Number (TIN)                                SIGNATURE                    DATE                                 Awaiting TIN |_|
                                                     --------------------    -------------
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>


NOTE:  FAILURE  TO  COMPLETE  AND  RETURN  THIS  FORM  MAY  RESULT  IN A  BACKUP
WITHHOLDING  OF 31% OF ANY PAYMENTS  MADE TO YOU  PURSUANT TO THE OFFER.  PLEASE
REVIEW THE ENCLOSED  GUIDELINES  FOR  CERTIFICATION  OF TAXPAYER  IDENTIFICATION
NUMBER ON SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9 FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.



<PAGE>



               YOU MUST COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATE IF YOU
                 CHECK THE BOX IN PART 3 OF SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9

================================================================================
            CERTIFICATE OF AWAITING TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER

      I certify under penalties of perjury that a taxpayer identification number
has not been  issued  to me,  and  either  (a) I have  mailed  or  delivered  an
application  to  receive a  taxpayer  identification  number to the  appropriate
Internal Revenue Service Center or Social Security Administration Office, or (b)
I intend to mail or deliver an application in the near future. I understand that
if I do not provide a taxpayer identification number within sixty (60) days, 31%
of all  reportable  payments  made to me  thereafter  will be  withheld  until I
provide a number.

- -------------------------------------------   ----------------------------------
             Signature                                     Date

================================================================================

<PAGE>



         Facsimile  copies of the Letter of  Transmittal  will be accepted  from
Eligible Institutions. The Letter of Transmittal and certificates for Shares and
any other  required  documents  should be sent or  delivered  by each  tendering
stockholder  or his broker,  dealer,  commercial  bank,  trust  company or other
nominee to the Depositary at one of its addresses set forth below.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                  The Depositary

                                    American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.
<S>                                       <C>                                       <C>
         By Mail:                              Facsimile Transmission:              By Hand or Overnight Courier:

       P.O. Box 1596                                 (303) 234-5340                     938 Quail Street
  Denver, Colorado  80201-9975                                                             Suite 101
                                          (for Eligible Institutions Only)          Lakewood, Colorado  80215-5513

</TABLE>




         Any questions or requests for  assistance or for  additional  copies of
the Offer to Purchase,  the Letter of  Transmittal  or the Notice of  Guaranteed
Delivery may be directed to the  Information  Agent at its telephone  number and
address set forth below.  A tendering  stockholder  may also contact his broker,
dealer, commercial bank or trust company for assistance concerning the Offer. In
order to confirm  the  delivery of his Shares,  a tendering  stockholder  should
contact the Depositary.

                             The Information Agent:

                            MacKenzie Partners, Inc.
                                156 Fifth Avenue
                            New York, New York 10010
                          (212) 929-5500 (Call Collect)
                                 Call Toll Free:
                                 (800) 322-2885






September 26, 1997



                                 EXHIBIT 99.(a)(3)


<PAGE>



                            TF FINANCIAL CORPORATION

                           Offer to Purchase For Cash
                    Up to 900,000 Shares of its Common Stock
                               at a Purchase Price
             Not Greater Than $26.00 Nor Less than $22.50 Per Share

                THE OFFER, PRORATION PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS
                       EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M., EASTERN TIME,
                       ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1997, UNLESS
                             THE OFFER IS EXTENDED.

                                                              September 26, 1997

To:      Brokers, Dealers, Commercial Banks,
           Trust Companies and Other Nominees

         TF Financial  Corporation a Delaware  corporation (the "Company"),  has
appointed  us to act as  Information  Agent  in  connection  with  its  offer to
purchase  up to 900,000  shares of its Common  Stock,  par value $0.10 per share
(the  "Shares"),  including the associated  Preferred Share Purchase Rights (the
"Rights"),  at prices,  net to the seller in cash,  not greater  than $26.00 nor
less than $22.50 per Share, specified by tendering stockholders,  upon the terms
and  subject  to the  conditions  set  forth  in its  Offer to  Purchase,  dated
September  26,  1997,  and the related  Letter of  Transmittal  (which  together
constitute the "Offer"). Unless the Rights are redeemed by the Company, a tender
of Shares will also  constitute a tender of the  associated  Rights.  Unless the
context  requires  otherwise,  all  references  herein  to  Shares  include  the
associated Rights.

         The Company will,  upon the terms and subject to the  conditions of the
Offer, determine a single per Share price (not greater than $26.00 nor less than
$22.50 per Share) that it will pay for Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn
pursuant to the Offer (the "Purchase Price"),  taking into account the number of
Shares so tendered  and the prices  specified  by  tendering  stockholders.  The
Company  will select the lowest  Purchase  Price which will allow it to purchase
900,000 Shares (or such lesser number of Shares as are validly  tendered and not
withdrawn  at prices not  greater  than  $26.00 nor less than  $22.50 per Share)
pursuant  to the  Offer,  or such  greater  number as the  Company  may elect to
purchase.  All Shares  validly  tendered and not withdrawn at prices at or below
the Purchase Price will be purchased at the Purchase Price, net to the seller in
cash,  upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer,  including the
proration terms thereof. See Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase.

         If, prior to the Expiration Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase),
more than 900,000 Shares are validly  tendered and not withdrawn at or below the
Purchase  Price,  the Company will, upon the terms and subject to the conditions
of the Offer, buy Shares first from all Odd Lot Holders (as defined in the Offer
to Purchase) who validly tender and do not withdraw all their Shares at or below
the  Purchase  Price and then on a pro rata  basis  from all other  stockholders
whose  Shares are validly  tendered  and not  withdrawn at or below the Purchase
Price.

         THE OFFER IS NOT  CONDITIONED  ON ANY  MINIMUM  NUMBER OF SHARES  BEING
TENDERED.  THE OFFER IS,  HOWEVER,  SUBJECT TO  CERTAIN  OTHER  CONDITIONS.  SEE
SECTION 6 OF THE OFFER TO PURCHASE.


                                        

<PAGE>



         For your  information  and for  forwarding to your clients for whom you
hold  Shares  registered  in your  name or in the name of your  nominee,  we are
enclosing the following documents:

                  1.       Offer to Purchase, dated September 26, 1997;

                  2.  Letter to  Clients  that may be sent to your  clients  for
         whose  accounts you hold Shares  registered in your name or in the name
         of your  nominee,  with space  provided  for  obtaining  such  clients'
         instructions with regard to the Offer;

                  3. Letter  dated  September  26, 1997 from John R.  Stranford,
         President and Chief Executive  Officer of the Company,  to stockholders
         of the Company;

                  4. Letter of Transmittal  for your use and for the information
         of your clients  (together with  accompanying  Substitute  Form W-9 and
         guidelines); and

                  5.  Notice of  Guaranteed  Delivery  to be used to accept  the
         Offer if the Share certificates and all other required documents cannot
         be  delivered  to the  Depositary  by  the  Expiration  Date  or if the
         procedure  for  book-entry  transfer  cannot be  completed  on a timely
         basis.

         WE URGE YOU TO CONTACT YOUR CLIENTS AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE. THE OFFER,
PRORATION PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL  RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M.,  EASTERN TIME,
ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1997, UNLESS THE OFFER IS EXTENDED.

         No fees or  commissions  will be  payable  to  brokers,  dealers or any
person for  soliciting  tenders of Shares  pursuant to the Offer other than fees
paid to the  Information  Agent or the  Depositary  as described in the Offer to
Purchase.  The Company will, however, upon request,  reimburse you for customary
mailing and handling  expenses incurred by you in forwarding any of the enclosed
materials  to the  beneficial  owners of Shares held by you as a nominee or in a
fiduciary capacity.  The Company will pay or cause to be paid any stock transfer
taxes  applicable  to its purchase of Shares,  except as  otherwise  provided in
Instruction 7 of the Letter of Transmittal.

         In order to take  advantage of the Offer,  a duly executed and properly
completed Letter of Transmittal and any other required  documents should be sent
to the Depositary with either certificate(s) representing the tendered Shares or
confirmation   of  their   book-entry   transfer  all  in  accordance  with  the
instructions set forth in the Letter of Transmittal and the Offer to Purchase.

         As described in Section 3,  "Procedures  for Tendering  Shares," of the
Offer to Purchase,  tenders may be made without the concurrent  deposit of stock
certificates  or  concurrent   compliance  with  the  procedure  for  book-entry
transfer,  if such  tenders are made by or through a broker or dealer which is a
member firm of a registered  national  securities  exchange,  or a member of the
National  Association of Securities Dealers,  Inc. or a commercial bank or trust
company having an office,  branch or agency in the United  States.  Certificates
for Shares so  tendered  (or a  confirmation  of a  book-entry  transfer of such
Shares  into  the  Depositary's  account  at  one  of  the  Book-Entry  Transfer
Facilities  described  in the  Offer  to  Purchase),  together  with a  properly
completed  and duly  executed  Letter of  Transmittal  and any  other  documents
required by the Letter of Transmittal, must be received by the Depositary within
three over-the-counter  trading days after timely receipt by the Depositary of a
properly completed and duly executed Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.


                                        2

<PAGE>



         Any  inquiries  you may  have  with  respect  to the  Offer  should  be
addressed to the Information Agent at its address and telephone number set forth
on the back cover page of the Offer to Purchase.

         Additional  copies of the enclosed  material  may be obtained  from the
undersigned, telephone: (800) 322-2885.

                                             Very truly yours,




                                             MacKenzie Partners, Inc.

Enclosures




================================================================================
NOTHING  CONTAINED  HEREIN OR IN THE ENCLOSED  DOCUMENTS SHALL CONSTITUTE YOU OR
ANY  OTHER  PERSON  AS AN AGENT OF THE  COMPANY  OR ANY OF ITS  AFFILIATES,  THE
INFORMATION AGENT OR THE DEPOSITARY, OR AUTHORIZE YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON TO USE
ANY DOCUMENT OR MAKE ANY STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF ANY OF THEM IN  CONNECTION  WITH
THE  OFFER  OTHER  THAN  THE  DOCUMENTS  ENCLOSED  HEREWITH  AND THE  STATEMENTS
CONTAINED THEREIN.
================================================================================


                                        3



                                 EXHIBIT 99.(a)(4)


<PAGE>
                            TF FINANCIAL CORPORATION

                           Offer to Purchase for Cash
                    Up to 900,000 Shares of its Common Stock
                         at a Purchase Price Not Greater
                   than $26.00 Nor Less than $22.50 Per Share

To Our Clients:

         Enclosed  for  your  consideration  are the  Offer to  Purchase,  dated
September  26,  1997 and the  related  Letter  of  Transmittal  (which  together
constitute   the  "Offer")  in  connection   with  the  Offer  by  TF  Financial
Corporation,  a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),  to purchase up to 900,000
shares of its common stock, par value $0.10 per share (the "Shares"),  including
the associated Preferred Share Purchase Rights ("Rights"),  at prices net to the
seller in cash,  not  greater  than  $26.00  nor less  than  $22.50  per  Share,
specified by tendering stockholders,  on the terms and subject to the conditions
of the Offer.  Unless the Rights are redeemed by the Company, a tender of Shares
will also  constitute  a tender of the  associated  Rights.  Unless the  context
requires otherwise, all references herein to Shares shall include the associated
Rights.

         The Company will,  upon the terms and subject to the  conditions of the
Offer, determine a single per Share price (not greater than $26.00 nor less than
$22.50 per Share) that it will pay for Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn
pursuant to the Offer (the "Purchase Price"),  taking into account the number of
Shares so tendered  and the prices  specified  by  tendering  stockholders.  The
Company  will select the lowest  Purchase  Price which will allow it to purchase
900,000 Shares (or such lesser number of Shares as are validly  tendered and not
withdrawn  at prices not  greater  than  $26.00 nor less than  $22.50 per Share)
pursuant  to the  Offer,  or such  greater  number as the  Company  may elect to
purchase.  All Shares  validly  tendered and not withdrawn at prices at or below
the Purchase Price will be purchased at the Purchase Price, net to the seller in
cash,  upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer,  including the
proration  terms  thereof.  The Company will return all other Shares,  including
Shares  tendered  at prices  greater  than the  Purchase  Price and  Shares  not
purchased because of proration. See Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase.

         If, prior to the Expiration Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase),
more than 900,000 Shares are validly  tendered and not withdrawn at or below the
Purchase  Price,  the Company will, upon the terms and subject to the conditions
of the Offer,  accept Shares for purchase first from Odd Lot Holders (as defined
in the Offer to Purchase) who validly tender and do not withdraw their Shares at
or  below  the  Purchase  Price  and  then on a pro rata  basis  from all  other
stockholders whose Shares are validly tendered and not withdrawn at or below the
Purchase Price.  See Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase.

         We are the holder of record of Shares held for your  account.  As such,
we are the only ones who can tender your Shares,  and then only pursuant to your
instructions.  We are sending you the Letter of Transmittal for your information
only; you cannot use it to tender Shares we hold for your account.

         Please  instruct  us as to whether  you wish us to tender any or all of
the Shares we hold for your  account on the terms and subject to the  conditions
of the Offer.

We call your attention to the following:

                  1. You may tender  Shares at prices,  net to you in cash,  not
         greater than $26.00 nor less than $22.50 per Share, as indicated in the
         attached  instruction form.

                  2. The Offer is not  conditioned  upon any  minimum  number of
         Shares  being tendered.

                  3. The Offer,  proration  period and  withdrawal  rights  will
         expire at 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on Monday,  October 27, 1997, unless
         the Company extends the Offer.


<PAGE>




                  4. The Offer is for 900,000 Shares  (depending on the Purchase
         Price),  constituting approximately 22% of the Shares outstanding as of
         September 25, 1997.

                  5.  Tendering  stockholders  will not be  obligated to pay any
         brokerage  commissions,  solicitation fees or, subject to Instruction 7
         of the Letter of  Transmittal,  stock  transfer  taxes on the Company's
         purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer.

                  6. If you owned  beneficially  as of the close of  business on
         September  24,  1997 and will  continue to own  beneficially  as of the
         Expiration  Date an aggregate of fewer than 100 Shares and you instruct
         us to tender on your  behalf all such  Shares at or below the  Purchase
         Price before the Expiration Date and check the box captioned "Odd Lots"
         in the  attached  instruction  form,  the  Company,  upon the terms and
         subject to the conditions of the Offer, will accept all such Shares for
         purchase  before  proration,  if any, of the  purchase of other  Shares
         tendered and not withdrawn at or below the Purchase Price.

                  7. If you wish to tender  portions  of your Share  holdings at
         different  prices,  you must complete  separate  instructions  for each
         price at which you wish to tender each such portion of your Shares.  We
         must submit  separate  Letters of  Transmittal  on your behalf for each
         price you will accept.  The same Shares cannot be tendered at different
         prices   unless  such  tendered   Shares  are  validly   withdrawn  and
         retendered.

         If you wish to have us  tender  any or all of your  Shares,  please  so
instruct  us  by  completing,   executing  and  returning  to  us  the  attached
instruction form. An envelope to return your instructions to us is enclosed.  If
you  authorize us to tender your Shares,  we will tender all such Shares  unless
you specify otherwise on the attached instruction form.

         YOUR INSTRUCTION FORM SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO US IN AMPLE TIME TO PERMIT
US TO SUBMIT A TENDER ON YOUR BEHALF ON OR BEFORE THE  EXPIRATION  OF THE OFFER.
THE OFFER,  PRORATION PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M.,  EASTERN
TIME, ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1997 UNLESS THE COMPANY EXTENDS THE OFFER.

         As  described  in  Section 1 of the Offer to  Purchase,  if before  the
Expiration  Date a  greater  number  of  Shares  are  validly  tendered  and not
withdrawn  at or below the  Purchase  Price  than the  Company  will  accept for
purchase,  the Company will accept Shares for purchase at the Purchase  Price in
the following order of priority:

         (a) first,  all Shares  validly  tendered and not withdrawn at or below
         the  Purchase  Price before the  Expiration  Date by any Odd Lot Holder
         who:

                  (1)  tenders  all  Shares  beneficially  owned by such Odd Lot
         Holder at or below the Purchase Price (partial tenders will not qualify
         for this preference); and

                  (2) completes  the box  captioned  "Odd Lots" on the Letter of
         Transmittal and, if applicable,  on the Notice of Guaranteed  Delivery;
         and

         (b) then,  after  purchase of all of the  foregoing  Shares,  all other
         Shares  validly  tendered  and not  withdrawn  at or below the Purchase
         Price before the Expiration Date on a pro rata basis (with  adjustments
         to avoid purchases of fractional  Shares),  as provided in the Offer to
         Purchase.

         The Company is not making the Offer to, nor will it accept tenders from
or on behalf of, owners of Shares in any  jurisdiction in which the Offer or its
acceptance  would  violate  the  securities,  blue  sky or  other  laws  of such
jurisdiction.


                                        2

<PAGE>



                                Instruction Form
                               With Respect to the
                            TF FINANCIAL CORPORATION
                           Offer to Purchase for Cash
                    Up to 900,000 Shares of Its Common Stock
                    at a Purchase Price Per Share Not Greater
                   than $26.00 Nor Less than $22.50 Per Share

         The undersigned  acknowledge(s) receipt of your letter and the enclosed
Offer to Purchase,  dated  September 26, 1997 and related  Letter of Transmittal
(which  together  constitute  the "Offer"),  in connection  with the Offer by TF
Financial Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), to purchase up to
900,000  shares of its common stock,  par value $0.10 per share (the  "Shares"),
including the associated  Preferred  Share Purchase  Rights (the  "Rights"),  at
prices,  net to the Seller in cash, not greater than $26.00 nor less than $22.50
per Share,  specified by tendering  stockholders,  upon the terms and subject to
the  conditions of the Offer.  Unless the Rights are redeemed by the Company,  a
tender of Shares will also constitute a tender of the associated Rights.  Unless
the context requires  otherwise,  all references  herein to Shares shall include
the associated Rights.

         The undersigned  acknowledges that the Company will, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions of the Offer,  determine a single per Share price (not
greater  than $26.00 nor less than $22.50 per share) that it will pay for Shares
validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer (the "Purchase Price"),
taking into account the number of Shares so tendered and the prices specified by
tendering stockholders.  The Company will select the lowest Purchase Price which
will allow it to purchase 900,000 Shares (or such lesser number of Shares as are
validly  tendered  and not  withdrawn at prices not greater than $26.00 nor less
than $22.50 per Share)  pursuant  to the Offer,  or such  greater  number as the
Company may elect to purchase.  All Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn at
prices at or below the Purchase  Price will be purchased at the Purchase  Price,
net to the seller in cash,  upon the terms and subject to the  conditions of the
Offer,  including the proration terms thereof. The Company will return all other
Shares. See Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase.

         The  undersigned  hereby  instruct(s)  you to tender to the Company the
number of Shares  indicated below or, if no number is indicated,  all Shares you
hold for the account of the undersigned, at the price per Share indicated below,
pursuant to the terms and subject to the  conditions  of the Offer.  The Company
will return Shares tendered at prices greater than the Purchase Price and Shares
not purchased because of proration.

              Aggregate number of Shares to be tendered by you for
                        the account of the undersigned: *

                                     Shares
                     ---------------   


- ------------
* Unless  otherwise  indicated,  all of the Shares  held for the  account of the
undersigned will be tendered.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    ODD LOTS

|_|      By checking this box, the  undersigned  represents that the undersigned
         owned  beneficially  as of the close of business on September  24, 1997
         and will  continue to own  beneficially  as of the  Expiration  Date an
         aggregate  of fewer than 100 Shares  and is  instructing  the holder to
         tender all such Shares.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                        3

<PAGE>




- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER SHARE AT
                         WHICH SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED

                      IF SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED AT MORE
                         THAN ONE PRICE, USE A SEPARATE
                 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL FOR EACH PRICE SPECIFIED.


                               CHECK ONLY ONE BOX.
                     IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS CHECKED, OR IF
                     NO BOX IS CHECKED (EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE
              PROVIDED HEREIN), THERE IS NO VALID TENDER OF SHARES.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         |_|  $ 22.500     |_| $ 23.500    |_|  $ 24.500    |_|  $ 25.500
         |_|    22.625     |_|   23.625    |_|    24.625    |_|    25.625
         |_|    22.750     |_|   23.750    |_|    24.750    |_|    25.750
         |_|    22.875     |_|   23.875    |_|    24.875    |_|    25.875
         |_|    23.000     |_|   24.000    |_|    25.000    |_|    26.000
         |_|    23.125     |_|   24.125    |_|    25.125
         |_|    23.250     |_|   24.250    |_|    25.250
         |_|    23.375     |_|   24.375    |_|    25.375
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

================================================================================
                                  SIGNATURE BOX


Signature(s)
            --------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated                                                                     , 1997
      --------------------------------------------------------------------

Name(s) and Address(es)
                       ---------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 (Please Print)
Area Code and Telephone Number
                              --------------------------------------------------

Taxpayer Identification or
Social Security Number
                      ----------------------------------------------------------

================================================================================


                                        4



                                 EXHIBIT 99.(a)(5)



<PAGE>




                          NOTICE OF GUARANTEED DELIVERY
                                       of
                             Shares of Common Stock
                                       of
                            TF FINANCIAL CORPORATION


         This form or a  facsimile  of it must be used to accept the  Offer,  as
defined below, if:

         (a)  certificates  for  common  stock,  par value  $0.10 per share (the
"Shares"),  of  TF  Financial  Corporation,  a  Delaware  corporation,  are  not
immediately  available  or  certificates  for  Shares  and  all  other  required
documents  cannot be delivered to the Depositary  before the Expiration Date (as
defined in Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase, as defined below); or

         (b)  Shares  cannot be  delivered  on a timely  basis  pursuant  to the
procedure for book-entry transfer.

         This form or a facsimile of it, signed and properly  completed,  may be
delivered by hand, mail,  telegram or facsimile  transmission to the Depositary.
See Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase.

                 To: American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                           <C>                                        <C>
           By Mail:                           Facsimile Transmission:                    By Hand or Overnight Courier:

       P.O. Box 1596                             (303) 234-5340                          938 Quail Street
  Denver, Colorado  80201-9975                                                           Suite 101
                                              (for Eligible Institutions Only)           Lakewood, Colorado  80215-5513

</TABLE>




           DELIVERY OF THIS INSTRUMENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THOSE
                SHOWN ABOVE OR TRANSMISSION OF INSTRUCTIONS VIA A
                  FACSIMILE NUMBER OTHER THAN THAT LISTED ABOVE
                      DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A VALID DELIVERY


<PAGE>



Ladies and Gentlemen:

The  undersigned  hereby tenders to TF Financial  Corporation,  at the price per
Share indicated  below, net to the seller in cash, upon the terms and conditions
set forth in the Offer to  Purchase,  dated  September  26,  1997 (the "Offer to
Purchase") and the related Letter of Transmittal (which together  constitute the
"Offer"),  receipt  of which is  hereby  acknowledged,  _______ Shares  pursuant
to  the  guaranteed  delivery  procedure  set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to
Purchase.
================================================================================
                                    ODD LOTS

     To be  completed  ONLY if Shares  are being  tendered  by or on behalf of a
person owning beneficially as of the close of business on September 24, 1997 and
who will continue to own beneficially as of the Expiration Date, an aggregate of
fewer than 100 Shares.

The undersigned either (check one):

|_|             was  the  beneficial  owner  as of  the  close  of  business  on
                September 24, 1997 and will continue to be the beneficial  owner
                as of the  Expiration  Date,  of an  aggregate of fewer than 100
                Shares, all of which are being tendered; or

|_|             is a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other 
                nominee which:

          (a)     is tendering, for beneficial owners, Shares with respect to
                  which it is the registered holder; and

          (b)     believes, based upon representations made to it by such 
                  beneficial owners, that each such person was the beneficial
                  owner as of the close of business on September 24, 1997 and
                  each such person  would  continue to be the  beneficial owner
                  as of the Expiration  Date, of an aggregate of fewer than 100
                  Shares and is tendering all of such Shares.
================================================================================

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER SHARE AT
                         WHICH SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED

                      IF SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED AT MORE
                         THAN ONE PRICE, USE A SEPARATE
                 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL FOR EACH PRICE SPECIFIED.


                               CHECK ONLY ONE BOX.
                     IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS CHECKED, OR IF
                     NO BOX IS CHECKED (EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE
              PROVIDED HEREIN), THERE IS NO VALID TENDER OF SHARES.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         |_|  $ 22.500     |_| $ 23.500     |_| $ 24.500     |_| $ 25.500
         |_|    22.625     |_|   23.625     |_|   24.625     |_|   25.625
         |_|    22.750     |_|   23.750     |_|   24.750     |_|   25.750
         |_|    22.875     |_|   23.875     |_|   24.875     |_|   25.875
         |_|    23.000     |_|   24.000     |_|   25.000     |_|   26.000
         |_|    23.125     |_|   24.125     |_|   25.125
         |_|    23.250     |_|   24.250     |_|   25.250
         |_|    23.375     |_|   24.375     |_|   25.375
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                       2
<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Certificate Nos. (if available):

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name(s):
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Please type or print

Address(es):
            --------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       Zip Code

Area Code and
Telephone Number:
                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------





- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    SIGN HERE

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Dated:                                        , 1997
      ----------------------------------------
 
If Shares will be  tendered  by  book-entry  transfer,  check box of  applicable
Book-Entry Facility:

|_|      The Depository Trust Company

|_|      Philadelphia Depository Trust Company

Account Number:


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                        3

<PAGE>



GUARANTEE

         The  undersigned  is  (1) a  member  firm  of a  registered  securities
exchange;  (2) a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.;
or (3) a commercial bank or trust company having an office,  branch or agency in
the United States, and represents that:

         (a) the  above-named  person(s) has a "net long  position" in Shares or
"equivalent securities" at least equal to the Shares tendered within the meaning
of Rule 14e-4 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;
and

         (b)      such tender of Shares complies with such Rule 14e-4;

and guarantees  that the  Depositary  will receive  certificates  for the Shares
tendered hereby in proper form for transfer, or Shares will be tendered pursuant
to the  procedure for  book-entry  transfer at The  Depository  Trust Company or
Philadelphia  Depository  Trust Company,  in any case,  together with a properly
completed  and duly  executed  Letter of  Transmittal  and any  other  documents
required by the Letter of Transmittal (or a manually signed  facsimile of them),
all within  three  over-the-counter  trading  days after the day the  Depositary
receives this Notice.


================================================================================
Name of Firm:                                 Address:
             --------------------------------         --------------------------

- ---------------------------------------------         --------------------------
                   Authorized Signature

                                                      --------------------------

                                                      --------------------------
Name:                                                          Zip Code
     ----------------------------------------      
                    Please Print

                                              Area Code and
                                              Telephone Number:
                                                               -----------------

Title:                                        Dated:                     , 1997
      ---------------------------------------       ---------------------     


================================================================================


                                        4



                                 EXHIBIT 99.(a)(6)


<PAGE>



LETTERHEAD OF TF FINANCIAL CORPORATION








September 26, 1997


To Our Stockholders:

         TF  Financial  Corporation  (the  "Company")  is  offering  to purchase
900,000 shares  (approximately 22% of its currently  outstanding  shares) of its
common stock from its  stockholders  at a cash price not greater than $26.00 nor
less than  $22.50  per share.  The  Company is  conducting  the Offer  through a
procedure  commonly  referred to as a "Modified  Dutch  Auction." This procedure
allows you to select the price  within that price range at which you are willing
to sell your shares to the Company. Based upon the number of shares tendered and
the prices specified by the tendering stockholders, the Company will determine a
single per share  purchase  price within that price range which will allow it to
buy 900,000 shares (or such lesser number of shares as are validly  tendered and
not  withdrawn at prices not greater than $26.00 nor less than $22.50 per share)
(the  "Purchase  Price").  Subject to possible  proration in the event more than
900,000  shares are tendered at or below the Purchase  Price,  all of the shares
that are validly tendered at prices at or below that Purchase Price (and are not
withdrawn)  will be purchased at that same  Purchase  Price,  net to the selling
stockholder  in cash.  Since the Company is purchasing  stock  directly from its
shareholders,  there are no brokerage  commissions.  All other shares which have
been tendered and not purchased will be returned to the stockholder.

         For those  stockholders  who own an aggregate of fewer than 100 Shares,
the Offer may  represent  an  opportunity  to sell all of their  shares  without
having to pay brokerage commissions.

         The Offer,  proration period and withdrawal rights expire at 5:00 p.m.,
Eastern time, on Monday, October 27, 1997, unless the Offer is extended.

         Neither the Company nor its Board of Directors makes any recommendation
to any stockholder as to whether to tender or refrain from tendering shares. You
must make your own decision whether to tender shares and, if so, how many shares
to tender and at which price or prices.

         This Offer is explained in detail in the enclosed Offer to Purchase and
Letter of Transmittal.  If you want to tender your shares,  the  instructions on
how to tender shares are also explained in detail in the enclosed  materials.  I
encourage you to read these materials, along with a Question and Answer Brochure
that  answers  some  of  the  frequently   asked  questions  for  this  type  of
transaction, carefully before making any decision with respect to the Offer.

                                                        Very truly yours,


                                                        /s/John R. Stranford
                                                        John R. Stranford
                                                        President





                                 EXHIBIT 99.(a)(7)


<PAGE>
                           For verification, contact:
                      John R. Stranford, President and CEO
       Bill Niemczura, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
                              Phone: (215) 579-400

                    For immediate release September 26, 1997



LETTERHEAD OF TF FINANCIAL CORPORATION


John R. Stranford
President and Chief Executive Officer
(215) 579-4600



                            TF Financial Corporation
                    Share Repurchase Of Up To 900,000 Shares


         Newtown,  Pennsylvania,  September 26, 1997 -- TF Financial Corporation
(Nasdaq - "THRD"),  the  holding  company  of Third  Federal  Savings  Bank (the
"Bank") has commenced a "Modified Dutch Auction"  self-tender offer on September
26, 1997 for up to 900,000 common  shares,  or  approximately  22 percent of its
4,088,432 common shares currently outstanding.

         The offer will allow  common  shareholders  to specify  prices at which
they are willing to tender  their  shares at a price not greater than $26.00 and
not less than $22.50 per share. After receiving tenders, the Company will select
a single per share  price which will allow it to buy up to 900,000  shares.  All
shares purchased will be purchased at the company-selected  price for cash, even
if tendered at a lower price.  If more than the maximum  number of shares sought
is  tendered  at or below the  company-selected  price,  tendering  shareholders
owning  fewer than 100 shares  will have their  shares  purchased  without  pro-
ration. Other shares will be purchased pro rata. The offer is not conditioned on
a minimum number of shares being tendered,  but is subject to certain conditions
set forth in the offering documents.

         The tender offer, proration period and withdrawal rights will expire at
5:00 p.m. on October 27, 1997 unless  extended by the Company.  On September 25,
1997 the closing  price of the  Company's  common stock was $23.25 on the Nasdaq
National Market.

         MacKenzie  Partners,   Inc.,  New  York,  New  York  will  act  as  the
information agent for the offer.

         Shareholders  will, in general,  be able to tender their shares free of
all brokerage  commissions  and stock transfer taxes, if any, which will be paid
by the Company.  Each  shareholder is urged to consult his tax advisor as to the
particular tax  consequences of the tender offer to such  shareholder.  The full
details of the offer,  including  complete  instructions  on the tender  process
procedure  along with the  transmittal  forms and other data have been mailed to
shareholders on September 26, 1997.

         NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAKES ANY RECOMMENDATION
TO ANY  SHAREHOLDER AS TO WHETHER TO TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM TENDERING ANY OR ALL
OF SUCH  SHAREHOLDER'S  SHARES IN THE OFFER AND HAS NOT AUTHORIZED ANY PERSON TO
MAKE ANY SUCH RECOMMENDATION.



<PAGE>





         This announcement is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of
an offer to sell shares of TF Financial  Corporation  common stock. The offer is
made solely by the Offer to Purchase,  dated September 26, 1997, and the related
Letter of Transmittal.


                        # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

                                        2



                                 EXHIBIT 99.(a)(8)


<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------















                              QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

                               ABOUT THE OFFER OF
                            TF FINANCIAL CORPORATION,
                    TO PURCHASE FOR CASH UP TO 900,000 SHARES
                     OF COMMON STOCK AT A PURCHASE PRICE OF
                           $22.50 TO $26.00 PER SHARE
























- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>



         QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE OFFER TO PURCHASE ITS STOCK BY
                            TF FINANCIAL CORPORATION

The following information is designed to answer frequently asked questions about
the offer by TF Financial  Corporation  to purchase  shares of its common stock.
Shareholders are referred to the Offer to Purchase and Letter of Transmittal for
a detailed description of the terms and conditions of the offer.

Q.   WHAT IS THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE?

A.   TF Financial Corporation, ("TF Financial" or the "Company") is inviting its
     shareholders  to tender  shares of its  common  stock,  $0.10 par value per
     share (the  "Shares"),  including the associated  Preferred  Share Purchase
     Rights  (the  "Rights"),  at prices  not in excess of $26.00  nor less than
     $22.50 per Share in cash,  as specified  by  shareholders  tendering  their
     Shares,  in the enclosed Letter of Transmittal  (the "Offer").  The Company
     will determine the single per Share price, not in excess of $26.00 nor less
     than $22.50 per Share,  net to the seller in cash (the  "Purchase  Price"),
     that it will pay for  Shares,  taking  into  account  the  number of Shares
     tendered and the prices  specified by tendering  shareholders.  The Company
     will  select the lowest  Purchase  Price that will allow it to buy  900,000
     Shares (or such lesser  number of Shares as are validly  tendered at prices
     not in excess  of $26.00  nor less than  $22.50  per  Share).  This type of
     issuer tender offer is commonly referred to as a "Modified Dutch Auction".

Q.   WHAT IS A "MODIFIED DUTCH AUCTION?"

A.   A  modified  dutch  auction is a process  whereby a company  makes a direct
     tender  offer to its own  shareholders  to purchase a  specified  number of
     shares of its stock within a specified price range per share. In this case,
     TF  Financial  is  making a  direct  offer  to all of its  shareholders  to
     purchase in the  aggregate  up to 900,000  shares of its common  stock at a
     price not in excess of $26.00 nor less than $22.50 per share.  This process
     allows each  stockholder  to elect  whether he or she wishes to sell his or
     her  stock,  and the price he or she is willing to sell at within the given
     price range. After receiving all tendered  securities at the termination of
     the Offer,  the Company may choose the lowest  price  within the  specified
     range that will permit it to purchase the amount of securities sought.

Q.   WHAT WILL BE THE FINAL PURCHASE PRICE?

A.   All Shares  acquired in the Offer will be acquired at the  Purchase  Price.
     The Company will select the lowest Purchase Price that will allow it buy up
     to 900,000  Shares.  All  shareholders  tendering  at or below the Purchase
     Price will receive the same  amount.  For  example,  if 500,000  Shares are
     tendered  at $22.50 per Share,  400,000  Shares are  tendered at $23.50 per
     Share and 350,000  Shares are tendered at $24.50 per Share,  900,000 Shares
     will be  purchased  at $23.50 per Share from the  persons  who  tendered at
     $22.50 through $23.50 per Share,  and the 350,000 Shares tendered at $24.50
     per Share will be returned and not purchased.


                                        2

<PAGE>



Q.   WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF MORE THAN  900,000  SHARES ARE TENDERED AT OR BELOW THE
     PURCHASE PRICE?

A.   In the event more than 900,000 Shares are tendered at or below the Purchase
     Price,  the Company will,  upon the terms and subject to the  conditions of
     the Offer,  accept  Shares for  purchase  first  from Odd Lot  Holders  (as
     defined in the Offer to  Purchase)  who validly  tender and do not withdraw
     their  Shares at or below the  Purchase  Price and then on a pro rata basis
     from all other  stockholders  whose  Shares are  validly  tendered  and not
     withdrawn at or below the Purchase Price.

Q.   AT WHAT PRICE MAY I TENDER MY SHARES?

A.   Stockholders  may elect to tender their Shares in  increments of 1/8th of a
     dollar  starting at $22.50 per Share up to and including  $26.00 per Share.
     The  election  as to the  number of Shares and the price a  shareholder  is
     willing to tender are to be indicated on the Letter of Transmittal.

Q.   DO I HAVE TO SELL MY STOCK TO THE COMPANY?

A.   No. No  shareholder  is required to tender any of his or her stock for sale
     to the Company. Each shareholder may individually elect to sell part or all
     of his or her stock at the price he or she  specifies  between no less than
     $22.50 nor more than $26.00 per Share.

Q.   HOW MUCH STOCK IS THE COMPANY ATTEMPTING TO PURCHASE?

A.   The Company is offering to purchase up to 900,000  Shares of its  4,088,432
     Shares outstanding or 22% of the outstanding stock.

Q.   WHAT IF THE TERMS OF THE OFFER CHANGE?

A.   In the event the terms of the Offer are  materially  changed,  the  Company
     will generally give notice of the change and, under certain  circumstances,
     the  expiration  date will be  extended  up to 10  business  days from such
     notice,  and  shareholders  will be able to change or withdraw their tender
     during such extension.

Q.   WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOT TENDER MY STOCK TO THE COMPANY TO PURCHASE?

A.   Nothing  will happen if you do not tender any or all of your  Shares.  Your
     Shares will remain  outstanding  without a change in the terms or ownership
     rights.  You will  continue  to own the same  number of Shares  without any
     adjustment,  and you will  continue to receive the same dividend and voting
     rights.  However,  since the  Company  will  purchase  up to 900,000 of its
     outstanding  Shares,  the percentage of the outstanding stock which you own
     will increase since the number of outstanding Shares will be reduced.


                                        3

<PAGE>



Q.   CAN I TENDER PART OF MY STOCK AT DIFFERENT PRICES?

A.   Yes,  you can  elect  to  tender  part of your  stock at one  price  and an
     additional  amount at a second  price.  For  example,  if you  owned  1,500
     Shares,  you could  tender 500  Shares at $22.50  per Share,  500 Shares at
     $23.50 per Share and keep the remaining  500 Shares.  If you tender part of
     your  stock at more  than one  price,  you must use a  separate  Letter  of
     Transmittal for each price.  However, you can not tender the same Shares at
     different prices. In the prior example, the stockholder owning 1,500 Shares
     can not tender  1,500 Shares at $22.50 per Share and 1,500 Shares at $23.50
     per Share.

Q.   IS THERE A BROKERAGE FEE?

A.   No. The Company will purchase stock  directly from each  shareholder at the
     Purchase Price without the use of a broker.

Q.   CAN I CHANGE OR CANCEL MY TENDER?

A.   You may increase or decrease the number of Shares and/or price indicated in
     the Letter of Transmittal or withdraw it entirely up until October 27, 1997
     unless the Offer is extended. Generally after October 27, 1997, you cannot.
     If you desire to change or withdraw  your tender,  you are  responsible  to
     make certain that a valid withdrawal is received by 5:00 p.m., Eastern time
     on October 27, 1997. Except as discussed in the Offer to Purchase,  tenders
     are irrevocable after the October 27, 1997 deadline.

Q.   HOW CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?

A.   If you have a  question,  please  call  our  Information  Agent,  MacKenzie
     Partners, Inc. at (800) 322- 2885.


This brochure is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation  of an offer to
sell securities.  The offer to purchase the stock of the Company is made only by
the TF Financial Corporation Offer to Purchase document dated September 26, 1997
and the related Letter of Transmittal.


                                        4



                                 EXHIBIT 99.(a)(9)


<PAGE>



                     [Third Federal Savings Bank Letterhead]

                          IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REQUIRED

                                                              September 26, 1997


                    RE: DIRECTION CONCERNING TENDER OF SHARES


DEAR ESOP PARTICIPANT:

         Enclosed are  materials  that require your  immediate  attention.  They
describe  matters  directly  affecting  your  participant  account  in the Third
Federal  Savings Bank Employee Stock  Ownership Plan (the "ESOP").  Read all the
materials  carefully.  You will need to complete the enclosed Direction Form and
return it in the postage  paid  envelope  provided.  THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF
YOUR COMPLETED  DIRECTION FORM IS 5:00 P.M., EASTERN TIME,  FRIDAY,  OCTOBER 24,
1997 (UNLESS  EXTENDED).  YOU SHOULD COMPLETE THE FORM AND RETURN IT EVEN IF YOU
DECIDE NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSACTION DESCRIBED IN THE MATERIALS.

         The remainder of this letter summarizes the transaction and your rights
and  alternatives  under the ESOP,  but you also should review the more detailed
explanation provided in the other materials.

BACKGROUND

         TF Financial  Corporation  (the "Company"),  the parent  corporation of
Third Federal Savings Bank, has made a tender offer (the "Offer') to purchase up
to 900,000 shares of its common stock,  including the associated Preferred Share
Purchase  Rights (the "Rights").  The objectives of the purchase,  and financial
and other  information  relating to the Offer,  are  described  in detail in the
enclosed Offer to Purchase,  which is being provided to all  shareholders of the
Company.

         As a participant  in the ESOP, you are directly  affected,  because the
Company's Offer to Purchase extends to the  approximately  408,283 shares of the
Company's  stock  currently  held by the ESOP.  Only the Trustee of the ESOP can
tender  the  shares  of  common  stock  held by the  ESOP.  However,  as an ESOP
participant, you may direct the Trustee whether or not to tender the shares that
are  allocated  to your ESOP  Account.  If you elect to have the Trustee  tender
these shares, you also are entitled to specify the price or prices at which they
should be tendered.

         To  assure  the  confidentiality  of your  decision,  the  Company  has
retained American  Securities  Transfer & Trust, Inc. to tabulate the directions
of ESOP  participants.  You will  note  from the  enclosed  envelope  that  your
Direction Form is to be returned to American  Securities  Transfer & Trust, Inc.
The Trustee will decide whether to tender or hold shares of the ESOP


<PAGE>



that  currently  have not been allocated to  participants'  ESOP  Accounts.  The
Trustee  will also  decide  the  disposition  of shares  that are  allocated  to
Accounts of  participants  who fail to return  timely or properly  complete  the
Direction  Form. The Trustee will determine  whether the  implementation  of any
participant  directions or adherence to any ESOP provisions would be contrary to
its fiduciary duties in accordance with the Employee  Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended  ("ERISA").  As the  fiduciary to the ESOP,  the Trustee
will make the final determination as to whether participants' directions will be
followed  taking  into  account  the  ESOP's  purpose  and the  interest  of all
participants. Although it is not anticipated that any participant direction will
violate ERISA, such that the direction would have to be reversed or disregarded,
the  United  States  Department  of  Labor  requires  that the  Trustee,  as the
fiduciary for ESOP participants, retain this discretion.

HOW THE OFFER WORKS

         The details of the Offer are described in the enclosed materials, which
you should review carefully.  However, in broad outline,  the Offer will work as
follows with respect to ESOP participants.

         -   The Company  has  offered to  purchase up to 900,000  shares of its
             common stock at a price between $26.00 and $22.50 per share.

         -   If you  want any of the  shares  that are  allocated  to your  ESOP
             Account  sold,  you  need  to  direct  that  they  be  offered  (or
             "tendered") for sale.

         -   You also need to  specify  the  price at which you want the  shares
             tendered. That price must be between the two limits above.

         -   After the  deadline  for the tender of shares by all  shareholders,
             including the ESOP, American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc. will
             tabulate all directions,  and the Company will determine the price,
             between  the  two  limits,  that it will  pay  for  shares  validly
             tendered pursuant to the Offer (the "Purchase Price").

         -   All  shares  validly  tendered  at prices at or below the  Purchase
             Price and not  withdrawn  will be purchased at the Purchase  Price,
             upon  the  terms  and  subject  to the  conditions  of  the  Offer,
             including the proration provisions.

         -   If you tender any shares at a price in excess of the Purchase Price
             as finally  determined,  those  shares will not be purchased by the
             Company, and they will remain allocated to your ESOP Account.

         This form of  transaction  is  commonly  called a "Dutch  Auction"  and
requires some strategy on your part.  For example,  if you determine  that it is
advisable  that  your ESOP plan  assets  be sold at this  time,  you may want to
tender  your shares at a price at or near the lower  limit.  If you are not sure
whether or not you want to participate, but would be willing to sell

                                        2

<PAGE>



at a price above the lower limit,  then you may want to specify a higher  price,
not to exceed the upper  limit.  If you do not want to sell shares  allocated to
your ESOP  Account at this time under any  circumstances,  an option is provided
for you to direct that shares allocated to your ESOP Account be held.

         The Trustee may override any  direction  that it determines is contrary
to its fiduciary duties under ERISA, as previously described. In particular, the
Company will be prohibited from purchasing  shares from the ESOP if the Purchase
Price, as finally  determined,  is less than the fair market price of the shares
on the date the shares are  accepted  for  purchase.  Finally,  the Company will
prorate the number of shares  purchased from  shareholders if there is an excess
of shares  tendered  over the exact  number  desired  at the  Purchase  Price as
ultimately determined.

PROCEDURE FOR DIRECTING TRUSTEE

         A  Direction  Form for making  your  direction  is  enclosed.  You must
complete this form and return it in the included envelope in time to be received
no later than 5:00 p.m.,  Eastern time, on Friday,  October 24, 1997 (unless the
Offer is extended or amended). If your form is not received by this deadline, or
if it is not fully and properly completed,  the shares in your ESOP Account will
be tendered or held as decided by the Trustee.

         To properly complete your Direction Form, you must do the following:

         (1) On the face of the form, check Box 1 or 2. CHECK ONLY ONE BOX. Make
         your decision which box to check as follows:

         -   CHECK BOX 1 if you do not want the shares  presently  allocated  to
             your ESOP  Account  tendered  for sale at any price and simply want
             the  Trustee to continue  holding  such  shares  allocated  to your
             Account.

         -   CHECK BOX 2 in all other  cases  and  complete  lines A to E of the
             table  immediately  below Box 2. (You should not complete the table
             if you  checked  Box 1). Use lines A, B and C to specify the number
             of  shares  that  you  want  to  tender  at each  price  indicated.
             Typically, you would elect to have all of your shares tendered at a
             single price;  however,  the form gives you the option of splitting
             your  shares  among  several  prices.  You must state the number of
             shares to be sold at each indicated  price by filling in the number
             of shares in the box immediately below the price.

             After you have  specified  your tender price or prices,  you should
             total the  number of shares in each row A, B and C and  insert  the
             total of each  line in the box  provided  at the end of that  line.
             Specify  the  number  of  shares,  if  any,  that  you do not  want
             tendered,  but wish the Trustee to hold,  in the single box on line
             D.

             Finally,  total  the  shares  in the end  boxes  of rows A to D and
             insert  the  total in the box on line E. The total in this box must
             equal the number of shares allocated to

                                        3

<PAGE>



             your ESOP Account as shown on the address label on the reverse side
             of the Direction Form.

       (2)   Turn the Direction Form over, and date and sign it  in  the  spaces
             provided.

       (3)   Return the Direction Form in the included  postage prepaid envelope
             no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on Friday,  October 24, 1997
             (unless this deadline is extended). Be sure to return the form even
             if you decide not to have the Trustee tender any shares.

        Your direction will be deemed irrevocable unless withdrawn by 5:00 p.m.,
Eastern  time,  on Friday,  October  24,  1997  (unless the Offer is extended or
amended).  To be effective,  a notice of withdrawal of your direction must be in
writing and must be received by American  Securities  Transfer & Trust,  Inc. at
the following address:

             American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.
             P.O. Box 1596
             Denver, Colorado  80201-9975

             Facsimile Transmission (303) 234-5340

Your notice of  withdrawal  must include  your name,  address,  Social  Security
number, and the number of shares allocated to your ESOP Account. Upon receipt of
your notice of withdrawal by American  Securities  Transfer & Trust,  Inc., your
previous  direction will be deemed canceled.  You may direct the re-tendering of
any shares in your Account by repeating the previous  instructions for directing
the tendering set forth in this letter.

INVESTMENT OF TENDER PROCEEDS

        For any ESOP shares that are tendered and purchased by the Company,  the
Company will pay cash to the ESOP.  The Trustee then will  determine  whether to
reinvest in shares of the Company's stock or in alternative  investments,  being
guided  by the  ESOP's  terms  and  the  trust  agreement,  and  subject  to the
limitations of ERISA. At present,  it is anticipated  that the cash proceeds for
any stock  purchased  in the Offer will be  allocated  to your ESOP  Account and
invested in  certificates  of deposit at Third Federal  Savings Bank.  Please be
advised that to the extent that common stock is tendered and  converted to cash,
you will no longer be  eligible  to  receive  cash  dividends  paid on such ESOP
shares sold and you will not participate in any  appreciation or depreciation in
the future market value of the common stock sold.  Future  allocations of common
stock may be made to your  participant  Account in accordance  with the terms of
the ESOP.

        Individual  participants in the ESOP will not receive any portion of the
tender  proceeds at this time.  All such  proceeds and the assets will remain in
the ESOP and may be withdrawn only in accordance  with the ESOP's terms. No gain
or loss will be recognized by the ESOP or

                                        4

<PAGE>



participants  in the ESOP for federal income tax purposes in connection with the
tender or sale of shares held in the ESOP.

NO RECOMMENDATION

        THE COMPANY'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS UNANIMOUSLY  APPROVED THE MAKING OF
THE OFFER.  HOWEVER,  NEITHER THE COMPANY, ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS,  THE TRUSTEE,
THE ESOP COMMITTEE,  OR ANY OTHER PARTY MAKES ANY RECOMMENDATION TO PARTICIPANTS
AS TO WHETHER  TO TENDER  SHARES,  THE PRICE AT WHICH TO  TENDER,  OR WHETHER TO
REFRAIN  FROM  TENDERING  SHARES.  EACH  PARTICIPANT  MUST  MAKE  HIS OR HER OWN
DECISION  WHETHER TO TENDER  ALL, A PORTION OR NO SHARES AND AT WHAT  PRICE,  IF
ANY.

CONFIDENTIALITY

        AS MENTIONED ABOVE,  AMERICAN SECURITIES TRANSFER & TRUST, INC. HAS BEEN
RETAINED  TO  HELP  ASSURE  THE  CONFIDENTIALITY  OF  YOUR  DECISION  AS AN ESOP
PARTICIPANT. YOUR DECISION WILL NOT BE DISCLOSED TO ANY DIRECTORS,  OFFICERS, OR
EMPLOYEES OF TF FINANCIAL  CORPORATION OR THIRD FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK, EXCEPT FOR
THE PURPOSE OF ALLOCATING PROCEEDS TO YOUR ESOP ACCOUNT IN THE EVENT THAT ALL OR
A PORTION OF YOUR SHARES ARE SOLD.

FURTHER INFORMATION

         Although  American  Securities  Transfer  &  Trust,  Inc.  also  has no
recommendation  and  cannot  advise  you  what to do,  its  representatives  are
prepared to answer any question that you may have on the procedures  involved in
the Dutch Auction and your direction. American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.
can also help you complete your Direction Form.


                                        5

<PAGE>



         For this purpose, you may contact American Securities Transfer & Trust,
Inc. at the following toll-free number:

                   American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.
                                 (303) 234-5300

        Please  consider  this letter and the enclosed  materials  carefully and
then return your Direction Form promptly.

                                   Sincerely,


                                   Trustees for the Third Federal Savings Bank
                                   Employee Stock Ownership Plan



                                        6

<PAGE>



                           THIRD FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
                          EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN

                                 DIRECTION FORM

               BEFORE COMPLETING THIS FORM, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
                       THE ACCOMPANYING OFFER TO PURCHASE

           See the Address Label on Reverse Side of This Form for the
                 Number of Shares Allocated to Your Plan Account

        In accordance with the TF Financial Corporation (the "Company") Offer to
Purchase  dated  September 26, 1997, a copy of which I have received and read, I
hereby direct the Plan's Trustee as follows (check only one box):

|_|     1.   To refrain from tendering and to hold all shares  allocated  to  my
             Account.

|_|          2. To tender shares  allocated to my Account at the price or prices
             indicated  below,  except for any shares to be held as indicated on
             line D below:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>  <C>        <C>          <C>          <C>         <C>       <C>       <C>        <C>      <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>  
     Price      $22.500      $22.625      $22.750     $22.875   $23.000   $23.125    $23.250  $23.375   $23.500             Total
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A    Number
       Of
     Shares
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Price      $23.625      $23.750      $23.875     $24.000   $24.125   $24.250    $24.375  $24.500   $24.625    $24.750  Total
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

B    Number
       Of
     Shares
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Price      $24.875      $25.000      $25.125     $25.250   $25.375    $25.500    $25.625 $25.750   $25.875    $26.000  Total
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

C    Number
       Of
     Shares
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                                                                            Total
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

D    Shares
      To Be
      Held

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                                                                            Total
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

E     Total
      Shares
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

</TABLE>


<PAGE>



        Total the  number of shares in each of rows A, B and C and  insert  that
total in the box at the end of each  row.  Show  shares to be held in the box at
the end of row D.  Total the  numbers in the end boxes of rows A to D and insert
that  total  number  in the end box of row E. The total in the box of row E must
equal the number of shares  allocated  to your  Account as shown on the  address
label on the reverse side of this form.

                                  INSTRUCTIONS

        Carefully  complete the face portion of this Direction Form. Then insert
today's date and sign your name in the spaces provided  below.  Enclose the form
in the included  postage prepaid  envelope and mail it promptly.  Your Direction
Form must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on Friday,  October
24, 1997.  Direction Forms that are not fully or properly  completed,  dated and
signed, or that are received after the deadline, will not be processed,  and the
shares allocated to your Account will be held or tendered, and if tendered, at a
price, as determined by the Trustee. Note that the Trustee also has the right to
disregard  any  direction  that it  determines  cannot  be  implemented  without
violation of applicable law.

        Neither the Company, its Board of Directors, the Trustee, the Committee,
nor any other party makes any  recommendation  to  participants as to whether to
tender  shares,  the price at which to  tender,  or to  refrain  from  tendering
shares. Each participant must make his or her own decision on these matters.



Date:           , 1997                              ----------------------------
      ----------                                    Your Signature






                                 EXHIBIT 99.(a)(10)


<PAGE>



                     [Third Federal Savings Bank Letterhead]

                          IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REQUIRED

                                                              September 26, 1997


                    RE: DIRECTION CONCERNING TENDER OF SHARES


DEAR PROFIT SHARING PLAN PARTICIPANT:

        Enclosed  are  materials  that require your  immediate  attention.  They
describe  matters  directly  affecting  your  participant  account  in the Third
Federal  Savings Bank Profit  Sharing Plan (the "Plan").  Read all the materials
carefully.  You will need to complete the enclosed  Direction Form and return it
in the  postage  paid  envelope  provided.  THE  DEADLINE  FOR  RECEIPT  OF YOUR
COMPLETED  DIRECTION FORM IS 5:00 P.M., EASTERN TIME,  FRIDAY,  OCTOBER 24, 1997
(UNLESS EXTENDED). YOU SHOULD COMPLETE THE FORM AND RETURN IT EVEN IF YOU DECIDE
NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSACTION DESCRIBED IN THE MATERIALS.

        The remainder of this letter  summarizes the transaction and your rights
and  alternatives  under the Plan,  but you also should review the more detailed
explanation provided in the other materials.

BACKGROUND

        TF Financial  Corporation  (the  "Company"),  the parent  corporation of
Third Federal Savings Bank, has made a tender offer (the "Offer") to purchase up
to 900,000 shares of its common stock,  including the associated Preferred Share
Purchase  Rights (the "Rights").  The objectives of the purchase,  and financial
and other  information  relating to the offer,  are  described  in detail in the
enclosed Offer to Purchase,  which is being provided to all  shareholders of the
Company.

        As a participant  in the Plan,  you are directly  affected,  because the
Company's Offer to Purchase  extends to the  approximately  95,312 shares of the
Company's  stock  currently  held by the Plan.  Only the Trustee of the Plan can
tender  the  shares  of  common  stock  held  by the  Plan.  However,  as a Plan
participant, you may direct the Trustee whether or not to tender the shares that
are  allocated  to your Plan  Account.  If you elect to have the Trustee  tender
these shares, you also are entitled to specify the price or prices at which they
should be tendered.

        To assure the confidentiality of your decision, the Company has retained
American  Securities  Transfer & Trust,  Inc. to tabulate the directions of Plan
participants.  You will note from the enclosed envelope that your Direction Form
is to be returned to American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc. The Trustee will
decide the  disposition of shares that are allocated to Accounts of participants
who fail to return timely or properly  complete the Direction  Form. The Trustee
will  determine  whether the  implementation  of any  participant  directions or
adherence to any Plan  provisions  would be contrary to its fiduciary  duties in
accordance with the Employee


<PAGE>



Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended  ("ERISA").  As the fiduciary
to the  Plan,  the  Trustee  will  make the final  determination  as to  whether
participants' directions will be followed taking into account the Plan's purpose
and the interest of all  participants.  Although it is not anticipated  that any
participant  direction will violate ERISA, such that the direction would have to
be reversed or disregarded,  the United States Department of Labor requires that
the Trustee, as the fiduciary for Plan participants, retain this discretion.

HOW THE OFFER WORKS

        The details of the Offer are described in the enclosed materials,  which
you should review carefully.  However, in broad outline,  the Offer will work as
follows with respect to Plan participants.

        -    The Company  has  offered to  purchase up to 900,000  shares of its
             common stock at a price between $26.00 and $22.50 per share.

         -   If you  want any of the  shares  that are  allocated  to your  Plan
             Account  sold,  you  need  to  direct  that  they  be  offered  (or
             "tendered") for sale.

         -   You also need to  specify  the  price at which you want the  shares
             tendered. That price must be between the two limits above.

         -   After the  deadline  for the tender of shares by all  shareholders,
             including the Plan, American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc. will
             tabulate all directions,  and the Company will determine the price,
             between  the  two  limits,  that it will  pay  for  shares  validly
             tendered pursuant to the Offer (the "Purchase Price").

         -   All  shares  validly  tendered  at prices at or below the  Purchase
             Price and not  withdrawn  will be purchased at the Purchase  Price,
             upon  the  terms  and  subject  to the  conditions  of  the  Offer,
             including the proration provisions.

         -   If you tender any shares at a price in excess of the Purchase Price
             as finally  determined,  those  shares will not be purchased by the
             Company, and they will remain allocated to your Plan Account.



                                        2

<PAGE>



         This form of  transaction  is  commonly  called a "Dutch  Auction"  and
requires some strategy on your part.  For example,  if you determine  that it is
advisable  that your Plan  assets be sold at this  time,  you may want to tender
your shares at a price at or near the lower  limit.  If you are not sure whether
or not you want to  participate,  but would be willing to sell at a price  above
the lower limit,  then you may want to specify a higher price, not to exceed the
upper limit. If you do not want to sell shares allocated to your Plan Account at
this time under any circumstances,  an option is provided for you to direct that
shares allocated to your Plan Account be held.

         The Trustee may override any  direction  that it determines is contrary
to its fiduciary duties under ERISA, as previously described. In particular, the
Company will be prohibited from purchasing  shares from the Plan if the Purchase
Price, as finally  determined,  is less than the fair market price of the shares
on the date the shares are  accepted  for  purchase.  Finally,  the Company will
prorate the number of shares  purchased from  shareholders if there is an excess
of shares  tendered  over the exact  number  desired  at the  Purchase  Price as
ultimately determined.

PROCEDURE FOR DIRECTING TRUSTEE

         A  Direction  Form for making  your  direction  is  enclosed.  You must
complete this form and return it in the included envelope in time to be received
no later than 5:00 p.m.,  Eastern time, on Friday,  October 24, 1997 (unless the
Offer is extended or amended). If your form is not received by this deadline, or
if it is not fully and properly completed,  the shares in your Plan Account will
be tendered or held as decided by the Trustee.

         To properly complete your Direction Form, you must do the following:

         (1) On the face of the form, check Box 1 or 2. CHECK ONLY ONE BOX. Make
         your decision which box to check as follows:

         -   CHECK BOX 1 if you do not want the shares  presently  allocated  to
             your Plan  Account  tendered  for sale at any price and simply want
             the  Trustee to continue  holding  such  shares  allocated  to your
             Account.

         -   CHECK BOX 2 in all other  cases  and  complete  lines A to E of the
             table  immediately  below Box 2. (You should not complete the table
             if you  checked  Box 1). Use lines A, B and C to specify the number
             of  shares  that  you  want  to  tender  at each  price  indicated.
             Typically, you would elect to have all of your shares tendered at a
             single price;  however,  the form gives you the option of splitting
             your  shares  among  several  prices.  You must state the number of
             shares to be sold at each indicated  price by filling in the number
             of shares in the box immediately below the price.


                                        3

<PAGE>



             After you have  specified  your tender price or prices,  you should
             total the number of shares in each row A and B and insert the total
             of each line in the box  provided at the end of that line.  Specify
             the number of shares,  if any, that you do not want  tendered,  but
             wish the Trustee to hold, in the single box on line D.

             Finally,  total  the  shares  in the end  boxes  of rows A to D and
             insert  the  total in the box on line E. The total in this box must
             equal the number of shares  allocated to your Plan Account as shown
             on the address label on the reverse side of the Direction Form.

       (2)   Turn the Direction Form over, and date and sign it  in  the  spaces
             provided.

       (3)   Return the Direction Form in the included  postage prepaid envelope
             no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on Friday,  October 24, 1997
             (unless this deadline is extended). Be sure to return the form even
             if you decide not to have the Trustee tender any shares.

        Your direction will be deemed irrevocable unless withdrawn by 5:00 p.m.,
Eastern  time,  on Friday,  October  24,  1997  (unless the Offer is extended or
amended).  To be effective,  a notice of withdrawal of your direction must be in
writing and must be received by American  Securities  Transfer & Trust,  Inc. at
the following address:

             American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.
             P.O. Box 1596
             Denver, Colorado  80201-9975

             Facsimile Transmission (303) 234-5340

Your notice of  withdrawal  must include  your name,  address,  Social  Security
number, and the number of shares allocated to your Plan Account. Upon receipt of
your notice of withdrawal by American  Securities  Transfer & Trust,  Inc., your
previous  direction will be deemed canceled.  You may direct the re-tendering of
any shares in your Account by repeating the previous  instructions for directing
the tendering set forth in this letter.

INVESTMENT OF TENDER PROCEEDS

        For any Plan shares that are tendered and purchased by the Company,  the
Company will pay cash to the Plan.  The Trustee then will  determine  whether to
reinvest in shares of the Company's stock or in alternative  investments,  being
guided  by the  Plan's  terms  and  the  trust  agreement,  and  subject  to the
limitations of ERISA. At present,  it is anticipated  that the cash proceeds for
any stock  purchased  in the Offer will be  allocated  to your Plan  Account and
invested in  certificates  of deposit at Third Federal  Savings Bank.  Please be
advised that to the extent that common stock is tendered and  converted to cash,
you will no longer be  eligible  to  receive  cash  dividends  paid on such Plan
shares sold and you will not participate in any  appreciation or depreciation in
the future market value of the common stock sold.  Future  allocations of common
stock may be made to your  participant  Account in accordance  with the terms of
the Plan.

                                        4

<PAGE>




        Individual  participants in the Plan will not receive any portion of the
tender  proceeds at this time.  All such  proceeds and the assets will remain in
the Plan and may be withdrawn only in accordance  with the Plan's terms. No gain
or loss will be recognized by the Plan or  participants  in the Plan for federal
income tax purposes in connection  with the tender or sale of shares held in the
Plan.

NO RECOMMENDATION

        THE COMPANY'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS UNANIMOUSLY  APPROVED THE MAKING OF
THE OFFER. HOWEVER, NEITHER THE COMPANY, ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE TRUSTEE, OR
ANY OTHER PARTY MAKES ANY RECOMMENDATION TO PARTICIPANTS AS TO WHETHER TO TENDER
SHARES,  THE PRICE AT WHICH TO TENDER,  OR WHETHER  TO  REFRAIN  FROM  TENDERING
SHARES.  EACH  PARTICIPANT  MUST MAKE HIS OR HER OWN DECISION  WHETHER TO TENDER
ALL, A PORTION OR NO SHARES AND AT WHAT PRICE, IF ANY.

CONFIDENTIALITY

        AS MENTIONED ABOVE,  AMERICAN SECURITIES TRANSFER & TRUST, INC. HAS BEEN
RETAINED  TO  HELP  ASSURE  THE  CONFIDENTIALITY  OF  YOUR  DECISION  AS A  PLAN
PARTICIPANT. YOUR DECISION WILL NOT BE DISCLOSED TO ANY DIRECTORS,  OFFICERS, OR
EMPLOYEES OF TF FINANCIAL  CORPORATION OR THIRD FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK, EXCEPT FOR
THE PURPOSE OF ALLOCATING PROCEEDS TO YOUR PLAN ACCOUNT IN THE EVENT THAT ALL OR
A PORTION OF YOUR SHARES ARE SOLD.

FURTHER INFORMATION

         Although  American  Securities  Transfer  &  Trust,  Inc.  also  has no
recommendation  and  cannot  advise  you  what to do,  its  representatives  are
prepared to answer any question that you may have on the procedures  involved in
the Dutch Auction and your direction. American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.
can also help you complete your Direction Form.


                                        5

<PAGE>



         For this purpose, you may contact American Securities Transfer & Trust,
Inc. at the following toll-free number:

                   American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.
                                 (303) 234-5300

        Please  consider  this letter and the enclosed  materials  carefully and
then return your Direction Form promptly.

                                  Sincerely,


                                  Trustees for the Third Federal Savings Bank
                                  Profit Sharing Plan



                                        6

<PAGE>




                           THIRD FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
                               PROFIT SHARING PLAN

                                 DIRECTION FORM

               BEFORE COMPLETING THIS FORM, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
                       THE ACCOMPANYING OFFER TO PURCHASE

           See the Address Label on Reverse Side of This Form for the
                 Number of Shares Allocated to Your Plan Account

        In accordance with the TF Financial Corporation (the "Company") Offer to
Purchase  dated  September 26, 1997, a copy of which I have received and read, I
hereby direct the Plan's Trustee as follows (check only one box):

|_|     1.   To refrain from tendering and to hold all shares  allocated  to  my
             Account.

|_|          2. To tender shares  allocated to my Account at the price or prices
             indicated  below,  except for any shares to be held as indicated on
             line D below:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>  <C>        <C>          <C>          <C>         <C>       <C>       <C>        <C>      <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>   
     Price      $22.500      $22.625      $22.750     $22.875   $23.000   $23.125    $23.250  $23.375   $23.500             Total
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A    Number
       Of
     Shares
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Price      $23.625      $23.750      $23.875     $24.000   $24.125   $24.250    $24.375  $24.500   $24.625    $24.750  Total
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

B    Number
       Of
     Shares
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Price      $24.875      $25.000      $25.125     $25.250   $25.375    $25.500    $25.625 $25.750   $25.875    $26.000  Total
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

C    Number
       Of
     Shares
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                                                                            Total
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

D    Shares
      To Be
      Held

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                                                                            Total
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

E     Total
      Shares
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

</TABLE>


<PAGE>



        Total the  number of shares in each of rows A, B and C and  insert  that
total in the box at the end of each  row.  Show  shares to be held in the box at
the end of row D.  Total the  numbers in the end boxes of rows A to D and insert
that  total  number  in the end box of row E. The total in the box of row E must
equal the number of shares  allocated  to your  Account as shown on the  address
label on the reverse side of this form.

                                  INSTRUCTIONS

        Carefully  complete the face portion of this Direction Form. Then insert
today's date and sign your name in the spaces provided  below.  Enclose the form
in the included  postage prepaid  envelope and mail it promptly.  Your Direction
Form must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on Friday,  October
24, 1997.  Direction Forms that are not fully or properly  completed,  dated and
signed, or that are received after the deadline, will not be processed,  and the
shares allocated to your Account will be held or tendered, and if tendered, at a
price, as determined by the Trustee. Note that the Trustee also has the right to
disregard  any  direction  that it  determines  cannot  be  implemented  without
violation of applicable law.

        Neither the Company, its Board of Directors,  the Trustee, nor any other
party makes any  recommendation  to participants as to whether to tender shares,
the  price at  which to  tender,  or to  refrain  from  tendering  shares.  Each
participant must make his or her own decision on these matters.



Date:           , 1997                               ---------------------------
      ----------                                          Your Signature






                                 EXHIBIT 99.(a)(11)


<PAGE>



                     [Third Federal Savings Bank Letterhead]

                          IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REQUIRED

                                                              September 26, 1997


                    RE: DIRECTION CONCERNING TENDER OF SHARES


DEAR MANAGEMENT STOCK BONUS PLAN PARTICIPANT:

        Enclosed  are  materials  that require your  immediate  attention.  They
describe  matters  directly  affecting  your  participant  account  in the Third
Federal  Savings Bank  Management  Stock Bonus Plan (the  "Plan").  Read all the
materials  carefully.  You will need to complete the enclosed Direction Form and
return it in the postage  paid  envelope  provided.  THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF
YOUR COMPLETED  DIRECTION FORM IS 5:00 P.M., EASTERN TIME,  FRIDAY,  OCTOBER 24,
1997 (UNLESS  EXTENDED).  YOU SHOULD COMPLETE THE FORM AND RETURN IT EVEN IF YOU
DECIDE NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSACTION DESCRIBED IN THE MATERIALS.

        The remainder of this letter  summarizes the transaction and your rights
and  alternatives  under the Plan,  but you also should review the more detailed
explanation provided in the other materials.

BACKGROUND

        TF Financial  Corporation  (the  "Company"),  the parent  corporation of
Third Federal Savings Bank, has made a tender offer (the "Offer") to purchase up
to 900,000 shares of its common stock,  including the associated Preferred Share
Purchase  Rights (the "Rights").  The objectives of the purchase,  and financial
and other  information  relating to the offer,  are  described  in detail in the
enclosed Offer to Purchase,  which is being provided to all  shareholders of the
Company.

        As a participant  in the Plan,  you are directly  affected,  because the
Company's Offer to Purchase  extends to the  approximately  99,044 shares of the
Company's  stock  currently  held by the Plan.  Only the Trustee of the Plan can
tender  the  shares  of  common  stock  held  by the  Plan.  However,  as a Plan
participant, you may direct the Trustee whether or not to tender the shares that
are  allocated  to your Plan  Account.  If you elect to have the Trustee  tender
these shares, you also are entitled to specify the price or prices at which they
should be  tendered.  Please  note  however,  whether or not you elect to tender
Shares,  upon vesting of awards under the Plan,  you will receive  common stock,
not cash.

        To assure the confidentiality of your decision, the Company has retained
American  Securities  Transfer & Trust,  Inc. to tabulate the directions of Plan
participants.  You will note from the enclosed envelope that your Direction Form
is to be returned to American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc. The Trustee will
decide whether to tender or hold shares of the Plan that currently have not been
allocated to participants' Plan Accounts. The Trustee will also decide


<PAGE>



the  disposition  of shares that are allocated to Accounts of  participants  who
fail to return timely or properly  complete the Direction Form. The Trustee will
determine whether the implementation of any participant  directions or adherence
to any Plan provisions  would be contrary to its fiduciary  duties in accordance
with the Employee  Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA").
As the fiduciary to the Plan, the Trustee will make the final  determination  as
to whether  participants'  directions  will be followed  taking into account the
Plan's  purpose  and  the  interest  of  all  participants.  Although  it is not
anticipated  that any  participant  direction will violate ERISA,  such that the
direction would have to be reversed or disregarded, the United States Department
of Labor  requires that the Trustee,  as the  fiduciary  for Plan  participants,
retain this discretion.

HOW THE OFFER WORKS

        The details of the Offer are described in the enclosed materials,  which
you should review carefully.  However, in broad outline,  the Offer will work as
follows with respect to Plan participants.

        -    The Company  has  offered to  purchase up to 900,000  shares of its
             common stock at a price between $26.00 and $22.50 per share.

         -   If you  want any of the  shares  that are  allocated  to your  Plan
             Account  sold,  you  need  to  direct  that  they  be  offered  (or
             "tendered") for sale.

         -   You also need to  specify  the  price at which you want the  shares
             tendered. That price must be between the two limits above.

         -   After the  deadline  for the tender of shares by all  shareholders,
             including the Plan, American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc. will
             tabulate all directions,  and the Company will determine the price,
             between  the  two  limits,  that it will  pay  for  shares  validly
             tendered pursuant to the Offer (the "Purchase Price").

         -   All  shares  validly  tendered  at prices at or below the  Purchase
             Price and not  withdrawn  will be purchased at the Purchase  Price,
             upon  the  terms  and  subject  to the  conditions  of  the  Offer,
             including the proration provisions.

         -   If you tender any shares at a price in excess of the Purchase Price
             as finally  determined,  those  shares will not be purchased by the
             Company, and they will remain allocated to your Plan Account.

         The Trustee may override any  direction  that it determines is contrary
to its fiduciary duties under ERISA, as previously described. In particular, the
Company will be prohibited from purchasing  shares from the Plan if the Purchase
Price, as finally  determined,  is less than the fair market price of the shares
on the date the shares are  accepted  for  purchase.  Finally,  the Company will
prorate the number of shares  purchased from  shareholders if there is an excess
of shares  tendered  over the exact  number  desired  at the  Purchase  Price as
ultimately determined.


                                        2

<PAGE>



PROCEDURE FOR DIRECTING TRUSTEE

         A  Direction  Form for making  your  direction  is  enclosed.  You must
complete this form and return it in the included envelope in time to be received
no later than 5:00 p.m.,  Eastern time, on Friday,  October 24, 1997 (unless the
Offer is extended or amended). If your form is not received by this deadline, or
if it is not fully and properly completed,  the shares in your Plan Account will
be tendered or held as decided by the Trustee.

         To properly complete your Direction Form, you must do the following:

         (1) On the face of the form, check Box 1 or 2. CHECK ONLY ONE BOX. Make
         your decision which box to check as follows:

         -   CHECK BOX 1 if you do not want the shares  presently  allocated  to
             your Plan  Account  tendered  for sale at any price and simply want
             the  Trustee to continue  holding  such  shares  allocated  to your
             Account.

         -   CHECK BOX 2 in all other  cases  and  complete  lines A to E of the
             table  immediately  below Box 2. (You should not complete the table
             if you  checked  Box 1). Use lines A, B and C to specify the number
             of  shares  that  you  want  to  tender  at each  price  indicated.
             Typically, you would elect to have all of your shares tendered at a
             single price;  however,  the form gives you the option of splitting
             your  shares  among  several  prices.  You must state the number of
             shares to be sold at each indicated  price by filling in the number
             of shares in the box immediately below the price.

             After you have  specified  your tender price or prices,  you should
             total the  number of shares in each row A, B and C and  insert  the
             total of each  line in the box  provided  at the end of that  line.
             Specify  the  number  of  shares,  if  any,  that  you do not  want
             tendered,  but wish the Trustee to hold,  in the single box on line
             D.

             Finally,  total  the  shares  in the end  boxes  of rows A to D and
             insert  the  total in the box on line E. The total in this box must
             equal the number of shares  allocated to your Plan Account as shown
             on the address label on the reverse side of the Direction Form.

       (2)   Turn the Direction Form over, and date and sign it  in  the  spaces
             provided.

       (3)   Return the Direction Form in the included  postage prepaid envelope
             no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on Friday,  October 24, 1997
             (unless this deadline is extended). Be sure to return the form even
             if you decide not to have the Trustee tender any shares.


                                        3

<PAGE>



        Your direction will be deemed irrevocable unless withdrawn by 5:00 p.m.,
Eastern  time,  on Friday,  October  24,  1997  (unless the Offer is extended or
amended).  To be effective,  a notice of withdrawal of your direction must be in
writing and must be received by American  Securities  Transfer & Trust,  Inc. at
the following address:

             American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.
             P.O. Box 1596
             Denver, Colorado  80201-9975

             Facsimile Transmission (303) 234-5340

Your notice of  withdrawal  must include  your name,  address,  Social  Security
number, and the number of shares allocated to your Plan Account. Upon receipt of
your notice of withdrawal by American  Securities  Transfer & Trust,  Inc., your
previous  direction will be deemed canceled.  You may direct the re-tendering of
any shares in your Account by repeating the previous  instructions for directing
the tendering set forth in this letter.

INVESTMENT OF TENDER PROCEEDS

        For any Plan shares that are tendered and purchased by the Company,  the
Company will pay cash to the Plan.  The Trustee then will  determine  whether to
reinvest in shares of the Company's stock or in alternative  investments,  being
guided  by the  Plan's  terms  and  the  trust  agreement,  and  subject  to the
limitations of ERISA. It is currently  anticipated that the Trustee will use any
cash proceeds to repurchase  shares of Company  common stock.  Please be advised
that directing the Trustee to tender shares will not affect the number of shares
previously  allocated to you or the vesting  schedule of such  shares.  Any cash
proceeds  received from the tender of shares by the Plan will be retained by the
trust, and not allocated to the accounts of participants.

NO RECOMMENDATION

        THE COMPANY'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS UNANIMOUSLY  APPROVED THE MAKING OF
THE OFFER. HOWEVER, NEITHER THE COMPANY, ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE TRUSTEE, OR
ANY OTHER PARTY MAKES ANY RECOMMENDATION TO PARTICIPANTS AS TO WHETHER TO TENDER
SHARES,  THE PRICE AT WHICH TO TENDER,  OR WHETHER  TO  REFRAIN  FROM  TENDERING
SHARES.  EACH  PARTICIPANT  MUST MAKE HIS OR HER OWN DECISION  WHETHER TO TENDER
ALL, A PORTION OR NO SHARES AND AT WHAT PRICE, IF ANY.

CONFIDENTIALITY

         AS MENTIONED ABOVE, AMERICAN SECURITIES TRANSFER & TRUST, INC. HAS BEEN
RETAINED  TO  HELP  ASSURE  THE  CONFIDENTIALITY  OF  YOUR  DECISION  AS A  PLAN
PARTICIPANT. YOUR DECISION WILL NOT BE DISCLOSED TO ANY DIRECTORS,  OFFICERS, OR
EMPLOYEES OF TF FINANCIAL CORPORATION OR THIRD FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK.

                                        4

<PAGE>



FURTHER INFORMATION

         Although  American  Securities  Transfer  &  Trust,  Inc.  also  has no
recommendation  and  cannot  advise  you  what to do,  its  representatives  are
prepared to answer any question that you may have on the procedures  involved in
the Dutch Auction and your direction. American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.
can also help you complete your Direction Form.

         For this purpose, you may contact American Securities Transfer & Trust,
Inc. at the following toll-free number:

                   American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.
                                 (303) 234-5300

        Please  consider  this letter and the enclosed  materials  carefully and
then return your Direction Form promptly.

                                    Sincerely,


                                    Trustees for the Third Federal Savings Bank
                                    Management Stock Bonus Plan



                                        5

<PAGE>



                           THIRD FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
                           MANAGEMENT STOCK BONUS PLAN

                                 DIRECTION FORM

               BEFORE COMPLETING THIS FORM, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
                       THE ACCOMPANYING OFFER TO PURCHASE

           See the Address Label on Reverse Side of This Form for the
                 Number of Shares Allocated to Your Plan Account

        In accordance with the TF Financial Corporation (the "Company") Offer to
Purchase  dated  September 26, 1997, a copy of which I have received and read, I
hereby direct the Plan's Trustee as follows (check only one box):

|_|     1.   To refrain from tendering and to hold all shares  allocated  to  my
             Account.

|_|          2. To tender shares  allocated to my Account at the price or prices
             indicated  below,  except for any shares to be held as indicated on
             line D below:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>  <C>        <C>          <C>          <C>         <C>       <C>       <C>        <C>      <C>       <C>       <C>       <C> 
     Price      $22.500      $22.625      $22.750     $22.875   $23.000   $23.125    $23.250  $23.375   $23.500             Total
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A    Number
       Of
     Shares
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Price      $23.625      $23.750      $23.875     $24.000   $24.125   $24.250    $24.375  $24.500   $24.625    $24.750  Total
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

B    Number
       Of
     Shares
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Price      $24.875      $25.000      $25.125     $25.250   $25.375    $25.500    $25.625 $25.750   $25.875    $26.000  Total
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

C    Number
       Of
     Shares
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                                                                            Total
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

D    Shares
      To Be
      Held

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                                                                            Total
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

E     Total
      Shares
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

</TABLE>


<PAGE>



        Total the  number of shares in each of rows A, B and C and  insert  that
total in the box at the end of each  row.  Show  shares to be held in the box at
the end of row D.  Total the  numbers in the end boxes of rows A to D and insert
that  total  number  in the end box of row E. The total in the box of row E must
equal the number of shares  allocated  to your  Account as shown on the  address
label on the reverse side of this form.

                                  INSTRUCTIONS

        Carefully  complete the face portion of this Direction Form. Then insert
today's date and sign your name in the spaces provided  below.  Enclose the form
in the included  postage prepaid  envelope and mail it promptly.  Your Direction
Form must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on Friday,  October
24, 1997.  Direction Forms that are not fully or properly  completed,  dated and
signed, or that are received after the deadline, will not be processed,  and the
shares allocated to your Account will be held or tendered, and if tendered, at a
price, as determined by the Trustee. Note that the Trustee also has the right to
disregard  any  direction  that it  determines  cannot  be  implemented  without
violation of applicable law.

        Neither the Company, its Board of Directors,  the Trustee, nor any other
party makes any  recommendation  to participants as to whether to tender shares,
the  price at  which to  tender,  or to  refrain  from  tendering  shares.  Each
participant must make his or her own decision on these matters.



Date:           , 1997                                  ------------------------
      ----------                                        Your Signature



                                        



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