SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549
                        _________________________________

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) of the
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                        _________________________________


                                 Date of Report

                                October 11, 2002
                        (Date of earliest event reported)


                           BankAtlantic Bancorp, Inc.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its Charter)


                 Florida                              34-027228
    (State of other jurisdiction or            (Commission File Number)
     incorporation or organization)

                                   65-0507804
                       (IRS Employer Identification No.)



        1750 East Sunrise Blvd.                          33304
        Ft. Lauderdale, Florida                        (Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive offices)

                                 (954) 760-5000
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                 Not Applicable
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)







Item 5.  Other Events

     As required, BankAtlantic Bancorp adopted FASB Statement 142, "Goodwill and
Other Intangible Assets" on January 1, 2002. As disclosed in the 10-Q Report for
second quarter, 2002, it was determined that the carrying value of the Ryan Beck
reportable  segment  exceeded  its  fair  value  at  the  adoption  date.  As  a
consequence,  an  independent  appraiser  was engaged to measure the  impairment
loss. Based on the appraiser's evaluation,  a $15.1 million impairment loss (net
of a $1.2 million tax benefit) is being recorded effective as of January 1, 2002
as a cumulative  effect of a change in accounting  principle.  As required under
FASB 142,  this non-cash  charge will be recognized  during the first quarter of
2002 and will  have no effect  upon  third  quarter  earnings  or on any  period
subsequent  to the  first  quarter,  nor will the  charge  have  any  effect  on
operating earnings or tangible capital ratios.


SIGNATURE


     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                                     BANKATLANTIC BANCORP, INC.



                                                     By:/s/James A. White
                                                         James A. White
                                                      Chief Financial Officer