SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                                   FORM 10-K/A
                                 Amendment No. 1
(Mark One)
[X]   Annual report pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
      Act of 1934 for the fiscal year ended  December 31, 2002 or
                                            ------------------
[ ]   Transition report pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
      Exchange Act of 1934 for the transition period from         to
                                                         ---------  ----------

Commission file number     1-10312

                             SYNOVUS FINANCIAL CORP.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

     Georgia                                                 58-1134883
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation               (I.R.S. Employer
 or organization)                                            Identification No.)

One Arsenal Place, 901 Front Avenue
Suite 301, Columbus, Georgia                                 31901
(Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)         (706) 649-5220

           Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
  Title of each class                  Name of each exchange on which registered
  -------------------                  -----------------------------------------
Common Stock, $1.00 Par Value          New York Stock Exchange
Common Stock Purchase Rights           New York Stock Exchange

           Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
                                      NONE
         Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 during the preceding 12 months, and (2) has been subject to such filing
requirements for the past 90 days.
                  YES    X                             NO___________
                     -----------

         Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to
Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained,
to the best of Registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information
statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any
amendment to this Form 10-K. [ ]

         Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is an accelerated filer
(as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).
                  YES    X                             NO___________
                     -----------

         As of February 17, 2003, 300,449,238 shares of the $1.00 par value
common stock of Synovus Financial Corp. were outstanding. The aggregate market
value of the shares of $1.00 par value common stock of Synovus Financial Corp.
held by nonaffiliates on December 31, 2002 was approximately $6,323,807,000
(based upon the closing share price of such stock on June 28, 2002).

         Portions of Registrant's Proxy Statement, including Financial Appendix,
dated March 21, 2003 are incorporated in Parts I, II, III and IV of this report.




         The undersigned registrant hereby amends Item 15 of its Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002 by adding Exhibit 99.1,
the Annual Report on Form 11-K for the Synovus Financial Corp. Employee Stock
Purchase Plan for the year ended December 31, 2002 and by adding Exhibit 99.2,
the Annual Report on Form 11-K for the Synovus Financial Corp. Director Stock
Purchase Plan for the year ended December 31, 2002 as set forth below and in the
attached exhibits.

                                     Part IV

Item 15.  Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules and Reports on Form 8-K

         (a)  1.  Financial Statements

                  The following Consolidated Financial Statements of Synovus
                  Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries are specifically
                  incorporated by reference from pages F-2 through F-26 and F-28
                  of the Financial Appendix to Synovus' Proxy Statement in
                  response to Item 8, Part II, Financial Statements and
                  Supplementary Data.

                      Consolidated Balance Sheets - December 31, 2002 and 2001

                      Consolidated Statements of Income - Years Ended December
                      31, 2002, 2001 and 2000

                      Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity
                      - Years Ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000

                      Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - Years Ended
                      December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000

                      Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements - December 31,
                      2002, 2001 and 2000

                      Independent Auditors' Report

              2.  Financial Statement Schedules

                  Financial Statement Schedules - None applicable because the
                  required information has been incorporated in the Consolidated
                  Financial Statements of Synovus Financial Corp. and its
                  subsidiaries incorporated by reference herein.

              3.  Exhibits

                                       2



              Exhibit
              Number       Description
              -------      -----------

              3.1   Articles of Incorporation, as amended, of Synovus Financial
                    Corp. ("Synovus") incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4(a)
                    of Synovus' Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with
                    the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 23, 1990
                    (File No. 33-35926).

              3.2   Bylaws, as amended, of Synovus, incorporated by reference to
                    Exhibit 4.2 of Synovus' Registration Statement on Form S-4
                    filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January
                    16, 2003 (File No. 333-102370).

              4.1   Form of Rights Agreement incorporated by reference to
                    Exhibit 4.1 of Synovus' Registration Statement on Form 8-A
                    dated April 28, 1999 filed with the Commission on April 28,
                    1999 pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act
                    of 1934, as amended.

         10.  EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION PLANS AND ARRANGEMENTS

              10.1  Employment Agreement of James D. Yancey with Synovus
                    incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of Synovus'
                    Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Commission
                    on December 18, 1990 (File No. 33-38244).

              10.2  Incentive Bonus Plan of Synovus incorporated by reference to
                    Exhibit 10.5 of Synovus' Registration Statement on Form S-1
                    filed with the Commission on December 18, 1990 (File No.
                    33-38244).

              10.3  Director Stock Purchase Plan of Synovus incorporated by
                    reference to Exhibit 10.3 of Synovus' Annual Report on Form
                    10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999, as filed
                    with the Commission on March 22, 2000.

              10.4  Synovus Financial Corp. 2002 Long-Term Incentive Plan
                    incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 of Synovus' Annual
                    Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
                    2001, as filed with the Commission on March 21, 2002.

              10.5  Synovus Financial Corp. Deferred Stock Option Plan
                    incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 of Synovus' Annual
                    Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
                    2001, as filed with the Commission on March 21, 2002.

                                       3


              10.6  Consulting Agreement of H. Lynn Page with Synovus
                    incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 of Synovus' Annual
                    Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
                    1992, as filed with the Commission on March 29, 1993.

              10.7  Synovus Financial Corp. Directors' Deferred Compensation
                    Plan incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 of Synovus'
                    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
                    December 31, 2001, as filed with the Commission on March 21,
                    2002.

              10.8  Wage Continuation Agreement of Synovus incorporated by
                    reference to Exhibit 10.8 of Synovus' Annual Report on Form
                    10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1992, as filed
                    with the Commission on March 29, 1993.

              10.9  1991 Stock Option Plan for Key Executives of Synovus
                    incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 of Synovus' Annual
                    Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
                    1992, as filed with the Commission on March 29, 1993.

              10.10 Synovus Financial Corp. 1992 Long-Term Incentive Plan
                    incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 of Synovus'
                    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
                    December 31, 1992, as filed with the Commission on March 29,
                    1993.

              10.11 Agreement in Connection with Use of Aircraft incorporated
                    by reference to Exhibit 10.11 of Synovus' Annual Report on
                    Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1992, as
                    filed with the Commission on March 29, 1993.

              10.12 Life Insurance Trusts incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                    10.12 of Synovus' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
                    year ended December 31, 1992, as filed with the Commission
                    on March 29, 1993.

              10.13 Supplemental Compensation Agreement, Incentive Compensation
                    Agreements and Performance Compensation Agreement with
                    Richard E. Anthony; which Agreements were assumed by Synovus
                    on December 31, 1992 as a result of its acquisition of First
                    Commercial Bancshares, Inc.; and which stock awards made
                    pursuant to the Agreements were converted at a ratio of 1.5
                    to 1, the exchange ratio applicable to the merger
                    incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.13 of Synovus'
                    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
                    December 31, 1992, as filed with the Commission on March 29,
                    1993.

                                       4


              10.14 1993 Split Dollar Insurance Agreement of Synovus
                    incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.14 of Synovus'
                    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
                    December 31, 1993, as filed with the Commission on March 28,
                    1994.

              10.15 1995 Split Dollar Insurance Agreement of Synovus
                    incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.15 of Synovus'
                    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
                    December 31, 1994, as filed with the Commission on March 24,
                    1995.

              10.16 Synovus Financial Corp. 1994 Long-Term Incentive Plan
                    incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.16 of Synovus'
                    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
                    December 31, 1994, as filed with the Commission on March 24,
                    1995.

              10.17 Synovus Financial Corp./Total System Services, Inc.
                    Deferred Compensation Plan incorporated by reference to
                    Exhibit 10.17 of Synovus' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
                    fiscal year ended December 31, 2001, as filed with the
                    Commission on March 21, 2002.

              10.18 Synovus Financial Corp. Executive Bonus Plan incorporated
                    by reference to Exhibit 10.18 of Synovus' Annual Report on
                    Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1995, as
                    filed with the Commission on March 25, 1996.

              10.19 Change of Control Agreements incorporated by reference to
                    Exhibit 10.19 of Synovus' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
                    fiscal year ended December 31, 1995, as filed with the
                    Commission on March 25, 1996.

              10.20 Consulting Agreement of Joe E. Beverly incorporated by
                    reference to Exhibit 10.20 of Synovus' Annual Report on Form
                    10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, as filed
                    with the Commission on March 6, 1997.

              10.21 Employment Agreement of James H. Blanchard incorporated by
                    reference to Exhibit 10 of Synovus' Quarterly Report on Form
                    10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1999, as filed with
                    the Commission on November 15, 1999.

              10.22 Synovus Financial Corp. 2000 Long-Term Incentive Plan
                    incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.22 of Synovus'
                    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
                    December 31, 1999, as filed with the Commission on March 22,
                    2000.

                                       5


              20.1  Proxy Statement, including Financial Appendix, for the
                    Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Synovus to be held on
                    April 24, 2003, certain specified pages of which are
                    specifically incorporated herein by reference.

              21.1  Subsidiaries of Synovus Financial Corp.

              23.1* Independent Auditors' Consents.

              24.1  Powers of Attorney contained on the signature pages of the
                    2002 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

              99.1* Annual Report on Form 11-K for the Synovus Financial Corp.
                    Employee Stock Purchase Plan for the year ended December 31,
                    2002.

              99.2* Annual Report on Form 11-K for the Synovus Financial Corp.
                    Director Stock Purchase Plan for the year ended December 31,
                    2002.

              99.3* Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to
                    Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

              99.4* Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to
                    Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

              *Filed herewith.

         Synovus agrees to furnish the Commission, upon request, a copy of each
instrument with respect to issues of long-term debt. The principal amount of any
individual instrument, which has not been previously filed, does not exceed ten
percent of the total assets of Synovus and its subsidiaries on a consolidated
basis.

         (b)  Reports on Form 8-K

                  On October 15, 2002, Synovus filed a Form 8-K with the
Commission in connection with the announcement of its earnings for the third
quarter of 2002.

Filings\snv\11knew.doc

                                        6




                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, Synovus Financial Corp. has duly caused this
report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                                            SYNOVUS FINANCIAL CORP.
                                            (Registrant)

         April 22, 2003
                                            By:/s/James H. Blanchard
                                               --------------------------------
                                               James H. Blanchard,
                                               Chairman of the Board and
                                               Principal Executive Officer






                                       7





                    Certification of Chief Executive Officer

I, James H. Blanchard, certify that:

1.       I have reviewed this Amendment No. 1 to the annual report on Form 10-K
         of Synovus Financial Corp.;

2.       Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue
         statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
         to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which
         such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period
         covered by this annual report;

3.       Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
         information included in this annual report, fairly present in all
         material respects the financial condition, results of operations and
         cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in
         this annual report;

4.       The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
         establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
         defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and
         we have:

         a)     designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that
                material information relating to the registrant, including its
                consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within
                those entities, particularly during the period in which this
                annual report is being prepared;

         b)     evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
                controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the
                filing date of this annual report (the "Evaluation Date"); and

         c)     presented in this annual report our conclusions about the
                effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on
                our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

5.       The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based
         on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the
         audit committee of registrant's board of directors (or persons
         performing the equivalent function):

         a)     all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
                internal controls which could adversely affect the registrant's
                ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data
                and have identified for the registrant's auditors any material
                weaknesses in internal controls; and

         b)     any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or

                                       8


                other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
                internal controls; and

6.       The registrant's other certifying officers and I have indicated in this
         annual report whether or not there were significant changes in internal
         controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal
         controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation,
         including any corrective actions with regard to significant
         deficiencies and material weaknesses.


Date:  April 22, 2003                      /s/James H. Blanchard
                                           -------------------------------------
                                              James H. Blanchard
                                              Chief Executive Officer










                                       9






                    Certification of Chief Financial Officer

I, Thomas J. Prescott,  certify that:

1.       I have reviewed this Amendment No. 1 to the annual report on Form 10-K
         of Synovus Financial Corp.;

2.       Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue
         statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
         to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which
         such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period
         covered by this annual report;

3.       Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
         information included in this annual report, fairly present in all
         material respects the financial condition, results of operations and
         cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in
         this annual report;

4.       The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
         establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
         defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and
         we have:

         a)     designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that
                material information relating to the registrant, including its
                consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within
                those entities, particularly during the period in which this
                annual report is being prepared;

         b)     evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
                controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the
                filing date of this annual report (the "Evaluation Date"); and

         c)     presented in this annual report our conclusions about the
                effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on
                our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

5.       The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based
         on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the
         audit committee of registrant's board of directors (or persons
         performing the equivalent function):

         a)     all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
                internal controls which could adversely affect the registrant's
                ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data
                and have identified for the registrant's auditors any material
                weaknesses in internal controls; and

                                       10





         b)     any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
                other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
                internal controls; and

6.       The registrant's other certifying officers and I have indicated in this
         annual report whether or not there were significant changes in internal
         controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal
         controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation,
         including any corrective actions with regard to significant
         deficiencies and material weaknesses.


Date:  April 22, 2003                      /s/Thomas J. Prescott
                                           -------------------------------------
                                              Thomas J. Prescott
                                              Chief Financial Officer












                                       11

                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit
Number        Description

23.1          Independent Auditors' Consents

99.1          Annual Report on Form 11-K for the Synovus Financial Corp.
              Employee Stock Purchase Plan for the year ended
              December 31, 2002.

99.2          Annual Report on Form 11-K for the Synovus Financial Corp.
              Director Stock Purchase Plan for the year ended
              December 31, 2002.

99.3          CEO Certification

99.4          CFO Certification