Archive

PROPOSED REVISION TO 2013 FINAL ESCROW RULE

On April 11, 2013 the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed revisions to the final rule it adopted in January 2013. The proposal clarifies the determination method for the “rural” and “underserved” designations and keeps in place certain existing protections for HPMLs until other similar provisions take effect in January 2014. The January rule can be read to cut off certain existing consumer protections before the new expanded protections take effect. The confusion arose because […]

CFPB ABILITY TO REPAY AND QM GUIDANCE

On April 10, 2013 the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau published two compliance tools to assist financial institutions with implementation of the ability to repay and the qualified mortgage rules. The first tool is a 45-page booklet entitled Ability-to-Repay and Qualified Mortgage Rule – Small Entity Compliance Guide. The Guide is available here. The second tool is a 1½ page chart entitled General Comparison of Ability-to-Repay Requirements with Qualified Mortgages. The chart is available here.

CFPB ISSUES FINAL CREDIT CARD FEE RULE

Recently the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized a revision to a 2011 rule on credit card fees. The 2009 Credit CARD Act (CARD Act) limited certain fees charged during the first year after the account is opened to 25 percent of the account’s initial credit limit. In April 2011, the Federal Reserve Board amended its rules implementing the CARD Act to extend this limitation to fees that the consumer must pay prior to opening […]

CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS AND CREDIT REPORTS FOR LOAN ORIGINATORS

I have had a lot of questions regarding new loan originator qualification standards that take effect on January 10, 2014. On January 20, 2013 the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) published revisions to Regulation Z that expand the SAFE Act requirements that apply to Loan Originators. It is odd that SAFE Act revisions end up in the Truth in Lending Act, but this not the most seriously odd thing that Congress has done lately. Section […]

CFPB PUBLISHES PRELIMINARY LIST OF RURAL AND UNDERSERVED COUNTIES

On March 12, 2013 the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced the availability of a preliminary list of rural and underserved counties. The final list will be available before June 1, 2013. The list has significant impact on several regulatory requirements, as follows: On June 1, 2013, the CFPB’s Escrow Requirements under the Truth in Lending Act rule (Escrows Rule) will go into effect, which require certain creditors to create escrow accounts for a minimum of 5 […]