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Issue – The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is proposing to amend Regulation Z. Regulation Z generally limits the total amount of fees that a credit card issuer may require a consumer to pay with respect to an account, limiting fees to 25 percent of the credit limit in effect when the account is opened. Regulation Z currently states that this limitation applies prior to account opening and during the first year after account […]

Over the years many of you have heard me discuss the rescission rules contained in Regulation Z. I always explained that if the lender screws up and fails to give the notice, fails to give a timely notice, fails to give the correct notice, fails to properly complete the notice, fails to wait three days before distributing the form, fails to give timely and accurate TIL disclosures, or makes any one of several other errors […]

Better late than never! Yesterday the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau provided long-awaited guidance (CFPB Bulletin 2012-02) on the Regulation Z Loan Originator Compensation rules that were effective in April 2011. The Compensation Rules provide that no loan originator may receive (and no person may pay to a loan originator), directly or indirectly, compensation that is based on any terms or conditions of a mortgage transaction. The Commentary to the Regulation clarifies that compensation includes salaries, […]

While the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has been developing and testing the combined TIL/RESPA forms a number of issues have come to their attention. Following are a few items in their crosshairs: Many lenders and mortgage brokers provide consumers with preliminary estimates of loan terms and settlement costs that are not mandated by TILA or RESPA. The CFPB is considering whether to require that these preliminary estimates carry a disclaimer that tells the consumer […]

The rules, which were effective April 1, 2011, restrict the methods available to compensate mortgage loan originators. The rules are confusing. Interpretations are lacking. The rules were issued by the Federal Reserve Board, but then in July authority for Regulation Z transferred from the Federal Reserve to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The CFPB has not issued any interpretations for the regulations it inherited from the the agencies. But issues and questions persist, especially […]