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 opening. The proposal requests comment on whether to amend Regulation Z to apply the limitation only during the first year after account opening.
Comments must be received on or before June 11, 2012.
Background – The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 (Credit Card Act) was signed into law on May 22, 2009. The Credit Card Act added TILA Section 127(n)(1), which states that “[i]f the terms of a credit card account under an open end consumer credit plan require the payment of any fees (other than any late fee, over-the-limit fee, or fee for a payment returned for insufficient funds) by the consumer in the first year during which the account is opened in an aggregate amount in excess of 25 percent of the total amount of credit authorized under the account when the account is opened,” then “no payment of any fees (other than any late fee, over-the-limit fee, or fee for a payment returned for insufficient funds) may be made from the credit made available under the terms of the account.”
On January 12, 2010, the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (Board) issued a final rule implementing new TILA Section 127(n) in 12 CFR 226.52(a). Section 226.52(a) limits the total amount of fees that a credit card issuer may require a consumer to pay with respect to an account to 25 percent of the credit limit in effect when the account is opened. Under the January 2010 final rule, this limitation applied only during the first year after account opening. This rule became effective on February 22, 2010.
On April 8, 2011, the Board issued a final rule expanding § 226.52(a) to apply to fees the consumer is required to pay with respect to an account prior to account opening. The change was based on the Board’s understanding that certain credit card issuers were “requiring consumers to pay application or processing fees prior to account opening that, when combined with other fees charged to the account after account opening, exceed 25 percent of the account’s initial credit limit.” The Board viewed this practice as “inconsistent with the intent of [TILA] Section 127(n)(1) insofar as it alters the statutory relationship between the costs and benefits of opening a credit card account.” The Board’s change to § 226.52(a) was scheduled to become effective on October 1, 2011.
On July 20, 2011, a credit card issuer filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota, alleging that the Board exceeded its authority by expanding § 226.52(a) to apply to fees the consumer is required to pay prior to account opening. On July 21, 2011, the Board’s rulemaking authority to implement the provisions of TILA transferred to the Bureau pursuant to Sections 1061 and 1100A of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act). On August 5, 2011, the card issuer filed a motion for a preliminary injunction, asking the court to postpone the October 1, 2011 effective date with respect to the application of § 226.52 to fees paid prior to account opening. The district court granted the motion for a preliminary injunction on September 23, 2011. As a result of the court’s order, the portion of the Board’s 2011 final rule applying § 226.52(a) to pre-account opening fees has not become effective.
On December 22, 2011, the Bureau issued an interim final rule to reflect its assumption of rulemaking authority over Regulation Z. The interim final rule made only technical changes to Regulation Z, such as noting the Bureau’s authority and renumbering Regulation Z as 12 CFR part 1026. Accordingly, the provision addressed in this proposal and in the litigation discussed above is properly cited as 12 CFR 1026.52(a).
The Bureau is proposing to amend 12 CFR 1026.52(a) to resolve the uncertainty caused by the litigation discussed above. Specifically, the Bureau is proposing to amend § 1026.52(a) to provide that the limitation on credit card fees applies only during the first year after account opening.
Bottom Line – This is only a proposed regulation, so no action is required at this time. If finalized, the rule only impacts credit card accounts that impose unusually high fees on consumers.
