Archive

JUNE 1, 2014 NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM CHANGES

Recently the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) published a summary of the changes to the National Flood Insurance Program that will be effective on June 1, 2014. The changes result from the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012. The summary provides an excellent overview of some of the fun that is ahead of us. A copy of the notice is available here.   Notice to Compliance Masters Group Members – The upcoming changes to […]

CHANGE IN WAITING PERIOD FOR FLOOD INSURANCE

Effective October 1, 2013 the National Flood Insurance Program no longer allows an exception to the 30-day waiting period for policies that are required as a result of a lender determining that a loan on a building in a Special Flood Hazard Area that does not have flood insurance coverage should be protected by flood insurance. The only allowable exceptions to the 30-day waiting period are: A. The initial purchase of flood insurance coverage in […]

PERMISSIBLE PAYMENTS TO LOAN ORIGINATORS

Recently I received a question about appropriate methods of compensating loan originators. Section 1026.36(d) of Regulation Z prohibits payments to loan originators based on the terms of the transaction. Restrictions on compensation to loan originators have been in place for several years. The latest revisions to the rules are effective January 10, 2014. While there are several significant issues resolved by the January 10th revisions, the question involved a less significant part of the rules. […]

POINTS AND FEES – INDEX RATE FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY

When calculating points and fees §1026.32(b)(1)(i)(E and F) allow the creditor to exclude from the calculation up to two bona fide discount points under §1026.32(b)(1)(i)(E), or up to one bona fide discount point under §1026.32(b)(1)(i)(F),  paid by the consumer in connection with the transaction, if certain conditions are met. When a loan is secured by personal property, such as a mobile home, the condition is that the interest rate without any discount does not exceed […]

FLURRY OF YEAR-END THRESHOLD ADJUSTMENTS

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) just completed the usual year-end chore of updating various thresholds. The changes are based on the annual percentage change in the average of the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for various periods in 2013. Escrow Exemption for HPMLs – On December 30, 2013 the CFPB amended the official commentary that interprets the requirements of Regulation Z (Truth in Lending) to reflect a change in […]