CFPB Proposes Revised Remittance Transfer Rule

CFPB EFTA Remittance Money Service / Money Transmitters

On December 21, the CFPB proposed revisions to the remittance transfer rule it finalized earlier this year and already once modified. The proposed revisions follow a November 2012 bulletin from the CFPB in which it stated its intent to pursue a fast-track rulemaking to delay the effective date of the rule while addressing certain industry-raised concerns. The proposed revised rule would (i) provide increased flexibility and guidance with respect to the disclosure of taxes imposed by a foreign country’s central government, as well as fees imposed by a recipient’s institution for receiving a remittance transfer in an account, (ii) require disclosure of foreign taxes imposed by a country’s central government, but would eliminate the requirement to disclose taxes imposed by foreign regional, provincial, state, or other local governments, and (iii) require a provider to attempt to recover funds without bearing the cost of funds that cannot be recovered, when the provider can demonstrate that the consumer provided an incorrect account number and certain other conditions are met. The proposed rule also would push back the effective date of the remittance transfer rule from February 7, 2013, to 90 days after the revised rule is finalized. The CFPB is accepting comments on the delayed effective date for 15 days following publication in the Federal Register, and it is accepting comments on the substantive revisions for 30 days following publication in the Federal Register.