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Financial Services Law Insights and Observations

Kraninger: ATR/QM, Remittance Rules expected in May

Agency Rule-Making & Guidance CFPB Ability To Repay Qualified Mortgage Regulation Z GSE Remittance Rule

Agency Rule-Making & Guidance

On February 25, in a speech before the Credit Union National Association Government Affairs Conference, CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger discussed the Bureau’s rulemaking approach in the consumer financial marketplace. Specifically, Kraninger reminded attendees that the Bureau’s Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) on the Ability to Repay/Qualified Mortgage Rule (ATR/QM rule) issued last July signaled its “intent to allow the patch to expire as intended in January 2021 or shortly thereafter to allow for a smooth and orderly transition.” As previously covered by a Buckley Special Alert, the ANPR solicited feedback on, among other things, whether the debt-to-income ratio should be altered and how Regulation Z and the ATR/QM Rule should be amended to minimize disruption from the so-called GSE patch expiration. Following a review of all received public comments, Kraninger stated that the Bureau has “decided to propose to amend the QM rule by moving away from the 43 percent debt-to-income ratio requirement,” and will instead “propose an alternative, such as [a] pricing threshold to better ensure that responsible, affordable mortgage credit remains available for consumers.” A proposed rule seeking comments on possible amendments will be issued no later than May, Kraninger stated.

Kraninger also discussed possible amendments to the Remittance Rule (Rule), which implements the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and requires financial companies handling international money transfers, or remittance transfers, to disclose exact fees and exchange rates. The Bureau issued a Request for Information last April on two aspects of the Rule (covered by InfoBytes here), and a follow-up Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) in December (covered by InfoBytes here) to propose a permanent safe harbor for financial companies that provide 500 or fewer remittance transfers a year. According to Kraninger, “[t]his would reduce the burden on over 400 banks and almost 250 credit unions that send a relatively small number of remittances. Ultimately, by allowing the use of estimates in some circumstances and adjusting the threshold for coverage under the rule, . . . [the] proposal was designed to preserve consumers’ ability to send remittances from their bank accounts to certain destinations.” The Bureau plans to finalize the remittances rulemaking in May.

Kraninger also commented on the Bureau’s regulatory review process, and reminded attendees of its “Start Small, Save Up” initiative, which encourages partnerships between financial companies/service providers and the Bureau in order to develop savings products for consumers.