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Helpful Resources for the Approaching ATR/QM Rule Effective Date
As the January 10, 2014 effective date for the ATR/QM Rule approaches, a number of questions remain about the requirements for QM and non-QM loans. Some of our clients have found the CFPB Comparison Chart outlining the contours of the rule helpful in gaining a general understanding of these requirements. In addition, we are assisting our clients with more difficult questions, such as how to comply with the underwriting requirements for non-QM loans and how to treat bona fide discount points, charges retained by affiliates, and fees paid for outsourced origination services under the QM points and fees test.
Please contact us if we can be of assistance on these or other matters. Questions may be directed to one of the lawyers listed below or to any other BuckleySandler attorney with whom you have consulted in the past:
- Jeffrey P. Naimon, Partner, (202) 349-8030, jnaimon@buckleyfirm.com
- Clinton R. Rockwell, Partner, (310) 424-3901, crockwell@buckleyfirm.com
- John P. Kromer, Partner, (202) 349-8040, jkromer@buckleyfirm.com
- Joseph M. Kolar, Partner, (202) 349-8020, jkolar@buckleyfirm.com
- Jon D. Langlois, Counsel, (202) 349-8045, jlanglois@buckleyfirm.com
For more information, insights, and observations on these issues from our attorneys, download our Special Alert on the final rule and Special Alert on amendments to the final rule, and visit BuckleySandler’s CFPB Resource Center.
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Update Selling Policies Based on CFPB QM Rule
On August 20, Fannie Mae issued Announcement SEL-2013-06 and Freddie Mac published Bulletin 2013-16, both of which update numerous selling requirements in response to the CFPB’s final Ability-to-Repay/Qualified Mortgage (ATR/QM) rule. As promised in their July 2013 notices to sellers, the issuances (i) detail new mortgage eligibility requirements (e.g., retirement of mortgages with original maturities in excess of 30 years and making mortgages with prepayment penalties ineligible for sale) (ii) revise thresholds for points and fees, (iii) revise higher-priced mortgage loans eligibility requirements, and (iv) remind sellers of other policies, including those related to the representation and warranty framework announced in September 2012. The changes take effect when the ATR/QM rule goes into effect on January 10, 2014.
CFPB Releases Updated Ability-to-Repay/Qualified Mortgage Rule Implementation Resources
On August 14, the CFPB released an updated small business guide for the ability-to-repay / qualified mortgage rule it finalized early this year. The CFPB also released (i) a video that provides an overview of the rule and the recent changes and (ii) implementation guidance. The updated guide incorporates clarifications and amendments to the rules issued on May 29, 2013 and July 10, 2013, respectively. For analyses on the revisions incorporated into the update, see the Special Alerts released by BuckleySandler in May 2013 and July 2013.
Senate Banking Leaders Offer Bipartisan FHA Reform Bill
On July 15, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-ID) released a discussion draft of a bill intended to improve the solvency of the FHA’s Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund (MMI Fund). As with legislation recently passed by the House, the bill would allow HUD to manage its HECM program through mortgagee letters. Unlike the House bill, this draft further would require that, whenever HUD issues a HECM mortgagee letter, it also initiate a proposed rulemaking that addresses the subject of the mortgagee letter. The bill also would require that, for a mortgage to be eligible for insurance under the HECM program, the mortgage must contain terms and provisions for ensuring property maintenance, establishing escrow accounts, performing financial assessments, or limiting the amount of any payment made available under the mortgage.
In addition, the bill includes changes to the broader FHA insurance program, including provisions similar to those in a bill passed by the House last year with overwhelming bipartisan support. It would, for example, (i) set a minimum annual mortgage insurance premium of at least 55 basis points and increase existing up-front and annual premium caps by 50 basis points, (ii) direct HUD to establish underwriting standards using criteria similar to the CFPB’s criteria for Qualified Mortgages, and (iii) require that the MMI Fund achieve a capital reserve ratio of 3% within 10 years of enactment and establish escalating reporting requirements and program evaluations that take effect immediately if the capital ratio falls below required levels. Further, the bill would, among other things, (i) enhance HUD’s ability to seek indemnification from FHA-approved mortgagees approved to originate loans under the lender insurance program or the direct endorsement program, (ii) expand the criteria HUD uses to compare mortgagee performance and to allow HUD to terminate a mortgagee’s approval on a national basis, and (iii) require HUD to develop a single resource guide for lenders and servicers regarding the requirements, policies, processes, and procedures that apply to loans insured by FHA.
The committee has scheduled a legislative hearing on the bill for July 24, 2013.
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Provide Additional Information Regarding QM Requirements
On July 2, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac provided lenders additional information about eligibility criteria for mortgages with application dates on or after January 10, 2014. Recently, the FHFA directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to limit future mortgage acquisitions to loans that meet the requirements for qualified mortgages under the CFPB’s ability-to-repay/qualified mortgage rule. The letters state that, effective January 10, 2014, mortgages will be eligible for sale to either entity only if they (i) are fully amortizing, (ii) have terms no longer than 30 years, and (iii) have points and fees of 3% or less of the total loan amount. In addition, both entities will continue to purchase mortgage loans that are exempt from the ability-to-repay rule. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac anticipate updating policies regarding representations and warranties, as well as certain policies related to loan eligibility in August 2013, and plan to provide information about how they will test for compliance with the new eligibility criteria in September 2013.
CFPB Publishes 2014 List of Rural Counties
On July 2, the CFPB published a final list of rural and underserved counties for use in 2014. Several of the CFPB’s new mortgage rules include provisions and exceptions related to creditors who operate in predominantly rural or underserved counties, including the ability-to-repay/qualified mortgage rule and the TILA escrows rule. The CFPB notes that the list has changed based on 2010 census data such that some small creditors will lose eligibility for certain mortgage rule exemptions. Based on those changes and extensive feedback the CFPB has received about the definition of rural and underserved counties, the CFPB reminded institutions that it (i) recently revised its ability-to-repay rule to extend the ability to originate balloon QMs to certain small creditors that do not operate predominantly in rural or underserved areas during the period from January 10, 2014, to January 10, 2016, (ii) recently proposed to extend the same treatment to these small creditors for purposes of the high-cost mortgage balloon exemption, and (iii) proposed to extend eligibility for the rural or underserved exemption from the escrow requirement to creditors that operated predominantly in rural or underserved counties in any of the previous three years.
Special Alert: CFPB Finalizes Additional Amendments to ATR/QM Rule; Agencies Propose Appraisal Rule Amendments
On July 10, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("Bureau") finalized important amendments (the "Amendments") to its ability-to-repay / qualified mortgage rule (the "QM / ATR Rule") that are intended to ease certain compliance challenges with making qualified mortgages ("QMs"). In response to industry concerns on the extensive underwriting requirements in Regulation Z's new Appendix Q, the Bureau acknowledged that certain of its provisions were "not well-suited to function as regulatory requirements" and, as a result, finalized major revisions to the methodology for determining a consumer's monthly debt and income for purposes of making a QM under the 43% debt-to-income ("DTI") underwriting alternative.
The Amendments, which had been proposed in April of this year (the "April Proposal"), also finalize clarifications to its mortgage servicing and escrows rules that were issued this January. Like the mortgage rules themselves, the Amendments will take effect on January 10, 2014.
Separately, on the same date, the Bureau, together with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Federal Housing Finance Agency, National Credit Union Administration, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the "Agencies") issued proposed amendments to their January 2013 final rule governing appraisal practices.
Click here to read the special alert.
Questions regarding the matters discussed in this Alert may be directed to any of our lawyers listed below, or to any other BuckleySandler attorney with whom you have consulted in the past.
- Jeffrey P. Naimon, (202) 349-8030, jnaimon@buckleyfirm.com
- Clinton R. Rockwell, (310) 424-3901, crockwell@buckleyfirm.com
- John P. Kromer, (202) 349-8040, jkromer@buckleyfirm.com
- Joseph M. Kolar, (202) 349-8020, jkolar@buckleyfirm.com
- Jon Langlois (202) 349-8045, jlanglois@buckleyfirm.com
CFPB Director Affirms Mortgage Rule Effective Dates, Acknowledges Potential Secondary Market Impacts
On Wednesday, CFPB Director Richard Cordray delivered remarks at an Exchequer Club luncheon in Washington, DC. During a brief question and answer segment, Mr. Cordray confirmed that the Bureau does not intend to delay the effective date of the mortgage rules and fully expects institutions to be in compliance when the rules take effect in January 2014. Financial institutions and their trade associations have expressed concern about implementing certain aspects of the myriad rules in the short time allowed by the CFPB and the potential impact on credit markets. Most recently industry representatives highlighted specific challenges at a House Financial Services Committee hearing that focused on the potential effects of the ability-to-repay/qualified mortgage (ATR/QM) rule.
Mr. Cordray generally downplayed the potential market impact and cost of compliance with the CFPB’s mortgage rules, with a particular focus on the ATR/QM rule. Mr. Cordray explained the CFPB expects that the spread between QM and non-QM loans, if passed to the consumer, should be only 10 basis points, and that, as a result, concerns over the significant cost of compliance with the ATR/QM rule’s requirements are overblown. Some market participants believe this estimate may be overly optimistic and not in line with the factors they are considering in making pricing decisions on non-QM loans. These observers believe that the underlying CFPB economic analysis for the estimate includes a series of critical assumptions based on limited data, such as the probability that a borrower will allege a rule violation and estimated repurchase and litigation costs.
Mr. Cordray reiterated the agency’s promise to provide further guidance on the interplay of fair lending compliance and QM lending although, given his expectations that QM and non-QM loans will not vary significantly from a pricing perspective, he expressed the view that the issue is not a major concern. He also downplayed concerns that changes to FHA premium requirements will cause more QM loans to exceed the APR threshold required for QM safe harbor status, an issue recently addressed by FHA Commissioner Galante.
In response to an observation from BuckleySandler Partner Jerry Buckley that the assignee liability provisions of the ATR/QM rule may act as an impediment to private capital re-entering the secondary market -- an issue that could become more critical since the Federal Reserve Board has signaled it may soon begin to taper its quantitative easing activities, which have buoyed secondary market liquidity -- Mr. Cordray acknowledged that the provision could possibly serve as a brake on secondary market liquidity. He also noted the CFPB’s ongoing work with the FHFA to develop a national mortgage database, which is intended to allow the agencies to monitor, among other things, the health of the secondary market.
FHA Commissioner Issues Statement on Insurance Premiums and HPMLs
On June 3, FHA Commissioner Carol Galante issued a statement in response to lenders’ concern that new monthly mortgage insurance premium requirements will increase the APR on FHA mortgages resulting in more mortgages exceeding Regulation Z’s high priced mortgage loan (HPML) threshold. Mortgagee Letter 2013-04 requires most borrowers to continue paying annual premiums for the life of their mortgage loan, reversing a policy adopted in 2001 under which the FHA cancelled premium requirements on loans when the outstanding principal balance reached 78 percent of the original principal balance. Commissioner Galante’s statement acknowledges the concern, but states that all lenders are expected to comply with existing Regulation Z requirement for HPMLs. Her statement provides guidance, based on consultation with the CFPB, as to how HPML requirements differ from FHA requirements related to escrow accounts, appraisals, ability to repay, and prepayment penalties. Commissioner Galante also stated that the FHA continues to work on defining an FHA qualified mortgage standard to address these issues.
Special Alert: CFPB Finalizes Amendments to the Ability-to-Repay/Qualified Mortgage Rule
Yesterday afternoon, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("Bureau") finalized important amendments (the "Amendments") to its ability-to-repay / qualified mortgage rule (the "Rule") concerning the extent to which loan originator compensation must be included as "points and fees" under the Rule. The calculation of points and fees is a critical aspect of the Rule because a loan generally cannot be a "qualified mortgage" ("QM") - a designation that provides the lender with a degree of protection against asserted violations of the ability-to-repay requirements - if points and fees exceed 3% of the loan balance. Furthermore, the same calculation method is used to determine whether points and fees exceed 5% of the loan balance for purposes of coverage under the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act ("HOEPA"). The Amendments, which had been proposed concurrently with the Rule itself in January of this year (the "Concurrent Proposal"), address instances in which the Rule would have required lenders to "double count" payments of loan originator compensation as points and fees.
Despite industry requests, the Amendments make no changes to the provision in the Rule requiring that many payments to creditor affiliates be included in points and fees. In addition to points and fees, the Amendments address how "small creditors" can make QMs, and contain narrow exemptions from the Rule for certain types of creditors and for extensions of credit made pursuant to certain lending programs. Like the Rule itself, the Amendments will take effect on January 10, 2014. Concurrent with the Amendments, the Bureau delayed the effective date of a separate provision, which generally prohibits creditors from financing credit insurance premiums, from June 1, 2013 to January 10, 2014.