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Federal Reserve to phase out Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR) “qualitative objection”
On March 6, the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) announced plans to limit the use of the “qualitative objection” in its Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR) exercise. Effective for the 2019 cycle, large U.S. bank holding companies and U.S. intermediate holding companies of foreign banking organizations that participate in four CCAR exercises and successfully pass the qualitative evaluation in the fourth year will no longer be subject to the evaluation under the final rule, which measures firms’ ability on a forward-looking basis to determine capital needs. Firms that fail to pass in the fourth year, the Fed noted, will continue to be subject to a possible qualitative objection until they pass. Moreover, all firms’ capital planning processes will still be evaluated, and firms will be required to pass the quantitative evaluation, which evaluates their ability to maintain minimum levels of capital under hypothetical stress scenarios. Furthermore, the Fed stated that it plans to no longer issue qualitative objections to any firms effective January 1, 2021, with the exception of firms who receive a qualitative objection the preceding year. Along with the final rule, the Fed released instructions for this year’s CCAR exercise, confirming that five of the 18 firms subject to this year’s CCAR exercises will possibly be subject to a qualitative objection.
CFPB seeks comments on PACE financing
On March 4, the CFPB issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) on Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing, which often takes the form of loans to facilitate residential solar energy and other home improvement projects. The ANPR was issued in response to Section 307 of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, which amended TILA to mandate the CFPB propose regulations related to PACE financing. Specifically, the regulations are required to carry out the purposes of TILA’s ability-to-repay requirements and apply TILA’s general civil liability provisions for violations, accounting for the “unique nature” of the transaction. In addition to seeking feedback on the unique features of PACE financing and the general implications of regulating PACE financing under TILA, the ANPR also requests commenters (i) provide samples of any written materials used in PACE financing transactions; (ii) describe the current standards and practices in PACE financing origination, including application information obtained and underwriting standards used; and (iii) identify parties in a PACE financing transaction to whom civil liabilities may apply, including information related to any rescission rights and loss mitigation programs available upon borrower default. Comments must be submitted within 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.
Federal Reserve clarifies new supervisory rating system for large financial institutions
On February 26, the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) issued clarifying guidance on the new rating system for the supervision of large financial institutions (LFIs). According to SR 19-3, the new LFI rating system replaces the current bank holding company (BHC) rating system and will evaluate and communicate the supervisory condition of: BHCs with total consolidated assets of $100 billion or more; all non-insurance, non-commercial savings and loan holding companies (SLHC) with total consolidated assets of $100 billion or greater; and the U.S. operations of foreign banking organizations with combined U.S. assets of $50 billion or more. The new rating system supports the Board’s supervisory program for all LFIs, including firms posing the greatest risk to U.S. financial stability. The Fed will assign initial LFI ratings to firms supervised by the Large Institution Supervision Coordinating Committee starting early 2019, and all other firms subject to the LFI rating system will be assigned initial ratings in early 2020. SR 19-4, issued the same day, provides guidance on which rating systems apply to BHCs and SLHCs with assets of less than $100 billion, following the adoption of the new LFI rating system.
CFPB announces electronic submission system for prepaid issuers
On February 27, the CFPB released new technical specifications for prepaid account issuers to use when submitting account agreements pursuant to the prepaid account rule. Issuers can now register to use the new electronic submission system “Collect” before the April 1, 2019 effective date of the Bureau’s prepaid rule. (See previous InfoBytes coverage on the prepaid rule here.) The Bureau reminded issuers that all prepaid account agreements offered as of April 1, 2019, must be submitted to the CFPB by May 1, 2019. After May 1, issuers are required to make rolling submissions to the Bureau within 30 days whenever a new agreement is offered, amendments are made to a previously submitted agreement, or a previously submitted agreement is withdrawn. Along with the technical specifications, the Bureau also released several compliance resources, including a user guide, quick reference guide, FAQs and a recorded webinar.
FDIC releases interagency exam procedures for CFPB’s Prepaid Rule
On February 22, the FDIC issued FIL-9-2019, which announces revisions to interagency examination procedures for evaluating compliance with the CFPB’s Prepaid Accounts Rule. The Rule was originally finalized in October 2016 and expands coverage under Regulation E to provide consumers, among other things, additional federal protections on prepaid financial products, person-to-person payment products, and other electronic accounts with the ability to store funds. (Covered by InfoBytes here.) In January 2018, the CFPB finalized updates to the Rule and delayed the effective date until April 1, 2019. (Covered by InfoBytes here.) The FIL contains a link to the interagency procedures listed in the FDIC Compliance Examination Manual and confirms that after April 1 the examination staff will begin supervising institutions for compliance with the rule.
CFPB releases Small Entity Compliance Guide on parts of the Payday Rule
On February 20, the CFPB released the Small Entity Compliance Guide covering the payment-related requirements of the Payday, Vehicle Title, and High-Cost Installment Lending Rule, which, among other things, prohibits payday and certain other lenders from making a new attempt to withdraw funds from an account where two consecutive attempts have failed unless consumers consent to further withdrawals. (Detailed coverage on the Rule’s payment provisions available here.)
Notwithstanding the Bureau’s recently issued proposed rulemakings (covered by InfoBytes here), which, if finalized, would rescind certain provisions of the Rule related to underwriting standards and seek to delay the Rule’s compliance date for the underwriting provisions until August 2020, the payment-provisions will take effect August 19, 2019.
FHFA issues capital requirements for FHL Bank
On February 20, FHFA published a final rule setting capital requirements for Federal Home Loan Banks (FHL Banks). The final rule carries over without material change most of the existing Federal Housing Finance Board regulations, but substantively revises certain portions of the regulations. Specifically, the final rule, among other things, (i) removes the requirement that FHL Banks calculate credit risk capital charges and unsecured credit limits based on ratings issued by a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (NRSRO), and instead requires FHL Banks to use their own internal rating methodology; (ii) revises the percentages used in the tables to calculate the credit risk capital charges for advances and non-mortgage assets; and (iii) revises the table numbers to align with the Federal Register’s new formatting standards. The rule is effective on January 1, 2020.
VA Circular clarifies rules on cash-out refis
On February 14, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) released Circular 26-19-05 (and on February 15, accompanying Change Circular 26-19-05) to clarify the VA’s interim final rule regarding VA-guaranteed cash-out refinancing loans, which was released in December 2018 and became effective on February 15. The interim final rule was previously covered by InfoBytes. Among other things, the Circular provides clarification regarding (i) the Net Tangible Benefit test; (ii) the contents of the loan comparison and home equity disclosures (including sample 3-day and final loan closing disclosures); (iii) the loan seasoning requirements, including a new obligation that, for loans refinanced within 1 year of the original closing date, lenders obtain a payment history/ledger documentating all payments, unless a credit bureau supplement clearly identifies all payments made in that timeframe; and (iv) the manner by which lenders should calculate fee recoupment.
CFPB releases 2019 lists of rural or underserved counties
On February 12, the CFPB released its annual list of rural counties and rural or underserved counties for lenders to use when determining qualified exemptions to certain TILA regulatory requirements. In connection with the release of the lists, the Bureau also directed lenders to use its web-based Rural or Underserved Areas Tool to assess whether a rural or underserved area qualifies for a safe harbor under TILA’s Regulation Z.
Federal Reserve releases CCAR scenarios; “less-complex” firms exempt from 2019 stress tests
On February 5, the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) released the scenarios banks and supervisors will use to conduct the 2019 Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR) and Dodd-Frank Act stress tests exercises for large bank holding companies and large U.S. operations of foreign firms. Each of the three scenarios—baseline, adverse, and severely adverse—include 28 variables that cover domestic and international economic activity. The Fed noted that “less-complex” firms with total consolidated assets between $100 billion and $250 billion have been moved to an extended stress test cycle for the 2019 cycle. (See related InfoBytes coverage here.) Capital plan and stress testing submissions are due by April 5.
In addition, the Fed finalized enhanced disclosures of the stress testing models used in annual CCARs beginning in 2019, which will be updated each year. The Fed also amended its policy regarding the economic scenario design framework for stress testing, and adopted a policy statement on prior disclosures, which outlines the Fed’s approach to model development, implementation, and validation. The changes are designed to increase the transparency of the stress testing exercises and provide significantly more information for firms.
In related news, also on February 5, the OCC released its own stress testing scenarios for OCC-supervised institutions.