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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.
CFPB proposes to rescind ability-to-repay standards in payday rule
On February 6, the CFPB released two notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) related to certain payday lending requirements under the agency’s 2017 final rule covering “Payday, Vehicle Title, and Certain High-Cost Installment Loans” (the Rule). As previously covered by InfoBytes, last October the Bureau announced plans to reconsider the Rule’s mandatory underwriting requirements and address the Rule’s compliance date.
The first NPRM proposed will rescind certain provisions of the Rule related to underwriting standards for payday loans and related products scheduled to take effect later this year. Specifically, the CFPB proposes to rescind the portion of the Rule that would make it an unfair and abusive practice for a lender to make covered high-interest rate, short-term loans or covered longer-term balloon payment loans without reasonably determining that the consumer has the ability to repay. The proposed changes would also rescind prescribed mandatory underwriting requirements for making the ability-to-repay determination, provisions exempting certain loans from the mandatory underwriting requirements, as well as related definitions, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements. The CFPB explains that it now initially determines that the evidence underlying the identification of the unfair and abusive practice in the Rule “is not sufficiently robust and reliable to support that determination, in light of the impact those provisions will have on the market for covered short-term and longer-term balloon-payment loans, and the ability of consumers to obtain such loans, among other things.” If finalized, the proposals represent a significant change to the Rule as finalized during the tenure of former Bureau Director Richard Cordray in October 2017. (See Buckley Special Alert for more detailed coverage on the Rule.) Comments will be accepted for 90 days following publication in the Federal Register.
The second NPRM seeks to delay the Rule’s compliance date for mandatory underwriting provisions from August 19, 2019 to November 19, 2020. Notably, the Bureau states in a press release announcing the NPRMs that the proposal to delay the effective date does not extend to the Rule’s provisions governing payments, which “prohibit 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.” Lenders also will still be required to provide written notice to consumers both before the first attempt to withdraw payment from their accounts, as well as prior to subsequent attempts involving different dates, amounts, or payment channels. These provisions are not under reconsideration and will take effect August 19, 2019. Comments will be accepted for 30 days following publication in the Federal Register.
OCC revises the Comptroller’s Licensing Manual
On January 31, the OCC announced an updated version of its “Subsidiaries and Equity Investments” booklet of the Comptroller’s Licensing Manual. According to Bulletin 2019-4, the revised booklet now provides additional guidance describing activities that the OCC has determined may be performed in operating subsidiaries and servicer corporations, or through pass-through investments.
FDIC, Federal Reserve issue Voluntary Private Education Loan Rehabilitation Programs advisory
On February 4, the FDIC and the Federal Reserve Board issued a joint advisory on Voluntary Private Education Loan Rehabilitation Programs to alert financial institutions of an amendment to section 623 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) contained within section 602 of the Economic, Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act. The amendment provides a safe harbor from potential claims of inaccurate reporting under the FCRA, provided the financial institutions who choose to offer private education loan rehabilitation programs satisfy section 602’s statutory requirements before removing a reported default from a qualified borrower’s credit report.
CFPB releases TRID FAQs
On January 25, the CFPB released FAQs to assist with TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule (TRID) compliance. Three of the four FAQs relate to corrected closing disclosures and the three business-day waiting period, while the fourth FAQ relates to the use of model forms. Highlights of the FAQs include:
- Under TRID, a creditor must ensure that a consumer received a corrected Closing Disclosure at least three business days before consummation of the transaction (i) for certain APR changes; (ii) if the loan product information changes; or (iii) if a prepayment penalty has been added to the loan. Any of these changes would trigger a new three business-day waiting period.
- A corrected Closing Disclosure is required under TRID if the APR changes, including if it decreases. If the change in the APR is within applicable tolerances under Regulation Z, the creditor may provide the new Closing Disclosure without triggering a new three business-day waiting period. If the change in the APR is outside applicable tolerances, the creditor must wait three business days before consummation.
- Section 109(a) of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act did not change the timing for consummating transactions if a creditor is required to provide a corrected Closing Disclosure under TRID.
- A creditor is deemed in compliance with the disclosure requirements of TRID if it uses the appropriate model forms provided by the Bureau and properly completes them with accurate content.
Federal Reserve issues final rules reflecting credit and interest rate increases
On January 31, the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) published a final rule amending Regulation A (Extensions of Credit by Federal Reserve Banks) to reflect its December 19 approval of a one-quarter percent increase, from 2.75 percent to 3 percent. Additionally, because the formula for the secondary credit rate incorporates the primary rate, the secondary credit rate also increased by one-quarter percentage point, from 3.25 percent to 3.5 percent. The rate changes took effect on January 31, but were applicable on December 20, 2018.
The same day, the Fed also issued a final rule amending Regulation D (Reserve Requirements of Depository Institutions) to reflect approval of a 0.20 percentage point increase to the “rate of interest paid on balances maintained to satisfy reserve balance requirements (“IORR”) and the rate of interest paid on excess balances (“IOER”), both now at 2.4 percent, maintained at Federal Reserve Banks by or on behalf of eligible institutions.” The rate changes took effect on January 31, but were applicable on December 20.
CFPB seeks information on debt collection disclosures
On February 4, the CFPB released a request for public comment on a new information collection titled, “Debt Collection Quantitative Disclosure Testing.” The proposed collection—which seeks Office of Management and Budget approval to conduct a web survey as part of the Bureau's debt collection disclosure research—“will explore consumer comprehension and decision making in response to debt collection disclosure forms.” Comments must be received by March 6.
CFPB publishes 2019 reportable HMDA data reference chart
On January 31, the CFPB published a new reference chart titled “Reportable HMDA Data: A Regulatory and Reporting Overview Reference Chart for Data Collected in 2019.” The chart is designed to be used as a reference tool for required data points to be collected, recorded, and reported under Regulation C, as amended by HMDA rules issued October 15, 2015, and August 24, 2017, as well as section 104(a) of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (implemented and clarified by the 2018 HMDA Rule, which was previously covered by InfoBytes here.) The Bureau noted that this chart does not provide HMDA loan/application register data fields or enumerations, and further emphasized that the chart “does not itself establish any binding obligations” and is not intended to be viewed as a “substitute for the regulation or its official commentary.”