Federal Banking Agencies Issue CRA Modernization Proposal The federal banking agencies have jointly issued a proposed rule that would modernize their regulations that implement the Community Reinvestment Act (the “CRA”). The...more
5/31/2022
/ Banking Sector ,
Community Development ,
Community Reinvestment Act ,
Compliance ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Deposit Insurance ,
Final Rules ,
Irrevocable Trusts ,
Mobile Banking ,
Mortgage Servicers ,
New Guidance ,
OCC ,
Revocable Trusts ,
Trusts
FDIC Directs Banks to Provide Notice Before Engaging in Crypto-related Activities According to guidance recently issued by the FDIC, banks that it supervises and that intend to engage in, or are already engaged in, activities...more
4/29/2022
/ Banking Sector ,
Climate Change ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cyber Attacks ,
Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Fannie Mae ,
FDIC ,
FHFA ,
FinTech ,
Foreclosure ,
Freddie Mac ,
FTC Act ,
Moratorium ,
Mortgage Servicers ,
Public Comment ,
Risk Management ,
Russia ,
Section 5 ,
Transaction Fees
CFPB Announces Intention to Expand Enforcement Against Unfair Discrimination -
The CFPB has published an updated examination manual for evaluating unfair, deceptive, and abusive acts and practices (“UDAAPs”), which explains...more
3/31/2022
/ Bank Holding Company Act ,
Bank Merger Act ,
Bank Secrecy Act ,
Banking Sector ,
Banks ,
Climate Change ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Cyber Incident Reporting ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Dodd-Frank ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
FDIC ,
Public Comment ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) ,
UDAAP
Federal Court Rejects Challenges to FDIC’s and OCC’s “Valid When Made” Rules
A federal court in two separate but related cases has rejected challenges to the FDIC’s and the OCC’s respective regulations that codified the...more
2/28/2022
/ Banking Sector ,
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Digital Currency ,
FDIC ,
Financial Institutions ,
Interest Rates ,
Loan Forgiveness ,
Loan Servicer ,
Madden v Midland Funding ,
Massachusetts Institutie of Technology (MIT) ,
OCC ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
SBA ,
Student Loans
FDIC Board Governance Dispute on Review of Bank Mergers Aired Publicly -
CFPB Director Rohit Chopra on December 9 published on the CFPB’s website a blog post captioned “How Should Regulators Review Bank Mergers?” in...more
12/28/2021
/ Alternative Reference Rates Committee (ARRC) ,
Annual Percentage Rate (APR) ,
Banking Sector ,
Community Reinvestment Act ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Digital Assets ,
FDIC ,
Final Rules ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FSOC ,
Leverage Ratio ,
Libor ,
Mergers ,
OCC ,
Overdraft Fees ,
Regulation Z ,
Risk Assessment ,
Secured Overnight Funding Rate (SOFR) ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA)
Federal Banking Agencies Publish Policy Road Map for Crypto-Asset Activities -
The federal banking agencies have issued a joint statement summarizing their interagency “policy sprints” focused on crypto-asset activities...more
11/30/2021
/ Banking Sector ,
Banks ,
Biden Administration ,
CARES Act ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cybersecurity ,
FDIC ,
Forbearance Agreements ,
Investment Funds ,
Mortgage Servicers ,
Mortgages ,
Notice Requirements ,
OCC ,
Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) ,
Regulation X ,
Stablecoins ,
Venture Capital ,
Volcker Rule ,
Working Groups
Federal and State Financial Regulators Publish New Guidance on LIBOR Transition -
The federal banking agencies, the NCUA and the CFPB, in conjunction with the state bank and state credit union regulators, have issued joint...more
10/28/2021
/ Banking Sector ,
Biden Administration ,
CFTC ,
Commodities ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Debt Collection ,
Dividends ,
Electronic Communications ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Executive Orders ,
FDCPA ,
Federal Contractors ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinCEN ,
Libor ,
Ransomware ,
Regulation F ,
Stablecoins ,
Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) ,
Vaccinations
Division of Banks Warns of Risks from Representments Causing Multiple NSF Fees -
The Massachusetts Division of Banks has issued a supervisory alert letter to warn banks about certain legal risks and risks of regulatory...more
9/29/2021
/ Banking Sector ,
Community Banks ,
Community Reinvestment Act ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Cybersecurity ,
Dodd-Frank ,
ECOA ,
FDIC ,
Federal Reserve ,
Fees ,
FinTech ,
HMDA ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
NDAA ,
OCC ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Overdraft Fees ,
Proposed Rules ,
Ransomware ,
Regulation B ,
SBA ,
SDN List ,
Small Business
Supreme Court Strikes Down Extension of CDC Moratorium on Evictions -
The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a ruling that blocks the extension of the moratorium on evictions ordered by the Centers for Disease Control and...more
8/30/2021
/ Alabama Association of Realtors v Department of Health and Human Services ,
Banking Regulators ,
Banking Sector ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cybersecurity ,
Due Diligence ,
Eviction ,
FDIC ,
Federal Reserve ,
FFIEC ,
FinTech ,
Libor ,
Moratorium ,
Regulatory Authority ,
Residential Leases ,
SBA ,
SBA Lending Programs ,
SCOTUS
CFPB Amends Mortgage Rule to Protect Borrowers Affected by COVID-19 The CFPB issued a final rule to amend its Regulation X—which implements the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act—to assist home mortgage loan borrowers...more
7/29/2021
/ AML/CFT ,
Anti-Money Laundering ,
Bank Secrecy Act ,
Banking Sector ,
Community Reinvestment Act ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Consumer Lenders ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
FHFA ,
FinCEN ,
Foreclosure ,
Interagency Guidance ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgage Servicers ,
New Guidance ,
OCC ,
Refinancing ,
Regulation X ,
RESPA ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Third-Party Risk
Fed Issues Proposed Rule for New Instant Electronic Payment Service -
FedNow The Federal Reserve has issued a proposed rule that would govern funds transfers over the Federal Reserve’s new 24x7x365 service that will...more
6/28/2021
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Banking Sector ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Community Banks ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Depository Institutions ,
Electronic Fund Transfer Act ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
FDIC ,
Federal Reserve ,
FIRREA ,
Fraud ,
Guidance Update ,
Interest Rates ,
Leverage Ratio ,
Minority-Owned Businesses ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Policy Statement ,
Remote Notarization ,
Title VII ,
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) ,
Vaccinations
The Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) was enacted as part of the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020. The purpose of the CTA is to deter anonymous owners of corporations, limited liability companies, and other entities from...more
6/24/2021
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Banking Sector ,
Beneficial Owner ,
Corporate Transparency Act ,
Customer Due Diligence (CDD) ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Procurement Systems ,
Financial Institutions ,
FinCEN ,
National Security ,
NDAA ,
NPRM ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Tax Fraud ,
U.S. Treasury
Court Rules that Debt Collector Violated FDCPA with Communication to Dunning Vendor -
A federal appellate court has recently ruled that a debt collector violated certain privacy requirements under the federal Fair Debt...more
6/1/2021
/ Appeals ,
Bank Holding Company ,
Bank Holding Company Act ,
Banking Sector ,
Biden Administration ,
Climate Change ,
Congressional Review Act ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Debt Collectors ,
Digital Assets ,
Executive Orders ,
FDCPA ,
FDIC ,
FinTech ,
Fintech Charter ,
OCC ,
Predatory Lending ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Comment ,
Qualified Mortgage Rule ,
Regulation Z ,
Risk Assessment ,
Special Purpose National Bank Charter ,
Third-Party Service Provider ,
Time Extensions ,
True Lender
CFPB Takes Steps to Avoid a Possible Wave of Home Mortgage Loan Foreclosures -
The CFPB has issued guidance to mortgage servicers, including banks that service mortgage loans for third-party noteholders, that the CFPB...more
4/29/2021
/ Banking Sector ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Eviction ,
Fannie Mae ,
FDCPA ,
FEMA ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Foreclosure ,
Freddie Mac ,
Guidance Update ,
Moratorium ,
Mortgage Servicers ,
Mortgages ,
National Flood Insurance Program ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Proposed Rules ,
Qualified Mortgage Rule ,
Relief Measures ,
SBA ,
SBA Lending Programs ,
Stock Purchase Agreement ,
Tax Allocation Agreements
Federal Reserve Issues New Guidance on Managing the LIBOR Transition -
The Federal Reserve has issued guidance on how examiners will assess a banking organization’s progress in preparing to transition to a replacement rate...more
3/30/2021
/ Abusive Acts ,
Banking Sector ,
Community Reinvestment Act ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Discriminatory Lending Practices ,
Dodd-Frank ,
ECOA ,
Federal Reserve ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Flood Insurance ,
Libor ,
New Guidance ,
NPRM ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Qualified Mortgage Rule ,
Regulation Z ,
Relief Measures ,
Rescission ,
SBA ,
Student Loans
HUD, VA, and USDA Coordinate Extensions of COVID-19 Relief for Homeowners -
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture...more
2/25/2021
/ Bank Secrecy Act ,
Banking Sector ,
Benchmarks ,
Call Reports ,
CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Current Expected Credit Losses (CECL) ,
Deposit Insurance ,
Disparate Impact ,
Fair Housing Act (FHA) ,
FDIC ,
FFIEC ,
Financial Institutions ,
FinCEN ,
Guidance Update ,
HUD ,
Libor ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgages ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Time Extensions ,
USDA ,
Veterans Administration
A long-awaited bipartisan stimulus bill was signed into law by President Trump on December 27, 2020. Included in the law, known as the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the “Act”), are economic stimulus measures and a...more
12/29/2020
/ Accounting ,
Banking Sector ,
CARES Act ,
Community Development ,
Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) ,
Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Debt Restructuring ,
Depository Institutions ,
Eviction ,
Financial Stimulus ,
Minority-Owned Businesses ,
Moratorium ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Relief Measures ,
SBA ,
SBA Lending Programs ,
U.S. Treasury
FDIC Modernizes Brokered Deposit Rule and Amends Interest Rate Restrictions -
The FDIC has adopted a final rule that establishes new standards for determining whether deposits made through certain kinds of arrangements...more
12/23/2020
/ Bank Secrecy Act ,
Banking Sector ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Customer Due Diligence (CDD) ,
FDIC ,
Financial Institutions ,
FinCEN ,
FinTech ,
Interest Rates ,
Libor ,
Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs)
Federal Banking Agencies Issue New Guidance on Managing the LIBOR Transition -
The member agencies of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (“FFIEC”) have issued joint guidance for banking organizations...more
11/24/2020
/ Appraisal ,
Bank Secrecy Act ,
Banking Sector ,
BSA/AML ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Customer Due Diligence (CDD) ,
Debt Collection ,
Dodd-Frank ,
FDCPA ,
Federal Reserve ,
Final Rules ,
FinCEN ,
Libor ,
National Bank Charters ,
NCUA ,
New Guidance ,
OCC ,
Regulation F ,
Regulation M ,
Regulation Z ,
Secured Overnight Funding Rate (SOFR) ,
Supervision ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA)
SBA Adopts Streamlined Loan Forgiveness Procedures for PPP Loans of $50,000 or Less -
The U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) has adopted an interim final rule to streamline the loan forgiveness application process...more
10/29/2020
/ Appraisal ,
Bank Holding Company ,
Bank Secrecy Act ,
Banking Sector ,
Community Reinvestment Act ,
Compliance ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cybersecurity ,
FinCEN ,
Loan Forgiveness ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
SBA ,
True Lender
Federal Court in New York Dismisses Claims Against PPP Lenders for Agent Fees -
A federal court in New York has dismissed claims made in six class action lawsuits against several banks and other Small Business...more
10/1/2020
/ Banking Sector ,
CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Dismissals ,
Disparate Impact ,
FDIC ,
Fees ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Agencies ,
Financial Services Industry ,
HUD ,
Main Street Lending Programs ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Transaction Fees
Federal Court Dismisses Class Action Claims Against PPP Lenders for Agent Fees -
A federal court in Florida has dismissed claims made in a class action lawsuit against several banks and other Small Business Administration...more
8/27/2020
/ Banking Regulators ,
Banking Sector ,
BSA/AML ,
Class Action ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
FDIC ,
FFIEC ,
Financial Institutions ,
New Guidance ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Qualified Mortgage Rule ,
Relief Measures
The Massachusetts Division of Banks has issued guidance to Massachusetts-chartered mutual savings banks, mutual co-operative banks, and mutual holding companies on postponement of their annual meetings and alternative...more
Division of Banks Updates Guidance on COVID-19 Forbearance Under Emergency Law
The Massachusetts Division of Banks has updated its guidance in the form of answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Chapter 65 of...more
President Signs New COVID-19 Relief Bill into Law, Funding Additional PPP Loans -
The Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump on April 24, providing $484...more
5/1/2020
/ Banking Sector ,
CARES Act ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Credit Facilities ,
Electronic Notarization Standard ,
Eviction ,
Federal Reserve ,
Financial Institutions ,
Foreclosure ,
Governor Baker ,
HMDA ,
Leverage Ratio ,
Loan Modifications ,
Moratorium ,
Notarization ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Relief Measures ,
SBA ,
SBA Lending Programs ,
State and Local Government ,
Virtual Notarization Procedures