On December 12, 2016, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Federal Reserve Board and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) finalized rules that generally allow well-capitalized and well-managed banks and savings associations with less than $1 billion in total assets to benefit from an 18-month examination cycle rather than a 12-month cycle.  Prior to the adoption of the interim final rules, only firms with total assets of less than $500 million were eligible to benefit from the extended 18-month cycle.  The final rules are meant, among other things, to reduce regulatory compliance costs for smaller institutions. Press Release. Final Rule.