On June 20, FHFA conditionally approved a limited pilot program for Freddie Mac to begin purchasing certain single-family closed-end second mortgages. This decision came after implementing a new approval process for products...more
On June 20, FHFA released its request for input (RFI) on the application process for the Federal Home Loan Banks’ (FHLBanks) Affordable Housing Program (AHP). FHFA invited input on all aspects of the AHP application process,...more
For the third time, federal agencies have issued a proposed rule to regulate incentive-based compensation paid by certain financial institutions and other entities (the 2024 Proposal). The 2024 Proposal has been released by...more
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) recently re-proposed rules...more
Bank for International Settlements. Credit risk management. On April 30, 2024, Bank of International Settlements issued updated guidance on counterparty credit risk management. The fresh guidance reaffirms the need for...more
Section 956 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act requires that six agencies — the Federal Reserve System (FRS), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Federal Deposit Insurance...more
Federal Reserve Board. Extended comment period. On April 24, 2024, FRB and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said they would continue to accept comments on Capital One's proposed acquisition of Discover Financial...more
Editor's Note The following newsletter provides a roundup summarizing enforcement actions, guidance, rulemakings, and other public statements taken by a federal and/or state financial services regulatory agency, specifically...more
On April 10, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) and the FHFA announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enhance information sharing on nonbank mortgage companies. The MOU reportedly aimed...more
Recently, the FHFA released its annual combined operating highlights for 2023 which were prepared from the unaudited financial statements of the Federal Home Loan Bank system (FHLBank). ...more
On November 13, FHFA released an advisory bulletin on the FHLBank Framework for Pilot and Voluntary Programs. The desire for FHFA to develop innovative pilot programs is to support “affordable housing, equity advancement, and...more
On November 7, the FHFA released a report titled “FHLBank System at 100: Focusing on the Future,” providing a comprehensive overview of the Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBank) system in its entirety. ...more
On June 1, 2023, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau along with Federal Reserve, OCC, FDIC, NCUA and FHFA (collectively, the “Agencies”) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on rules to implement...more
Stemming from the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) 2019 validation and approval of credit score models final rule, the FHFA announced in October 2022 that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored...more
On April 12, FHFA published a final rule amending its Enterprise Duty to Serve Underserved Markets regulation. The final rule, which was adopted without change from the proposed rule issued last year (covered by InfoBytes...more
On April 5, FHFA announced updates to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s (GSEs) equitable housing finance plans for 2023. The updates include adjustments to plans first announced last year, which faced pushback from several...more
On March 29, FHFA announced enhanced payment deferral policies for borrowers facing financial hardships. Under the newly enhanced policies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will allow borrowers to defer up to six months of mortgage...more
December 22, 2022- The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation today issued a revised interagency statement to extend the...more
On August 31, 2022, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that the agency will conduct a comprehensive review of the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) System starting in the fall of 2022. Originally published...more
On July 19, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA or the Agency) announced the establishment of the Office of Financial Technology to serve as a source of information, Agency support in addressing emerging risks, and...more
President Biden spent nearly 18 months assembling his team of top financial services regulators. Michael Barr’s nomination as the top banking regulator at the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) will fill the last remaining vacancy...more
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
In This Issue. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will no longer charge lenders the Adverse Market Refinance Fee; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is seeking...more
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
In This Issue. In a move that gives him the opportunity to put his stamp on housing policy and the potential overhaul of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, President Biden replaced the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency...more