NCUA Eases Regulatory Requirements for Certain Small Credit Unions; Finalizes Rule Regarding Troubled State Credit Unions

NCUA Community Banks

On January 18, the NCUA published a final rule to amend the definition of “small entities” from those with less than $10 million in assets to those with less than $50 million in assets. The change will allow more credit unions to be considered for relief from NCUA rules. The Regulatory Flexibility Act requires federal agencies to consider the impact of their rules on small entities and allows federal agencies to determine what constitutes a small entity. The NCUA proposed a $30 million threshold, which it adjusted upward following review of comments received on the proposal. The NCUA declined to adopt the $175 million threshold sought by some commenters and used by the Small Business Association and the CFPB. In addition to requiring the NCUA to assess the impact of future proposed and final rules on more small credit unions, the new threshold has the immediate effect of excluding more credit unions from certain requirements under NCUA’s Prompt Corrective Action rule and the requirement to implement interest rate risk policies. The rule requires the NCUA to review the threshold in two years, and every three years thereafter. The new threshold takes effect on February 19, 2013.

On the same day, the NCUA published a final rule to allow the agency to determine whether a state-chartered credit union is in “troubled condition.” Under current law, only a state supervisory authority is permitted to declare a federally insured, state-chartered credit union to be in troubled condition. The NCUA believes that the change will help protect the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund by leveraging the federal regulator’s resources to increase the likelihood that problems at covered credit unions are addressed. The rule goes into effect on February 19, 2013.