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  • Federal Reserve Chair Discusses Supervision of Largest Institutions In Post-Crisis Era

    Consumer Finance

    On March 3, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen delivered remarks to the Citizens Budget Commission regarding actions that the Federal Reserve has taken to strengthen its supervision of large financial institutions in the wake of the recent financial crisis. In her remarks, Chairwoman Yellen highlighted five regulatory changes, including (i) higher capital standards, (ii) higher liquidity requirements, (iii) implementation of stress tests, (iv) required submission of living wills, and (v) in cooperation with the FSOC, the Fed’s enhanced authority to promote the resiliency and stability of the financial system in addition to the safety and soundness of individual institutions.

    Federal Reserve Bank Supervision Living Wills

  • FDIC Vice Chairman Highlights Set of Supervisory Principles For Larger Institutions

    Consumer Finance

    On March 2, FDIC Vice Chairman Thomas Hoenig addressed the Institute of International Banking Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. In his prepared remarks, Vice Chairman Hoenig, who formerly served as President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, highlighted four supervisory principles that he believes are necessary to ensure effective supervision. These principles include (i) requiring full-scope examinations for all financial institutions, even large financial institutions, (ii) promoting greater transparency regarding the financial condition of large financial institutions, (iii) fully implementing the Volcker Rule, and (iv) increasing capital requirements to levels that the market purportedly would demand in the absence of a public safety net.

    FDIC Bank Supervision

  • CFPB "Keeping Watchful Eye on Auto Lending Market"

    Consumer Finance

    On February 23, CFPB Director Richard Cordray delivered prepared remarks at the National Association of Attorneys General Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C. In his remarks, Cordray indicated that the CFPB is keeping a watchful eye on the auto lending market, stating that auto lending practices are currently being supervised at the largest banks. Cordray further revealed that the CFPB intends to move forward with a proposed rule to oversee the larger nonbank auto lenders as well. Cordray also lobbied the attorneys general to use the CFPB’s government portal to analyze consumer complaints to assist in investigations, stating, “[w]e now have 22 attorneys general and 28 state banking regulators who are already signed up and accessing this information through the secure portal. I strongly urge the rest of you to join us and do the same.”

    CFPB Nonbank Supervision Auto Finance Bank Supervision

  • OCC Deputy Comptroller Discusses Risk Management Practices

    Consumer Finance

    On February 25, OCC Deputy Comptroller Darrin Benhart delivered remarks at the 16th Annual Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) Risk Management Conference on the OCC’s efforts to improve its ability to “identify, monitor, and respond to emerging risks” that continue to affect the financial services industry. Benhart highlighted the newly formed Supervision Risk Management team, emphasizing its work with the OCC’s National Risk Committee in monitoring emerging threats to the safety and soundness of the federal banking system. More significantly, Benhart commented on the agency’s growing concern with banks’ recent re-evaluations of their business models as they pursue “new ways to generate returns against the backdrop of low interest rates.” In light of this concern, Benhart cautioned bank management to consider the following three risk management areas when assessing potential updates to their existing business models: (i) concentration risk management – ensure that concentrations for financial institutions are effectively identified and measured to prevent heightened credit, interest rate, liquidity, or operational risks; (ii) correlation risk – recognize that the impact of the risk goes beyond the obvious affected borrowers and should focus as well on those indirectly correlated borrowers for whom the exposure is often more difficult to measure and understand; and (iii) over-reliance on historical performance – acknowledge that the financial environment can change and “paradigms can shift.”

    OCC Bank Supervision Risk Management

  • New York Bank Regulator Considering Cybersecurity Regulations, Random Audits of Banks

    Privacy, Cyber Risk & Data Security

    On February 25, New York DFS Superintendent Benjamin Lawsky delivered remarks at Columbia Law School focusing on how state bank regulators can better supervise financial institutions in a post-financial crisis era.  In his remarks, Lawsky stated that “real deterrence” to future misconduct “means a focus not just on corporate accountability, but on individual accountability” at the senior executive level. Lawsky also highlighted measures that DFS is considering to prevent money laundering including conducting random audits of regulated firms’ “transaction monitoring and filtering systems” and making senior executives attest to the adequacy of the systems. Lastly, Lawsky outlined several cybersecurity initiatives and considerations that would require third-party vendors to have cybersecurity protections and regulations in place that would mandate the use of “multi-factor authentication” systems for DFS regulated firms.

    Anti-Money Laundering Bank Supervision Privacy/Cyber Risk & Data Security NYDFS

  • CFPB Deputy Director Discusses How the CFPB Prioritizes Its Risk-Focused Supervision Program

    Consumer Finance

    On February 18, Steven Antonakes, Deputy Director of the CFPB, delivered remarks before the Exchequer Club of Washington, D.C. regarding the CFPB’s risk-focused supervision program. In his remarks, Antonakes identified two key differences that distinguish the CFPB from other regulatory agencies: (i) there is a “focus on risks to consumers rather than risks to institutions;” and (ii) examinations are conducted by product line rather than an “institution-centric approach.” Antonakes further stated that the agency uses field and market intelligence, which includes both qualitative and quantitative factors for each product line, such as the strength of compliance management systems, findings from CFPB’s prior examinations, the existence of other regulatory actions, the consumer complaints received, and metrics gathered from public reports, to adequately assess risks to consumers from an institution’s activity in any given market. After the review period, an institution will receive a “roll-up examination report” or a “supervisory plan,” depending on size, that will summarize the findings of the review. If corrective action is warranted, a review committee will assess violation-focused factors, institution-focused factors, and policy-focused factors to determine whether the examination should be resolved through a supervisory action or a public enforcement action.

    CFPB Nonbank Supervision Bank Supervision

  • Federal Banking Agencies Seek Comment on Proposed Market Risk Regulatory Report

    Consumer Finance

    On February 18, three federal banking agencies – the Federal Reserve Board, OCC, and FDIC – issued a joint notice seeking public comments on a proposed information collection form and its reporting requirements, FFIEC 102 – “Market Risk Regulatory Report for Institutions Subject to the Market Risk Capital Rule.” If finalized, market risk institutions will be required to file the proposed FFIEC 102 to allow the agencies to, among other things, assess “the reasonableness and accuracy of the institution’s calculation of its minimum capital requirements . . . and . . . the institution’s capital in relation to its risks.” The proposed FFIEC 102 sets forth reporting instructions for financial institutions to which the market risk capital rule applies, and specifies that reporting requirements would take effect starting March 31, 2015. Comments to the proposal must be submitted on or before March 20.

    FDIC Federal Reserve OCC Bank Supervision

  • Special Alert: OCC Guidance Applies Consumer Protection Requirements to Overdraft Lines and Protection Services

    Consumer Finance

    UPDATE: On February 20, the OCC announced that it would be removing the “Deposited-Related Consumer Credit” booklet, originally issued on February 11, from its website. The OCC’s February 11 booklet seemingly required banks to change overdraft protection services, however the agency has since stated that the booklet was not intended to establish new policy. According to the OCC’s website, the agency will “[revise] the booklet to clarify and restate the existing law, rules, and policy.” When the OCC releases its amended version of the booklet, we will update the February 16 Special Alert to reflect the agency’s modifications.

    On February 11, 2015, the OCC issued the “Deposit-Related Consumer Credit” booklet of the Comptroller’s Handbook, which replaced the “Check Credit” booklet. The booklet provides updated guidance and examination procedures that the OCC will use to assess a bank’s deposit-related consumer credit (DRCC) products, which include check credit (overdraft lines of credit, cash reserves, and special drafts), overdraft protection services, and deposit advances. In many respects, it tracks the CFPB’s proposed prepaid rule, which would apply the Truth-in-Lending Act and Regulation Z to a broad range of credit features associated with prepaid products.

    The OCC sets forth certain supervisory principles that apply to all DRCC products, which appear to meld consumer protection and safety and soundness concerns. These principles require that banks provide substantive consumer protections in connection with certain DRCC products that are not currently required by the applicable consumer protection regulations. Specifically, the supervisory principles include the following:

    • Opt-In and Regulation E: Banks should not automatically enroll any customer in DRCC products, and should only enroll customers who affirmatively have so requested. In contrast, the opt-in requirement applies, under Regulation E, only to overdraft services in connection with ATM and one-time debit card transactions.
    • Ability to Repay and Regulation Z: Banks should ensure ability to repay for all applicants enrolled in DRCC products, meaning that the associated underwriting practices should analyze the applicant’s income or assets and debt obligations. In contrast, under Regulation Z, this ability-to-pay requirement applies to credit card accounts, not DRCC products like overdraft lines of credit accessed by a debit card or account number or overdraft protection services. If the final CFPB prepaid rules are substantially similar to the proposed rules, then certain credit features associated with prepaid cards will also require compliance with the ability-to-pay rule.
    • Fee Limits: Banks must ensure that any fees charged in connection with DRCC products are reasonably related to the program’s costs and associated risks. In contrast, under Regulation Z, the requirement that penalty fees represent a reasonable proportion of the total costs incurred as a result of the violation applies to credit cards, not DRCC products.

    The OCC also expects banks to monitor the volume of revenue that DRCC products generate, and to evaluate whether the bank unduly relies on fees generated by a DRCC product. Bank management should also guard against “an over reliance on fee income from any single product.”

    In addition, the OCC expects banks to monitor customer behavior and any outlier usage of DRCC products to avoid what the guidance frames as operational, compliance, reputational, and credit risk. For example, the OCC posits that repeated extensions of credit may constitute “loan flipping” and subject the bank to credit risk. Additional supervisory principles address disclosures, program availability and eligibility, consumer usage, credit terms and repayment methods, and credit reporting.

    The OCC’s risk management expectations may also have tangible effects on a bank’s current operating practices, including higher capital requirements insofar as DRCC portfolios may have subprime credit characteristics. In this regard, the OCC’s requirement that banks report DRCC products in regulatory reports as loans may also have practical effects on banks.

    It is worth noting that, two years ago, the OCC published proposed guidance relating to deposit advance products in the Federal Register, which allowed for public comment and time to prepare for any new compliance and supervisory expectations. The OCC published final guidance in the Federal Register in November 2013 (previously covered here) and OCC Bulletin 2013-40. This time, the OCC has dispensed with the opportunity for public comment and appears to require immediate compliance, notwithstanding that many of the expectations outlined with respect to certain DRCC products are radically new—including for overdraft protection services, as to which the OCC previously stated that “[b]anks generally do not underwrite overdraft protection services on an individual basis when enrolling the consumer.”

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    Questions regarding the matters discussed in this Alert may be directed to any of our lawyers listed below, or to any other BuckleySandler attorney with whom you have consulted in the past.

     

    OCC Bank Supervision Regulation Z

  • Dallas Fed President Proposes Changes in Fed Governance

    Consumer Finance

    On February 11, Richard W. Fisher, outgoing President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, delivered remarks before the Economic Club of New York in New York City. In his remarks, he outlined four proposals to address concerns regarding the Fed’s independence and of critics who feel too much authority is concentrated in the New York Fed. His four proposals: (i) Rotate the Vice Chairmanship of the FOMC (currently the NY Fed President is the FOMC’s permanent vice-chair); (ii) supervise and regulate systemically important financial institutions (SIFIs) by Federal Reserve Bank staff from a district other than the one in which the SIFI is located; (iii) grant Federal Reserve Bank Presidents an equal number of votes as Fed Governors, with each getting six votes, and this would replace the current system where the NY Fed gets a permanent vote and the remaining 11 Reserve Banks get four votes, with Cleveland and Chicago voting every two years and the remaining Reserve Banks voting every three years; and (iv) require the Chair of the Federal Reserve hold a press conference after every FOMC meeting. Currently, the Chair holds a press conference every quarter.

    Federal Reserve Bank Supervision

  • Senate Banking Committee Schedules Hearing on "Regulatory Relief"

    Consumer Finance

    On February 10, the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is scheduled to hold its first full committee hearing on financial regulation, “Regulatory Relief for Community Banks and Credit Unions.” Officials from both federal and state banking regulators will give prepared remarks.

    Community Banks Bank Supervision Senate Banking Committee

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