1 BILLING CODE: 4810-AM-P

BUREAU OF CONSUMER FI NANCIAL PROTECTION
12 CFR Part 1026 [Docket No. CFPB-2012-0033]
RIN 3170-AA14 2012 Truth in Lending Act (Regulatio n Z) Mortgage Servicing Proposal
AGENCY : Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.
ACTION : Proposed rule with request for public comment.
SUMMARY : The Bureau of Consumer Financial Prot ection (the Bureau or CFPB) is proposing to amend Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), and the official interpretation of the regula tion. The proposed amendments implement the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act or DFA) provisions regarding mortgage loan servicing. Specifically, this proposal implements Dodd Frank Act sections addressing initial rate adjust ment notices for adjustable-r ate mortgages (ARMs), periodic statements for residential mortgage loans, a nd prompt crediting of mortgage payments and response to requests for payoff amounts. The pr oposed revisions also amend current rules governing the scope, timing, content, and format of current disclosures to consumers occasioned by the interest rate adjustments of their variable-rate transactions. Published elsewhere in today’s Federal Register, the Bureau proposes companion regulations regarding mortgage servicing th rough amendments to Regulation X, which implements the Real Estate Set tlement Procedures Act (RESPA).
DATES : Comments must be received on or before October 9, 2012, except that comments on the Paperwork Reduction Act anal ysis in part IX of the Federal Register notice must be received2 on or before [INSERT DATE THAT IS 60 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].
ADDRESSES : You may submit comments identified by Docket No. CFPB-2012-0033 or RIN 3170-AA14, by any of the following methods:

 Electronic : http://www.regulations.gov . Follow the instructions for submitting

comments.

 Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier : Monica Jackson, Office of the Executive Secretary, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protec tion, 1700 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20552.
Instructions : All submissions must include the agency name and docket number or Regulatory Information Number (RIN) for this ru lemaking. In general, all comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov

. In addition, comments will be available for public inspection and copying at 1700 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20552 on official business days between the hours of 10 a. m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time. You can make an appointment to inspect the docum ents by telephoning (202) 435-7275. All comments, including attachments and othe r supporting materials, will become part of the public record and subject to public disclo sure. Sensitive personal information, such as account numbers or social secur ity numbers, should not be in cluded. Comments will not be edited to remove any identif ying or contact information. e-Rulemaking Initiative The Bureau is working with the Corne ll e-Rulemaking Initiative (CeRI) on a pilot project, Regulation Room, to use different web technologies and approaches to enhance public understanding and participation in Bureau rule makings and to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques. The TILA and RESPA proposed rulemakings on mortgage3 servicing are the subject of the project. The Bureau has undertaken this project to increase effective public involvement in the rulemaki ng process and strongly en courages all parties interested in this rulemaking to visit the Regulation Room website, http://www.regulationroom.org, to learn about th e Bureau’s proposed mortgage servicing rules and the rulemaking process, to di scuss the issues in the rules with other persons and groups, and to participate in drafting a summary of that discussion that CeRI will submit to the Bureau. Note that Regulation Room is sponsored by CeRI, and is not an official United States Government website. Participating in the disc ussion on that site will not result in individual formal comments that will be included in the Bureau’s rulemaking record. If you would like to add a formal comment, please do so through the mean s identified above. The Bureau anticipates that CeRI will submit to the Bureau’s rulemaking docket a summary of the discussion that occurs on the Regulation Room site and that participan ts will have a chance to review a draft and suggest changes before the summary is submitte d. For questions about this project, please contact Whitney Patross, Attorney, O ffice of Regulations, at (202) 435-7700.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT : Regulation Z (TILA): Whitney Patross, Attorney and Ma rta Tanenhaus, Senior Counsel at (202) 435-7700; Office of Regulatio ns; Division of Research, Mark ets, and Regulations; Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection; 1700 G Street, NW; Washington, DC 20552. Regulation X (RESPA): Jane Gao, Mitchell E. Hochberg, a nd Michael Scherzer, Counsels at (202) 435-7700; Office of Regulatio ns; Division of Research, Mark ets, and Regulations; Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection; 1700 G Street, NW; Washington, DC 20552.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION : I. Overview4 A. Background The recent financial crisis exposed pervasiv e consumer protection problems across major segments of the mortgage servicing industry. As millions of borrowers fell behind on their loans, many servicers failed to provide the level of service necessary to serve the needs of those borrowers. Many servicers simply had not made the investments in reso urces and infrastructure necessary to service la rge numbers of delinquent loans. Existing weaknesses in servicer practices, including inadequate recordkeeping an d document management and lack of oversight of service providers, made it harder to sort out borrower problems to achieve optimal results. In addition, many servicers took short cuts that made th ings even worse. As one review of fourteen major servicers found, companies “emphasize[d] speed and cost efficiency over quality and accuracy” in their foreclosure processes. 1 The Dodd-Frank Act (Public Law 111-203, Ju ly 21, 2010) adopts seve ral new servicing protections. 2 The Bureau has the authority to prom ulgate regulations to implement the new servicing protections. These changes will significan tly improve disclosures to make it easier for consumers to monitor their mortgage loans and se rvicers’ activities. The changes also address critical servicer practi ces, including error resolu tion, prompt crediting of payments, and “forceplacing” insurance where borrowers have allowe d their hazard insurance policies to lapse. The Dodd-Frank Act also gives the Bureau di scretionary authority to develop additional servicing rules. The Bureau proposes to use th is authority to adopt re quirements relating to reasonable information management policies and procedures, early interv ention with delinquent borrowers, continuity of contact, and procedures for evaluating and responding to loss mitigation

1 Federal Reserve System, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, & Office of Thrift Supervision, Interagency Review of Foreclosure Policies and Practices , at 5 (Apr. 2011) (Interagency Foreclosure Report), available at http://www.occ.gov/news-issuances/news -releases/2011/nr-occ-2011-47a.pdf. 2 See Dodd-Frank Act sections 1418, 1420, 1463, and 1464.5 applications when the servicer makes loss mitigati on options available in the ordinary course of business. These proposals address fundament al problems that underlie many consumer complaints and recent regulatory and enforcement actions. The Bureau believes these changes will reduce avoidable foreclosures and improve ge neral customer service. The proposals cover nine major topics, as summarized below. The Bureau’s proposal is split into tw o parts because Congress imposed some requirements under TILA and some under RESPA. 3 This proposed rule would amend Regulation Z, which implements TILA, to im plement provisions concerning adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) disclosures, payoff statemen ts, and payment crediting under sections 1418, 1420, and 1464 of the Dodd-Frank Act and to ha rmonize similar existing requirements. B. Scope of Coverage The proposed rules generally apply to clos ed-end mortgage lo ans, with certain exceptions. Under the proposed amendments to Regulation X, open-end lines of credit and certain other loans, such as construction loans and business-purpose loans, are excluded. Under the proposed amendments to Regulation Z, th e periodic statement and ARMs disclosure provisions apply only to closed -end mortgage loans, but th e prompt crediting and payoff statement provisions apply both to open-end and cl osed-end mortgage loans. In addition, reverse mortgages and timeshares are excluded from th e periodic statement requirement, and certain construction loans are excluded from the ARM disclosure requirements. As discussed below, the Bureau is seeking comment on whether to exempt small servicers from certain requirements or modify certain requirements for small servicers. C. Summary

3 Note that TILA and RESPA differ in their terminology. Consumers and creditors are the defined terms used in Regulation Z. Borrowers and lenders are the defined terms used in Regulation X.6 The proposals cover nine major topics, summari zed below. More details can be found in the proposed rules, which are split into two not ices issued under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and Real Estate Settlement Pr ocedures Act (RESPA), respectively.
1. Periodic billing statements. The Dodd-Frank Act generally mandates that servicers of closed-end residential mortgage loans (other th an reverse mortgages) must send a periodic statement for each billing cycle. These statem ents must meet the timing, form, and content requirements provided for in the rule. The propos al contains sample forms that servicers could use. The periodic statement requirement generally would not apply for fi xed-rate loans if the servicer provides a coupon book, so long as the coupon book contains certain information specified in the rule and certain other informa tion is made available to the consumer. The proposal also includes an exception for small serv icers that service 1000 or fewer mortgage loans and service only mortgage loans th at they originated or own.
2. Adjustable-rate mortgage inte rest-rate adjustment notices. Servicers would have to provide a consumer whose mortgage has an adjust able rate with a notice 60 to 120 days before an adjustment which causes the payment to change. The servicer would also have to provide an earlier notice 210 to 240 days prior to the first rate adjustment. This first notice may contain an estimate of the rate and payment change. Other th an this initial notice, servicers would no longer be required to provide an annual notice if a rate ad justment does not result in an increase in the monthly payment. The proposal contains model and sample forms that servicers could use.
3. Prompt payment crediting and payoff payments. As required by the Dodd-Frank Act, servicers must promptly credit payments from borrowers, generally on the day of receipt. If a servicer receives a payment that is less than a full contractual pa yment, the payment may be held in a suspense account. When the amount in the suspense account covers a full installment of7 principal, interest, and escrow (if applicable), the proposal woul d require the servicer to apply the funds to the oldest outstand ing payment owed. A servicer al so would be required to send an accurate payoff balance to a consumer no later than seven business days after receipt of a written request from the borrower for such information.
4

. Force-placed insurance. As required by the Dodd-Frank Act, servicers would not be permitted to charge a borrower for force-placed insurance coverage unless the servicer has a reasonable basis to believe the borrower has failed to maintain hazard insurance and has provided required notices. One notice to the borr ower would be required at least 45 days before charging for forced-place insurance coverage, and a second notice would be required no earlier than 30 days after the first notice. The proposal contains model forms that servicers could use. If a borrower provides proof of h azard insurance coverage, then the servicer would be required to cancel any force-placed insurance policy and refund any premiums paid for periods in which the borrower’s policy was in place. In addition, if a servicer makes payments for hazard insurance from a borrower’s escrow account, a servicer woul d be required to continue those payments rather than force-placing a separate policy, even if there is insufficient money in the escrow account. The rule would also prov ide that charges relate d to forced place insurance (other than those subject to State regulation as the business of insurance or authorized by federal law for flood insurance) must relate to a service that was act ually performed. Add itionally, such charges would have to bear a reasonable relationship to the servicer’s cost of providing the service. 5. Error resolution and information requests (RESPA proposal). Pursuant to the DoddFrank Act, servicers would be required to meet certain procedural requirements for responding to information requests or complaints of errors. The proposal defines specific types of claims which constitute an error, such as a claim that the servicer misapplied a payment or assessed an8 improper fee. A borrower could as sert an error either orally or in writing. Servicers could designate a specific phone number and address fo r borrowers to use. Servicers would be required to acknowledge the request or complaint with in five days. The would have to correct or respond to the borrower with the re sults of the investigation, gene rally within 30 to 45 days. Further, servicers generally w ould be required to acknowledge bo rrower requests for information and either provide the information or explain why the information is not available within a similar amount of time. A servicer would not be required to delay a scheduled foreclosure sale to consider a notice of error unl ess the error relates to the servicer’s improperly proceeding with a foreclosure sale during a borrower’s evalua tion for alternatives to foreclosure.
6. Information management policies and procedures (RESPA proposal). Servicers would be required to establish reas onable information management policies and procedures. The reasonableness of a servicer’s policies and proce dures would take into account the servicer’s size, scope, and nature of its operations. A servicer’s policies and procedur es would satisfy the rule if the servicer regularly achieves the documen t retention and servicing file requirements, as well as certain objectives specified in the rule. Examples of such objectives include providing accurate and timely information to borrowers and the courts or enabling service personnel to have prompt access to documents and informati on submitted in connection with loss mitigation applications. In addition, a servicer must reta in records relating to each mortgage until one year after the mortgage is discharged or servicing is transferred and must crea te a mortgage servicing file for each loan containing certain specified documents and information. 7. Early intervention with delinquent borrowers (RESPA proposal). Servicers would be required to make good faith efforts to notify delinque nt borrowers of loss mitigation options. If a borrower is 30 days late, the proposal would requ ire servicers to make a good faith effort to9 notify the borrower orally and to let the borro wer know that loss mitigations options may be available. If the borrower is 40 days late, the servicer would be required to provide the borrower with a written notice with certain specific in formation, including examples of loss mitigation options available, if applicable, and informa tion on how to obtain more information about loss mitigation options. The notice would also prov ide information to the borrower about the foreclosure process. The rule contains mode l language servicers could use for these notices. 8. Continuity of contact with delinquent borrowers (RESPA proposal). Servicers would be required to provide delinquent borrowers with access to personnel to assist them with loss mitigation options where applicable. The proposal would require servicers to assign dedicated contact personnel for a borrower no later than fi ve days after providing the early intervention notice. Servicers would be requi red to establish reasonable polic ies and procedures designed to ensure that the servicer personnel perform certain specified functions where applicable, such as access the borrower’s records and provide the borro wer with information about how and when to apply for a loss mitigation option and a bout the status of the application. 9. Loss mitigation procedures (RESPA proposal). Servicers that offer loss mitigation options to borrowers would be required to impl ement procedures to ensure that complete loss mitigation applications are reasonably evaluated before proceeding with a scheduled foreclosure sale. The proposal would require servicers to exer cise reasonable diligence to secure information or documents required to make an incomplete lo ss mitigation application complete. In certain circumstances, this could include notifying the borrower within five days of receiving an incomplete application. Within 30 days of receiving a borrower’s complete application, the servicer would be required to evaluate the borrower for all available options, and, if the denial pertains to a requested loan modification, notify the borrower of the reasons for the servicer’s10 decision, and provide the borrower with at least a 14-day period within which to appeal the decision. The proposal would require that appe als be decided within 30 days by different personnel than those responsible for the initial decisi on. A servicer that receives a complete application for a loss mitigation option could not proceed with a foreclosure sale unless (i) the servicer had denied the borrower’ s application and the time for a ny appeal had expired; (ii) the servicer had offered a loss mitigation option wh ich the borrower declined or failed to accept within 14 days of the offer; or (iii) the borrower failed to co mply with the terms of a loss mitigation agreement. The proposal would require that deadlines for submitting an application for a loss mitigation option be no earlier than 90 days before a scheduled foreclosure sale. D. Small Servicers As discussed below, the Bureau convened a Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) panel to assess the impact of the possible rules on small servicers and to help the Bureau determine to what extent it may be appropriate to consider adjusting these standards for small servicers, to the extent perm itted by law. Informed by this process, the 2012 TILA Servicing Proposal contains an exempti on from the periodic statement requirement for certain small servicers. The Bureau seeks comment on whether other exemptions might be appropriate for small servicers.
E. Effective Date As discussed below, the Bureau is seeking comment on when this final rule should be effective. Because the final rule will provide important benefits to consumers, the Bureau seeks to make it effective as soon as possible. Howe ver, the Bureau understands that the final rules will require servicers to make revi sions to their software and to re train their staff. In addition, some entities will be required to implement other Dodd-Frank Act provisions, which are subject11 to separate rulemaking deadlines under the statute and will have separate effective dates. Therefore, the Bureau is seeking comment on how much time industry needs to make these changes. II. Background
A. Overview of the Mortgage Servic ing Market and Market Failures The mortgage market is the single largest market for consumer financial products and services in the United States, with approxi mately $10.3 trillion in loans outstanding. 4 Mortgage servicers play a vital ro le within the broader market by unde rtaking the day-to-day management of mortgage loans on behalf of lenders who hold th e loans in their portfolio s or (where a loan has been securitized) investors who ar e entitled to the loan proceeds. 5 Over 60% of mortgage loans are serviced by mortgage servicers for investors. Servicers’ duties typically include billing borrowers for amounts due, collecting and allocating payments, maintaining and disbursing funds from escrow accounts, reporting to creditors or investors, and pursuing collection and loss mitigation activities (including foreclosures and loan modifications) with resp ect to delinquent borrowers. Indeed, without

4 Inside Mortgage Finance, Outstanding 1-4 Family Mortgage Securities, Mortgage Market Statistical Annual (2012). For general background on the market and the recent mortgage crisis, see the 2012 TILA-RESPA Proposal available at http://www.consumerfinance.gov/knowbeforeyouowe/. 5 As of the end of 2011, approximately 33% of outstanding mortgage loans were held in portfolio, 57% of mortgage loans were owned through mortgage-backed securities issu ed by government sponsored enterprises (GSEs), and 11% of loans were owned through private label mortgage -backed securities. Inside Mortgage Finance, Issue 2012:13, at 11 (March 30, 2012). A securitization re sults in the economic separation of the legal title to the mortgage loan and a beneficial interest in the mortgage loan obligation. In a securitization transaction, a securitization trust is the owner or assignee of a mortgage lo an. An investor is a creditor of the trust and is entitled to cash flows that are derived from the proceeds of the mortgage loans. In general, certain investors (or an insurer entitled to act on behalf of the investors) may direct the tr ust to take action as the owner or assignee of the mortgage loans for the benefit of the investors or insurers. See, e.g. , Adam Levitin & Tara Twomey, Mortgage Servicing , 28 Yale J. on Reg., 1, 11 (2011) (Levitin & Twomey).12 dedicated companies to perform these activities, it is questiona ble whether a secondary market for mortgage-backed securities would exist in this country. 6 Several aspects of the mortgage servici ng business make it uniquely challenging for consumer protection purposes. Given the nature of their activities, servicers can have a direct and profound impact on borrowers. However, indus try compensation practices and the structure of the mortgage servicing industr y create wide variati ons in servicers’ incentives to provide effective customer service to borrowers. Al so, because borrowers cannot choose their own servicers, it is particularly difficult for them to protect th emselves from shoddy service or harmful practices. Mortgage servicing is perfor med by banks, thrifts, credit unions, and non-bank servicers under a variety of business models. In some cases , creditors service mort gage loans that they originate or purchase and hold in portfolio. Other creditors se ll the ownership of the underlying mortgage loan, but retain the mortgage servicing ri ghts in order to retain the relationship with the borrower, as well as the servicing fee and other ancillary income. In still other cases, servicers have no role at all in originati on or loan ownership, but rather purchase mortgage servicing rights on securitized loans or are hired to service a portfolio lender’s loans. 7 These different servicing structures can create difficulties for borrowers if the servicer makes mistakes, fails to invest sufficient reso urces in its servicing operations, or does not properly service the borrower’s loan. Although th e mortgage servicing industry has numerous participants, the industry is hi ghly concentrated, with the five largest servi cers servicing

6 See, e.g. , Levitin & Twomey at 11 (“All securitizations involv ed third-party servicers . . . [m]ortgage servicers provide the critical link between mortgage borrowers and the SPV and RMBS investors, and servicing arrangements are an indispensable part of securitization.”). 7 See, e.g., Diane Thompson, Foreclosing Modifications: How Servicer Incentives Discourage Loan Modifications , 86 Wash. L. Rev. 755, 763 (20 11) (Thompson), availa ble at: http://digital.la w.washington.edu/dspacelaw/bitstream/handle/1773.1/1074/86WLR755.pdf.13 approximately 55% percent of outstandi ng mortgage loans in this country. 8 Small servicers generally operate in discrete se gments of the market, for example, by specializing in servicing delinquent loans, or by servici ng loans that they originate. 9
Contracts between the servicer and the mo rtgage loan owner specify the rights and responsibilities of each party. In the context of securitized loan s, the contracts may require the servicer to balance the competing interests of different classes of i nvestors when borrowers become delinquent. Certain provisions in servici ng contracts may limit the servicer’s ability to offer certain types of loan modifications to borrowers. Such contracts also may limit the circumstances under which investors can transfer servicing rights to a different servicer. Compensation structures vary somewhat for loans held in portfolio and securitized loans, 10 but have tended to make pur e mortgage servicing (where the servicer has no role in origination) a high-volume, low-margin business in which servicers have little incentive to invest in customer service. A servicer will expect to recoup its investment in purchasing mortgage servicing rights and earn a prof it through a net servici ng fee (which is expressed as a constant rate assessed on unpaid mortgage balances), 11 fees assessed on borrowers, interest float on payment accounts between receipt and disburseme nt, and cross-marketi ng other products and

8 See, e.g, Top Mortgage Servicers in 2011 (Inside Mortg. Fin., Bethesda, Md.), Ma r. 30, 2012, at 12. As of the end of the fourth quarter of 2011, the top 5 largest se rvicers serviced $5.66 trillion of mortgage loans. See id. 9 See, e.g., Fitch Ratings, U.S. Residential and Small Balance Commercial Mortgage Servicer Rating Criteria , at 14- 15 (Jan. 31, 2011), available at www.fitchratings.com. 10 At securitization, the cash flow that was part of interest income is bifurcated betwee n the loan and the mortgage servicing right (MSR). The MSR represents the present value of all the cash flows, both positive and negative, related to servicing a mortgage. Prime MSRs are largely created by the GSE minimum servicing fee rate, which is calculated as 25 basis points (bps) per annum. The servicing fee rate is typically paid to the servicer monthly and the monthly amount owed is calculated by multiplying the pro rata portion of the servicing fee rate by the stated principal balance of the mortgage loan at the payment due date. Accounting rules require that a capitalized asset be created if the “compensation” for servicing (including float/ancillary) exceeds “adequate compensation.” For loans held in portfolio, there is no bifurcation of the interest income from the loan. The owner of the loan simply negotiates pricing, terms, and standards with the servicer, whic h, at larger institutions, is typically a separate affiliate or subsidiary of the owner of the loans. PowerP oint Presentation, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., KBW Mortgage Matters: Mortgage Servicing Primer , 3 (April 17, 2012). 11 See, e.g., Thompson, 86 Wash. L. Rev. 755, 767.14 services to borrowers. Under this business model, servicers act primarily as payment collectors and processors, and provide minimal customer serv ice to ensure profitability. Servicers also have an incentive to look for opportunities to impose fees on bo rrowers to enhance revenues and are generally not subject to market discipline because consumers have no opportunity to switch providers. Additionally, servicers may have financial incentives to foreclose rather than engage in loss mitigation. 12 These attributes of the servicing market creat ed problems for certain borrowers even prior to the national mortgage crisis. For example, borrowers experienced problems with mortgage servicers even during regional mortgage market downturns that preceded the mortgage crisis. 13 Borrowers were subjected to improper fees that servicers had no reasonable basis to impose on borrowers, improper force-placed insurance prac tices, and improper foreclosure and bankruptcy practices. 14 When the mortgage crisis erupted, many serv icers were ill-equippe d to handle the high volumes of delinquent mortgages, loan modification requests, and foreclosures they were required to process. These servicers lacked th e infrastructure, traine d staff, controls, and procedures needed to manage effectively the flo od of delinquent mortgages they were forced to handle. 15

12 Why Servicers Foreclose When They Should Mod ify and Other Puzzles of Servicer Behavior, NCLC p.v (October 2009), (“Servicers, unlike investors or homeowners, do not generally lose money on foreclosure. Servicers may even make money on a foreclosure.”), Diane Thompson, The Need for National Mortgage Servicing Standards (May 12, 2011), at 15 (“...modification will also likely reduce fu ture income, cost more in the present in staffing, and delay recovery of expenses. Moreover, the foreclosure process itself generates significant income for servicers.”) 13 See Problems in Mortgage Servicing from Modification to Foreclosure: Hearings Before the Comm. on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs , S. Hrg. 111-987, 111th Cong. 53-54 (2010) (statement of Thomas J. Miller, Iowa Attorney General) (Miller Testimony). See also , Kurt Eggert, Limiting Abuse and Opportunism by Mortgage Servicers 15:3 Housing Policy Debate (2004), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=992095 14 See Kurt Eggert, Limiting Abuse and Opportunism by Mortgage Servicers 15:3 Housing Policy Debate (2004), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=992095 (collecting cases). 15 See, e.g.,15 Consumer harm has manifested in many differe nt areas. Major servicers have violated applicable laws (including State foreclosure laws ), ignored investor loss mitigation requirements, and breached investor servicing agreements. 16 For example, Bank of America, Citibank, HSBC Bank, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Metlife Bank, N.A., PNC Bank, N.A., U.S. Bank N.A., and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., which together account for almost 57% of all mortgage servicing have admitted that they (1) filed foreclosure documents th at failed to comply with applicable law, (2) failed to devote sufficient financial, staffing and managerial resources to proper administration of foreclosures processes, (3) fa iled to devote to its foreclosur e processes ade quate oversight, internal controls, policies and procedures, comp liance risk management, internal audit, third party management, and training, and (4) failed to sufficiently oversee outs ide counsel and other third-party providers handling foreclosure-related services. 17 Congress has held significant detailed hearings on the issue of servicer “robo-signing” of fo reclosure related documentation. 18 Servicers have also misled, or failed to co mmunicate with, borrowers, lost or mishandled borrower-provided documents supporting loan m odification requests, and generally provided inadequate service to delinque nt borrowers. These problem s became pervasive in broad segments of the mortgage servicing i ndustry and had profound impacts on borrowers, particularly delinquent borrowers. 19

16 Peter P. Swire, What the Fair Credit Reporting Act Should Teach Us About Mortgage Servicing , Ohio State Public Law Working Paper No. 160 (Nov. 16, 2011), available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1960644. 17 OCC Press Release, OCC Takes Enforcement Action Against Eight Servicers for Unsafe and Unsound Foreclosure Practices (April 13, 2011), available at h ttp://www.occ.treas.gov/news-issua nces/news-releases/2011/nrocc-2011-47.html. In addition to eight servicers, the O CC obtained consent orders against two service providers: MERSCORP and LPS. 18 See, e.g. , Problems in Mortgage Servicing from Modification to Foreclosure: Hearings Before the Comm. on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs , S. Hrg. 111-987, 111th Cong. 53-54 (2010) (statement of Diane E. Thompson, NCLC) (Thompson Testimony). 19 See U.S. Government Accountability Office, Troubled Asset Relief Program: Fu rther Actions Needed to Fully and Equitably Implement Foreclosure Mitigation Actions , at 14-16 (June 2010); Miller Testimony at 54.16 The Bureau further understands from mortgage investors that there is a pervasive belief that servicers are making discretionary decisions ba sed on the best interests of the servicer rather than to achieve results that will benefit owners or assignees of mortgages loans. When servicers hold a second lien that is behind a first lien owned by a different owner or assignee, one study has found a lower likelihood of liquidation and m odification, and a higher likelihood of inaction by a servicer. 20 Specifically, “liquidation and modifica tion of securitized first mortgages are 60% [to] 70% less likely respectivel y and no action is 13% more likely when the servicer of that securitized first mortgage holds on its portfolio the second lien attached to the first mortgage.” 21 These failures to take actions that may benefit bo th consumers and owners or assignees of first lien mortgage loans harm consumers. The mortgage servicing industry, however, is not monolithic. Some servicers provide high levels of customer service. Some of thes e servicers may be compensated by investors in a way that incentivizes them to provide high levels of customer service in order to optimize investor outcomes. Other servicer s provide high levels of custom er service because they rely on providing other products and services to consumers and thus have an intere st in preserving their reputations and relationships with their consumers. For example, as discussed further below, small servicers that the Bureau consulted as pa rt of a process required under SBREFA described their businesses as requiring a “high touch” mode l of customer service both to ensure loan performance and maintain a strong re putation in their local communities. 22 B. Mortgage Servicing Consumer Protec tion Regulation Before the Recent Crisis

20 Sumit Agarwal et. Al, Second Liens and the Holdup Pr oblem in First Mortgage Renegotiation (December 2011), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=2022501. 21 Id. 22 See U.S. Consumer Fin. Prot., Bureau, Final Report of the Small Business Review Panel on CFPB’s Proposals Under Consideration for Mortgage Servicing Rulemaking (June 11, 2012) (“SBREFA Final Report”), available at: http://www.consumerfinance.gov

.17 Prior to the adoption of the Dodd-Frank Act, the mortgage servicing industry was subject to limited Federal consumer fina ncial protection regulation. RESPA set forth basic protections with respect to mortgage servicing that were implemented by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These included re quired disclosures at application concerning whether the lender intended to se rvice the mortgage loan and di sclosures upon an actual transfer of servicing rights. 23 RESPA further imposed substant ive and disclosure requirements for escrow account management and required servicers to respond to “qualified written requests” – written error resolution or information request s relating to a restricted definition of the “servicing” of the borrower’s mortgage loan. 24 TILA set forth requirements on creditors that were implemented by servicers, including disclosures regarding interest rate adjustments on adjustable rate mortgage loans. Regulation Z, which implements TILA, was amended by the Bo ard of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Board) to include certain limited requirements directly on servicers, such as requirements to timely credit payments, provide payoff balances and prohibit pyramiding of late fees. 25 Servicers also had some ob ligations under other Federal laws , including, for example, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. 26 Although TILA and RESPA did not impose ma ny requirements on servicers, servicers were still required to navi gate overlapping requirements governing their servicing responsibilities. In addition to Federal law, se rvicers were required to consider the impact of State and even local regulation on mortgage serv icing. Servicers also had to comply with investor requirements to the extent they servi ced loans owned or guaranteed by various types of

23 See 12 U.S.C. 2605(a)-(e). 24 See 12 U.S.C. 2605(e) and 2609. 25 See 12 CFR 1026.36(c). 26 See 50 U.S.C. App. 501 et seq.18 entities. These include (1) servicing guidelines required by Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), together known as the government-sponsored enterprises (G SEs), as well as servicing guidelines required by the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae); (2) government insured program guidelines issued by the Federa l Housing Administration (FHA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Rural Housing Serv ice; (3) contractual agreements with investors (such as pooling and servicing agreements a nd subservicing contract s); and (4) bank or institution policies. All those requirements remain in effect today and going forward.
C. The National Mortgage Settleme nt and Other Regulatory Actions In response to the unprecedented mortgage cr isis and pervasive pr oblems in mortgage servicing, including the systemic violation of State foreclosur e laws by many of the largest servicers, State and Federal regulators have enga ged in a number of individual servicing related enforcement and regulatory actions over the last few years and have begun discussions about comprehensive national standards. For example, 49 State attorneys general, 27 joined by numerous Fe deral agencies including the Bureau, entered into a National Mortgage Se ttlement (National Mortgage Settlement) with the nation’s five largest se rvicers in February 2012. 28 The National Mortgage Settlement applies to loans held in portfolio and serviced by the five largest se rvicers. Loans owned by GSEs, private investors, or smaller servic ers are not covered by the settlement. Exhibit A to each of the settlements is a Settlement Term Sheet, which sets forth standards that each of the five largest servicer s must follow to comply with the terms of the

27 Oklahoma elected not to join the settlement. 28 The National Mortgage Settlement is available at http://www.nationalmortgagesettlement.com/. The five servicers subject to the settlement are Bank of Am erica, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, CitiMortgage, and Ally/GMAC.19 settlement. 29 The settlement standards contained in the Settlement Term Sheet are sub-divided into the following eight categories: (1) foreclosure and bankruptcy information and documentation; (2) third-party provider oversigh t; (3) bankruptcy; (4) loss mitigation; (5) protections for military personnel; (6) restrictions on servicing fees; (7) force-placed insurance; and (8) general servicer duties and prohibitions. In addition to the settlement, other Federal regulatory agenci es have issued guidance on mortgage servicing and loan modifications, 30 conducted coordinated reviews of the nation’s largest servicers, 31 and taken enforcement actions against individual companies. 32 The Bureau and other Federal agencies have also engaged since spring 2011 in informal discussions about the potential development of national mortgage servicing standards th rough regulations and guidance. The Bureau’s proposed rules under Regulation Z and X represent another important step towards establishing uniform minimum national st andards. When adopted in final form, the Bureau’s rules will apply to all mortgage se rvicers, whether depository institutions or nondepository institutions, and to all segments of the mortgage market, regardless of the ownership

29 See http://www.nationalmortgagesettlement.com/. 30 Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Bulletin 2011-29 (June 30, 2011), available at: http://www.occ.gov/news-issuances/bu lletins/2011/bulletin-2011-29.html ; Letter from Edward J. DeMarco, Acting Director of FHFA, to Hon. Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, U.S. House of Representativ es (Jan. 20, 2012), available at http://www.fhfa.gov/webfiles/23056/ PrincipalForgivenessltr12312.pdf ; Guidance, Home Affordable Modification Program, available at: https://www.hmpadmin.com/portal/programs/guidance.jsp

. FHFA, Frequently Asked Questions—Servici ng Alignment Initiative, available at: http://www.fhfa.gov/webfiles/ 21191/FAQs42811Final.pdf

. 31 See Interagency Foreclosure Report, a joint review of foreclosure processing of 14 federally regulated mortgage servicers during the fourth quarter of 2010 by the Federal Reserve System, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and Office of Thrift Supervision.. 32 See Interagency Foreclosure Report at 5; Federal Reserv e Board, Press Release (May 24, 2012), available at: http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsev ents/press/enforcement/20120524a.htm ; Federal Reserve Board, Press Release (February 27, 201 2), available at: http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsev ents/press/enforcement/20120227a.htm ; Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, News Releas e 2011-47 (April 13, 2011), available at: http://www.occ.gov/news-issuances/newsreleases/2011/nr-occ-2011-47.html.20 of the loan. The proposals focus both on impl ementing the specific mortgage servicing requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act and on a ddressing broader systemic problems that the Bureau believes are critical to ensure that the mortgage serv icing market functions to serve consumer needs. To that end, the proposed TILA and RESPA mortgage servicing rules incorporate elements from four categories of the National Mortga ge Settlement—(1) foreclosure and bankruptcy information and documentation, (4) lo ss mitigation, (6) restrictions on servicing fees, and (7) force-placed insurance. In addition, the proposed requirement to maintain reasonable information management policies and procedures addresses oversight of service providers, which impacts category (2) of the settlement. The Bureau continues to consider whether to incorporate other settle ment standards into rules or guidance, either alone or in conjunction with other Fede ral regulatory agencies; certain requests for comment in this propo sal reflect these considerations. The Bureau is also continuing ongoing discussions with other regulators to ensu re appropriate coordination of rulemaking and other initiatives relating to mortgage servicing issues.
D. The Statutory Requirements and Additional Proposals The Dodd-Frank Act mandates several protectio ns for homeowners in the servicing of their loans. The Act requires new disclosure s, specifically periodic statements (unless coupon books are provided in certain circumstances), not ices prior to the rese t of adjustable-rate mortgages, and force-placed insurance notices . These disclosures are designed to provide consumers with comprehensive and comprehensible information when they need it and in a form they can use, so they can better manage th eir obligations and avoi d unnecessary problems. The Dodd-Frank Act also imposes new requireme nts on servicers to respond in a timely way to borrowers who assert that th eir servicer made an error. The statute also requires servicers21 to respond in a timely way to borrower requests for information. The Dodd-Frank Act contains requirements rela ting to the prompt crediting of payments, so that consumers are not wrongly penalized with la te fees or other fees because servicers did not credit their payments quickly. The statute also requires servicers to provide timely responses to consumer requests for payoff amounts, so consumers can get this information when they need it, such as when refinancing. The Bureau is proposing additional standard s to improve the way servicers treat all borrowers, including delinquent borrowers. Some servicers have made it very difficult for delinquent borrowers to explore and take advantage of potential alte rnatives to foreclosure. For example, servicers have frequently neglected to reach out or respond to such borrowers to discuss alternatives to foreclos ure, lost or misplaced the documents of borrowers who have sought modifications or ot her relief, failed to keep track of borrower communications, and forced borrowers who have invested s ubstantial time communicating with an employee of the servicer to repeat the process with a different employee. 33 To address these concerns, the Bureau is propos ing new servicing standards in four areas. First, servicers would have to establish a nd maintain reasonable information management policies and procedures. These pol icies and procedures would have to be reasonably designed to achieve certain objectives and address certain obligations, including accessing and providing accurate information, evaluating borrowers for lo ss mitigation options, facilitating oversight of, and compliance by, service providers, a nd facilitating serv icing transfers. Second, servicers would have to intervene early with deli nquent borrowers to provide them with information about, and encourage th em to explore, available alternatives to

33 See, e.g. , Larry Cordell et al ., The Incentives of Mortgage Servicers: Myths and Realities , at 9 (Federal Reserve Board, Working Paper No. 2008-46, Sept. 2008).22 foreclosure. Third, servicers would have to provide delinquent borrowers w ith a point of contact that provides continuity in the borrowers ’ dealings with the servicer. At such point of contact, staff must have access to complete records about that borrower, including records of prior communications with the borrower, and be able to assist the borrower in pursuing loss mitigation options. Fourth, servicers that offer loss mitigation options in the ordinary course of business would be required to follow certain procedures to ensure that borrowers’ completed loss mitigation applications are evaluated in a time ly manner, that borrowers are notified of the results, and that borrowers have a right to a ppeal the denial of a lo an modification option. Servicers would also be require d to provide borrowers who su bmit incomplete loss mitigation applications with timely notice a bout the additional documents or information needed to make a loss mitigation application complete. The Bureau recognizes that a one-size-fits-all approach may not be optimal with regard to either the mandated or additional requirements. As discussed below, the Bureau seeks comment on to what extent it may be appropriate to adjust these standards for small servicers. III. Summary of Statute and Rulemaking Process
A. Overview of the Statute The Dodd-Frank Act imposes certain new require ments related to mortgage servicing. Some of these new requirements are amendments to TILA addressed in this proposal and others are amendments to RESPA, addressed in the 2012 RESPA Servicing Proposal. TILA amendments. There are three new mortgage servicing requirements under TILA. First, for closed-end credit transactions secured by a consumer’s principal residence, section23 1418 of the Dodd-Frank Act adds a new section 128A to TILA. TILA section 128A states that, for hybrid ARMs with a fixed interest rate for an introductory period that ad justs or resets to a variable interest rate at the end of such period, a notice must be provided six months prior to the initial adjustment of the interest rate for closed -end credit transactions secured by a consumer’s principal residence. Section 1418 of the Dodd-Fr ank Act permits the Bureau to extend this requirement to ARMs that are not hybrid ARMs. Second, section 1420 of the Dodd-Frank Act, which adds section 128(f) to TILA, requires the creditor, assignee, or servicer of any residential mo rtgage loan to transmit to the borrower, for each billing cycle, a periodic statemen t that sets forth certain specified information in a conspicuous and prominent manner. The st atute also gives the Bu reau the authority to require additional content to be included in the periodic statement. The statute provides an exception to the periodic statement requirement fo r fixed-rate loans where the borrower is given a coupon book containing substantially the same information as the statement. Third, section 1464 of the Dodd-Frank Act adds sections 129F and 129G to TILA, which generally codify existing Regul ation Z requirements for the pr ompt crediting of mortgage payments received by servicers in connection with consumer credit transactions secured by a consumer’s dwelling. The statute also genera lly codifies the Regul ation Z requirement on accurate and timely responses to borrower requests for payoff amounts. RESPA amendments. Section 1463 of the Dodd-Frank Act imposes a number of new servicing related requirements under RESPA that broadly relate to: force-placed insurance and error resolution/responses to requests for informati on. First, the statute pr ohibits a servicer from obtaining force-placed hazard insurance, unless there is a reasonable basis to believe the borrower has failed to comply with the loan contract’s requirement to maintain property24 insurance. A servicer may not impose any ch arge on any borrower for force-placed insurance with respect to any property secured by a federally related mortgage, unless the servicer sends, by first-class mail, two written notic es to the borrower, at least 30 days apart. The notices must remind borrowers of their obligation to main tain hazard insurance on the property, alert borrowers to the servicer’s lack of evidence of insurance coverage, tell borrowers what they must do to demonstrate that they have coverage, and st ate that the servicer may obtain coverage at the borrower’s expense if the borrower fails to provi de evidence of coverage. Servicers must terminate force-placed insurance coverage a nd refund to borrowers any premiums charged during any period when the borrower had private in surance coverage. The statute also provides that all charges imposed on the borrower related to force-placed insurance, apart from charges subject to State regulation as the business of insurance, must be bona fide and reasonable. Second, the statute prohibits certain acts and practices by servicers of federally related mortgages with regard to resolving errors and responding to requests for information. Specifically, the statute prohibits servicers of federall y related mortgages from charging fees for responding to valid qualified written requests. The statute also provides that a servicer of a federally related mortgage must not fail to take timely action to respond to a borrower’s requests to correct errors relating to: allocation of paymen ts, final balances for purposes of paying off the loan, avoiding foreclosure, or othe r standard servicer duties. Finally, the statue requires a servicer of a federally relate d mortgage to respond within ten business days to a request from a borrower to provide the identity, addr ess, and other relevant contact information about the owne r or assignee of the loan. The statue also reduces the amount of time that servicers of federally related mort gages have to correct errors and respond to25 inquiries generally, as well as refund escrow accounts upon payoff. 34 In addition, the statute provides that a servi cer of a federally related mortgage must “comply with any other obligation found by th e Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, by regulation, to be appropriate to carry out the consumer prot ection purposes of this Act.” 35 This provision gives the Bureau broad authority to ad opt additional regulations to govern the conduct of servicers of federally related mortgage loan s. In light of the systemic problems in the mortgage servicing industry, th e Bureau is proposing to exerci se this authority to require servicers of federally related mortgages to: establish reasonable information management policies and procedures; undert ake early interventi on with delinquent borrowers; provide delinquent borrowers with continuity of contact with staff equipped to assist them; and require servicers that offer loss mitigation options in th e ordinary course of business to follow certain procedures when evaluating loss mitigation applications. The statute also requires a creditor or serv icer to send accurate and timely responses to borrower requests for payoff amounts for home loans. The statutory provisions with enumerated mortgage servicing requirements become effective on January 21, 2013, unless final rules are issued on or before that date.
B. Outreach and Consumer Testing The Bureau has conducted extensive outreac h in developing the mortgage servicing proposals. Bureau staff met with mortgage serv icers, force-placed insurance carriers, industry trade associations, consumer advocates, other Fede ral regulatory agencies , and other interested parties to discuss various aspects of th e statute and the se rvicing industry.

34 Other changes in section 1463 of the Dodd-Frank Act relate to increases in penalties for violations. These provisions are not addressed in this rulemaking. 35 12 U.S.C. 2605(k)(1)(E).26 In preparing this proposed rule, the Bureau so licited input from sma ll servicers through a Small Business Review Panel (SBREFA Panel) with the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Admi nistrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs within the Offi ce of Management and Budget (OMB). 36 The Small Business Review Panel’s findings and recommendations ar e contained in the Final Report of the Small Business Review Panel on CFPB’s Proposals U nder Consideration for Mortgage Servicing Rulemaking (SBREFA Final Report). 37 The Bureau also engaged in other meetings and roundtables with a variety of other stakeholders to gather factual information abou t the servicing industry and to discuss various elements of the Bureau’s proposals as they were being developed. As discussed above and in connection with section 1022 of th e Dodd-Frank Act below, the Bureau has also consulted with relevant Federal regulators both regarding the Bureau’s specific proposals and the need for and potential contents of national mortgage servicing standards in general. As it considers public comment and works to develop final rules on mort gage servicing, the Bure au will continue to seek input from all interested parties. In addition, the Bureau engaged ICF Macro (Mac ro), a research and consulting firm that specializes in designing disclosures and cons umer testing, to conduct one-on-one cognitive interviews regarding disclosures connected with mortgage servicing. During the first quarter of 2012, the Bureau and Macro worked closely to deve lop and test disclosures that would satisfy the requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act and prov ide information to cons umers in a manner that

36 The Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA) requires the Bureau to convene a Small Business Review Panel before proposing a rule that may have a substantial economic impact on a significant number of small entities. See Pub. L. 104-121, tit. II, 110 Stat. 847, 857 (1 996) (as amended by Pub. L. 110-28, sec. 8302 (2007)). 37 See SBREFA Final Report, supra note 22.27 would be understandable and useful. These disc losures related to the ARM notices, the forceplaced insurance notices, and th e periodic statements. Macro conducted three rounds of one-onone cognitive interviews with a total of 31 participants in th e Baltimore, Maryland metro area (Towson, Maryland), Memphis, Tennessee, and Los Angeles, California. Participants were all consumers who held a mortgage loan and repres ented a range of ages and education levels. Efforts were made to recruit a significant number of participants who had trouble making mortgage payments in the last two years. During the interviews, participants were shown disclosure forms for periodic statements, ARM in terest rate adjustment notices for the new disclosures required by Dodd-Frank Act secti on 1418, and force-placed insurance notices. Participants were asked specific questions to test their understanding of the information presented in each of the disclosures, how easily they could find various pieces of information presented in each of the disclosures, as we ll as to learn about how they would use the information presented in each of the disclosures. The disclosures were revised after each round of testing. Specific findings from the consumer testing are discussed in detail throughout the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION where relevant. 38
C. Other Dodd-Frank Act Mo rtgage-Related Rulemakings Including this proposal, the Bureau currently is engaged in seven rulemakings relating to mortgage credit to implement re quirements of the Dodd-Frank Act:

 TILA-RESPA Integration : On July 9, 2012, the Bureau released proposed rules and forms combining the TILA mortgage loan disclosures with the Good Faith Estimate (GFE) and settlement statement required unde r RESPA, pursuant to DFA section 1032(f)

38 ICF Macro International, Inc., Summary of Findings: Design and Testing of Mortgage Servicing Disclosures (Aug. 2012), available at: http://www.consumerfinance. gov/notice-and-comment/ (report on consumer testing submitted to the U.S. Consumer Fin. Prot. Bureau).28 as well as sections 4(a) of RESPA and 105(b) of TILA, as amended by DFA sections 1098 and 1100A, respectively. 12 U.S.C. 2603( a); 15 U.S.C. 1604(b) (the 2012 TILARESPA Proposal). 39

 HOEPA : On July 9, 2012, the Bureau released proposed rules to implement Dodd-Frank Act requirements expanding protections for “high-cost” mortgage loans under HOEPA, pursuant to TILA sections 103(bb) and 129, as amended by DFA sections 1431 through 1433. 15 U.S.C. 1602(bb) and 1639. 40 Such loans have requir ements on servicers related to payoff statements, late fees, prepayment pe nalties, and fees for loan modifications or deferrals.

 Loan Originator Compensation : The Bureau is in the proc ess of developing a proposal to implement provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act requiring certain creditors and mortgage loan originators to meet duty of care qua lifications and prohibiting mortgage loan originators, creditors, and the affiliates of both from receiving compensation in various forms (including based on the terms of the tr ansaction) and from s ources other than the consumer, with specified exceptions, pursuan t to TILA section 129B as established by DFA sections 1402 through 1405. 15 U.S.C. 1639b.

 Appraisals : The Bureau, jointly with Federal prudential regulators and other Federal agencies, is in the process of developi ng a proposal to implement Dodd-Frank Act requirements concerning appraisals for highe r-risk mortgages, appraisal management companies, and automated valuation mode ls, pursuant to TILA section 129H as established by DFA section 1471, 15 U.S.C. 1639h, and sections 1124 and 1125 of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA) as

39 Available at http://www.consumerfinance.gov/notice-and-comment/. 40 Id29 established by Dodd-Frank Act sections 1473(f), 12 U.S.C. 3353, and 1473(q), 12 U.S.C. 3354, respectively. In addition, the Bureau is developing rules to implement section 701(e) of the Equal Credit Opportunity Ac t (ECOA), as amended by DFA section 1474, to require that credito rs provide applicants with a fr ee copy of written appraisals and valuations developed in connection with applic ations for loans secured by a first lien on a dwelling (collectively, Appraisals Rulemaking). 15 U.S.C. 1691(e).

 Ability to Repay : The Bureau is in the process of finalizing a proposal issued by the Board to implement provisions of the Dodd- Frank Act requiring cred itors to determine that a consumer can repay a mortgage loan and establishing standards for compliance, such as by making a “qualified mortgage,” purs uant to TILA section 129C as established by Dodd-Frank Act sections 1411 and 1412 (ATR Rulemaking). 15 U.S.C. 1639c.

 Escrows : The Bureau is in the process of fi nalizing a proposal issued by the Board to implement provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act requiring certain escrow account disclosures and exempting from the higher-p riced mortgage loan escrow requirement loans made by certain small creditors, among ot her provisions, pursuant to TILA section 129D as established by Dodd-Frank Act sect ions 1461 and 1462 (Escrows Rulemaking). 15 U.S.C. 1639d. With the exception of the requirements being implemented in the 2012 TILA-RESPA Proposal, the Dodd-Frank Act requirements refere nced above generally will take effect on January 21, 2013, unless final rules implementing those requirements are issued on or before that date and provide for a different effective date. To provide an orderly, co ordinated, and efficient comment process, the Bureau is generally setting the deadlines for comments on this and other proposed mortgage rules based on the date the proposal is issued, instead of the date this notice is30 published in the Federal Register. Therefore, the Bureau is providing 60 days for comment on those proposals, which will ensure that the Bu reau receives comments with sufficient time remaining to issue final rules by January 21, 2013. Because the precise da te this notice will be published cannot be predicted in a dvance, setting the deadlines base d on the date of issuance will allow interested parties that intend to comment on multiple proposals to plan accordingly. The Bureau regards the foregoing rulemakings as components of a larger undertaking; many of them intersect with one or more of the others. Accord ingly, the Bureau is coordinating carefully the development of the proposals and final rules identified above. Each rulemaking will adopt new regulatory provisions to implement the various Dodd-Frank Act mandates described above. In addition, ea ch of them may include other provisions the Bureau considers necessary or appropriate to ensure that the overall undertaking is acco mplished efficiently and that it ultimately yields a regul atory scheme for mortgage cred it that achieves the statutory purposes set forth by Congress, while a voiding unnecessary burdens on industry. Thus, many of the rulemakings listed above i nvolve issues that extend across two or more rulemakings. In this context, each rulemaking may raise concerns that might appear unaddressed if that rulemaking were viewed in isolation. For efficiency’s sake, however, the Bureau is publishing and soliciting comment on a proposed a pproach to certain issu es raised by two or more of its mortgage rulemakings in whichever rulemaking is most appropriate, in the Bureau’s judgment, for addressing each specific issue. Ac cordingly, the Bureau urges the public to review this and the other mortgage proposals identified above, including those previously published by the Board, together. Such a review will ensure a more complete understanding of the Bureau’s overall approach and will foster more comp rehensive and informed public comment on the Bureau’s several proposals, including provisions th at may have some relation to more than one31 rulemaking but are being proposed for comment in only one of them.
D. Small Servicers The small entity representatives (SERs) who provided feedback to the SBREFA panel generally emphasized that their business models required a “high touch” approach to customer service and that they did not engage in many of the practices that contributed to the mortgage market process. The SERs indicated that they take a proactive approach to providing consumer information, resolving errors and working with delinquent borrowers to find alternatives to foreclosure. Nevertheless, they indicate d that some elements of the proposals under consideration were not consistent with their current business practices and expressed concern about the need to begin provi ding extensive documentation to prove compliance with the proposed standards. The SERs urged the Bureau to adopt standards that would allow small servicers to stay in the market and provide choices to consumers with the new compliance burdens. 41 The SERs were particularly concerned about the costs and burdens of complying with the periodic statement requirements, as well as certain aspects of th e process for resolving errors and responding to inquiries. 42 Informed by this process, the Bureau is proposing in the 2012 TILA Servicing Proposal to exempt certain small servicers from the peri odic statement requirement. The Bureau is also proposing that certain requirements, such as the requirement to maintain reasonable information management policies and procedures under Regulation X, should be applied in light of the scale of the servicer’s operations as we ll as other contextual factors. The Bureau does not believe that these provisions, described more fully below in th e section-by-section analys is of the applicable proposal, would impair consumer protection. The Bureau is also seekin g comment more broadly

41 SBREFA Final Report, supra note 22, at 16, 21. 42 SBREFA Final Report, supra note 22, at 16-19, 21, and 23-24.32 on whether other exemptions or adjustments for small servicers would be warranted to reduce regulatory burden while appropriately balancing consumer protections. E. Request for Comment on Effective Date The Bureau specifically requests comment on th e appropriate effective date for each of the servicing-related rules contained in this proposal and the 2012 TI LA Servicing Proposed Rule. As discussed above, the Dodd-Frank Act se rvicing requirements take effect automatically on January 21, 2013, unless final rules ar e issued on or before that date. 43 Where rules are required to be issued, the Dodd-Frank Act permits the Bureau to provide up to 12 months for implementation. For all other rules, the implemen tation period is left to the discretion of the
Bureau. Given the significant consumer benefits offe red by the proposals and the challenges faced by delinquent borrowers in dealing with their servicers, the Bureau generally believes that the final rules should be made effective as soon as possible. However, the Bureau understands that various elements of the final rules would require se rvicers to adopt or revise existing software to generate compliant disclosures, retrain staff, assess and revise policies and procedures, and/or take other implementation measures. The Bure au therefore seeks detailed comment on the nature and length of implementation process for e ach individual servicing rule and in light of interactions between the rules. The Bureau is particularly inte rested in analyzing the impacts on both consumers and servicers of a staggered im plementation sequence as compared to imposing a single date by which all rules must be implemented. The Bureau also notes that some companie s may also need to implement other new requirements under other parts of the Dodd-Frank Act, as described above. The Bureau believes

43 Public Law 111-203, 124 Stat. 1376, section 1400(c) (2010).33 based on conversations and analysis to date that there is more overlap and interaction among the various proposals relating to mort gage origination than there is between the servicing proposals and the origination proposals. However, the Bu reau seeks comment specifically on this issue and on whether the general cumulative burden on en tities that are subject to both sets of rules will complicate implementation. Finally, the Bureau seeks comment on any pa rticular implementati on challenges faced by small servicers, and on whether an extended im plementation period would be appropriate or useful. For instance, to the extent that small servicers rely heavily on outside software vendors, the Bureau seeks comment on whether a delayed eff ective date would provide significant relief if the vendors will have to develop software soluti ons for larger servicers on a shorter timeline anyway. The Bureau also seeks comment on the impacts of delayed implementation on consumers and on other market participants. IV. Discussion of Major Proposed Revisions The proposed amendments to Regulation Z implement sections 1418 (initial ARM interest rate adjustment notice), 1420 (perio dic statements) and 1464 (prompt crediting and provision of payoff statements) of the Dodd-Fr ank Act, which in turn amend TILA. The amendment also proposes to revise current Regu lation Z ARM disclosure rules for consistency with DFA section 1418. The proposed revision elim inates the ARM intere st rate adjustment notice required at least once each year during which an interest rate adjustment is implemented without resulting in a corresponding payment change. A. Current and Proposed Interest Rate Adjustment Disclosures To implement DFA section 1418, the Bureau is proposing to revise § 1026.20(d) to require that creditors, assignees , or servicers provide notices to consumers six to seven months34 prior to the first time the interest rate of their adjustable-rate mort gages adjusts. In contrast to this one-time disclosure, Regul ation Z currently requires notice to consumers regarding each adjustment of their adjustable-rate mortgages. Under current rule § 1026.20(c), creditors mu st provide consumers with a notice of interest rate adjustment for va riable-rate transacti ons subject to § 1026.19(b) at least 25, but no more than 120, calendar days before a payment at a new level is due. For the reasons discussed below, the Bureau is proposing in § 1026.20(c) , among other things, to change the minimum time for providing advance notice to consumers from 25 days to 60 days before payment at a new level is due. The maximum time for advanc e notice would remain the same: 120 days prior to the due date of the first payment at a new level. Current § 1026.20(c) also requires creditors to provide consumers with an adjustment notice at least once each year dur ing which an interest rate adju stment is implemented without resulting in a corresponding payment change. The Bureau is proposing to eliminate this provision. As explained in more detail below in the section- by-section analysis, the Bureau believes that certain Dodd-Frank Act amendm ents to TILA and the Bureau’s proposed amendments that would implement those provi sions provide consumers with much of the information contained in the annual notice, ther eby greatly minimizing its value for consumers. In the interest of harmonizi ng the two proposed ARM disclosu res, the coverage, content, and format of proposed § 1026.20(c) and (d) closel y track one another and incorporate most of the content currently required by § 1026.20(c). Historic context of § 1026.20(c) rate adjustment disclosures. The Board adopted the rule that is current § 1026.20(c) in 1987, as part of a larger revision of Regulation Z. 44 In 2009, the

44 52 FR 48665 (Dec. 24, 1987).35 Board proposed to revise regulati ons governing ARM disclosures as part of a larger revision of closed-end provisions in Regulati on Z (2009 Closed-End Proposal). In that proposal, the Board said that, in 1987, it set the minimum time for provi ding notice of a rate adjustment at 25 days before payment at new level is du e in order to track the rules of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and to provide creditors with flexibility in giving adjustment notices for a variety of ARMs. 45 It also noted that, as of 2009, ne ither the OCC nor any other Federal financial institution supervisory agency had any comprehensive disclosure requirements for
ARMs. 46 Since 1987, the popularity of ARMs has increas ed, especially during the period from
2002 to 2007. 47 Beginning in 2007, ARM growth began to slow as consumers experienced difficulty repaying such loans and concerns grew about the risk of pa yment shock that ARMs
pose. 48 According to Freddie Mac, “[i]n June 2004, ARMs hit a peak share of 40% of the homepurchase market but by early 2009, that share had fallen to just 3%, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency.” 49 Generally, ARMs are financing just over 10% of new homepurchase loans but are expected to rise to a 14% share of that market in 2012. 50 For many consumers, the current era of declin ing interest rates has reduced the incidence of the significant payment increases that can accompany ARM interest rate adjustments. Anecdotal evidence from mortgage servicers w ith which the Bureau has conducted outreach supports this conclusion. To the extent interest rates rise in the futu re, ARM interest rate adjustments may result in significant payment incr eases for many consumers. The popularity of

45 74 FR 43232, 43269 (Aug. 26, 2009) ( citing 52 FR 48665, 48668 (Dec. 24, 1987)). 46 Id . at 43272. 47 Id. at 43269. 48 Id. 49 Press Release, Freddie Mac, Freddie Mac Releases 28 th Annual ARM Survey Results (January 18, 2012), available at: http://freddiemac.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=12329&item=109996

. 50 Id.36 adjustable-rate mortgages, which provide the opportunity for redu ced interest rates, also may increase along with the advent of higher intere st rates. Regardless of current market conditions, ARMs can pose a risk of payment shock. Therefore, it is critical that consumers receiv e advance notice of ARM payment changes so that, if their rates increase, they can prepare to make higher mortgage payments or pursue alternative plans, such as seeking to refinance their loans. Timing of current and proposed ARM regulations. DFA section 1418 requires that interest rate adjustment disclo sures be provided to consumers si x to seven months before the interest rate adjusts for the firs t time (which is equivalent to 2 10 to 240 days before payment at a new level is due). Generally, this much advan ce notice will require disclo sure of an estimated new interest rate and payment instead of ex act amounts. This is because ARM contracts generally require an index value pub lished closer to the adjustment date to calculate the adjusted interest rate and new payment. Nevertheless, the consumer w ould be put on notice of upcoming changes and would have ample time to refinance or pursue other alternatives if the estimate indicates a potential increase in paymen ts that the consumer cannot afford. Current § 1026.20(c) requires notice of rate ad justments resulting in a corresponding payment change at least 25 days pr ior to when payment at a new leve l is due. This notice, unlike the one required under DFA section 1418, provides the actual, not estimated, new interest rate and payment. Twenty-five days likely does not provide sufficient time for consumers to refinance, pursue other alternativ es, or adjust their finances to make higher payments. Research conducted for the years 2004 through 2007 also sugge sted that a requirement to provide ARM adjustment disclosures 60, rather than 25, days before payment at a new level is due more closely37 reflects the time needed for consumers to refinance a loan. 51 In the current market, the nation’s biggest mortgage lenders take an average of more than 70 days to complete a refinance. 52 For these reasons, proposed § 1026.20(c) revise s the time frame for providing the ARM adjustment notice from the current 25 to 120 days to 60 to 120 days before payment at a new level is due. Under the proposed rule, consum ers will know the actual amount of their new interest rate and payment at l east 60 days before the new payment is due. Most existing ARMs will be able to comply with this proposed timing. The Bureau proposes grandfathering existing ARMs that contractually will not be able to comply with the new timing, i.e ., those with lookback periods of less than 45 days. See section-by-section analysis for proposed § 1026.20(c) for a full discussion of timing and look-back periods. Content of current and proposed ARM regulations . The Bureau is generally proposing to retain the content require d by current § 1026.20(c). Propos ed § 1026.20(c) would require additional information such as a statement that the consumer’s interest rate is scheduled to adjust, the adjustment may change the mortgage payment, the time period the current interest rate has been in effect, and the dates of the fu ture rate adjustments; the date when the new payment is due after the adjustment; any interest rate or payment limits ; any unapplied carryover interest and the earliest date it could be applied; additional amortization information for negatively-amortizing an d interest-only loans; and the amount and expiration date of any

51 Robert B. Avery, Kenneth P. Brevoort, & Glenn B. Canner, The 2007 HMDA Data , 94 Fed. Reserve Bull. A107 (Dec. 23, 2008). 52 Nick Timiraos & Ruth Simon, Borrowers Face Big Delays in Refinancing Mortgages , Wall St. J., May 9, 2012, at A1, available at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303459004577364102737025584.html

.38prepayment penalty. Much of this additional content was proposed by the Board’s 2009 ClosedEnd Proposal to amend Regulation Z’s payment ch ange interest rate adjustment disclosures. 53 The initial interest rate adjustment notic es proposed by § 1026.20(d) include much of the same information listed above for proposed § 1026.20(c). The content of the two proposed notices in § 1026.20(c) and (d) closely track one another in order to promote consistency and simplify compliance. However, proposed § 1026.20( c), which applies to the ongoing disclosures at each interest rate adjustment that results in a corresponding payment change, would not require some of the disclosures mandated for the initial interest rate adjustment notices by DFA section 1418. These disclosures include a list of alternatives consumers may pursue, including refinancing, renegotiation of loan terms, paymen t forbearance, and pre-foreclosure sales; contact information for the appropriate State housing fi nance agency; and information on how to access a list of government-certified counseling agencies and programs. The Bureau believes it is not necessary to provide this information in § 1026.20( c) notices because much of it will be provided to consumers through other mortgage servicing m easures implemented by the Dodd-Frank Act. For example, new TILA section 128(f), whic h would be implemented by proposed rule § 1026.41 for periodic statements, each billing cycle would provide information on how to contact the appropriate State hou sing finance authority and how to access a list of governmentcertified counseling agencies a nd programs. Also, the early in tervention provisions of the 2012 RESPA Servicing Proposal woul d require this same informa tion as well as examples of alternatives consumers may want to consider. Finally, consumers will have received this information pursuant to § 1026.20(d) the first tim e their adjustable-rate mortgages adjust.

53 74 FR 43232, 43269-73 (Aug. 26, 2009).39 The model forms proposed for § 1026.20(c) a nd (d) closely track one another and disclose virtually the same information, excep t for the additional information proposed for § 1026.20(d), as discussed above, and the referen ce to estimates in the proposed § 1026.20(d) notices. The Bureau believes that harmonizing the two proposed rules regarding ARM interest rate adjustment disclosures w ould ease the burden of compliance for creditors, assignees, and servicers while providing consumers with cons istent information in similar notices. The Bureau is proposing model and sample forms 54 for both § 1026.20(c) and (d). The Bureau worked with Macro to design and test the forms for § 1026.20(d), but did not specifically test § 1026.20(c) notices. See Part II.B above. Because of the similarity in the model forms for both proposed rules, the results of the testing of § 1026.20(d) forms is relevant for proposed § 1026.20(c) as well. Thus, throughout the s ection-by-section analysis for § 1026.20(c), the Bureau refers to the testing results for § 1026.20( d) where the information and concepts tested are identical in the model forms fo r both proposed § 1026.20(c) and (d). B. Proposed Rule Regarding Prompt Cred iting of Mortgage Payments and Response to Requests for Payoff Amounts DFA section 1464(a) codifies the ex isting Regulation Z requirements in § 1026.36(c)(1)(i) on prompt credi ting of payments. The propos ed modifications to § 1026.36(c) would clarify the handling of partial payments . The proposal would limit application of the current prompt crediting provisi on, existing § 1026.36(c)(1)(i), to full contractual payments (as opposed to all payments), and add a new provisi on, § 1026.36(c)(1)(ii), to address the handing of partial payments (anything less th an a full contractual payment).

54 The Bureau proposes four model forms for the ARM adjustment notices: two forms for the § 1026.20(c) ARM payment change notices, one labeled a model form and the other a sample form and two forms for the § 1026.20(d) ARM initial interest rate adjustment notices, one labeled a model form and the other a sample form. See Appendix H-4(D)(1)-(4).40 DFA section 1464(b) generally codifies th e existing Regulation Z requirement in § 1026.36(c)(3) to provide payoff statements, with modifications relating to the scope and timing of the requirement, and the need for the request to be written. Propos ed modifications to § 1026.36(c) reflect these changes. As part of implementing these changes, the Bureau is proposing a reorganization of the requirements in § 1026.36(c). C. Proposed Rule Regarding Periodic Statements DFA section 1420 establishes new TILA secti on 128(f), requiring periodic statements for residential mortgage loans to be provided each bill ing cycle. The statute requires that a creditor, assignee, or servicer disclose certain information in the periodic statement, along with “such other information as the Bureau may prescribe in regulations.” 55 The statute requires the Bureau to develop and prescribe a standard form for this disclosure, taking into account that the required statements may be transmitted in writing or electronically. 56 The statute also provides an exemption to the periodic statement requirement fo r fixed-rate loans where the creditor, assignee, or servicer provides the obli gor with a coupon book which provides substantially the same information as the periodic statement. 57 Proposed § 1026.41 contains the periodic statement requir ement. Paragraph (a) establishes the general requireme nt for creditors, assignees, or servicers to provide a periodic statement. Paragraphs (b) – (d) establish requi rements for the timing, form, content, and layout of the statement. Paragraph (e) sets forth exem ptions from the periodic statement requirement.

55 TILA section 128(f)(1)(H). 56 TILA section 128(f)(2). 57 TILA section 128(f)(3).41 The periodic statement is de signed to serve a variety of purposes, including informing consumers of their payment obligations, providing the consumer with information about their mortgage in an easily readable and understandable format, creating a record of the transaction to aid in error detection and resolution, and providing informa tion to certain delinquent borrowers. The Bureau is proposing sample forms in acco rdance with TILA section 129(f)(2). The Bureau examined several forms used today by vari ous servicers, consider ed how these forms met the needs of consumers, and identified changes that would benefit consumers. As discussed above in part II.B, the Bureau worked with Macro to design and test sample forms. The proposed periodic statement is designed to provide information to consumers in a format they can easily understa nd and use. As such, the prop osed regulation would require certain related pieces of information to be grouped together. The proposed formatting requirements of the periodic statement are discusse d in detail in the section-by-section analysis for proposed § 1026.41(d). The proposed periodic statement is also de signed to provide additional information to consumers in several potentially confusing scenar ios: partial payments, payment-option loans, and delinquency. First, the handling of partia l payments would be cl arified on the periodic statement, both on the transacti on activity line and in the past payment breakdown. Additionally, if funds are held in a suspense or unapplied funds account, the proposed rule would require a message on what must be done to release the f unds. Second, payments for payment-option loans would be clarified by listing the options in th e Amount Due section, and providing details about each of the options in the Expl anation of Amount Due section. Finally, delinquent consumers would receive information in several places on the periodic statement. The overdue amount would be stated in the Explanation of Amount Du e section, and any fees would be listed in the42 Transaction Activity section. The breakdown of past payments will help the consumer understand how past payments were applied, whic h can be confusing. Additionally, consumers who are more than 45 days delinquent will have a delinquency information included in the periodic statement providing spec ific information about their loan. These requirements are discussed in greater detail in the section-by-section anal ysis on proposed § 1026.41 below. Finally, the proposal contains several ex emptions from the periodic statement requirement. One exemption is for fixed-rate loans using coupon books that meet certain requirements, as set forth in TILA 128(f)(3). A nother exemption clarifies that timeshares are not subject to the periodic statement requirement as per the definition of “residential mortgage loan.” 58 The Bureau is also proposing exemptions for reverse mortgages and certain small servicers. V. Legal Authority The Bureau is issuing this proposed rule pursuant to its author ity under TILA and the Dodd-Frank Act. Section 1061 of the Dodd-Frank Act transferred to the Bureau the “consumer financial protection functions” previously vested in certain other Federal agencies, including the Board. The term “consumer financial protection f unction” is defined to in clude “all authority to prescribe rules or issue orders or guidelines pur suant to any Federal consumer financial law, including performing appropriate functions to promulgate and re view such rules, orders, and guidelines.” 59 TILA, Title X of the Dodd-Frank Act, a nd certain subtitles and provisions of Title XIV of the Dodd Frank Act, are Fe deral consumer financial laws. 60 Accordingly, the Bureau has

58 TILA section 103(cc)(5). 59 12 U.S.C. 5581(a)(1). 60 Dodd-Frank Act section 1002(14), 12 U.S.C. 5481(14) (def ining “Federal consumer financial law” to include the “enumerated consumer laws” and the provisions of title X of the Dodd-Frank Act); Dodd-Frank Act section 1002(12), 12 U.S.C. 5481(12) (defining “enumerated consumer laws” to include TILA), Dodd-Frank section43 authority to issue regulations pursuant to TILA , Title X, and the enumerated subtitles and provisions of Tile XIV, including to implement the additions and amendments to TILA’s mortgage servicing requirements made by Title XIV of the Dodd-Frank Act. Sections 1418, 1420 and 1464 of the Dodd-Fr ank Act create new requirements under TILA in new sections 128A, 128(f), and 129F and 129G, respectively. Section 1418 of the Dodd-Frank Act amends Regulation Z to require that certain disclosures be provided to consumers with hybrid adjustable -rate mortgages secured by the consumer’s principal residence the first time the interest resets or adjusts. Additionally, the savings cl ause in TILA section 128A(c) allows the Bureau to requ ire this notice for adjustable-rate mortgage loans that are not hybrid adjustable-rate loans. DF A section 1420 requires that a peri odic statement be provided to consumers for each billing cycle of a consumer’s closed-end mortgage secured by a dwelling, except for fixed-rate loans with coupon books c ontaining substantially the same information. The statute requires a list of speci fic information that must be incl uded in the periodic statement. Additionally, pursuant to TILA section 128(f)(1)(H), the period ic statement must also include such information as the Bureau may require in regulations. DFA sec tion 1464 generally requires the prompt crediting of mortgage payments in connection with consumer credit transactions secured by a consumer’s principal dwelling and an accurate timely response to requests for payoff amounts for home loans. In addition to proposing rules to implement these TILA provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act, the Bureau proposes amending current TILA interest rate adjustment disclosures required by § 1026.20(c) as proposed § 1026.20(c).

1400(b), 15 U.S.C. 1601 note (defin ing “enumerated consumer laws” to certain subtitles and provisions of Title XIV).44 The proposed rule also relies on the rulema king and exception authorities specifically granted to the Bureau by TILA and the Dodd-Fr ank Act, including the authorities discussed below: The Truth in Lending Act TILA section 105(a) . As amended by the Dodd-Fra nk Act, TILA section 105(a), 15 U.S.C. 1604(a), directs the Bureau to prescribe regulations to carry out the purposes of TILA, and provides that such regulations may cont ain additional requireme nts, classifications, differentiations, or other provision s, and may provide for such adjustments and exceptions for all or any class of transactions, that the Bureau judges are necessary or proper to effectuate the purposes of TILA, to prevent circumvention or evas ion thereof, or to facilitate compliance. The purposes of TILA are “to assure a meaningful disc losure of credit terms so that the consumers will be able to compare more readily the various credit terms available and avoid the uninformed use of credit” and to protect consumers against inaccurate and unfair credit billing practices. TILA section 102(a); 15 U.S.C. 1601(a). Historically, TILA section 105(a) has served as a broad source of au thority for rules that promote the informed use of credit and avoid unfair credit billing practices through required disclosures and substantive re gulation of certain practices . Dodd-Frank Act section 1100A additionally clarifies the Bureau ’s TILA section 105(a) authority by amending that section to provide express authority to pres cribe regulations that contain “a dditional requirements” that the Bureau finds are necessary or proper to e ffectuate the purposes of TILA, to prevent circumvention or evasion thereof, or to facilitate compliance. Th is amendment clarified that the Bureau has the authority to exercise TILA s ection 105(a) to prescrib e requirements beyond those specifically listed in the statut e that meet the standards outli ned in section 105(a). The Dodd-45 Frank Act also clarified the Bureau’s rulemaki ng authority over certain high-cost mortgages pursuant to section 105(a). As amended by the Dodd-Frank Act, TILA section 105(a) authority to make adjustments and exceptions to the requi rements of TILA applie s to all transactions subject to TILA, except with respect to the provisions of TILA section 129 61 that apply to the high-cost mortgages referred to in TI LA section 103(bb), 15 U.S.C. 1602(bb). For the reasons discussed in this notice, the Bureau is proposing regul ations to carry out TILA’s purposes and is proposing such additional requirements, adjustments, and exceptions as, in the Bureau’s judgment, are necessary and proper to carry out the purposes of TILA, prevent circumvention or evasion thereof, or to facilitate compliance. In developing these aspects of the proposal pursuant to its author ity under TILA section 105(a), th e Bureau has considered the purposes of TILA, including ensuring meaningf ul disclosures, helping consumers avoid the uninformed use of credit, and pr otecting consumers against inaccura te and unfair credit billing practices. See TILA section 102(a); 15 U.S.C. 1601(a). TILA section 105(f) . Section 105(f) of TILA, 15 U.S.C. 1604(f), authorizes the Bureau to exempt from all or part of TILA any class of transactions if the Bureau determines that TILA coverage does not provide a mean ingful benefit to consumers in the form of useful information or protection. In exercising this authority, the Bureau must consider the factors identified in section 105(f) of TILA and publish its rationale at the time it proposes an exemption for public comment. Specifically, the Bureau must consider: (a) The amount of the loan and whether the di sclosures, right of rescission, and other provisions provide a benefit to the consumers who are parties to such transactions, as determined by the Bureau;

61 15 U.S.C. 1639. TILA section 129 contains requirements for certain high-cost mortgages, established by the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act (HOEPA), which are commonly called HOEPA loans.46 (b) The extent to which the re quirements of this subchapter complicate, hinder, or make more expensive the credit proces s for the class of transactions; (c) The status of the borrower, including— (1) Any related financial arrangements of the borrower, as determined by the Bureau; (2) The financial sophistication of the borrower relative to th e type of transaction; and (3) The importance to the borrower of th e credit, related supporting property, and coverage under this subchapter , as determined by the Bureau; (d) Whether the loan is secured by the pr incipal residence of the consumer; and (e) Whether the goal of consumer protection w ould be undermined by such an exemption. For the reasons discussed in this notice, the Bure au is proposing to exempt certain transactions from the requirements of TILA pursuant to its authority under TILA section 105(f). In developing this proposal under TI LA section 105(f), the Bureau has considered the relevant factors and determined that the propos ed exemptions may be appropriate. The Dodd-Frank Act Dodd-Frank Act section 1022(b). Section 1022(b)(1) of the Dodd-Frank Act authorizes the Bureau to prescribe rules “as may be necessa ry or appropriate to enable the Bureau to administer and carry out the purpos es and objectives of the Federa l consumer financial laws, and to prevent evasions thereof[.]” 12 U.S.C. 5512( b)(1). Section 1022(b)(2) of the Dodd-Frank Act prescribes certain standards for rulemaking that the Bureau must follow in exercising its authority under section 1022(b)(1 ). 12 U.S.C. 5512(b)(2). As discussed above, TILA is a Federal consumer financial law. Accordingly, th e Bureau proposes to exercise its authority under DFA section 1022(b) to prescribe rules un der TILA that carry out the purposes and prevent evasion of those laws.47 Dodd-Frank Act section 1032 . Section 1032(a) of the Dodd-Frank Act governs disclosures and provides that the Bu reau “may prescribe rules to ensure that the features of any consumer financial product or se rvice, both initially a nd over the term of th e product or service, are fully, accurately, and effectively disclosed to consumers in a manner that permits consumers to understand the costs, benefits, and risks associat ed with the product or se rvice, in light of the facts and circumstances.” 12 U.S.C. 5532(a). The authority granted to the Bureau in DFA section 1032(a) is broad, and empowers the Bureau to prescribe rules regard ing the disclosure of the “features” of consumer financial products an d services generally. Accordingly, the Bureau may prescribe rules containing disclosure requirem ents even if other Federal consumer financial laws do not specifically require disclosure of such features. Dodd-Frank Act section 1032(c) provides that , in prescribing rules pursuant to DFA section 1032, the Bureau “shall consider ava ilable evidence about consumer awareness, understanding of, and responses to disclosures or communications about the risks, costs, and benefits of consumer financial products or se rvices.” 12 U.S.C. 5532(c). Accordingly, in developing proposed rules under Dodd-Frank Act se ction 1032(a) for this proposal, the Bureau has considered available studi es, reports, and other eviden ce about consumer awareness, understanding of, and responses to disclosures or communications about the risks, costs, and benefits of consumer financial pr oducts or services. For the reasons discussed in this notice, the Bureau is proposing portions of this rule pursu ant to its authority unde r Dodd-Frank Act section 1032(a). In addition, DFA section 1032(b)(1) provides that “any final rule prescribed by the Bureau under this [section 1032] requiring disclosu res may include a model form that may be used at the option of the covere d person for provision of the requi red disclosures.” 12 U.S.C.48 5532(b)(1). Any model form i ssued pursuant to that author ity shall contain a clear and conspicuous disclosure that, at a minimum, uses plain language that is comprehensible to consumers, using a clear format and design, such as readable type font, an d succinctly explains the information that must be communicated to the consumer. DFA section 1032(b)(2); 12 U.S.C. 5532(b)(2). As discussed in th e section-by-section an alysis for proposed §§ 1026.20(d) and 1026.41, the Bureau is proposi ng model forms for ARM interest rate adjustment notices and periodic statements. As discussed in this notice, the Bureau is proposing these model forms pursuant to its au thority under DFA section 1032(b)(1) . Dodd-Frank Act section 1405(b) . Section 1405(b) of the D odd-Frank Act provides that, “[n]otwithstanding any other provis ion of [title 14 of the Dodd-Frank Act], in order to improve consumer awareness and understanding of trans actions involving residential mortgage loans through the use of disclosures, the Bureau may, by rule, exempt from or modify disclosure requirements, in whole or in part, for any cla ss of residential mortgage loans if the Bureau determines that such exemption or modification is in the interest of consumers and in the public interest.” 15 U.S.C. 1601 note. Section 1401 of the Dodd-Frank Act, which amends TILA section 103(cc), 15 U.S.C. 1602(cc), generally de fines residential mortgage loan as any consumer credit transaction that is secured by a mortgage on a dwelling or on residential real property that includes a dwelling other than an open-end credit pl an or an extension of credit secured by a consumer’s interest in a timeshare pl an. Notably, the authority granted by section 1405(b) applies to “disclosure requ irements” generally, and is not limited to a specific statute or statutes. Accordingly, DFA section 1405(b) is a broad source of aut hority to modify the disclosure requirements of TILA.49 In developing proposed rules for residen tial mortgage loans under Dodd-Frank Act section 1405(b) for this proposal, the Bureau has considered the purposes of improving consumer awareness and understanding of transactions in volving residential mortgage loans through the use of disclosures, and the inte rests of consumers and the public. For the reasons discussed in this notice, the Bureau is proposing portions of this rule pursuant to its authority under DoddFrank Act section 1405(b).
See the section-by-section analysis for each pr oposed section for further elaboration on legal authority. VI. Section-by-Section Analysis A. Regulation Z Section 1026.17 General Disclosure Requirements 17(a) Form of Disclosures 17(a)(1) Section 1026.17(a)(1) contains form requireme nts generally applicab le to disclosures under subpart C. The Bureau proposes to make cer tain modifications to these requirements as applicable to the ARM interest rate adjust ment payment change notices under proposed § 1026.20(c) and the initial ARM interest rate adjustment notices under proposed § 1026.20(d). Section 1026.17(a) requires, among other things , that certain disclo sures contain only information directly related to that disclosure. Current § 1026.20(c) is not included in the list of disclosures subject to this re quirement. Further, commentary to § 1026.17(a)(1) states that the disclosures required by current § 1026.20(c) are not subject to the general segregation requirements under § 1026.17(a)(1).50 The payment change notice proposed by § 1026.20(c) is intended to inform consumers of upcoming changes to their interest rate and mortgage payments and to give them time to explore alternatives. The Bureau does not believe that the form requirements applicable to current § 1026.20(c) notices are sufficient to highlight and emphasize important information consumers need to make decisions about their adjustable -rate mortgages. Pres enting information to consumers separate from other information enha nces consumers’ awareness of the material. Therefore, the Bureau proposes to amend § 1026.17(a)(1) and comment 17(a)(1)-2.ii to add proposed § 1026.20(c) to the enumerated disclosu res required to contain only information directly related to the disclosure and to require that proposed § 1026.20(c) disclosures be grouped together and segregated from everything else. Other § 1026.17(a)(1) requirements, such as that disclosures be clea r and conspicuous, in writing, and provided electronically subject to compliance with Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-Sign Act)(15 U.S.C. 7001 et seq.), would continue to apply to § 1026.20(c). TILA section 128A provides that the initial ARM in terest rate adjustment notices, which the Bureau proposes to implement in proposed § 1026.20(d), be “separate and distinct from all other correspondence to the consumer.” A ccordingly, the Bureau proposes to revise § 1026.17(a), to make clear that the proposed § 1026.20(d) disclosures are not subject to the general segregation requirement under that sec tion but rather, pursuan t to proposed § 1026.20(d), are required to be separate and distin ct from all other correspondence. See comment 20(d) for further discussion of the separate and distinct requirement. Other requirements of § 1026.17(a), such as that disclosures be cl ear and conspicuous, in writing, a nd provided electronically subject to compliance with the E-Sign Act, would a pply to the proposed § 1026.20(d) disclosures.51 The proposed application of § 1026.17(a)(1), as modified, to proposed § 1026.20(c) and (d) is authorized, in part, under TILA section 122, which requires that disclosures under TILA be clear and conspicuous, in accordance with regulations of the Bureau. The requirements are further authorized under TILA section 105(a) because the Bureau believes that the proposed form requirements are necessary and proper to e ffectuate the purposes of TILA to assure a meaningful disclosure of credit terms, avoid the uninformed use of credit, and protect consumers against inaccurate and unfair credit billing practices by ensuri ng that consumers understand the content of the proposed ARM notices. Moreover, as discussed below, the disclosures proposed under § 1026.20(c) are authorized, among other provisions, under TI LA section 128(f)(2), which authorizes the Bureau to develop and prescribe a standard form for the disclosures required under TILA section 128(f). As to proposed § 1026.20(d) disclosures, DFA section 1418, TILA section 128A(b) specifically provides that the disclo sures shall be in writing, separa te and distinct from all other correspondence. In addition, the Bureau believes, consistent with DFA section 1032(a), that the proposed application of § 1026.17(a)(1), as modi fied, to § 1026.20(d) will ensure that the features of ARM loans are effec tively disclosed to consumers in a manner that allows consumers to understand the information disclosed. The Bu reau further believes, consistent with DFA section 1405(a), that it is prope r to modify DFA section 1418 to apply the form requirements in proposed § 1026.17(a)(1) to improve consum er awareness and understanding of ARM adjustments. 17(b) Time of Disclosures The Bureau is proposing to revise § 1026.17( b) to add proposed § 1026.20(d) to the list of variable-rate disclosure provisions with special timing requirements. This proposed52 amendment would alert creditors, assignees, an d servicers that, as wi th proposed § 1026.20(c) payment adjustment notices, there are timing requirements particular to the proposed § 1026.20(d) initial interest rate adjustment notices. 17(c) Basis of Disclosures and Use of Estimates 17(c)(1) Section 1026.17(c)(1) requires di sclosures to reflect the terms of th e legal obligation between the parties. Current comment 17(c) (1)-1 provides that, under this requirement, disclosures generally must reflec t the credit terms to which the pa rties are legally bound as of the outset of the transaction, but that in the case of disclosures required under § 1026.20(c), the disclosures shall reflect the credit terms to which the parties are legally bound when the disclosures are provided . The Bureau proposes revising comm ent 17(c)(1)-1 to make clear that the disclosures required under proposed § 1026.20(d), like those under proposed § 1026.20(c), shall reflect the credit terms to which the parties are legally bound when the disclosures are provided, rather than at the outset of the transaction. Section 1026.18 Content of Disclosures 18(f) Variable Rate 18(f)-1 Current comment 18(f)-1 clarifies that creditors electing to substitute § 1026.19(b) disclosures for § 1026.18(f)(1) disclosures, as permitted by § 1026.18(f)(1) and (3), may, but need not, also provide disclosures required by current § 1026.20(c). Under current § 1026.20(c), disclosures are permissive in such cases beca use the § 1026.19(b) substitution is only permitted for variable-rate transactions not secured by the consumer’s principal dwelling or variable-rate transactions secured by the consum ers’ principal dwelling, but with a term of one year or less.53 These transactions are not cove red by current § 1026.20(c). Thus , current comment 18(f)-1 does not alter the legal requirements a pplicable to creditors. The clarification was, however, helpful because current § 1026.20(c) cross-references § 1026.19(b) and applies to transactions covered by § 1026.19(b). The Bureau proposes to delete this refe rence to § 1026.20(c) from the comment because it is no longer helpful since neither proposed § 1026.20(c) nor (d) cros s-references § 1026.19(b) and those proposed provisions define their scope of coverage without re ference to § 1026.19(b). Moreover, proposed § 1026.20(c) or (d) apply to some ARMs with terms of one year or less such that applying the current comment would create an unwarranted exception to the requirement to provide ARM notices to consumers with those t ypes of ARMs. For these reasons, the Bureau proposes to delete the reference to § 1026.20(c) in comment 18(f)-1. Section 1026.19 Certain Mortgage a nd Variable-Rate Transactions 19(b) Certain Variable Rate Transactions 19(b)-4 Other Variabl e-Rate Regulations The Bureau proposes revising comment 19(b) -4 to delete reference to current § 1026.20(c) and (d). Current comment 19(b)-4 explai ns that transactions in which the creditor is required to comply with and has complied with the disclosure requirements of the variable-rate regulations of other Federal ag encies are exempt from the re quirements of § 1026.20(c) by virtue of current § 1026.20(d). Consistent with the proposed deletion of current § 1026.20(d), the Bureau proposes revising comment 19(b)-4 to delete reference to current § 1026.20(c) and (d). 19(b)-5.i.C Certain Mortgage and Variable-Rate Transactions The Bureau proposes revising co mment 19(b)-5.i.C to cross-reference other commentary that makes clear that proposed § 1026.20(c) a nd (d) do not apply to “price-level-adjusted54 mortgages” that have a fixed-rate of interest but provide for pe riodic adjustments to payments and the loan balance to reflect changes in an index measuring prices or inflation. 19(b)(2)(xi)-1 Adjustment Notices Pursuant to current § 1026.19(b)(2)(xi), disclosu res regarding the type of information that will be provided in notices of interest rate adju stments and the timing of such notices must be provided to consumers applying for variable-rate transactions secured by the consumer’s principal dwelling with a term greater than one year. Current comment 19(b)(2)(xi)-1 clarifies that these disclosures include information re garding the content and timing of disclosures consumers will receive pursuant to current § 10 26.20(c). The Bureau proposes adding reference to proposed § 1026.20(d) to the comment, sin ce those disclosures would be provided to consumers under the Bureau’s proposed rule. The proposed comment also makes conforming changes to the text suggested fo r describing the ARM notices to reflect the timing and content of the disclosures proposed by § 1026.20(c) and (d). Section 1026.20 Subsequent Disclosure Requirements 20(c) Rate Adjustments Current § 1026.20(c) requires that disclosure s be provided to cons umers with variablerate mortgages each time an adjustment results in a corresponding payment change and at least once each year during which an interest rate adjustment is implemented without a corresponding payment change. The current rule does not differentiate betw een the content require d for the annual notice and the notices required each time the interest ra te adjustment results in a corresponding payment change. Current § 1026.20(c) requires that adjust ment notices disclose the following: (1) the current and prior interest rates for the loan; (2) the index values upon which the current and prior55 interest rates are based; (3) the extent to wh ich the creditor has foregone any increase in the interest rate; (4) the contractua l effects of the adjustment, including the payment due after the adjustment is made, and a statement of the loan balance; and (5) the payment, if different from the payment due after adjustment, that would be required to fully amortize the loan at the new interest rate over the remai nder of the loan term. The Bureau proposes two major changes to § 1026.20(c). First, the Bureau proposes eliminating the annual notice sent each year dur ing which an interest rate adjustment is implemented without a corresponding payment change . As explained in more detail below, the Bureau believes that Dodd-Frank Act amendm ents to TILA, and the Bureau’s proposed amendments to Regulation Z that would implem ent those provisions, would provide consumers with much of the information contained in the annual notice thereby greatly minimizing the need for its protections. Second, the proposal updates current § 1026.20( c) by adding disclosures that the Bureau believes will enhan ce protections for consumers with ARMs. The proposed revisions to § 1026.20(c) also harmonize with the requiremen ts the Bureau is proposing for the initial ARM interest rate adjustment notice under § 1026.20(d), thereby promoting consistency between the Regulation Z ARM provisions. Elimination of annual disclosure. First, proposed § 1026.20(c) eliminates the annual notice requirement under the current rule. The Bu reau believes that consumers who receive the current annual notice, such as consumers with ARMs with payment caps, would receive much of the same information in the periodic statement under proposed § 1026.41, discussed below. The proposed periodic statement woul d provide consumers with comprehensive information about their mortgages each billing cycle. The periodic statement would include some of the same key information provided to consumers under the curr ent § 1026.20(c) annual notice, such as the56 current interest rate and the date after which that rate would adjust. It also would provide other information that may be useful to consumer s who would receive th e § 1026.20(c) annual ARM notice, including the existen ce and amount of any prepayment penalty; allocation of the consumer’s payment by principal, interest, and es crow; the amount of the outstanding principal; contact information for the State housing finance authority; and information to access a list of Federally-certified hou sing counselors. In light of the amount, type, and frequency of the information the Bureau proposes to provide in the periodic statem ent to consumers with ARMs that are subject to the current § 1026.20(c) annual ARM interest rate notice, the Bureau proposes to eliminate the requirement for the annual notice as duplica tive and as potentially contributi ng to information overload that could deflect consumer attention away from th e information such consumers would receive in other required disclosures. The Bureau solicits comments on the need, value, or use of retaining the annual notice required under current § 1026.20(c) for consumers whose ARM interest rates adjust during the course of a year without resulting in corresp onding payment changes. The Bureau proposes to delete comments 20(c)(1)-1 and 20(c)(4)-1 which, among other things, address the content of the § 1026.20(c) annual notice the Bureau is proposing to eliminate. Current comment 20(c)(1)-1 also ex plains, among other things, the meaning of the terms “current” and “prior” rates and that in disclosing all othe r rates that applied during the period between notices, the credito r may disclose a range of the highest and lowest rates during that year period. Current comment 20(c)(4)- 1, among other things, defines the term loan “balance” and explains that a “cont ractual effect” of a rate adjust ment includes disclosure of any change in the term or maturity of the loan if th e change resulted from the rate adjustment. The Bureau also proposes deletion of these curren t comments as they rela te to the recurring57 disclosures that would be required by propos ed § 1026.20(c) for intere st rate adjustments resulting in a corresponding paym ent change. The Bureau proposes to replace these comments with the new commentary discussed below. Amendment of payment change disclosure. Second, proposed § 1026.20(c) would amend existing § 1026.20(c) as it relates to interest rate adjustments that result in a corresponding payment change. The proposal retains much of the content required in the current notice and also would require disclosure of additional information that the Bureau believes would help consumers better understand and manage their adjustable-rate mortgages. The proposed revisions to current § 1026.20(c) harmonize with the initi al ARM interest rate adjustment notice proposed by § 1026.20(d). The Bureau believes that promoting consistency between the ARM disclosure provisions of § 1026.20(c) and (d) wo uld reduce compliance burdens on industry and minimize consumer confusion. Creditors, assignees, and servicers. The Bureau also propos es to amend § 1026.20(c) to provide that it applies to creditors, assignees, and servicers. Current § 1026.20(c) applies to creditors and existing comment 20( c)-1 clarifies that the requirements of § 1026.20(c) also apply to subsequent holders, i.e. , assignees. The Bureau’s propos al provides that § 1026.20(c) would apply to servicers, as well as to creditors and assignees. Proposed comment 20(c)-1 clarifies that a creditor, assignee, or servicer that no longer owns the mortgage loan or the mortgage servicing rights is not subjec t to the requirements of § 1026.20(c). As discussed below, proposed § 1026.20(c) is authorized under, among other authorities, TILA section 128(f), which applies to creditors, assignees, and servicer s. The proposal is consistent with proposed § 1026.20(d) such that both proposed § 1026.20(c) and (d) would apply to creditors, assigne es and servicers.58 The Bureau believes that applying § 1026.20(c) to creditors and assignees, but not servicers, would compromise consumers’ recourse in the case of a violation of § 1026.20(c). Many creditors and assignees do not service the loans they own and instead sell the mortgage servicing rights to a third party. The servicer is the party with which consumers have contact on an ongoing basis regarding their mortgages. Cons umers send their payments to the servicer and communicate with the servicer regarding any ques tions or problems with their mortgage that may arise. Where the owner and the servicer ar e different entities, consumers may not know the identity of the owner and may not even realize that the servi cer is not the owner of their mortgage. Moreover, it can be difficult for consumer s to ascertain the identity of the creditor or assignee, even though servicers would be required to identify the owner of a mortgage under rules proposed pursuant to DFA section 1463. Thus , in the case of a violation of proposed § 1026.20(c), consumers should be able to seek reli ef against the servicer as the primary party from whom they receive servic e and with whom they maintaincommunication regarding their mortgages. See below, section 20(d), for a discussion of application of proposed § 1026.20(d) initial ARM interest rate adjustment notices to assignees. The same ratio nale applies to proposed § 1026.20(c) ARM payment adjustment notices. Proposed comment 20(c)-1 explai ns that any provision of su bpart C that applies to the disclosures required by § 1026.20(c) al so applies to credito rs, assignees, and servicers. This is the case even where the other prov isions of subpart C refer only to creditors. For the reasons discussed above, the Bureau proposes that the requi rements of other regulations that apply to the § 1026.20(c) ARM payment adjustment notices apply to servicers as well as to creditors and assignees.59 The proposal also would delete current comment 20(c)-1, which, among other things, refers to subsequent holders, in favor of c onsistent usage of the term assignee in proposed § 1026.20(c) and (d). It would also delete co mment 20(c)-3 as duplica tive of the § 1026.17(c)(1) requirement that the disclosures reflect the terms of the parties’ legal obligations.
Conversions. Proposed § 1026.20(c) also applies to ARMs converting to fixed-rate mortgages when the adjustment to the interest rate results in a corresponding payment change. Providing this notice would alert consumers to their new interest rate and payment following conversion from an ARM to a fixed-rate mortgage . Proposed comment 20(c)-2 explains that, in the case of an open-end account converting to a closed-end adjustable-rate mortgage, § 1026.20(c) disclosures are not re quired until the implementation of the first interest rate adjustment that results in a corresponding payment change post -conversion. Under the proposed rule, this conversion is analogous to consumma tion. Thus, like other ARMs subject to the requirements of proposed § 1026.20(c), disclosures for these types of converted ARMs would not be required until the first interest rate adju stment following the conversion which results in a corresponding payment change. The proposed rule is consistent with existing commentary and proposed § 1026.20(d) regarding conversions. See current comment 20(c)-1. Authority. The Bureau proposes to amend § 1026.20( c) pursuant to its authority under TILA section 105(a). For the reasons discussed in the section-by-section anal ysis for each of the proposed amendments to § 1026.20(c), the Bureau be lieves that the proposed amendments are necessary and proper to e ffectuate the purposes of TILA to as sure a meaningful disclosure of credit terms, avoid the uninformed use of cred it, and protect consumers against inaccurate and unfair credit billing practices. Proposed § 1026.20( c) also is authorized under TILA section 128(f), which requires that certain information enumerated in the statute be provided to60 consumers every billing cycle in a periodic statement and also confers on the Bureau the authority to require periodic disclosure of “[s]uc h other information as the Bureau may prescribe in regulations.” Proposed § 1026.20(c) is furthe r authorized under DFA section 1405(b), which permits the Bureau to modify disc losure requirements where such modification is in the interest of consumers and the public. Although TILA section 128(f) auth orizes the Bureau to require that the content for the § 1026.20(c) ARM notices be included in the peri odic statement, the Bureau believes, for the reasons set forth above and below, that consumers would be better served if this information was provided as a separate disclosure. Unde r proposed § 1026.17(a), the proposed § 1026.20(c) ARM payment adjustment notice would have to be provided separate an d distinct from the periodic statement. The di sclosures required by proposed § 1026.20(c), however, may be provided to consumers together with the periodic statement, depending on the mode of delivery, in the same envelope or as an additional attachment to the e-mail. The Bureau also believes that the interest of consumers and the public inte rest would be better se rved by receiving the § 1026.20(c) ARM notice, within the time frame di scussed below, each time the ARM interest rate adjusts resulting in a corresponding payment change, rather than with each billing cycle. 20(c)(1) Coverage of Rate Adjustment Disclosures 20(c)(1)(i) In General Proposed § 1026.20(c)(1) defines an adjust able-rate mortgage, for purposes of § 1026.20(c), as a closed-end consumer credit tran saction secured by the consumer’s principal dwelling in which the annual pe rcentage rate may increase after consummation. Current § 1026.20(c) requires disclosures only for adjustment s to the interest rate in variable-rate transactions subject to § 1026.19(b), which is limited to loans secured by the consumer’s61 principal dwelling with a term of greater than on e year. The Bureau prop oses deleting the crossreference to § 1026.19(b), thereby expanding th e scope of proposed § 1026.20(c) to include loans with terms of one year or less. Proposed § 1026.20(c)(1)(i) would replace current § 1026.20(c) and comment 20(c)-1 with regard to wh ich loans are subject to the interest rate adjustment disclosures. There is one type of short-term ARM that the Bureau proposes to except from the requirements of § 1026.20(c): construction loan s with terms of one year or less. See section 20(c)(1)(ii) below for a full disc ussion of this proposed excep tion for construction ARMs with terms of one year or less. The Bureau solic its comment on whether th ere are other ARMs with terms of less than one year and whether th e proposed 60-day minimum notice period is appropriate for such loans. See section 20(c)(2) below for a full discussion of the timing proposed for § 1026.20(c). If the 60-day period is not appropriate, the Bureau solicits comment on what period would be appropriate that would also pr ovide consumers with sufficient notice of a payment change. This proposal regarding co verage is consistent with the statutory requirements of TILA section 128A and proposed § 1026.20(d) in that those provisions generally apply to all ARMs, regardless of term length. Thus, the proposal to expand § 1026.20(c) to ARMs with terms of one year or less would ha rmonize the coverage of the two types of ARM adjustment notices, thereby ensuring that both § 1026.20(d) notices and § 1026.20(c) notices, when required, are provided to the same consumers. The Bureau proposes using the terms “adjust able-rate mortgage” or “ARM” to replace the term “variable-rate trans action” in current § 1026.20(c). Proposed comment 20(c)(1)(i)-1 clarifies that the term “variable-rate transa ction,” as used in § 1026.19(b) and elsewhere in Regulation Z, is synonymous with the term “adju stable-rate mortgage” or “ARM”, except where62 specifically distinguished. The Bureau proposes this revision because “adjustable-rate mortgage” or “ARM” are the terms commonly used for mortgages covered by current and proposed § 1026.20(c). Proposed comment 20(c)(1)(i)-1 also clarif ies that the requireme nts of § 1026.20(c)(1)(i) are not limited to transactions financing the in itial acquisition of the consumer’s principal dwelling, but also would apply to other closed-e nd ARM transactions secured by the consumer’s principal dwelling, consistent with curre nt comment 19(b)-1 and current § 1026.20(c). 20(c)(1)(ii) Exceptions Proposed § 1026.20(c)(1)(ii) sets forth two excep tions to the disclosure requirements of § 1026.20(c). These exceptions apply to: (1) constr uction loans with terms of one year or less; and (2) the first adjustment to an ARM if the firs t payment at the adjusted level is due within 210 days after consummation and the actual, not es timated, new interest rate was disclosed at consummation, in the initial ARM interest rate adjustment not ice that would be required by proposed § 1026.20(d). Proposed comm ents 20(c)(1)(ii)-1 and -2 provide further explanation. Proposed § 1026.20(d) also would excep t the same construction loans. As discussed in more detail below in connect ion with the notice required for an initial ARM interest rate adjustment under § 1026.20(d), the Bureau also considered, but decided against, permitting or requiring small creditors, assi gnees, and servicers to include in the periodic statement the information required for the first payment change notice under proposed § 1026.20(c). The Bureau also considered this option with regard to all notices that small entities would be required to provide to consumers under proposed § 1026.20(c). As discussed further below, the Bureau solicits comments from sma ll entities -- and from creditors, assignees, and servicers in general -- as to whether small entities or all creditors, assigne es, and servicers should63 be permitted or required to provide the information required in the first payment change notices under proposed § 1026.20(c) in the periodic statemen t instead of as a se parate ARM notice and whether this should be done for all § 1026.20(c) notices. Regarding the first exception the Bureau proposes, construction loans generally have short terms of six months to one year and are su bject to frequent interest rate adjustments, usually monthly or quarterly. The construction period usually involves several disbursements of funds at times and in amounts that are unknown at the beginning of that period. The consumer generally pays only accrued interest until construc tion is completed. The creditor, assignee, or servicer, in addition to disbursing payments in stages, closely mon itors the progress of construction. Generally, at the completion of th e construction, the constr uction loan is converted into permanent financing in which the loan amount is amortized just as in a standard mortgage transaction. See comment 17(c)(6)-2 for additional information on construction loans. The frequent interest rate adjustments, multip le disbursements of funds, short loan term, and on-going communication between the credito r, assignee, or servicer and consumer, distinguish construction loans from other ARMs. These loans are meant to function as bridge financing until construction is completed and permanent financing can be put in place. Consumers with construction ARM loans are no t at risk of payment shock like other ARMs where interest rates change less frequently. Mo reover, given the freque ncy of interest rate adjustments on construction loan s, creditors, assignees, or se rvicers would have difficulty complying with the proposed requirement to provide the notice to consumers 60 to 120 days before payment at a new level is due for each adjustment resulting in a corresponding payment change. For these reasons, providing notices under § 1026.20(c) for these loans would not provide a meaningful benefit to the consumer nor improve consumers’ awareness and64 understanding of their constructi on loans with terms of one year or less. Proposed comment 20(c)(1)(i)-1 applies the standard s in comment 19(b)-1 for determin ing the term of a construction loan. The second exception, for the first adjustment to an ARM causing a payment change if the first payment at the adjusted level is du e within 210 days after consummation, would apply only if the exact interest rate , not an estimate, is disclo sed at consummation. For ARMs adjusting within six months of consummation, i.e. , 210 days before the first payment is due at the new level, the disclosures proposed by § 1026.20(d) must be provided at consummation. The recency of consummation obviates the need fo r the § 1026.20(c) notice in this circumstance because consumers would have been apprised of the upcoming adjustment and payment change just months prior to its occurr ence and their mortgages would be so new as to not require the alerts in the notice regarding pur suing alternatives. Thus, prov iding § 1026.20(c) disclosures in these circumstances would be duplicative, no t contribute to cons umer awareness and understanding, and not provide a mean ingful benefit to consumers. Proposed comment 20(c)(1)(ii)-3 discusses othe r loans to which the proposed rule does not apply. Proposed comment 20(c )(1)(ii)-3 is consistent with proposed comment 20(d)(1)(ii)-2 with regard to the loans which are not subject to the proposed ARM disclosure rules. Certain Regulation Z provisions treat some of these loans as variable-rate transactions, even if they are structured as fixed-rate tran sactions. The proposed comment clarifies that, for purposes of § 1026.20(c), the following loans, if fixed-rate transactions, are not ARMs and therefore not subject to ARM notices pursuant to § 1026.20( c): shared-equity or shared-appreciation mortgages; price-level adjusted or other indexed mortgages that have a fixed rate of interest but provide for periodic adjustments to payments and the loan balance to reflect changes in an index65 measuring prices or inflation; graduated-payment mortgages or st ep-rate transactions; renewable balloon-payment instruments; and pr eferred-rate loans. The particul ar features of these types of loans may trigger interest rate or payment change s over the term of the loan or at the time the consumer pays off the final balance. However, these changes are based on factors other than a change in the value of an index or a formula. Because the enumerated loans are not ARMs they are not covered by proposed § 1026.20(c) and re quire no disclosures under this section. Proposed and current § 1026.20(c) are generally consistent with regard to the ARMs to which they do not apply. The principal differe nce is that current § 1026.20(c) does apply to renewable balloon-payment instruments and preferred -rate loans, even if they are structured as fixed-rate transactions while proposed § 1026.20(c) would not apply to such loans. See § 1026.19(b) and comment 19(b)-5.i.A and B. Al so, as discussed above, current § 1026.20(c) does not apply to loans with terms of one year or less. This ca tegory includes construction loans, which are excepted from coverage under pr oposed § 1026.20(c). Logically, the Bureau’s proposed exception for initial § 1026 .20(c) ARM adjustments if the first payment at the adjusted level is due within 210 days of consummation is inapplicable to the curre nt rule since proposed § 1026.20(d) is not yet implemented to replace th e current § 1026.20(c) disclosures provided at consummation. Like proposed comment 20(c)(1)(ii)-3, cu rrent comment 20(c)-2 clarifies that § 1026.20(c) does not apply to shared-equity or sh ared-appreciation mortgage s or to price-level adjusted or other such indexed mortgages. Th e current rule cross-re ferences § 1026.19(b) and applies to all variable-rate transactions covered by that rule. Comment 19(b)-4 explains that graduated-payment mortgages and step-rate trans actions without variable-rate features are not66 subject to § 1026.19(b). Therefore, like the proposed rule, such lo ans are not subject to current § 1026.20(c). The current rule does not mention renewabl e balloon-payment instruments and preferredrate loans, but current § 1026.20(c) applies to these loan produc ts through the rule’s crossreference to § 1026.19(b) and therefore to commen t 19(b)-5.i.A and B. As discussed above, these loans are not adjustable-rate mortgages and the Bureau does not believe that it is appropriate to require the disc losures in proposed § 1026.20(c) for such loans. The particular features of these types of loans may trigger intere st rate or payment changes over the term of the loan or at the time the consumer pays off the fi nal balance. However, these changes are based on factors other than a change in the value of an i ndex or a formula. For example, whether or when the interest rate will adjust for a preferred-rate loan with a fixed interest rate is likely not knowable to the credito r, assignee, or servicer 60 to 120 days in advance of the due date for the first payment at a new level after the adjustment. This is because the loss of the preferred rate is based on factors other than a formula or change in the value of an index agreed to at consummation. Like the Bureau’s proposed rule, the Board also proposed to remove renewable balloon-payment instruments and preferred-rate loans from coverage under § 1026.20(c) in its 2009 Closed-End Proposal. 62 20(c)(2) Timing and Content of Rate Adjustment Disclosures Proposed § 1026.20(c)(2) would require that ARM disclosu res be provided to consumers 60 to 120 days before payment at a new level is due. Under current § 1026.20(c), notices must be provided to consumers 25 to 120 days before payment at a new level is due. Thus, the proposed rule would increase the minimum adva nce notice to consumers from 25 to 60 days

62 74 FR 43232, 43264, 43387 (Aug. 26, 2009).67 before a new payment amount is due. There are two circumstances under which the rule proposes a different time frame, which are di scussed below. Proposed comment 20(c)(2)-1 would replace current comment 20(c)-1 regarding timing. Current and proposed § 1026.20(c) disclosures provide consumers with their actual new interest rate and payment. The disclosure s proposed by § 1026.20(d) likely would provide estimates of these amounts. The longer time fr ame proposed by the rule is intended to give consumers adequate time to refinance or take ot her actions based on these exact amounts, if they are not able to make higher payments. The current minimum time of 25 days does not give consumers sufficient time to pursue meaningful alte rnatives such as refinancing, home sale, loan modification, forbearance, or deed in lieu of forecl osure. In the current market, “it now takes the nation’s biggest mortgage lenders an average of more than 70 days to complete a refinance. 63 Even if consumers elect not to refinance or pur sue other alternatives, the proposed rule would give them more time to adjust their finances to the actual amount of an in crease in their mortgage payments. The Bureau believes that for most adjust able-rate mortgages, the proposed 60-day minimum time frame would provide sufficient time for creditors, assignees, and servicers to comply with the proposed rule. Through outreach to servicers of adjust able-rate mortgages it appears that, for most ARMs, servicers know the index value from which the new interest rate and payment are calculated at least 45 days before the date of the interest rate adjustment. Because interest generally is paid one month in ar rears, this mean that, for most ARMs, servicers know the index value approximately 75 days befo re the due date of the first new payment,

63 Timiraos & Simon, supra note 52.68 depending on the number of days in the month du ring which interest begi ns accruing at the new

rate. Creditors, assignees, and servicers generally refer to the date the adjusted interest rate goes into effect as the “change date.” The “look- back period” is the numbe r of days prior to the change date on which the index value will be se lected which serves as the basis for the new interest rate and payment. In ge neral, interest rate change dates occur on the first of the month to correspond with payment due dates. Thus, the due date for the new payment generally falls on the first of the month following the change date. Based on outreach conducted by the Bureau, it a ppears that small servicers often send out the payment change notices required by § 1026.20(c) on the same day the inde x value is selected. In that case, for a loan with a 45-day look-back period, the notice is ready 45 days before the change date and, with an approximately 30-day billing cycle between th e change date and the date payment at the new level is due, the interest rate adjustment notice can be provided to the consumer approximately 75 days before the new payment is due. Under these circumstances, the servicer could comfortably comply with a rule requiring that notice be provided to consumers 60 days before the payment at a new level is due. On the other hand, many large creditors, assi gnees, or servicers conduct what is referred to as a “verification period” before sendi ng out the notices requi red by § 1026.20(c). This verification period generally take s anywhere from three to ten days and involves confirming the index rate and other quality control measures to insure the notices are correct. 64 In these cases, for a loan with a 45-day look-b ack period, the payment change no tices can be provided between approximately 42 and 35 days prior to the change date, which is either 70 to 73 or 63 to 66 days

64 No creditor, assignee, or servicer contacted by the Bureau used a syst em employing an automatic feed of information from the publisher of an index source. All data was entered and verified manually.69 before the new payment is due, depending on the ve rification period used a nd the length of the billing cycle. Under these circumstances, pa yment change notices could be provided to consumers within the 60-day period, even assuming a verification period of up to thirteen days. For loans with the shortest verification period of three days, the payment change notice could be provided to consumers within 70 days prio r to payment due at a new level. In sum, it appears that for most ARMs, cred itors, assignees, or servicers could comply with the 60-day time period proposed by the Burea u. The Bureau solicits comment about this proposed timing of the § 1026.20(c) notice. Some ARMs have look-back periods shorter than 45 days. For example, ARMs backed by the FHA and VA often have look-back periods of 15 or 30 days. For some ARMs, the calculation date is the first busin ess day of the month that preced es the effective date of the interest rate change. Since th e first day of that month may not fall on a business day, the lookback period may be less than 30 days , excluding any veri fication period. In two circumstances, the Bureau is proposi ng a different time period from the proposed 60 to 120 days. The Bureau proposes that existin g ARMs with look-back periods of less than 45 days that were originated before a specified date provide the notices required under this proposed rule within 25 to 120 days before payment at a new level is due. The Bureau proposes that the specified date be July 21, 2013. The Bureau understands that the cr editors, assignees, or servicers of such loans would not be able to comply with the 60- to 120-day time frame proposed in § 1026.20(c). Although this time frame would shorten the advance notice provided to some consumers, the Bureau is proposing to grandf ather these ARMs in orde r to prevent altering existing contractual agreements regarding th e look-back period. Thus, going forward, ARMs must be structured to permit compliance with the proposed 60- to 120-day time frame. The70 Bureau solicits comment on whether it shoul d grandfather existing ARMs with look-back periods of less than 45 days. The Bureau also seeks comment on whether July 21, 2013 is an appropriate time frame for gra ndfathering existing ARMs with l ook-back periods of less than 45 days or if another time period would be more appropriate and why. If not, the Bureau seeks comment on what would be an appropriate time frame for the expiration of the grandfathering period. The Bureau also solicits comments on wh ether other adjustable-rate mortgages should be allowed to continue with a 25- to 120- day period. The Bureau also proposes to alter the timi ng requirements for ARMs that adjust for the first time within 60 days of consummation where the actual, not estimated, new interest rate was

not disclosed at consummation. (If the actual interest ra te was disclosed at consummation, such loans would be excepted from the rule pursuant to proposed § 1026.20(c)(1)(ii)). The creditors, assignees, or servicers of such loans would not be able to comply with the proposed 60-day time frame. For such loans, the disclosures propos ed by § 1026.20(c) must be provided to consumers as soon as practicable, but not less than 25 days before a payment at a new level is due. The Bureau solicits comment about the feasib ility of applying the proposed 60-day period to ARMs that have look-back peri od of less than 45 days. The Bureau solicits comments about whether a look-back period of 45 da ys or longer is feasible going forward for loans that currently use shorter look-back periods and, if not, why not . The Bureau solicits comments on the extent, if any, to which the relative length of the look-back period may affect the interest rate risk for the creditor, assignee, or servicer. For all ARMs, the Bureau solicits comment s on the operational changes that would be required to provide § 1026.20(c) notic es at least 60 days before payment at a new level is due. Comment is requested on any factors that woul d hinder compliance with this time frames. In71 light of technological an d other advances since the promul gation of current § 1026.20(c) in 1987, the Bureau also solicits comment on whether, and if so why, lengthy ve rification periods are necessary and on the feasibility of reduci ng the length of these verification periods. 20(c)(2)(i) Statement Regarding Changes to Interest Rate and Payment For interest rate adjustme nts resulting in correspondi ng payment changes, proposed § 1026.20(c)(2)(i)(A) would inform consumers that , under the terms of th eir adjustable-rate mortgage, the specific period in which their interest rate stayed the same will end on a certain date and that their interest rate and mortgage pa yment will change on that date. This disclosure is similar to the pre-consummation disclosure s provided to consumers pursuant to current § 1026.19(b)(2)(i) and § 1026.37(i) as recently proposed by the 2012 TILA-RESPA Proposal. Under proposed § 1026.20(c)(2)(i)(B), the creditor, assignee, or servicer must include in the disclosure the date of the impending and fu ture interest rate adjustments. Proposed § 1026.20(c)(2)(i)(C) would require di sclosure of any other change s to the loan taking place on the same day of the rate adjustment, such as changes in amortization cau sed by the expiration of interest-only or paymen t-option features. The first ARM model form tested did not contain the proposed statement informing consumers of impending and future changes to their interest rate and the basis for these changes. Although participants understood that their interest rate was adjus ting and this would affect their payment, they did not understand that these ch anges would occur period ically subject to the terms of their mortgage contract. Inclusion of this statement in th e second round of testing successfully resolved this confus ion. All but one consumer test ed in round two and three of72 testing understood that, under the sc enario presented to them, thei r interest rate would change annually. 65 20(c)(2)(ii) Table with Current and New Interest Rates and Payments Proposed § 1026.20(c)(2)(ii) would require disclosure of the following information in the form of a table: (A) the current and new interest rates; (B) the current and new periodic payment amounts and the date the first new payment is due; and (C) for interest-only or negativelyamortizing payments, the amount of the current and new payment allocated to interest, principal, and property taxes and mortgage-related insurance, as applicable. The information in this table would appear within the larger table cont aining all the required disclosures. This table would follow the same order as, a nd have headings and format substantially similar to, those in the table in Forms H-4(D )(1) and (2) in Appendix H of subpart C. The Bureau learned through consumer testing that, wh en presented with information in a logical order, consumers more easily grasped the co mplex concepts contained in the proposed § 1026.20(c) notice. For example, the form begi ns by informing consumers of the basic purpose of the notice: their interest rate is going to adjust, when it will adjust, and the adjustment will change their mortgage payment. This intr oduction is immediately followed by a visual illustration of this information in the form of a table comparing consumers’ current and new interest rates. Based on consumer testing, th e Bureau believes that consumer understanding is enhanced by presenting the information in a simple manner, grouped together by concept, and in a specific order that allows consumers the opportunity to build upon knowledge gained. For these reasons, the Bureau proposes that creditors, assignees, or se rvicers disclose the information in the table as set forth in Forms H-4(D)(1) and (2) in Appendix H.

65 Macro Report, supra note 38, at vii.73 Proposed § 1026.20(c)(2)(ii) replaces curren t § 1026.20(c)(1) and (4), but retains the obligation to disclose the current and new intere st rates and the amount of the new payment. Proposed § 1026.20(c)(2)(ii)(A) also would require disclosure of the date when the consumer must start paying the new payment and proposed comment § 1026.20(c)(2)(ii)(A)-1 clarifies that the new interest rate must be the actual rate, not an estimate. Proposed rule § 1026.20(c)(2)(ii) also replaces the language “prior” and “current” in the current rule with the terms “current” and “new,” respectively, and deletes comment 20(c)(2 )-1 which, among other things, uses the terms “prior” and “current.” This change is designed to make clear that “current” means the interest rate and payment in effect prior to the interest rate adjustment and “new” means the interest rate and payment resulting from the interest rate adjustment. Proposed comment 20(c)(2)(ii)(A)- 1 defines the term “current” in terest rate as the one in effect on the date of the disclosu re. This more succinct definiti on replaces the lengthy definition of “prior interest rates” in cu rrent comment 20(c)(1) as the interest rate disclosed in the last notice, as well as all other interest rates applie d to the transaction in the period since the last notice, or, if there had been no prior adjustme nt notice, the interest rate applicable at consummation and all other interest rates app lied to the transaction in the period since consummation. In all rounds of testing, consumers were presented with model forms with tables depicting a scenario in which the interest rate and payment would increase as a result of the adjustment. All participants in all rounds of testi ng understood that their interest rate and payment were going to increase and when these changes would occur. 66

66 Id.74 Current ARM notices are not required to show the allocati on of payments among principal, interest, and escrow accounts for a ny ARM. The Bureau proposes including this information in the table for interest-only and negatively-amortizing ARMs. The Bureau believes this information would help consumers bett er understand the risk of these products by demonstrating that their payments would not re duce the principal. The Bureau also believes providing the payment allocation would help consum ers understand the effect of the interest rate adjustment, especially in the case of a change in the ARM’s features coin ciding with the interest rate adjustment, such as the e xpiration of an interest-only or payment-option feature. Since payment allocation may change over time, the pr oposed rule would require disclosure of the expected payment allocation for the first payment period during which the adjusted interest rate would apply. The allocation of payment disclosure was test ed in the third round of testing. The rate adjustment notice tested showed the following sc enario: the first adjust ment of a 3/1 hybrid ARM -- an ARM with a fixed inte rest rate for three years foll owed by annual interest rate adjustments -- with interest-only payments for the first three years. On the date of the adjustment, the interest-only feature would expire and the ARM would become amortizing. Only about half of participants understood that their payments were changing from interest-only to amortizing. Participants generally understood the concept of allocation of payments but were confused by the table in the notice that broke out principal and interest for the current payment, but combined the two for the new amount. As a re sult, this table was revi sed so that separate amounts for principal and interest were shown for all payments. 67

67 Id. at vii- viii. This revision to the allocation disclosu re, which is identical in the proposed § 1026.20(c) and (d) notices, was made after the third round of testing of the § 1026.20(d) notice, and therefore was not tested with consumers.75 The Bureau recognizes that certain Dodd-Fra nk Act amendments to TILA will restrict origination of non-amortizing a nd negatively-amortizing loans. For example, TILA section 129C and the 2011 ATR (Ability to Repay) Prop osal which would implement that provision, generally require creditors to determine that a co nsumer can repay a mortgage loan and include a requirement that these determinations assume a fully-amortizing loan. Thus, this law and regulation, when finalized, will rest rict the origination of risky mo rtgages such as interest-only and negatively-amortizing ARMs. Other Dodd-Frank amendments to TILA, su ch as the proposed periodic statement provisions discussed below, will provide payment allocation information to consumers for each billing cycle. Thus, consumers who currently ha ve interest-only or ne gatively-amortizing loans or may obtain such loans in the future will r eceive information about the interest-only or negatively-amortizing features of their loans through the payment allocation information in the periodic statement. Also, as noted above, cons umer testing showed th at participants were confused by the allocation table. Since the Bureau was not able to test a revised version of the model form to see if it rectified the confusion cau sed by the allocation table or if the concepts of interest-only and negatively-amortizing ARMs th emselves are the source of the confusion, the Bureau is uncertain of the value of disclosing this information to consumers in the ARM interest rate adjustment notice. In view of these change s to the law and the outco me of consumer testing, the Bureau solicits comments on whether to include allocation information for interest-only and negatively-amortizing ARMs in the table proposed above. 20(c)(2)(iii) Explanation of How the Interest Rate is Determined Proposed § 1026.20(c)(2)(iii) would require th e ARM disclosures to explain how the interest rate is determined. Consumer testing revealed that consumers generally have difficulty76 understanding the relationship of the index, margin, and interest rate. 68 Therefore, the Bureau is proposing a relatively brief and simple explanation that the new interest rate is calculated by taking the published index rate and adding a ce rtain number of percentage points, called the “margin.” Proposed § 1026.20(c)(2)(iii) would also require disclosure of the specific amount of the margin. The proposed explanation of how the consumer’s new interest rate is determined, such as adjustment of the index by the addition of a ma rgin, mirrors the pre-consummation disclosure required around the time of application by cu rrent § 1026.19(b)(2)(iii) and TILA section 128A requirements for initial interest rate disclosu res. It also parallels the pre-consummation disclosure of the index and margin proposed in the 2012 TILA-RESPA Proposal. Proposed § 1026.20(c) also would require disclosure of th e name and published source of the index or formula, as required in other disclosures by § 1026.19(b)(2)(ii) and TILA section 128A. The proposed rule would replace the current § 1026.20(c)(2) required disclosure of the index values upon which the “current ” and “prior” interest rates are based. The Bureau believes that providing consumers with index values is less valuable than providing them with their actual interest rates. Current comment 20(c)(2)-1, which addresses the re quirement to disclose current and prior interest rate, w ould also be deleted. Consumer testing indicated th at the explanation helped consumers better understand the relationship between interest rate , index, and margin. It also he lped dispel the notion held by many consumers in the initial rounds of testing that lenders subjectivel y determined their new interest rate at each adjustment. 69 The Bureau believes that its pr oposed rule and forms strike an appropriate balance between pr oviding consumers with key information necessary to understand

68 Id. at viii. 69 Id.77 the basic interest rate adjustment of thei r adjustable-rate mortgages without overloading consumers with complex and confusing technical information. 20(c)(2)(iv) Rate Limits and Unapplied Carryover Interest Proposed § 1026.20(c)(2)(iv) would require the disclosure of any limits on the interest rate or payment increases at each adjustment and over the life of the loan. It also would require disclosure of the extent to which the creditor has foregone any increa se in the intere st rate due to a limit, called unapplied carryover interest. Disclosure of rate limits is not required by the current rule. The Bureau believes that knowing the limitations of their ARM rates and payments would help consumers understand the consequences of interest rate adju stments and weigh the relative benefits of pursuing alternatives. For example, if an adjustment causes a significant increase in the consumer’s payment, knowing how much more the interest rate or payment could increase could help inform a cons umer’s decision on whether or not to seek alternative financing. Both proposed § 1026.20(c)(2)(iv) and current § 1026.20(c)(3) require disclosure of any foregone interest rate increase. Unlike the cu rrent rule, the proposed rule would require an explanation in the ARM payment change notice th at the additional interest was not applied due to a rate limit and provide th e earliest date such foregone interest may be applied. Proposed comment 20(c)(2)(iv)-1 regarding una pplied interest clos ely parallels, and would replace, current comment 20(c)(3)-1. The proposed comment explains that disclosure of foregone interest would apply only to transactions permitting interest rate carryover. It further explains that the amount of the interest increase foregone is the amount that , subject to rate caps, can be added to future interest rate adjustment s to increase, or offset decreases in, the rate determined according to the index or formula.78 Consumers had difficulty understanding the co ncept of interest ra te carryover when it was introduced during the third round of testing. This difficulty may have been due to the simultaneous introduction of ot her complex notions, such as interest-only or negativelyamortizing features and the allocatio n of interest, principal, and escrow payments for such loans. In response, the Bureau has simplified the explanation of carryover interest. 70 The Bureau recognizes that the disclosure of rate limits and unapp lied carryover interest provide information that may help consumers better understand their ARMs. However, the Bureau is considering whether the help this in formation may provide ou tweighs its distraction from other more key information. Also, as explained above, consumers had difficulty understanding the concept of carryov er interest and the Bureau doe s not want this difficulty to diminish the effectiveness of the proposed § 1026.20(c) disclosures. The Bureau solicits comment on whether to include ra te limits and unapplied carryove r interest in the proposed § 1026.20(c) disclosures. 20(c)(2)(v) Explanation of How th e New Payment is Determined Proposed § 1026.20(c)(2)(v) would require ARM disclosures to explain how the new payment is determined, including (A) the index or formula, (B) any adjustment to the index or formula, such as by addition of the margin or a pplication of previously foregone interest, (C) the loan balance, and (D) the length of the remaining lo an term. This explana tion is consistent with the disclosures provided at the time of applicat ion pursuant to § 1026.19(b)(2 )(iii). It is also consistent with the TILA section 128A requireme nt to disclose the assumptions upon which the new payment is based, which the Bureau proposes to implement in proposed § 1026.20(d), and thus promotes consistency among Regulation Z ARM disclosures.

70 Id. at viii-ix.79 The current rule, as explained in comment 20(c)(4)-1, which the proposed rule would delete, requires disclosure of the contractual effects of the adjustment. This includes the payment due after the adjustment is made and whether the payment has been adjusted. The proposed rule would require disclo sure of this information as we ll as the name of the index and any specific adjustment to the index, such as the addition of a margin or an adjustment due to carryover interest. Proposed comment 20(c)(2)(v)(B )-1 explains that a disclosure regarding the application of previously foregone interest is re quired only for transactions permitting interest rate carryover. The proposed co mment further explains that fore gone interest is any percentage added or carried over to the intere st rate because a rate cap prevented the increase at an earlier adjustment. As discussed above, the Bureau found that this explanation helped consumers better understand how the index or formula and margin determine their new payment and dispelled the notion held by many consumers in the initial rou nds of testing that the lender subjectively determined their new interest rate, and thus the new payment, at each adjustment. The proposal would require disclosure of bot h the loan balance and the remaining loan term expected on the date of the interest rate adjustment. The cu rrent rule requires disclosure of the loan balance but not the remaining loan term. The date on which the balance is taken differs slightly in proposed § 1026.20(c) from the current rule. Current comment 20(c)(4)-1 explains that the balance disclosed is th e one that serves as the basis for calculating the new adjusted payment while the Bureau proposes disc losure of a more current balance, i.e. , the one expected on the date of the adjustment. Both the proposed rule and the current rule, as explained in current comment 20(c)(4)-1, provide for disclosure of any change in the term or maturity of the loan caused by the adjustment.80 Disclosure of the four key assumptions upon which the new payment is based provides a succinct overview of how the interest rate adjustment works. It also demonstrates that factors other than the index can increase consumers’ inte rest rates and payments. Disclosures of these factors would provide consumers w ith a snapshot of the current st atus of their adjustable-rate mortgages and with basic information to help th em make decisions about keeping their current loan or shopping for alternatives. Current comment 20(c)(4)-1 requires disclosure of certain information related to loans that are not fully amortizing. Disclosure of similar information is proposed in § 1026.20(c)(2)(vi), discussed below. 20(c)(2)(vi) Interest-Only and Negati ve-Amortization Statement and Payment Proposed § 1026.20(c)(2)(vi) would require § 10 26.20(c) notices to include a statement regarding the allocat ion of payments to princi pal and interest for inte rest-only or negativelyamortizing loans. If negative amortization occurs as a result of the interest rate adjustment, the proposed rule would require disclosure of the payment necessary to fully amortize such loans at the new interest rate over the remainder of the loan term. As explained in proposed comment 20(c)(2)(vi)-1, for interest-only loans, the statement would inform the consumer that the new payment covers all of the intere st but none of the principal owed and, therefore, will not reduce the loan balance. For negatively-amortizing AR Ms, the statement would inform the consumer that the new payment covers only part of the inte rest and none of the prin cipal, and therefore the unpaid interest will add to the balance or incr ease the term of the loa n. The current rule, clarified by current comment 20(c)(5)-1, requires disclosure of the paym ent necessary to fully amortize loans that become negatively-amortizin g as a result of the adjustment but does not require the statement regarding amortizati on. Proposed § 1026.20(c)(2)(vi) and proposed81 comments 20(c)(2)(vi)-1 and 20(c)(2 )(vi)-2 would replace the curre nt rule and current comment 20(c)(5)-1. Both current § 1026.20(c) and the Board’ s 2009 Closed-End Proposal to revise § 1026.20(c) include, for ARMs that become negatively amortizing as a result of the interest rate adjustment, disclosure of the payment necessary to fully amortize those loans at the new interest rate over the remainder of the loan term. Howe ver, the Bureau believes there are countervailing considerations regarding whether to include this information in proposed § 1026.20(c). The Bureau recognizes that certain Dodd-Fra nk Act amendments to TILA will restrict origination of non-amortizing a nd negatively-amortizing loans. For example, TILA section 129C and the 2011 ATR Proposal that would im plement that provision, generally require creditors to determine that a consumer can repay a mortgage loan and include a requirement that these determinations assume a fully-amortizi ng loan. Thus, this law and regulation, when finalized, will restrict the origin ation of risky mortgages such as interest-only and negativelyamortizing ARMs. Other Dodd-Frank amendments to TILA, su ch as the periodic statement proposed by § 1026.41, will include information about non-amor tizing and negatively-amortizing loans in each billing cycle, such as an allocation of pa yments. Thus, consumers who currently have interest-only and negatively-amortizing ARMs or may obtain such loans in the future will receive certain information about the interest-onl y or negatively-amortizing features of their loans in another disclosure, alt hough this will not include the pa yment required to fully amortize negatively-amortizing loans. Disclosure of th e payment necessary to fully amortize negativelyamortizing loans was not consumer tested but tes ting of the table showing the payment allocation of interest-only and negatively-amortizing ARMs indicated that consumers were confused by the82 concept of amortization. Thus, the Bureau is weighing the value of disclosing specific information regarding amortization, such as th e payment needed to fully amortize negativelyamortizing ARMs. In view of these changes to the law and the outcome of consumer testing, the Bureau solicits comments on whether to include the payment required to amortize ARMs that became negatively amortizing as a result of an interest rate adjustment. 20(c)(2)(vii) Prepayment Penalty Proposed § 1026.20(c)(2)(vii) would require disc losure of the circumstances under which any prepayment penalty may be imposed, such as selling or refinancing th e principal residence, the time period during which such penalty woul d apply, and the maximum dollar amount of the penalty. The current rule does not have this requ irement. The proposed rule cross-references the definition of prepayment penalty in subpart E, § 1026.41(d)(7)(iv), in the proposed rule for periodic statements. Interest rate adjustments may cause paymen t shock or require consumers to pay their mortgage at a rate they may no l onger be able to afford, prompti ng them to consider alternatives such as refinancing. In order to fully understa nd the implications of such actions, the Bureau believes that consumers should know whether prepayment penalties may apply. Such information should include the maximum penalty in dollars that may apply and the time period during which the penalty may be imposed. The dollar amount of the penalty, as opposed to a percentage, is more meaningful to consumers. The Bureau also proposes disclosure of any prepayment penalty in § 1026.20(d) ARM rate adjustment notices and in the periodic statements proposed by § 1026.41. Consumer testing of the periodic statement included a scenario in which a prepayment penalty applied. Most participants understood that a prep ayment penalty applied if they paid off the balance of their83 loan early, but some participants were unclear whether it applied to the sale of the home, refinancing, or other alternativ e actions consumers could pursue in lieu of maintaining their adjustable-rate mortgages. 71 For this reason, the Bureau prop oses to clarify the circumstances under which a prepayment penalty would apply. The proposed forms would alert consumers that a prepayment penalty may apply if they pay off their loan, refinance, or sell their home before the stated date. The Bureau recognizes that Dodd-Frank Act am endments to TILA, such as 129C and the 2011 ATR Proposal that would implement that provi sion, would significantly restrict a lender’s ability to impose prepayment pe nalties. Other Dodd-Frank amendments to TILA, such as the proposed periodic statement, would provide consum ers with information about their prepayment penalties for each billing cycle. Thus, consumers who currently have ARMs with prepayment penalty provisions or may obtain such loans in the future would generally receive information about them at frequent intervals in another disclosure. In view of these changes to the law, the Bureau solicits comments on whether to include information regarding prepayment penalties in proposed § 1026.20(c). 20(c)(3) Format of Disclosures As discussed above, the Bureau proposes to make § 1026.20(c) subjec t to certain of the § 1026.17(a)(1) form requirement to which § 1026.20(c) disclosures are currently not subject. These requirements include grouping the disclosure s together, segregating them from everything else, and prohibiting inclusion of any inform ation not directly re lated to the § 1026.20(c)

71 Id. at vi.84 disclosures. 72 As discussed above in connection with Section 17(a)(1), this revises the current rule but the Bureau believes the revision is ne cessary to effectively highlight information for consumers about changes to their ARM interest rates and payments. 20(c)(3)(i) All Disclosures in Tabular Form Proposed § 1026.20(c)(3)(i) would require that the ARM adjustment disclosures be provided in the form of a table and in the sa me order as, and with headings and format substantially similar to, Forms H- 4(D)(1) and (2) in Appendix H to subpart C for interest rate adjustments resulting in a co rresponding payment change. The proposed ARM adjustment notice cont ains complex concepts challenging for consumers to understand. For example, consumer te sting revealed that part icipants generally had difficulty understanding th e relationship among index, ma rgin, and interest rate. 73 They also had difficulty with the concepts of amor tization and interest rate carryover. 74 As a starting point, the Bureau looked at the model forms developed by the Board for its 2009 Closed-End Proposal to amend §1026.20(c). The Bureau then conduc ted its own consumer testing. The Bureau’s testing showed that consumer s can more readily understand these concepts when the information is presented to them in a simple manner and in the groupings contained in the model forms. The Bureau also observed that consumers more readily understood the concepts when they were presented in a logical order, with one concept presented as a foundation to understanding other concepts. For example, the form begins by informing consumers of the purpose of the notice: that their interest rate is going to adjust, when it wi ll adjust, and that the

72 Other § 1026.17(a)(1) form requirements that currently apply to § 1026.20(c) would continue to apply, such as the option of providing the disclosures to consumers in elect ronic form, subject to compliance with consumer consent and other applicable provisions of the E-Sign Act. 73 Macro Report, supra note 38, at viii. 74 Id. at viii-ix.85 adjustment will change their mortgage payment. This introduction is immediately followed by a table visually showing consumers’ current and new interest rates. In another example, the proposed notice informs consumers about their inde x rate and margin before explaining how the new payment is calculated based on those factors, as well as other factors such as the loan balance and remaining loan term. Based on consumer testing, the Bureau believes that consumer understanding is enhanced by presenting the information in a simple manner, grouped together by concep t, and in a specific order that allows consumers the opportunity to build upon knowledge gained. For these reasons, the Bureau proposes that creditor s, assignees, or servicers disclo se the information required by proposed § 1026.20(c) with headings , content, and format substa ntially similar to Forms H4(D)(1) and (2) in Appendix H to this part. Over the course of consumer testing, pa rticipant comprehension improved with each successive iteration of the model form. As a result, the Bureau believes that displaying the information in tabular form focuses consumer attention and lends to greater understanding. Similarly, the Bureau found that th e particular content and order of the information, as well as the specific headings and format used, presente d the information in a way that consumers both could understand and from which they could benefit. 20(c)(3)(ii) Format of Intere st Rate and Payment Table Proposed § 1026.20(c)(3)(ii) would require ta bular format for ARM payment change notices of: the current and new interest rates, th e current and new payments, and the date the first new payment is due. For interest-only and ne gatively-amortizing ARMs, the table would also include the allocation of payments. This table would be located within the table proposed by § 1026.20(c)(3)(i). This table is substantially similar to the on e tested by the Board for its 200986 Closed-End Proposal to revise § 1026.20(c). The proposal would re quire the table to follow the same order as, and have headings, content, and format substantially similar to, Forms H-4(D)(1) and (2) in Appendix H of subpart C. Disclosing the current interest rate and payment in the same table allows consumers to readily compare those rates with the adjusted rate and new paymen t. Consumer testing revealed that nearly all participants we re readily able to identify th e table and understand the content. 75 The new interest rate and payment and date the first new payment is due is key information the consumer must know in order to commence paymen t at the new rate. For these reasons, the Bureau proposes locating this inform ation prominently in the disclosure. 20(d) Initial Rate Adjustments Elimination of current § 1026.20(d). Current § 1026.20(d) permits creditors to substitute information provided in accordance with variable-rate subsequent disclosure regulations of other Federal agencies for the disclosures required by § 1026.20(c). In the 2009 Closed-End Proposal, the Board proposed amending the regulation that is now § 1026.20, including deleting the provision that is current § 1026.20(d). The Boar d stated that, as of August 2009, there were “[n]o comprehensive disclosure requirements for variable-rate mortgage transactions . . . in effect under the regulations of the other Federa l financial institution supervisory agencies.” 76 The Board explained that when it originally a dopted the provision in 1987, as footnote 45c of § 226.20(c) of Regulation Z, 77 the regulations of other financial institution supervisory agencies -

75 Id. at vii. 76 74 FR 43232, 43272 (Aug. 26, 2009). 77 Regulation Z was previously implemented by the Board at 12 CFR 226. In light of the general transfer of the Board’s rulemaking authority for TILA to the Bureau, the Bureau adopted an interim final rule recodifying the Board’s Regulation Z at 12 CRF 1026.87 - namely the OCC, the Federal Home Loan Bank Board (the FHLBB) , and HUD -- contained subsequent disclosure requirements for ARMs. 78 The Bureau proposes deleting the current co ntent of § 1026.20(d) beca use it is not aware of any other Federal financial institution supervisory agency rules requiring comprehensive disclosure requirements for ARMs. The Bureau solicits comment on whether there is any reason to retain this provision. The Bureau solicits comments, for ex ample, on whether this proposed regulatory change would have implications for rights under the Alternative Mortgage Transaction Parity Act (AMTPA). For the reasons discussed above with respect to proposed § 1026.20(c), the Bureau proposes this deletion pursuant to its au thority under TILA sections 105(a) and 128(f)(1)(H) a nd DFA section 1405(b). New initial ARM interest rate adjustment disclosures. In the section that would be left vacant by the proposed deletion of § 1026.20(d), the Bureau proposes to implement the initial ARM adjustment notice mandated by TILA sect ion 128A. Proposed § 1026.20(d) would require disclosure to consumers with certain adjustable -rate mortgages, approximately six months prior to the initial interest rate adjustment, of key information about the upcoming adjustment, including the new rate and paymen t and options for pursuing alternat ives to their adjustable-rate mortgage. This initial ARM adjustment noti ce would harmonize with th e ARM payment change notice that would be required unde r the proposed revisions to § 1026.20(c). The Bureau believes that promoting consistency between the ARM di sclosure provisions of proposed § 1026.20(c) and (d) would reduce compliance burdens on in dustry and minimize consumer confusion. Form of delivery. As required under TILA sec tion 128A(b), proposed § 1026.20(d) would require that the initial ARM interest rate adjustment notices be provided to consumers in

78 74 FR 43232 , 43273 ( citing 52 FR 48665, 48671 (Dec. 24, 1987)).88 writing, separate and distinct from all othe r correspondence. Proposed comment 20(d)-2 explains that to satisfy this requirement, the no tices must be mailed or delivered separately from any other material. For example, in the cas e of mailing the disclosu re, there should be no material in the envelope other than the initial interest rate adjustment notice. In the case of emailing the disclosure, the only atta chment should be the initial inte rest rate adjustment notice. This requirement contrasts with proposed § 1026.20(c), which would be subject to the less stringent segregation requirements of § 1026.17(a )(1), as amended by the Bureau’s proposal. The proposed comment further explains that the notices proposed by § 1026.20(d) may be provided to consumers in electroni c form with consumer consent, pursuant to the requirements of § 1026.17(a)(1). The Bureau solicits comment s on whether consumer protection would be compromised by providing § 1026.20(d) notices on a separate piece of paper but in the same envelope or as email correspondence with othe r messages from the creditor, assignee, or servicer. Creditors, assignees, and servicers. Proposed § 1026.20(d) applies to creditors, assignees, and servicers. Proposed comment 20(d )-1 clarifies that a cr editor, assignee, or servicer that no longer owns the mortgage loan or the mortgage servicing rights is not subject to the requirements of § 1026.20(c). This proposed la nguage tracks, in part, the requirements of TILA section 128Athat creditors and servicers must provide th e initial ARM in terest rate adjustment notices, but adds assignees to the listof covered persons. Th e Bureau believes that holding creditors, but not assignees, liable under the regulation would result in inconsistent levels of consumer protection and an unlevel playing field for owners of mortgages. It is a common practice for creditors to sell ma ny or all of the loans they originate rather than hold them in portfolio. If the creditor were to sell the AR M, the consumer would have no89 recourse against the subsequent holder for violat ions of § 1026.20(d) if assignees were not made subject to § 1026.20(d). Shielding assignees from liability under the proposed rule would have particularly deleterious effect s on consumers seeking relief agai nst a servicer to whom an assignee sold the ARM’s mortgage servicing rights, if that servicer had insufficient resources to satisfy a judgment the consumer may obtain for violations of § 1026.20(d). Consumers who happen to have ARMs sold by the original cred itor to a subsequent holder would have less protection under the regulation than consumers w ith ARMs that are retained in portfolio by the creditor originating the loan. It also would create an unfair adva ntage for assignees. The Bureau believes that the protections afforded under proposed § 1026.20(d) should not be determined by the happenstance of loan ownershi p or favor one sector of the mortgage market over another. For these reasons, the Bureau proposes to make assignees, along with creditors and servicers, subject to the requirements § 1026.20(d). Proposed comment 20(d)-1 explai ns that any provision of su bpart C that applies to the disclosures required by § 1026.20(d) al so applies to credito rs, assignees, and servicers. This is the case even where the other prov isions of subpart C refer only to creditors. For the reasons discussed above, the Bureau proposes that the requi rements of other regulations that apply to the § 1026.20(d) initial ARM interest ra te adjustment notices apply to assignees as well as to creditors and servicers. The extension of the requirement to assignees is authorized unde r TILA section 105(a) because, for the reasons discussed above, it is nece ssary and proper to effectuate the purposes of TILA, including to assure a meaningful disclo sure of credit terms a nd protect the consumer against unfair credit billing practices, and to pr event circumvention or evasion of TILA. The Bureau also proposes to use its authority under DFA section 1405(b) to extend the ap plicability90 of the initial ARM adjustment notices under TILA section 128A to assignees. As discussed above, this extension would serve the interest of consumers and the public interest. Application of proposed § 1026.20(d) to assignees is cons istent with current § 1026.20(c) commentary applying that disclosure requi rement to subsequent holders . Application of proposed § 1026.20(d) to creditors, assignees, and servicer s also promotes consistency with proposed § 1026.20(c) and the periodic statement proposed by § 1026.41, which also apply to creditors, assignees, and servicers. Timing. Proposed § 1026.20(d) generally follows th e statutory requirement in TILA section 128A that the initial interest rate adjust ment notice must be provided to consumers during the one-month period that ends six months before the date on which the interest rate in effect during the introductory period ends. Thus, the disclosure must be provided six to seven months before the initial interest rate adjustment. The § 1026.20(d) di sclosures are designed to avoid payment shock so as to put consumers on notice of upcoming changes to their adjustable-rate mortgages that may result in higher payments. The six to seven month advance notice allows sufficient time for consumers to consider their alte rnatives if the notice di scloses an increase in payment that they cannot afford. One alternativ e consumers might consider is refinancing their home. In the current market, “ it now takes the nation’s biggest mo rtgage lenders an average of more than 70 days to complete a refinance . . . . ” 79
In the interest of consiste ncy within Regulation Z, propos ed § 1026.20(d) ties its timing requirement to the date the first payment at a new le vel is due rather than the date of the interest rate adjustment. This is consistent with the time frame for both current and proposed § 1026.20(c). Since interest generally is paid in arrears, for most ARMs, this adds another

79 Timiraos & Simon, supra note 52.91 approximately 30 days to the time frame for deli very of the disclosures. Thus, the notices proposed by § 1026.20(d) must be provided to cons umers seven to eight m onths in advance of payment at the adjusted rate. Measured in days, the initial interest rate adjustment disclosures are due at least 210, but not more than 240, days befo re the first payment at the adjusted level is due. By tying the timing of the disclosure to the date payment at a new level is due and calculating it in days rather than months, pr oposed § 1026.20(d) is more precise, since months can vary in length, and maintains consistenc y with the timing requirements of proposed § 1026.20(c). Pursuant to TILA section 128A, for ARMs adju sting for the first time within six months after consummation, the proposed § 1026.20(d) initial interest rate adjustme nt notices must be provided at consummation. The propos ed rule states that when this occurs, the disclosure must be provided 210 days before the first date payment at a new level is due. The proposed rule ties the timing of this requirement to days rather than months, thereby ensuring both internal consistency and consistency with § 1026.20(c). Proposed comment 20(d)-2 explains thatthe timing requirements exclude any grace period. It also explains that the date the first payment at the adjust ed level is due is the same as the due date of the first payment calculate d using the adjusted interest rate.
SBREFA. The small entity representatives (SERs) that advised the SBREFA panel on the mortgage servicing rules under consideration by th e Bureau expressed doubt as to the value of the § 1026.20(d) notices because providing the notices so many months in advance of the interest rate adjustment would require disc losure of an estimated, rather than the actual, interest rate and payment due. 80 Several SERS expressed concern that the estimates would confuse consumers.

80 See SBREFA Final Report, supra note 22, at 20-21, 29-30.92 They also noted that, in addition to the requireme nt to provide initial interest rate adjustment notices under § 1026.20(d), servicers would remain ob liged to also provide a later notice in the case of a payment change, pursuant to § 1026.20(c), fo r the initial rate adjustments in order to apprise consumers of the actual am ount of their interest rate and payment resulting from the adjustment. They expressed concerns about the one-time development costs and on-going costs associated with providing both the initial AR M adjustment notices and the recurring notices under § 1026.20(c). 81 Consistent with this recommendation, afte r conclusion of the SBREFA process, the Bureau conducted further policy analysis of a pos sible exemption for small creditors, assignees, and servicers. After additional consideration, however, the Bureau decided to propose that notices under both § 1026.20(c) and § 1026.20(d) be pr ovided. The Bureau believes that the two notices serve related but distin ct purposes, such that elimin ating the § 1026.20(c) notice could harm consumers. In particular, the § 1026.20(d) notice is designed to provide consumers with very early warning that their ra tes are about to change, so that consumers can begin exploring other options. If the consumer chooses not to do so or has not completed that process, a notice closer to the adjustment date that reflects the ac tual rather than estimated change in payment is still valuable to the consum er as both a second warning an d budgeting tool. While the ARM interest rate adjustment information proposed for the first payment change notice required by proposed § 1026.20(c) could be provided in the peri odic statement that would be provided to consumers under proposed § 1026.41, discussed below, rather than as a st andalone notice under § 1026.20(c), the Bureau notes that that might require greater programming complexity in

81 Id

.93 connection with the periodi c statements. In addition, the Bur eau is proposing to exempt certain small servicers from the period ic statement requirement. The Bureau also believes that the amount of burden reduction for servicers from an exemption from providing a § 1026.20(c) notice in c onnection with an ini tial interest rate adjustment would be extremely minimal, given that servicers would have to maintain systems to generate § 1026.20(c) notices for each subsequent interest rate adjustment resulting in a corresponding payment change. Thus, excepting small servicers from providing the first § 1026.20(c) notice would not provide a significant reduction in burden. The Bureau also considered whether to excep t small servicers, cred itors, and assignees from the initial ARM interest rate notice required by § 1026.20(d). The SERs expressed concern that consumers would be confused by receiving es timates, rather than their actual new interest rate and payment, in the § 1026.20(d) notice. 82 However, the Bureau believes the best approach to address this concern is to clarify the contents of the notice, rather than eliminate it entirely. Congress has made a specific policy judgment that an early notice has value to consumers. Creating an exemption for small creditors, assi gnees, and servicers would deprive certain consumers of the benefits that Congress intende d, specifically advance notice seven to eight months before payment at a new level is due afte r the initial interest rate adjustment to allow consumers time to weigh the potential impacts of a rate change and to explore alternative actions. An exception would also deprive certai n consumers of the information provided in the § 1026.20(d) notice about alternatives and how to contact their State housing finance authority and access a list of government-certified c ounseling agencies and programs.

82 Id. at 21.94 On balance, the Bureau does not belie ve that the § 1026.20(d) notice imposes a significant burden on small entities because it is a one-time notice. Moreover, the notice is designed to be consistent with the § 1026.20(c) notice in order t o, among other things, reduce the burden on industry. For these reasons, the Bureau proposes generally to require all creditors, assignees, and servicers to pr ovide the ARM interest rate adjustment notic es required by proposed § 1026.20(c) and (d). However, the Bur eau seeks comment on the issues raised by the two sets of disclosures, particularly whet her the burden imposed on small entities by the requirements of § 1026.20(d) outweighs the consumer protection benefits afforded by the early notice of the initial ARM interest rate adjustment. The Bureau also solicits comment on whether small servicers (or creditors, assignees, and servicers in general) th at provide a periodic statement to a consumer with an ARM should be permitted or required to provide the informati on required by § 1026.20(c), for an initial interest rate adjustment for which a notice under § 1026. 20(d) is required, in a periodic statement provided to consumers 60 to 120 days before payment at a new level is due. The Bureau further solicits comment on whether to permit or requi re all § 1026.20(c) notices required by the proposed rule to be incorporated into periodic statemen ts in lieu of providing a separate notice.
Conversions. Proposed comment 20(d)-3 explains th at in the case of an open-end account converting to a closed-end adjustable-r ate mortgage, § 1026.20(d) disclosures are not required until the implementation of the initial interest rate adjustment post-conversion. Under the proposed rule, the conversion is analogous to consummation. Thus, like other ARMs subject to the requirements of proposed § 1026.20(d), disc losures for these converted ARMs would not be required until the first interest rate adjustme nt following the conversion. This proposal is95 consistent with the § 1026.20(c) proposal for open-end accounts converting to closed-end adjustable-rate mortgages. 20(d)(1) Coverage of th e Initial Rate Adjustment Disclosures 20(d)(1)(i) In General Proposed § 1026.20(d)(1)(i) defines an adjustab le-rate mortgage or ARM as a closed-end consumer credit transaction secured by the consum er’s principal dwelling in which the annual percentage rate may increase af ter consummation. The proposed rule uses the wording from the definitions of “adjustable-rate” and “variable-rate ” mortgage in subpart C of Regulation Z. It does this to promote consistency within the regulation. Proposed comment 20(d)(1)(i)-1 explains that the definition of AR M means variable-rate mortgage as that term is used elsewhere in subpart C of Regulation Z, except as provi ded in proposed comment 20(d)(1)(ii)-2. Applicability to closed-end transactions. The Bureau believes that TILA section 128A and the implementing disclosures in proposed 1026.20(d) primarily benefit consumers with closed-end adjustable-rate mortgages. In cont rast, open-end credit transactions secured by a consumer’s dwelling (home equity plans) with ad justable-rate features are subject to distinct disclosure requirements under TILA and subpart B of Regulation Z that substitute for the proposed § 1026.20(c) and (d) disclosu res. Therefore, as discussed below, the Bureau proposes to use its authority under TILA section 105(a) and (f) to exempt adjustable-rate home equity plans from the requirements of proposed § 1026.20(d). Section 127A of TILA and § 1026.40( b) and (d) of Regulation Z require the disclosure of specific information about home equity plans at the time an applicati on is provided to the consumer. These disclosures in clude specific information about variable or adjustable-rate plans, including, among other things , the fact that the plan has a variable or adjustable-rate96 feature, the index used in making adjustments and a source of information about the index, an explanation of how the index is adjusted such as by the additi on of a margin, and information about frequency of and limitations to changes to the applicable rate, payment amount, and index.
See § 1026.40(d)(12). The required account opening disclosures for home equity plans also must include information about any variable or adjust able-rate feature, incl uding the circumstances under which rates may increase, limitations on the increase, and the effect of any increase. See § 1026.6(a)(1)(ii) and (3)(vii). Thus, Regulation Z already contains a comprehensive scheme for disclosing to consumers the variable or adjustable-rate features of home equity plans. The Bureau believes that requiring servicers to provi de information about the index and an explanation of how the interest rate and payment woul d be determined, as required by TILA section 128A and proposed by § 1026.20(d), in connection with home equity pl ans would be inconsistent with, and largely duplicative of, the current disc losure regime and would be confusing and unhelpful for consumers. Moreover, unlike closed-end adjust able-rate mortgages, consumers with home equity plans generally may draw from the adjust able-rate feature on the account at any time. Thus, providing the good faith estimate of the am ount of the monthly payment that would apply after the interest rate adjustment, as required by TILA section 128A and proposed by § 1026.20(d), would not be useful because the esti mate would be based on the outstanding loan balance at the time the notice is given, which would change after the notice is given anytime the consumer withdraws funds. Finally, the alerts to consumers required by TILA section 128A and proposed by §1026.20(d) would not provi de a benefit to consumers w ith home equity plans with adjustable-rate features. Genera lly, introductory periods for adju stable-rate features on home97 equity plans tend to last less th an six months. The Bureau be lieves it is unlikely consumers would consider pursuing alternatives so clos e in time to opening their home equity plans. Two other factors also support the Bureau’s use of the TI LA section 105(a) exemption authority to exclude home equity plans from the requirements of proposed § 1026.20(d). First, use of the term “consummation” in TILA sec tion 128A supports the app lication of proposed §1026.20(d) only to closed-end transactions. Regul ation Z generally requires disclosures for closed-end credit transactions to be provided “before consummation of the transaction.” By contrast, Regulation Z generally requires a ccount opening disclosures for open-end credit transactions to be provided “before the first transacti on is made under the plan.” See § 1026.17(b) and § 1026.5(b)(1)(i). Because Regul ation Z uses the term “consummation” in connection with closed-end credit transactions, use of the word “consummation” in DFA section 1418 supports the Bureau’s proposed exemption for open-end home equity plans from the requirements of §1026.20(d). Second, DFA section 1418 is codified in TILA section 128A. The adjacent and similarly numbered provision, TILA section 128, is entitled and applies only to “Consumer Credit not under Open End Credit Pl ans.” Congress’s placement of the new ARM disclosure requirement in a segmen t of TILA that applies only to closed-end credit transactions further supports the Bureau’s decision to exempt open-end cred it transactions, in this case variable or adjustable-rate home equity plan s, from the requirements of that section. For the reasons discussed above, exempting hom e equity plans from the requirements of §1026.20(d) is necessary and proper under TILA section 105(a) to further the consumer protection purposes of TILA and facilitate compliance. As discussed above, the Bureau believes that the information contained in the notice proposed by § 1026.20(d) would not be meaningful to consumers with home equity plans that have adjustable-rate features and could lead to98 information overload and confusion for those co nsumers. The Bureau further proposes the exemption for open-end transactions pursuant to its authority under TILA section 105(f). As discussed above, because open-end transactions ar e subject to their own regulatory scheme, are not structured in such a way as to garner benefit from the disclosures proposed by §1026.20(d), and the placement of 128A in TILA indicates congressional intent to limit its coverage to closedend transactions, the Bureau believes, in light of the factors in TILA section 105(f)(2), that requiring the proposed § 1026.20(d) notice for open -end accounts that have adjustable-rate features would not provide a meaningful bene fit to consumers. Sp ecifically, the Bureau considers that the exemption is proper irrespective of the amount of the loan or the status of the borrower (including related financial arrangemen ts, financial sophisticat ion, and the importance to the borrower of the loan). The Bureau furt her notes, in light of TI LA section 105(f)(2)(D), that the requirements in § 1026.20(d) would only apply to loans secured by the consumer’s principal dwelling. Savings Clause. Regarding other categories of lo ans to which proposed § 1026.20(d) would apply, the statute’s pr ovisions apply to hybrid ARMs, which it defines as “consumer credit transaction[s] secured by th e consumer’s principal residence with a fixed interest rate for an introductory period that adjusts or resets to a variable interest ra te after such period.” 83 The statute, however, has a “savings clau se,” that allows the Bureau to require the initial interest rate adjustment notice for loans that are not hybrid ARMs. The Bureau proposes to use this authority generally to extend the disclosure requiremen ts of proposed § 1026.20(d) to ARMs that are not hybrid. The Bureau believes this approach is necessary because bot h hybrid ARMs and those

83 TILA section 128A. For example, a 3/1 hybrid ARM has a three-year introductory period with a fixed interest rate, after which the interest rate adjust s annually. ARMs that are not hybrid, on the other hand, have no period with a fixed rate of interest. Such ARMs start out with a rate th at adjusts at set intervals, su ch as 3/3 (adjusts every three years), 5/5 (adjusts every five years), etc.99 that are not hybrid may subject consumers to the same payment shock that the advance notice of the first interest rate adjustment is designed to address. For example, both 3/1 hybrid ARMs, where the initial interest rate is fixed for three years and then adjusts every year after that, and 3/3 ARMs, where the initial interest rate adjusts after three years and then every three years after that, adjust for the first time after three years and present the same potential payment shock to consumers holding either mortgage. The same is true for 5/1 hybrid ARMs and 5/5 ARMs, 7/1 hybrid ARMs and 7/7 ARMs, 10/1 hybrid ARMs and 10/10 ARMs, etc. In sum, conventional ARMs and hybrid ARMs can have the same initial periods without an interest rate adjustment and thus, the same potential jump in their interest rates at the time of the first interest rate adjustment. Proposed comment 20(d)(1)(i)-1 clarifies thatthe initial ARM adjustment notice are not limited to transactions financing the initial acqui sition of the consumer’s principal dwelling but also would apply to other closed-end ARM tran sactions secured by the consumer’s principal dwelling, consistent with current co mment 19(b)-1 and proposed § 1026.20(c). 20(d)(1)(ii) Exceptions Proposed § 1026.20(d)(1)(ii) excepts construction loans with terms of one year or less from the disclosure requirements of § 1026.20(d). Proposed § 1026.20(c) includes the same exception. Proposed comment 20(d)(1)(ii)-1 app lies the standards in comment 19(b)-1 for determining the term of a construction loan. Construction loans generally have short terms of six months to one year and are subject to frequent interest rate adjustments, usually monthly or quarterly. The construction period usually involves several disburse ments of funds at times and in amounts that are unknown at the beginning of that period. The consumer generally pays only accrued interest until construction is100 completed. The creditor, assignee, or servicer, in addition to disbursing payments in stages, closely monitors the progress of construction. Generally, at the completion of the construction, the construction loan is convert ed into permanent financing in which the loan amount is amortized just as in a sta ndard mortgage transaction. See comment 17(c)(6)-2 for additional information on construction loans. The frequent interest rate adjustments, mu ltiple disbursements of funds, the short loan term, and on-going communication between the cred itor, assignee, or servicer and consumer distinguish construction loans from other ARMs. These loans are meant to function as bridge financing until construction is completed and permanent financing can be put in place. Consumers with construction ARM loans are not at risk of payment shock like other ARM where interest rates change less frequen tly. Moreover, given the frequenc y of interest rate adjustments on construction loans, creditors, as signees, or servicers would have difficulty complying with the proposed requirement to provide the notice to consumers 210 to 240 days before the first payment at the adjusted level is due. For th ese reasons, providing noti ces under § 1026.20(d) for these loans would not provide a meaningful bene fit to the consumer nor improve consumers’ awareness and understanding of their construction loans with terms of le ss than one year. Authority. Accordingly, the Bureau proposes to use its authority under TILA section 105(a) to except construction loan s with terms of one year or less from the requirements of proposed § 1026.20(d). As explained above, the disclosure requirements of § 1026.20(d) would be confusing and difficult to comply with in the context of a short-term construction loan. Thus, exempting such loans is necessary and proper under TILA section 105(a) to further the consumer protection purposes of TILA and facilitate co mpliance. The Bureau further proposes the exemption for construction loans pursuant to its authority under TILA s ection 105(f). For the101 reasons discussed above, the Bureau believes, in light of the factors in TILA section 105(f)(2), that requiring the § 1026.20(d) notice for constructi on loans with terms of one year or less would not provide a meaningful benefit to consumers. Specifically, the Bureau considers that the exemption is proper irrespective of the amount of the loan or the st atus of the borrower (including related financial arra ngements, financial sophistica tion, and the importance to the borrower of the loan). The Bureau further notes, in light of TILA sec tion 105(f)(2)(D), that the requirements in § 1026.20(d) woul d only apply to loans secured by the consumer’s principal dwelling. The Bureau solicits comment on whether ther e are other ARMs with terms of less than one year, and whether such ARMs should be exce pted from the requirements of § 1026.20(d). If the time period of the advance notice for cons umers required by § 1026.20(d) is not appropriate for these short-term ARMs, the Bureau solicits comment on what period would be appropriate that would also provide consumers with sufficient notice of the esti mated initial adjusted interest rate and any new payment. Proposed comment 20(d)(1)(ii)-2 discusses othe r loans to which the proposed rule does not apply. Proposed comment 20(d )(1)(ii)-2 is consistent with proposed comment 20(c)(1)(ii)-3 with regard to the loans which are not subject to the proposed ARM disclosure rules. Certain Regulation Z provisions treat some of these loans as variable-rate transactions, even if they are structured as fixed-rate tran sactions. The proposed comment clarifies that, for purposes of proposed § 1026.20(d), the following loans, if fixed-rate transactions, are not ARMs and therefore are not subject to ARM notices pur suant to § 1026.20(d): shar ed-equity or sharedappreciation mortgages; price-leve l adjusted or other indexed mortga ges that have a fixed rate of interest but provide for periodic adjustments to payments and the loan balance to reflect changes102 in an index measuring prices or inflation; graduated-payment mort gages or step-rate transactions; renewable balloon-payment instruments; and prefe rred-rate loans. The pa rticular features of these types of loans may trigger interest rate or payment changes over the term of the loan or at the time the consumer pays off the final balan ce. However, these changes are based on factors other than a change in the value of an index or a formula. Fo r example, whether or when the interest rate will adjust for the first time for a pr eferred-rate loan with a fixed interest rate is likely not knowable six to seven months in advan ce of the adjustment. This is because the loss of the preferred rate is based on factors other than a formula or ch ange in the value of an index agreed to at consummation. Because the enumer ated loans are not ARMs they are not covered by TILA section 128A or proposed § 1026.20(d) a nd require no disclosures under this rule. 20(d)(2) Content of Initial Rate Adjustment Disclosures Statutorily-required content. TILA section 128A requires that the following content be included in the § 1026.20(d) initial rate adjustment notice: (1) a ny index or formula used in adjusting or resetting the interest rate and a source of informati on about the index or formula; (2) an explanation of how the new rate and paymen t would be determined, including how the index may be adjusted, such as by the addition of a margin; (3) a good faith estimate, based on accepted industry standards, of the amount of the resulting monthly payment after the adjustment or reset and the assumptions on wh ich the estimate is based; (4) a list of alternatives that the consumers may pursue, including refinancing, rene gotiation of loan terms, payment forbearance, and pre-foreclosure sales, and de scriptions of actions the consum er must take to pursue these alternatives; (5) contact information for HUD- or State housing agency- approved housing counselors or programs reasonably available; and (6) contact in formation for the State housing finance authority for the State wh ere the consumer resides.103 The Bureau interprets the explanation of how the interest rate and payments will be determined set forth in (2) above to require di sclosure of any adjustment to the index, for example, the amount of any margin and an explana tion of what a margin is ; the loan balance; the length of the remaining term of the loan; and any change in the term or maturity of the loan caused by the interest rate adjustment. The Bureau interprets the good faith estimate, required under (3) above, to require disclosure, when available, of the exact amount of the new monthly payment after the interest rate adjustment. As discussed below, the Bureau believes that in most cases the lengthy advance notice required by proposed § 1026.20(d) will necessitate disclosure in the initial ARM interest rate adjustment notices of estimates of the new interest rate and payment, rather than exact amounts. The Bureau believes, however, that a good faith estimate would require disclosure of the exact amount of the new monthly payment, if known, rather than an estimate. The Bureau interprets the assumptions on which the good faith estimate is based to require disclosure, among other things, of the current interest rate and paym ent, as well as the amount of the new interest rate after the adjustment, if known, or an estimate if the exact amount of th e new interest rate is not known. As with the new payment amount, th e Bureau believes that generally only an estimate of the new interest rate will be availabl e at the time the notice is provided, but interprets the statute to require disclosure of the exact am ount of the new interest rate, if this amount is available. Even if this content were not contem plated under the statute, the Bureau believes it would be appropriate to use its ad justment authority to require disc losure of such information for the reasons discussed below. Additional content. In addition to the content explicitly required under the statute, the Bureau proposes, as discussed in more detail be low, to require the ARM initial interest rate104 notices to include the date of the disclosures; the telephone number of th e creditor, assignee, or servicer; statements specifying that the consumer’s interest rate is scheduled to adjust pursuant to the terms of the loan, that the adjustment may effect a change in the mortgage payment, the specific time period the current inte rest rate has been in effect , the dates of the upcoming and future interest rate adjustments, and any other ch anges to loan terms, f eatures, or options taking effect on the same date as the interest rate adju stment; the due date of the first payment after the adjustment; for interest-only or negatively-amor tizing payments, the amount of the current and new payment allocated to principal, interest, and taxes and insurance in es crow, as applicable; a statement regarding payment allocation for in terest-only and negatively-amortizing loans, including the payment required to fully amortize an ARM that becomes ne gatively-amortizing as a result of the interest rate adjustment; any in terest rate or payment limits and any foregone interest; if the new interest rate or new payment provided is an estimate, a statement that another disclosure containing the actual new interest rate and payment will be provided within a specified time period -- if the actual interest rate adjustment results in a corresponding payment change; and the amount and expiration date of any prepayment penalty and the circumstances under which such penalty might apply. The proposed additional content, including the co ntent that the Bureau interprets to be required under the statute, is authorized under TI LA section 105(a). As further discussed below, the proposed additional content is necessary and proper to assure that consumers understand the consequences of the upcoming ARM rate adjustme nts and have sufficient time to adjust their behavior accordingly, thereby avoi ding the uninformed use of cr edit and protecting consumers against inaccurate and unfair cr edit billing practices. The proposed additional content is further authorized under DFA section 1032 by assuring that the key features of consumers’ adjustable-105 rate mortgage, over the term of the ARM, are “fully, accurately, and effectively disclosed to consumers in a manner that permits consumers to understand [its] costs, benefits, and risks.” The proposed additional information better informs consumers of the implications of interestrate adjustments before they ha ppen and thus enables them to we igh their options going forward. For the same reasons, the Bureau believes, c onsistent with DFA section 1405(b), that the proposed additional content would improve consumer awareness and understanding of their residential ARM loans and is thus in the intere st of consumers and the public interest. The proposed additional content is also consistent wi th TILA section 128A(b) itself, which provides a non-exclusive list of required content, thereby st atutorily contemplating additional content. Good faith estimate. As noted above, TILA section 128A provides that the § 1026.20(d) interest rate adjustment disclosures should in clude “[a] good faith estimate, based on accepted industry standards . . . of the amount of the monthl y payment that will apply after the date of the adjustment or reset, and the assumptions on which the estimate is based.” ARM contracts generally provide that the calcula tion of the new interest rate and payment be based on an index value published closer to the date of the interest rate adjustment than those available during the time frame within which creditors, assignees, and servicers must provide the initial ARM interest rate adjustments pursuant to § 1026.20(d). 20(c)(2) above for a full discussion of the time frame generally required for ascertaining th e index rate used to calculate the adjusted interest rate and new payment. Thus, it is unlikely creditors, assign ees, and servicers will be able to disclose the actual new interest rate and payment in the initia l ARM interest rate notic es. For this reason, consistent with the language of the stat ute regarding estimates, proposed § 1026.20(d)(2) provides that if the new interest rate or any other calculation usi ng the new interest rate is not known as of the date of the disclosure, use of an estimate, labeled as such, is permissible. The106 Bureau interprets the statutory good faith standard to require disc losure of the actual amounts if they are available at the time th e creditor, assignee, or servicer provides the initial ARM interest rate adjustment notices to consumers pursuant to the time frame required by proposed § 1026.20(d). Since the notice is designed to alert consumers to upcoming changes to their mortgage and to provide consumers with the time needed to take ameliorative actions should the new interest rate and paymen t be too high, providing the actual new payment would benefit consumers. Across all rounds of consumer testin g, most participants shown notices containing estimates of the new rate and payment understood that these amounts were estimates that could change before payment at a new level was due. 84 To implement the requirements of TILA sec tion 128A that the good fa ith estimate of the new payment be based on accepted industry stan dards, proposed § 1026.20(d) would require that any estimate be calculated using the index figure disclosed in the source of information described in proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(iii)(A) within fiftee n business days prior to the date of the disclosure. Linking the date of th e notice to the date of the index value used to estimate the new interest rate and payment woul d prevent consumer confusion as to the recency of the index value. As discussed above under Section 20(c)(2 ), the fifteen-day period allows creditors, assignees, and servicers sufficient time to calcu late the estimates and perform any necessary quality control measures before providing the § 1026.20(d) notices to consumers. 20(d)(2)(i) Date of the Disclosure Proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(i) would re quire that the initial ARM adjustment notice include the date of the disclosure. In order to group together all data rega rding the ARM, proposed

84 Macro Report, supra note 38, at viii.107 § 1026.20(d)(3)(ii) would require that the date appear outside of and above the table described in proposed § 1026.20(d)(3)(i). Proposed comment 20(d)(2)(i)-1 explains that the date woul d be the date the creditor, assignee, or servicer generates the notice. It also must be within fi fteen business days after publication of the index level used to calculate the adjusted interest rate and new payment, if it is an estimate and not the actual adjust ed interest rate and new payment. 85 Because the disclosures must be provided to consumers so far in advanc e, the Bureau expects estimates will be used in most cases. Tying the date of the disclosure to the date of the index level should prevent consumer confusion as to the re cency of the index value upon whic h the estimated interest rate and new payment are based. 20(d)(2)(ii) Statement Regarding Change to Interest Rate and Payment Proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(ii)(A) woul d require the initial ARM in terest rate adjustment notices to include a statement alerting consumer s that, under the terms of their adjustable-rate mortgage, the specific period in which their interest rate stayed the same will end on a certain date, that their interest rate ma y change on that date, and that a ny change in their interest rate may result in a change to their mortgage payment. This information is similar to the information required to be disclosed in the pre-consummati on disclosures provided to consumers pursuant to current § 1026.19(b)(2)(i) and § 1026.37(i), recently proposed in the 2012 TILA-RESPA Proposal. Proposed comment 20(d)(2)(ii)(A)-1 clarifies that the current interest rate is the one in effect on the date of the disclosure. Proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(ii)(B) wo uld require the proposed in itial ARM interest rate adjustment notices to include the dates of the im pending and future interest rate adjustments and

85 See proposed § 1026.20(d)(2).108 inform consumers that these changes are dictated by the terms of their adjustable-rate mortgages. Proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(ii)(C) also would requir e the § 1026.20(d) disclosures to inform consumers of any other loan changes taking place on the same day as the adjustment, such as changes in amortization caused by the expiration of interest-only or payment-option features. The first ARM model form tested did not c ontain the statement required by proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(ii) informing consumers of impending and future changes to their interest rate and the basis for these changes. Although partic ipants understood that th eir interest rate was adjusting and their payment might change as a result, they did not understand that these changes would occur periodically subject to the terms of their mortgage contract. Inclusion of this statement in the second round of testing successf ully resolved this confusion. All but one consumer tested in rounds two and three of te sting understood that, under the scenario presented to them, their interest rate would change on an annual basis. 86 20(d)(2)(iii) Table with Current and New Interest Rates and Payments Proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(iii) woul d require disclosure of the following information in the form of a table: (A) the cu rrent and new interest rates; (B) the current and new periodic payment amounts and the date the first new paym ent is due; and (C) for interest-only or negatively-amortizing payments, th e amount of the current and es timated new payment allocated to interest, principal, and prope rty taxes and mortgage-related in surance, as applicable. The information in this table would appear within the larger table contai ning the other required disclosures, except for the da te of the disclosure. This table would follow the same order as, a nd have headings and format substantially similar to, those in the table in Forms H-4(D )(3) and (4) in Appendix H of subpart C. The

86 Macro Report, supra note 38, at vii.109 Bureau learned through consumer testing that, wh en presented with information in a logical order, consumers more easily grasped the co mplex concepts contained in the proposed § 1026.20(d) notice. For example, the form begi ns by informing consumers of the basic purpose of the notice: their interest rate is going to adjust, when it will adjust, and the adjustment will change their mortgage payment. This intr oduction is immediately followed by a visual illustration of this information in the form of a table comparing the consumers’ current and new interest rates. Based on consumer testing, th e Bureau believes that consumer understanding is enhanced by presenting the information in a simple manner, grouped together by concept, and in a specific order that allows consumers the oppo rtunity to build upon knowledge gained. For these reasons, the Bureau proposes that creditors, assignees, or se rvicers disclose the information in the table as set forth in Forms H-4(D)(3) and (4) in Appendix H. In all rounds of testing, consumers were presented with model forms with tables depicting a scenario in which the interest rate and payment would increase as a result of the adjustment. All participants in all rounds of testi ng understood that their interest rate and payment were going to increase and when these changes would occur. 87 The Bureau proposes including allocation inform ation in the table fo r interest-only and negatively-amortizing ARMs. The Bureau believ es this information would help consumers better understand the risk of these products by de monstrating that thei r payments would not reduce the loan principal. The Bureau also be lieves providing the payment allocation would help consumers understand the effect of th e interest rate adjustment, esp ecially in the case of a change in the ARM’s features coinciding wi th the interest rate adjustment , such as the expiration of an interest-only or payment-option feature. Sin ce payment allocation may change over time, the

87 Id.110 proposed rule would require disclo sure of the expected payment allocation for the first payment period during which the adjusted interest rate will apply. The allocation of payment disclosure was test ed in the third round of testing. The notice tested showed the scenario of a 3/1 hybrid ARM with interest-onl y payments for the first three years of the loan adjusting for the first time. On the date of the adjustment, the interest-only feature would expire and the ARM would become am ortizing. Only about half of participants understood that their payments would be changing from interest-only to amortizing. Participants generally understood the concept of allocation of payments but were confused by the table in the notice that broke out principal a nd interest for the current payment, but combined the two for the new amount. As a result, this table was revise d so that separate amounts for principal and interest were shown for all payments. 88 The Bureau recognizes that certain Dodd-Fra nk Act amendments to TILA will restrict origination of non-amortizing a nd negatively-amortizing loans. For example, TILA section 129C and the 2011 ATR Proposal that would im plement that provision, generally require creditors to determine that a consumer can repay a mortgage loan and include a requirement that these determinations assume a fully-amortizi ng loan. Thus, this law and regulation, when finalized, will restrict the origin ation of risky mortgages such as interest-only and negativelyamortizing ARMs. Other Dodd-Frank amendments to TILA, su ch as the proposed periodic statement provisions discussed below, will provide payment allocation information to consumers for each billing cycle. Thus, consumers who currently ha ve interest-only or ne gatively-amortizing loans or may obtain such loans in the future will r eceive information about the interest-only or

88 Id. at vii-viii. This revision was made after the thir d round of testing, and therefore was not tested with consumers.111 negatively-amortizing features of their loans through the payment allocation information in the periodic statement. Also, as noted above, cons umer testing showed th at participants were confused by the allocation table. Since the Bureau was not able to test a revised version of the form to see if it rectified the confusion caused by the allocation table or ifthe concepts of nonamortizing and negatively-amortiz ing ARMs themselves are the s ource of the confusion, the Bureau questions the value of disclosing this info rmation to consumers in the ARM interest rate adjustment notice. In view of these changes to the law and the outcome of consumer testing, the Bureau solicits comments on whether to include allocation information for interest-only and negatively-amortizing ARMs in the table proposed above. 20(d)(2)(iv) Explanation of How the Interest Rate is Determined TILA section 128A mandates that the initial interest rate adjustment notices include any index or formula used in making adjustments to or resetting the interest rate, and a source of information about the index or formula. Accordingly, proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(iv)(A) would require disclosure of the name and published source of the index or formula. This disclosure requirement is consistent with the pre-consumma tion disclosure requirements of current rule § 1026.19(b)(2)(iii). Proposed § 1026.37(i), part of the 2012 TILA-RES PA Proposal, likewise would require disclosure of the i ndex name prior to consummation. TILA section 128A also mandates that the ini tial interest rate disclosures include an explanation of how the new interest rate a nd payment would be dete rmined, including an explanation of how the index was adjusted, su ch as by the addition of a margin. Proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(iv) would require § 1026.20(d) notices to include an explanation of how the new interest rate is determined. This disclosure re quirement is consistent with the pre-consummation disclosure requirements of cu rrent rule § 1026.19(b)(2 )(iii). The 2012 TILA-RESPA Proposal’s112 proposed 1026.37(i) likewise would require disclosure prior to consummation of the amount of the margin expressed as a percentage. Consumer testing revealed that consumer s generally have difficulty understanding the relationship of the index, margin, and interest rate. 89 Therefore, the Bureau is proposing a relatively brief and simple explanation that th e new interest rate is calculated by taking the published index rate and adding a certain number of percentage points, called the “margin.” Proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(iii) also includes th e specific amount of the margin. Consumer testing indicated th at the explanation helped consumers better understand the relationship between the interest ra te, index, and margin. It also helped dispel the notion held by many of the consumers in the in itial rounds of testi ng that the lender subj ectively determined their new interest rate at each adjustment. 90 The Bureau believes that its proposed rule and forms strike an appropriate balance between providing consumers with key information necessary to understand the basic interest rate adjustment of their adjustable-rate mortgages without overloading consumers with complex a nd confusing technical information. 20(d)(2)(v) Rate Limits Proposed rule § 1026.20(d)(2)(v) would requir e the disclosure of any limits on the interest rate or payment increases at each adjustment and over the life of the loan. The Bureau believes that knowing the limitations of their AR M rates and payments would help consumers understand the consequences of each interest rate adjustment and weigh the relative benefits of the alternatives that would be required to be disclosed under proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(viii). For example, if an adjustment might cause a sign ificant increase in the consumer’s payment,

89 Id. at viii. 90 Id.113 knowing how much more the inte rest rate or payment could increase could help inform a consumer’s decision on whether or not to seek alternative financing. Proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(v) also requires disclosure of the extent to which the creditor, assignee, or servicer has foregone an y increase in the interest rate. If there is fo regone interest, it would require disclosure that the additional inte rest was not applied due to a rate limit and include the earliest date such foregone interest may be applied. Propos ed comment 20(d)(2)(iv)- 1 explains that disclosure of foregone intere st would apply only to transactions permitting interest rate carryover. It further explains th at the amount of increase foregone at the initial adjustment is the amount that, subject to rate caps, can be added to future interest rate adjustments to increase, or offset decreases i n, the rate determined according to the index or formula. Consumers had difficulty understanding the co ncept of interest ra te carryover when it was introduced during the third round of testing. This difficulty may have been due to the simultaneous introduction of ot her complex notions, such as interest-only or negativelyamortizing features and the allocatio n of interest, principal, and escrow payments for such loans. In response, the Bureau has simplified the explanation of carryover interest. 91 The Bureau recognizes that the disclosure of rate limits and unapp lied carryover interest provide information that may help consumers better understand their ARMs. However, the Bureau is considering whether the help this in formation would provide ou tweighs its distraction from other more key information. Also, as explained above, consumers had difficulty understanding the concept of carryov er interest and the Bureau is concerned this difficulty might diminish the effectiveness of the proposed § 1026.20(d) disclosures. The Bureau solicits

91 Id. at viii-ix.114 comment on whether to include ra te limits and unapplied carryove r interest in the proposed § 1026.20(d) disclosures. 20(d)(2)(vi) Explanation of How the New Payment is Determined TILA section 128A mandates that the initial interest rate notices incl ude an explanation of how the new interest rate and payment would be determined, including an explanation of how the index was adjusted, such as by the addition of a margin. Proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(vi) would implement this statutory provision by requiring the content discussed below. This proposed disclosure is consistent with the disclosures re quired at the time of application pursuant to current§ 1026.19(b)(2)(iii). It is also consistent with co ntent required under proposed § 1026.20(c) and thus promotes consistency in Regulation Z ARM disclosures. The disclosure required under proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(vi) explains that the new payment is based on (A) the index or formula, (B) any adjustment to the index or formula, such as by addition of the margin, (C) the loan balanc e, (D) the length of the remaining loan term, and, (E) if the new intere st rate or new payment provided is an estimate, a statement that another disclosure containing the actual new interest rate and new payment will be provided to the consumer 2 to 4 months prior to the date the first new payment is due, if the interest rate adjustment causes a corresponding change in payment, pursuant to section 1026.20(c). The proposal would require disclosure of bot h the loan balance and the remaining loan term expected on the date of the interest rate adjustment. The proposed rule also would require disclosure of any change in the term or matu rity of the loan caused by the adjustment. As discussed in proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(iv ) above, the Bureau found that this explanation helped consumers be tter understand how the index or formula and margin determine their new payment and dispelled the notion held by many consumer s in the initial rounds of115 testing that, at each adjustment, the lender subjec tively determined their new interest rate, and thus the new payment. Disclosure of the f our key assumptions upon which the new payment is based provides a succinct overvie w of how the interest rate ad justment works. It also demonstrates that factors othe r than the index can increase consumers’ interest rates and payments. Disclosures of these factors would pr ovide consumers with a snapshot of the current status of their adjustable-rate mortgages and withbasic information to help them make decisions about keeping their current loan or shopping for alte rnatives. If an estimated new interest rate and new payment is used, the statement that the consumer will receive another disclosure with the actual new interest rate and new payment, if the interest rate adjustment results in a corresponding payment change, notifies consumers th at the creditor, assignee, or servicer will inform them of the actual rate a nd payment two to four months in advance of the date their first new payment is due. 20(d)(2)(vii) Interest-Only and Negati ve-Amortization Statement and Payment Proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(vii) would require § 1026.20(d) notices to include a statement regarding the allocat ion of payments to princi pal and interest for inte rest-only or negativelyamortizing loans. If negative amortization occurs as a result of the interest rate adjustment, the proposed rule would require disclosure of the payment necessary to fully amortize such loans at the new interest rate over the remainder of the loan term. As explained in proposed comment 20(d)(2)(vii)-1, for interest-only loans, the statement would inform the consumer that the new payment covers all of the intere st but none of the principal owed and, therefore, will not reduce the loan balance. For negatively-amortizing AR Ms, the statement would inform the consumer that the new payment covers only part of the inte rest and none of the prin cipal, and therefore the unpaid interest will add to the balance or increase the term of the loan.116 Both current § 1026.20(c) and the Board’ s 2009 Closed-End Proposal to revise § 1026.20(c) include, for ARMs that become negatively amortizing as a result of the interest rate adjustment, disclosure of the payment necessary to fully amortize loans at the new interest rate over the remainder of the loan term. However, the Bureau believes there are countervailing considerations regarding whether to include this information in proposed § 1026.20(d). The Bureau recognizes that certain Dodd-Fra nk Act amendments to TILA will restrict origination of non-amortizing a nd negatively-amortizing loans. For example, TILA section 129C and the 2011 ATR Proposal that would im plement that provision, generally require creditors to determine that a consumer can repay a mortgage loan and include a requirement that these determinations assume a fully-amortizi ng loan. Thus, this law and regulation, when finalized, will restrict the origin ation of risky mortgages such as interest-only and negativelyamortizing ARMs. Other Dodd-Frank Act amendments to TILA, such as the periodic statement proposed by § 1026.41, will include information about non-amor tizing and negatively-amortizing loans in each billing cycle, such as an allocation of pa yments. Thus, consumers who currently have interest-only and negatively-amortizing ARMs or may obtain such loans in the future will receive certain information about the interest-onl y or negatively-amortizing features of their loans in another disclosure, alt hough this will not include the pa yment required to fully amortize negatively-amortizing loans. The payment neces sary to fully amortize these loans was not consumer tested but testing of the table show ing the payment allocation of interest-only and negatively-amortizing ARMs indicate d that consumers were confused by this concept. Thus, the Bureau is weighing the value of disclosing specif ic information regarding amortization, such as the payment needed to fully amortize negatively-a mortizing ARMs. In view of these changes to117 the law and the outcome of consumer testing, the Bureau solicits comments on whether to include the payment required to amortize ARMs that became negatively amortiz ing as a result of an interest rate adjustment. 20(d)(2)(viii) List of Alternatives TILA section 128A mandates that the initial interest rate adjustment no tices include a list of alternatives consumers may pursue before adjust ment or reset and descriptions of the actions consumers must take to pursue these alternativ es. These alternatives include refinancing, renegotiation of loan terms, payment forbear ance, and pre-foreclosure sales. Proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(viii) would require disclosure in § 1026.20(d) initia l ARM interest rate notices of the four alternatives set fort h in the statute. The Bureau proposes to use simpler, commonly used terms in the model forms to descri be the alternatives when possible. The proposed model forms present the list as possibilities for consumers seeking alternatives to the upcoming change s to their interest ra te and payment. The proposed forms also explain that most of the alternativ es are subject to approval by the lender. All participants tested in the first and second round of testing were able to identify the list of alternatives. 92 The list of alternatives genera lly and concisely describes the actions consumers must take to pursue these alternatives, such as contacting their lender or another lender. Another action consumers may take to pursue these alternativ es is contacting government organizations. Proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(xi) would require disclosure in the initial ARM interest rate adjustment notice of information on how to c ontact such agencies, including the contact information for the State housing finance authorit y for the State in which the consumer resides and the website and telephone number to acce ss the most current lis t of homeownership

92 Id. at viii.118 counselors or counseling organizations either ma de available by the Bureau or maintained by HUD. The Bureau proposes to require disclosure of this concise list of a lternatives in lieu of a more detailed account of actions consumers may ta ke in order to maximize the effectiveness of the disclosure without weighing it down with information that may not add significant value. 20(d)(ix) Prepayment Penalty Proposed § 1026.20(c)(d)(ix) would require disclosure of the circumstances under which any prepayment penalty may be imposed, such as selling or refinanci ng the principal dwelling, the time period during which such penalty woul d apply, and the maximum dollar amount of the penalty. The proposed rule cross-references the definition of prepayment penalty in subpart E under § 1026.41(d)(7)(iv) in the proposed rule for periodic statements. Interest rate adjustments may cause paymen t shock or require consumers to pay their mortgage at a rate they may no l onger be able to afford, prompti ng them to consider alternatives such as refinancing. In order to fully understa nd the implications of such actions, the Bureau believes that consumers should know whether prepayment penalties may apply. Such information should include the maximum penalty (in dollars) that may apply and the time period during which the penalty may be imposed. The dollar amount of the penalty, as opposed to a percentage, is more meaningful to consumers. The Bureau also proposes disclosure of any prepayment penalty in § 1026.20(c) ARM payment change notices and the periodic stat ements proposed by § 1026.41. Consumer testing of the periodic statement included a scenario in which a prepayment penalty applied. Most participants understood that a prep ayment penalty applied if they paid off the balance of their loan early, but some participants were unclear whether it applied to the sale of the home, refinancing, or other alternativ e actions consumers could pursue in lieu of maintaining their119 adjustable-rate mortgages. 93 For this reason, the Bureau prop oses to clarify the circumstances under which a prepayment penalty would apply. The proposed forms alert consumers that a prepayment penalty may apply if they pay off thei r loan, refinance, or sell their home before the stated date. The Bureau recognizes that Dodd-Frank Act am endments to TILA, such as 129C and the 2011 ATR Proposal proposing to implement that provision, would signifi cantly restrict a lender’s ability to impose prepay ment penalties. Other Dodd-Fr ank amendments to TILA, such as the proposed periodic statement, would pr ovide consumers with information about their prepayment penalty for each billing cycle. Thus, consumers who currently have ARMs with prepayment penalty provisions or may obtain such loans in the future would generally receive information about them at frequentintervals in another disclosure. In view of these changes to the law, the Bureau solicits comments on whethe r to include information regarding prepayment penalties in proposed § 1026.20(d). 20(d)(2)(x) Telephone Numb er of Creditor, Assignee, or Servicer Proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(x) would require disc losure of the telephone number of the creditor, assignee, or servicer for consumers to call if they anticipate having problems paying the new payment. 20(d)(2)(xi) Contact In formation for Government Agencies and Counseling Agencies or Programs TILA section 128A mandates th at the initial intere st rate adjustment notices include the name, mailing and internet address, and telephone number of the State housing finance authority (as defined in § 1301 of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of

93 Id. at vi.120 1989) for the State in which the consumer resides. Proposed § 1026.20(d)(2)(xi) would implement this statutory mandate by requiring in clusion of this information in the § 1026.20(d) initial interest rate ad justment notice. Two other mortgage servicing rulemakings proposed by the Bureau, the periodic statement, see below, and the early in tervention for delinquent borrowers in the 2012 RESPA Servicing Proposal, al so would require contact information for the State housing finance authority. However, those proposals would require the contact information for the State in which the property is located rather than in which the consumer resides, since the scope of those proposed rules is not limited to a consumer’s principal dwelling. This is consistent with the proposed ARM rule since the consumer’s principal dwelling should be located in the State in which the property is located. The Bureau seeks comment on how to address any compliance difficulties posed by this inconsistency. TILA section 128A also mandates that the initial interest rate adjustment notices include the names, mailing and internet addresses, a nd telephone numbers of counseling agencies or programs reasonably available to the consumer th at have been certified or approved and made publicly available by HUD or a State housing finance authority. On July 9, 2012, the Bureau released proposed rules to implement other Dodd-Frank Act requirements expanding protections for “high- cost” mortgage loans under HOEPA, including a requirement that borrowers receive housing counseling (2012 HOEPA Proposal). 94 The 2012 HOEPA proposal also proposed to implement other homeownership -counseling-related requirements that are not amendments to HOEPA, including a proposed amendment to

94 See 2012 HOEPA Proposal, available at http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201207_cfpb_proposed-rule_highcost-mortgage-protections.pdf, at 29-35.121 Regulation X that lenders provi de a list of five homeowners hip counselors or counseling organizations to applicants for a federally related mortgage loan. 95 The Bureau has taken an alternative approach wi th regard to the initial ARM interest rate adjustment notice and proposes to use its exception authority to require creditors, assignees, and servicers simply to provide the website address to access either the Bureau list or the HUD list of homeownership counseling agencies and programs, 96 instead of requiring contact information for a list of specific counseling agen cies or programs. The Bureau believes that this approach appropriately balances consumer and industry interests based on the following considerations: The ARM notice required by proposed § 1026.20( d) has limited space and contains a significant amount of important t echnical information about the c onsumer’s loan. Including too much information could overwhelm consumers and minimize the value of the other information contained in the notice. Also, not all consumers would benefit from the counselor information, although it would provide an important benef it for those consumers who face financial difficulties if their initial interest rate adjustment may cause their mortgage payments to significantly increase. Finall y, importing updated information from the Bureau or HUD website would involve more programming burden than si mply listing one of the agencies’ websites.

95 The list provided by the lender pursuant to the 2012 HOEPA Proposal would include only homeownership counselors or counseling organizations from either the most current list of homeownership counselors or counseling organizations made available by the Bureau for use by lenders, or the most current list maintained by HUD of homeownership counselors or counseling organizations certified by HUD, or otherwise approved by HUD. The 2012 HOEPA Proposal proposed that the list include five homeownership counselors or counseling organizations located in the zip code of the loan app licant’s current address, or, if there ar e not the requisite five counselors or counseling organizations in that zip code, then counselors or organizations within the zip code or zip codes closest to the loan applicant’s current address. To facilitate compliance with the proposed list requirement, the Bureau is expecting to develop a website portal that would allow lender s to type in the loan applicant’s zip code to generate the requisite list, which could then be printed for distribution to the loan applicant. See 2012 HOEPA Proposal at 31-32 (discussing proposed Regulation X § 1024.20(a)). 96 At the time of publishing, the Bureau list was not yet available; the HUD list is available at http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm.122 Providing consumers with the website addre ss for either the Bureau or HUD list of homeownership counseling agenci es and programs would streamlin e the disclosure and present clear and concise information for the consumer to use. However, directing consumers to the actual list would allow them to choose a conveni ently located program or agency and to locate other programs or agencies if t hose contacted initially could not he lp the consumer at that time. The Bureau seeks comment on whether this propos al strikes an appropriate balance, and on the benefits and burdens to both consumers and indus try of requiring that a lis t of several individual housing counselors be included in the initial ARM interest rate adjustment notice. Authority. The Bureau proposes to use its authority under TILA secti ons 105(a) and (f) and DFA section 1405(b) to exempt creditors, as signees, and servicers from the requirement in TILA section 128A to include in the initial ARM interest ra te adjustment notice contact information for specific government-certified counseling agencies or programs reasonably available to the consumer, and its authority und er TILA section 105(a) and DFA section 1405(b) to instead require that the ini tial ARM interest rate adjustment notice contain information that directs consumers to the Bureau list or HUD lis t of homeownership counselors or counseling agencies. For the reasons discussed above, the Bureau believes that the proposed exception and addition is necessary and proper under TILA secti on 105(a) both to effectuate the purposes of TILA -- to promote the informed use of cred it and protect consumers against inaccurate and unfair credit billing practices -- and to facilitate compliance. Moreover, the Bureau believes, in light of the factors in TILA section 105(f), thatdisclosure of the govern ment-certified counseling agencies or programs reasonably available to the consumer specified in TILA section 128A would not provide a meaningful benefit to consum ers. Specifically, the Bureau considers that the exemption is proper i rrespective of the amount of the loan and the status of the borrower123 (including related financial arra ngements, financial sophistica tion, and the importance to the borrower of the loan). The Bureau further notes, in light of TILA sec tion 105(f)(2)(D), that the requirements in § 1026.20(d) woul d only apply to loans secured by the consumer’s principal dwelling. Moreover, in the estimation of the Bu reau, the proposed exemption would simplify the initial ARM adjustment notice and improve the housing counselor information provided to the consumer, thus furthering the consumer protecti on purposes of TILA. In addition, consistent with section 1405(b) of the Dodd- Frank Act, the Bureau believes that the proposed modification of the requirements in TILA section 128A would improve consumer awareness and understanding and is in the interest of consumers a nd in the public interest. 20(d)(3) Format of Initial Ra te Adjustment Disclosures As discussed above, the Bureau proposes to make proposed § 1026.20(d) subject to certain of the general form requirements of § 1026.17(a)(1), including requiring that the disclosure be clear and conspi cuous, in writing, and in a form consumers can keep, and giving creditors, assignees, and servicers the option of providing the disclosures to consumers in electronic form, subject to compliance with consum er consent and other app licable provisions of the E-Sign Act. However, as discussed above, because § 1026.20(d) disclosures are subject to the statutory requirement that th ey must be provided separate and distinct from all other correspondence, the Bureau proposes to ame nd § 1026.17(a) to provide that the general segregation and grouping requirements in that provision would not ap ply to § 1026.20(d). Authority. In addition, as described below, § 1026.20(d)(3) proposes additional form requirements for initial ARM adjustment notices . For the reasons described below, these requirements are authorized under TILA secti on 105(a) and DFA secti ons 1032(a) and 1405(b). As discussed in the section-by-section anal ysis for each of the proposed sections of124 § 1026.20(d)(3), the Bureau believes, consistent with TILA section 105(a), that the proposed formatting requirements are necessary and proper to effectuate the purposes of TILA to assure a meaningful disclosure of credit terms, to avoid the uninformed use of credit, and to protect consumers against inaccurate and unfair credit bi lling practices. Further the Bureau believes, consistent with DFA section 1032(a), that the pr oposed formatting requirements ensure that the features of the ARM loans covered by pr oposed § 1026.20(d) are fully, accurately, and effectively disclosed to consumers in a manne r that permits them to understand the costs, benefits, and risks associated with such loans, in light of their indi vidual facts and circumstances. Moreover, consistent with DFA section 1405(b), the Bureau belie ves that modification of the provision in TILA section 128A to require the proposed format discussed below would improve consumer awareness and understanding of reside ntial mortgage loans transactions involving ARMs, and is thus in the interest of consumers and in th e public interest. 20(d)(3)(i) All Disclosures in Tabular Form, Except the Date Proposed § 1026.20(d)(3)(i) would require that, except for the date of the notice, the initial ARM adjustment disclosure s be provided in the form of a table and in the same order as, and with headings and format substantially sim ilar to, Forms H-4(D)(3) and (4) in Appendix H to subpart C for initial inte rest rate adjustments. The proposed ARM adjustment notice cont ains complex concepts challenging for consumers to understand. For example, consumer te sting revealed that part icipants generally had difficulty understanding th e relationship among index, ma rgin, and interest rate. 97 They also had difficulty with the concepts of amor tization and interest rate carryover. 98 As a starting point, the

97 Macro Report, supra note 38, at viii. 98 Id. at viii-ix.125 Bureau looked at the model forms developed by the Board for its 2009 Closed-End Proposal to amend § 1026.20(c). The Bureau then c onducted its own consumer testing. The Bureau’s testing showed that consumer s can more readily understand these concepts when the information is presented to them in a simple manner and in the groupings contained in the model forms. The Bureau also observed that consumers more readily understood the concepts when they were presented in a logical order, with one concept presented as a foundation to understanding other concepts. For example, the form begins by informing consumers of the purpose of the form: that their interest rate is going to adjust, when it will adjust, and that the adjustment may change their mortgage payment. This introduction is immediately followed by a table visually showing the consumers’ current an d estimated new interest rates. In another example, the proposed notice informs consumers about their index rate and margin before explaining how the new payment is calculated ba sed on those factors as well as other factors such as the loan balance a nd remaining loan term. Based on consumer testing, the Bureau believes that consumer understanding is enhanced by presenting the information in a simple manner, grouped together by concep t, and in a specific order that allows consumers the opportunity to bu ild upon knowledge gained. For these reasons, the Bureau proposes that creditor s, assignees, or servicers disclo se the information required by proposed § 1026.20(d) with headings , content, and format substa ntially similar to Forms H4(D)(3) and (4) in Appendix H to this part. Over the course of consumer testing, pa rticipant comprehension improved with each successive iteration of the model form. As a result, the Bureau believes that displaying the information in tabular form focuses consumer attention and lends to greater understanding. Similarly, the Bureau found that th e particular content and order of the information, as well as126 the specific headings and format used, presente d the information in a way that consumers both could understand and from which they could benefit. 20(d)(3)(ii) Format of Date of Disclosure Proposed § 1026.20(d)(3)(ii) would re quire that the date of the disclosure appear outside of and above the table required by proposed § 1026.20( d)(3)(i). As discussed above with respect to paragraph 20(d)(2)(i), the date would be segreg ated since it is not information specific to the consumer’s adjustable-rate mortgage. 20(d)(3)(iii) Format of Interest Rate and Payment Table Proposed § 1026.20(d)(3)(iii) would require tabula r format for initial ARM interest rate adjustment notices for interest rates, payments, and the allocation of paym ents for loans that are interest-only or are negatively amortizing. This table would be located w ithin the table proposed by § 1026.20(d)(3)(i). This table is substantially similar to the one tested by the Board for its 2009 Closed-End Proposal to revi se § 1026.20(c). The proposal w ould require the table to follow the same order as, and have headings and format substantially similar to, Forms H4(D)(3) and (4) in Appendix H of subpart C. Disclosing the current interest rate and payment in the same table allows consumers to readily compare them with the estimated or actua l adjusted rate and new payment. Consumer testing revealed that nearly all participants were readily able to identify and understood the table and its contents. 99 The estimated or actual new interest rate and payment and date the first new payment is due is key information the consumer must know in order to commence payment at the new rate. For these reasons, the Bureau proposes locating this information prominently in the disclosure.

99 Id. at vii.127 Section 1026.36 Prohibited Acts or Practices in Connection with Credit Secured by a Dwelling 36(c) Servicing Practices Existing § 1026.36(c) provides requirements for servicers in connection with a consumer credit transaction secured by a consumer’s princi pal dwelling. Essentiall y, such servicers must promptly credit payments, must not “pyramid” late fees, and must provide payoff statements at the consumer’s request. The Dodd-Frank Act esse ntially codifies the § 1026.36(c) provisions on prompt crediting and payoff statements with minor changes, as discussed below. The Bureau is amending Regulation Z both to implement the new statutory requirements, and to address the related issue of the handling of partial paymen ts. Currently, Regulation Z addresses prompt crediting in § 1026.36(c)(1)(i). The Bureau is proposing limiting the scope of existing § 1026.36(c)(1)(i) to full contract ual payments, and addressing partial payments (anything less than a full contractual payment) in proposed § 1026.36(c)(1)(ii), as di scussed below. The Bureau proposes to retain the substantive requi rements on non-conforming payments currently in § 1026.36(c)(2), but to move them to paragraph (c)(1)(iii). Likewise, the Bureau does not propose to change the Regulation Z provision addressing “pyramiding” of late fees currently in § 1026.36(c)(1)(ii), but only to move the provision to new paragraph (c)(3). Finally, the Bureau is proposing four substantive changes to the prov isions on payoff statements, currently located in § 1026.36(c)(1)(iii), as well as to move these prov isions to proposed paragraph 36(c)(3). The Bureau believes these changes to Regula tion Z are best implemented by restructuring paragraph (c) and simplifying some of the language. This restructuring generally is not intended to make any substantive changes. All substan tive changes to the paragraph (c) are discussed below. 36(c)(1)(i) Full Contractual Payments128 DFA section 1464(a) established TILA sec tion 129F, which codifies existing Regulation Z § 1026.36(c)(1)(i) with regard to prompt crediti ng of mortgage loan payments. The statute and the existing regulation both provide generally that “no servicer shall fail to credit a payment to the consumer’s loan account as of the date of r eceipt, except when a delay in crediting does not result in any charge to the consumer or in th e reporting of negative information to a consumer reporting agency.” Proposed new paragraph (c)(1)(i ) generally restates existing (c)(1)(i) with the only change that the existing regu lation applies to all payments, while proposed (c)(1)(i) would be limited to full contractual payments. The Bureau is proposing to establish new § 1026.36(c)(1)(ii) to clarify serv icers’ obligations when they receive a partial payment (anything less than a full contractual payment), as discussed below. As discussed above, proposed § 1026.36(c)(i) generally tracks the Dodd-Frank Act and current regulation, but changes the reference to “a payment” to “a full contractual payment” and makes minor modifications to refl ect the proposed restructuring of the regulation. The proposed regulation text provides that a fu ll contractual payment covers prin cipal, interest, and escrow (if applicable), but not late fees. The Bureau engaged in outreach and found that many servicers already apply payments that cover principal, interest, and escrow (i f applicable) without deducting late fees. This ensures that consumers get the full benefit of having made a payment. The Bureau seeks comment as to whether late fees should also be included in the definition of a full contractual payment. 36(c)(1)(ii) Partial Payments Current Regulation Z does not define what c onstitutes a “payment” for purposes of the crediting requirement, but leaves that question to be determin ed by the contractual documents and other applicable law. Specifically, current comment 36(c)(1)(i)-2 refers to “the legal129 obligation between the consumer and the creditor” as determined by “applicable state or other law” to determine whether a partial paymen t is a “payment” under the payment crediting provisions. Outreach to consumer and industry st akeholders revealed that partial payments are currently handled in a variety of ways. Some lenders do not accept partial payments, some lenders apply partial payments, and some lende rs send partial payments to a suspense or unapplied funds account. Currently there is no Fede ral regulation that gove rns such accounts. The Bureau is proposing to address pa rtial payments in new § 1026.36(c)(1)(ii). Proposed § 1026.36(c)(1)(ii) provid es specific rules regardi ng the handling of partial payments and suspense accounts. New paragraph (c)(1)(ii) would require, consistent with the proposed periodic statement requirements in § 1026.41 di scussed below, that if a servicer holds a partial payment, meaning any payment less than a full contractual payment, in a suspense or unapplied funds account, the servicer must disclo se on the periodic statement the amount of funds held in such account. The servicer must al so disclose when such funds will be applied to the outstanding payments due on the account. Th is proposed requirement is authorized under TILA section 129(f), which requir es creditors, assignees, and se rvicers to send statements for each billing cycle including “[s]uch other info rmation as the Bureau may prescribe in regulations.” Additionally, proposed § 1026.36(c)(1 )(ii) provides that if a servicer holds a partial payment in a suspense or unapplied funds account, once there are sufficient funds in the account to cover a full contractual payment, the servicer must apply those funds to the oldest outstanding payment due. The proposed requirement that the funds be applied to the oldest outstanding payment would advance the date of delinquency by one billing cycle, and thus benefit the consumer. For example, suppose a previously current consumer must make a $1,000 monthly130 payment, and the consumer paid $500 on January 1 st and $500 on February 1 st . When the second $500 payment is made, a full contractual paymen t of $1,000 (assuming late fees are not included in the definition of full contractual payment) is in the suspense account a nd must be applied to the January payment. Thus, this consumer w ould only be one month delinquent at the end of February. The Bureau interprets the language in TILA section 129F(a), that servicers must “credit” payments as of the date of receipt, except when a delay in crediting does not result in “any charge” to the consumer to authorize the pro posed requirement that partial payments held in suspense accounts be credited to the oldest ou tstanding payment when a full contractual payment accumulates. Crediting the funds to a payment that was not the most delinquent would result in a charge to the consumer by extending the duration of the delinquency. To the extent not required under TILA section 129F(a), the Bu reau believes this proposed re quirement regarding crediting of funds is authorized under TI LA section 105(a). As explaine d above, the Bureau believes the requirement is necessary and proper to effectua te the purpose of TILA to protect consumers against inaccurate and unfair cr edit billing practices by ensuring th at funds held in a suspense account are promptly applied to the oldest outstanding payment when sufficient funds accumulate in such an account to cover a full contractual payment. Proposed comment 36(c)(1)(ii)-1 describes the servicer’s options upon receipt of a partial payment, including: crediting th e payment on receipt, returning the paymen t, or holding the payment in a suspense or unapplied funds account. The proposed regulation would leave servicers significant flexibility in the handling of partial payments in accordance with contractual terms and other applicable law, for instance by rejecting the payment, crediting it immediately, or holding it in a suspense account. However, the proposed rule would also ensure greater cons istency in the handling of suspense accounts by131 requiring, consistent with proposed § 1026.41, that se rvicers disclose on th e periodic statement that the funds are being held in such accounts and, once sufficien t funds accumulate to cover a full contractual payment, that the servicer a pply the funds to the oldest outstanding payment owed by the consumer. If sufficient funds accumu late to cover more than one full contractual payment, these funds would be applied to the ne xt oldest outstanding payment. Partial payment amounts would be treated as described above. The Bureau believes this proposed approach would clarify servicer s’ obligations in processing both full contractual payment and partial payments, as well as ensure all payments are properly applied. The proposed disclosures would help consumers understand that their payments are being held in a suspense account ra ther than having been applied, and when those partial payments would be applied. Additionall y, requiring application to the oldest outstanding payment when a full payment accumulates will provide protection to consumers, as well as reduce the outstanding principal bala nce on certain consumer loans. Finally, the Bureau seeks comment on if th is approach is the proper way to address suspense accounts, and specifically, whether th ere should be time requirements on returning partial payments. If a servicer chooses not to accept a partial payment, must that payment be returned within a specific amount of time, and if so, how long should that time be? Additionally, the SBREFA Panel recommended the Bureau consider if additional flexibility can be provided in the proposed rule for small servicers, to the exte nt their current practices differ from the proposal and provide appropriate consumer protections. 100 The Bureau seeks comment on whether the proposed rule differs from existing small servicer practices, and if so, how additional flexibility can be provided while still providi ng appropriate consumer protection.

100 SBREFA Final Report, supra note 22, at 32.132 36(c)(1)(iii) Non-conforming payments TILA section 129F(b) further provides that “[i]f a servicer specifies in writing requirements for the consumer to follow in making payments, but accepts a payment that does not conform to the requirements, th e servicer shall credit the paymen t as of 5 days after receipt.” This provision codifies the treatment of non-c onforming payments in current § 1026.36(c)(2). The Bureau is not making any substantive changes to this provision, as the current rule is clear and provides protection for consumers, but the Bur eau proposes to redesignate the section as new § 1026.36(c)(1)(iii). The Bureau notes that payments held in a suspense or unapplied funds account, as addressed in proposed § 1026.36(c)(1)(i i) discussed above, would not be considered to have been “accepted” by the servicer. Thus, under the Bure au’s proposal, partial payments retained in suspense or unapplied funds accounts are treated as payments that have not been accepted subject to § 1026.36(c)(1)(ii), as opposed to non-c onforming payments that have been accepted subject to proposed § 1026.36(c)(1)(iii), which must be credited within five days of receipt. 36(c)(2) Prohibition on Py ramiding of Late Fees The Bureau is not proposing any substantive changes to existing 36(c) (1)(ii), prohibiting the pyramiding of late fees. However the Bure au proposes redesignating this as new paragraph 36(c)(2). 36(c)(3) Payoff Statements DFA section 1464(b) established TILA secti on 129G, which requires th at a creditor or servicer send an accurate payoff balance amount to the consumer within a reasonable time, but in no case more than seven business days, after the receipt of a written re quest for such balance from or on behalf of the consumer. Th is provision generally codifies existing133 § 1026.36(c)(1)(iii) of Regulation Z regarding pr ovision of payoff statements with four substantive changes. First, while existing Regulation Z onl y applied the requirements to servicers, the statute applies the requirements to both servicers and credito rs. Second, the statute applies the prompt response requirement to “home loans,” rather than consumer credit transactions secured by the consumer’s princi pal dwelling. Third, th e statute limits the reasonable time for responding to not more than seven business days; by contrast, existing comment 36(c)(1)(iii)-1 generally creates a five business day safe harbor for responding, but notes that it might be reasonabl e to take longer to respond in ce rtain circumstances. Fourth, the statute requires a prompt response only to writte n requests for payoff amounts, while the existing regulation requires a prompt res ponse to all such requests. Due to the reorganization of paragraph (c), the proposed provisions on payoff statements will be located in paragraph (c)(3). Covered persons. Existing § 1026.36(c)(1)(iii) applies to servicers. TILA section 129G, as established by DFA section 1464(b), applies th e payoff statement requirement to creditors and servicers. For the reasons discussed in the s ection-by-section analysis of § 1026.20(d) above, the Bureau interprets this to mean the payoff stat ement provision applies to creditors, assignees, and servicers as applicable. Propos ed comment 36(c)(3)-1 clarifies that a creditor who no longer owns the mortgage loan or the mortgage servic ing rights is not “appli cable” and therefore not subject to the payoff statement requirements. The Bureau notes that the other subparts of paragraph (c) continue to be limited to servicers. Scope. Existing § 1026.36(c)(1)( iii) is limited to consumer credit transactions secured by principal dwellings. The Bureau is proposing to e xpand the scope of the provision to consumer credit transactions secured by all dwellings. TILA section 129G, as established by DFA section 1464(b), applies the payoff statement requirement to “home loans,” a term not used elsewhere in134 TILA. The Bureau interprets this term to e xpand the scope of the requirement from consumer credit transaction secured by principal dwellings to consumer credit transactions secured by any dwelling. Thus, the proposed regul ation applies to consumer credit transactions (both open- and closed-end), secured by a dwelling, not just a principal dwelling. Th e Bureau notes that the other subparts of paragraph (c) continue to be limited to consumer cr edit transactions secured by a consumer’s principal dwelling. Seven business days. Existing § 1026.36(c)(1 )(iii) requires the payoff statement to be sent within a reasonable amount of time, and comment 36(c)(1)(iii) -1 clarifies that a reasonable time is “within 5 business days under most circ umstances.” New TILA section 129G provides that a reasonable time may not be more than seve n business days after the receipt of the request. Proposed § 1026.36(c)(3) reflects this change. B ecause of this change, the Bureau proposes removing existing comment 36(c)(1)(iii)-1. Written requests. Existing § 1026.36(c)(1)(iii) requires the payoff statement to be sent after a request is received from the consumer. New TILA section 129G limits the requirement to provide a prompt response to “written request s” for payoff statements. Thus proposed new paragraph (c)(3) would require payoff statements to be provided after receipt of a written request. Related comment (c)(3)-3 (renumbered from (c)(1)(iii)-3)), which provides examples of reasonable requirements the servicer may establish for payoff requests, is also updated to reflect this change. The SBREFA Panel recommended the Bureau consider if additional flexibility can be provided in the proposed rule for small servicers, to the extend their curr ent practices differ from the proposal and provide appropr iate consumer protections. 101 The Bureau seeks comment on

101 Id.135 whether the proposed rule differs from existing sm all servicer practices, a nd if so, how additional flexibility can be provided while still pr oviding appropriate co nsumer protection. Section 1026.41 Periodic Statements for Residential Mortgage Loans Proposed § 1026.41 would establis h the periodic statement requirement for residential mortgage loans. This section implements TI LA section 128(f) as established by DFA section 1420. The statute requires the peri odic statement to disclose se ven items of information (the amount of the principal obligation, current interest rate and reset date if applicable, information on prepayment penalties and late fees, cont act information for the servicer, and housing counselor information), as well as such other information as the Bureau may prescribe in regulations. 102 The Bureau believes the periodic statem ent would provide the greatest value to consumers by also providing information rega rding upcoming payment obligations and the application of past payments; a list of recent transaction activity; additional account information; and delinquency information. Thus, the Bureau proposes pursuant to TI LA section 129(f)(1)(H) that each periodic statement also include this additional information. TILA section 128(f) applies the requirement to provide a periodic statement to creditors, assignees, and servicers of resi dential mortgage loans. To increase readab ility, proposed § 1026.41 uses the term “servicer” to describe th e entities covered by the proposed requirement, and defines servicer to mean creditors, assignees, or servicers for the purposes of § 1026.41. This terminology is also used in the section-by-section an alysis for proposed § 1026.41. The statute applies the periodic statement to “the cr editor, assignee, or serv icer.” Comment 41(a)-3 clarifies that only one periodic st atement must be sent to the c onsumer each billing cycle, while the creditor, assignee and servicer are subject to the periodic statement requirement, they may

102 TILA section 129(f)(1).136 decide among themselves who will sent the statemen t. Comment 41(a)-4 clarifies that a creditor who no longer owns the mortgage loan or the mo rtgage servicing rights is not “applicable” and therefore not subject to the requirements. The Bureau interpretation of the statute would not apply the on-going periodic statement requirements to an entity that originated the loan, but has sold both the loan and the servicing rights a nd no longer has any connection to the loan. As proposed, the periodic statement carefully balances the need to provide consumers with sufficient information against the risk of overwhelming consumers with too much information. The proposed requirements are de signed to make the statement easy to read, whether provided in a paper form or electroni cally. The Bureau believes that imposing a requirement that information be grouped would pr esent the information in a logical format, while allowing servicers flexibility in customizing th e statement. Thus, the proposed regulations discussed below would require the fo llowing groupings of information:

 The Amount Due: The most prominent disclosure on the statement would be the amount due. The due date of the payment due and information on the late fee is also included in this grouping.

 Explanation of Amount Due: This grouping would include a breakdown of the amount due, showing allocation to principa l, interest, and escrow. This grouping would also provide the total sum of any f ees or charges imposed, and any amount of past due payment.

 Past Payment Breakdown: This grouping would incl ude a breakdown of how previous payments were applied.137  Transaction Activity: This grouping would be a list of any activity that credits or debits the outstanding account balance, for example, charges imposed or payments received. The periodic statement would also include the following information:

 Certain messages as required at certain time s (for example, information on funds held in a suspense or unapplied funds account).

 Contact information for the servicer.

 Account information as required by the stat ute, including the amount of the principal obligation, current interest ra te, and when it might change (if applicable), information on prepayment penalties (if applicable) a nd late fees, contact information for the servicer, and housing counselor information.

 Finally, additional delinquency information would be required when a consumer is more than 45 days delinquent on his or her loan. Each of these disclosures is discussed below. Additionally, the proposed regulation sets forth requirements regarding the timing and form of the periodic statement and establishes exemptions to the requirement to provide a periodic

statement. 41(a) In general Proposed § 1026.41(a) states the general require ment that, for a closed-end consumer credit transaction secured by a dw elling, a creditor, assignee, or servicer must transmit to the consumer for each billing cycle a periodic st atement meeting the timing, form, and content requirements of § 1026.41, unless an exemption applies. As discussed below, the proposed138 requirements and exemptions are authorized under TILA sections 128(f), and 105(a) and (f), and DFA sections 1032(a) and 1405(b). As discussed above, the period ic statement is intended to serve a variety of purposes, including informing consumers of their paymen t obligations, providing information about the mortgage loan, creating a record of transactions that incr ease or decrease the outstanding balance, providing the information needed to identify and assert errors, and providing information when borrowers are delinquent. To m eet these goals, paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) respectively, propose the requirements for the timi ng, form, content, and layout of the periodic statement. Paragraph (e) proposes exempti ons from the proposed periodic statement requirement. Entities covered. TILA section 128(f) imposes the periodic statement requirement on creditors, assignees, and servicers. Proposed § 1026.41(a) would implement this provision by specifying that the duty to transmit periodic stat ements applies to the servicer, defined to mean creditor, assignee, or servicer. The consumer is only required to receive one periodic statement each billing cycle, but creditors, assignees, and se rvicers would all be responsible for ensuring that the consumer receives a periodic stat ement that meets the requirements of § 1026.41. Scope. Under TILA section 128(f), the period ic statement requirement applies to residential mortgage loans. The term “residential mortgage loan” is generally defined in TILA section 103(cc)(5) to mean any consumer credit tr ansaction that is secured by a mortgage, deed of trust, or other equivalent consensual securi ty interest on a dwelling or on residential real property that includes a dwelli ng, other than a consumer cred it transaction under an open-end credit plan. Consistent with this definition, proposed paragra ph (a) would apply the periodic139 statement requirement to “any closed-end consum er credit transaction secured by a dwelling.” This language implements the substantive scope of the statute; no substantiv e change is intended. Transmit to the consumer. Proposed § 1026.41(a) would require the servicer to transmit the periodic statement to the consumer. The term “t ransmit” is used in the statute. Use of this term would indicate that the servic er must do more than simply make the statement available; the statement would be required to be sent to the consumer. Paper statements mailed to the consumer would meet this requirement. As discussed below with respect to proposed § 1026.41(c), if the servicer is usi ng an electronic method of dist ribution, a servicer may send the consumer an email indicating that the statement is available, rather than attaching the statement itself, to account for information security concerns. Proposed comment 41(a)-1 clar ifies that joint obligors n eed not receive separate statements; a single statement addressed to both of them would satisfy the periodic statement requirement. Billing cycles. Proposed § 1026.41(a) would require a pe riodic statement to be sent each “billing cycle.” The billing cycle corresponds to the frequency of payments, as established by the legal obligation of the consumer as determ ined by the mortgage note and any subsequent modifications to that obligation. Thus, if a loan requires the consumer to make monthly payments, that consumer will have a monthly bi lling cycle. Likewise, if a consumer makes quarterly payments, that consumer will have a quarterly billing cycle. Based on industry outreach, the Bureau has l earned of other altern atives to monthly billing cycles. Some loans may be timed to accommodate consumers employed in seasonal industries (for example, a loan may have 10 paymen ts over the course of a year). For such loans the billing cycle may not align with the cal endar months. Another non-monthly payment140 arrangement may occur when payments are made every other week, or ot her similar less-thenmonthly periods. For example, servicers a nd consumers may arrange a bi-weekly payment program to align mortgage payments with the co nsumer’s paychecks. Such billing cycles may be arrangements with the servicer that do not modify the legal ob ligation of the consumer. In such cases, a periodic statement may, but is not required to, reflect this modified payment cycle. The Bureau realizes that a requirement to provide statements every other week may be costly for servicers and unhelpful to consumers. In addition, such a short cycle may cause problems with information on the statement being out dated. Thus, paragraph (a) allows that if a loan has a billing cycle shorter th an a period of 31 days (for example, a bi-weekly billing cycle), a periodic statement covering an entire month may be used. Related proposed comment 41(a)–2 clarifies how such a single statement would a ggregate information from multiple billing cycles. Authority. Proposed paragraph (a) implements new TILA section 128(f)(1) requiring that a creditor, assignee, or servicer , with respect to any closed-end consumer credit transaction secured by a dwelling must transmit a periodic st atement to the consumer. In addition, the Bureau proposes in paragraph (a ) to use its authority under TILA section 105(a) and (f) and DFA section 1405(b) to exempt creditors, assignees , and servicers of resident ial mortgage loans from the requirement in TILA secti on 128(f)(1)(G) to transmit periodic statement each billing cycle when the billing cycle is less than a month, a nd to instead permit servicers to provide an aggregated periodic statement covering an enti re month. For the reas ons discussed above, the Bureau believes that the proposed exception is necessary and proper unde r TILA section 105(a) both to effectuate the purposes of TILA -- to pr omote the informed use of credit and protect consumers against inaccurate and unfair credit billi ng practices -- and to facilitate compliance. Moreover, the Bureau believes, in light of the factors in TILA secti on 105(f), that sending141 periodic statements more than once a month would not provide a meaningful benefit to consumers. Specifically, the Bureau considers th at the exemption is proper irrespective of the amount of the loan, the status of the borrower (i ncluding related financial arrangements, financial sophistication, and the importance to the borrower of the loan), or whether the loan is secured by the principal residence of the consumer. Further, in the estimation of the Bureau, consistent with DFA section 1405(b), the proposed exemption will prevent the consumer confusion that might result from receiving multiple periodic statements in close sequence, thus furthering the consumer protection purposes of the statute. Paragraph (b) interprets the statutory requirement that a periodic statement must be provided for each billing cycle by requiring the period ic statement be delivered or placed in the mail within a reasonably prompt time after the cl ose of the grace period of the previous billing cycle. Paragraph (c) invokes authorit y under TILA sections 105(a), 122, and 128(f)(2) to require that the disclosures must be made clearly and conspicuously in writing, or electronically if the consumer agrees, and in a form the consumer may k eep. The Bureau also interprets the statute to mandate certain of these form requirements. As discussed in more detail below, the Bur eau generally proposes to impose the periodic statement requirement pursuant to its authority under TILA sections 128(f) and 105(a), and DFA sections 1032(a) and 1405(b). 41(b) Timing of the Periodic Statement Proposed § 1026.41(b) provides that the periodic statement must be sent within a reasonably prompt time after the close of the gr ace period of the previous billing cycle.142 Proposed comment 41(b)-1 provides that four da ys after the close of any grace period would be considered reasonably prompt. For the first payment on the mortgage loan, proposed paragraph (b) would require that the first periodic statement be sent no later than 10 days before this first payment is due. This adjustment is necessary because there is no previ ous billing cycle from which to time the sending of the first statement. The periodic statement serves the dual purposes of givi ng an accounting of payments received since the pervious pe riodic statement, and reminding the consumer about the upcoming payment. To achieve these dual purposes, the pe riodic statement must arrive after the last payment was received and before the next paym ent is due, which can be a relatively narrow window. If a payment is due on th e first of the month, grace periods may give the consumer as late as the 15 th of the month to make that payment. T hus, if a statement is sent before the 15 th of the month, that statement may not reflect the consum er’s most recent payment, or any late charge imposed due to a late payment. However, if a st atement is sent at the close of the month, that statement may not arrive before the next paymen t is due on the first day of the next month. Allowing a few days for processing and mailing of statements creates a tight timeframe. The Bureau seeks comment on whether the proposed regulation appropriate ly addresses this timeframe. Additionally, the Bur eau seeks comment on whether it is operationally difficult to have the first statement delivered or placed in the mail 10 days before the first payment is due. The Bureau interprets the requirement in TILA section 128(f) that pe riodic statements be sent for “each billing cycle” to authorize th e timing requirements proposed in § 1026.41(b). In addition, the proposed timing requirements are aut horized under TILA se ction 105(a), and DFA sections 1032(a) and 1405(b). For the reasons no ted above, the Bureau believes, consistent with143 TILA section 105(a), that the proposed requirement s are necessary and proper to effectuate the purposes of TILA to assure a meaningful disc losure of credit term s and protect consumers against inaccurate and unfair credit billing pr actices by assuring that consumers receive the periodic statement at a time that is useful to them. In additi on, consistent with DFA section 1032(a), the Bureau believes that the proposed timing requirements he lp ensure that the features of consumers’ residential mortgage loans, bot h initially and over the term of the loan, are effectively disclosed to consumers in a manne r that permits them to understand the costs, benefits, and risks associated w ith the loan. Moreover, consiste nt with DFA section 1405(b), the Bureau believes that the proposed timing requi rements would improve consumer awareness and understanding of their residential mortgage loans by assuring that consumers receive the periodic statements at a meaningful time, after their last payment is made and before their next payment is due, and that proposed requirements are t hus in the interest of consumers. 41(c) Form of the Periodic Statement Proposed § 1026.41(c) provides th at the periodic statement disclosures required by section § 1026.41 must be made clearly and cons picuously in writing, or electronically, if the consumer agrees, and in a form the consumer ma y keep. TILA section 128(f)(1) specifies that periodic statements must be “conspicuous and prominent,” and TILA section 128(f)(2) requires the Bureau to develop and prescribe a standard form to be transmitted in writing or electronically. The Bureau proposes to implem ent these provisions, in part through the form requirements set forth in proposed § 1026.41(c) a nd the related forms provided in Appendix H28. In addition, the proposed form requirement s are authorized under TILA section 122, which requires the disclosures under TI LA be clear and conspicuous, TILA section 105(a) and DFA sections 1032(a) and 1405(b). As discussed belo w, the Bureau believes, consistent with TILA144 section 105(a), that the proposed form requirement s are necessary and proper to effectuate the purposes of TILA to assure a meaningful disclo sure of credit terms a nd protect the consumer against inaccurate and unfair credit billing practi ces by assuring that the pe riodic statement sent to consumers is in a form that they can unders tand. In addition, consistent with DFA section 1032(a), the Bureau believes that the proposed form requirements help ensure that the features of consumers’ residential mortgage loans, both in itially and over the term of the loan, are effectively disclosed to consumers in a manne r that permits them to understand the costs, benefits, and risks associated w ith the loan. Moreover, consiste nt with DFA section 1405(b), the Bureau believes that the proposed form requi rements would improve consumer awareness and understanding of their resi dential mortgage loans by assuring th at the periodic statements sent to consumers are in a useable form that is easy to understand and that the form requirements are thus in the interest of consumers and the public interest. Clear and conspicuous. TILA section 122 requires that disclosures under TILA be clear and conspicuous. Existing § 1026.31(b) generally im plements this requirement with respect to disclosures required by subpart E, where ne w § 1026.41 will be locate d. Section 1026.31(b) applies only to creditors , however. Thus, to make this re quirement applicable to servicers (defined to include creditors and assignees), prop osed paragraph 41(c) woul d require, consistent with TILA section 122 and existing § 1026.31(b), that the periodic statement be clear and conspicuous. Proposed comment 41( c)-1 clarifies the clear and conspicuous standard, stating that it generally requires that disclosures be in a reasonably understandab le form, and explains that other information may be included on the st atement, so long as that other information does not overwhelm or obscure the required disclosures. Thus, information that is traditionally found on their periodic statements, but not proposed as required by th is regulation, such as the145 servicer’s logo, information on payment methods, or additional information on escrow accounts, may continue to be included on periodic statements. Additional information. Proposed comment 41(c)-2 states that nothing in this subpart prohibits a servicer from including additional information or combining disclosures required by other laws with the disclosu res required by § 1026.41, unless such prohibition is expressly set forth in § 1026.41 or the applicab le law. For example, the grouping requirements discussed below may not be overridden by additional information in the statement. Based on industry outreach, the Bureau unders tands that some institutions provide a combined statement for mortgage loans and other financial products. For example if a consumer has both a checking account and a mortgage witha credit union, the co nsumer may receive a single combined statement. The Bureau s eeks comment on how servicers would actually combine statements. In particular, the Bureau notes that difficulties may arise when different disclosures have different timing requirements, and when multiple disclosures have requirements that information be presented on the first page of the statement. For example, if both mortgage loan disclosures and credit card disclosures are re quired to be on the first page of a statement, how would these statements be combined? Electronic distribution. TILA section 128(f)(2) provides that periodic statements “may be transmitted in writing or electronically.” Consistent with this provision, proposed § 1026.41(c) would allow statements to be provided electronically, if the consumer agrees. As discussed above, the requirement to transmit a pe riodic statement to the consumer may be met by sending the consumer an e-mail notification that th e statement is available, rather than e-mailing the statement itself in light of information securi ty concerns. This paragraph would require only affirmative consent by the consumer to rece ive statements, not compliance with E-Sign146 verification procedures. The Bur eau does not believe E-Sign consen t is required by the statute. E-Sign is designed to provide an electronic alte rnative to required writings. The statute, however, requires only periodic “statements” as opposed to “writings” to be transmitted to consumers. Additionally, the st atute contemplates electronic statements, as TILA section 129(f)(2) provides that the Bureau shall prescribe a standard form, taking into account that the statements required may be transmitted in writin g or electronically. T hus, the Bureau believes that Congress did not intend to require E-Sign verification procedures. The Bureau seeks comment as to whether additional requirements should be placed on when a consumer consents to receiving electronic statements. For exam ple, must consent be obtained or confirmed electronically in a manner that demonstrates that the consumer is able to access information electronically? The Bureau also seeks comm ent on whether consumers who already receive electronic statements should be deemed as having c onsented to receive statements electronically. Additionally, the Bureau seeks comment on whet her consumers who have auto-debit set up to deduct payments from their bank account should be deemed as having consented to receive statements electronically. Retainability. Proposed § 1026.41(c) would require the di sclosure be provided in a form the consumer may keep. Paper statements sent by mail or provided in pe rson, would satisfy this requirement. If electronic statements are used, th ey must be in a form which the consumer can print or download. Sample forms. Proposed § 1026.41(c) also states that sample forms are provided in Appendix H-28, and that appropriate use of thes e forms will be deemed to comply with the section. The sample forms were developed throu gh consumer testing as discussed in part III.B above, and are intended to give guidance regarding compliance with proposed § 1026.41.147 However, they are not required forms, and any arrangements of the information that meet the requirements of proposed § 1026.41 would be consid ered in compliance with the section. The sample forms also contain additional informati on (for example, a tear-off coupon on the bottom) that is not required to be on th e form, but is included to give context to the sample. These proposed regulations and sample forms were craf ted to give servicers flexibility in designing their periodic statements. The Bureau proposes these sample forms pursuant to its authority, inter alia, under TILA section 128(f)(2). 41(d) Content and Layout of the Periodic Statement Proposed § 1026.41(d) contains cont ent and layout requirements that implement, in part, TILA section 128(f), and is additionally authoriz ed under TILA section 105(a) and DFA sections 1302(a) and 1405(b). The content required by paragra ph (d) is authorized under TILA section 128(f)(1). Such content is authorized as follows:

 Statutorily-required content : TILA sections 128(f)(1)(a ) through (g) requires the inclusion of certain items of information in the periodic statement. The proposed regulation generally implement these provisi ons by requiring the c ontent set forth in § 1026.41(d)(1)(ii), (6) and (7), and the desc ription of late fees in § 1026.41(d)(4).

 Additional content : TILA section 128(f)(1)(H) re quires inclusion in periodic statements of such other information as th e Bureau may prescribe by regulation. The remainder of the content of the periodic statement is proposed under this authority. The grouping and other form requirements of the layout in paragraph (d) implement, in part, the requirement under TILA se ction 128(f)(1) that the content of the periodic statement be presented in a conspicuous and prominent ma nner, and under TILA section 128(f)(2) for the148 Bureau to develop and prescribe a standard form for the periodic statement disclosure. In addition, as discussed above with respect to the form requirements under § 1026.41(c) and for the reasons explained below, the proposed grouping and form requirements under § 1026.41(d) are authorized under TILA section 105(a) and DFA sections 1032(a) and 1405(b). The periodic statement is desi gned to provide the consumer w ith information in an easyto-read format. The goal of the proposed groupi ng and form requirements is to highlight key information – the amount due – and organize information so the statement would not be overwhelming to the consumer. The commentary to paragraph (d), discussed below, reflects these goals. Exemptions and adjustments: TILA section 128(f)(1)(G) re quires the periodic statement to include the names, addresses and other contact information for government-certified counseling agencies or programs reasonably av ailable to the consum er. For the reasons discussed below, the Bureau proposes to use its authority under TILA s ection 105(a) and (f) to exempt servicers from having to include this inform ation in periodic statements to and to instead require the periodic statement to include c ontact information for the State housing finance authority for the State in which the property is located and information to access the HUD list or Bureau list of homeownership counselors or counseli ng organizations. This adjustment is additionally authorized u nder DFA section 1405(b). Close proximity. Proposed § 1026.41(d) would require specific disclosures be grouped together and presented in close proximity. Info rmation is grouped together to aid the consumer in understanding relatively complex informati on about their mortgage . The General Design Principles discussed in the Macro final report (Macro Report) include gr ouping together related149 concepts and figures because consumers are likely to find it easier to absorb and make sense of financial forms if the informa tion is grouped in a logical way. 103 Proposed comment 41(d)-1 clarifies that cl ose proximity requires items to be grouped together and set off from the other groupings of items. This can be accomplished, for example, by including lines or boxes on the statement, or by including white spac e between the groupings. Items required to be in close proximity should no t have any intervening text between them. The close proximity standard is found in other parts of Regulation Z, including §§ 1026.24(b) and 1026.48. In both provisions, the commentary inte rprets close proximity to require the information to be located immediately next to or directly above or below, without any intervening text or graphical displays. 104 Information not applicable . Proposed comment 41(d)–2 provid es that information that is not applicable to the loan may be omitted from a pe riodic statement. For example, if a loan does not have a prepayment penalty, the periodic statement may omit the prepayment penalty disclosure. Terminology. Proposed comment 41(d)-3 provides that the periodic statement may use terminology other than that found on the sample forms so long as the new terminology is commonly understood. This gives servicers the flexibility to use re gional terminology or commonly used terms with which consumers are familiar. For example, during consumer testing in California, participants were confused by th e use of the term “escrow.” One participant explained that in California, the term “escrow” refers to an account se t up to hold funds until a homebuyer closes on the house. Th is participant said he was mo re familiar with the term

103 Macro Report, supra note 38, at 4. 104 See comments 24(b)-2 and 48-3 respectively.150 “impound account” to refer to the account holding funds for taxes and insurance. 105 In this example, use of the term “impound account” to refer to the escrow account for taxes and insurance would be permitted for periodic statements provided to consumers in California. 41(d)(1) Amount Due Proposed § 1026.41(d)(1) would require the peri odic statement to provide information on the amount due, the payment due date, and the am ount of any fee that would be assessed for a late payment, as well as the da te on which that fee would be imposed if payment is not received. This information would have to be grouped together and located at the top of the first page of the statement. The amount due would have to be mo re prominent than any information on the page. This is consistent with the ge neral principle of designing disc losures to highlight the most important information for consumers to make it easy for them to find. 106 A primary purpose of the periodic statement is to alert the consumer to upcoming payment obligations. The Bureau interprets TILA section 129(f)(E), which requires the periodic statement to include a description of any late payment fees, to require disclosure of the amount of any fees that would be assessed for late payments as well as the date the fee would be imposed if the payment has not been received, as well as other information regarding late fees discussed belo w. Although information concerning the amount due and the payment due date is not enumerated in the statute, the Bureau believes that this is the information the consum er is most likely to need. Because of the importance of this information, it is placed in th e prominent position of the top of the first page, and the total amount must be the most prominen t item on the page. In consumer testing, all

105 Macro Report, supra note 38, at 12. 106 Id. at 4.151 participants were able to iden tify the amount due on the sample periodic statement presented to them. 107 If the consumer has a payment-option loa n, each of the payment options must be displayed with the amount due information. An example of such a statement is included in proposed Appendix H-28(C). 41(d)(2) Explanati on of Amount Due Proposed § 1026.41(d)(2) would requir e periodic statements to include an explanation of the amount due, providing the monthly paymen t amount, including the allocation of that payment to principal, interest and escrow (if a pplicable). Additionally, the statement would have to provide the total fees or charges incurred si nce the last statement, and any amount past-due (which would include both over-due payments and over-due fees). This information would have to be grouped together in close proximity and located on the first page of the statement. The Explanation of Amount Due is intended to give consumers a snapshot of why they are being asked to pay the amount due. At a glance, consumers would be able to see their payment amount; how much is allocated to principal, interest and escrow (i f applicable); and the total fees or other char ges incurred since the last statemen t; and any post-due amounts. In this section, the fees incurred since the last statement would be show n in aggregate; a breakdown of the individual fees would be provided in the Tr ansaction Activity section, discussed below. Additionally, this section would show the total of past due payments a nd fees from previous billing cycles. In the first round of consumer test ing, Macro tested the form to see if participants were able to understand what char ges constituted the total amount due. The sample form used in testing showed a late payment fee. After looking at the Explanation of Amount Due, all

107 See id. at 6.152 participants understood the amount due included a regular mont hly payment and a late fee. 108 This indicates that the Explanation of Amount Due helps consumers understand the amount they need to pay. If the consumer has a payment-option loan, a breakdown of each of the payment options would be required in the Explanation of Amount Due. Additionally, the Explanation of Amount Due would require inclusion of information about how each of the payment options will affect the outstanding loan balance. A form with such a box was tested during consumer testing. All but one of the participants were able to unders tand the effects the different payment options would have on their loan balance – that the loan balance would decrease, stay the same (for interest-only payments) or increase. 109 A sample form is provided in Appendix H-28(C). 41(d)(3) Past Payment Breakdown Proposed paragraph (d)(3) would require period ic statements to include a snapshot of how past payments have been applied. Propos ed § 1026.41(d)(3)(i) would require the periodic statement to include both the total of all paym ents received since the last statement and a breakdown of how those payments were applied to principal, interest, escrow, fees, and charges, and any partial payment or suspense account (i f applicable). Proposed § 1026.41(d)(3)(ii) would require the total of all paymen ts received since the beginning of the calendar year and a breakdown of how those payments were applied to principal, interest, escrow, fees, and charges, as well as the amount currently held in any partial payment or susp ense account (if applicable). This information would have to be grouped togeth er in close proximity, and located on the first page of the statement.

108 Id. 109 Id. at 14.153 The past payment breakdown disclosure serves several pur poses on the periodic statement, including creating a record of payment applic ation, providing the consumer information needed to assert any errors, and pr oviding information about the mortgage expenses. The breakdown in paragraph (d)(3)(i), show ing all payments made since the last statement, would allow the consumer to confirm that his or her payments was properly applied. If the payments were not properly applied, the breakdown would provide the consumers the information needed to assert an error. Although tes ting participants had some confusion about partial payments as discussed below, they were able to identify how their payments had been applied based on the past payment breakdown information included on the sample statement. 110 Both the breakdown since the last billing cy cle and the breakdown of the year-to-date play an important role in educating the consumer . The payments since the last statement inform consumers of how much their outstanding prin cipal has decreased, while the year-to-date information educates consumers on the costs of th eir mortgage loan. Consumer testing revealed that consumers may be surprised by how much of th eir payment is going to interest or fees as opposed to principal. Aggregated over the year-to-date can bri ng this expense to a consumers’ attention, and motivate them to possibly change behaviors that are generating significant expenses. For example, consumers who habitually submit their payment a few days late may correct this behavior if they re alize it is costing them hundreds of dollars a year. The breakdown of all payments made in the current calendar year to date is of particular importance in educating consumers about their loans, especially since th ere is no other mandated year-end summary of all payments received and their application. The past payment breakdown, of both the payments

110 Id. at 9.154 since the last statement, and payments for the year to date, provi des the consumer with important information that is not currently required to be disclosed. Partial Payments. Proposed comment 41(d)(3)-1 provides guidance on how partial payments that have been sent to a suspense account should be reflected in the past payments breakdown section of the periodic statement. The proposed comment provides illustrative examples of how partial payments sent to a su spense account should be li sted as unapplied funds since the last statement and year to date. Cons umer testing revealed th at consumers have very little understanding about how pa rtial payments are handled. 111 As discussed in part IV.C above, the periodic statement is designed to help consumers understand how partial payments are processed. The past payment breakdown is useful in communicating information about partial payments and suspense accounts to consumers. 41(d)(4) Transac tion Activity Proposed § 1026.41(d)(4) would require the peri odic statement to include a Transaction Activity section that lists any activity since th e last statement that credits or debits the outstanding account balance. For each transaction, the st atement would include the date of the transaction, a description of the transaction, and the amount of the transaction. This information must be grouped together, but may be pr ovided anywhere on the statement. Proposed comment 41(d)(4)-1 clarifies that tr ansaction activity incl udes any activity that credits or debits the outstanding loan balance. For example, proposed comment 41(d)(4)-1 states that transaction activity would include, without limitation, pa yments received and applied, payments received and sent to a suspense accoun t, and the imposition of any fee or charge. Thus, the Transaction Activity sect ion would provide a list of all charges and payments, covering

111 Id. at 11.155 the time from the last statement until the current statement is printed. This disclosure would allow the consumer to understand what charges are being imposed and provide further detail regarding the aggregated numb ers found in the “Explanation of Amount Due” section. The Transaction Activity section woul d provide a record of the account since the last statement, allowing the consumer to review for errors, en sure payments were received, and understand any and all costs. If a servicer re ceives a partial payment and decide s to return the payment to the consumer, such a payment would not need to be included as a line item in the Transaction Activity section, because this activity would ne ither credit nor debit the outstanding account balance. The Bureau seeks comment on whether the periodic statement should be required to include a message under paragraph (d)(5) when a partial payment is returned to the consumer. Late fee description. Proposed comment 41(d)(4)–2 clarif ies that the desc ription of any late fee charge in the tr ansaction activity section includes the da te of the late fee, the amount of the late fee, and the f act that a late fee was imposed. Th e Bureau interprets TILA section 129(f)(E), which requires that th e periodic statement include “a description” of any late payment fees, to require disclosure of this information, as well as information regarding late fees discussed above. Suspense accounts. Proposed comment 41(d)(4)–3 clarif ies that if a partial payment is sent to a suspense account, the fact of the tr ansfer should be reflected in the transaction description (for example, a partial payment entry in the transaction activity might read: “Partial payment sent to suspense account”), the funds sent to the suspense account should be reflected in the unapplied funds section of the past payment breakdown, and an explanation of what must be done to release the funds shoul d be provided in the messages section. The messages section,156 discussed below, should include an explanation of what the c onsumer must do to release the funds from the suspense account. 41(d)(5) Messages Proposed § 1026.41(d)(5) would require a message on the front of the statement if a partial payment of funds is being held in a susp ense account regarding what must be done for the funds to be applied. The Bureau seeks comment on what, if any, additional messages should be required. In particular, the Bureau seeks comment on whether th ere should be a required disclosure where the consumer has a negatively-amortizing or intere st-only loan. Additiona lly, the Bureau seeks comment on whether there should be a required di sclosure on private mortgage insurance and when it may be eliminated. Finally, the Bureau s eeks comment as to if more than one message is required, and if so, should these be grouped together and should these messages be required to be on the first page of the statement? 41(d)(6) Contact Information Proposed § 1026.41(d)(6) would require that th e periodic statement contain contact information specifying where a consumer may obtain information regarding the mortgage. Proposed comment 41(d)(6)-2 clarifies that this contact information must be the same as the contact information for asserting errors or re questing information. The Bureau seeks comment on whether consumers are likely to contact the servicer for info rmation other than errors or inquiries, which would necessitate a different number being include d on the periodic statement. Proposed § 1026.41(d)(6) provides that the contact in formation provided must include a toll-free telephone number. Proposed comment 41(d)(6)–1 clarifies that the se rvicer may provide additional information, such as a web address, at its option. Propos ed § 1026.41(d)(6) does not157 require that that the contact information be set off in a separate section, but simply that it be included on the front page of the statement. Th is proposed requirement would allow servicers to include this information with their company name and logo at the top of the page or elsewhere on the statement. 41(d)(7) Account Information Proposed § 1026.41(d)(7) would require that the following information about the mortgage, as required by the statute, be includ ed on the statement: the amount of principal obligation, the current interest rate in effect for the loan, the date on which the interest rate may next reset or adjust, the amount of any pr epayment penalty, and information on housing counselors. This information may be included anywhere on the statement. This information may, but need not be, grouped together. While the sample form has this information on the first page, the servicer is not required to include this in formation on the first page. Prepayment penalty. Proposed § 1026.41(d)(7)(iv) define s a prepayment penalty as “a charge imposed for paying all or part of a tran saction’s principal before the date on which the principal is due.” This defin ition is further clarified in th e proposed commentary. Proposed comment 41(d)(7)(iv)–1 gives the following examples of prepayment penalties: (1) a charge determined by treating the loan balance as outsta nding for a period of time after prepayment in full and applying the interest rate to such “balan ce,” even if the charge results from interest accrual amortization used for other payments in the transaction under th e terms of the loan contract; (2) a fee, such as an or igination or other loan closing cost, that is waived by the creditor on the condition that the consumer does not prepay the loan; (3) a minimum finance charge in a simple interest transaction; a nd (4) computing a refund of unearne d interest by a method that is less favorable to the consumer than the actuarial method, as de fined by section 933(d) of the158 Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, 15 U.S.C. 1615(d). Proposed comment 41(d)(7)(iv)-1.i further clarifies that “interes t accrual amortization” refers to the method by which the amount of interest due for each period ( e.g. , month) in a transaction’s term is determined and states, for example, that “monthly interest accrual amortization” treats each payment as made on the scheduled, monthly due date even if it is actually paid early or late (until the expiration of any grace period). The proposed comment also provides an example where a prepayment penalty of $1,000 is imposed because a full month’s interest of $3,000 is charged even though only $2,000 in interest was accrued in the month during which the consumer prepaid. Proposed comment 41(d)(7)(iv)-2 clarifies that a prepayment penalty does not include: (1) fees imposed for preparing and providing document s when a loan is paid in full, if the fees are imposed whether or not the loan is prepaid, such as a loan payoff statement, a reconveyance document, or another document releasing the cred itor’s security interest in the dwelling that secures the loan; or (2) loan guarantee fees. The definition of prepayment penalty in proposed § 1026.41(d)(7)(iv) and comments 41(d)(7)(iv)-1 and -2 substantially incorporate the definitions of and guidance on prepayment penalties from the Board’s 2009 Closed-End Proposal, 2010 Mortgage Proposal, and 2011 ATR Proposal and, as necessary, reconciles their differen ces. For example, the Bureau is proposing to incorporate the language from the Board’ s 2009 Closed-End Proposal and 2010 Mortgage Proposal but omitted in the Board’s 2011 ATR Propos al listing a minimum finance charge as an example of a prepayment penalty and stating th at loan guarantee fees are not prepayment penalties, because similar language is found in longstanding Regulati on Z commentary. Based on the differing approaches taken by the Board in its recent mortgage proposals, however, the159 Bureau seeks comment on whether a minimum finan ce charge should be list ed as an example of a prepayment penalty and whether loan guarantee f ees should be excluded from the definition of the term prepayment penalty. The Bureau expects to coordi nate the definition of the te rm prepayment penalty in proposed § 1026.41(d)(7)(iv) with the definitions in other pe nding rulemakings relating to mortgages. The Bureau seeks comment on the feasibility of disclosing the amount of any prepayment penalty, as the amount of the penalty could depe nd on the timing or amount of prepayment, and if a preferable alternat ive would be to disclose the maximu m amount of a prepayment penalty. Alternatively, the Bureau seeks comment on whet her a better alternative would be for the periodic statement to disclose the existence of a prepayment penalty in place of the amount. Housing counselors. Proposed § 1026.41(d)(7)(v) would re quire the periodic statement to include contact information for the State housi ng finance authority for the State in which the property is located, and information to access either the either the Bureau list or the HUD list of homeownership counselors or counseling organizations. TILA section 128(f)(1)(G) requires the peri odic statement to include the names, addresses, telephone numbers and internet a ddresses of counseling agencies or programs reasonably available to the consum er that have been certified or approved and made publically available by the Secretary of Housing and Ur ban Development or a State housing finance authority. On July 9, 2012, the Bureau released the 2012 HOEPA Proposal to implement other Dodd-Frank Act provisions, includi ng the requirement to provide a list of housing counselors in160 connection with the applicati on process for mortgage loans. 112 In connection with those requirements, the Bureau proposed to require cred itors to provide a list of five homeownership counselors or counseling organizations to applican ts for various categories of mortgage loans. The Bureau also indicated that it is expecting to develop a website portal that would allow lenders to type in the loan applicant’s zip code to generate the requisite list, which could then be printed for distribution to the loan applicant. This will allow creditors to access lists of the housing counselors with a minimum amount of effort. 113 In connection with the periodic statement requirement, however, the Bureau is proposing to use its exception authority to require servicers simply to list where consumers can find a list of counselors, rather than to reproduce a list of c ounselors in each billing cycle. The Bureau believes that this approach appropriately bala nces consumer and servicer interests based on several considerations. First, the Bureau is concerne d about information overload for consumers. The periodic statement contains a signifi cant amount of information alre ady. While consumers who are deciding whether to take out a mortgage loan in the first instance may greatly benefit from consultation with a housing counselor, that lik elihood is greatly reduced with regard to consumers receiving regular periodic statements on existing loans. Second, the burden on servicers to import the list of counselor s into a periodic statement document or to attach a list with each billing cycle is significantly higher than with regard to a single provision of the list. Space on the periodic statements is limited, and importing updated

112 See 2012 HOEPA Proposal, available at http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201207_cfpb_proposed-rule_highcost-mortgage-protections.pdf, at 29-35. 113 The list provided by the lender pursuant to the 2012 HOEPA Proposal would include only homeownership counselors or counseling organizations from either the most current list of homeownership counselors or counseling organizations made available by the Bureau for use by lenders, or the most current list maintained by HUD of homeownership counselors or counseling organizations certified by HUD, or otherwise approved by HUD. See id

. at 32-33.161 information from the CFPB website each cycle would involve more programming burden than simply listing the two agencies’ webs ites in the first instance. To address these concerns, the proposal w ould require that the periodic statements include the contact information to access the St ate housing finance authority for the State in which the property is located, and the website an d telephone number to access either the Bureau list or the HUD list of homeownership c ounselors or counseling organizations. 114 Directing consumers to this information would allow them to choose a program or agency conveniently located for them, and would allow the consumer to locate other programs or agencies if those contacted initially could not he lp the consumer at that time. The Bureau seeks comment on whether this proposal strikes an appropriate ba lance, and on the benefits and burdens to both borrowers and servicers of re quiring that a list of several individual housing counselors be included in or with the periodic statement. Because housing counselor information may not be relevant to consumers who are current and not facing any problems, the proposal does not require this information to be on the front of the statement. The Bureau seeks comment if this information sh ould be required to be located on the front of this statement. In a related requirement, when the delinquency information is provided, the proposed regulations would require that the delinquency information contain a reference to this hous ing counselor information. This would ensures that the housing counselor information would be brought to th e attention of delinquent consumers. These provisions are discu ssed further below. The Bureau expects to coor dinate the housing counselor information requirement in proposed § 1026.41(d)(7)(v) with the definitions in other pending rulemakings concerning

114 At the time of publishing, the Bureau list was not yet available and the HUD list is available at http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm.162 mortgage loans that address housing counselors. The Bureau believes that, to the extent consistent with consumer protection objectives, adopting a consistent approach to providing housing counselor information across its various pe nding rulemakings will fac ilitate compliance. The Bureau notes that other housing counselor requirements (for example, the ARMs initial interest rate adjustment notification) require th e contact information for the State housing finance authority for the State in which the consumer resides (as opposed to the State in which the property is located). While the Bureau expects the State in which the property is located will most often be the State where the consumer re sides, under certain circ umstances (a vacation home), these may be different States. Additi onally, the Bureau notes that a difference in regulation requirements for differe nt disclosures may increase compliance costs for servicers. The Bureau seeks comment on which State housi ng finance authority’s contact information should be required on the periodic statement. The Bureau proposes to use its authority under TILA section 105( a) and (f) and DFA section 1405(b) to exempt creditors, assignees , and servicers of resident ial mortgage loans from the requirement in TILA section 128(f)(1)(G) to include in periodic statements contact information for government-certified counseling agencies or programs reasonably available to the consumer, and to instead require that periodi c statements disclose the State housing finance authority for the State in which the property is located and information to access either the Bureau list or HUD list of homeownership counsel ors or organizations. Fo r the reasons discussed above, the Bureau believes that the proposed ex ception and addition is necessary and proper under TILA section 105(a) both to effectuate the purposes of TILA -- to promote the informed use of credit and protect consumers against inaccur ate and unfair credit bi lling practices -- and to facilitate compliance. Moreover, the Bureau belie ves, in light of the factors in TILA section163 105(f), that disclosure of the information sp ecified in TILA section 128(f)(1)(G) would not provide a meaningful benefit to consumers. Specifically, the Bureau considers that the exemption is proper irrespective of the amount of the loan, the st atus of the borrower (including related financial arrangements, financial sophistication, and the importance to the borrower of the loan), or whether the loan is secured by the pr incipal residence of the consumer. Further, in the estimation of the Bureau, the proposed exemp tion will simplify the periodic statement, and improve the housing counselor information provi ded to the consumer, thus furthering the consumer protection purposes of the statute. In addition, consistent with DFA section 1405(b), the Bureau believes that the proposed modifi cation of the requirements in TILA section 128(f)(1)(G) will improve consumer awareness a nd understanding and is in the interest of consumers and in the public interest. 41(d)(8) Delinquency Notice Proposed § 1026.41(d)(8) would require that if the consumer is more than 45 days delinquent, the servicer must include on the pe riodic statement certain delinquency information grouped together.. The accounting of mortgage pa yments is confusing at best, and becomes significantly more complicated in a delinquency scenario. The combina tion of fees, partial payments being sent to suspense accounts, and application of payments to oldest outstanding payments due can quickly lead to confusion. Additionally, consumers in delinquency are often facing stress due to the situation that left them unable to make their mortgage payments. The proposed early intervention rules would require servicers to di sclose information about loss mitigation or loan modification, but this inform ation would not be customized to individual consumers. The delinquency notice, discussed be low, would provide inform ation that is tailored to the specific consumer. This information would benefit the consumer in several ways. First,164 this notice would ensure that the consumer is aware of the delinquenc y as well as potential consequences. Second, this information would en sure that the consumer has the information about his or her loan. For example, certain loan modification programs are tied to specific timelines in delinquency. This information w ould ensure that consumers understand the timeline for their delinquency so they can benefit from early intervention information. Finally, the delinquency information would create a record of how payments were applied, which would both help consumers understand the amount due and give consumers the information needed to become aware of any errors so they can could use the appropriate error resolution procedures. Delinquency date and risks . Proposed paragraph (d)(8)(i) would require the periodic statement to include the date on which the consumer became delinquent. Many timelines relevant to the loss mitigation and foreclosure processes are based on the number of days of delinquency. For example, under certain program s consumers may not be eligible for a loan modification unless they are at least 60 days delinquent. However consumers may not know the date on which he or she was first considered deli nquent. This can be especially confusing in a scenario where the consumer is making partial payments. Proposed paragraph (d)(8)(ii) would require the periodic statement to include a statem ent reminding the consumer of potential risks of delinquency, for example, late fees may be asse ssed or, after a number of months, the consumer can be subject to foreclosure. A recent account history . Proposed paragraph (d)(8)(iii ) would require the periodic statement to include a recent account history as part of the delinquency information. The accounting associated with mortgage loan payments is complicated, and can be even more so in delinquency situations. The accrual of fees and the application of payments to past months can make it very difficult for consumers to understand the exact amount he or she owes on the loan,165 and how that total was calculated. Additionall y, this complex accounting makes it very difficult for a consumer to identify errors in of paymen t allocations. Although some of this information would be available from previ ous periodic statements, the Bur eau believes that providing a separate recent account history is warranted under the circumstances. The Bureau believes that the recent account history would enable the consumer to understand how past payments were applied, prov ide the information needed to identify any errors, and provide the information necessary to make financial decisi ons. Proposed paragraph (d)(8)(iii) would require the account history to show the amount due for each billing cycle, or the date on which a payment for a billing cycle was considered fully paid. The date on which the payment was considered fully paid is include d to help a consumer understand that a past payment that was previously delinquent has be en considered paid. For example, suppose a delinquent consumer does not make a payment in January, but makes a regular payment in February. Without the account history, the consumer would not be able to verify that payments were properly applied. The account history is limite d to the lesser of the past 6 months or the last time the account was current to avoid creating a long list that could overwhelm the rest of the periodic statement. Notice of any loan modification programs . Proposed paragraph (d)(8)(iv) would require the periodic statement to include as part of th e delinquency information in the periodic statement notice of any acceptance into a modification program, either trial or permanent, create a record of acceptance into the modification program. Notice if the loan has been referred to foreclosure. Proposed paragraph (d)(8)(v) would require the periodic statement to include, as part of the delinquency information notice, that the166 loan has been referred to foreclos ure, if applicable, to ensure th at the consumer is aware of any pending foreclosure. Total amount to bring the loan current. Proposed paragraph (d)(8)(v i) would require that the total amount needed to bring the loan current be included in the delinquency information to ensure that consumers knows how much money they must pay to br ing the loan back to current

status. Housing counselor information reference . Proposed paragraph (d )(8)(vii) would require that the delinquency notice also contain a stat ement directing the consumer to the housing counselor information located on the statement, as proposed by paragraph (d)(7)(v). For example, if the housing counselor information is on the back of the statement, the delinquency information, on the front of the statement, would dire ct consumers to the back of the statement. 45 Days. The delinquency information is intend ed to assist consumers who have fallen behind on their mortgage payments. The propos al would not require provision of this information until the consumer is 45 days deli nquent. The Bureau recognizes that not all delinquencies indicate troubled c onsumers; a single missed payment may be the result of other factors such as misdirected mail. Such cons umers would likely be notified of a single missed payment by their servicer, and th e lack of payment received w ould be reflected on the next periodic statement. These consumers would receive minimal additional benefit from the delinquency information, and, if this is a freque nt occurrence, such consumers might become accustomed to ignoring the delinquency informa tion. By contrast, two missed payments likely indicate a potentially more seri ous issue, unlike simply failing to remember to send in a payment on time. Thus, the delinquency information would be required at 45 days to ensure receipt of this information by a borrower who missed two consecutive payments.167 41(e) Exemptions 41(e)(1) Reverse Mortgages Proposed § 1026.41(e)(1) exempts reverse mo rtgages, as defined by § 1026.33(a), from the periodic statement requirement. The Bur eau is proposing this exemption for reverse mortgages because the periodic statement requi rement was designed for a traditional mortgage product. Information that would be relevant a nd useful on a reverse mortgage statement differs substantially from the informati on required on the period ic statement. Incorporating the unique aspects of a reverse mortgage into the periodic statement re gulations would require massive alterations to the form and regulation. The Bureau believes that it is more appropriate to address consumer protections relating to reverse mortga ges in a separate comprehensive rulemaking. The Bureau proposes to use its authority und er TILA sections 105( a) and (f) and DFA section 1405(b) to exempt reverse mortgages from the requirement in TILA section 128(f) to provide periodic statements. For the reasons di scussed above, the Bureau believes the proposed exemption is necessary and proper under TILA sec tion 105(a) both to effect uate the purposes of TILA, and to facilitate compliance. Moreover, the Bureau believes, in light of the factors in TILA section 105(f), that disclosure of the information specified in TILA section 128(f)(1 ) would not provide a meaningful benefit to consumers of reverse mortgages. Specifi cally, the Bureau considers that the exemption is proper irrespec tive of the amount of the loa n, the status of the borrower (including related financial arra ngements, financial sophistica tion, and the importance to the borrower of the loan), or whether the loan is secured by the princi pal residence of the consumer. Further, in the estimation of the Bureau, the proposed exemption woul d further the consumer protection purposes of the statute by avoidi ng the consumer confusi on that would result by168 applying the same disclosure requirements to re verse mortgages as other mortgages and leaving reverse mortgages to be addressed in a co mprehensive reverse mortgage rulemaking. In addition, consistent with DFA section 1405( b), the Bureau believes that the proposed modification of the requirements in TILA sec tion 128(f) to exempt reverse mortgages would improve consumer awareness and understanding and is in the interest of consumers and in the public interest. 41(e)(2) Time Shares Proposed § 1026.41(e)(2) would clarify that timeshares as defined by 11 U.S.C. 101 (53(D)) are exempt from the peri odic statement requirement. TI LA section 128(f) provides that the periodic statement requirement applies to re sidential mortgage loans. The definition of residential mortgage loans set forth in TILA section 103(cc)(5) specifie s that timeshares do not fall under this definition. 41(e)(3) Coupon Book Exemption Proposed § 1026.41(e)(3) would implement the st atutory exemption for fixed-rate loans for which the servicer provides a coupon book cont aining substantially similar information as found in the periodic st atement. The Bureau recognizes th e value of the coupon book as striking a balance between ensuring consumers receiv e important information, and providing a low burden method for servicers to comply with the pe riodic statement requirements. As such, the Bureau seeks to effectuate the coupon book exemption. The nature of a coupon book (both its smaller size and static nature) creates difficulties in including substantially similar information as would be on a periodic statement. The main problem is the static nature of a coupon book. Because a coupon book may cover an entire year or more, it cannot include information that changes on a monthly basis. By contrast, a pe riodic statement can provide dynamic information169 that changes on a monthly basis. To address this problem, the Bu reau is proposing to modify the coupon book exception permitted by TILA section 128(f)(3) to apply the exception where the coupon book contains certain static informati on and other dynamic information is made accessible to the consumer. Proposed comment 41(e)(3)-1 defines “fixed-r ate” by reference to § 1026.18(s)(7)(iii), which defines “fixed-rate mortgage” as a tran saction secured by a dwelling that is not an adjustable-rate or a st ep-rate mortgage. Proposed comment 41(e)(3)-2 explains what a coupon book is. The Bureau proposes to use its authority under TILA section 105(a) to give effect to the coupon book exemption in TILA section 128(f)(3). TILA section 128 (f)(3) provides an exemption to the periodic statement for fixe d-rate loans when a coupon book that contains substantially similar information to the periodic statement is provided. Using its authority under TILA section 128(f)(1)(H), the Bure au has added certain dynamic ite ms to the periodic statement that would be infeasible to include in a c oupon book. The Bureau is proposing to use its TILA 105(a) authority to permit use of a coupon book ev en where certain dynamic information is not included in the book so long as such information is made available via the inquiry process. The Bureau believes this proposed exemption is ne cessary and proper to facilitate compliance. Information in the coupon book. Proposed paragraph (e)(3)(i) would require the following information to be included on each coupon within the book: the payment due date, the amount due, and the amount and date that any la te fee will be incurred. In specifying the amount due on each coupon, servicers would assume th at all prior payments have been paid in full.170 Proposed paragraph (e)(3)(ii) would require th e following information to be included in the coupon book itself, though it need not be on each coupon: the amount of the principal loan balance, the interest rate in effect for the lo an, the date on which the interest rate may next change; the amount of any prepayment fee that may be charged, the contact information for the servicer, and housing counselor information. Each of these items is discussed above in the section-by-section analysis of proposed paragraph (d). The coupon book would also be required to disclose information on how the consumer may obtain the dynamic information discussed below. The information described above may, but is not required to be, included on each coupon. Instead, it may be included anywhere in the coupon book, includ ing on the covers, or on filler pages, as explained by proposed comment 41(e)(3)-3. Because the outstanding principal balance wi ll typically change during the time period covered by the coupon book, proposed comment 41( e)(3)-4 clarifies that a coupon book need only include the outstanding principal balan ce at the beginning of that time period. Information made available. As discussed above, due to the static nature of the coupon book, certain dynamic information that is required to be included on peri odic statements cannot be included. To use the coupon book provision, the proposed rule would require that the dynamic information be made available upon the consumer’s request. The servicer could provide the information orally, or in writing, or electronically, if the consumer consents. Thus, proposed paragraph (e)(3)(iii) would require the following dynamic information be made available to the consumer upon request: the monthly payment amount, including a breakdown showing how much, if any, will be allocated to principal, inte rest, and any escrow account; the total of fees or charges imposed since the last payment period; any payment amount past due; the total of all payments received since the beginni ng of the payment period, including a breakdown171 of how much, if any, of those pa yments was applied to principal, interest, escrow, fees and charges, and any partial payment suspense accounts ; the total of all payments received since the beginning of the calendar year, including a breakd own of how much, if any, of those payments was applied to principal, intere st, escrow, fees and charges, an d how much is currently in any partial payment or suspense accoun t; and a list of all the trans action activity (as defined in proposed comment 41(d)(4)-1) that o ccurred since the payment period. The Bureau seeks comment on whether requir ing servicers to make this information available would impose significant burden or costs that exceed consumer benefits. In particular, the Bureau seeks comment on whether providi ng the past payment breakdown information would impose greater burden then benefits. Delinquency information. Because of the importance of the delinquency information, proposed paragraph (e)(3)(iv) w ould require that to qualify for the coupon book exception, the delinquency information required by proposed § 1026.41(d)(8), discusse d above,to be sent to the consumer in writing for each billing cycle for which the consumer is more than 45 days delinquent at the beginning of the billing cycle. 41(e)(4) Small Servicer Exemption Proposed paragraph (e)(4) would exempt certain smaller servicers from the duty to provide periodic statements for certain loans. A sm all servicer would be defined as a servicer (i) who services 1,000 or fewer mortgage loans; and (i i) only services mortgage loans for which the servicer or an affiliate is the owner or assignee, or for which the servicer or an affiliate is the entity to whom the mortgage loan obligation was initially payable. The Bureau has decided to propose this exem ption after careful c onsideration of the benefits and burdens of the periodic statement requirement. As proposed, the Bureau believes172 that the periodic statement will be helpful to c onsumers because it will provide a well-integrated communication that not only cont ains information about upcoming payments due, but also information about loan status, fees charged, pa st payment crediting, and potential resources and other useful information for consumers who have fallen behind in their payments. The Bureau believes that providing a single-integrated document, in place of a number of other communications that contain fragments of this in formation can be more efficient for consumers and servicers alike. And in light of the historic problems that have been reported in parts of the servicing industry, the periodic st atement could be a useful tool for consumers to monitor their servicers’ performance and identify any issu es or errors as soon as they occur. At the same time, the Bureau recognizes th at the servicing industry is not monolithic. Producing a periodic statement with the elements proposed in § 1026.41 requires sophisticated programming to place individualized informati on on each borrower’s statement for each billing cycle. The Bureau recognizes that very small servicers would likely have to rely on outside vendors to develop or modify existing systems to produce statements in compliance with the rule. As discussed further below, the Bureau received detailed information from the SBREFA panel process confirming the tec hnological and operational challeng es faced by small servicers, as well as postage and other expenses that would be associated with providing periodic statements on an ongoing basis. Because small se rvicers maintain small portfolios, the SBREFA participants emphasized that they cannot spread fixed costs across a large number of loans the way that larger servicers can. Where small servicers already have incentives to provide high levels of customer contact and information, the Bureau believes that th e circumstances may warrant exempting those servicers from complying with the periodic statement requirement. In particular, small servicers173 that make loans in their local communities and then either hold their loans in portfolio or retain the servicing rights have incentives to maintain “high-touch” customer service models. Affirmative communications with consumers help su ch servicers (and their affiliates) to ensure loan performance, protect their reputations in their communities, and market other consumer financial products and services. 115 Because those servicers have a long-term relationship with the borrowers, their incentives with regard to ch arging fees and other servicing practices may be more aligned with borrower interests. Thes e motivations to ensure a good relationship incentivize good customer servi ce, including making information about upcoming payments, fees charged and payment history, and information for distressed borrowers easily available to consumers by other means The Bureau believes, however, that both conditions are necessary to warrant a possible exemption from the periodic statement rule—that is , that an exemption may be appropriate only for servicers that service a re latively small number of loans and that originated the loans and either retained ownership or servicing rights. Larg er servicers are likely to be much more reliant on and sophisticated users of computer technology in order to manage their operations efficiently. In such situations, implementation of the periodic statement requirement is likely to be somewhat easier to accomplish and perhaps even provide technologi cal benefits for the servicers. Larger servicers also generally operate in a larger nu mber of communities under circumstances in which the “high touch” model of cu stomer service is not practicable. In light of this fact and the consumer benefits from inte grated communications, the Bureau does not believe it would be appropriate to exempt all servicer s who originate loans that they then hold in portfolio or with respect to which they reta in servicing rights, w ithout regard to size.

115 See Re-Thinking Loan Serving, Prime Alliance Loan Servicing, p. 8 (April 2010) available at: http://cuinsight.com/media/doc/WhitePaper_CaseSt udy/wpcs_ReThinking_LoanServicing_May2010.pdf174 SBREFA Panel. The proposed exemption is consiste nt with feedback that the Bureau received from small entity representatives during the SBREFA panel process regarding the potentially significant burdens that would be imposed by a periodic statement requirement. Participants explained that th ey already provided much of th e information in the proposed periodic statement through alte rnative means, including corres pondence, more limited periodic statements, coupon books, passbooks, and telephone conversations. 116 Even where SERs did not affirmatively provide particular items of info rmation to borrowers, th ey stated that their companies would generally provide it on request . However, the participants emphasized repeatedly that consolidating all of the information into a single monthly dynamic statement would be difficult for small servicers. 117 The SERs explained that due to their small size, they generally do not maintain in-house technological expertise and would generally use third-party vendors to develop periodic statements. Due to their small size, they beli eved they would have no control over these vendor

costs. 118 Additionally, the small servicers have sma ller portfolios over which to spread the fixed costs of producing periodic statements. Such se rvicers stated they are unable to gain cost efficiencies and cannot effectivel y spread the implementation cost s of periodic statements across their loan portfolios. Finally, several SERs stat ed that simply mailing periodic statements could cost thousands of dollars per month beyond some of their current al ternative communication channels, such as coupon books or passbooks. Small Servicer Defined. The Bureau lacks the data neces sary to precisely calibrate the amount of burden that would be imposed by the periodic statement requirement on servicers of

116 SBREFA Final Report, supra note 22, at 16-19. 117 Id. 118 Id. at 17.175 different sizes. However, the Bureau believes th at a threshold of 1,000 loan s serviced may be an appropriate approximation to limit the proposed exem ption to smaller servicers in the market. Assuming that, on average, most loans are refina nced about every five years, this threshold works out to an average of 200 orig inations per year. The Bureau estimates that a small servicer of this size would earn about $600,000 annually in servic ing fee revenues. 119 The SERs estimated that the periodic statement burden could cost thousands of dollars each month. 120 For comparison, the Bureau notes that the top 100 mort gage servicers, as m easured by size of unpaid principal balance serviced, (which together have approximately 82% of the mortgage servicing market share 121 ) each service in excess of $3 billio n of unpaid principal balance. In addition to the 1,000 loan threshold, the exemption from the periodic statement would be limited to entities that exclusiv ely service loans that they or an affiliate originated or was the entity to which the obligation was initially paya ble. A servicer must both exclusively service such loans and satisfy the 1000-loan threshold to qualify for the small servicer exemption. The exemption is limited to these servicers because of the incentive discussed above. The proposed commentary clarifies the appli cation of the small servicer definition. Proposed comment 41(e)(4)-1 states that loans obtain ed by a servicer or an affiliate in connection

119 This estimate assumes that a servicer generates a net mort gage servicing fee rate of 35 basis points and that the average unpaid principal balance on the 1,000 loans is $175,000. The 35 basis points represents a blend of different mortgage servicing asset quality. Mortgage servicing fees for conventional servicing are generally 25 basis points; mortgage servicing fees for subprime mortgage loans or loans sold to trusts guaranteed by Ginnie Mae may vary between 40-50 basis points. Servicers are also able to generate ancillary income from sources other than the mortgage servicing fee, including additional fee revenue, su ch as late fees, and float on principal, interest and escrow payments, the composition of which may vary significantly among servicers. The Bureau believes that 35 basis points is a reasonable assumption in current market conditions. See, e. g., Newcastle Investment Corp., Form 10-Q, filed May 10, 2012, at 15-16, available at http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1175483/000138713112001455/nct-10q_033112.htm (last accessed June 13, 2012 (describing REIT investment in excess mortgage servicing rights (MSRs) from a portfolio of MSRs generating an initial weighted average total mortgage servicing fee amount of 35 basis points). 120 SBREFA Final Report, supra note 22, at 19. (One SER estimated it could cost an additional $11,000 per month in on-going support, another SER estimated that a vendor might charge $1,000 - $2,000 per month in fees, a third SER estimated monthly costs of $2,200 based on a cost of $1 per statement). 121 Inside Mortgage Finance, Issue 2012:13 (March 30, 2012) at 12.176 with a merger or acquisition are considered loans for which the servicer or an affiliate is the creditor to whom the mortgage loan is initially payable. The proposed rule also states that in dete rmining whether a small servicer services 1,000 mortgage loans or less, a servicer is evaluated ba sed on its size as of January 1 for the remainder of the calendar year. A servicer that, together wi th its affiliates, crosses the threshold will have six months or until the beginning of the next cale ndar year, whichever is la ter, to begin providing periodic statements. Proposed comment 41(e)(4 )-2 gives examples for calculating when a servicer who crosses the 1,000 loan threshold would need to begin sending periodic statements. The purpose of this provision is to permit a serv icer that crosses the 1,000 loan threshold a period of time (the greater of either six months, or until the beginning of the next calendar year) to bring the servicer’s operations into compliance with the periodic statement provisions for which the servicer was previously exempt. Proposed comments 41(e)(4)-3 clarifies when subservicers or servicers who do not own the loans they are servicing, do not qualify for the small servi cer exemption, even if such servicers are below the 1,000 loan threshold. Proposed comment 41(e)(4)-4 clarifies if a servicer subservices mortgage loans for a master servicer that does not meet the small se rvicer exemption, the subservicer cannot claim the benefit of the exemption, even if it services 1,000 or fewer loans. The Bureau believes that permitting an exemption in such circumstance could potentially exempt a larger master servicer from the obligation to provide periodic statements , even if it has master servicing responsibility for several thousand loans.177 The Bureau seeks comment on all aspects of the proposed exemption, particularly whether the regulation shoul d exempt small servicers 122 , and, if so, whether the proposed scope and definition of a small servicer is appropriate. Specifically, s hould the test be the one proposed regarding origination, and is 1,000 or less the appropriate size threshold? The Bureau particularly requests data on implementation co sts and the level of general activity by small servicers. The Bureau also seeks comment on wh ether it would be appropriate to exempt small servicers from other elements of the propos ed servicing rules under TILA and RESPA. Authority. The Bureau proposes to exercise its au thority under TILA section 105(a) and (f), and DFA section 1405(b) to exempt small se rvicers from the periodic statement requirement under TILA section 128(f). For the reasons disc ussed above, the Bureau believes the proposed exemption is necessary and proper under TILA section 105(a) to facilitate compliance. As discussed above, it would be very expensive for small servicers to incur the initial costs of setting up a system to send periodic statements, as a result, such se rvicers may choose to exit the market. In addition, consistent with TILA sec tion 105(f) and in light of the factors in that provision, the Bureau believes that requiring small servicers to comply with the periodic statement requirement specified in TILA secti on 128(f) would not provide a meaningful benefit to consumers in the form of useful informati on or protection. The Bureau believes that the business model of small servicers ensures th eir consumers already receive the necessary information, and that requiring them to provide periodic statements would impose significant costs and burden. Specifically, the Bureau believe s that the exemption is proper without regard to the amount of the loan, the st atus of the borrower (including related financial arrangements, financial sophistication, and the importance to the borrower of the loan), or whether the loan is

122 As discussed above, for the purposes of § 1026.41, the term “servicer” includes credito rs, assignees and servicers.178 secured by the principal residence of the consum er. In addition, consistent with DFA section 1405(b), for the reasons discussed above, the Bureau believes that the proposed modification of the requirements in TILA section 128(f) to ex empt small servicers woul d further the consumer protection purposes of TILA. Appendix H to Part 1026 The Bureau proposes to exercise its authority under TILA sec tion 105(c) to propose model and sample forms for § 1026.20(c) and (d). Appendix H-4(D) to Part 1026 The Bureau proposes to exercise its authority under TILA sec tion 105(c) to propose model and sample forms for § 1026.20(c) and (d). Appendices G and H – Open-End and Closed-End Model Forms and Clauses Proposed revisions to Appendices G and H-1 w ould add the appendix sections that would illustrate examples of the model forms and sample forms for the ARM disclosures proposed by § 1026.20(c) and (d) to the list of appendix se ctions illustrating examples of other model disclosures required by Regulation Z whose format or content may not be changed by creditors. Appendix H – Closed Model Forms and Clauses-7(i) Proposed revisions to Appendix H-7(i) would include § 1026.20(d), as well as § 1026.20(c), as the types of models illustrated in this appendix. The proposed revision also would add text so that the provision stated th at the Appendix H-4(D) includes examples of the two types of model forms for adjustable-rate mo rtgages: § 1026.20(d) initial adjustment notices and § 1026.20(c) payment change notices for adjustments resulting in corresponding payment changes. VII. Section 1022(b)(2) Analysis179 In developing the proposed rule, the Bureau ha s considered potential benefits, costs, and impacts, and has consulted or offered to consul t with the prudential regulators, HUD, the FHFA, and the Federal Trade Commission, including regardi ng consistency with any prudential, market, or systemic objectives admi nistered by such agencies. 123 The Bureau also held discussions with or solicited feedback from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Housing Service, the Farm Credit Administration, the FHA, and the VA regardi ng the potential impacts of the proposed rule on those entities’ loan programs. In this rulemaking, the Bureau proposes to amend Regulation Z, which implements TILA, and the official commentary to the regula tion, as part of its implementation of the DoddFrank Act amendments to TILA’s mortgage se rvicing rules. The proposed amendments to Regulation Z implement Dodd-Frank Act Sections 1418 (initial interest ra te adjustment notice for ARMs), 1420 (periodic statement), and 1464 (p rompt crediting of mortgage payments and response to requests for payoff amounts). The pro posed rule would also revise certain existing regulatory requirements for disclo sing rate and payment changes to adjustable-rate mortgages in current § 1026.20(c). Elsewhere in today’s Federal Register, th e Bureau is also publishing the 2012 RESPA Servicing Proposal that would implement section 1463 of the Dodd-Frank Act. The RESPA proposal addresses procedures for obtaining force- placed insurance; procedures for investigating and resolving alleged errors and responding to re quests for information; reasonable information

123 Specifically, section 1022(b)(2)(A) of the Dodd-Frank Act calls for the Bureau to consider the potential benefits and costs of a regulation to consumers and covered pe rsons, including the potential reduction of access by consumers to consumer financial products or services; th e impact on depository institutions and credit unions with $10 billion or less in total assets as described in sectio n 1026 of the Dodd-Frank Act; and the impact on consumers in rural areas.180 management policies and procedures; early interv ention for delinquent borrowers; continuity of contact for delinquent borrowers; and loss-mitigation procedures. As discussed in part II above, mortgage se rvicing has been marked by pervasive and profound consumer protection problems. As a resu lt of these problems, C ongress included in the Dodd-Frank Act the provisions de scribed above, which specifically address mortgage servicing. The new protections in the rules proposed unde r TILA and RESPA would significantly improve the transparency of mortgage loans after or igination, provide substa ntive protections to consumers, enhance consumers’ ability to obta in information from and dispute errors with servicers, and provide consumers, particularly distressed and delinquent consumers, with better customer service when dealing with servicers. A. Provisions to be Analyzed The analysis below considers the benefits, costs, and impacts of the following major proposed provisions:
1. New initial interest rate adjustment notices for most closed-end adjustable-rate mortgages. 2. Changes in the format, content, a nd timing of the Regulation Z § 1026.20(c) disclosure for most closed-e nd adjustable-rate mortgages.
3. New periodic statement disclosure for most closed-end mortgages.
4. Prompt crediting of payments for consum er credit transactions (both open- and closed-end) secured by the consumer’s pr incipal dwelling and response to requests for payoff amounts from consumers with c onsumer credit transactions (both openand closed-end) secured by a dwelling.181 With respect to each major proposed provision, the analysis considers the benefits and costs to consumers and covere d persons. The analysis also addresses certain alternative provisions that were considered by the Bureau in the development of the rule. The Bureau requests comments on the analysis of the potential benefits, cost s and impacts of the proposal. B. Baseline for Analysis The amendments to TILA are self-effectuati ng, and the Dodd-Frank Act does not require the Bureau to adopt regulations to implement these amendments. Specifically, the proposed provisions regarding the new in itial interest rate adjustme nt notice and the new periodic statement disclosure implement self-effectuati ng amendments to TILA. Thus, many costs and benefits of these proposed provisi ons would arise largely or entirely from the statute, not from the proposed rule. The proposed provisions woul d provide substantial benefits compared to allowing these TILA amendments to take eff ect alone, even without the proposed additional content and other features of th e disclosures, by clarifying parts of the statute that are ambiguous. Greater clarity on these issues should reduce the compliance burdens on covered persons by reducing costs for attorneys and compliance o fficers as well as potential costs of overcompliance and unnecessary litigation. Moreover, the costs that these provisions would impose beyond those imposed by the statute itself are likely to be minimal. DFA section 1022 permits the Bureau to consid er the benefits, costs, and impacts of the proposed rule solely compared to the state of the world in which the statute takes effect without an implementing regulation. To provide the pub lic better information about the benefits and costs of the statute, however, the Bureau has chos en to consider the bene fits, costs, and impacts of the major provisions of the proposed ru le against a pre-statutory baseline ( i.e. , to consider the182 benefits, costs, and impacts of the relevant pr ovisions of the Dodd-Fra nk Act and the regulation combined). The proposed provisions regarding prompt crediting of payments and response to requests for payoff amounts also implement se lf-effectuating amendments to TILA. These amendments to TILA, however, largely codify ex isting Regulation Z provisions in § 1026.36(c). Thus, the pre-statute and post- statute baselines are substan tially the same. The proposed provisions would clarify servicer 124 duties that are ambiguous unde r the statute and existing regulations. Finally, the proposed provisions regarding th e § 1026.20(c) disclosure for adjustable-rate mortgages impose obligations on servicers 125 that are authorized, but not required, under TILA sections 105(a) and 128(f) and DF A section 1405(b). With resp ect to proposed § 1026.20(c), the Bureau has chosen to consider the benefits, cost s, and impacts of the proposed provisions against the baseline provided by the cu rrent provisions of § 1026.20(c). The Bureau has discretion in future rulemaki ngs to choose the most appropriate baseline for that particular rulemaking. C. Coverage of the Proposal Each proposed provision covers certain c onsumer credit transactions secured by a dwelling, as described furthe r in each section below. D. Potential Benefits and Costs to Consumers and Covered Persons
1. New initial interest rate adjustment notice for adjustable-rate mortgages Section 1418 of the Dodd-Frank Act requires se rvicers to provide a new disclosure to

124 Reference in parts VII, VIII, and IX to “servicers” with regard to the proposed rule for requests for payoff amounts means creditors and servicers. 125 Reference in parts VII, VIII, and IX to “servicers” with regard to the proposed rules for adjustable-rate mortgages means creditors, assignees, and servicers.183 consumers who have hybrid ARMs. The disclosure concerns the initi al interest rate adjustment and must be given either (a) between 6 and 7 months prior to such initial interest rate adjustment or (b) at consummation of the mortgage if the in itial interest rate adjustment occurs during the first six months after consummation. The Bureau proposes to implement this provi sion by requiring that the disclosure be given at least 210, but not more than 240, days befo re the first payment at the adjusted level is due. The Bureau, relying upon the savings clause in TILA section 128A(b), proposes to broaden the scope of the proposed rule to include ARMs that are not hybrid. The proposed disclosure would include the content required by the stat ute, except for providing contact information for housing counseling agencies and programs (where the proposed rule provides an alternative disclosure), and certain additional informati on. Finally, as explained above, the Bureau conducted three rounds of consumer testing. The disclosures were revise d after each round of testing to improve their eff ectiveness with consumers. Benefits to consumers . The information in the proposed interest rate adjustment notice would provide a number of benefits to consumer s with closed-end adjustable-rate mortgages at the initial interest rate adjustment. These benefi ts may be broadly categor ized as facilitating (a) the choice of an alternative to making the new pa yment, including refinancing; (b) the correction of any errors in the adjusted payment; (c) the budgeting of ho usehold resources; and (d) the accumulation of equity by certain consumers ( i.e. , those with interest-only or negativelyamortizing payments). Individual items in the disclosure may provide more than one of these benefits. The proposed rule would require disclosure of the new interest rate and payment—the exact amount, where available, or an estimate, where exact amounts are unavailable. Disclosing184 an estimate of the interest rate and any new payment at least 210, but not more than 240, days before the first payment at the adjusted level is due would give consumers a significant amount of time in which to pursue alterna tives to repaying the loan at the adjusted level. When interest rates are stable, the estimate is informative about the future mortgage payment, and consumers benefit from being able to plan future budgets or to address a problem with affordability, perhaps by refinancing. The estimate is less informative about the future mortgage payment when interest rates are volatile, but under any circumstances, an estimated payment that is well above the highest amount that the consumer can afford alerts the consumer to a potential problem and the need to gather additional information. While some consumers with adjustable-rate mortgages may benefit from disclosure of any potential new interest rate and payment (or estimates of these amounts) well before payment is due, the benefits from this information are li kely greatest when provide d prior to the initial interest rate adjustment. Subse quent interest rate adjustments reflect the difference between two fully indexed interest rates ( i.e. , interest rates that are the sum of a benchmark rate and a margin). In contrast, the initial interest rate adjustment may reflect the difference between an interest rate that is below the fully indexed rate at the ti me of origination (a so-called “teaser” or “introductory” rate) and a rate that is fully indexed at the time of adjustment. For example, in 2005, the teaser rate on subprime ARMs with an init ial fixed-rate period of two or three years was 3.5 percentage points below the fully indexed rate. 126 As a result, mortgages originated in that year faced a potentially large change in the interest rate and payment, or “payment shock,” at the first adjustment. Furthermore, consumers faci ng the initial interest rate adjustment may fail to anticipate even the possibility of a change in payment, since this is necessarily the first time

126 See Christopher Mayer, Karen Pence, & Shane Sherlund, The Rise in Mortgage Defaults, 23 J. Econ. Persps. 27, 37 (2009).185 since origination that the pa yment could change. Consumers facing payment shock or an unanticipated change in payment also benefit fr om having additional time to plan future budgets or to address a problem with affordability. T hus, consumers facing the initial interest rate adjustment may benefit from the proposed not ice through both the information it provides regarding the potentially new in terest rate and payment and the additional time it provides consumers to adapt. A number of items on the proposed disclosu re would help the consumer respond to problems with making the new payment. In ad dition to information on the amount of the new payment, the proposed disclosure lists alternativ es to making the new payment and gives a brief explanation of each alternative. It explains the circumstan ces under which any prepayment penalty may be imposed and the maximum amount of the penalty. It provides information on rate limits that may affect future payment cha nges. It provides the telephone number of the creditor, assignee, or servicer to call if the consumer antic ipates having problems making the new payment. Finally, it gives contact info rmation for the State housing authority and information to access certain lis ts of homeownership counselors made available by Federal agencies. All of this information benefits a c onsumer who needs to find an alternative to making the new payment. Certain items on the proposed di sclosure may assist the consum er in detecting any errors in the computation of the new payment estim ate. The proposed disclosure provides an explanation of how the new inte rest rate and payment are dete rmined, including the index or formula used and any additional adjustment, such as a margin added to the index. It also states any limits on the increase in the interest rate or payment at each adjustment and over the life of the loan. This information may also facilitate consumers’ ability to compare their current186 mortgage against competing products and provide other benefits, but at the very least it assists consumers in verifying the accuracy of the new estimated payment. Finally, certain items on the proposed disc losure may facilitate the accumulation of equity by consumers with interest-only or negatively-amortizing payments. For these consumers, the disclosure states the amount of both the current and th e expected new payment allocated to principal, interest, and escrow, as applicable. 127 The disclosure also states that the new payment will not be allocated to pay loan pr incipal. If negative amortization occurs as a result of the adjustment, the disclosure must st ate the payment required to fully amortize the loan at the new interest rate. The proposed disclosure alerts consumers with these types of loans to features that bear on equity ac cumulation, and it provides this info rmation at a time when these consumers may be evaluating their mortga ge terms and considering refinancing. As discussed above, the Bureau is proposi ng formatting requirements for the initial interest rate adjustment notice. These require ments benefit consumers by facilitating consumer understanding of the information in the disclosu res. Except for the date of the notice, the proposed rule requires that the di sclosures must be provided in th e form of a table and in the same order as, and with headings and format subs tantially similar to, certain forms provided with the proposed rule. The Bureau’s testing s howed that consumers readily understood the information in the notice when the terms and cal culations were presented in the groupings and logical order contained in the model forms. While there is no formul a for producing the ideal disclosure, the proposed formatting requirements ar e generally informed by decades of consumer

127 The current payment allocation would also appear on the proposed periodic statement disclosure. However, listing the current and expected new payment allocation in one disclosure benefits consumers by making clear any differences between the two allocations. The Bureau recogn izes that the benefit of information in a particular disclosure may be mitigated to the extent that the same information is available in other disclosures that are provided at the same (or nearly the same) time.187 testing. The Bureau believes that disclosures that satisfy the proposed formatting requirements likely provide greater benefits to consumers than both the alternativ es tested and disclosures that do not satisfy these requirements. 128 Magnitude of the benefits to consumers. Research shows that consumers make important decisions about housing finance at the initial interest rate adjustment. Consumers often choose to prepay at the initial interest rate adjustment , and the greater the payment shock, the greater the likelihood of prepayment. These results hold fo r conventional ARMs originated in the 1990s as well as for subprime hybrid ARMs (2/28 and 3/27) originat ed in the 2000s. 129 More controversial is the question of whethe r payment shock at the initial interest rate adjustment causes default. In general, datafrom the 2000s does not find a causal relationship between payment shock at the initial in terest rate adjustment and default. 130 However, for consumers with certain hybrid AR Ms originated in the 2000s, a substantial number experienced a payment shock of at least 5% at the initial intere st rate adjustment, and so me research finds that the default rate for these loans was three times hi gher than it would have been if the payment had not changed. 131 Whether or not the proposed initial interestrate adjustment notice would reduce default under certain conditions, the disclosure may genera lly facilitate the important decisions about

128 For a general discussion of disclosure forma tting, disclosure testing and consumer benefits, see Jeanne Hogarth & Ellen Merry, Designing Disclosures to Inform Consumer Financial Decisionmaking: Lessons Learned from Consumer Testing , 97 Fed. Reserve Bull. 1 (Aug. 2011). 129 Brent W. Ambrose & Michael LaCour-Little, Prepayment Risk in Adjustable Rate Mortgages Subject to Initial Year Discounts: Some New Evidence , 29 Real Est. Econs. 305 (2001) (showing that the expiration of teaser rates causes more ARM prepayments, using data from the 1990s). The same result, using data from the 2000s and focusing on subprime mortgages, is reported in Shane Sherland, The Past, Present and Future of Subprime Mortgages , (Div. of Research & Statistics and Div. of Monetary Affairs, Fed. Reserve Bd., Washington, D.C. 2008); The result that larger paym ent increases generally cause more ARM prepayments, using data from the 1980s, appears in James Vanderhoff , Adjustable and Fixed Rate Mortgage Termination, Option Values and Local Market Conditions , 24 Real Est. Econs. 379 (1996). 130 Mayer, Pence, & Sherlund, supra note 125, at 37. 131 Anthony Pennington-Cross & Giang Ho, The Termination of Subprime Hybrid and Fixed-Rate Mortgages , 38 Real Est. Econs. 399, 420 (2010).188 housing finance that consumers make at the initial interest rate adjustment . Extrapolating from FHFA data, the Bureau estimates that appr oximately 285,000 adjustable -rate mortgages will have an initial interest rate adjustment in each of the next three year s. Few adjustable-rate mortgages in recent years have had teaser rate s; however, consumers with these mortgages may benefit from shifting to a fixed-ra te mortgage. If the new initial interest rate adjustment notice prompts just 1% of consumers who receive the notice to refinance and these consumers save $50 per month, the annual savings to consumers would be over $1.7 million. The Bureau does not have the data necessa ry to fully quantify the benefits of the proposed initial interest rate adju stment notice to consumers. Ce rtain consumers w ith adjustablerate mortgages will be aware of the upcoming initial interest rate adjustment and the possibility of refinancing or (if there is a payment adjust ment) considering altern atives to making a new payment, of needing to reallocat e household resources in light of a new payment, of addressing an error in computing a new payment, and of re viewing the household bala nce sheet in light of an interest-only or negatively-amo rtizing loan. The Bureau is not aware of data with which it could fully quantify the value of the informati on in the disclosure to these consumers or determine the savings to them in time and othe r resources from not having to obtain this information from other sources. Furthermore, there are other consumer s with adjustable-rate mortgages who may be uninformed or misinforme d (or perhaps forgetful) about the upcoming initial interest rate adjustment, the possibility of an error in co mputing a potential new payment, or the financial implications of interest-only and negativ ely-amortizing loans on equity accumulation. The Bureau is not aw are of data with which it coul d quantify the benefits to these consumers of becoming better informed about these features of their mortgages. However, the189 Bureau believes that the proposed initial interest rate adjustment notice may provide substantial benefits to these consumers.
Costs to consumers. As explained below in the discu ssion of costs to covered persons, the cost per disclosure would be about $2.60. Th is estimate takes into account both one-time costs (amortized over five years) and annual production and distribution costs. 132 Under conservative assumptions, in the illustration abov e, the benefits to consumers who receive the disclosure would be $6. Given the small cost per disclosure, the Bu reau believes that consumers would see at most a minimal increase in fees or charges. Servicers may in general attempt to shift a cost increase onto others and consumers may ultimately bear part of an increa se that falls nominally on servicers. For the proposed initial interest rate adjustment notice, however, the costs to be shifted are small. Furthermore, ev en if servicers did attempt to shif t the costs, it is not clear that consumers would bear them. Consider, for exam ple, servicers who bid for servicing rights on mortgages originated by others. The additional costs associated w ith providing the initial rate adjustment notice may cause servicers to bid less a ggressively for certain serv icing rights. In this case, lenders or investors may bear some of the cost. Servicers may also attempt to obtain higher compensation for servicing from originators. Originators may respond by attempting to increase fees or charges at origination or by increasing the cost of credit. In this case consumers may bear some of the costs, but not necessarily all of th em. The relative sensitivity of supply and demand in these inter-related markets would determine the proportion of the cost increase borne by different persons, including consumers. The proposed rule limits how servicers may present the required information in the

132 In this and subsequent numerical discussions, “amortizing” an amount $x over a certain number of years means making equal payments in each year that sum up to $x.190 disclosure. Servicers would have to present the required information in a format substantially similar to the format of the proposed model form s. The Bureau recognizes the possibility that constraints on the way servicers present informa tion to consumers may prohibit the use of more effective forms that servicers are using or ma y develop. The constraints would then impose a cost on consumers. The Bureau does not believe there are any such costs in this case. The Bureau is unaware of any efforts by servicers to develop an initial interest rate adjustment notice that meets the requirements of th e Dodd-Frank Act and provides the benefits to consumers of the proposed model forms. The Bureau worked closely with Macro to develop the model disclosures, conducted three rounds of consumer te sting, and revised the disc losure after testing. During the SBREFA process, the Bureau received comments from some SERs that disclosing an estimate of the new monthly paymen t may confuse certain consumers. The Bureau believes that clearly stating on the form that th e new monthly payment is an estimate and that consumers will receive a notice with the exact amounts two to four months prior to the date the first payment at the adjusted level is due (in case s where the interest rate adjustment results in a corresponding payment change) wi ll mitigate consumer confusion on this point. The Bureau notes that section 1418 of the Dodd-Frank Act requi res disclosure of a good faith estimate of the new monthly payment. In addition, servicers mu st provide an accurate statement of the new monthly payment in the notice if it is available; and if it is not availabl e, then consumers will receive an accurate statement of the new monthly payment betw een 60 and 120 days before the first payment is due, if the in terest rate adjustment causes a corresponding change in payment pursuant to the proposed § 1026.20(c) disclosure. Benefits to covered persons. The timing and the content of the proposed initial interest rate adjustment notice may provi de certain benefits to servi cers. Servicers benefit when191 distressed consumers contact them well in advan ce of a possible increase in interest rate and payment, since early communicati on gives servicers and consumers more time to work together constructively. The proposed di sclosure provides consumers w ith substantial advance notice about their potential future payment and alternat ives. Distressed consumers with such notice may be more likely to contact th eir servicer well in advance of an increase in payment, work constructively with their servicer, an d, if necessary, explore alternatives. Costs to covered persons . The proposed initial interest rate adjustment notice will result in certain compliance costs to co vered persons. Servicers (or th eir vendors) may need to adapt their software and compliance systems to produce the new form. The new proposed form would also provide to borrowers information that is not currently disclosed to them, including information that is specific to each loan. Servicers (or their vendors) may not have ready access to all of this additional loan-level informati on; for example, if some of this additional information is stored in a database that is not regularly accessed by systems that produce the current disclosures. The Bureau seeks inform ation from servicers and vendors that provide services to servicers with respect to operations regarding the storage of loan-level information and the costs of providing the proposed new loan-level information to consumers. Some of the information provided in the proposed initial interest rate adjustment notice is also provided in the proposed revisions to the § 1026.20(c) disclosure. The Bureau believes that harmonizing the two disclosures would mitigate the compliance burden for servicers and reduce the aggregate production co sts to servicers. Based on discussions with servicers and soft ware vendors to date, the Bureau believes that servicers will for the most part use vendor s for one-time software and IT upgrades and for ongoing production and distribution ( i.e. , mailing) of the disclosure. Servicers will also incur192 one-time costs to learn about the proposed rule, but those costs wi ll be minimal. Furthermore, the Bureau believes that under existing mortgage servicing contracts, vendors would absorb the one-time software and IT costs and ongoing prod uction costs of disclo sures for large- and medium- sized servicers but pass along these costs to small servicers. All servicers would pay distribution costs. Based on discussions with industry and ex trapolating from FHFA data, the Bureau estimates the one-time cost of the proposed disclosure to be just over $3 million for 12,800 servicers. Amortizing this co st over five years and combin ing it with annual costs of $139,000 gives a total annual cost of $58 per servicer, or $2.60 per notice. The use of vendors substantially mitigates the costs of revising software and IT, as the efforts of a single vendor addresses the needs of a large num ber of servicers. The ongoing cost s reflect the fact that there will be relatively few initial inte rest rate adjustments on adjustable-rate mortgages over the next few years. For small servicers, the one-time cost of th e proposed disclosure is $2.3 million. This also gives a total annual cost of about $58 per servicer. However, it is not possible to estimate the number of initial interest rate adjustment not ices that small servicers will produce each year, since the Bureau is not aware of any reasonably obtainable data on the loan portfolios of small servicers. The Bureau believes that the number is small since the total number of mortgages serviced by small servicers is small and the no tice is given only once to each ARM borrower. The Bureau seeks comment on these estimates an d asks interested parties to provide data, research, and other information that may inform the further considera tion of these costs. The Bureau recognizes that certain financia l benefits to consumers from the initial interest rate adjustment notice may have an a ssociated financial cost to covered persons.193 Servicer compensation is not directly tied to th e interest rate on a c onsumer’s mortgage, but rather to the unpaid principal bala nce. Thus, when a consumer refinances a mortgage at a lower interest rate, one servicer incurs a cost but another has a benefit. On the other hand, if a consumer refinances from an adjustable-rate mortga ge to a fifteen year fixed-rate mortgage, then the consumer would pay off the unpaid principa l balance more quickly and servicer income would fall. Servicers may also receive redu ced fee income from delinquent borrowers (or investors) if the notice helps borrowers avoi d delinquency. The Bureau believes that the proposed initial interest rate adju stment notice is likely to have a small effect on the costs to servicers through the channels ju st described, but the Bureau s eeks data with which it may further consider these costs. Finally, as discussed in part VI, the Bureau considered but decided not to except small servicers from the proposed initia l interest rate adjustment noti ce. The Bureau is not proposing an exception for small servicers because an ex ception would deprive certain consumers of the seven to eight months advance notice before paym ent at a new level is due that is provided by the disclosure and the information about altern atives and how to contact various sources of assistance. Conversely, the Bureau believes that the benefit to small entities from an exception would be small. Vendors will spread the one-tim e software and IT costs of the notice over many small servicers and the annual costs will be small since the proposed notice is given just once to each consumer with an adjustable-rate mortgage. As discussed above, the Bureau believes that five annual payments of $58 by each small servicer will fully amortize the one-time cost of the proposed interest rate adjustment notice.
2. Changes in the format, content, and timing of the Regulation Z § 1026.20(c) disclosure for adjustable-rate mortgages194 Under current § 1026.20(c), creditors must mail or deliver to consumers whose payments will change as a result of an interest rate adjustment a notice of interest rate adjustment for variable-rate transactions subj ect to § 1026.19(b) at least 25, but no more than 120, calendar days before a payment at a new level is due. Credito rs must also provide an annual disclosure to consumers whose interest rate, but not mortgage payment, changes during the year covered by the disclosure. The Bureau is proposing to elimin ate the annual disclosure . Thus, the discussion below relates exclusively to the payment change disclosure required under § 1026.20(c). 133 The Bureau is proposing to change the minimum ti me for providing advance notice to consumers from 25 days to 60 days before payment at a new level is due, with an accommodation for existing ARMs with look-back periods of less than 45 days. 134 The maximum time for advance notice would remain the same: 120 days prior to the due date of the first payment at a new level. The coverage, content, and format of the re vised § 1026.20(c) disclosure closely tracks the coverage, content, and format of the proposed initial interest rate adjustment disclosure. Benefits to consumers . Regarding the change in timing, the Bureau does not believe that the current minimum of 25 days provides suffici ent time for consumers to pursue meaningful alternatives such as refinancing, home sale, loan modification, forbearance , or deed in lieu of foreclosure. Nor does this minimum provide suffi cient time for consumers to adjust household finances to cover new payments. The Boar d’s 2009 Closed-End Proposal stated that HMDA

133 As discussed in part VI, the Bureau believes that annual notice is duplicative given the proposed periodic statement, which would provide much of the same information. Thus, eliminating the annual notice reduces costs for servicers with little or no loss in benefits to consumers. 134 As explained above, the Bureau is aw are that for certain ARMs, there is cu rrently less than 60 days between the date on which the index value is selected that serves as the basis for the new payment and the date on which payment at a new level is due. It may therefore be diff icult for servicers to provide a notice of interest rate adjustment within 60 days of the date on which payment at a new level is due. The Bureau may provide an accommodation for some of these ARMs by requiring a different minimum time for providing this advance notice. The Bureau solicits comments on the operational changes that would be required to provide § 1026.20(c) notices at least 60 days before payment at a new level is due.195 data for the years 2004 through 2007 suggested that a requirement to provide ARM adjustment disclosures 60, rather than 25, days before payment at a new leve l is due more closely reflects the time needed for consumers to refinance a loan. Regarding the proposed changes in the cont ent of the § 1026.20(c) di sclosure, the Bureau believes that it is helpful to consumers to receiv e similar notices for similar purposes. Thus, the Bureau believes there is some consumer benef it in harmonizing the § 1026.20(c) disclosure with the proposed initial interest rate adjustment disclosure. However, the two disclosures are triggered by different (although relate d) events and the benefit of the information to consumers is somewhat different. Both the current and proposed § 1026.20(c) di sclosure provide the current and upcoming interest rate and payment (not an estimate) and the date the fi rst new payment is due. This information facilitates househol d budgeting and may alert the consumer to a potential problem with affordability. Proposed § 1026.20(c) requires the disclosure to include an explanation of how the new interest rate and payment are determined, incl uding the index or formula used, any margin added, and any previously foregone interest incr ease applied. The proposed disclosure also states any limits on the interest rate or paymen t increase at each adjustment and over the life of the loan. This information assists the consumer in detecting any errors in the computation of the new payment. In contrast, the current § 1026.20(c) disclosure provides th e index value without any explanation and does not provi de information about limits on interest rate or payment increases. Information provided in the proposed § 1026.20(c) disclosure facilita tes the evaluation of alternatives to paying the new am ount due. For example, the proposed disclosure provides an196 explanation of the circumstances under which a ny prepayment penalty may be imposed and the maximum amount of the penalty, which highlights the direct cost of refina ncing into a different loan. Also, disclosure of key features of th e loan like the new allocation of payments for interest-only and negatively-amortizing ARMs, th e rate limit per year and over the life of the loan, and warnings about interest-only payments and increases in the loan balance may also facilitate the comparison of the current loan wi th alternatives. Disclo sures required by current § 1026.20(c) do not provide any of this information. The proposed § 1026.20(c) disclosure provides the same information as the proposed initial interest rate adjustment notice regardi ng features of the mort gage that affect the accumulation of equity. The disclosure of the loan balance itself is useful for this purpose. For interest-only or negatively-amortizing loans, the disclosure states the am ount of the new payment allocated to pay principal, intere st, and taxes and insurance in escr ow, as applicable , and that the new payment will not be allocated to pay loan prin cipal. If negative amortization will occur due to the interest rate adjustment, the disclosure states the payment required to fully amortize the loan at the new interest rate. The proposed disclosure alerts c onsumers with these types of loans to features that bear on equity accumulation, an d it provides this information at a time when these consumers may be evaluating their mortga ge terms and considering refinancing. In contrast, the current § 1026.20(c) disclosures pr ovide only the loan balance and information about the payment required to fully amortize the loan at the new interest rate if the interest rate adjustment caused the negative amortization. As noted above, the Bureau recognizes that th e benefit to consumers of information in a particular disclosure may be attenuated to the ex tent that the same information is available in other disclosures that are provided at the same (or nearly the same ) time. However, some of the197 information on the proposed § 1026.20(c) disclosure that also appears on the proposed periodic statement disclosure is provided on the § 1026.20(c) di sclosure in order to facilitate comparisons between the current and new payment before the new payment is due. Since the proposed § 1026.20(c) disclosure is provided only if the pa yment changes, the benefit to consumers from receiving the same information on both disclosures is likely greater than the benefit of receiving this information only on the periodic statement disclosure. 135 Finally, the Bureau is proposing formatting re quirements for the § 1026.20(c) disclosure similar to those for the initial interest rate adjustment noti ce. As discussed above, these requirements benefit consumers by facilitating cons umer understanding of the information in the disclosures. The proposed rule provides that the disclosures must be provided in the form of a table and in the same order as, and with headin gs and format substantia lly similar to, certain forms provided with the proposed rule. The Bur eau’s testing of the same information proposed for inclusion in § 1026.20(c) notice in the propos ed § 1026.20(d) notice showed that consumers readily understood the information in the notice when the terms a nd calculations were presented in the logical order contained in the model forms. As discusse d above, while there is no formula for producing the ideal disclosure, the Bureau believes that disclo sures that satisfy the proposed formatting requirements likely provide greater bene fits to consumers than both the alternatives tested and disclosures that do not satisfy these requirements. Extrapolating from FHFA data, the Bu reau estimates that approximately 650,000 adjustable-rate mortgages will adjust in each of the next three years. To illustrate the possible benefits of the proposed § 1026.20(c) disclosure, suppose that the proposed change in the timing

135 Of course, a consumer who receives the proposed § 1026.20(c) disclosure may derive little additional benefit from shortly thereafter receiving the sa me information on the proposed periodic statement disclosure. There would, however, likely be little cost saving for servicers in not having to provide the information on the proposed periodic statement disclosure that also appears on the § 1026.20(c) disclosure for just one or two months.198 of the disclosure from 25 days to 60 days befo re payment at a new level is due prompts certain consumers to refinance one month sooner. If the change in timing provides just 5% of consumers with ARMs a one-time benefit of $50, th e annual savings to c onsumers would be over $1.6 million.
Costs to consumers. As explained further in the discus sion of costs to covered persons, the proposed provisions would produce a minima l increase in costs, about 80 cents per disclosure. This estimate takes into account bo th one-time additional costs (amortized over five years) and additional annual production and distribu tion costs. Under conservative assumptions, in the illustration above, the benefit to consumers would be $2.50 per disclosure. Given the small additional cost per disclosure , the Bureau believes that consumers would not see any increase in fees or charges. Servicer s may in general attempt to shift a cost increase onto others and consumers may ultimately bear part of an increase that falls nominally on servicers. For the proposed § 1026.20(c) disclosure , however, the costs to be shifted are very small. Thus, the proposed disclosure is not lik ely to impose any cost increase on consumers. As with the proposed in itial interest rate adjustment not ice, the proposed rule limits how servicers may present the required informa tion in the proposed § 1026.20(c) disclosure. Servicers would have to present the required inform ation in a format substantially similar to the format of the proposed model form. The Bureau recognizes the possibility that constraints on the way servicers present information to consumers may prohibit the use of more effective forms that servicers are using or may develop. The cons traints would then impose a cost on consumers. The Bureau does not believe there are any such cost s in this case. The Bureau is unaware of any efforts by servicers to develop a payment adju stment notice that meets the requirements of proposed § 1026.20(c) and provides the benefits to consumers of the proposed model forms.199 As discussed above, some consumers have adjustable-rate mortga ges with look-back periods shorter than 45 days. For example, F HA and VA ARMs often have look-back periods of 15 or 30 days. These ARMs contractually will not be able to comp ly with the proposal to require sending the § 1026.20(c) disclosure 60 to 120 days be fore payment at a new level is due. The Bureau is proposing grandfathe ring these existing ARMs. Go ing forward, however, ARMs must be structured to permit compliance with th e proposed 60- to 120-day time frame. Initial outreach suggests that the absence of adjustable-rate mort gages with short lookback periods will not reduce the mortgage options available to consumers. It is possible, however, that mortgages with short look-back pe riods may have certain cost advantages to servicers or investors in certain interest rate environments ( e.g. , when rates are rising quickly) and that competition may translate some of these adva ntages into benefits to consumers. In this case, the proposed 60- to 120-day time frame wo uld impose a cost on consumers. The Bureau seeks comments on both the grandfathering provis ion and general requirement for compliance with the proposed time frame going forward. Benefits to covered persons. The timing and content of the proposed § 1026.20(c) disclosure may provide certain benefits to servicers. Serv icers benefit when distressed consumers contact them in advance of a possible increase in interest rate and payment, since early communication gives servicer s and consumers more time to work together constructively. Changing the minimum time for providing advance notice to consumers from 25 days to 60 days before payment at a new level is due provi des essential household budgeting information to consumers sooner. Distressed cons umers may then contact their serv icer sooner, and the servicer and the consumer would then have additional time to work together and if necessary to explore alternatives.200 Costs to covered persons . The proposed modifications of the § 1026.20(c) disclosure will result in certain compliance costs to covered persons. Servicers (or their vendors) may need to adapt their software and compliance systems to produce the revised disclosure. The revised disclosure would also provide to borrowers inform ation that is not currently disclosed to them, including information that is specific to each lo an. Servicers (or their vendors) may not have ready access to all of this additional loan-level information; for example, if some of this additional information is stored in a database that is not re gularly accessed by systems that produce the current disclosures. The Bureau so licits information about servicer and vendor operations regarding the storage of loan-level information and the costs of providing the proposed new loan-level information to consumers. As discussed above, some of the informati on provided in the proposed revisions to the § 1026.20(c) disclosure is also pr ovided in the proposed initia l interest rate adjustment disclosure. The Bureau believes that harm onizing the two disclosures would mitigate the compliance burden for servicers and reduce the aggregate production co sts to servicers. Based on discussions with servicers and soft ware vendors to date, the Bureau believes that, in general, servicers of all sizes will incur minimal one -time costs to learn about the proposed provision. They will for the most part use vendors for one-time software and IT upgrades and for producing and distributing ( i.e. , mailing) the disclosure . Under existing vendor contracts, large servicers will not be charged for the upgrades and production but may be charged for distribution. Smaller servicers may be charged for all these costs, but they service relatively few loans so in aggregate these costs are small. Based on discussions with industry and extr apolating from FHFA data, the Bureau estimates one-time costs of just under $2 milli on for the 12,800 servicers overall. Amortizing201 this cost over five years and combining it with annual costs of $129,000 give s a total annual cost of $41 per servicer, or 80 cents per disclosure. For small servicers, the one-time cost is $1.65 million. This also gives a total additional a nnual cost of about bout $41 per servicer. The Bureau is not aware of any reasonably obtainable data on the loan portfolio s of small servicers, so it is not possible to estimate the number of disclosure that small se rvicers would produce each year. The Bureau seeks comment on these estimates and asks interested pa rties to provide data, research, and other information that may inform the further considera tion of these costs. The Bureau recognizes that certain financia l benefits to consumers from the revised § 1026.20(c) disclosure may have an associated financial cost to covered persons. The discussion of this point for the initial interest ra te adjustment notice applies equally to the revised § 1026.20(c) disclosure. Finally, as discussed above, the Bureau rec ognizes that there may be costs to covered persons from extending the minimum advance no tice period to 60 days. Mortgages with short look-back periods may have certain cost advantages in certain interest rate environments ( e.g. , when rates are rising quickly). The Bureau seeks comments on both the grandfathering provision and general requirement for complian ce with the proposed time frame going forward.
3. New periodic statement disclosure for certain mortgages Section 1420 of the Dodd-Frank Act requires th e creditor, assignee, or servicer of any residential mortgage loan to transmit to the consum er, for each billing cycle, a periodic statement that sets forth certain specified information in a clear and conspicuous manner. The statute also gives the Bureau the author ity to require servicers 136 to include additional content to be included in the periodic statement. The statute provides an exception to the periodic statement

136 Reference in parts VII, VIII, and IX to “servicers” with regard to the prop osed rule for the periodic statement, means creditors, assignees, and servicers.202 requirement for fixed-rate loans where th e consumer is given a coupon book containing substantially the same information as the statement. The proposed rule would require the periodic statement to include th e content listed in the statute, as applicable, as we ll as billing information, paymen t application information, and information that may be helpful to distressed or delinquent consumers. In accordance with the statute, the proposed rule pr ovides a coupon book exemption for fixed-rate loans when the consumer is given a coupon book with certain of the information required by the periodic statement. The proposed rule also has exempti ons for small servicers, reverse mortgages, and timeshares. The proposed periodic statement disclosure would be provided to all consumers with a closed-end residential mortgage, unle ss one of the exemptions applies. Benefits to consumers. The Bureau does not have representative information on the extent to which servicers currently provide c onsumers with coupon books, billing statements, or periodic statements that may comply with the pro posed rule. Servicers do have an incentive to provide consumers with basic billing informati on. This includes the payment due date, amount of any late payment fee, amount due, and current in terest rate. This information also appears on the proposed periodic statement. While this ba sic information provides benefits to consumers, those benefits are already provide d for by current disclosures. The proposed periodic statement will also contain information that could appear on a coupon book that does provide additional benefits to consumers, for exampl e, the housing counselor information. There is other information that appears on billing statements and coupon books but is accurate only if the consumer always makes the scheduled payment on time and no other payment. This information is accurate because it follows a set formula. It includes the203 outstanding principal balance, total payments ma de since the beginning of the calendar year, and the breakdown of payments into pr incipal, interest, and escrow. Th is information is not accurate, however, if the borrower makes an extra paymen t, provides a partial payment, or misses a payment entirely. All of this aforementioned information app ears on the proposed periodic statement. However, on the proposed periodic statement, th e information would be accurate even if the consumer makes an extra payment, provides a pa rtial payment, or misses a payment entirely. Consumers generally benefit fr om having accurate information about payments in order to monitor the servicer, assert erro rs if necessary, and track the accumulation of equity. However, delinquent consumers may especia lly benefit from tracking the e ffects of delinquency on equity so they can effectively determine how to allocate income and consider options for refinancing. For these consumers, the proposed periodic stat ement may provide large benefits relative to coupon books or billing statements that do notprovide the aforementioned information. Finally, there is information that simply cannot be provided on a coupon book or on a billing statement that provides the same inform ation as a coupon book. This includes fees or charges imposed since the last periodic statemen t, partial payments, past due payments, and a wide range of delinquency information and information about loan modifications and foreclosure. Consumers who are more than 45 days delinquent will have a delinquency notice included on the periodic statement (or provided to them if their servicer is using a coupon book) providing specific information about the delinquency of their loan. This is one way the servicer may catch the attention of the consumer. The messages section provides an additional route. The only message the proposed rule requires the se rvicer to provide conc erns partial payments;204 however, the proposal also seeks comment on ot her messages that should be required. Consumers who make partial payments may benefit from knowing what they must do to have the funds in a suspense or unapplied funds account applied to the outstanding balance. All of this information is useful to distre ssed or delinquent consumers who may need to assert an error and evaluate alternatives to payi ng the current mortgage. A consumer with past due amounts on a mortgage, car, and credit card would need information about the past due amounts and how the fees and charges accumulate in order to determine the most advantageous way of reducing total debt. The information ge nerally benefits consumers who are managing a variety of debts and who want to know the least co stly way of increasing th eir total debt or the most advantageous way of reducing their total debt. The Bureau is proposing grouping requirements in the format of the periodic statement. The grouping requirement presents the information in a logical format and may facilitate consumer understanding of the information in th e different components of the disclosure. The General Design Principles discussed in the M acro Final Report, discussed in the section-bysection analysis, include grouping together relate d concepts and figures because consumers are likely to find it easier to absorb and make sens e of financial forms if the information is grouped in a logical way. The Bureau also tested model periodic statement disclosures that satisfy the grouping requirements. As discussed above, while there is no formula for producing the ideal disclosure, the Bureau believes th at disclosures that satisfy the grouping requirement are likely to provide greater benefits to consum ers than disclosures that do not. There are two main exceptions to the proposed periodic statement requirement. The first, provided by statute, is an exception for consum ers with fixed-rate mortgages and coupon books that contain certain information. As discusse d above, the fixed or formulaic information on205 coupon books will be accurate for consumers who make only scheduled payments. Consumers with fixed-rate mortgages never have to mana ge a changed payment amount. However, the Bureau does not have ready access to data on whet her they are less likely to make additional payments, partial payments or miss a payment and may obtain substantia lly reduced benefits because of the exception. The Bureau is also proposing an exception for sm all servicers. A small servicer would be defined as a servicer (i) who se rvices 1,000 or fewer mortgage loan s and (ii) that only services mortgage loans for which the servicer or an aff iliate is the owner or assignee, or for which the servicer or an affiliate is the en tity to whom the mortgage loan obligation was initially payable. Such small servicers will not have to provide the proposed periodic statement. As discussed in the section- by-section analysis on § 1026.41( e)(4), the Bureau believes that servicers that meet both conditions genera lly provide consumers with ready access to the information on the proposed periodic statement, but possibly through other channels. Servicers that meet the first condition face either a reduction in the value of an asset on its portfolio or the loss of an investment in the re lationship with the consumer whic h was established by originating if they provide poor servicing. Se rvicers that also service relatively few loans have an incentive to commit to a “high-touch” business model that offers highly responsive customer service. The Bureau believes that servicers that meet bot h conditions can and gene rally do provide their customers with ready access to comprehensive information about their payments, amounts due and other account information through a variety of channels. Thus, the Bureau believes that the proposed exemption would produce at most a minima l reduction in benefits to the customers of small servicers.206 Using regulatory filings, the Bureau roughl y estimates that approximately 49 million consumers would receive the proposed periodic statement disclosure (even taking into account the small servicer exception). To illustrate the possible benefits of the disclosure, suppose 10% save 15 minutes each year because the proposed disclosure provides them with information about their loan or payments that their billing statements or coupon books may not provide (e.g., a past payment breakdown) and they would spe nd 15 minutes obtaining this information, say by contacting their servicer by phone, mail or some ot her means. This is a savings of 1.225 million hours per year, or almost $21 million at the median wage of $17 per hour. Benefits to covered persons. Providing the proposed conten t on a regular basis to consumers may reduce the frequency with which c onsumers contact the servicer for information and reduce the time servicers spend answering cons umer questions. Servi cers also benefit from reduced costs when they manage fewer partia l payments and delinquencies and can resolve delinquencies sooner. Costs to covered persons. The proposed periodic statement disclosure will result in certain compliance costs to servicers. Servicer s (or their vendors) ma y need to adapt their software and compliance systems to produce the new disclosure. The new proposed disclosure would also provide to borrowers information that is not currently disclosed to them, including information that is specific to each loan. Se rvicers (or their vendors) may not have ready access to all of this additional loan-level informati on; for example, if some of this additional information is stored in a database that is not regularly accessed by systems that produce the current disclosures. The Bureau solicits in formation about servicer and vendor operations regarding the storage of loan-lev el information and the costs of providing the proposed new loanlevel information to consumers.207 The Bureau believes that, in general, servic ers of all sizes will incur minimal one-time costs to learn about the proposed provision. Ba sed on information provided by servicers and by software vendors, the Bureau believe that serv icers will use vendors for one-time software and IT upgrades and for produc ing and distributing ( i.e. , mailing) the disclosure. Under existing vendor contracts, large servicers will not be charged for the upgrades and production but may be charged for distribution. Smaller servicers may be charged for all these co sts, but they service relatively few loans so in aggregate these costs are small. The Bureau is not aware of any reasonably obtainable data that would allow an accurate calculation of the additional annua l cost from the proposed disclosure per servicer. This calculation would depend critica lly on the number of servicers not covered by the exception and the number of adjustable-rate mortgages with coupon books that these servicers currently service. A plausible illustration is that 2,013 servicers not covered by the exception begin providing 1 million consumers (i.e., those with coupon books and adjustable rate mortgages) twelve new disclosures per year at fifty cents per disclosure, fo r an average annual cost of $2,981 per servicer. This figure does not include the additional annual cost to these servicers of providing the information on the proposed periodic statement disclosure that is not currently provided on their existing billing statements. The Bureau welcomes comment on this estimate and asks interested parties to provide data, research, and other information that may inform the further consideration of the costs of th e proposed periodic st atement disclosure. The small servicer exemption in proposed § 1026.41(e)(4) would bene fit small servicers by providing an alternative, and potentially le ss expensive, means of compliance with the periodic statement requirement. The SBREFA panel stated that a periodic statement requirement would impose significant burdens on small servicers. The panel explained that while much of208 the information in the proposed periodic stat ement was already being provided through alternative means and most of the information is available on request, consolidating this information into a single monthly dynamic st atement is difficult for small servicers. The SERs expressed that due to their small size, they would not be able to have in-house expertise and would generally us e third-party vendors to develop periodic statements. Due to their small size, they believe they would have no control over these vendo r costs. Additionally, the small servicers have a smaller portfolio ove r which to spread the fixed costs of producing periodic statements. Such servic ers stated they are unable to ga in cost efficiencies and cannot effectively spread the implementation costs of pe riodic statements across their loan portfolios. Finally, even the costs of mailing monthly statements could be significant to the extent that small servicers currently use alterna tive information methods (such as coupon books for adjustable-rate mortgages, or passbooks). For small servicers, the cost savings from the proposed exception equals the costs not incurred to begin providing peri odic statements or to improve existing disclosures to consumers who would be required to receive the period ic statement under the proposal. The only consumers who need not receive the proposed disclo sure are those with fi xed-rate mortgages and coupon books. The Bureau believes that this is a relatively small fraction of the loans held on portfolio or sold with servici ng retained by servicer s with less than 1,000 loans. Thus, small servicers would have to increase the content of existing disclosures or begin providing the periodic statement disclosure to almost all of their consumers. However, many of these consumers receive billing statements, so there would not be additional distribution costs from the proposed disclosure, and the exception does not mitigate costs that would not be incurred.209 There is no reasonably availabl e data with which the Bureau can accurately estimate the number of these consumers or the mix of new di sclosures and improved di sclosures. However, based on regulatory data, the Bureau believes that approximately 10,800 small servicers service 2.3 million mortgages. Based on discussions w ith industry, the Bureau believes that each periodic statement would cost a ra nge of 20 - 50 cents to provide. Thus, a reasonable estimate of the cost savings for small servicers from the proposed exception is $6 million - $14 million. The Bureau seeks data and other information with wh ich it may further consid er the question of the cost savings from the proposed small servicer exception.
4. Prompt crediting of payments and re sponse to requests for payoff amounts DFA section 1464(a) codifies existing Regulation Z § 1026.36(c)(1)(i) on prompt crediting. The Bureau is proposing an additi onal requirement for the handling of partial payments ( i.e. , payments that are not full contractual pa yments). Under the proposal, if servicers hold partial payments in a suspense account, once the amount in the account equals a full contractual payment, the servi cer must credit the payment to the most delinquent outstanding payment. The Bureau proposes to define a full contractual payment as a payment covering principal, interest and escrow (if applicable). A proposed alternative to the definition would include late fees. DFA section 1464(b) requires that a creditor or servicer of a home loan send an accurate payoff balance within a reasonable time, but in no case more than seven business days, after the receipt of a written request for su ch balance from or on behalf of the consumer. This generally codifies existing Regulation Z § 1026.36( c)(1)(iii) on payoff statements. Benefits and costs to consumers . The proposed provision on prompt crediting generally ensures that consumers benefit from every effort that they make to pay their mortgage debt. The210 proposed provision helps consumers manage and re duce default by clarifyi ng the rules servicers must follow when processing partial payments. As the statute largely codifies an existing regulation, the benefits and costs to consumers from a pre-statute baseline are small. Howeve r, the existing regulation does not specifically address the handling of partial payments. As discussed above, the proposed regulation would leave servicers significant flexibility in the hand ling of partial payments but would also ensure greater consistency in the handling of suspense accounts. The Bureau believes this proposed approach would clarify servicers’ obligations in processing both full contractual payment and partial payments, as well as ensure all payments are properly applied. The proposed disclosures would help consumers understand the their proce ssing of their payments. Additionally, requiring application to the oldest outstanding paymen t when a full payment accumulates will provide protection to consumers, as we ll as reduce the outstanding princi pal balance on certain consumer loans. The Bureau requests comment on the bene fits and costs to consumers of including late fees in the definition of a full contractual payment. Not including late fees in the definition of a full contractual payment would require servicers to credit a payment that covered principal, interest and escrow even if late fees were outstanding. Consumers who made such a payment would benefit from having that payment credited. While some servicers currently follow this practice, other servicers who hold such payments in suspense accounts un til the fees are paid would be required to ch ange their practices. Benefits and costs to covered persons. As the statute largely codifies an existing regulation, the benefits and costs to covered persons from a pre-st atute baseline are small. The proposed provision on prompt crediting may cause certain covered persons with different crediting practices to forfeit some fee income or float income, but the Bureau has no data with211 which to determine whether this is the case. The Bureau requests comment on the benefits and costs to covered persons of incl uding late fees in the definiti on of a full contractual payment. E. Potential Specific Impacts of the Proposed Rule 1. Depository Institutions and Credit Unions wi th $10 Billion or Less in Total Assets, As Described in § 1026 Overall, the impact of the rule on depository institutions and credit unions depends on a number of factors, including the institutions’ current software and compliance systems and the current practices of third-party service provi ders. Based on discussions with industry, the Bureau believes that larger depositories and credit unions will incur only minimal costs from this rulemaking. The initial interest rate adjustment notice is a new disclosure, but the Bureau believes that the larger depository institutions and credit uni ons (of those with $10 billion or less in total assets) use third-party vendors who will, under current contracts, absorb the information collection and data processing cost s. The Bureau believes that vendors do not absorb the costs of mailing disclosures, and based on discussions with industry the Bu reau understands that 70-80% of consumers have not elected to receive disclosu res electronically. Relatively few adjustablerate mortgages have been originated in recent ye ars, however, and so the number that will adjust for the first time in the near term will be small. The costs to the larger deposito ries and credit unions (of t hose with $10 billion or less in total assets) from the proposed changes to the two other propose d disclosures will also be minimal. The Bureau expects that the informa tion collection and data processing costs of the periodic statement disclosure and the propos ed changes in the § 1026.20(c) disclosure will largely be absorbed by third-party vendors. Th e Bureau believes that the mailing costs of the212 periodic statement disclosure are likely to be the same as those for billing statements that it would replace. The proposed provision on peri odic statements would require consumers who use a coupon book for payments on an adjustable-rate mortgage to receive a periodic statement, but the number of such consumers is small. The mailing costs of the proposed § 1026.20(c) disclosure would be the same as the ma iling costs of the current disclosure. The Bureau believes that smaller depositories and credit unions may incur some additional costs from this rulemaking. Smaller de positories also use thir d-party vendors, but the Bureau believes that contracts with these ve ndors may allow them to pass along the information collection and data processing cost s to the servicers. Even for smaller depository servicers, however, the additional costs from the two proposed disclosures fo r adjustable-rate mortgage are likely to be small. There will be few initial in terest rate adjustments in the near term, and servicers currently are required to send the § 1026.20(c) disclosure . Thus, most new costs will come from the one-time and ongoing costs of providing the periodic statement disclosure. As discussed above, the Bureau is proposing to exempt certain sma ll servicers from the periodic statement disclosure requirement if they servi ce fewer than 1,000 loans and either hold the loans in portfolio or originated them. Using Call Repo rt data, the Bureau conc ludes that almost all servicers with under $175 million in assets w ould qualify for this exemption, as would many servicers with greater assets. However, the Bureau will examine this question further and requests data and additional information on th e small servicers who would qualify for the proposed exemption. Based on discussions with industry, the Bur eau believes that the vast majority of depositories and credit unions, of any size, are already in compliance with the proposed provisions for prompt crediting of payments and response to reque sts for payoff amounts.213 2. Impact of the Proposed Provisions on Consumers in Rural Areas Consumers in rural areas may experience be nefits from the proposed rule that are different in certain respects from the benefits experienced by consumers in general. Consumers in rural areas may be more likely to obtain mo rtgages from small local banks and credit unions that either service the loans in portfolio or sell the loans and retain the servicing rights. These servicers may already provide most of the bene fits to consumers that the proposed rule is designed to provide, including the be nefits to consumers with adjust able-rate mortgages. On the other hand, it is also possible th at a lack of altern atives for consumers in some rural areas regarding lenders who also service mortgages may cause the proposed ru le to provide rural consumers with greater bene fits than the rule may pr ovide to other consumers. The Bureau will further consider the impact of the proposed rule on consumers in rural areas. The Bureau therefore asks interested part ies to provide data, rese arch results and other factual information on the impact of the pr oposed rule on consumers in rural areas. F. Additional Analysis Being Cons idered and Request for Information The Bureau will further consider the bene fits, costs, and impacts of the proposed provisions and additional proposed modifications before finaliz ing the proposal. As noted below, there are a number of areas where addi tional information would allow the Bureau to better estimate the benefits a nd costs of this proposal. In addition, the Bureau asks interested part ies to provide general information, data, and research results on:

 How consumers might respond to the inform ation proposed for inclusion in the new initial interest rate adjustment disclosure, the a dditional information proposed for214 inclusion in the revised Regulation Z § 1026.20(c) disclo sure, and the information proposed for inclusion in the new periodic statement disclosures;

 The coverage and format of these proposed disclosures;

 The benefits to consumers from the disclosures listed above; and

 The potential impact on servicers and on the functioning of the servicing market from the disclosures listed above and the prompt crediting requirement. The Bureau also requests specific inform ation on the costs to covered persons of complying with the proposal, such as re vising compliance software and systems. To supplement the information discussed in this preamble and any information that the Bureau may receive from commenters, the Bureau is currently working to gather additional data that may be relevant to this and other mortga ge-related rulemakings. These data may include additional data from the National Mortgage Li cense System (NMLS) and the NMLS Mortgage Call Report, loan file extracts from various le nders, and data from the pilot phases of the National Mortgage Database. The Bureau expe cts that each of these datasets will be confidential. This section now describes each dataset in turn. First, as the sole system supporting licensure /registration of mortgage companies for 53 regulatory agencies for states and territories a nd mortgage loan originat ors under the SAFE Act, NMLS contains basic identifying information for non-depository mortgage loan origination companies. Firms that hold a State license or State registration through NMLS are required to complete either a standard or expanded Mo rtgage Call Report (MCR) . The Standard MCR includes data on each firm’s residential mortgage loan activity including applications, closed loans, individual mortgage loan originator (M LO) activity, line of cr edit, and other data repurchase information by State. It also include s financial information at the company level.215 The expanded report collects more detailed information in each of these areas for those firms that sell to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. 137 To date, the Bureau has received basic data on the firms in the NMLS and de-identified data and tabulati ons of data from the MCR. These data were used, along with HMDA data, to help estimate the number and characteri stics of non-depository institutions active in various mo rtgage activities. In the near future, the Bureau may receive additional data on loan activity and financial information from the NMLS including loan activity and financial information for identified lenders. The Bureau anticipates that these data will provide additional information about the numbe r, size, type, and le vel of activity for nondepository lenders engaging in various mortgage or igination and servicing activities. As such, it supplements the Bureau’s current data for non-de pository institutions reported in HMDA and the data already received from NMLS. For example, these new data will include information about the number and size of closed-end first and second loans originated, fees earned from origination activity, levels of servicing, revenue estimates fo r each firm, and other information. The Bureau may compile some simple counts and tabulations and conduct some basic statistical modeling to better model the levels of various activities at various types of firms. In particular, the information from the NMLS and the MCR may help the Bureau refine its estimates of benefits, costs, and impacts for each of the revisions to the RESPA Good Faith Es timate and settlement statement forms, changes to the HOEPA threshol ds, changes to requirements for appraisals, updates to loan originator compensation rules, proposed new servicing requirements, and the new ability to repay standards. Second, the Bureau is working to obtain a random selection of loan-level data from several lenders. The Bureau inte nds to request loan file data fr om lenders of various sizes and

137 More information about the Mortgage Call Report can be found at http://mortgage.nationwidelicensingsystem.org/slr/common/mcr/Pages/default.aspx.216 geographic locations to construct a representative dataset. In part icular, the Bureau will request a random sample of RESPA, GFE, and RESPA settle ment statement forms from loan files for closed-end loans. These forms include data on some or all loan ch aracteristics including settlement charges, origination charges, apprai sal fees, flood certifications, mortgage insurance premiums, homeowner’s insurance, title charge s, balloon payments, prepayment penalties, origination charges, and credit charges or points. Through c onversations with industry, the Bureau believes that such loan files exist in standard electronic formats allowing for the creation of a representative sample for analysis. The Bu reau may use these data to further measure the impacts of certain proposed changes. Calculations of various categories of settlement and origination charges may help the Bureau calcula te the various impacts of proposed changes to the definition of finance charge and other aspect s of the proposal, including proposed changes in the number and characteristics of loans that ex ceed the HOEPA thresholds, loans that would meet the high rate or high risk definitions ma ndating additional consumer protections, and loans that meet the points and fees th resholds contained in the abilit y to repay provisions of the DoddFrank Act. Third, the Bureau may also use data from the pilot phases of the National Mortgage Database (NMDB) to refine its proposals and/or its assessments of the benefits, costs, and impacts of these proposals. The NMDB is a comprehensive database, currently under development, of loan-level information on first lien single-family mortgages. It is designed to be a nationally representative sample (1%) and cont ains data derived from credit reporting agency data and other administrative sources along with da ta from surveys of mortgage borrowers. The first two pilot phases, conducted over the past tw o years, vetted the data development process, successfully preteste d the survey component a nd produced a prototype data set. The initial pilot217 phases validated that sampled credit repository data are both accurate and comprehensive and that the survey component yields a representative sample and a sufficient response rate. A third pilot is currently be ing conducted with the survey being mailed to holders of 5,000 newly originated mortgages sampled from the protot ype NMDB. Based on the 2011 pilot, a response rate of 50% or higher is expecte d. These survey data will be co mbined with the credit repository information of non-respondents, and then de-ident ified. Credit repository data will be used to minimize non-response bias, and atte mpts will be made to impute missing values. The data from the third pilot will not be made public. However, to the extent possible, the data may be analyzed to assist the Bureau in its regulatory activities and these analyses will be made publicly available. The survey data from the pilots may be used by the Bureau to analyze consumers’ shopping behavior regarding mortgages. For inst ance, the Bureau may calculate the number of consumers who use brokers, the number of lende rs contacted by borrowers, how often and with what patterns potential borrowers switch lenders , and other behaviors. Questions may also assess borrowers’ understanding of their loan te rms and the various charges involved with origination. Tabulations of th e survey data for various populations and simple regression techniques may be used to help the Bureau with its analysis. The Bureau requests commenters to submit data and to provide suggestions for additional data to assess the issues disc ussed above and other pot ential benefits, costs, and impacts of the proposed rule. The Bureau also requests co mment on the use of the data described above. VIII. Regulatory Flexibility Act The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), as amended by SBREFA, requires each agency to consider the potential impact of its regulations on small entitie s, including small businesses,218 small governmental units, and small not-f or-profit organizations. 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq . The RFA generally requires an agency to conduct an initial regulatory fl exibility analysis (IRFA) and a final regulatory flexibility analysis (FRFA) of any rule subject to notice-and-comment rulemaking requirements, unless the agency certif ies that the rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantia l number of small entities. 5 U.S.C. 603, 604. The Bureau also is subject to certain additiona l procedures under the RFA involvi ng the convening of a panel to consult with small business representatives prio r to proposing a rule for which an IRFA is required. 5 U.S.C. 609. The Bureau has not certified that the proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities within the meaning of the RFA. Accordingly, the Bureau convened and chaired a SBREFA Panel to consider the impact of the proposed rule on small entities that would be subject to that rule and to obtain feedback from representatives of such small entities. The SBREFA Panel for this rulemaking is discussed below in part VIII.A

. The Bureau is publishing an IRFA. Among other things, the IRFA estimates the number of small entities that will be subject to the proposed ru le and describes the impact of that rule on those entities. The IRFA for this rulemaking is set forth below in part VIII.B

. A. Small Business Review Panel Under section 609(b) of the RFA, as ame nded by SBREFA and the Dodd-Frank Act, the Bureau seeks, prior to conducti ng the IRFA, information from re presentatives of small entities that may potentially be affected by its proposed rule s to assess the potential impacts of that rule on such small entities. 5 U.S.C. 609(b). Section 609(b) sets forth a series of procedural steps with regard to obtaining this information. Th e Bureau first notifies the Chief Counsel for Advocacy (Chief Counsel) of the SBA and provide s the Chief Counsel with information on the potential impacts of the proposed rule on small entities and the type s of small entities that might219 be affected. 5 U.S.C. 609(b)(1). Not later than 15 days after receipt of the formal notification and other information described in section 609 (b)(1) of the RFA, the Chief Counsel then identifies the SERs, the individuals representative of affected small entities for the purpose of obtaining advice and recomm endations from those individuals a bout the potential impacts of the proposed rule. 5 U.S.C. 609(b)(2). The Bur eau convenes a SBREFA Panel for such rule consisting wholly of full- time Federal employees of the office within the Bureau responsible for carrying out the proposed rule, the Office of Info rmation and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the OMB, and the Chief Counsel. 5 U.S.C. 609(b)(3). The SBREFA Panel reviews any material the Bureau has prepared in connection with th e SBREFA process and collects the advice and recommendations of each individual small entity representative identified by the Bureau after consultation with the Chief Counsel on issues related to sections 603(b)(3) through (b)(5) and 603(c) of the RFA. 138 5 U.S.C. 609(b)(4). Not later than 60 days after the date the Bureau convenes the SBREFA Panel, the panel reports on the comments of the SERs and its findings as to the issues on which the SBREFA Panel consulte d with the SERs, and the report is made public as part of the rulemaking record. 5 U.S.C. 609( b)(5). Where appropriate, the Bureau modifies the rule or the IRFA in light of the foregoing process. 5 U.S.C. 609(b)(6). On April 9, 2012, the Bureau provided the Chie f Counsel with the formal notification and other information required under se ction 609(b)(1) of the RFA. To obtain feedback from small entity representatives to inform the SBREFA Pa nel pursuant to sections 609(b)(2) and 609(b)(4)

138 As described in the IRFA in part VIII.B, below, sections 603(b)(3) through (b)(5) and 603(c) of the RFA, respectively, require a descrip tion of and, where feasible, provision of an estimate of the number of small entities to which the proposed rule will apply; a description of the projected reporting, record keeping, and other compliance requirements of the proposed rule, including an estimate of the classes of small entities which will be subject to the requirement and the type of professional skills necessary for prepara tion of the report or reco rd; an identification, to the extent practicable, of all relevant Federal rules which ma y duplicate, overlap, or conf lict with the proposed rule; and a description of any significant alternatives to th e proposed rule which accomplis h the stated objectives of applicable statutes and which minimize any significant ec onomic impact of the proposed rule on small entities. 5 U.S.C. 603(b)(3), 603(b)(4), 603(b)(5), 603(c).220 of the RFA, the Bureau, in consultation with the Chief Counsel, identified five categories of small entities that may be subject to the proposed rule for purposes of the IRFA: commercial banks/savings institu tions, credit unions, non-depositories engaged primarily in lending funds with real estate as collater al (included in NAICS 522292), non-de positories primarily engaged in loan servicing (included in NAICS 522390), and certain non-profit organizations. Section 3 of the IRFA, in part VIII.B.3, below, describes in gr eater detail the Bureau’s analysis of the number and types of entities that may be affected by the proposed rule. Having identified the categories of small entities that may be subject to the propos ed rule for purposes of an IRFA, the Bureau then, in consultation with the Chief Counsel, selected 16 small entity representatives to participate in the SBREFA process. As descri bed in chapter 7 of the SBREFA Final Report, described below, the SERs selected by the Bu reau in consultation with the Chief Counsel included representatives from each of the cate gories identified by the Bureau and comprised a diverse group of individuals with rega rd to geography and type of locality ( i.e. , rural, urban, suburban, or metropolitan areas). On April 10, 2012, the Bureau convened th e SBREFA Panel pursuant to section 609(b)(3) of the RFA. Afterwards, to collect the advice and recommendations of the SERs under section 609(b)(4) of the RFA, th e SBREFA Panel held an outrea ch meeting/teleconference with the small entity representatives on April 24, 2012. To help the small entity representatives prepare for the outreach meeting beforehand, the SBREFA Panel circulated briefing materials prepared in connection with se ction 609(b)(4) of the RFA that summarized the proposals under consideration at that time, posed discussion issu es, and provided information about the SBREFA221 process generally. 139 All 16 small entity representatives participated in the outreach meeting either in person or by telephone. The SBRE FA Panel also provided the small entity representatives with an opportuni ty to submit written feedback until May 1, 2012. In response, the SBREFA Panel received written feedb ack from five of the representatives. 140 On June 11, 2012, the SBREFA Panel submitted to the Director of the Bureau, Richard Cordray, a written SBREFA Final Report that includes the following: background information on the proposals under consideratio n at the time; information on th e types of small entities that would be subject to those proposals and on the sma ll entity representatives who were selected to advise the SBREFA Panel; a summary of the S BREFA Panel’s outreach to obtain the advice and recommendations of those small entity repres entatives; a discussion of the comments and recommendations of the small entity representatives; and a discussion of the SBREFA Panel findings, focusing on the statutory elements requi red under section 603 of the RFA. 5 U.S.C. 609(b)(5). 141 In preparing this proposed ru le and the IRFA, the Bureau has carefully considered the feedback from the small entity representative s participating in the SBREFA process and the findings and recommendations in the SBREFA Fina l Report. The section-by-section analysis of the proposed rule in part VI, above, and the IRFA discuss this feedback and the specific findings and recommendations of the SBREFA Panel, as applicable. The SBREFA process provided the SBREFA Panel and the Bureau w ith an opportunity to identify and explore opportunities to minimize the burden of the rule on small entitie s while achieving the rule ’s purposes. It is

139 The Bureau posted these materials on its website and invited the public to email remarks on the materials. See http://www.consumerfinance.gov/pressreleases/consumer-fin ancial-protection-bureau-outlines-borrower-friendlyapproach-to-mortgage-servicing/ (the materials are accessible via th e links within this document). 140 This written feedback is attached as appendix A to the SBREFA Final Re port, discussed below. 141 SBREFA Final Report , supra note 22.222 important to note, however, that the SBREFA Panel prepared the SBREFA Final Report at a preliminary stage of the proposal’s developm ent and that the SBREFA Final Report—in particular, the SBREFA Panel’ s findings and recommendations—s hould be considered in that light. Also, any options identifi ed in the SBREFA Final Report fo r reducing the proposed rule’s regulatory impact on small entities were expressly subject to further cons ideration, analysis, and data collection by the Bureau to ensure that th e options identified were practicable, enforceable, and consistent with TILA, the Dodd-Frank Act, a nd their statutory purposes. The proposed rule and the IRFA reflect further consideration, an alysis, and data collection by the Bureau. B. Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Under RFA section 603(a), an IRFA “shall desc ribe the impact of the proposed rule on small entities.” 5 U.S.C. 603(a). Section 603(b) of the RFA sets forth th e required elements of the IRFA. Section 603(b )(1) requires the IRFA to contain a description of the reasons why action by the agency is being c onsidered. 5 U.S.C. 603(b)(1). Section 603(b)(2) requires a succinct statement of the objectiv es of, and the legal basis for, the proposed rule. 5 U.S.C. 603(b)(2). The IRFA further must contain a descripti on of and, where feasib le, provision of an estimate of the number of small entities to which the proposed rule will apply. 5 U.S.C. 603(b)(3). Section 603(b)(4) requi res a description of the proj ected reporting, recordkeeping, and other compliance requirements of the proposed rule, including an estimate of the classes of small entities that will be subject to the requireme nt and the types of prof essional skills necessary for the preparation of the report or record. 5 U. S.C. 603(b)(4). In addition, the Bureau must identify, to the extent practicable, all relevant Federal rules which may duplicate, overlap, or conflict with the proposed rule. 5 U.S.C. 603(b)(5 ). The Bureau, further, must describe any significant alternatives to the proposed rule whic h accomplish the stated objectives of applicable223 statutes and which minimize any significant econom ic impact of the proposed rule on small entities. 5 U.S.C. 603(b)(6). Finally, as am ended by the Dodd-Frank Act, RFA section 603(d) requires that the IRFA include a description of any projected incr ease in the cost of credit for small entities, a description of any significant al ternatives to the proposed rule which accomplish the stated objectives of applicab le statutes and which minimize any increase in the cost of credit for small entities (if such an in crease in the cost of credit is pr ojected), and a description of the advice and recommendations of representatives of small entities relating to the cost of credit issues. 5 U.S.C. 603(d)(1); DFA section 1100G(d)(1). 1. Description of the Reasons Why Agency Action Is Being Considered As discussed in the Overview, part I above , mortgage servicing has been marked by pervasive and profound consumer pr otection problems. As a resu lt of these problems, Congress included a number of provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act specifi cally to address mortgage servicing. These provisions are DFA sections 1418 (initial rate adjustmentnotice for adjustablerate mortgages (ARMs)), 1420 (periodic stat ement), 1463 (amending RESPA), and 1464 (prompt crediting of mortgage payments and response to requests for payo ff amounts). The Bureau also proposes to amend current rule § 1026.20(c) to harmonize with DFA section 1418, although not required by statute. The Dodd-Frank Act and TILA authorize the Bureau to adopt impl ementing regulations for the statutory provisions provided by DFA sections 1418, 1420, and 1464. The Bureau is using this authority to propose regulations in orde r to provide servicers w ith clarity about their statutory obligations under thes e three provisions. The Bureau is also proposing to adjust servicers’ statutory obligations, including the obligations of small servicers, in certain224 circumstances. The Bureau is taking this acti on in order to ease burde n when doing so would not sacrifice adequate prot ection of consumers. Elsewhere in today’s Federal Register, the Bureau is publishing a proposed rule issued under RESPA that would implement DFA s ection 1463, the 2012 RESPA Servicing Proposal, which addresses procedures for obtaining force-pl aced insurance; procedur es for investigating and resolving alleged errors and responding to re quests for information; reasonable information management policies and procedures; early interv ention for delinquent borrowers; and continuity of contact for delinquent borrowers. The new statutory requirements take effect automatically on January 21, 2013, as written in the statute, unless final rule s are issued prior to that date . The Dodd-Frank Act provides the Bureau with limited authority to extend the effective date of statutory requirements when adopting implementing regulations. The Bureau w ill consider the time servicers need to come into compliance in determining the effective date. The Bureau’s proposed rules under Regulation Z and X represent another important step towards establishing uniform minimum national standa rds. As discussed in part II above, other Federal regulatory agencies have issued guidance on mortgage se rvicing and loan modifications and taken enforcement actions against mortgage servicers (including that National Mortgage Settlement, discussed in part II.C above). These varied regulatory respons es are understandable when vi ewed as a response to an unprecedented mortgage crisis and significant probl ems in the servicing of mortgage loans. Ultimately, however, both borrowers and mortgage servicers will be better served by having uniform national standards that govern mortgage servicing. When adopted in final form, the Bureau’s rules will generally apply to all mortgage servicers, whether depository institutions or225 non-depository institutions, and to all segments of the mortgage market, regardless of the ownership of the loan. 2. Succinct Statement of th e Objectives of, and Legal Ba sis for, the Proposed Rule DFA section 1418 requires servicer s to provide a new disclosu re to consumers who have hybrid ARMs. The disclosure concerns the initia l interest rate adjustment and must be given either (a) between six and seven months prior to su ch initial interest rate adjustment or (b) at consummation of the mortgage if the initial interest rate adjustment occurs during the first six months after consummation. The Bureau pr oposes implementing TILA section 128A(b) by broadening the scope of the proposed rule generally to adjustable-r ate mortgages, not just hybrid
ARMs. The proposed new ARM disclosure for the init ial interest rate adjustment provides the content listed in the statute a nd certain additional information. The disclosure provides, among other things, information about the terms of the loan, a description of the way the new rate and upcoming payment would be determined, a good fa ith estimate of the upcoming payment, and information that may be especially useful to distressed and delinquent borrowers. The proposed revisions to the Regulation Z § 1026.20(c) disc losure would harmonize the timeframe and content requirements with thos e of the new ARM disclosure. The Bureau believes that the current era of declining interest rates has reduced the payment shock that can result from ARM interest ra te adjustments. If interest rates increase quickly, however, then payment shock may also increase. Furthermore, the popularity of adjustable-rate mortgages, which provide the op portunity for reduced interest rates during an introductory period, likely would in crease along with the advent of higher interest rates. The proposed rule is intended to mitigate the consequences of payment shock by ensuring226 that consumers have sufficient time to identify and execute the best course of action. As explained above, the proposed rule would implement DFA section 1418 requirements for the initial ARM interest rate adjustment notice, which generally will be provided to consumers between six and seven months prio r to the initial interest rate adjustment. The Bureau also proposes to revise the timeframe of the Regulat ion Z § 1026.20(c) disclosure for rate adjustments that result in an accompanying payment change, fr om the current 25 to 120 days before payment at a new level is due to, 60 to 120 days before payment at a new level is due. DFA section 1420 generally requires the creditor, assignee, or servicer of a residential mortgage loan to transmit to the borrower, for each billing cycle, a periodic statement that sets forth certain specified information in a clear and conspicuous manner. The statute also gives the Bureau the authority to require a dditional content to be included in the periodic statement. The statute provides an exception to the periodic stat ement requirement for fixe d-rate loans where the consumer is given a coupon book containing substan tially the same information as the statement. The proposed periodic statement disclosure would require the periodic statement to include the content listed in the statute, as well as additional loan information, billing information, and information that may be helpfu l to distressed or de linquent borrowers. In accordance with the statute, the proposed rule has a coupon book exemption for fixed-rate loans when the borrower is given a coupon with certain information required by the periodic statement and information to access other information includ ed in the periodic statement. The proposed rule also has exemptions for certain small se rvicers, reverse mortgages, and timeshares. The proposed periodic statement is designe d to serve a variety of purposes. These purposes include informing consumers of thei r payment obligation, providing consumers with information about their mortgage in an easily read and understood format , creating a record of227 the transaction to aid in error detection and re solution, and providing information to distressed or delinquent borrowers. The Bureau understands that most borrowers will need only some of the information in the disclosure on a regular basis. However, dist ressed and delinquent borrowers will likely need more information. The proposed periodic statemen t disclosure was subject ed to three rounds of consumer testing and refinement to identify the content and format that best promote consumer understanding. DFA section 1464 generally codifies requirement s for the prompt cred iting of mortgage payments received by servicers in connection with consumer credit transactions secured by a consumer’s principal dwelling. Th e statute also generally codifies the requirement to provide an accurate and timely response to a borrower request for payoff amounts for home loans. The proposed rule would require that once funds in a suspense account equal a full contractual payment that the servicer must cred it the payment to the most delinquent outstanding payment. The proposed rule also would require a servicer to send an accurate payoff balance, in no case more than seven business days, after the receipt of a written re quest for such balance from or on behalf of the consumer. The objective of the prompt cr editing requirement is to en sure that consumers benefit from every effort that they make to pay their mortgage debt. However, the Bureau understands that requiring immediate crediting of partial pa yments might induce some servicers to return partial payments. The Bureau believes that th is outcome would not se rve the interests of consumers who have demonstrated that they are trying to pay thei r mortgage debt. The objective of the payoff statement provision is to ensure that consumers can obtain this basic information about their mortgage debt in a timely way. This information is generally228 useful to consumers but must be provided in a timely way for selling or refinancing a home or modifying a mortgage loan. 3. Description and, Where Feasible, Provision of an Estimate of the Number of Small Entities to which the Proposed Rule Will Apply As discussed in the SBREFA Final Report, for purposes of assessing the impacts of the proposed rule on small entities, “small entities” is defined in the RFA to include small businesses, small nonprofit organizations, and small government jurisdictions. 5 U.S.C. 601(6). A “small business” is determined by application of SBA regulations and reference to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS ) classifications and size standards. 142 5 U.S.C. 601(3). Under such standards, banks and other depository institutions are considered “small” if they have $175 million or less in assets, and for other financ ial businesses, the threshold is average annual receipts ( i.e. , annual revenues) that do not exceed $7 million. 143 During the SBREFA Panel process, the Bureau identified five categories of small entities that may be subject to the proposed rule for pur poses of the RFA: co mmercial banks/savings institutions 144 (NAICS 522110 and 522120), credit unions (NAICS 522130), firms providing real estate credit (NAICS 522292), firm s engaged in other activities re lated to credit intermediation (NAICS 522390), and small non-profit organizations . Commercial banks, savings institutions, and credit unions are small businesses if they have $175 million or less in assets. Firms providing real estate credit and fi rms engaged in other activities related to credit intermediation are small businesses if average annual receipts do not exceed $7 million.

142 The current SBA size standards are found on SBA’s we bsite at http://www.sba.gov/content/table-small-businesssize-standards

. 143 See id

. 144 Savings institutions include thrifts, savings banks, mutual banks, and similar institutions.229 A small non-profit organization is any not-for-p rofit enterprise which is independently owned and operated and is not dominant in its fi eld. Small non-profit organizations engaged in mortgage servicing typically perform a number of activities directed at increasing the supply of affordable housing in their communities. Some small non-profit organizations originate and service mortgage loans for low and moderate inco me individuals while others purchase loans or the mortgage servicing rights on loans originat ed by local community development lenders. Servicing income is a substant ial source of revenue for some small non-profit organizations while others receive most of their income from grants or investments. 145 The following table provides the Bureau’s esti mate of the number and types of entities that may be affected by the proposals under consideration:

Table 1: Estimated number of affected entiti es and small entities by NAICS code and engagement in closed-end mortgage loan servicing

Category NAICS Small entity threshold Total entities Small entities Entities engaged in mortgage loan servicing Small entities engaged in mortgage loan servicing Commercial banks & savings institutions 522110, 522120 $175,000,000 assets 7,724 4,250 7,502 4,098
Credit unions 522130 $175,000,000 assets 7,491 6,568 5,190 4,270 Real estate credit 522292 $7,000,000 revenues 5,791 5,152 1,388 800 Other activities related to credit intermediation (includes loan servicing) 522390 $7,000,000 revenues 5,494 5,319

For commercial banks, savings institutions, a nd credit unions, the number of entities and asset sizes were obtained from December 2010 Call Report data as compiled by SNL Financial.

145 The Bureau is continuing to refine its description of small non-profit organizations engaged in mortgage loan servicing and working to estimate the number of these entities, but it is not possible to estimate the number of these entities at this time. Non-profits and small non-profits e ngaged in mortgage loan servicing would be included under real estate credit if their primary activity is origin ating loans and under other activities related to credit intermediation if their primary activity is servicing.230 Banks and savings institutions are counted as enga ging in mortgage loan servicing if they hold closed-end loans secured by one to four family residential property or they are servicing mortgage loans for others. Credit unions are coun ted as engaging in mortgage loan servicing if they have closed-end one to four family mortgage s in portfolio, or hold real estate loans that have been sold but remain serviced by the institution. For firms providing real estate credit and fi rms engaged in other activities related to credit intermediation, the total number of en tities and small entities comes from the 2007 Economic Census. The total number of these enti ties engaged in mortgage loan servicing is based on a special analysis of data from th e Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry and is current as of Q1 2011. The total equals the nu mber of non-depositories that engage in mortgage loan servicing, includi ng tax-exempt entities, except for those mortgage loan servicers (if any) that do not engage in any mortgage-related activities that require a State license. The estimated number of small entities engaged in mortgage loan servicing is based on predicting the likelihood that an entity’s revenu e is less than the $7 million threshold based on the relationship between servicer portfolio size and serv icer rank in data from Inside Mortgage Finance. 146 4. Projected Reporting, Recordkeeping, and Othe r Compliance Requirements of the Proposed Rule, Including an Estimate of the Classes of Small Entities which Will be Subject to the Requirement and the Type of Professional Skills Necessary for the Preparation of the Report The proposed rule does not impose new reporti ng or recordkeeping requirements. The possible compliance costs for small entities from each major component of the proposed rule are presented below. The Bureau presents these cost s against a pre-statute baseline. Benefits to

146 The CFPB is continuing to refine its estimate of the numb er of firms providing real estate credit and engaging in other activities related to credit intermediation that are small and which engage in mortgage loan servicing.231 consumers from the proposed rule are discussed in the DFA section 1022 an alysis in part VII above. (i) ARM – Notice 6 Months Prior to Initial Interest Rate Adjustment DFA section 1418 amends TILA by adding a new requirement that a creditor or servicer provide a notice regarding the initial interest rate adjustment of a hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage at the end of the introductory period either (a) between six an d seven months prior to the adjustment, or (b) at consummation of the mortgage if the first adjustment occurs during the first six months after consummation. The Bureau pr oposes to use the authority granted by TILA section 128A(b) to require this notice for hybrid as well as AR Ms that are not hybrid (1/1, 3/3, 5/5, etc.). 147 The proposed form would require the content liste d in the statute. Th is includes, in part, a good faith estimate of the amount of the resul ting payment; a list of alternatives that the consumer may pursue, including re financing and loan modificati on; and information on how to contact housing counselors a pproved by HUD or a State hou sing finance authority. Additionally, the Bureau is proposing certain requ ired additional information including details about the loan, key terms of the ARM, and information about the upcoming payment. The new disclosure may provide some benef it to servicers. Distressed borrowers who contact servicers well in advance of a possible increase in the inte rest rate and payment may have more time in which to pursue an alternativ e financing solution. Information about loss mitigation alternatives and the av ailability of housing counseling may prompt borrowers to work proactively and constructively with their servicers.

147 Conventional ARMs, unlike hybrid ARMs which have a period with a fixed rate of interest , start with an adjustable rate and that rate readjusts at even intervals.232 The new disclosure will likely impose one-time and ongoing costs on servicers. Servicers will need to obtain system upgrad es from vendors or make programming changes themselves. One SER reported the changes could ta ke two to four days of IT support. These would be one-time costs. The Bureau is mitigating the one-time cost by providing servicers with tested model forms. SERs noted that producing and sending the ne w disclosures would impose new costs on them either directly or through vendor charges. The ongoing costs are mitigated somewhat since the disclosures can be provided to consumers in electronic form with consumer consent. One SER noted that vendors have not prov ided cost quotes at this point. A number of SERs expressed concern that the proposed initial ARM interest rate adjustment disclosure would confuse borrowers because it would only provide an estimate that would not accurately reflect the ac tual adjusted rate. The costs a nd benefits to consumers of the initial interest rate ad justment disclosure are discussed in the DFA section 1022 analysis in part VII above. (ii) Revised 1026.20(c) Notice The Bureau is also proposing changes to existing Regulation Z § 1026.20(c). The existing provision applies to all ARMs and requir es a disclosure prior to each interest rate adjustment that effects a change in payment and annually for interest rate adjustments that do not cause payment changes. The Bureau is proposing to eliminate the annual notice. The Bureau also proposes to amend the current disclosures requiring a notice each tim e an interest rate adjustment causes a corresponding change in payment. Regarding timing, the Bureau proposes ch anging the timeframe for providing the payment change notice to consumers from 25 to 120 days before payment at a new level is due to233 60 to 120 days before payment at a new level is du e. SERs did not identify any costs associated with this change and two reported they alrea dy provide the disclosure 60 to 100 days before payment at a new level is due. One SER reported th at the new rate is calculated 45 days prior to the rate change date. This SER provides the borrower with a notice a minimum of 25 days, and typically 42 days, prior to the new interest rate becoming effective. This SER stated that the new interest rate becomes effective 55-72 days prior to the due date of the new payment. Another SER reported substantially similar numbers. Th e timing of the disclosures reported by these SERs is consistent with the proposed new timeframe. Regarding content, the Bureau is cons idering proposing content for the revised 1026.20(c) notices that closely tracks the content it is proposing for the ARM initial interest rate adjustment notices pursuant to DFA section 1418. Servicers will need to obtain one-time system upgrades from vendors or make programming ch anges themselves. Given the substantial similarity of the revised 1026.20(c) form and the in itial ARM interest rate adjustment notice, the Bureau believes that the additional ongoing cost of producing the revised form, on top of the initial ARM interest rate adju stment form, will be minimal. (iii) Periodic Statements As discussed in the secti on-by-section analysis above, DFA section 1420 amends TILA by adding a new requirement that a servicer of an y residential mortgage lo an provide a periodic statement to the consumer for each billing cycle. The Bureau tested a model periodic statement with consumers. The proposed rule has the following exemp tions: fixed-rate mortgages with coupon books, certain small servicers, reverse mortgages, and timeshares. These proposed provisions are discussed separately below.234 The proposed periodic statement requirem ent imposes one-time and ongoing costs on small servicers. The specific types of cost s incurred by a servicer depend on whether the servicer produces the proposed periodic statemen t in-house or uses a third-party vendor. In-house one-time costs include the devel opment of a new form, system reprogramming or acquisition, and perhaps new or updated so ftware. In-house ongoing costs for production include additional system use and staff time. In-house ongoing costs would also include paper, printing, and mailing costs for distributing the pe riodic statement to borrowers who do not give permission to receive the disc losure electronically. Vendors may also charge an initial one-time cost for developing a new form as well as ongoing costs for producing and dist ributing the statement. The SERs who use vendors stated that they did not know what their vendors woul d charge so they coul d comply with the new periodic statement requirement. The SERs agreed that the one-time char ge would be different from what they would be charged if they were the only entity making the change. Vendors can spread the one-time costs of new regul atory requirements over many servicers. Small servicers repo rted a range of one-time costs of complying with the proposed provision. One non-depository SER estimated it would cost $150,000-$500,000 to convert to a new periodic statement system, a depository institution SER estimated a cost of $150,000- $200,000, and a credit union SER estimated a cost of $30,000-$40,000. Estimates of ongoing costs ranged from $11,000 per month from a no n-depository SER to $2,200 per month from a depository SER; the latter estimated ongoing costs would be approximately $1 per statement. One depository SER estimated $5,000-$6,000 per mont h in production costs, before postage. The Bureau understands that the estimate s of ongoing costs from the SERs did not exclude the costs of periodic statements, coupon books, or other payment mechanisms that they235 currently provide borrowers. Some of the SERs stated that they currently provide borrowers with a periodic statement that contains much of the information required under the proposal. However, none of the SERs stated that they include contact information for housing counseling agencies or programs of the t ype required by DFA section 1420. As explained above in the section-by-section analysis, the Bu reau is proposing to use author ity under TILA sections 105(a) and (f) and DFA Section 1405(b) to require peri odic statements to provide only information about where a borrower can access a complete list of housing counselors. The Bureau believes that the proposed provision will impose a substantially smaller burden than the statutory requirement. In accordance with DFA section 1420, the proposed rule would include a coupon book exemption for fixed-rate loans where the cons umer is given a coupon book with certain of the information required by the periodic statement. It is not possible to estimate the share of residential mortgage loans servi ced by small servicers that would qualify for this exception. If this provision is included in the final rule, it is possible that small servicers would provide coupon books to all borrowers with fixed-rate mort gages. Many of the SERs reported that they provide consumers with coupon books for ARMs. However, there is no data with which to estimate the fraction of small servicer portfolio loan s that are in fixed-rate mortgages; in fact, the Bureau understands that many small servicer po rtfolio loans are adjustable-rate mortgages. The Bureau is also proposing a small servic er exemption. Servi cers servicing 1,000 or fewer loans, all of which they must either own or have originate d, would be eligible. A preliminary analysis indicates that all but 13 sm all insured depositories and credit unions would be covered by the exemption and would not have to provide the proposed periodic statement disclosure. The Bureau does not currently have the data necessary to estimate the number of236 small entity non-depositories that would be cove red by the exemption. However, data from depositories suggests that approx imately 584 small entity non-depos itories (65% of the 800 small entity non-depositories) would be covered by the exemption. 148 As discussed in the DFA section 1022 analysis in part VII.F, the Bureau is currently working to gather additional data that may be relevant to estimating the number of small non-depositories covered by the small servicer exemption. These data may include additional da ta from the National Mortgage License System (NMLS) and the NMLS Mortgage Call Report, loan file extracts from various lenders, and data from the pilot phases of the National Mortgage Database. The Bureau is also continuing its outreach efforts with industry a nd requests interest ed parties to provide data, research results, and other information rela ting to this issue. Finally, the proposed rule has exemptions for reverse mortgages and timeshares. Information that would be relevant and usef ul on a reverse mortgage statement differs substantially from the information required on the peri odic statement; see the section-by-section analysis for further discussion. The proposed ru le also exempts timeshares as these are not residential mortgage loan s as defined in TILA. (iv) Prompt Crediting and Request for Payoff Amounts DFA section 1464(a) generally codifies existing Regulation Z § 1026.36 on prompt crediting. The Bureau is further proposing a new requirement for the handling of partial payments ( i.e. , payments that are not full contractual pa yments). Under the proposal, if servicers hold partial payments in a suspense account, th en once the amount in the account equals a full

148 Roughly 35% of depositories that earn less than $7 milli on from servicing also have too many loans to qualify for the small servicer exemption. Extrapolating to non-depositories, roughly 35% of non-depositories that earn less than $7 million from servicing—and are small entities—also service too many loans to qualify for the small servicer exemption.237 contractual payment, the servi cer must credit the payment to the most delinquent outstanding payment. DFA section 1464(b) requires that a creditor or servicer of a home loan send an accurate payoff balance within a reasonable time, but in no case more than seven business days, after the receipt of a written request for su ch balance from or on behalf of the borrower. This essentially codifies existing Regulation Z § 1026.36 on payoff st atements, except that Regulation Z requires payoff statements to be sent within a reasonable ti me and creates a safe harbor for responses sent within five business days. The SERs generally reported that these provi sions would have no impact on them as they are already in compliance. In correspondence, one SER suggested that the seven day maximum for payoff amounts should be even shorter, to pr event other servicers fr om delaying closings. (v) Estimate of the Classes of Small Entitie s Which will be Subject to the Requirement and the Type of Professional Skills Necessary for the Preparation of the Report or Record Section 603(b)(4) of the RFA re quires an estimate of the classes of small entities which will be subject to the requirement. The classes of small entities which will be subject to the reporting, recordkeeping, and compliance requiremen ts of the proposed rule are the same classes of small entities that are identi fied above in part VIII.B.3. Section 603(b)(4) of the RFA also requires an estimate of the type of professional skills necessary for the preparation of the reports or records. The Bureau anticipates that the professional skills required for compliance with the proposed rule are the same or similar to those required in the ordinary course of busin ess of the small entities affected by the proposed rule. Compliance by the small en tities that will be affected by the proposed rule will require continued performance of the basic functions th at they perform today: generating disclosure238 forms and crediting partial payments from borrowers either immediately or when they constitute a full payment. 5. Identification, to the Extent Practicable, of All Relevant Fe deral Rules which May Duplicate, Overlap, or Conflict with the Proposed Rule The Dodd-Frank Act codified certain require ments contained in existing regulations and in some cases imposed new requirements that expa nd or vary the scope of existing regulations. The Bureau is working to eliminate conflicts and to harmonize the earlier rules with the new statutory requirements. In general, the exis ting and expanded regulati ons cover the following topics:

 New Regulation Z ARM disclosures, as required by DFA section 1418, will be provided six to seven months prior to the initi al adjustment of interest rates. These disclosures will provide similar informa tion to existing Regulation Z § 1026.20(c) notices, however there are timing differences, and the new notice is required only for the first rate adjustment. The DFA secti on 1418 notice is intended to be sent early enough for the consumer to take action ( i.e. refinance or apply for a loan modification) before the monthly payment increases.

 Regulation Z § 1026.36(c)(1)(i) contains a prompt cred iting provision that is generally codified by the prompt cred iting provision in DFA section 1464(a).

 Regulation Z § 1026.36(c) addresses the applic ation of payments. The Bureau is proposing modifying this rule to mandate the application of funds to the most delinquent outstanding payment if a full co ntractual payment has accumulated in any suspense or unapplied funds account.239  Regulation Z 1026.36(c)(1)(iii) contains a provision regarding payoff amount requests that is generally c odified by the Dodd Frank Act. Elsewhere in today’s Federal Register, the Bureau is publishing a proposed rule that would implement DFA section 1463 and is issued under RESPA. The RESPA proposal addresses procedures for obtaining force-placed insurance; procedures for investigating and resolving alleged errors and responding to re quests for information; reasonable information management policies and procedures; early interv ention for delinquent borrowers; and continuity of contact for delinquent borrowers. These regulations do not duplicate, overlap, or conflict and the Bur eau is not aware of any other Federal regulations that currently dupl icate, overlap, or conf lict with the proposals under consideration. 6. Description of Any Significant Alternatives to the Proposed Rule which Accomplish the Stated Objectives of Applicable St atutes and Minimize Any Signi ficant Economic Impact of the Proposed Rule on Small Entities (i) New Initial Interest Rate Adjustment Notice for Adjustable-Rate Mortgages As discussed above, DFA section 1418 requires servicers to provide a new disclosure to consumers who have hybrid ARMs regarding the initia l interest rate adjust ment. The Bureau is proposing to use its discretionary au thority to require the initial interest rate adjustment notice for ARMs that are not hybrid (e.g., 1/1, 3/3, 5/5, etc. ) as well. Thus, the disclosure under the original statutory language would have a sm aller economic impact on small entities. The Bureau opted for its current proposal because all ARMs, not just hybrid ARMs, may subject consumers to the same payment shock afte r the introductory period expires. Consumers240 with ARMs that are not hybrid w ould therefore also benefit from the protections provided by the new disclosure. The Bureau also considered whether to ex cept small servicers from the proposed initial ARM interest rate adjustment notice. The SE Rs did express some concern about the one-time and ongoing costs of providing the proposed notic e. They expressed concern that consumers would be confused by receiving estimates rather than their actual new interest rate and payment. The Bureau believes an exception would depriv e certain consumers of the seven to eight months advance notice before payment at a new level is due provided by the disclosure. This advance notice is designed to allow consumers time to weigh their alternatives and pursue alternative actions. An exception would also deprive certain consumers of the information provided in the notice about alternatives and how to contact their State housing finance authority and counseling agencies and programs. The Bureau recognizes that the proposed ini tial ARM interest rate adjustment notice will impose some burden on small servicers, but it do es not believe that it will impose a significant burden since it is a one-time notice. The Bureau seeks comment on whether the burden imposed on small entities by the requirements of the initial rate adjustment notice outweighs the consumer protection benefits it affords. (ii) Regulation Z § 1026.20(c) Disclosure for Adjustable-Rate Mortgages The Bureau is proposing to change the timing of the ARM payment change notice required under current § 1026.20(c) to be provide d to consumers from 25 to 120 days before payment at a new level is due to 60 to 120 days be fore payment at a new level is due. The longer lead time is designed to give c onsumers time to refinance or ta ke other ameliorative actions if241 they are not financially equipped to pay their mo rtgages at an increase d adjusted rate. The Bureau recognizes that the longer lead tim e may impose a burden on small servicers. According to outreach conducted by the Bureau, small servicers often are able to send out the ARM payment change notices required by § 1026.20(c) on the same day the index value is selected. In that case, for a loan with a 45- day look-back period, the not ice is ready 45 days before the change date and, with the 28 to 31 days between the change date and the date payment at the new level is due, the interest rate adjust ment notice goes out to th e consumer 73 to 76 days before the new payment is due. Under these circumstances, small servicers could provide the payment change notice within the 60 day minimu m period. The Bureau is also proposing an alternative 25-day minimum period for certain ex isting adjustable-rate mortgages in which the mortgage note requires a look-back period of less than 45 days. (iii) Periodic Statements As discussed above, DFA section 1420 requi res servicers to provide a new periodic statement to the consumer for each billing cycle. The proposed rule would generally require both the content listed in the stat ute, additional billing informati on, and information about how to dispute and resolve errors. The Bureau is proposi ng to use its discretionary authority to require the additional information. Thus, the disclosu re under the original st atutory language would impose a smaller economic impact on small entities that must provide the periodic statement disclosure. The Bureau believes the additional informati on provides important consumer benefits. Only some of the information in the disclosure w ill be required to be provided to consumers on a regular basis. However, distressed or delinquent borrowers will likely need more information. The proposed periodic statement disclosure was th e subject of three round s of consumer testing242 and refinement to identify the form, content, he adings, and format that best promotes consumer understanding. As discussed above, the Bureau is proposi ng a small servicer exemption. Servicers servicing 1,000 or fewer loans, all of which they must either own or have originated, would be eligible. As discussed above, th e Bureau believes that almost all small insured depositories and credit unions would be covered by the exemption. The Bureau does not currently have the data necessary to estimate the number of small entity non-depositories that would be covered by the exemption. However, the Bureau is currently wo rking to gather additional data that may be relevant to estimating the number of small non-depositories covered by the small servicer exemption. (iv) Prompt Crediting and Request for Payoff Amounts As discussed above, the SERs generally repor ted that the proposed provisions regarding prompt crediting and payoff amounts would have no impact on them as they are already in compliance. In correspondence, one SER sugge sted that the seven day maximum for payoff amounts should be even shorter, to preven t other servicers from delaying closings. 7. Discussion of Impact on Cost of Credit for Small Entities Section 603(d) of the RFA requires the Bureau to consult with small entities regarding the potential impact of the proposed rule on the co st of credit for small entities and related matters. 5 U.S.C. 603(d). To satisfy these statutory requirements, the Bureau provided notification to the Chief Counsel on April 9, 2012 that the Bureau would collect the advice and recommendations of the same SERs identified in consultation with the Chief Counsel through the SBREFA Panel process concerning any projected impact of the proposed rule on the cost of credit for small entities as well as any signifi cant alternatives to the proposed rule which243 accomplish the stated objectives of applicable statutes and which minimize any increase in the cost of credit for small entities. 149 The Bureau sought to collect the advice and recommendations of the SERs during the SBREFA Pa nel outreach meeting regarding th ese issues because, as small financial service providers, the SERs could provide valuable input on any such impact related to the proposed rule. 150
At the time the Bureau circulated the SBREFA materials to the SERs in advance of the SBREFA Panel outreach meeting, it had no evid ence that the proposals under consideration would result in an increase in the cost of busines s credit for small entities. Instead, the summary of the proposals stated that the proposals w ould apply only to mort gage loans obtained by consumers primarily for personal, family, or household purposes and the proposals would not apply to loans obtained prim arily for business purposes. 151 At the SBREFA Panel outreach meeting, the Bu reau asked the SERs a series of questions regarding cost of bus iness credit issues. 152 The questions were focused on two areas. First, the SERs from commercial banks/savings institutions , credit unions, and mortgage companies were asked whether, and how often, they extend to th eir customers closed-end mortgage loans to be used primarily for personal, family, or househol d purposes but that are used secondarily to finance a small business, and whet her the proposals then under c onsideration would result in an increase in their customers’ cost of credit. Second, the Bureau inquired as to whether, and how often, the SERs take out closed-end, home-secure d loans to be used primarily for personal,

149 See 5 U.S.C. 603(d)(2). The Bureau provided this notific ation as part of the notification and other information provided to the Chief Counsel with respect to the SBRE FA Panel process pursuant to RFA section 609(b)(1). 150 See 5 U.S.C. 603(d)(2)(B). 151 See TILA section 104(1); RESPA section 7(a)(1). 152 See SBREFA Final Report, supra note 22, at 154-55 (appendix D, PowerPoint slides from the SBREFA Panel outreach meeting, “Topic 7: Impact on the Cost of Business Credit”).244 family, or household purposes and use them sec ondarily to finance their small businesses, and whether the proposals under c onsideration would increase the SERs’ cost of credit. The SERs had few comments on the impact on the cost of business credit. While they took this time to express concerns that these regu lations would increase their costs, they said these regulations would have litt le to no impact on the cost of business credit. When asked, one SER mentioned that at times people may use a hom e-secured loan to finance a business, which was corroborated by a different SER based on his personal experience with starting a business. The Bureau is generally intere sted in the use of personal hom e-secured credit to finance a business and invites interested part ies to provide data and other fact ual information on this issue. Based on the feedback obtained from SERs at the outreach meeting, the Bureau currently does not anticipate that the proposed rule will result in an increase in the cost of credit for small business entities. To further ev aluate this question, the Bureau solicits comment on whether the proposed rule will have any impact on the cost of credit for small entities. IX. Paperwork Reduction Act The Bureau’s information collection requireme nts contained in this proposed rule, and identified as such, will be submitted to OMB fo r review under section 35 07(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. ) (Paperwork Reduction Act” or PRA). Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Bureau may not c onduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, an information co llection unless the information co llection displays a valid OMB control number. The title of this information collection is 2012 Truth in Lending Act (Regulation Z) Servicing. The frequency of response is on-occasion This proposed rule would amend Regulation Z. Regulation Z curre ntly contains collections of information approved by OMB,245 and the Bureau’s OMB control number for Regulation Z is 3170-0015 (Truth in Lending Act (Regulation Z) 12 CFR 1026). As described below, the proposed rule would amend the collections of information currently in Regulation Z. The information collection would be require d to provide benefits for consumers and would be mandatory. See 15 U.S.C. 1601 et seq. ; 12 U.S.C. 2601 et seq . Because the Bureau does not collect any information, no issue of confidentiality arises. The likely respondents would be federally-insured depository institutions (s uch as commercial banks, savings banks, and credit unions) and non-depository institutions that service consumer mortgage loans. Under the proposed rule, the Bureau genera lly would account for the paperwork burden associated with Regulation Z for the followi ng respondents pursuant to its administrative enforcement authority: insured depository instituti ons with more than $10 billion in total assets, their depository institution affilia tes (together, the Bureau depos itory respondents), and certain non-depository servicers (the Bureau non-deposito ry respondents). The Bureau and the FTC generally both have enforcemen t authority over non-depository in stitutions under Regulation Z. Accordingly, the Bureau has allocated to itsel f half of its estimated burden to Bureau nondepository respondents. Other Federal agenci es, including the FTC, are responsible for estimating and reporting to OMB the total paperw ork burden for the institutions for which they have administrative enforcement authority. They may, but are not required to, use the Bureau’s burden estimation methodology. Using the Bureau’s burden estimation met hodology, the total estimat ed burden under the proposed changes to Regulation Z for the roughly 12,813 institutions, including Bureau246 respondents, 153 that are estimated to service consumer mortgages subject to the proposed rule would be approximately 25,000 one-time bur den hours and 74,000 ongoing burden hours per year. The aggregate estimates of total burdens pr esented in this part IX are based on estimates averaged across respondents. The Bureau expect s that the amount of time required to implement each of the proposed changes for a given institution may vary based on the size, complexity, and practices of the respondent. A. Information Collection Requirements The Bureau is proposing four changes to the information collection requirements in Regulation Z. First, as prev iously discussed, proposed § 1026.20(d) regarding adjustable-rate mortgages would require creditors, assignees, and servicers to send a new initial rate adjustment disclosure at least 210, but not more than 240, days before the date the first payment is due after the initial rate adjustment. The new disclo sure includes, among other things, information regarding the calculati on of the new interest rate and inform ation to assist consumers in the event the consumer requires alternative financ ing. Second, proposed § 1026.20(c) regarding adjustable-rate mortgages would change the form at, content, and timing of the existing rate adjustment disclosure. The proposed rule would change the minimum time for providing advance notice to consumers from 25 days to 60 days before payment at a new level is due. Servicers would be required to provide certain information that they may not currently disclose, but would no longer be required to notify consumers of a rate adjustment if the payment is unchanged.

153 For purposes of this PRA analysis, the Bureau’s depository respondents under the proposed rule are 130 depository institutions and depository institution affiliate s that service closed-end consumer mortgages. The Bureau’s non-depository respondents are an estimated 1,388 non-depository servicers. Unless otherwise specified, all references to burden hours and costs for the Bureau respondents for the collection requirements under the proposed rule are based on a calculation of the burden from all of the Bureau’s depository respondents and half of the burden from the Bureau’s non-depository respondents.247 Third, proposed § 1026.41 would require a new periodic statement disclosure. The required content would include billing informati on, such as the amount due, payment due date, and information on any late fees; information on recent transaction activity and how payments were applied; general loan information, such as the interest rate and when it may next adjustment, outstanding principal balance, etc.; and other information that may be helpful to troubled borrowers. Certain small servicers (t hose servicing less than 1,000 mortgages and own or originated all the loans they are servicing) wo uld be exempt from this requirement. Fixed-rate mortgages would be exempt if the servicer provides the consumer with a coupon book that contained certain information, and makes othe r information available to the consumer. Fourth, proposed § 1026.36 would make ch anges to the existing requirements on servicers to promptly credit borrower payments that satisfy payment rules specified by a servicer. Proposed § 1026.36 would also make changes to the existing requirements on creditors and servicers to provide an accura te payoff balance upon request. An information collection is created by the proposed requirement to provide accurate payoff statements. B. Burden Analysis under the Four Pr oposed Information Collection Requirements 154 1. New Initial Rate Adjustment No tice for Adjustable-Rate Mortgages All CFPB respondents would have a one-time burden under this requirement associated with reviewing the regulation. Certain CFPB respondents would have a one-time burden from creating software and IT capabi lity to produce the new disclosure. The Bureau estimates this

154 Based on discussions with industry, the Bureau assumes that all depository respondents except for one large entity and 95% of non-depository respondents (100% of small non-depository respondents) use third-party vendors for one-time software and IT capability and for ongoing production and distribution activities associated with disclosures. The Bureau believes at this time that und er existing mortgage servicing contracts, vendors would absorb the one-time software and IT costs and ongoing production costs of di sclosures for large- and medium- sized respondents but pass along these costs to small respondents. The Bureau will further consider the extent to which respondents use third-party vendors and the extent to which third-party vendors charge various costs to different types of respondents, and the Bureau seeks data and other factual information from interested parties on these issues.248 one-time burden to be 140 hours for CFPB depository respondents and 1,488 hours and $115,000 for CFPB non-depository respondents. 155 Certain CFPB respondents would have ongoing bu rden associated with the IT used in producing the disclosure. All CFPB respondent s would have ongoing costs associated with distributing ( e.g ., mailing) the disclosure. The Bureau estimates this ongoing burden to be 600 hours and $63,000 for CFPB depository respond ents and 70 hours and $3,400 for CFPB nondepository respondents. 2. Changes in the Regulation Z § 1026.20(c) Di sclosure for Adjustable-Rate Mortgages. All CFPB respondents would have a one-time burden under this requirement associated with reviewing the regulation. Certain CFPB respondents would have one-time burden from creating software and IT capability to provide the additional content in the disclosure. The Bureau estimates this one-time burden to be 165 hours for CFPB deposito ry respondents and 600 hours and $58,000 for CFPB non- depository respondents. Regarding ongoing burden, the Bureau is propos ing to require the disclosure only when the interest rate adjustment results in a corr esponding change in the required payment. The Bureau believes it would be usual and customar y to provide consumers with a disclosure under these circumstances. Thus, the Bureau believes there is no burden from distribution costs for purposes of PRA from the proposed § 1026.20(c) disclo sure. The Bureau recognizes that there is content in the proposed disclosure beyond what may be usual and customary to provide. Bureau respondents that do not use vendors and certain small respondents that use vendors will incur production costs associated with th is extra content, and this is burden for purposes of PRA. The

155 Dollar figures include estimated costs to vendors.249 Bureau estimates the ongoing burden to be 1,40 0 hours for CFPB depository respondents and 110 hours and $8,000 for CFPB non-depository respondents. 3. New Periodic Statement. All CFPB respondents that are not exempt would have a one-time burden under this requirement associated with reviewing the regu lation. Certain CFPB respondents would have a one-time burden from creating soft ware and IT capability to modi fy existing periodic disclosures or produce a new disclosure. The proposed disclo sure incorporates all of the information in billing statements that many respondents already provide. However, the additional data fieldsand formatting requirements may not be usual and customary. The Bureau estimates this onetime burden to be 170 hours for CFPB depository respondents and 600 hours and $20,000 for CFPB non-depository respondents. Regarding ongoing burden, consumers who curre ntly receive a periodic statement or billing statement are receiving these disclosures in the normal course of business. The Bureau believes that most other consumers with mo rtgages receive a coupon book or other type of payment medium, such as a passbook. The statute provides that servicers do not have to provide the periodic statement disclosure to consumer s who have both a fixed-rate mortgage and a coupon book. Thus, the only consumers who are not already receiving a bi lling statement or periodic disclosure to whom servicers will ha ve to begin providing the periodic statement disclosure under the proposed ru le are those with both an adju stable-rate mortgage and a coupon book. The burden of distributing the proposed peri odic statement disclosure to these consumers is, for purposes of PRA, the ongoing burden from distribution costs from the proposed periodic statement disclosure. The Bureau recognizes th at there is content in the proposed periodic statement disclosure beyond what may be usual and customary to provide in existing billing250 statements. The Bureau estimates th e ongoing burden to be 52,000 hours and $5,600,000 for CFPB depository respondents and 6,300 hours and $300,000 for CFPB non-depository respondents. 4. Prompt crediting of payments and response to requests for payoff amounts. All CFPB respondents would have a one-time burden under this requirement associated with reviewing the regulation. Certain CFPB respondents would have a one-time burden from creating software and IT costs as sociated with changes in the pa yoff statement disclosure. The Bureau estimates this one-time burden to be 110 hours for CFPB deposito ry respondents and 500 hours and $115,000 for CFPB non- depository respondents. Regarding ongoing burden, the Bureau unders tands that the proposed payoff statement will replace a pre-existing disclo sure that respondents are currently providing in the normal course of business. The Bureau does not believ e that proposed changes to the content and timing of the existing disclosure will significantly chan ge the ongoing production or distribution costs of the notice currently provided in the normal course of busine ss. The Bureau estimates the ongoing burden to be 1,650 hours and $178,000 for CFPB depository respondents and 200 hours and $9,600 for CFPB non-depository respondents. C. Summary of Burden Hours for CFPB Respondents
Respondents Disclosures per Respondent Hours Burden per Disclosure Total Burden Hours Total Vendor Costs Ongoing ARM 20(c) Notice 824 700 0.002777778 1,000 $8,000 ARM 20(d) Notice 824 300 0.002881756 1,000 $67,000 Periodic Statements 564 35,800 0.002881756 58,000 $5,914,000 Prompt Crediting & Payoff Statements 824 800 0.002881756 2,000 $188,000 One-Time ARM 20(c) Notice 824 1 0.93 1,000 $58,000 ARM 20(d) Notice 824 1 1.97 2,000 $115,000 Periodic Statements 564 1 1.36 1,000 $20,000 Prompt Crediting & Payoff Statements 824 1 0.77 1,000 $115,000

D. Comments251 Comments are specifically re quested concerning: (i) whether the proposed collections of information are necessary for the proper perfor mance of the functions of the Bureau, including whether the information will have practical utilit y; (ii) the accuracy of the estimated burden associated with the proposed coll ections of information; (iii) ho w to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (iv) how to minimize the burden of complying with the proposed collections of information, including the application of automated collection techniques or other forms of information t echnology. All comments will become a matter of public record. Comments on the collection of information require ments should be sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attenti on: Desk Officer for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Washington, D.C., 20503, or by the internet to h ttp://oira_submission@omb.eop.gov, with copies to the Bureau at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Atte ntion: PRA Office), 1700 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20552, or by the inte rnet to CFPB_Public_PRA@cfpb.gov. Text of the Proposed Revisions Certain conventions have been used to highli ght the proposed changes to the text of the regulation and official interpretatio n. New language is shown inside ► bold-faced arrows ◄ , while language that would be deleted is set off with [ bold-faced brackets ]

. List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 1026 Advertising, Consumer Prot ection, Credit, Credit Unions, Mortgages, National Banks, Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, Sa vings Associations, Truth in Lending. Authority and Issuance For the reasons set forth above, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection proposes to amend 12 CFR part 1026, as set forth below:252 PART 1026 – TRUTH IN LEN DING (REGULATION Z) 1. The authority citation for part 10 26 continues to read as follows: 12 U.S.C. 5512, 5581; 15 U.S.C. 1601 et seq. Subpart C – Closed-End Credit 2. Section 1026.17 is amended by revising paragr aphs (a)(1) and (b) to read as follows: § 1026.17 General disclosure requirements. (a) Form of disclosures. (1) The creditor shall make the disclosures required by this subpart clearly and conspicuously in writing, in a form that the consumer may keep. The disclosures required by this subpart may be provided to the consum er in electronic form, subject to compliance with the consumer consent and ot her applicable provisio ns of the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-Sign Act) (15 U.S.C. 7001 et seq. ). The disclosures required by §§ 1026.17(g), 1026.19(b) , and 1026.24 may be provided to the consumer in electronic form without regard to the consumer consen t or other provisions of the ESign Act in the circumstances set forth in those sections. ► Except for § 1026.20(d), which requires disclosures to be provided separate a nd distinct from all other correspondence, the ◄ [ The ] disclosures shall be grouped together, shall be segregated from everything else, and shall not contain any information not directly related to the di sclosures required under § 1026.18 ► , § 1026.20(c), ◄ or § 1026.47. The disclosures may include an acknowledgment of receipt, the date of the transaction, and the consumer's na me, address, and account number. The following disclosures may be made together with or sepa rately from other requ ired disclosures: the creditor's identity under § 1026.18(a), the vari able rate example under § 1026.18(f)(1)(iv), insurance or debt cancellation under § 1026.18(n), and certain security interest charges under § 1026.18(o). The itemization of the amount fi nanced under § 1026.18(c)(1) must be separate253 from the other disclosures under § 1026.18, except for private educati on loan disclosures made in compliance with § 1026.47. (2) * * * (b) Time of disclosures. The creditor shall make disclosu res before consummation of the transaction. In certain reside ntial mortgage transactions, sp ecial timing requirements are set forth in § 1026.19(a). In certain variable-rat e transactions, special timing requirements for variable-rate disclosures are se t forth in § 1026.19(b) and § 1026.20(c) ► and (d) ◄ . For private education loan disclosures made in complia nce with § 1026.47, special timing requirements are set forth in § 1026.46(d). In certain transactions involving mail or te lephone orders or a series of sales, the timing of disclosures may be delayed in accordance with paragraphs (g) and (h) of this section.
* * * * * 3. Section 1026.20 is amended by revising the section heading and paragraphs (c) and (d) to read as follows: § 1026.20 [Subsequent d] ► D ◄ isclosure requirements ► regarding post-consummation events ◄
. * * * * * (c) [ Variable-rate ] ► Rate ◄ adjustments. ► The creditor, assignee, or servicer of an adjustable-rate mortgage shall provide disclosures to consumer s, as described in § 1026.20(c), in connection with the adjustment of interest rate s resulting in a correspon ding adjustment to the payment. To the extent that other provisions of subpart C apply to th e disclosures required by this section, those provis ions apply to assignees and servicer s as well as to creditors. The disclosures required under this se ction also shall be provided for an intere st rate adjustment resulting from the conversion of anadjustable-rate mortgage to a fi xed-rate transaction, if that254 interest rate adjustment results in a corresponding payment change. ◄ [ Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, an adjustment to the interest rate with or without a corresponding adjustment to the payment in a variab le-rate transaction subject to § 1026.19(b) is an event requiring new disclosures to the consumer. At le ast once each year during which an interest rate adjustment is implemented without an accompanying payment change, and at least 25, but no more than 120, calendar days before a payment at a new level is due, the following disclosures, as applicable, must be delivered or placed in the mail: (1) The current and prior interest rates. (2) The index values upon which the curr ent and prior interest rates are based. (3) The extent to which the creditor has foregone any increase in the interest rate. (4) The contractual effects of the adju stment, including the pa yment due after the adjustment is made, and a statement of the loan balance. (5) The payment, if different from that referr ed to in paragraph (c)(4 ) of this section, that would be required to fully amortize the loan at the new interest rate ove r the remainder of the loan term. ] ► (1) Coverage of rate adjustment disclosures . (i) In General. For purposes of § 1026.20(c), an adjustable-rate mortgage or “ARM” is a closed-end consumer credit transaction secured by the consumer’s princi pal dwelling in which the annual percentage rate may increase after consummation. (ii) Exceptions . The requirements of § 1026.20(c) do not apply to: (A) Construction loans with term s of one year or less; or255 (B) The first adjustment to an ARM if the first payment at the adjusted level is due within 210 days after consummation and th e actual, not estimated, new inte rest rate was disclosed at consummation pursuant to § 1026.20(d). (2) Timing and content of rate adjustment disclosures with a change in payment. Disclosures required by § 1026.20(c) must be provided to consumers at least 60, but no more than 120, days before a payment at a new leve l is due. Disclosures must be provided to consumers at least 25, but no more than 120, days before a payment at a new level is due for ARMs originated prior to July 21, 2013 in which th e mortgage note requires the adjusted interest rate and payment to be calculated based on the index figure available as of a date that is less than 45 days prior to the adjustment date. Disclosures must be provided to consumers as soon as practicable, but not less than 25 days before a payment at a new level is due for the first adjustment to an ARM if it occurs within 60 days of consummation and the actual, not estimated, new interest rate was not di sclosed at consummation. The disclosures must provide the following information: (i) A statement providing: (A) An explanation that under the terms of the consumer’s adjustable-rate mortgage, the specific time period in which the current interest ra te has been in effect is ending and that the interest rate and mortgage payment will change; (B) The effective date of the interest rate ad justment, and when additional future interest rate changes are scheduled to occur; and (C) Any other changes to loan terms, features , or options taking effect on the same date as the interest rate adjustment, such as the expiration of interest -only or payment-option features; (ii) A table containing th e following information:256 (A) The current and new interest rates; (B) The current and new payments and the date the first new payment is due; and (C) For interest-only or ne gatively-amortizing payments, th e amount of the current and new payment allocated to principal, interest, and taxes and insurance in es crow, as applicable. The current payment allocation disclosed shall be based on the expected payment allocation for the last payment prior to the date of the disclo sure. The new payment allocation disclosed shall be based on the expected payment allocation for th e first payment for which the new interest rate will apply; (iii) An explanation of how the inte rest rate is dete rmined, including: (A) The specific index or formula used in making adjustments and a source of information about the index or formula; and (B) Any adjustment to the index, including th e amount of any margin and an explanation that the margin is the addition of a certain number of percentage poi nts to the index; (iv) Any limits on the interest rate or payment increases at each adjustment and over the life of the loan, as applicable, including the extent to which such limits result in the creditor, assignee, or servicer foregoing any increase in the interest rate and the earliest date that such foregone interest may apply to additional future in terest rate adjustments, subject to those limits; (v) An explanation of how the new payment is determined, including: (A) The index or formula used; (B) The amount of any adjustment to the i ndex or formula, for example, by the addition of a margin or applicat ion of previously fore gone interest increase; (C) The loan balance expected on the date of the interest rate adjustment; and257 (D) The length of the remaining loan term expected on the date of the interest rate adjustment. Any change in the term or maturity of the loan caused by the adjustment also shall be disclosed; (vi) For interest-only or ne gatively-amortizing lo ans, a statement that the new payment will not be allocated to pay loan principal. If negative amortization occurs as a result of the adjustment, the statement shall set forth the paym ent required to fully amortize the loan at the new interest rate over the remainder of the loan term or to fully amortize the loan without extending the loan term; and (vii) The circumstances under which any prep ayment penalty, as defined in subpart E by § 1026.41(d)(7)(iv), may be imposed when cons umers fully repay th eir adjustable-rate mortgages, such as when selli ng or refinancing their principal residence, the time period during which the penalty may be imposed, and the maxi mum amount (in dollars) of the penalty possible during that time period. (3) Format of disclosures. (i) The disclosures required by § 1026.20(c) shall be provided in the form of the table and in the same order as, and with he adings and format substantially similar to, Forms H-4(D)(1) and (2) in Appendix H to this part; and (ii) The disclosures required by paragraph (c)(2 )(ii) shall be in the form of a table located within the table described in paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this sectio n. These disclosures shall appear in the same order as, and with headings and format substantially similar to, the table inside the larger table in Forms H-4(D)(1) and (2) in Appendix H to this part. ◄ (d) [ Information provided in accordance with variable-rate subsequent disclosure regulations of other Federal agencies may be su bstituted for the disclosure required by paragraph (c) of this section. ] ► Initial rate adjustments. The creditor, assignee, or servicer of an258 adjustable-rate mortgage shall pr ovide disclosures to consumers, as described in § 1026.20(d), in connection with the initial interest rate adjustment. To the ex tent that other pr ovisions of subpart C apply to the disclosures required by this se ction, those provisions apply to assignees and servicers as well as to creditors. The disclosures shall be provided in writing, separate and distinct from all other correspondence. The di sclosures shall be provided at least 210, but no more than 240, days before the first payment at th e adjusted level is due. If the first payment at the adjusted level is due within the first 210 days after consu mmation, the disclosures shall be provided at consummation. (1) Coverage of initial rate adjustment disclosures. (i) In general. For purposes of § 1026.20(d), an adjustable-rate mortgage or “ARM” is a closed-end consumer credit transaction secured by the consumer’s princi pal dwelling in which the annual percentage rate may increase after consummation. (ii) Exceptions . The requirements of § 1026.20(d) do not apply to c onstruction loans with terms of one year or less. (2) Content of initial ra te adjustment disclosures. If the new interest rate (or the new payment calculated from the new in terest rate) is not know n as of the date of the disclosure, an estimate shall be disclosed and labeled as such. This estimate shall be based on the index figure reported in the source of information described in paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(A) within fifteen business days prior to the date of the disclosure. Th e disclosures required by § 1026.20(d) shall provide the following: (i) The date of the disclosure; (ii) A statement providing:259 (A) An explanation that under the terms of the consumer’s adjustable-rate mortgage, the specific time period in which the current interest ra te has been in effect is ending and that any change in the interest rate may result in a change in the mortgage payment; (B) The effective date of the interest rate ad justment and when additional future interest rate changes are scheduled to occur; and (C) Any other changes to loan terms, features , or options taking effect on the same date as the interest rate adjustment, such as the expiration of interest -only or payment-option features; (iii) A table containing th e following information: (A) The current and new interest rates; (B) The current and new payments and th e date the first new payment is due; and (C) For interest-only or ne gatively-amortizing payments, th e amount of the current and new payment allocated to principal, interest, and taxes and insurance in es crow, as applicable. The current payment allocation disclosed shall be based on the expected payment allocation for the last payment prior to the date of the disclo sure. The new payment allocation disclosed shall be based on the expected payment allocation for th e first payment for which the new interest rate will apply; (iv) An explanation of how the inte rest rate is dete rmined, including: (A) The specific index or formula used in making adjustments and a source of information about the index or formula; and (B) Any adjustment to the index, including th e amount of any margin and an explanation that the margin is the addition of a certain number of percentage poi nts to the index; (v) Any limits on the interest rate or payment increases at each adjustment and over the life of the loan, as applicable, including the extent to which such limits result in the creditor,260 assignee, or servicer foregoing any increase in the interest rate and the earliest date that such foregone interest may apply to additional future in terest rate adjustments, subject to those limits; (vi) An explanation of how the new payment is determined, including: (A) The index or formula used; (B) The amount of any adjustment to the i ndex or formula, for example, by the addition of a margin; (C) The loan balance expected on the da te of the interest rate adjustment; (D) The length of the remaining loan term expected on the date of the interest rate adjustment. Any change in the term or maturity of the loan caused by the adjustment also shall be disclosed; and (E) If the new interest rate or new paymen t provided is an estimate, a statement that another disclosure containing the actual new interest rate and new payment will be provided to the consumer 2 to 4 months prior to the date the first new payment is due for interest rate adjustments that result in a corresponding payment cha nge, pursuant to § 1026.20(c); (vii) For interest-only or ne gatively-amortizing loans, a statement that the new payment will not be allocated to pay loan principal. If negative amortization occurs as a result of the adjustment, the statement shall set forth the paym ent required to fully amortize the loan at the new interest rate over the remainder of the loan term or to fully amortize the loan without extending the loan term; (viii) A list of the following alternatives to paying at the new ra te that consumers may pursue and a brief explanation of each alternative: (A) Refinancing the loan with the current or other lender; (B) Selling the property and using the proceeds to pay off the loan;261 (C) Modifying the terms of the loan with the lender; or (D) Arranging payment forbearan ce with the lender; (ix) The circumstances under which any prep ayment penalty, as defined in subpart E by § 1026.41(d)(7)(iv), may be imposed when cons umers fully repay th eir adjustable-rate mortgages, such as when selli ng or refinancing their principal residence, the time period during which the penalty may be imposed, and the maxi mum amount (in dollars) of the penalty possible during that time period; (x) The telephone number of the creditor, assi gnee, or servicer for consumers to call if they anticipate not being able to make the new payment; and (xi) The mailing and internet addresses and telephone number to ac cess the State housing finance authority (as defined in Section 1301 of the Financial Inst itutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989) for the State in whic h the consumer resides, and the website and telephone number to access either the Bureau list or the HUD list of homeownership counselors or counseling organizations. (3) Format of initial rate adjustment disclosures. (i) Except for the disclosures provided by paragraph (d)(2)(i), th e disclosures required by § 1026.20(d) sh all be provided in the form of a table and in the same order as, and with headin gs and format substantia lly similar to, Forms H- 4(D)(3) and (4) in Appendix H to this part; (ii) The disclosures required by paragraph (d)(2)(i) shall app ear outside of and above the table required in paragraph (d)(3)(i); and (iii) The disclosures required by paragraph (d)(2)(iii) shall be in the form of a table located within the table described in paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section. These disclosures shall262 appear in the same order as, and with headings and format substantially similar to, the table inside the larger table in Forms H-4(D )(3) and (4) in Appendix H to this part. ◄ Subpart E – Special Rules for Cert ain Home Mortgage Transactions 4. Section 1026.36 is amended by revising paragraph (c) to read as follows: § 1026.36 Prohibited acts or practices in conn ection with a credit secured by a dwelling.
* * * * * (c) Servicing practices. ► For purposes of this paragraph (c), the terms “servicer” and “servicing” have the same meanings as provided in 12 CFR 1024.2(b)

. (1) Payment Processing. In connection with a consumer credit transaction secured by a consumer’s principal dwelling: (i) Full contractual payments. No servicer shall fail to credit a full contractual payment to the consumer’s loan account as of the date of receipt, except when a delay in crediting does not result in any charge to th e consumer or in the reporting of negative information to a consumer reporting agency, or excep t as provided in paragraph (c)(1 )(iii) of this section. A full contractual payment is an amount sufficient to cover principal, inte rest, and escrow (if applicable) for a given billing cycl e. A payment qualifies as a full contractual payment even if it does not include amounts required to cover late fe es or other fees that have been assessed. (ii) Partial payments. Any servicer that retains a pa rtial payment, meaning any payment less than a full contractual payment, in a suspense or unapplied funds account shall: (A) Disclose to the consumer the total am ount of funds held in such suspense or unapplied funds account on the periodic statemen t required by § 1026.41, if a periodic statement is required.263 (B) Promptly apply funds held in the suspen se or unapplied funds account to the oldest outstanding payment when sufficient funds accu mulate in such account to cover a full contractual payment. (iii) Non-conforming payments. If a servicer specifies in writing requirements for the consumer to follow in making payments, but acc epts a payment that does not conform to the requirements, the servicer shall credit th e payment as of 5 days after receipt. (2) No pyramiding of late fees. In connection with a consum er credit transaction secured by a consumer’s principal dwelling, a servicer shall not impose any late fee or delinquency charge for a payment if: (i) Such a fee or charge is attributable solely to failure of the consumer to pay a late fee or delinquency charge on an earlier payment; and (ii) The payment is otherwise a full cont ractual payment received on the due date, or within any applicable grace period. (3) Payoff Statements. In connection with a consumer credit transaction secured by a consumer’s dwelling, a creditor, a ssignee or servicer, as applicab le, must provide an accurate statement of the total outstanding balance that would be required to pay the consumer’s obligation in full as of a specified date. The statement shall be provided within a reasonable time, but in no case more than 7 business days , after receiving a written request from the consumer or any person acting on behalf of the consumer. ◄ [ (1) In connection with a consumer credit tr ansaction secured by a consumer’s principal dwelling, no se rvicer shall: (i) Fail to credit a payment to the consumer’s loan account as of the date of receipt, except when a delay in crediting does not result in any charge to the consumer or in the reporting264 of negative information to a consumer reporti ng agency, or except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section; (ii) Impose on the consumer any late fee or delinquency charge in connection with a payment, when the only delinquency is attributable to late fees or delinquency charges assessed on an earlier payment, and the payment is otherw ise a full payment for the applicable period and is paid on its due date or within any applicable grace period; or (iii) Fail to provide, within a reasonable time after receiving a request from the consumer or any person acting on behalf of the consumer , an accurate statement of the total outstanding balance that would be required to satisfy the consumer’s obligation in full as of a specified date. (2) If a servicer specifies in writing requirem ents for the consumer to follow in making payments, but accepts a payment that does not conf orm to the requirements, the servicer shall credit the payment as of 5 days after receipt. (3) For purposes of this paragr aph (c), the terms “servicer” a nd “servicing” have the same meanings as provided in 12 CFR 1024.2(b), as amended. ]

* * * * * 5. Section 1026.41 is amended by adding a se ction heading and new paragraphs (a) through (e) to read as follows:

► § 1026.41 Periodic statements fo r residential mortgage loans (a) In general. A servicer of a closed-end consumer credit transaction secured by a dwelling, must transmit to the consumer for each billing cycle a periodic statement meeting the requirements of paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section, unless an ex emption in paragraph (e) of this section applies. If a lo an has a billing cycle shorter than a period of 31 days (for example,265 a bi-weekly billing cycle), a periodic statement covering an entire month may be used. For the purposes of this section, servicer is defined to mean creditor, assi gnee, or servicer, as applicable. (b) Timing of the periodic statement. The periodic statement mu st be delivered or placed in the mail within a reasonably prompt time after the payment due date or the end of any grace period provided for the previous billing cycle. Th e first periodic statement must be sent no later than 10 days before the first payment is due. (c) Form of the periodic statement. The creditor, assignee, or servicer must make the disclosures required by this section clearly and conspicuously in writ ing, or electron ically if the consumer agrees, and in a form that the c onsumer may keep. Sample forms for periodic statements are provided in Appendix H-28. Proper use of these forms will be deemed in compliance with this section. (d) Content and layout of the periodic statement. The periodic statement shall contain the information in this paragraph (d), in the manner described below. (1) Amount due. The following disclosures must be grouped together in close proximity to each other, and be located at the t op of the first page of the statement: (i) The payment due date; (ii) The amount of any late payment fee, and the date on which that fee will be imposed if payment has not been received; and (iii) The amount due. The amount due must be more prominent than other disclosures on the page. If a loan has multiple payment opt ions, the amount due under each of the payment options must be listed. (2) Explanation of amount due. The following items must be grouped together in close proximity to each other and located on the first page of the statement:266 (i) The monthly payment amount, including a breakdown showing how much, if any, will be applied to principal, interest, and escrow. If a loan has multiple payment options, a breakdown of each of the payment options must be listed along with a statement whether the principal balance will increase, decrease or stay the same for each option listed; (ii) The total sum of any fees or charge s imposed since the last statement; and (iii) Any payment amount past due. (3) Past Payment Breakdown . The following items must be grouped together in close proximity to each other and located on the first page of the statement: (i) The total of all payments received sin ce the last statement, including a breakdown showing how much, if any, of those payments was a pplied to principal, inte rest, escrow, fees and charges, and any partial payment or suspense account; and (ii) The total of all payments received sin ce the beginning of the current calendar year, including a breakdown of how much, if any, of those payments was a pplied to principal, interest, escrow, fees and charges, and the amount curren tly held in any partial payment or suspense

account. (4) Transaction activity. A list of all the transaction activ ity that occurred since the last statement must be included on th e periodic statement. For purpos es of this paragraph (d)(4), transaction activity means any activity that credits or debi ts the outstanding account balance. The transaction activity must in clude the date of the transact ion, a brief description of the transaction, and the amount of the tr ansaction for each activity on the list. (5) Messages . If a statement reflects a partial payment that was placed in a suspense or unapplied funds account, the periodic statement must state what must be done for the funds to be applied. Such statement must be on the front page of the statement.267 (6) Contact information . The periodic statement must include a toll-free telephone number and, if applicable, an electronic mailing address that may be used by the consumer to obtain information about the mortgage, on the front page of the statement. (7) Account information . The following items must be provided on the statement: (i) The amount of the outs tanding principal balance; (ii) The current interest rate in effect for the loan; (iii) The date on which the interest rate may next change; and (iv) The amount of any prepayment penalty that may be charged. For the purposes of this paragraph (d)(7)(iv), prepayment penalty means a charge imposed for paying all or part of a transaction’s principal before the date on which the principal is due. (v) Housing counselor information. The periodic statement must include the website address, if applicable, and telephone number to access: (A) any State housing finance authority (as defined in Section 1301 of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989) for the State in which the property is located; and (B) Either the Bureau list or the HUD list of homeownership counselors or counseling organizations. (8) Delinquency information

. If the consumer is more than 45 days delinquent, the following items must be grouped together in cl ose proximity to each other and located on the first page of the statement: (i) The date on which the consumer became delinquent; (ii) A statement alerting the consumer to possibl e risks, such as foreclosure, and expenses that may be incurred if th e delinquency is not cured;268 (iii) An account history showing the consumer, for the lesser of the past 6 months or the period since the last time the account was current, the amount due for each billing cycle, or if a payment was fully paid, the date on which it was considered fully paid; (iv) Notice of any loan modification programs (t rial or permanent) to which the consumer has been accepted, if applicable; (v) Notice that the loan has been refe rred to foreclosure, if applicable; (vi) The total payment amount needed to bring the loan current; and (vii) A statement directing the consumer to the housing counselor information required by (d)(7)(v). (e) Exemptions. (1) Reverse Mortgages . Reverse mortgage transacti ons, as defined by § 1026.33(a), are exempt from the requireme nts of this section. (2) Timeshare. Timeshare plans, as defined by 11 U.S.C. 101(53(D)), are exempt from the requirements of this section. (3) Coupon Book Exemption . The requirements of paragr aph (a) do not apply to fixedrate loans if the creditor, assignee, or servicer: (i) Provides the consumer with a coupon book that includes on each coupon the information listed in paragraph (d)(1) above; (ii) Provides the consumer with a coupon book that includes anywhere in the coupon book: (A) The account information liste d in paragraph (d)(7) above; (B) The contact information for the servicer, listed in paragraph (d)(6) above; and269 (C) Information on how the consumer can obtain the information listed in paragraph (e)(3)(iii) below. (iii) Makes the following information availabl e to the consumer by telephone, writing or electronically, if the consumer consents: (A) The information in Explanation of Amount Due, listed in para graph (d)(2) above; (B) The past payment breakdown informati on, listed in paragraph (d)(3) above; and (C) The transaction activity informati on listed in paragr aph (d)(4) above; (iv) Provides the consumer the information listed in (d)(8) above in writing, for any billing cycle during which the borrower is more than 45 days delinquent. (4) Small Servicer Exemption. A creditor, assignee or servicer is exempt from the requirements of this section for loans serviced by a small servicer. To qualify as a small servicer, a servicer must meet a ll of the following requirements: (i) Service 1,000 or fewer mortgage loans. In determining whether a small servicer services 1,000 mortgage loans or fe wer, a servicer is evaluated ba sed on its size as of January 1 for the remainder of the calendar year. A servicer that, together with its affiliates, crosses the threshold will have six months or until the begi nning of the next calendar year, whichever is later, to begin compliance other than as a small servicer. (ii) Only service mortgage loans for which th e servicer (or an affiliate) is the owner or assignee or the servicer (or an affiliate) is the entity to whom the mortgage loan obligation was initially payable. ◄ 6. Appendix H to Part 1026 is amended by re moving the entry for H-4(D) Variable-Rate Model Clauses (§ 1026.20(c)), a dding entries for H-4(D)(1), H- 4(D)(2), H-4(D)(3), and H-270 4(D)(4), adding entries for H-28(A), H-28(B), H-28(C), and H-28(D), an d removing and adding entries in the table of contents at the begi nning of the appendix to read as follows:
A PPENDIX H TO P ART 1026

– C LOSED -E ND M ODEL F ORMS AND C LAUSES * * * * * [ H-4(D) Variable-Rate M odel Clauses (§ 1026.20(c)) ] ► H-4(D)(1) Adjustable-Rate Mort gage Model Form (§ 1026.20(c)) H-4(D)(2) Adjustable-Rate Mort gage Sample Form (§ 1026.20(c)) H-4(D)(3) Adjustable-Rate Mort gage Model Form (§ 1026.20(d)) H-4(D)(4) Adjustable-Rate Mort gage Sample Form (§ 1026.20(d)) ◄
* * * * * ► H-28(A) Sample Form of Periodic Statement H-28(B) Sample Form of Periodi c Statement with Delinquency Box H-28(C) Sample Form of Periodic St atement for a Payment-Options Loan H-28(D) Sample Clause for Housi ng Counselor Contact Information ◄
* * * * * [

] ►271 H-4(D)(1) Model Form for § 1026.20(c)272 H-4(D)(2) Sample Form for § 1026.20(c)273 H-4(D)(3) Model Form for § 1026.20(d)274275 H-4(D)(4) Sample Form for § 1026.20(d)276 ◄
* * * * *277 ► H-28(A) Sample Form of Periodic Statement278 H-28(B) Sample Form of Periodi c Statement with Delinquency Box279 H-28(C) Sample Form of Periodic St atement for a Payment-Options Loan.280 H-28(D) Sample Clause for Housi ng Counselor Contact Information Housing Counselor Information: If you would like counseli ng or assistance, you can contact the following:

 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Deve lopment (HUD): For a list of counseling agencies or programs in your area, go to http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm or call 800-569-4287.

 Tennessee Housing Development Agency 404 James Robertson Pkwy, Ste 1200 Nashville, TN 37243-0900
615-815-2200 or 1-800-228-THDA www.thda.org ◄ 7. In Supplement I to Part 1026: A. Under Section 1026.17— General Di sclosure Requirements , revise paragraphs 17(a)(1)-2.ii and 17(c)(1)-1. B. Under Section 1026.18— Content of Disclosures , revise paragraph 18(f)-1. C. Under Section 1026.19—Certain Mortgage and Variable-Rate Transactions , revise paragraphs 19(b)-4, 19(b )-5.i.C and 19(b)(2)(xi). D. Under Section 1026.20— Subsequent Disclosure Requirements :

i. Revise the section heading. ii. Amend 20(c) Variable-Rate Adjustments by revising paragraphs 1. and 2. and removing paragraph 3.281 iii. Remove subheading Paragraph 20(c)(1) and remove paragraph 1. under this subheading. iv. New subheading Paragraph 20(c)(1)(i) is added and paragraph 1. under this subheading is added.

v. New subheading Paragraph 20(c)(1)(ii) is added and paragraphs 1., 2., and 3. under this subheading are added. vi. Amend Paragraph 20(c)(2) by revising paragraph 1. vii. New subheading Paragraph 20(c)(2)(ii)(A) is added and paragraph 1. under this subheading is added. viii. New subheading Paragraph 20(c)(2)(iv) is added and paragraph 1. under this subheading is added. ix. New subheading Paragraph 20(c)(2)(v)(B) is added and paragraph 1. under this subheading is added.

x. New subheading Paragraph 20(c)(2)(vi) is added and paragraphs 1. and 2. under this subheading are added. xi. Remove subheading Paragraph 20(c)(3) and remove paragraph 1. under this subheading. xii. Remove subheading Paragraph 20(c)(4) and remove paragraph 1. under this subheading. xiii. Remove subheading Paragraph 20(c)(5) and remove paragraph 1. under this subheading. xiv. New subheading Paragraph 20(d) is added and paragraphs 1., 2., and 3. under this subheading are added.282 xv. New subheading Paragraph 20(d)(1)(i) is added and paragraph 1. under this subheading is added. xvi. New subheading Paragraph 20(d)(1)(ii) is added and paragraphs 1. and 2. under this subheading are added. xvii. New subheading Paragraph 20(d)(2)(i) is added and paragraph 1. under this subheading is added. xviii. New subheading Paragraph 20(d)(2)(iii)(A) is added and paragraph 1. under this subheading is added. xix. New subheading Paragraph 20(d)(2)(v) is added and paragraph 1. under this subheading is added.

xx. New subheading Paragraph 20(d)(2)(vii) is added and paragraphs 1. and 2. under this subheading are added. xxi. New subheading Paragraph 20(d)(2)(viii) is added and paragraph 1. under this subheading is added. E. Under Section 1026.36(c)— Servicing Practices :

i. Under subheading Paragraph 36(c)(1)(iii) , remove paragraph 1. ii. New subheading Paragraph 36(c)(3) is added and para graph 1. under this subheading is added. iii. Redesignate existing paragraphs 2., 3., and 4. under subheading Paragraph 36(c)(1)(iii) as new paragraphs 2., 3., and 4., respectively, un der subheading Paragraph 36(c)(3)

.283 iv. Redesignate existing paragraphs 1., 2., and 3. under subheading Paragraph 36(c)(2) as new paragraphs 1., 2., and 3., respectively, under subheading Paragraph 36(c)(1)(iii)

.

v. Redesignate existing paragraph 1 under subheading Paragraph 36(c)(1)(ii) as paragraph 1 under subheading Paragraph 36(c)(2)

. vi. Under subheading Paragraph 36(c)(1)(ii) , add new paragraph 1. vii. Under subheading Paragraph 36(c)(3) , revise the first sentence of new paragraph 1 and the first sentence of new paragraph 2. F. Add new Section 1026.41 — Periodic Statements for Residential Mortgage Loans :

i. New section heading Section 41 – Periodic Statemen ts for Residential Mortgage
Loans is added. ii. New subheading 41(a) In General is added and paragraphs 1., 2., 3., and 4. under this subheading are added. iii. New subheading 41(b) Timing of the Periodic Statement is added and paragraph 1. under this subheading is added. iv. New subheading 41(c) Form of the Periodic Statement is added and paragraphs 1., 2., and 3. under this subheading are added.

v. New subheading 41(d) Content and Format of the Periodic Statement is added and paragraphs 1., 2., and 3. under th is subheading are added. vi. New subheading 41(d)(3) Past Payment Breakdown is added and paragraph 1. under this subheading is added. vii. New subheading 41(d)(4) Transaction Activity is added and paragraphs 1., 2., and 3. under this subheading are added.284 viii. New subheading 41(d)(6) Contact Information is added and paragraphs 1. and 2. under this subheading are added. ix. New subheading 41(d)(7)(iv) Prepayment Penalty is added and paragraphs 1. and 2. under this subheading are added.

x. New subheading 41(e) Exemptions is added and paragraph 1. under this subheading is added. xi. New subheading 41(e)(3) Coupon Book Exemption is added and paragraphs 1., 2., 3., and 4. under this subheading are added. xii. New subheading 41(e)(4) Small Servicers is added and paragraphs 1., 2., 3., and 4. under this subheading are added. G. Under Appendices G and H— Open-End and Cl osed-End Model Forms and Clauses , revise paragraph 1. H. Under Appendix H— Closed-End Model Forms and Clauses , revise paragraph 7(i). The revisions and additions read as follows:

Supplement I to Part 1026 – Official Interpretations * * * * * Subpart C – Closed-End Credit * * * * * Section 1026.17 – General Disclosures Requirements 17(a) Form of Disclosures Paragraph 17(a)(1)
* * * * * 2. * * *285 (ii) The general segregati on requirement described in th is subparagraph does not apply to the disclosures required under [ § ] § 1026.19(b) [ and 1026.20(c) ] although the disclosures must be clear and conspicuous.
* * * * * 17(c) Basis of Disclosures and Use of Estimates Paragraph 17(c)(1)
1. Legal obligation. The disclosures shall reflect the credit terms to which the parties are legally bound as of the outset of the transaction. In the case of disclosures required under § 1026.20(c) ► and (d) ◄ , the disclosures shall reflect the credit terms to which the parties are legally bound when the disclosu res are provided. The legal obligation is determined by applicable state law or other law. (Certain transactions are specifically addressed in this commentary. See, for example, the discussi on of buydown transactions elsewhere in the commentary to § 1026.17(c).) The fact that a term or contract may later be deemed unenforceable by a court on the basis of equity or other grounds does not, by itself, mean that disclosures based on that term or contra ct did not reflect the legal obligation.
* * * * * Section 1026.18 – Content of Disclosures
* * * * * 18(f) – Variable Rate
1. Coverage. The requirements of § 1026.18(f) apply to all transactions in which the terms of the legal obligation allow the creditor to increase the rate originally disclosed to the consumer. It includes not only increases in th e interest rate but also increases in other components, such as the rate of required cred it life insurance. The provisions, however, do not286 apply to increases resulting from delinquency (including late payment) , default, assumption, acceleration or transfer of th e collateral. Section 1026.18(f)(1 ) applies to variable-rate transactions that are not secu red by the consumer's principal dwelling and to those that are secured by the principal dwelling but have a te rm of one year or less. Section 1026.18(f)(2) applies to variable-rate transact ions that are secured by the consumer's principal dwelling and have a term greater than one year. Moreover, transactions subject to § 1026.18(f)(2) are subject to the special early disclosure requirements of § 1026.19(b). (However, “shared-equity” or “shared-appreciation” mortgages are subject to the disclosure requi rements of § 1026.18(f)(1) and not to the requirements of §§ 1026.18(f)(2 ) and 1026.19(b) regardless of the general coverage of those sections.) Creditors are permitted under § 1026.18(f)(1) to substitute in any variable-rate transaction the disclosures required under § 102 6.19(b) for those disclosures ordinarily required under § 1026.18(f )(1). Creditors who provide variable-rate disclosures under § 1026.19(b) must comply with all of the require ments of that section, including the timing of disclosures, and must also provide the disclosures required u nder § 1026.18(f)(2). [ Creditors substituting § 1026.19(b) disclosures for § 1026.18(f )(1) disclosures may, but need not, also provide disclosures pursuant to § 1026.20(c) ] . (Substitution of disclosures under § 1026.18(f)(1) in transactions s ubject to § 1026.19(b) is not permitted.)
* * * * * Section 1026.19 – Certain Mortgage and Variable-Rate Transactions 19(b) Certain Variable-Rate Transactions
* * * * *
4. Other variable-rate regulations. Transactions in which the creditor is required to comply with and has complied with the disclosure requirements of the va riable-rate regulations287 of other Federal agencies are exempt from the requirements of § 1026.19(b), by virtue of § 1026.19(d) [ , and are exempt from the requiremen ts of § 1026.20(c), by virtue of § 1026.20(d) ]

. The exception is also available to creditors thatare required by State law to comply with the Federal variable-rate regulations noted above. Creditors using this exception should comply with the timing requirements of those regulati ons rather than the timing requirements of Regulation Z in making the variable-rate disclosures. 5. * * * i. * * * A. * * * B. * * * C. “Price-level-adjusted mortga ges” or other indexed mortgage s that have a fixed rate of interest but provide for periodic adjustments to payments and the loan balance to reflect changes in an index measuring prices or inflation. The disclosures under § 1026.19(b)(1) are not applicable to such loans, nor are the following provisions to the extent they relate to the determination of the interest rate by the addition of a margin, changes in the interest rate, or interest rate discounts: § 1026.19(b)(2)(i), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) , (vii), (viii), and (ix). (See comments 20(c) [ -2 ] ► (1)(ii)-3.ii, 20(d)(1)(ii)-2.ii, ◄ and 30-1 regarding the inapplicability of variable-rate adjustment notices and interest rate limitations to price-level-adjusted or similar mortgages.)
* * * * * Paragraph 19(b)(2)(xi) 1. Adjustment notices. A creditor must disclose to the consumer the type of information that will be contained in subse quent notices of adjustments and when such notices will be provided. (See the commentary to § 1026.20(c) ► and (d) ◄ regarding notices of adjustments.)288 For example, the disclosure ► provided pursuant to § 1026.20(d) ◄ might state, “You will be notified ► at least 210, but not more than 240, days before the first payment at the adjusted level is due after the initial adjustme nt of the loan. This notice w ill contain information about the adjustment, including the interest rate, payment amount, and loan balance.” The disclosure provided pursuant to § 1026.20(c) mi ght state, “You will be notified ◄ at least [ 25 ] ► 60 ◄ , but no more than 120, days before the due date of a payment at a new level. This notice will contain information about the ► adjustment, including the ◄ [ index and ] interest [ rates ] ► rate ◄ , payment amount, and loan balance.” [ In transactions where there may be interest rate adjustments without corresponding payment adjustme nts in a year, the disclosure might read, “You will be notified once each year during which interest rate adjustments, but no payment adjustments, have been made to your loan. Th is notice will contain info rmation about the index and interest rates, payment amount, and loan balance.” ] * * * * * Section 1026.20 [Subsequent] Disclosure Requirements ► Regarding Post-Consummation Events ◄ 20(c) [ Variable- ] ► R ◄ ate adjustments
1. ► Creditors, assignees, and servicers . Creditors, assignees, and servicers are subject to the requirements of § 1026.20(c) , unless they no longer own the applicable adjustable-rate mortgage or the mortgage servici ng rights. Creditors, assignees, a nd servicers are also subject to the requirements of any provision of subpart C that applies to § 1026.20(c) . For example, the form requirements of § 1026.17(a) apply to § 1026.20(c) disclosures and thus, assignees and servicers, as well as creditors, are subject to those requirements.
2. Conversions . In addition to the disclosures require d by this section for the interest rate adjustment of an adjustable-rate mortgage, § 1026.20(c) disclosures are also required for an289 ARM converting to a fixed-rate tran saction when the adjustment to the interest rate results in a corresponding payment change. When an open-e nd account converts to a closed-end adjustablerate mortgage, § 1026.20(c) disclosures are not re quired until the implementation of an interest rate adjustment post-conversion that results in a corresponding payment change. For example, for an open-end account that converts to a cl osed-end 3/1 hybrid ARM, the first § 1026.20(c) disclosure would not be require d until three years after convers ion, and only if that first adjustment resulted in payment change. ◄ [ Timing of adjustment notices. This section requires a creditor (or a subsequent holder) to provide certain disclosure s in cases where an adjustment to the interest rate is made in a variable-rate transaction subject to § 1026.19(b). There are two timing rules, depending on whether payment cha nges accompany interest rate changes. A creditor is required to provide at least one notice each year during which interest rate adjustments have occurred without corresponding payment adjust ments. For payment adjustments, a creditor must deliver or place in the mail notices to borro wers at least 25, but not more than 120, calendar days before a payment at a new level is due. Th e timing rules also apply to the notice required to be given in connection with the adjustment to th e rate and payment that follows conversion of a transaction subject to § 1026.19(b) to a fixed-rate transaction. (In cases where an open-end account is converted to a closed-e nd transaction subjec t to § 1026.19(b), the requirements of this section do not apply until adjustme nts are made following conversion.)
2. Exceptions. Section 1026.20(c) does not apply to “shared-equity,” “sharedappreciation,” or “price level ad justed” or similar mortgages.
3. Basis of disclosures. The disclosures required under this section shall reflect the terms of the parties' legal obligati on, as required under § 1026.17(c)(1). Paragraph 20(c)(1).290 1. Current and prior interest rates. The requirements under this paragraph are satisfied by disclosing the interest rate used to comput e the new adjusted payment amount (current rate) and the adjusted interest rate that was disclosed in the last adjustment notice, as well as all other interest rates applied to the transaction in the pe riod since the last notice (p rior rates). (If there has been no prior adjustment notice, the prior ra tes are the interest rate applicable to the transaction at consummation, as we ll as all other interest rates a pplied to the transaction in the period since consummation.) If no payment adjustme nt has been made in a year, the current rate is the new adjusted interest rate for the transact ion, and the prior rates are the adjusted interest rate applicable to the loan at the time of the last adjustment notice, and a ll other rates applied to the transaction in the period between the current and last adjustment notices. In disclosing all other rates applied to the transa ction during the period between notic es, a creditor may disclose a range of the highest and lowest rates applied during that period. ] ► Paragraph 20(c)(1)(i)
1. In general. An adjustable-rate mortgage, as de fined under this section, is a variablerate transaction as that term is used in subpart C, excep t as distinguished by commentary to § 1026.20(c)(1)(ii)-3. The requirement s of this section are not limite d to transactions financing the initial acquisition of the c onsumer’s principal dwelling. Paragraph 20(c)(1)(ii)
1. Construction loans. In determining the term of a construction loan that may be permanently financed by the same creditor or assignee, the creditor or assignee may treat the construction and the permanent phases as separate transactions with distinct terms to maturity or as a single combined transaction.291 2. First new payment due within 210 days after consummation. Section § 1026.20(c) disclosures are not required for AR Ms if the first payment at the adjusted level is due within 210 days after consummation, when the actual new inte rest rate (not an estim ate) is disclosed at consummation pursuant to § 1026.20(d). This exception is intended to avoid duplicative disclosures, since § 1026.20(d) requ ires disclosures at consummation if the first payment at the adjusted level is due within 210 days after cons ummation. For example, the creditor, assignee, or servicer would not be requi red to provide the disclosures required by § 1026.20(c) for the first time the interest rate adjusts fo r an ARM if the first payment atthe adjusted level was due 120 days after consummation and the actual adjusted interest rate was disclosed at consummation pursuant to § 1026.20(d).
3. Non-adjustable-rate mortgages . For purposes of this section, the following transactions, if structured as fixed-rate and not adjustable-rat e mortgages, are not subject to § 1026.20(c): i. Shared-equity or shared-a ppreciation mortgages; ii. Price-level adjusted or other indexed mortgages that have a fixed rate of interest but provide for periodic adjustments to payments and the loan balance to reflect changes in an index measuring prices or inflation; iii. Graduated-payment mortgages or step-rate transactions; iv. Renewable balloon-payme nt instruments; or

v. Preferred-rate loans. ◄

Paragraph 20(c)(2) 1. [ Current and prior index values. This section requires disc losure of the index or formula values used to compute the current and pr ior interest rates disclo sed in § 1026.20(c)(1).292 The creditor need not disclose the margin used in computing the rates. If the prior interest rate was not based on an index or formula value, the cr editor also need not disclose the value of the index that would otherwise have been us ed to compute the prior interest rate. ] ► Timing. The requirement that the disclosures must be provided between 60 to 120 days “before a payment at the new level is due” requires the creditor, assi gnee, or servicer to provide the notice to consumers 60 to 120 days prior to the due date, excluding any grace period, of the first payment calculated using the adjusted interest rate. For example, assume an ARM has a 45-day “look-back” period. In such an ARM, the most recent index figure available as of the date 45 days before a new inte rest rate goes into effect is used to determine the new interest rate. Because interest generally is paid in arrear s, the first payment at the new level would not be due until the end of the billing cycle after the new interest rate goes into effect, typically a period of 28 to 31 days. Assume also that the creditor, assignee, or servicer has a 3-day verification period in which to verify the interest rate a nd perform other quality control measures before providing the notice to consumers. In this case, depending on the delivery method, the creditor, assignee, or servicer can provi de the notice to consumers as early as 70 to 73 days before payment at the new level is due. Because creditors, assignees, or servicers cannot comply with the disclosure timing requirements for ARMs adjusting for the first tim e within 60 days of consummation when the new interest rate is not known at consummation, the disclosures required under § 1026.20( c) for such loans must be provided as soon as prac ticable, but not less than 25 days before payment at a new level is due. Paragraph 20(c)(2)(ii)(A)293 1. The current and new interest rates . The current interest rate is the interest rate that applies on the date the disclosure is provided to the consumer. The new interest rate is the actual interest rate that will apply on the date of the adjustment. The new interest rate is used to determine the new payment. The “new interest rate” has the same meaning as the “adjusted interest rate.” Paragraph 20(c)(2)(iv)
1. Rate limits and unapplied index increases. The disclosures regarding foregone interest increases apply only to transactions pe rmitting interest rate carryover. The amount of increase foregone at any adjustment is the amoun t that, subject to rate caps, can be added to future interest rate adjustments to increase, or offset decreases in, the rate determined by using the index or formula. Paragraph 20(c)(2)(v)(B)
1. Application of a previously foregone interest increase. The disclosures regarding foregone interest increases apply only to tran sactions permitting intere st rate carryover. Foregone interest is any percentage added or carried over to the ne w interest rate because a rate cap prevented the increase at an earlier adjustment. Paragraph 20(c)(2)(vi)
1. Amortization statement. For interest-only loans, § 1026.20(c)(2)(vi) requires a statement that the new payment covers all of the in terest but none of the principal, and therefore will not reduce the loan balance. For negativ ely-amortizing loans, § 1026.20(c)(2)(vi) requires a statement that the new payment covers only part of the interest and none of the principal, and therefore the unpaid interest will be added to the balance of the loan or will increase the term of the loan.294 2. Amortization payment. Disclosure of the payment need ed to fully amortize the loan at the new interest rate is require d only when negative amortizat ion occurs as a result of the adjustment. The disclosure is not required simply because a loan has inte rest-only or partiallyamortizing payments. For example, an ARM with a five-year term and payments based on a longer amortization schedule, in which the final payment will equal the periodic payment plus the remaining unpaid balance, does not require disclosure of the payment necessary to fully amortize the loan in the remainder of the five-year term. A disclosure is also not required when the new payment is sufficient to prevent negative amortization but the final loan payment will be a different amount due to rounding. ◄ [ Paragraph 20(c)(3)
1. Unapplied index increases. The requirement that the c onsumer receive information about the extent to which the cred itor has foregone any increase in the interest rate applies only to those transactions permitting interest rate ca rryover. The amount of increase that is foregone at an adjustment is the amount th at, subject to rate caps, can be applied to future adjustments independently to increase, or offset decreases i n, the rate that is determined according to the index or formula. Paragraph 20(c)(4)
1. Contractual effects of the adjustment. The contractual effects of an interest rate adjustment must be disclosed including the paymen t due after the adjustment is made whether or not the payment has been adjusted. A contractual effect of a rate adjustment would include, for example, disclosure of any change in the term or maturity of the loan if the change resulted from the rate adjustment. In transactions in which paying the periodic payments will not fully amortize the outstanding balance at the end of the loan term and where the final payment will295 equal the periodic payment plus the remaining unpaid balance, the amount of the adjusted payment must be disclosed if such payment has ch anged as a result of th e rate adjustment. A statement of the loan balance also is required. The balance required to be disclosed is the balance on which the new adjusted payment is base d. If no payment adjustment is disclosed in the notice, the balance disclosed should be th e loan balance on which the payment disclosed under § 1026.20(c)(5) is based, if applicable, or the ba lance at the time the disclosure is prepared. Paragraph 20(c)(5)
1. Fully-amortizing payment. This paragraph requires a disc losure only when negative amortization occurs as a result of the adjustment. A disclosure is not required simply because a loan calls for interest-only or partially amortizing payments. For example, in a transaction with a five-year term and payments based on a longe r amortization schedule, and where the final payment will equal the periodic payment plus th e remaining unpaid balance, the creditor would not have to disclose the payment necessary to fully amortize the loan in the remainder of the five-year term. A disclosure is require d, however, if the payment disclosed under § 1026.20(c)(4) is not sufficient to prevent negative amortization in the loan. The adjustment notice must state the payment required to prev ent negative amor tization. (This paragraph does not apply if the payment disclosed in § 1026.20( c)(4) is sufficient to prevent negative amortization in the loan but the final paymen t will be a different amount due to rounding.) ] ► Paragraph 20(d)
1. Creditors, assignees, and servicers . Creditors, assignees, and servicers are subject to the requirements of § 1026.20(d), unless they no longer own the applicable adjustable-rate mortgage or the mortgage servici ng rights. Creditors, assignees, a nd servicers are also subject to the requirements of any provision of subpart C that applies to § 1026.20(d) . For example, the296 requirements of § 1026.17(a) with regard to provid ing disclosures to consumers electronically, apply to § 1026.20(d) disclosures and thus, assign ees and servicers, as well as creditors, are subject to those requirements.
2. Timing and form of initial rate adjustment. The requirement that the disclosures be provided in writing, separate and distinct from all other corres pondence, means that the initial ARM interest rate adjustment no tice must be mailed or delivered separately from any other material. For example, in the case of mailing the disc losure, there should be no material in the envelope other than the § 1026.20(d) initial ARM interest rate adjustment notice. In the case of emailing the disclosure, the only at tachment should be the initial ARM interest rate adjustment notice. The requirement that the disclosures be provided between 210 to 240 days “before the first payment at the adjusted level is due” means the creditor, assignee, or servicer must provide the notice to consumers 210 to 240 days prior to the due date, excluding any grace period, of the first payment calculated using the adjusted interest rate. Creditors, assi gnees, or servicers may provide the initial ARM interest ra te adjustment notices to consumers in electronic form if they comply with the electronic delivery requirements in § 1026.17(a)(1).
3. Conversions. When an open-end account converts to a closed-end adjustable-rate mortgage, § 1026.20(d) disclosure s are not required until the im plementation of the initial interest rate adjustment post-c onversion. For example, for an ope n-end account that converts to a closed-end 3/1 hybrid ARM, § 1026.20(d) disclo sures would not be required until three years after conversion, when the interest rate adjusts for the first time. Paragraph 20(d)(1)(i)
1. In general . An adjustable-rate mortgage, as de fined under this section, is a variablerate transaction as that term is used in subpart C, excep t as distinguished by commentary to297 § 1026.20(d)(1)(ii)-2. The requirements of this sec tion are not limited to tr ansactions financing the initial acquisition of the c onsumer’s principal dwelling. Paragraph 20(d)(1)(ii)

1. Construction loans. In determining the term of a construction loan that may be permanently financed by the same creditor or assignee, the creditor or assignee may treat the construction and the permanent phases as separate transactions with distinct terms to maturity or as a single combined transaction.
2. Non-adjustable-rate mortgages . For purposes of this section, the following transactions, if structured as fixed-rate and not adjustable-rat e mortgages, are not subject to § 1026.20(d): i. Shared-equity or shared-a ppreciation mortgages; ii. Price-level adjusted or other indexed mortgages that have a fixed rate of interest but provide for periodic adjustments to payments and the loan balance to reflect changes in an index measuring prices or inflation; iii. Graduated-payment mortgages or step-rate transactions; iv. Renewable balloon-payme nt instruments; or

v. Preferred-rate loans.

Paragraph 20(d)(2)(i)
1. Date of the disclosure . The date that appears on the disclosure is the date the creditor, assignee, or servicer generates the noti ce to be provided to the consumer. Paragraph 20(d)(2)(iii)(A) 1. The current and new interest rates . The current interest rate is the interest rate that applies on the date of the disclo sure, pursuant to § 1026.20(d)(2). The new interest rate is the298 interest rate used to calculate the new pa yment and may be an estimate pursuant to § 1026.20(d)(2). The “new interest rate” has the same meaning as the “adjusted interest rate.” Paragraph 20(d)(2)(v)
1. Rate limits and unapplied index increases. The disclosures regarding foregone interest increases apply only to transactions pe rmitting interest rate carryover. The amount of increase foregone at the first inte rest rate adjustment is the amount that, subject to rate caps, can be added to future interest rate adjustments to increase, or offset decreases in, the rate determined by using the index or formula. Paragraph 20(d)(2)(vii)
1. Amortization statement. For interest-only loans, § 1026.20(d)(2)(vii) requires a statement that the new payment covers all of the in terest but none of the principal, and therefore will not reduce the loan balance. For negativ ely-amortizing loans, § 1026.20(d)(2)(vii) requires a statement that the new payment covers only part of the interest and none of the principal, and therefore the unpaid interest will add to the balanc e of the loan or will in crease the term of the loan.
2. Amortization payment. Disclosure of the payment needed to fully amortize the loan at the new interest rate is require d only when negative amortizat ion occurs as a result of the adjustment. The disclosure is not required simply because a loan has inte rest-only or partiallyamortizing payments. For example, an ARM with a five-year term and payments based on a longer amortization schedule, in which the final payment will equal the periodic payment plus the remaining unpaid balance, does not require disclosure of the payment necessary to fully amortize the loan in the remainder of the five-year term. A disclosure is also not required when299 the new payment is sufficient to prevent negative amortization but the final loan payment will be a different amount due to rounding. Paragraph 20(d)(2)(viii)
1. List of alternatives. The list of alternatives provi ded to consumers should avoid technical terms and explain the alternatives usin g the terms and explanations in Form H-4(D)(3) and (4) in Appendix H to this part. For the a lternative “payment forbearance,” the disclosure should explain that payment forbearance tempor arily gives the consumer more time to pay. ◄
* * * * * Subpart E – Special Rules for Certain Home Mortgage Transactions * * * * * Section 1026.36 – Prohibited Acts or Practices in Connection With Credit Secured by a Dwelling ► Paragraph 36(c)(1)(ii)
1. Handling of Partial Payments. If a servicer receives a partial payment from a consumer, to the extent not pr ohibited by applicable law and the legal obligation between the parties, the servicer may take any of the following actions: (i) Credit the partial payment upon receipt; or (ii) Return the partial payment to the consumer; or (iii) Hold the payment in a suspense or una pplied funds account. If the payment is held in a suspense or unapplied funds account, this must be reflected on the periodic statement, in accordance with § 1026.41. When sufficient funds accumulate to cover a full contractual payment, they must be applied to the oldest outstanding payment. Paragraph 36(c)(1)(iii)300 1. Payment requirements. The servicer may specify reasonable requirements for making payments in writing, such as requiring that paym ents be accompanied by the account number or payment coupon; setting a cut-off hour for payment to be received, or setting different hours for payment by mail and payments made in person; specifying that only checks or money orders should be sent by mail; specifying that payment is to be made in U.S. dollars; or specifying one particular address for receiving payments, such as a post office box. The servicer may be prohibited, however, from requiring payment sole ly by preauthorized electronic fund transfer. ( See Section 913 of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, 15 U.S.C. 1693k.)
2. Payment requirements—limitations. Requirements for making payments must be reasonable; it should not be di fficult for most consumers to make conforming payments. For example, it would be reasonable to require a cut-off time of 5 p.m. for receipt of a mailed check at the location specified by the serv icer for receipt of such check.
3. Implied guidelines for payments. In the absence of specified requirements for making payments, payments may be made at any location where the servicer conduc ts business; any time during the servicer's normal business hours; and by cash, money order, draft, or other similar instrument in properly negotiable form, or by el ectronic fund transfer if the servicer and consumer have so agreed. ◄ [ Paragraph 36(c)(1)(ii) ] ► Paragraph 36(c)(2) ◄
1. Pyramiding of late fees. The prohibition on pyramiding of late fees in this subsection should be construed consisten tly with the “credi t practices rule” of the Federal Trade Commission, 16 CFR 444.4. [ Paragraph 36(c)(1)(iii) ]301 ► Paragraph 36(c)(3) ◄ [ 1. Reasonable time. The payoff statement must be provi ded to the consumer, or person acting on behalf of the consumer, within a reason able time after the request. For example, it would be reasonable under most circumstances to provide the statement within five business days of receipt of a consumer’s request. This time frame might be longer, for example, when the servicer is experiencing an unusuall y high volume of refinancing requests. ] ► 1. As Applicable . A creditor who no longer owns the mortgage loan or the mortgage servicing rights is not “applicable” and therefore is not subject to the requirements of this section to provide a periodic statement. ◄
2. Person acting on behalf of the consumer. For purposes of § 1026.36(c) [ (1)(iii) ] ► (3) ◄ , a person acting on behalf of the consumer may include the consumer's representative, such as an attorney representing the individual, a non-profit consumer counseling or similar organization, or a creditor with which the consumer is refinancing and which requires the payoff statement to complete th e refinancing. A servicer may take reasonable measures to verify the identity of any person ac ting on behalf of the consumer and to obtain the consumer’s authorization to rel ease information to any such person before the “reasonable time” period begins to run.
3. Payment requirements. The servicer may specify reasonable requirements for making payoff requests, such as requiring requests to be [ in writing and ] directed to a mailing address, email address, or fax number specified by the servicer [ or orally to a telephone number specified by the servicer, ] or any other reasonable requirement or method. If the consumer does not follow these requirements, a longer time frame for re sponding to the request would be reasonable.
4. Accuracy of payoff statements. Payoff statements must be accurate when issued.302 [ Paragraph 36(c)(2)
1. Payment requirements. The servicer may specify reasonable requirements for making payments in writing, such as requiring that pa yments be accompanied by the account number or payment coupon; setting a cut-off hour for payment to be received, or setting different hours for payment by mail and payments made in person; specifying that only checks or money orders should be sent by mail; specifying that payment is to be made in U.S. dollars; or specifying one particular address for receiving payments, such as a post office box. The servicer may be prohibited, however, from requiring payment sole ly by preauthorized electronic fund transfer. ( See Section 913 of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, 15 U.S.C. 1693k.)
2. Payment requirements—limitations. Requirements for making payments must be reasonable; it should not be di fficult for most consumers to make conforming payments. For example, it would be reasonable to require a cut-off time of 5 p.m. for receipt of a mailed check at the location specified by the serv icer for receipt of such check.
3. Implied guidelines for payments. In the absence of specified requirements for making payments, payments may be made at any location where the servicer conduc ts business; any time during the servicer’s normal business hours; and by cash, money order, draft, or other similar instrument in properly negotiable form, or by el ectronic fund transfer if the servicer and consumer have so agreed. ] * * * * * ► Section 41-- Periodic Statements for Residential Mortgage Loans 41(a) In General
1. Recipient of Periodic Statement . When two consumers are joint obligors with primary liability on a mortgage loan, the di sclosures may be given to either one of them. For example, if303 a husband and wife jointly own a home, the serv icer need not send statements to both the husband and the wife; a single statement may be sent.
2. Billing Cycles Shorter than a 31-Day Period . If a loan has a bil ling cycle shorter than a period of 31 days (for example, a bi-weekly billing cycle), a periodic statement covering an entire month may be used. Such statement should separately list the upcoming payment due dates and amounts due, as require d by paragraph (d)(1), and list all transaction activity that occurred during the related time period, as required by paragraph (d)(4). Such statement may aggregate the information for the Explanation of Amount Due, as required by paragraph (d)(2), and Past Payment Breakdown, as required by paragraph (d)(3).
3. One Statement per Billing Cycle . The periodic statement requirement applies to the “creditor, assignee, or servicer as applicable.” The creditor, assignee, or servicer are all subject to this requirement, however only one statement must be sent to th e consumer each billing cycle. When two or more parties are subject to this requirement, they may decide among themselves who will send the statement.
4. As Applicable . A creditor who no longer owns th e mortgage loan or the mortgage servicing rights is not “applicable” and therefore is not subject to the requirements of this section to provide a periodic statement. 41(b) Timing of the Periodic Statement
1. Reasonably Prompt Time. Delivering or placing the periodic statement in the mail within 4 days of close the grace period of the previous billing cycle would be considered reasonably prompt. 41(c) Form of the Periodic Statement304 1. Clear and Conspicuous Standard . The “clear and conspicuous” standard generally requires that disclosures be in a reasonably understandable form. Except where otherwise provided, the standard does not prohibit adding to the required disclosures, as long as the additional information does not ove rwhelm or obscure the required disclosures. For example, while certain information about the escrow account (such as the account balance) is not required on the periodic statement, this information may be included.
2. Additional information; disclosures required by other laws. Nothing in this subpart prohibits a servicer from including additional information or combining disclosures required by other laws with the disclosures required by this subpart , unless such prohibit ion is expressly set forth in this subpart, such as the grouping requirements of para graph 41(d) or other applicable law.
3. Electronic Distribution. The periodic statement may be provided electronically if the consumer agrees. The consumer must give affirmative consent to receive statements electronically. Due to concerns about inform ation security, if stat ements are provided electronically, the creditor, assign ee or servicer may send the cons umer a notification that their statement is available, with a link to where the statement can be accessed. 41(d) Content and Format of the Periodic Statement
1. Close Proximity . Paragraph (d) requires several disc losures to be provided in close proximity. To meet this requirement, the item s to be provided in close proximity must be grouped together, and set off from the other groupi ngs of items. This could be accomplished in a variety of ways, for example, by presenting the information in boxes, or by arranging the items on the document and including spacing between the groupings. Items in close proximity may not have any intervening text between them.305 2. Not Applicable . If an item required by paragraph (d ) or (e) of this section is not applicable to the loan, it may be omitted from the periodic statement or coupon book. For example, if there is no prepayment penalty a ssociated with a loan, the prepayment penalty disclosures need not be provide d on the periodic statement.
3. Terminology. A servicer may use terminology other than that found on the sample periodic statement, so long as the new te rminology is commonly understood. For example, servicers may take into consider ation regional differences in te rminology and refer to the account for the collection of taxes and insurance, common ly referred to as the “escrow account,” as an “impound account.” 41(d)(3) Past Payment Breakdown
1. Partial Payments. The disclosure of any portion of payments since the last statement that was applied to a partial payment or suspen se account as required by (d )(3)(i) should reflect any funds that were received in the time pe riod covered by the trans action activity of that statement and that were sent to a suspense or unapplied funds account. The disclosure of any portion of payments since the beginning of the cale ndar year that was sent to a partial payment or suspense account as required by (d )(3)(ii) should reflect all funds that are currently held in a suspense or unapplied funds account. For example: (i) Suppose a payment of $1000 is due, but th e consumer only sends in $600 on January 1, which is held in a suspense account. Furthe r assume there are no fees charged on this account. Assuming there are no other funds in suspense account, the January statement should reflect: Unapplied funds since last statem ent - $600. Unapplied funds YTD - $600.306 (ii) Assuming the same facts as Example (i) above, except that during February the consumer sends in $300 and this too is held in the suspense account. The statement should reflect: Unapplied funds since last statement - $300. Unapplied funds YTD - $900. (iii) Assuming the same facts at Exampl e (ii) above, except th at during March the consumer sends in $400. Of this payment, $100 completes a full contractual payment when added to the $900 in funds already held in the suspense account. This $1000 should be applied to the January payment, and the remaining $300 would be held in the suspense account. The statement should reflect: Unapplied funds sin ce last statement - $300. Unapplied Funds YTD - $300. 41(d)(4) Transac tion Activity
1. Meaning. Transaction activity includes any activity that credits or debits the outstanding account balance. Examples of tr ansactions include, without limitation: (i) Payments received and applied; (ii) Payments received and held in a suspense account; (iii) The imposition of any fees (for example late fees); and (iv) The imposition of any charges (for example, private mortgage insurance).
2. Description of Late Fees. The description of any late fee charges includes the date of the late fee, the amount of th e late fee, and the fact that a late fee was imposed.
3. Partial Payments. If a partial payment is sent to a suspense or unapplied funds account, this fact must be in th e transaction descript ion along with the date and amount of the payment, an explanation of what must be done fo r the payments to be applied must be provided on the front of the statement, and the funds must be included as unapplied funds in the information required by (d)(3) Past Payment Breakdown.307 41(d)(6) Contact Information 1. A toll-free telephone number is required. Additional contact information, such as a web address, may also be provi ded at the servicer’s option. 2. If servicer has provided a telephone number for error re solution and inquiries pursuant to 12 CFR 1024.35 and § 1024.36, that number should be provided in the contact information section. 41(d)(7)(iv) Pre payment Penalty
1. Examples of prepayment penalties. For purposes of § 1026.41(d)(7)(iv), the following are examples of prepayment penalties: i. A charge determined by treating the loan balance as outstanding for a period of time after prepayment in full and applyi ng the interest rate to such “balance,” even if the charge results from interest accrual amortization used fo r other payments in the transaction under the terms of the loan contract. “Interest accrual amortization” refers to the method by which the amount of interest due for each period ( e.g ., month) in a transaction’s term is determined. For example, “monthly interest accrual amortization” treats each pa yment as made on the scheduled, monthly due date even if it is actua lly paid early or late (until th e expiration of any grace period). Thus, under the terms of a loan co ntract providing for monthly in terest accrual amortization, if the amount of interest due on May 1 for the preced ing month of April is $3,000, the loan contract will require payment of $3,000 in interest for the month of April whether the payment is made on April 20, on May 1, or on May 10. In this example, if the consumer prepays the loan in full on April 20 and if the accrued interest as of that date is $2,000, then assessment of a charge of $3,000 constitutes a prepayment penalty of $1,000 becau se the amount of intere st actually earned through April 20 is only $2,000.308 ii. A fee, such as an origination or other loan closing cost, that is waived by the creditor on the condition that the consumer does not prepay the loan. iii. A minimum finance charge in a simple interest transaction. iv. Computing a refund of unearned interest by a method that is less favorable to the consumer than the actuarial method, as defi ned by section 933(d) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, 15 U.S.C. 1615(d). For purposes of computing a refund of unearned interest, if using th e actuarial method defined by app licable State law results in a refund that is greater than the refund calculated by using the me thod described in section 933(d) of the Housing and Community Development Ac t of 1992, creditors should use the State law definition in determining if a refund is a prepayment penalty.
2. Fees that are not prepayment penalties . For purposes of § 1026.41(d)(7)(iv), fees which are not prepayment penalties include, for example: i. Fees imposed for preparing and providing documen ts when a loan is paid in full, if such fees are imposed whether or not the loan is prep aid. Examples include a loan payoff statement, a reconveyance document, or another document rel easing the creditor’s secu rity interest in the dwelling that secures the loan. ii. Loan guarantee fees. 41(e) Exemptions
1. Information made available. Information made available by the servicer may be obtained through the inquiry process in § 1024.36. 41(e)(3) Coupon Book Exemption
1. Fixed Rate. “Fixed rate” is to be construe d consistently with § 1026.18(s)(7)(iii).309 2. Coupon Book. A coupon book is a booklet provided to the consumer with a page for each billing cycle during a set period of time (o ften covering one year). These pages are designed to be torn off and returned to the se rvicer with a payment for each billing cycle. Additional information about the loan is often included on or inside th e front or back cover, or on filler pages in the coupon book.
3. Information location. The information required by pa ragraph (e)(3)(ii ) need not be provided on each coupon, but should be provi ded somewhere in the coupon book. Such information could be located e.g., on or inside the front or back cover, or on filler pages in the coupon book.
4. Outstanding Principal Balance . Paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(A ) requires the information listed in paragraph (d)(7) to be included in the coupon book. Paragraph (d)(7)(i) requires the disclosure of amount of the out standing principal balance. Fo r the purposes of the coupon book, the servicer need only disclose the principal balance at the be ginning of the time period covered by the coupon book. 41(e)(4) Small Servicers
1. Loans obtained by merger or acquisition. Any mortgage loans obt ained by a servicer or an affiliate as part of a merger or acquisition, or as part of the acquisition of all of the assets or liabilities of a branch office of a lender should be considered mortgage loans for which the servicer or an affiliate are the lender to whom th e mortgage loan is initially payable. A branch office means either an office of a depository institu tion that is approved as a branch by a Federal or state supervisory agency or an office of a fo r-profit mortgage lending institution (other than a depository institution) that takes applications from the public for mortgage loans.310 2. Threshold. In determining whether a small servicer services 1,000 mortgage loans or less, a servicer is evaluated based on its size as of January 1 for the remainder of the calendar year. A servicer that, together with its affiliate s, crosses the threshold will have six months or until the beginning of the next calendar year, whic hever is later, to begin compliance other than as a small servicer. Examples: i. A servicer that crosses the loan threshol d on October 1 would no longer be considered a small servicer on April 1 of the following year. ii. A servicer that crosses the loan threshol d on February 1 would no longer be considered a small servicer on January 1 of the following year.
3. Small servicers that do not qualify for the exemption. A servicer that services any mortgage loans that are not owned by the servicer or an affiliate or for which the servicer or an affiliate were not the entity to whom the obligation was initially pa yable is not a small servicer. For example, if a servicer acquires mortgage servicing rights to serv ice mortgage loans the servicer or an affiliate does not own and did not originate is not a small servicer.
4. Master servicing re sponsibilities. The periodic statement requirements apply to master servicers. A subservicer that meets the small servicer definitio n cannot claim the benefit of any small servicer exemption for mortgage loans that are master serviced by an entity that does not qualify for the small servicer exemption. ◄
* * * * * Appendices G and H – Open-End and Closed-End Model Forms and Clauses
1. Permissible changes. Although use of the model forms and clauses is not required, creditors using them properly will be deemed to be in compliance with the regulation with regard to those disclosures. ► For purposes of the model forms and samples in H-4(D), the term311 creditors refers to creditor s, assignees, and servicers. ◄ Creditors may make certain changes in the format or content of the forms and clau ses and may delete any disclosures that are inapplicable to a transaction or a plan without losing the Act's protection from liability, except formatting changes may not be made to model forms and samples in ► H-4(D), ◄ H-18, H-19, H20, H-21, H-22, H-23, G-2(A), G-3(A) , G-4(A), G-10(A)-( E), G-17(A)-(D), G-18(A) (except as permitted pursuant to § 1026.7(b)(2), G-18(B )-(C), G-19, G-20, and G-21, or to the model clauses in H-4(E), H-4(F), H-4(G) , and H-4(H). Creditors may modify the heading of the second column shown in Model Clause H-4(H) to read “first adjustment” or “first increase,” as applicable, pursuant to § 1026.18(s) (2)(i)(C). The rearrangement of the model forms and clauses may not be so extensive as to affect the substa nce, clarity, or meaningf ul sequence of the forms and clauses. Creditors making revisions with th at effect will lose their protection from civil liability. Except as otherwise specifically re quired, acceptable changes include, for example: i. Using the first person, instead of the s econd person, in referring to the borrower. ii. Using “borrower” and “cr editor” instead of pronouns. iii. Rearranging the sequences of the disclosures. iv. Not using bold type for headings. v. Incorporating certain State “p lain English” requirements. vi. Deleting inapplicable disclosures by whiti ng out, blocking out, filling in “N/A” (not applicable) or “0,” crossing out, leaving blanks, checking a box for applicable items, or circling applicable items. (This should perm it use of multipurpose standard forms.) vii. Using a vertical, rather than a horizontal, format for the boxes in the closed-end disclosures.
* * * * *312 Appendix H- Closed Model Forms [ and Clause ] * * * * * 7. * * * i. Model H-4(D) illustrates the adjustment [ notice ] ► notices ◄ required under § 1026.20(c) ► and (d) ◄ , and provides examples of ► § 1026.20(c) ◄ payment change notices and ► § 1026.20(d) initial ◄ [ annual ] notices of interest rate [ changes ] ► adjustments ◄
. * * * * *[THIS SIGNATURE PAGE PERTAINS TO THE PROPOSED RULE WITH REQUEST FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TITLED “2012 TRUT H IN LENDING ACT (REGULATION Z) MORTGAGE SERVICING PROPOSAL”]

Dated: August 9, 2012.

_____________________________________________ Richard Cordray, Director, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.