Tag Archives: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Clearer monthly mortgage statements, warnings before interest rates adjust, quick correction of errors ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô these are among the proposed rules for mortgage servicers from the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau. The ratings agency stated one key change with the proposed CFPB rules is that it applies to banks and nonbanks of all sizes and types, and for smaller institutions, the impact of compliance costs is believed be even greater compared to the largest banks.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed two notices with rules designed to protect homeowners from surprises or mistakes made by their mortgage servicers. CFPB first announced in April that it was considering several proposals to implement requirements laid out in the Dodd-Frank Act, the bill that created the bureau. The bureau reached out to consumer groups, small servicers, industry stakeholders, and government agencies for input. CFPB refined its earlier ideas in response to the feedback.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently passed its one-year anniversary. On Monday, the agency released its semi-annual report for 2012 to highlight achievements in the first half of this year. What do the numbers say? For starters, the consumer bureau has received more than 55,300 complaints between July 2011 and June 2012, according to the report. The greatest single source of complaints, making up 43 percent of all complaints made to the CFPB, fell on mortgages and problems encountered by consumers with their monthly payments.

Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, laid out the agency├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós aims to reform mortgage lending standards before a congressional subcommittee Monday. Speaking before House lawmakers, Cordray acknowledged that although the Dodd-Frank Act has had a hand in improving most consumer lending markets, tight mortgage lending standards have kept creditworthy borrowers out of homes. In an effort to fix these issues, Cordray said that CFPB is proposing ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├àÔÇ£clear rules of the road├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├é┬Ø to address each stage of the mortgage process and to rebuild consumer and investor confidence.

Financial reform advocates have two birthdays to celebrate on Saturday. This weekend marks the one-year anniversary of the watchdog Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the two-year anniversary of the Dodd-Frank Act, the sweeping financial reform law that spawned it. Their stories run parallel to each other ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô and rightly so. The consumer bureau squeaked past partisan gridlock this time last year, just one year after Democrats, then in the majority of both houses of Congress, cleared Dodd-Frank for the president├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós signature.

Lake Research Partners released the results of an opinion poll showing that financial reforms enacted in recent years remain popular with potential voters. In light of events leading to 2008's financial meltdown, potential voters seem to overwhelmingly favor financial reform laws designed to prevent abuse. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of respondents favor the Dodd-Frank financial reforms, while only 20 percent expressed disagreement. The support for Dodd-Frank crosses party lines.

The CFPB has officially proposed mortgage disclosure forms designed to enhance understanding. The forms are a result of research, testing, writing, and review and are being created to help consumers comprehend the terms of their mortgage and the costs involved. The proposed forms are part of the agency's Know Before You Owe project and are to be provided after applying for a loan and before closing."When making what is likely the biggest purchase of their life, consumers should be looking at paperwork that clearly lays out the terms of the deal," said CFPB Director Richard Cordray.

The CFPB released a report Thursday showing that although reverse mortgages are meant to help borrowers in retirement, they are in fact causing problems for many who don├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ót fully understand them. A reverse mortgage is a type of home loan that lets older homeowners access the equity they have built up on their homes and defer loan payment until they sell the home, move out, or pass away. The original purpose of reverse mortgages was to allow these homeowners to convert home equity into retirement income.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau faces a new legal challenge as a Texas community bank and two conservative groups launch a lawsuit to undo it and the financial reform law that created it two years ago. The Big Spring, Texas-based State National Bank recently paired with the Competitive Enterprise Institute and 60 Plus Association to sue the embattled consumer bureau in federal court. The suit challenges the constitutionality of the CFPB and Dodd-Frank Act, as well as Richard Cordray's appointment.

Mortgage servicers received new guidance Thursday addressing protocol for dealing with military members who receive permanent change of station orders. The joint guidance was released by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in concert with the Federal Reserve, FDIC, National Credit Union Administration, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. About one-third of the nation├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós military members receive non-negotiable permanent change of station orders each year, and the new servicer guidance is intended to ensure compliance with applicable consumer laws and regulations.