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©2012 CliftonLarsonAllen LLP 1 1 1 1
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Advertising Compliance
John Zasada Principal 218 790 1086
©2012 CliftonLarsonAllen LLP 2
Credit Union Compliance Practice
•Review websites and social media for compliance before CU release
•Ongoing Regulatory Compliance Assistance Service
•Fair lending testing
•Targeted compliance testing
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Agenda
•General compliance environment
•Advertising compliance management
•Risks
•Compliance requirements
•Examples of violations
•E-SIGN
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Compliance Changes
• Unprecedented
• Good for credit unions?
• Focus is on mortgage lending
• CFPB focus on consumers
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Changes
• Early 2013
• 3,000+ pages
• Regs worse than Act
• Matching resources
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Compliance Changes
• Remittance Transfers
• TILA/RESPA Mortgage Disclosure Integration
• Reg Z – Requirements for Escrow Accounts
• Reg Z - Mortgage Originator Standards
• Reg Z – Ability to Repay
• Reg Z and Reg X - Mortgage Servicing
• Reg Z - HOEPA – High Cost Mortgage Loans
• Reg B - Appraisal Rules
• Reg Z - High Risk Mortgage Appraisal Rules
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Top Compliance Violations
• Regulation Z
• RESPA
• TIS
• HMDA
• Flood
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Information overload
• Summaries
• Updated commentary
• Checklists
• Videos
• Regulatory implementation page
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Grand Plan
• Plenty of resources
• Some say the CFPB has a bigger plan than just mortgage changes
• Mortgage implementation team
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Compliance Landscape
• Harder to staff
• More enforcement
• Subjective requirements
• Risk-based
• Could be worse?
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Risk Based Compliance Program?
• Be careful
• Must have a risk assessment
• When the risk assessment identifies high risks…
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Context
• Top regulatory compliance risk?
• Not social media
BUT…
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What to Comply With?
• Truth-In-Lending Act (Regulation Z)
• Truth-In-Savings Act (Part 707 of NCUA Rules and Regulations)
• Non-Deposit Investment Guidelines
• NCUA Privacy Regulation
• USA Patriot Act
• Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Regulation B)
• Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (Regulation C)
• Reserve Requirements (Regulation D)
• Expedited Funds Availability Act (Regulation CC)
• Real Estate Settlement Practices Act (Regulation X)
• Fair Credit Reporting Act
• Fair Housing Act
• Electronic Funds Transfer Act (Regulation E)
• Overdraft Protection Requirements
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Website Compliance Study
• 99 percent of credit union websites contained advertisements violating consumer protection laws
• TIS and TIL
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UDAAP
• Unfair, Deceptive or Abusive Acts or Practices
• Compliance with regulations not enough
• Please examiners and consumers
• Objective to subjective
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UDAAP
• 4 Ps
• 3rd party relationships
• Footnotes
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UDAAP
• Look at ethical behavior versus legal requirements
• Something can be legal but is it ethical?
• That is what can get you into trouble
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Clear as Mud
• Guidance?
• Hits every part of the product life cycle
• Tip of the iceberg
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UDAAP Examples
• Police report
• CD renewal
• Increase in non-interest income sparks scrutiny
• Disclosures fair?
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Recent UDAAP Cases
• Bancorp
• Discover
• American Express
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Eyes and Ears
• Beyond technical violations to overall fairness
• Can one person do it?
• Each department
• Each staff person
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Managing Advertising Compliance
• Wait and see
• Clean past exam
• New world – CFPB
– Unfair, Deceptive or Abusive Acts or Practices
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What’s the big deal?
• Closer scrutiny
• Advertising is indicative of overall compliance
• An examiner can look at your
advertisements and website and in
a few minutes get a good idea
of how firm a grasp you have
on regulatory compliance
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Compliance Integration
• Elevation of business line over the compliance function
• Get compliance involved
• Compliance over the long haul
• Risk/reward
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Social Media
• Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn…
• Purpose can be different than other forms of advertising
• Product disclosures and advertisements
• More work
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Identify and Train
• Who can post?
• What can they post?
• Train on compliance requirements
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Social Media Guidance
• FFIEC Proposed Guidance
• Policy and procedures
• Applicable regulations
• UDAAP
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Complaints
• What is your process?
• Who are they forwarded onto?
• Who manages complaints?
• CFPB’s focus
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Records Retention
• Incorporate into your overall records retention schedule
• Regulation B, Z, TIS
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NCUA Official Advertising Statement
NCUA R & R Part 740.5(b) -- “official advertising statement”
• “This credit union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration.”
• “Federally insured by NCUA” and/or • Reproduction of the official sign • Clearly legible
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Changes to use of the Official NCUA Advertising Statement
– Radio and TV Ads are exempt if less than 15 seconds, no NCUA statement required
◊ Old rule was 30 seconds
– Must now also appear on annual report and statements of condition required to be published
– On all print and website promotions, the official statement must be the same font size as the minimum font used in the promotion
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Problem:
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Solution:
• “This credit union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration.”
• “Federally insured by NCUA”
and/or
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NCUA Official Insurance Statement
•Any web page where the member can conduct transactions •All CU Internet sites that permit members to conduct transactions
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Problem:
Welcome to XYZ Credit Union’s Home Banking Portal
Please enter your Account ID and password
Federally Insured by NCUA
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Solution:
Welcome to XYZ Credit Union’s Home Banking Portal
Please enter your Account ID and password
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Equal Credit Opportunity Act- Regulation B
• Real estate-related loan advertisements must prominently indicate that the credit union makes such loans without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, handicap, or familial status.
• Include a copy of the logotype with "Equal Housing Lender" or "Equal Housing Opportunity,"
• Or use any other method reasonably calculated to satisfy the notice requirement
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Problem:
Which is correct?
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Solution:
No problem, either is correct!
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Truth-in-Lending APR
•Must use “Annual Percentage Rate” or “APR”
•If it is variable, indicate as such
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Problem:
New Car Loans as low as 4%
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Solution:
New Car Loans as low as 4% APR
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Truth in Lending – Closed End Trigger Terms
• Advertising Trigger Terms:
– The amount or percentage of any down payment
– The number of payments or period of repayment
– The amount of any payment
– The amount of any finance charge
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Truth in Lending – Closed End Required Disclosures
• The amount or percentage of the down payment
• The terms of repayment
• The annual percentage rate, using that term, and, if the rate may be increased after consummation, that fact
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Problem:
Mortgage Loans up to 30 years to repay
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Solution:
Mortgage Loans up to 30 years to repay at 4.50% APR with 10% down payment would have monthly payments of $5.07 per $1,000 borrowed Click here for payment calculator
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Truth-in-Lending Trigger Terms - HELOCs
• Any ad containing any terms from initial disclosure requires:
– Finance Charge
– APR, variable rate, maximum APR
– Membership or participation fee
– An estimate of fees for opening plan
– Balloon payment information
– Tax advisor information
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Truth-in-Lending Trigger Terms - HELOCs
Any term required to be disclosed under 1026.6(a)(1) or (a)(2) set forth
affirmatively or negatively in an advertisement for a home-equity plan subject to the requirements of 1026.40 triggers additional disclosures under this section
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Problem:
Our HELOCs have no annual fee and no points !!!
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Solution 1:
Our HELOCs have no annual fee and no points!!!
• Low variable rate of 5% APR with maximum rate of 18% APR
• Interest paid may be tax deductible, Please consult your tax advisor
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Solution 2:
We’ve got really good deals on HELOCs;
phone us for details
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More Rules for HELOCs
• Minimum payment
– If it could, then state it will
• Discounted, premium rates, promotional rates
– Duration and current rate
– Close proximity
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Truth-in-Lending Trigger Terms – Open End
Any ad containing terms from initial disclosure requires:
– Finance Charge
– APR, if variable rate
– Membership or Participation Fee
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Truth-in-Lending Trigger Terms – Open End
Any lending term required to be disclosed initially, whether affirmatively or negatively, in an advertisement triggers additional disclosures
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Problem:
Our Credit Cards have no annual fee!
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Solution 1:
Our Credit Cards have no annual fee!
• 12.00% APR
• $25 cash advance fee. 1% Foreign Transaction fee.
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Credit Card Application Disclosures
– Annual percentage rate for purchases, balance transfers, cash advances
– Penalty APR and when it applies
– How to avoid paying interest on purchases
– Minimum interest charge
– For credit card tips from the federal reserve board
– Fees ◊ Annual fee
◊ Transaction fees
◊ Penalty Fees
◊ Other fees
– How we will calculate your balance
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Credit Card Application / Solicitation
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Truth-in-Savings (TIS) Free Accounts
• NCUA Rules & Regulations - don’t call it “free” if it isn’t
• Maintenance and activity fees
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Problem:
We offer free checking accounts (as long as you maintain a
minimum balance of
$500 each month)
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Solution:
We offer low-cost checking accounts (as long as you maintain a minimum balance of $500 each
month)
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TIS Rate Disclosure
• Truth in Savings permits the abbreviation "APY" as long as the term "annual percentage yield" is stated at least once in the advertisement
• Dividend rate
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Problem:
Regular Shares 1.01% APY
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Solution:
Regular Shares 1.01% APY
APY = Annual Percentage Yield
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TIS Trigger Terms
• APY triggers:
– Variable rate information
– Time offered
– Minimum balance to earn the advertised annual percentage yield.
– Minimum opening deposit
– A statement that fees could reduce the earnings on the account
– For term share accounts: ◊ The term of the account.
◊ A statement that a penalty will or may be imposed for early withdrawal.
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Problem:
Share Certificates 3.25% APY
APY = Annual Percentage Yield
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Solution:
Share Certificates 3.25% APY
Minimum Balance to Open & Earn APY - $5,000
Minimum Term – 18 Months
Penalty for Early Withdrawal
This Rate Accurate as of 03/01/13
APY = Annual Percentage Yield
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TIS Links
The Commentary to 12 CFR 707.8 states you can use a link to more detailed disclosures but the link must “clearly refer” to the location
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Problem:
3.50% APY Certificate
Click here
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Solution:
3.50% APY Certificate
Click here for Truth in
Savings Disclosures
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Fair Lending
• NCUA Fair Lending Guide
• Periodic testing
• Avoid technical violations
• There is an app for that
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Advertising Discrimination
• Indirectly discouraging persons from applying for credit based on a prohibited basis under Regulation B? Suppose an advertisement contains pictures of people. It is possible that someone could allege that by not including persons of a protected class in these pictures, the credit union is discouraging them from applying for credit.
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Advertising Discrimination
• The commentary to Regulation B states:
– Practices prohibited by this section include: “Use of words, symbols, models or other forms of communication
in advertising that express, imply or suggest a discriminatory preference or a policy of exclusion in violation of the act.”
• Consequently, credit unions should consider what pictures of people they include on advertisements in terms of Regulation B and fair lending
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Common Fair Lending Deficiency
• Age-based deposit account with credit feature
• Senior accounts for those 50 and older
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Problem:
Super Seniors Club
Members aged 55 and older receive a special newsletter, free travelers’ checks, and discounts on loan rates
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Solution:
Super Seniors Club
Members aged 55 and older receive a special newsletter, and free travelers’ checks.
OR
Members aged 62 and older receive a special newsletter, free travelers’ checks, and discounts on loan rates.
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Courtesy Pay Programs
• Advertisements for overdraft programs require:
– The fee or fees for the payment of each overdraft;
– The categories of transactions for which a fee for paying an overdraft may be imposed;
– The time period by which the member must repay or cover any overdraft; and
– The circumstances under which the credit union will not pay an overdraft.
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Problem:
Fee Schedule:
• Cashiers Checks $2.00
• Money Orders $1.00
• Copy of Quarterly Statement $3.00
• Print out of account $3.00
• Courtesy Pay Fee $28.00
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Solution:
Fee Schedule: • Cashiers Checks $2.00 • Money Order $1.00 • Copy of Quarterly Statement $3.00 • Print out of account $3.00 • Courtesy Pay Fee $28.00
Courtesy Pay Disclosures: • Payment by the credit union is a discretionary courtesy and not a right of the
member or an obligation of the credit union. This privilege for consumer share draft accounts will be limited to a maximum amount of $300 overdraft (negative) balance. Transaction types that are eligible for courtesy pay include and are limited to: ACH transactions, Drafts and On-Us Checks at the Teller Counter. You must bring your account balance to a positive balance within every thirty (30) day period for a minimum period of 24 hours. The credit union, in its discretion, can cancel this protection and cease paying overdrafts at any time without prior notice of reason or cause.
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E-SIGN
• Several years since E-SIGN passed
• Still represents an opportunity to reduce expenses, enhance member convenience, but…
• A lot of credit unions still don’t do it right!
• But…not required in some cases
• Do you know the difference?
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E-SIGN Act
• Substitute Electronic Delivery for paper: • If “written” delivery is a legal requirement, and
• Paper will be discontinued, and
• Credit union will transmit items electronically, then
• You have “e-delivery” or E-D!
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E-SIGN Act
• There are two E-D models:
• Push
• Pull
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E-SIGN Act
• Pull ED:
• Credit union sends an alert message
• Email that announces “Your disclosure is posted on our web site”
• URL or reference to location of disclosure
• Length of time disclosures will remain available
• Member
• Logs into web site
• Downloads, reads and saves/prints disclosures
• Keep disclosures in a secure area - online banking platform is usually most secure area
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E-SIGN Act
• Push ED:
• Credit union sends an alert message
• E-mail that announces “here are the disclosures”
• use encryption for sensitive information
• The disclosures themselves can appear in the e-mail message of in an attached file
• Member
• Receives e-mail
• Opens message or attached file
• Reads and saves/prints disclosure
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E-SIGN Act
• Requirements to Comply:
• Must Provide Disclosure to your members and
• Obtain consent (Opt-In)
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E-SIGN Act Disclosures:
• E-D for current transaction or more?
• Availability of paper delivery
• Now
• Later, if member would like to go back to paper
• Fees for paper
• Necessary hardware/software
• How to withdraw consent at a later date
• How to notify credit union when email address changes
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E-SIGN Act Consent
• Need affirmative consent - DECLARE
• Must demonstrate electronic success - DEMONSTRATE
• Cannot automatically opt members in!
• Cannot opt members in over the phone, or through a paper disclosure, or in person!
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E-SIGN Act Consent
• Declare - I want E-D
• ½ of consent process
• Can be done via paper or electronically
• Still must “demonstrate” success
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©20
12 C
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John Zasada
CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP
218 790 1086
Thank You