Yes, the guidance requires all financial institutions, including credit unions, to focus on the following subjects and apply the relevant ones to their existing policies and procedures:
. Help borrowers understand ARM risks, including:
- Low initial payment;
- High or unlimited reset rate caps;
- Low or no documentation loans;
- Problems of frequent refinancing;
- Risk layering;
- Simultaneous second lien loans;
- Prepayment penalties;
- NCUA prohibited practices.
. Understand portfolio and risk management practices, including:
- Relationship between subprime lending and predatory lending;
- Risks of loans based on foreclosed or liquidation value;
- Problem of loan "flipping";
- Fraud detection;
- Use of qualifying standards;
- Maintenance of appropriate capital levels;
- Use of appropriate allowance for loan and lease loss levels;
- Risks of stated income loans.
. Underwriting standards.
. Workout arrangements.
. Consumer protection principles, including:
- Use of a summary disclosure form;
- Avoidance of steering borrowers to inappropriate products;
- Explanation of payment shock risk;
- Explanation of prepayment penalty;
- Explanation of balloon payment;
- Explanation of costs of low documentation or stated income loans;
- Compliance with the Truth in Lending Act and other federal requirements;
- Importance of good consumer communications in promotional materials and product descriptions;
- Explanation of borrower responsibility for taxes and insurance.
. Development and maintenance of strong internal controls, including:
- Management of deals with third-party originators;
- Management of secondary market risk;
- Effective management information and reporting;
- Use of stress testing and performance measures;
- Actual practices consistent with policies.
There may also be other subjects contained in the guidance that may be relevant to some credit unions.
Wash. Admin. Code § 208-490-040
Statutory Authority: RCW 43.320.040, 19.144.040 (2008 c 108). 08-22-072, § 208-490-040, filed 11/4/08, effective 12/5/08.