The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) was enacted by Congress in 1975 and is implemented by Regulation C. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (Dodd-Frank Act) transferred HMDA rulemaking authority to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and expanded the scope of information that must be collected, reported, and disclosed under HMDA. In December 2011, the CFPB restated Regulation C, 12 CFR Part 1003. In October 2015, the CFPB issued a HMDA final rule implementing the Dodd-Frank Act amendments. The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 provided certain reporting exemptions for some financial institutions.
HMDA requires financial institutions, including credit unions, to compile and disclose data about home purchase loans, home improvement loans, and refinancings that they originate or purchase, or for which they receive applications.
The purpose of Regulation C is to provide the public with data that can be used to:
Regulation C is not intended to encourage unsound lending practices or the allocation of credit.
Full text of Regulation C can be found here.
Compliance risk can occur when the credit union fails to implement the necessary controls to comply with HMDA.
Reputation risk can occur when the credit union incurs fines and penalties as a result of failure to comply with HMDA; or receives negative publicity or declined membership as a result of failure to comply with HMDA.
Strategic risk can occur when the credit union fails to perform adequate planning and due diligence in regard to HMDA.
A credit union is subject to Regulation C if the requirements of §1003.2(g)(1) are met. Determine whether the credit union meets the Asset-Size Threshold Test, the Location Test, the Loan Activity Test, the Federally Related Test, and the Loan-Volume Threshold Test, which are listed below. If all five tests are satisfied, then the credit union is required to report mortgage data in accordance with Regulation C.
If recent merger or acquisition activity has occurred, determine whether the surviving or newly formed credit union meets the definition of a financial institution in §1003.2(g). After a merger or acquisition, the surviving or newly formed credit union is a financial institution according to §1003.2(g) if it, considering the combined assets, location, and lending activity of the surviving or newly formed credit union and the merged or acquired institutions or acquired branches, satisfies the criteria included in §1003.2(g). For examples of coverage by Regulation C after merger or acquisition activity, please see Official Interpretations, Supplement I to §1003, comment 2(g)-3.
Determine whether a transaction is subject to Regulation C because it:
Covered Loans
Credit unions that meet the definition of a financial institution according to §1003.2(g) must report data on transactions that meet the definition of a covered loan in §1003.2(e). Types of transactions enumerated in §1003.3(c)(1)–(13) are explicitly excluded from Regulation C reporting requirements.
The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 created partial exemptions, not complete exclusions, from some of HMDA’s reporting requirements. The partial exemptions were effective May 24, 2018, and apply to the collection, recording, and reporting of HMDA data on or after that date. If a covered loan or application is covered by a partial exemption, the credit union is not required to collect, record, and report specific data points. The partial exemptions apply only if applicable loan-volume thresholds are met.
Loan-Volume Thresholds
A partial exemption applies to a credit union’s applications for, originations of, and purchases of closed-end mortgage loans if the credit union originated fewer than 500 closed-end mortgage loans in each of the two preceding calendar years §1003.3(d)(1)(iv)(2). A partial exemption applies to a credit union’s applications for, originations of, and purchases of open-end lines of credit if the institution originated fewer than 500 open-end lines of credit in each of the two preceding calendar years §1003.3(d)(1)(iv)(3). However, during 2018 and 2019, a credit union is not required to collect or report any information for open-end lines of credit if the credit union originated fewer than 500 open-end lines of credit during either of the two preceding calendar years. This is because, during 2018 and 2019, open-end lines of credit are excluded transactions for a credit union that originated fewer than 500 open-end lines of credit during either of the two preceding calendar years. The partial exemption for closed-end mortgage loans and the partial exemption for open-end lines of credit operate independently of one another. Thus, in a given calendar year, a credit union may be able to rely on one or both partial exemptions.
If a covered loan or application is covered by a partial exemption, the credit union is required to collect, record, and report 22 specific data points specified in §1003.4(a)(1)–(38), but is exempt from collecting, recording, and reporting 26 other specific data points for that transaction. A credit union may voluntarily report any or all of the 26 data points for a covered loan or application covered by a partial exemption §1003.3(d)(1)(iv)(4).
Charts illustrating the 22 data points not covered by the partial exemptions and the 26 data points covered by the partial exemptions can be found in Appendix F of A Guide to HMDA Reporting: Getting It Right!.
Disclosure and Reporting – §1003.5
Transaction Testing
Tolerances
Ethnicity or Race Data Errors
Prospective Changes
HMDA Transaction Testing Sample Sizes and Thresholds
HMDA LAR Count | A Total Sample Size | B Initial Sample Size | C Initial Sample Size | D Resubmission Threshold | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | % | ||||
25-50 | 30* | 15 | 2 | 3 | 10.0* |
51-100 | 30 | 20 | 2 | 3 | 10.0 |
101-130 | 47 | 29 | 2 | 3 | 6.4 |
131-190 | 56 | 29 | 2 | 3 | 5.4 |
191-500 | 59 | 30 | 2 | 3 | 5.1 |
501-100,000 | 79 | 35 | 2 | 4 | 5.1 |
100,001+ | 159 | 61 | 2 | 4 | 2.5 |
* For credit unions with fewer than 30 HMDA LAR lines, the full sample size is the credit union’s total number of HMDA LAR lines. The Resubmission Threshold number remains at 3. Accordingly, the Resubmission Threshold percentage will be higher for credit unions with fewer than 30 HMDA LAR lines.
Examples
Example: Calculating Error Rates for Applicant or Borrower Race
FIG Applicant or Borrower Race: 1 Field | FIG Applicant or Borrower Race: 2 Field | Race of Applicant or Borrower Data Field Group | |
---|---|---|---|
Loan #1 | Error (Initial Sample) | 1 | |
Loan #2 | Error (Initial Sample) | 1 | |
Loan #3 | Error (Remaining Sample) | 1 | |
Loan #4 | Error (Remaining Sample) | Error (Remaining Sample) | 1 |
Total Errors | 4 |
Attachment A
Effective January 1, 2018, and through June 30, 2020, did the credit union originate at least 25 closed-end mortgage loans in each of the two preceding calendar years, or originate at least 500 open-end lines of credit in each of the two preceding calendar years? §1003.2(g)(1)(v)
Effective July 1, 2020, and through December 31, 2021, did the credit union originate at least 100 closed-end mortgage loans in each of the two preceding calendar years, or originate at least 500 open-end lines of credit in each of the two preceding calendar years?
Effective January 1, 2022, did the credit union originate at least 100 closed-end mortgage loans in each of the two preceding calendar years, or originate at least 200 open-end lines of credit in each of the two preceding calendar years?
Note: If the answer to any one of the above questions is “No,” then the credit union is not required to collect HMDA data for the current year. Stop here.
Note: If all of the answers to questions 1, 2, 3, and 4 are "Yes," the credit union is subject to HMDA in the current year and the remainder of the checklist should be completed (unless exempt by virtue of similar state law). [3]
Item | Description | YES | NO | N/A |
---|---|---|---|---|
5 | Were there any mergers or acquisitions since January 1 of the preceding calendar year? | |||
6 | Was either institution required to report under HMDA that year? |
Note: If the answer to question 6 is “No,” the merged institution does not have to report transactions that occurred during the year of the merger. In that situation, data collection should begin on January 1 of the following calendar year.
If a reporting institution merged with a non-reporting institution, and the reporting institution is the surviving institution, for the year of the merger, data collection is required for the reporting institution’s transactions; data collection is optional for the transactions handled in offices of the previously exempt non-reporting institution.
If a reporting institution merged with a non-reporting institution, and the non-reporting institution is the surviving institution, or a new institution is formed, for the year of the merger, data collection is required for the reporting institution for transactions that occurred prior to the merger; data collection is optional for transactions that occurred after the merger date.
If both institutions were HMDA reporters, data collection is required for the entire year of the merger. The merged institution may file either a consolidated submission or separate submissions.
Item | Description | YES | NO | N/A |
---|---|---|---|---|
7 | Does the credit union have policies and procedures as well as training in place that are adequate, on an ongoing basis, to ensure compliance with HMDA and Regulation C? | |||
8 | Do the credit union’s internal review procedures and audit schedules comprehensively cover all of the pertinent regulatory requirements associated with HMDA and Regulation C? | |||
9 | Do the audits or internal analysis performed by the credit union include a reasonable amount of transactional analysis, written reports that detail findings and recommendations for corrective actions? | |||
10 | Do the credit union’s internal reviews include any regulatory changes that may have occurred since the prior examination? | |||
11 | Has the credit union assigned one or more individuals responsibility for oversight, data update, and data entry, along with timeliness of the credit union’s data submission? | |||
12 | Is the credit union’s Board of Directors informed of the results of all analyses? | |||
13 | Did individuals who have been assigned responsibility for data entry receive appropriate training in the completion of the HMDA LAR and receive copies of Regulation C, the Official Interpretations of Regulation C, and the FFIEC’s “A Guide to HMDA Reporting: Getting it Right!” in a timely manner? | |||
14 | Has the credit union ensured effective corrective action in response to previously identified deficiencies? | |||
15 | Does the credit union perform HMDA LAR volume analysis from year-to-year to detect increases or decreases in activity for possible omissions of data? | |||
16 | Does the credit union maintain documentation for those loans it packages and sells to other institutions? |
Item | Description | YES | NO | N/A |
---|---|---|---|---|
17 | Does the individual(s) assigned responsibility for the credit union’s compliance with HMDA and Regulation C possess an adequate level of knowledge and have they established a method for staying abreast of changes to laws and regulations? | |||
18 | Does the credit union ensure that individuals assigned compliance responsibilities receive adequate training to ensure compliance with the requirements of the regulation? | |||
19 | Does the individual(s) assigned responsibility for the credit union’s compliance with HMDA and Regulation C know whom to contact, at the credit union or their supervisory agency, if they have questions not answered by the written materials? | |||
20 | Has the credit union established and implemented adequate controls to ensure that separation of duties exists (e.g., data entry, review, oversight, and approval)? | |||
21 | Does the credit union maintain internal reports or records that document policy and procedure revisions as well as any informal self-assessment of the credit union’s compliance with the regulation? | |||
22 | Does the credit union have procedures in place for identifying transactions that are not required to be reported (i.e., excluded transactions)? | |||
23 | Does the credit union have policies and procedures in place that address HMDA LAR reporting responsibilities for transactions involving more than one institution? | |||
24 | Does the credit union have procedures in place for determining whether it qualifies for the partial exemptions (closed-end mortgage loans and open-end lines of credit)? | |||
25 | If the credit union offers preapprovals, does the credit union’s preapproval program meet the specifications detailed in the HMDA regulation? If so, do the credit union’s policies and procedures provide adequate guidance for the reporting of preapproval requests that are approved or denied in accordance with the regulation? | |||
26 | Has the credit union established a method for determining and reporting the lien status for all originated loans and applications? | |||
27 | Do the credit union’s policies and procedures contain guidance for collecting ethnicity, race, and sex for all loan applications, including applications made by telephone, mail, and Internet? | |||
28 | Do the credit union’s policies and procedures address the collection of the rate spread (difference between the APR and the average prime offer rate for a comparable transaction as of the date the interest rate is set)? | |||
29 | Has the credit union established a system for tracking rate lock dates and calculating the rate spread? | |||
30 | Do the credit union’s policies and procedures address how to determine if a loan is subject to the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act and the reporting of these loans? | |||
31 | Is the HMDA LAR updated within 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter? | |||
32 | Is data collected at all branches, and if so, are the appropriate personnel sufficiently trained to ensure that all branches are reporting data under the same guidelines? | |||
33 | Are the credit union’s loan officers, including loan officers in the business loan department who may handle loan applications reportable under HMDA (including loans and applications for multifamily or mixed-use properties and small business refinances secured by residential real estate), informed of the reporting requirements necessary to assemble the information? | |||
34 | Has the Board of Directors established an independent review of the policies, procedures, and HMDA data to ensure compliance and accuracy? | |||
35 | Is the Board of Directors advised each year of the accuracy and timeliness of the credit union’s data submissions? | |||
36 | Does the credit union have procedures in place to comply with the requirement to submit data in electronic format to the appropriate Federal agency? | |||
37 | Are the credit union’s loan officers familiar with the disclosure, reporting, and retention requirements associated with the loan application registers and the FFIEC public disclosure statements? | |||
38 | Are the credit union’s loan officers familiar with the disclosure statements that will be produced from the data? | |||
39 | Are the credit union’s loan officers aware that civil money penalties may be imposed when a credit union has submitted erroneous data and has not established adequate procedures to ensure the accuracy of the data? | |||
40 | Are the credit union’s loan officers aware that correction and resubmission of erroneous data will be required if the number of errors identified reaches certain resubmission thresholds? |
Item | Description | YES | NO | N/A |
---|---|---|---|---|
41 | Has the credit union accurately compiled home mortgage disclosure information on a register in the format prescribed in Regulation C? | |||
42 | Has the credit union been directed to correct and resubmit its HMDA data when necessary? |
Item | Description | YES | NO | N/A |
---|---|---|---|---|
43 | Does the credit union submit its annual HMDA LAR to the appropriate Federal agency no later than March 1 following the calendar year for which the data is compiled? | |||
44 | If quarterly reporting is required, does the credit union submit the data within 60 calendar days after the end of the calendar quarter? | |||
45 | Does the credit union maintain its annual HMDA LAR for at least 3 years after submission? | |||
46 | No later than three business days after receiving notice from the FFIEC that the disclosure statement is available, does the credit union make available to the public upon request at its home office, and each branch office physically located in each MSA and each MD, a written notice that clearly conveys that the credit union’s disclosure statement may be obtained on the CFPB’s website at www.consumerfinance.gov/hmda? | |||
47 | Does the credit union make available to the public upon request at its home office, and each branch office physically located in each MSA and each MD, a written notice that clearly conveys that the credit union’s LAR, as modified by the CFPB to protect applicant and borrower privacy, may be obtain on the CFPB’s website at www.consumerfinance/gov/hmda? | |||
48 | Does the credit union make the notice regarding its modified LAR available to the public for three years and the notice regarding its disclosure statement available to the public for five years? | |||
49 | Does the credit union make the notices regarding its modified LAR and disclosure statement available during the hours the office is normally open to the public for business? | |||
50 | If the credit union imposes a fee for costs incurred in providing or reproducing the data, is the fee reasonable? | |||
51 | Does the credit union post a general notice about the availability of its HMDA data in the lobby of its home office and of each branch office physically located in each MSA and MD, which clearly conveys that the credit union’s HMDA data is available on the CFPB’s website at www.consumerfinance.gov/hmda? | |||
52 | If the credit union has a subsidiary covered by HMDA, did the subsidiary complete a separate HMDA LAR? | |||
53 | If the credit union has a subsidiary covered by HMDA, did the subsidiary submit a completed HMDA LAR directly to the appropriate Federal agency? | |||
54 | If the answer to the question above is “No,” did the subsidiary submit a completed HMDA LAR through its parent? | |||
55 | Was the credit union’s HMDA LAR transmittal sheet accurately completed? | |||
56 | Did an authorized representative of the credit union with knowledge of the data submitted certify the accuracy and completeness of the data? | |||
57 | Is the signature of the representative who certified the accuracy of the data retained on file at the credit union? | |||
58 | If there were errors in the HMDA LAR, did the credit union take steps to correct and prevent the occurrence of such errors in the future? | |||
59 | Does the credit union use materials available from the Census Bureau or from a private publisher, or an automated geocoding system in order to obtain the proper census tract numbers? | |||
60 | If the credit union relies on outside assistance to obtain the census tract numbers (e.g., private “geocoding” services or real estate appraisals), does the credit union have adequate procedures in place to ensure that the census tract numbers are obtained in instances where they are not provided by the outside source? | |||
61 | If the credit union relies on outside assistance to obtain the census tract numbers (e.g., private “geocoding” services or real estate appraisals), has the credit union taken steps to ensure that the provider of outside services is using the appropriate Census Bureau data? |
[1] Data fields indicating whether ethnicity or race information was collected on the basis of visual observation or surname (FIG Data Field Numbers 31, 32, 49, and 50) are not included in any data group enumerated in paragraph 10 and are treated as individual data fields for purposes of these guidelines.
[2] Example 4 describes analogous error rates and corrective actions for the race field.
[3] Credit unions that are not federally insured are subject to HMDA only if they answered “Yes” to questions 1, 2, 3, and 4 and at least one of the loans in question 3 was insured, guaranteed, or supplemented by a Federal agency or was intended by the credit union for sale to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. §1003.2(g)(1)(iv).