TITLE banking-and-securities

Part I. Finance Commission of Texas

Chapter 1. Consumer Credit Commissioner

Subchapter A. Regulated Loan Licenses

Division 5. Refund

7 TAC §§1.91, 1.92, 1.94

The Finance Commission of Texas (the commission) adopts the repeal of §§1.91, 1.92, and 1.94. This repeal is necessary as the sections that are proposed for repeal relate to the procedures for refunds of Chapter 3 loans due to prepayment or acceleration. Chapter 3, Tex. Civ. Stat., Art. 5069-3.01 et seq. , was repealed by the 75th Legislature (1997). Moreover, these rules are being replaced by a new set of rules for Chapter 3A, a new chapter of the Texas Credit Title which encompasses old Chapter 3 through 5. This repeal is adopted without changes to the proposal as published in the October 23, 1998, issue of the Texas Register (23 TexReg 10769).

The agency received no comments regarding the proposal.

The repeal is adopted under Tex. Civ. Stat., Art. 5069-3A.901, which authorizes the Finance Commission to adopt rules to enforce new Chapter 3A. The repeal will not be adopted until the proposed replacement sections are adopted.

The statutory provisions (as currently in effect) affected by the proposed repeal are Tex. Civ. Stat., Art. 5069, Chapter 3A, Subchapter H.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on December 14, 1998.

TRD-9818343

Leslie L. Pettijohn

Commissioner

Finance Commission of Texas

Effective date: January 3, 1999

Proposal publication date: October 23, 1998

For further information, please call: (512) 936-7640


Subchapter G. Interest and Other Charges on Secondary Mortgage Loans

7 TAC §§1.701-1.708

The Finance Commission of Texas (the commission) adopts new §§1.701-1.708, concerning the methods for calculating maximum interest and other charges, additional interest for default and deferment under Subchapter G, Chapter 3A, Texas Civ. Stat., Art. 5069. The sections are adopted with non-substantive changes to the proposed text as published in the October 23, 1998, issue of the Texas Register (23 TexReg 10769).

Section 1.701 describes the manner for determining the maximum rate or amount of interest by type of transaction.

Section 1.702 details the treatment of odd periods of time, those less than a month in the first installment period, for calculating interest.

Section 1.703 clarifies the procedures for assessing and collecting default charges in connection with a Subchapter G loan.

Section 1.704 explains the method and procedures for calculating and collecting a deferment charge on a Subchapter G loan.

Section 1.705 enumerates additional charges that may be assessed on a Subchapter G loan after consummation of the loan.

Section 1.706 enumerates additional charges that may be collected on or before closing of a Subchapter G loan.

Section 1.707 discusses the treatment and applicability of other fees in the context of a Subchapter G loan.

Section 1.708 addresses contracting for balloon payments on a Subchapter G loan.

The rule adoption is necessary in order to provide basic procedures concerning the methods for calculating maximum interest and other charges, additional interest for default and deferment under Subchapter G, Chapter 3A, Tex. Civ. Stat., Art. 5069.

The agency received one comment from the Independent Bankers Association of Texas concerning the proposed language on attorneys' fees as prescribed by art. 5069- 3A.507(2) and 3A.852(b)(2). The proposed language in the rule addressing attorney fees has been omitted.

The new sections are adopted under Tex. Civ. Stat., Art. 5069-3A.901, which authorizes the Finance Commission to adopt rules to enforce new Chapter 3A.

Texas Civil Statutes, Article 5069-3A, Subchapter G is affected by these proposed new sections.

§1.701.Maximum Interest Charge.

(a)

Precomputed secondary mortgage loan. In a precomputed secondary mortgage loan, an authorized lender may contract for, charge, or receive an amount of interest that does not exceed the applicable simple interest rate authorized by Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat., Article 5069-Chapter 1D, Subchapter A. Prepaid interest is not permitted unless expressly authorized by statute (e.g. , an administrative loan fee).

(b)

Interest-bearing loan. In an interest-bearing secondary mortgage loan, an authorized lender may contract for, charge, or receive any rate of interest that does not exceed the applicable amount authorized by Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat., Article 5069- Chapter 1D, Subchapter A, as calculated under the true daily earnings method or the scheduled installment earnings method. Prepaid interest in the form of points, such as origination or discount points, may be contracted for, charged, or received by an originating lender, so long as the total amount of interest contracted for, charged, or received, when spread over the full term of the loan as permitted by Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat., Art. 5069-1C.101, does not exceed the applicable interest limit in Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat., Art. 5069-1D, Subchapter A.

(c)

Method of calculation. An authorized lender making loans under Article 5069-3A.501(c) may calculate the rate and amount of interest by any method of calculation as long as the amount of interest charged does not exceed the maximum rate or amount of interest set forth in Article 5069-3A.501 calculated using the specified earnings methods contained in Article 5069-3A.501.

§1.702.Treatment of Periods Less Than a Full Month.

(a)

To calculate a period of time less than a full month on a precomputed loan:

(1)

any period before the first installment due date that includes a part of a month longer than 15 days may be treated as a full month for interest calculation purposes;

(2)

any period before the first installment due date that includes a part of the month that is 15 days or less may not be treated as a full month for interest calculation purposes. The amount of interest for the period of 15 days or less must be calculated under the true daily earnings method. This amount may be added to the first installment or, alternatively, it may be allocated among all of the installments.

(b)

In respect to counting the additional odd days in a first installment period, an authorized lender, on a regular transaction, may utilize one of the methods listed below so long as the method utilized is consistently applied to all applicable loan transactions initiated by the authorized lender.

(1)

Texas Credit Title method. Under this method, the odd days are determined by counting the number of days beyond one month from the date of the loan to the scheduled installment due date.

(2)

Regulation Z method. Under this method, the odd days should be determined in accordance with Regulation Z - Truth-in-Lending, 12 C.F.R. Part 226, Appendix J. The odd days are determined by first ascertaining the one month anniversary date preceding the first scheduled installment due date. After determining the one month anniversary date preceding the first scheduled installment due date, the odd days are determined by counting the number of days between the date of the loan and the one month anniversary date.

(c)

An authorized lender may not contract for or charge more than the maximum rate authorized by Art. 5069-Chapter 1D, Subchapter A in calculating the interest charge for the additional odd days in the first installment period.

§1.703.Default Charges.

(a)

Precomputed loan. Additional interest for default may be charged in a precomputed secondary mortgage loan, whether regular or irregular, or on a secondary mortgage loan that employs the scheduled installment earnings method, to the extent it is authorized by Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat., Art. 5069-3A.502 or Art. 5069- 3A.505.

(b)

Interest-bearing loan. No additional interest for default may be charged on an interest-bearing secondary mortgage loan except for a loan contracted for on the scheduled installment earnings method.

(c)

Contract required. No default charge may be assessed, imposed, charged, or collected unless contracted for in writing by the parties.

(d)

Default period. A default charge may not be assessed until the10th day after the installment due date. For example, if the installment due date is the 1st, a default charge may not be assessed until the 12th.

(e)

Missed payment covered by insurance. If any payment or partial payment in default is later paid by some form of insurance, such as credit disability insurance or collateral protection insurance, any prior assessment of additional interest for default must be waived.

(f)

Pyramiding prohibited. An authorized lender seeking to assess additional interest for default in a precomputed secondary mortgage loan under Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat., Article 5069-3A.502 or Article 5069-3A.505 must comply with the prohibition on the pyramiding of late charges set forth in the Federal Trade Commission Credit Practices Rule at 16 C.F.R. §444.4 or in Regulation AA, 12 C.F.R. Part 227, promulgated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve Board, as applicable.

§1.704.Deferment.

(a)

Definition. The term deferment means the postponement of the due date of a scheduled installment. A deferment charge prescribed by this section may occur in a loan transaction that employs either the precomputed or the scheduled installment earnings method of calculation. A separate deferment charge is not applicable to a loan transaction that employs the true daily earnings method since an extension of time would be calculated on elapsed daily charges and the parties may agree to modify the terms of the transaction as long as the modification conforms to the requirements of Subchapter G.

(b)

Bilateral or mutual deferment. A borrower and a lender may mutually agree to defer any scheduled installment. There is no limit on the number of bilateral deferments that can be made during the time that a loan contract is in effect. Bilateral or mutual deferments must be agreed upon in writing.

(c)

Deferment notice. Each deferment must be noted on the account record at the time the deferment is made. A written notice containing the conditions of the deferment must be furnished to the borrower. The deferment notice shall include the name of the lender, the name of the borrower, the loan number, the date of the deferment, the installment or installments being deferred, the deferment period, the amount of the deferment charge, the balance on the account, and the date and amount of the next installment due. The signature of the borrower denotes the borrower's agreement to a bilateral deferment.

(d)

Computation of deferment charge for a regular transaction. Each deferment charge on a regular loan transaction shall be computed in accordance with the method prescribed by the loan contract. If the loan contract does not provide for a deferment charge, then no deferment charge may be assessed or collected. A lender may employ any of the prescribed computational methods described in Chapter 3A so long as the computational method employed is consistently utilized throughout the term of the loan.

(1)

If the first installment is to be deferred, the interest for the deferment may be no more than the difference between the refund that would be required for prepayment in full on the first installment due date, if it were one month from the date of the loan, and the total interest charged subject to being refunded ( e.g., administrative loan fee).

(2)

If any installment subsequent to the first installment is deferred, the deferred installment period will be determined by dividing the remaining precomputed balance owed on the account by the regular scheduled installment amount. The dollar amount associated with the deferred installment period must be rounded down to the nearest whole integer. Additionally, no deferred installment period may have a default charge assessed against the deferred installment period. After the determination of the deferred installment period, the additional interest for the deferment may not exceed the difference between the refund that would be required for prepayment in full for the determined deferred installment and the refund that would be required for the prepayment in full of the next succeeding installment. The resulting difference shall be multiplied by the number of months in the deferment period. For example, the terms of a precomputed Art. 5069-3A.501(a) loan are as follows: Date of loan: 09/01/1997; First payment due date: 10/01/1997; Cash Advance: $2,766.48; Finance Charge: $833.52; Total of Payments: $3,600.00; Term: 36 months; Monthly Installment: $100; Refunding method: Sum of the periodic balances; and Annual Percentage Rate: 18%. Assume a deferment is agreed to roughly six months into the contract and, at that time, the remaining precomputed balance owed on the account was $3,095.00 and the regularly scheduled installment amount was $ 100.00. The nearest whole integer for the dollar amount associated with the deferred time period would be 30 ($3,095.00 divided by $100 = 30.95, rounded down to the nearest whole integer, 30). If a default charge had already been assessed on the 30th remaining installment, the nearest whole integer would be 29. Assuming no default charge had been assessed on the 30th remaining installment, the additional interest charge for the deferment would be the difference between the interest refund of the 30th and the 29th installments. This difference would be $37.54 (interest refund as of the 30th installment = $581.96; interest refund as of the 29th installment = $544.42; $581.96 - $544.42 = $37.54). A scheduled installment earnings refund method would yield a slightly different result of $36.69.

(3)

In lieu of computational methods one and two, a lender may take the difference between the amount of the refund of unearned interest as if a full prepayment of the loan occurred as of the date of the deferment and the amount of the refund of unearned interest for a full prepayment of the loan one full month prior to the date of the deferment. The results of the computed interest for deferment charge under this subsection should be multiplied by the number of months in the deferred installment period.

(e)

No deferment when payment applied to account balance. If a payment has been applied to reduce an account balance, no deferment of any prior balance or installments may be made. This does not preclude the collection of a deferment fee previously assessed but not collected.

(f)

No deferment when a default charge has already been collected. No installment may be deferred if a default charge has already been collected on the account or if a partial payment in any amount has been credited to any installment. If an amount equal to one whole installment has already been credited to an account, this entry cannot be altered in order to credit part of the installment to a deferment charge.

(g)

Accounting of payment. If a payment is submitted from which a deferment charge is taken, the excess of the amount necessary to bring the account current shall be applied to the remaining balance of the loan. However, any difference that exceeds three dollars shall be returned to the borrower upon the borrower's request.

(h)

Noncompliance. Deferment fees not assessed or collected in accordance with the requirements of this rule are subject to refund to the borrower. In the event deferment fees are refunded to the borrower, no rescheduling of the loan contract is permitted.

§1.705.Amounts Authorized To Be Charged after Consummation.

(a)

Generally. A secondary mortgage loan contract may provide for any one or more of the four listed categories of charges set forth in Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat., Art. 5069- 3A.507. These charges may then be assessed and collected by an authorized lender after consummation of the loan if appropriately included in the contract.

(b)

Check return fee. An authorized lender may contract for, assess, or collect the fee authorized by Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat., Art. 9022 in a secondary mortgage loan.

§1.706.Amounts Authorized To Be Collected on or before Closing.

(a)

Generally. On or before the closing of a secondary mortgage loan, an authorized lender may collect any one or more of the eight categories of charges set forth in Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat., Art. 5069-3A.508(a).

(b)

Administrative loan fee. An authorized lender may collect an administrative loan fee pursuant to Acts 1997, 75th Legislature, Chapter 164 on interest bearing and pre- computed loans.

(1)

To determine the maximum amount of the administrative fee, an authorized lender should ascertain the amount of the cash advance of the loan. If the cash advance is more than one thousand dollars, then the authorized lender may contract for, charge, or receive $25. If the cash advance is one thousand dollars or less, then the authorized lender may contract for, charge, or receive $10.

(2)

An administrative fee may not be contracted for, charged, or received by an authorized lender directly or indirectly on a renewal or modification of an existing obligation more than once in any 180 day period. The administrative fee may be contracted for, charged, or received in a renewal or modification if the authorized lender did not contract for, charge, or receive the administrative fee on any previous obligation within the 180 day period.

(3)

Interest may not be assessed, charged, or received on an administrative fee if the assessment causes the total amount of interest to exceed the maximum amount authorized under Chapter 3A.

(c)

Appraisal fees. An appraisal fee may be charged when an appraisal has been performed by an appraiser, certified or licensed by the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board pursuant to Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat., Art. 6573a.2., and who is not a salaried employee of the lender.

(d)

Cost of credit report. An authorized lender may collect the cost paid to a credit reporting agency to obtain a credit report pursuant to Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat., Art. 5069-3A.508(a)(5) but may not charge an additional fee for reviewing or evaluating a credit report.

(e)

Survey fees. A survey fee may be charged when a survey has been performed by a surveyor, registered or licensed by the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying pursuant to Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat., Art. 5282c., and who is not a salaried employee of the lender.

(f)

Flood zone determination fees. An authorized lender may collect a flood zone determination fee when a flood zone determination is required by a federal agency.

§1.707.Other Fees.

(a)

Generally. Fees not otherwise permitted by 7 T.A.C. §1.705 or §1.706 may not be charged or collected in a secondary mortgage loan transaction.

(b)

Examples of unauthorized fees. Fees not authorized by either 7 T.A.C. § 1.705 or §1.706 include, but are not limited to, commitment fees, those broker fees not covered by subsection (d) of this section, pay-off statement fees, prepayment penalties, fax fees, courier fees, and escrow management fees.

(c)

Escrow services. An authorized lender making a secondary mortgage loan may require a borrower to make payments into an escrow trust account for payment of anticipated tax and property insurance expenses. A fee may not be charged for managing an escrow trust account.

(d)

Broker fees. An authorized lender may pay a broker fee in a secondary mortgage loan if the consideration paid by the borrower in the loan which involves a broker does not exceed the consideration paid by the borrower in a loan which does not involve a broker.

(1)

Example 1: A prospective borrower is quoted a contract rate of 12% plus a 2% origination fee when he makes his inquiry directly to an authorized lender. On this same individual, a broker quotes a contract rate of 12% plus a 4% origination fee for a loan of the same amount from the same authorized lender. The charge for an additional 2% origination fee is an unauthorized charge.

(2)

Example 2: A prospective borrower is quoted a finance charge of 12% plus a 2% origination fee when the borrower makes the inquiry directly to an authorized lender. On this same individual, a broker quotes a contract rate of 12% plus a 2% origination fee for a loan of the same amount from the same authorized lender. The loan was then consummated with the authorized lender paying a 2% fee to the broker for originating the loan. Since the authorized lender has absorbed the expense of the fee, no unauthorized charge has been assessed, charged, or received.

(e)

Seller's points. Seller's points are treated as interest. Seller's points are aggregated with other interest charges for the purposes of a usury calculation.

(f)

Discount points. Discount points are treated as interest. Discount points are aggregated with other interest charges for the purposes of a usury calculation.

(g)

Origination fees. An origination fee is treated as interest. An origination fee is aggregated with other interest charges for the purposes of a usury calculation.

§1.708.Balloon Payments.

Balloon payments are authorized in a secondary mortgage loan unless prohibited by other applicable law (for example, the high cost mortgage rules of Truth in Lending, Regulation Z, 12 C.F.R. §226.32(d)(1)).

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on December 14, 1998.

TRD-9818342

Leslie L. Pettijohn

Commissioner

Finance Commission of Texas

Effective date: January 3, 1999

Proposal publication date: October 23, 1998

For further information, please call: (512) 936-7640


Subchapter H. Refunds in Precomputed Loans

7 TAC §§1.751-1.761

The Finance Commission of Texas (the commission) adopts new §§1.751-1.761, concerning the methods for computing refunds of unearned interest due to prepayment or acceleration of Subchapter E, F, or G transactions that are precomputed as provided in Subchapter H, Chapter 3A, Article 5069. The sections are adopted without changes to the proposed text as published in the October 23, 1998, issue of the Texas Register (23 TexReg 10773)

Section 1.751 explains the scope and applicability of the subchapter.

Section 1.752 prescribes the method for calculating refunds of interest of Subchapter E and G loans.

Section 1.753 explains the method for refunding interest in Subchapter E and G loans when prepayment occurs before the first installment due date.

Section 1.754 explains the method for refunding interest in Subchapter E and G loans with a term of sixty months or less.

Section 1.755 explains the method for refunding interest in Subchapter E & G loans with a term of more than sixty months and for which prepayment occurs before the first installment due date.

Section 1.756 explains the method for refunding interest in Subchapter E and G loans with a term of more than sixty months.

Section 1.757 explains the methods for refunding interest in irregular Subchapter E and G loans.

Section 1.758 explains the charges subject to refunding in Subchapter F loans.

Section 1.759 explains the method for refunding installment account handling charges and acquisition charges on Subchapter F loans for which prepayment occurs before the first installment due date.

Section 1.760 explains the method for refunding installment account handling charges and acquisition charges in Subchapter F loans.

Section 1.761 details the situation in which a lender provides excess refunds to a borrower and the applicable procedures for handling the situation.

The rule adoption is necessary due to the repeal of the former Article 5069, Chapters 3, 4, and 5 and the adoption of new Article 5069-3A.001 et seq. Generally, these procedures are well established and are commonly used throughout the regulated industry. These rules should serve, however, to clarify the calculations and procedures.

The agency received no comments regarding the proposals.

The new sections are proposed under Tex. Civ. Stat., Art. 5069-3A.901, which authorizes the Finance Commission to adopt rules to enforce new Chapter 3A.

Texas Civil Statutes, Art. 5069-3A, Subchapter H is affected by these proposed new sections.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on December 14, 1998.

TRD-9818344

Leslie L. Pettijohn

Commissioner

Finance Commission of Texas

Effective date: January 3, 1999

Proposal publication date: October 23, 1998

For further information, please call: (512) 936-7640