On December 1st, the FLSA “Overtime Rule” is being updated. Who does this affect?

Back in May 2016 the Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced that effective December 1^st, 2016 employers would have to raise the salary level of exempt employees to $47,476 per year for the employee to still be considered exempt. That is about $900 a week.

Now I am getting panic calls and emails asking me if this means you should increase your mortgage loan originator hourly wages to keep the exemption. So here comes the shocker.  

Folks, your mortgage loan originators are NOT exempt. This December 1^st rule applies to true administrative employees and managers. Based on last years DOL ruling, this new ruling does NOT apply to mortgage loan originators. MLOs have not been exempt since May of 2015. The MB had sued the DOL to make them exempt, but SCOTUS agreed with the DOL regarding the DOL ruling that MLOs were not exempt because MLOs were involved in sales.

Let’s start out with the history behind the rule.

Under the old administrative exemption of the FLSA, employees who are paid on a salary basis of at least $455 per week (pre-December 1st 2016) may be exempt from overtime compensation if the employee’s primary duty is the performance of office or non-manual work directly related to the management or general business operations of the employer or the employer’s customers, and their primary duty includes the exercise of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance. Employees in the financial services industry generally meet the duties requirements for this exemption if their duties include work such as collecting and analyzing information regarding the customer’s income, assets, investments, or debts; determining which financial products best meet the customer’s needs and financial circumstances; advising the customer regarding the advantages and disadvantages of different financial products; and marketing, servicing, or promoting the employer’s financial products; provided, however, that their primary duty is not selling financial products.

There’s the rub: provided their primary duty is NOT selling financial products.

So, pretty much, any MLO who is originating cannot be considered exempt any longer. So December 1^st does not affect them. It affects non-selling managers and administrative staff. The new level of over $900 a week is real. That is what you should review.  

Back to your MLOs. What can you do to protect yourself from being sued for overtime by a disgruntled or opportunistic former MLO?

• Don’t fight the rule but rather have a policy in writing that prohibits any non-exempt employee (which is what the DOL calls your MLO staff) work beyond 35 hours a week unless approved in writing.
• If you enforce this strongly I think this creates a rebuttable presumption for the DOL that you may have used your best reasonable efforts to comply.
• You may experience an MLO who stepped outside his job description if he worked more hours than 35 hours a week without written approval. If you kept an eye on him or her and then they raise this issue, you can counter with an “ultra vires” or “frolic and detour” argument. The key to this is to enforce your policy and keep an eye on your non-exempt employees.
• You would need a procedure in place that creates and monitors regular non-exempt employee time sheets and has your non-exempt employee sign a certification about hours worked under penalty of perjury every pay period, whether they have commission due or not. And you would need to demonstrate you enforce your rule and send people home when appropriate.

SUMMARY: Mortgage Loan Originators are non-exempt employees. As such they are subject to the protections of the overtime rule of the FLSA. If you don’t monitor and manage their hours worked, you can end up in a very bad place. Don’t prohibit overtime; rather require they obtain your pre-approval in writing. Next, monitor every pay period with non-exempt employee certification regarding hours reported. Keep these records carefully. When you find a violator, be able to show you enforce your own rules.

ONE FINAL COMMENT. We are still engaging with plenty of loan originators who think they can be paid as a 1099 contractor. The DOL decision applies the common law definition of employee.

Here you go, compliments of Black’s Law Dictionary. “Black Letter Law”.

“An employee is a person who works in the service of an employer under an express or implied contract of hire, under which the employer has the right to control the details of the work performed.”  

So you have a license that requires a sponsor who is paid instead of you, who provides you with documents, compliance overview, and training, and maybe even leads. And you must originate and process your loans under his or her direction. And then, your employer has to pay you from what he is paid, because you cannot be paid directly under the current rules.

If you still think you are independent, you are just not listening.  You are an employee.

 Respectfully,

 Nelson A. Locke, Esq.

Mortgage Industry Compliance Expert

Attorney and Expert Witness

Office (800) 656-4584

Cell (305) 951-2785

http://www.lockelaw.us

http://expertlenderservices.com

I’m not changing my mind on this one. An NMLS sponsored MLO is an employee. Period.

October 18^th, 2016

The debate rages on. Unfortunately, most of those who have challenged our position that an MLO must be a W-2 – are either asking the wrong people for advice, or are not asking the question in an open and honest way.

If you have found an attorney who is telling you your 1099 practice is just fine, ask him for his written legal opinion. You will need that to show to the regulator that makes this an issue. While it won’t guarantee you won’t have a finding or fine, it is a defense of sort. Except I warned you, didn’t I. And the attorney won’t pay your fine for you.

The only reasonable conclusion is that a sponsored MLO is an employee.

We include the attachment titled 22-mlo-w2-discussion-021015 to our clients at the front of our MLO Policy Manual – Book Two. You should read this first. Let’s set the stage.  

Now, if you are saying your state regulator is ignoring this issue their misfeasance does not mean you are not at personal risk for violating Safe Act, CFPB, IRS, and DOJ rules. The facts are clear – the CFPB has asked the states to look for violations of federal regs when auditing. When the CFPB issued its updated exam guidance, it again asked the states to assist.

Now see attached pdf extractions, highlighted sections. The cfpb-exam-manual-irs-references-and-employee-definition-101816 is a 924 page “guide”. I saved you some time and copied the three pages that matter for you. Next, look at originatorcompensation-and-thefedrule_q-a. This is a transcript from an Industry Legal Webinar held in 2011.

Note the reference to the common law test – the common law definition of employee. Not YOUR definition, but what the IRS test uses to determine if a MLO is independent, or not. Let me give it to you here.

Directly from the IRS:

Under common-law rules, anyone who performs services for you is your employee if you can control what will be done and how it will be done. This is so even when you give the employee freedom of action. What matters is that you have the right to control the details of how the services are performed.

You are not an independent contractor if you perform services that can be controlled by an employer (what will be done and how it will be done). This applies even if you are given freedom of action. What matters is that the employer has the legal right to control the details of how the services are performed.

NOW about the Fair Labor Standards Act:

In an attempt to interpret provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and discern between employee and independent contractor status, courts and federal agencies have come up with the “economic realities test.” It looks at the dependence of the worker on the business for which he or she works. If a person gains a large portion of their salary or commission from that business, chances are that person qualifies as an employee.

These courts also use the “right to control” test. When the hiring party controls the way work is carried out and a product is delivered, the relationship between the parties is employer/employee. If you are sponsored and your Broker has to answer for your work, you are an employee.

If an employer does not have any authority over how a party accomplishes his or her work the relationship between the parties is that of independent contractor. But that can’t be: you are sponsored, right? And can only “work” at one place at a time, right?

We are always looking for new clients. If you need to tighten up your compliance efforts, call us at (800) 656-4584.

More about your Corporate Governance Book….

Man, this is a mess out there. As part of our Compliance Program we started reviewing the condition of corporate records. We never realized how many people have no idea WHAT should be in their corporate records.  We do think everybody knows WHY you need to do this (shields you from personal liability)  but we have been reviewing different Secretary of State Filings and the typical mortgage broker is all over the place. No one passed with flying colors.

So let’s make a list. Because this is important.

If you are a Corporation, either a C corp (for profit and pays its own taxes ) or an S corp (pass-through to you where you pay the taxes on your return):

• Articles of INCORPORATION
• By-Laws
• Annual Reports to your Secretary of State
• Annual Meeting Minutes – the report to your Shareholders
• Anything in-between where the Corporation took action that should be properly recorded and approved in your Book.
• This is the same list whether one shareholder or 1000 shareholders.

If you are a Limited Liability Company it is a bit different.

• Articles of ORGANIZATION
• Operating Agreement
• Annual Reports to your Secretary of State
• Member’s Minutes from meetings with your members
• And, anything in-between where the LLC took action that should be properly recorded and approved in your Book
• If you are a “single member LLC” the rules are a little looser but those of you who know me, know I think that more is better. Have meetings with yourself. Keep records with yourself. You get the picture.

Hope this helps. If you are unsure of your “condition”, email me at nl@lockelaw.us

Thanks.

Nelson A. Locke, Esq.

Compliance Services

(800) 656-4584

 

The CFPB, the CD, and the Realtors…….

Before you go any further, the key word is PROPOSED.

1.   The CFPB has issued a proposed rule with request for public comment containing both substantive amendments and technical corrections (collectively, Proposed Amendments) to the final TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule that became effective on October 3, 2015.  In a press release the CFPB advised that the Proposed Amendments are “intended to formalize guidance in the rule, and provide greater clarity and certainty.”  Comments are due on or before October 18, 2016.  The CFPB is proposing that the final rule based on the proposal would be effective 120 days after publication in the Federal Register, but is expressly requesting comment on the timeframe to implement the Proposed Amendments. THIS MEANS MOST LIKELY EARLY IN 2017.

2.   Four of the Proposed Amendments that are highlighted by the CFPB in the press release would (1) create a tolerance for the total of payment calculation; (2) exclude recording fees and transfer taxes from the one percent fee limit that applies to the TRID rule exemption for down payment assistance and similar subordinate lien loans often made by housing finance agencies, non-profits, and similar entities; (3) amend the scope of the TRID rule to cover units in a cooperative, whether or not they are considered real property; (4) clarify how a creditor may provide separate Closing Disclosures to the consumer and the seller through the removal of information that raises privacy concerns.THE REALTORS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT NOT RECEIVING THE CD – IF YOU HAVE BEEN GIVING IT TO THE REALTOR YOU MAY HAVE BEEN VIOLATING THE CURRENT PRIVACY RULES – AND IF THIS NEW PROPOSAL IS APPROVED THIS CHANGE WILL HAPPEN AFTER JANUARY, SO DON’T START PASSING OUT CDs LIKE CANDY UNTIL IT IS OK TO DO SO. 

3.   In addition to the CD/Realtor item, the CFPB proposal would make numerous other changes including a change that addresses the so-called “black hole” by providing creditors with greater flexibility to use the Closing Disclosure to reset tolerances.  Currently, only the Loan Estimate may be used to reset tolerances, subject to an exception that permits a creditor to use a Closing Disclosure to reset tolerances in a limited situation.  Essentially, the exception applies when the creditor would not have sufficient time after learning of a change to be able to issue a new Loan Estimate and also satisfy the pre-consummation waiting period requirements under the TRID rule.  The exception has proven to be too narrow in many cases resulting in creditors having to absorb increases in fees or require that the consumer reapply for a loan.  OR CHARGE THE BROKER A CURE FEE. To address these unintended consequences, the CFPB proposes to expand the exception to include both (1) the current situation that is based on the timeframe between when a creditor learns of a change requiring revised disclosures and the consummation of the loan, and (2) any situation in which a Closing Disclosure has already been issued.

4.   Other topics addressed by the Proposed Amendments include affiliate charges, the calculating cash to close table, construction loans, decimal places and rounding, escrow account disclosures, escrow cancellation notices, the treatment of gift funds, the written list of service providers (no surprise there), the distinction between model forms and sample forms, principal reductions, the summaries of transactions table, the total interest percentage calculation, and informational updates to the Loan Estimate.

5.  Now about us. We are attorney owned and our attorney has 24 years experience as a Mortgage Banker. That should speak for itself. Most of our competition does not have that combination of experience. They sell you “policies” and walk away. The CFPB recently identified this type of off the shelf no relationship compliance program as a red flag for examiners. We don’t do that. We offer annual engagements at one price and are with you all year for training, updates, and all your Q&A.

Request our Engagement Package today and we can have your Compliance Program  in really good shape within three weeks.

And you will feel much better about not having to face the regulators alone. But if you try to engage us after you have received your Audit Letter, the price will go up.

 (800) 656-4584

CFPB annotates LE and CD – why?

This information came to me directly from the CFPB.

“In emails sent to CFPB email subscription holders, the CFPB announced the publication of new annotated versions of the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure that include citations to sections in Chapter 2 of the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). The CFPB sent an original email on May 12, and then an updated email on May 13 that includes a direct link to the annotated forms. The emails provide that the citations are to TILA sections referenced in the Integrated Mortgage Disclosure final rule.

The use of the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure are required by the TILA/RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule which became effective October 3, 2016. The rule incorporates both RESPA and TILA disclosure requirements, and the requirements are set forth in Regulation Z under TILA. Based on the varying nature of liability under RESPA and TILA, the CFPB addressed in the preamble to the TRID rule the sections of TILA, RESPA and/or the Dodd-Frank Act that it used as legal authority for the various TRID rule sections.

In a December 29, 2015 letter to the MBA, Director Cordray addressed TRID rule liability concerns. The Director noted that “As a general matter, consistent with existing [TILA] principles, liability for statutory and class action damages would be assessed with reference to the final closing disclosure issued, not to the loan estimate, meaning that a corrected closing disclosure could, in many cases, forestall any such private liability.” The industry took this to mean that in many cases errors in the Loan Estimate could be cured through a correct Closing Disclosure. However, by issuing a Loan Estimate with citations to TILA sections the CFPB appears to have raised the issue of whether there is TILA liability for Loan Estimate errors.

Also, the annotated disclosures provide that both the Adjustable Payment (AP) Table and Adjustable Interest Rate (AIR) Table were adopted based on TILA section 128(b)(2)(C)(ii). However, the preamble to the TRID rule reflects that only the AP Table was adopted based on such section, and that the AIR Table was adopted based on general CFPB rulemaking authority.

As we reported, recently the CFPB also announced its intention to re-open the rulemaking corresponding with the TRID rule. Perhaps the CFPB can use the rulemaking initiative to better address industry concerns regarding TRID rule liability.”

Until such time as we see more clarity my advice to Compliance Services Clients is to promptly cure any discrepancy whether it is in the LE or the CD.  

For now, the fact that the CFPB is citing to the actual law tells me some big time auditing of your LE and CD may be coming soon.

Respectfully,

 Nelson A. Locke, Esq.

Compliance Expert and Attorney

Office (800) 656-4584

Cell (305) 951-2785

http://www.lockelaw.us

http://expertlenderservices.com

This is what should be on your Compliance Shelf.

Hi Folks,

We get asked a lot what we mean when we talk about the power of the Compliance Shelf. So I decided to tell you and show you a few pictures. These are from clients of ours.

When you are visited by your regulator it goes pretty far if he or she notices a dedicated area for your Compliance Manuals and Notes (the “Compliance Shelf”). The mere existence of this shelf creates an impression that your company takes compliance seriously. So you come out of the audit gate having impressed the regulator with your preparation. That good first impression.

What does a strong Compliance Shelf look like? It has your Audit Policies and Procedures, your MLO Policies and Procedures, your Regulatory Reference Book, an Advertising Log (back two years), a Customer Complaint Log (back two years), and finally, your QC Manual and Audit Report Log, with copies of all audits and management response. Here are two examples – the one on the right was recently audited by Texas and passed.

   

But please, don’t think for a moment that just making this impression will save your audit from disaster. You need to live by your policies and procedures. You need to know what they mean and you need to put them into practice.

Compliance is not a part time thing. You must form a “habit of compliance”. Every day, every file. That’s how you have good audit results. It has to be your company culture. Your “shelf” is just part of the big picture.

So, what’s on YOUR “Compliance Shelf”?

Want to learn more? Call us at (800) 656-4584. Over and out.

(Thanks to Eddie and Fred for providing us with these outstanding pictures.)

How to lose your Broker’s License

Hi People, We have two things of interest here we think you should read.

The first is a Consent Order from a state regulator.

What I would like you to see is on the bottom of page one and top of page two. Notice how vague items a and f were. Any good regulator could drive a truck through that open door and run right over you. This is public record but I redacted anyway. This likely could have been prevented by having a serious compliance program and actually following the guidance. How about you? Have you used the materials we have provided? Do you have a “Compliance Shelf” both physically and virtually? Actual Books for reference, with desktop links on key computers?

Redacted Final Order for Client Review 011116

That brings me to my second attachment. Congratulations to my client Eddie Lester. This is his Compliance Shelf. I visited his office yesterday and everything was good. Locks on files, posters and necessary policies on the wall, “Tool Kits” printed and ready for use, name and hours on the door, and more. How about you?

If you are clients already let us hear your questions.

If you are not our client yet, what are you waiting for? Wait long enough, and you might end up like the broker that was shut down January 4^th.

Pick up that 800 pound phone and call me. (800) 656-4584. Confidentiality will apply, tell me your problems and we will fix them!

Nelson A. Locke, Esq.

Compliance Services

More on QM/ATR and Investment/Commercial Loans

Hello all,

One of my valued clients asked me about the applicability of the Qualified Mortgage Rule and the Ability to Repay Rule ……did they apply to loans securing investment or commercial properties. Apparently there are some attorneys and compliance people out there who think they do. As a mortgage guy, I think they do not.

It was a great question and something I think you all should read. Even though many of you do not work in the commercial or investment property arena, you must know the rules. Because a deal might come through your door and you want to handle it correctly.

This question demonstrated how complex things have become. Here we have one question where the answer involves careful study of QM, ATR, RESPA and TILA.

Keep Calm and ask questions! If you are not my client, you probably should be. I still have a few openings.

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Transactions Covered by QM and ATR Rules

QM and ATR rules apply to the following:

• Purchase and refinance transactions secured by owner-occupied and second homes.

QM and ATR rules do not apply to the following:

• Investment property*

NOTE:   Investment properties that are for business purposes are exempt from QM rules.

If the borrower occupies any investment property for > 14 days in any given year the investment property is no longer considered for business purposes only and would be subject to QM and ATR rules.

Additionally, there can be no evidence that the borrower purchased/refinanced the investment property for personal rather than business reasons (e.g. property purchased for a family member).

This statement is derived from the ABA Opinion http://www.americanbar.org/publications/blt/2013/04/02_shatz.html published in part below.  The author is well known and reliable.

Ability-to-Repay Rule

The Ability-to-Repay Rule, Regulation Z Section 1026.43, requires that a creditor make a “reasonable and good faith determination at or before consummation that the consumer will have a reasonable ability to repay the loan according to its terms.” The creditor must follow underwriting requirements and verify the information by using reasonably relied upon third-party records. The rule applies to all residential mortgages including purchase loans, refinances, home equity loans, first liens, and subordinate liens. In short, if the creditor is making a loan secured by a principal residence, second or vacation home, condominium, or mobile or manufactured home, the creditor must verify the borrowers’ ability to repay the loan. The section does not apply to commercial or business loans, even if secured by a personal dwelling. It also does not apply to loans for timeshares, reverse mortgages, loan modifications, and temporary bridge loans.

Any questions, call me at (800) 656-4584

Do you advertise HUD or FHA products?

If you originate HUD loans (FHA) you should post this disclosure on your web site and your marketing materials.

Back in the day, this really was not an issue. Now with the CFPB it is an issue. Think of it from the consumer protection perspective. False or misleading advertising. Misleading is a big word, loose interpretation.

Things have certainly changed. For example, there used to be two HUD logos that existed. One was solid white, the other had a blue ring around it. The blue one was allowed for lenders to use, to announce their approval by HUD and FHA. The white one was for HUD or FHA use only. If only things were still that simple. However, even then, with only two choices of logos, most of us still got this one wrong and used the white one in marketing. The blue one was correct.

Hud or FHA would see the white logo and then call, probably order us to take down the white one, and we would change to the blue one. That does not happen anymore. I would recommend you NOT use either one.

So what can you do? If you want to stay out of trouble with HUD or FHA and avoid any perception that you are claiming to be affiliated with HUD, or have some sort of real or imaginary approval from HUD beyond that of your DE status, post this on your marketing materials.

“These materials are not from HUD or FHA and were not approved by HUD or a government agency. The Sender is not in any way affiliated with any organization listed or referenced within this website, including HUD/FHA. The inclusion of various education, information, web links, or materials are not an endorsement of the Sender or any of its employees or business partners. For information directly from HUD/FHA, visit http://www.hudclips.com”

Feel free to cut and paste this on to the bottom of the first page of your marketing material and web site.

Anyone have any questions about anything? Just email me, hit reply and let me help you!

Is your compliance consultant licensed? If you need a license, shouldn’t they?

When a mortgage broker or mini-correspondent is making the important decision to retain a compliance firm one of the most important things they should consider is size. In this case, big is not always better and here’s why.

We hear from around 50 mortgage brokers and mini-correspondents a week. Many are already clients of our compliance audit prep and defense practice – calling with a question. The rest, well, they are fishing for the answer to how to best protect themselves as they realize how far out of compliance they actually are.

Some are impressed with large national firms that run full page advertising in trade papers. As they swoon over the large ad they fail to notice that the company employees non-attorney staff that are not trained to reason their way through all these regulations and understand the true meaning of the regs. That’s not us; I am an attorney with special training  regarding the CFPB, HUD, and the APA. Acting as your compliance advisor we will help you reason your way through regulations.

Sometimes the mortgage broker or mini-correspondent fails to ask if the compliance consultant has ever actually been a mortgage broker. And most of them have not. Ask if the consultant has an NMLS license. WE do. I originate loans and hold several NMLS licenses. This means when we work with our mortgage brokers and mini-correspondents we understand the process and how to integrate regulations with reality.

Integrating regulations with reality. Does that sound good to you? Further, would you like working with someone who is available quickly via email or phone to guide you at those critical decision moments? That’s us.

Call today, let’s get together and get you compliant before you find yourself holding that audit letter and wondering what you will do in your next career. Just sayin………

(800) 557-6580

More Changes for Brokers and Lenders – no longer exempt?

It now appears that after a five year period of uncertainty and an appeal all the way to the Supreme Court, Mortgage loan officers are now entitled to a 40-hour work week and overtime pay. The U.S. Supreme Court has now ruled that the Department of Labor was within its rights when it chose to reclassify loan officers as non-exempt employees who are eligible for overtime.

In ruling on the appeal, Perez v. Mortgage Bankers Association, the Supreme Court concluded the Department of Labor did not violate the Administrative Procedures Act when it made the change to the loan officer rule. It justified the decision by concluding that the agency was not held to the APA when issuing an interpretive rule. There were three dissenting opinions, predictably from conservative justices.

The suit, which was championed by the MBA, caused the MBA to report it was “disappointed” by the decision, but is ready to move forward and help its members work within the confines of the rule.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?

Let’s just start by saying, this is not going to be negotiable. It’s a Supreme Court Decision, it’s over. Thus, I really don’t know where to start. That’s because I still fight with brokers and lenders at least once a week who still think W-2 or 1099 is an option for their employees.

Now we have to tackle the idea of time sheets? How are you going to get them to comply? And can your cash flow handle this? And if you set up some form of sham pay plan, are you ready for the inevitable FLSA claim as soon as someone gets angry with you? I’ve been there and it is not a good place to visit.

Further, this is a “top five” source of fines resulting from an audit.

There are options. This is what I do. If you need to talk about options to comply with this change and not go broke, call me at (800) 656-4584. And open your mind, because no matter what you do, it will be change. Over and out.

Do you offer Reverse Mortgages?

Usually, because of the unique nature of the product and the ever-changing regulations, you should consider having a compliance expert who has actually originated these loans.  In my experience, those traditional forward loan compliance people miss many of the nuances of the HECM program, leaving you to pay the fine. Maybe you need to think about that?

I have personally originated or supervised or underwritten over 3,000 HECMs. I am a DE Underwriter, licensed attorney, and Compliance Expert.

Don’t take a chance that your forward “guy” will actually know the differences. Protect yourself. Call me today.  (800) 557-6580

Take a look here.

“I just got an audit letter. What should I do now?”

When that dreaded audit letter shows up most brokers and lenders instinctively reach out to the regulator and try to start a dialog about his audit objectives. Is this a good thing? I will give you my opinion at the bottom of this post.

It’s always good to know why you were selected for an audit. There are three ways you are usually selected. First way: you have a customer complaint hanging in the wind and the regulator wants to investigate to determine the merit of the complaint and how robust your business practices are, or are not. Second, in the absence of a consumer complaint, an audit could be triggered by a suspicious activity report. A suspicious activity report (“SAR”) can be filed by any qualified industry participant who feels there is probable cause that you or your company may be doing something improper. “May” is the big word here, because this process gets very subjective. It is supposed to be taken seriously but I have seen it used improperly by parties who think that filing SARS makes them somehow look more compliant or concerned with proper operations. Finally, you can be selected randomly for an audit.

So here’s the deal. One way or the other, the auditors are likely coming. Let’s hope you are selected randomly. A random audit will follow the agency audit checklists and will be more friendly and personable.

However, if there was a SAR filed – and there is really no such thing as a “wrongful SAR” because the government impliedly encourages reporting which means literally  anyone wanting to impress their boss can recommend a SAR – you will be affected by the filing for years and approached with suspicion. If you think a SAR triggered your audit, be careful how you respond to the regulator. In fact, it is smart to have your attorney respond for you.

Now, if the audit was triggered by a consumer complaint you can usually tell pretty quickly. It is revealed by the auditor if asked. Your response should be to show you have a good CFPB compliant consumer complaint policy with a designated executive and a proper log book. This will show the auditor how your consumer complaints are handled and what the resolution was. This builds credibility.

However here is my best advice. For any audit notice call your outside compliance specialist right away. Appoint them your CFPB or AGENCY liaison. Let them do the “asking” for you.

By the way, I do this. Call me today. Before you find yourself in trouble. (800) 557-6580

“I have compliance manuals I created a long time ago, they were good back then, why change?”

Here are why you should take a good hard look at your existing Compliance Manual.

DODD-FRANK did not exist “back then”.

The SAFE ACT did not exist “back then”.

The CFPB had not even been conceived “back then”

The NMLS was in its gestation period…..but not up yet “back then”.

Everything is different. Everything has changed. You should either compare your home grown manual to a current iteration of what the CFPB looks for, or just throw in the towel and start as if you didn’t have a program at all. Sometimes the clean sweep is the best way to create the presumption of compliance. Imagine the look on your auditor’s face. He just asked for your Compliance Manuals. And you said….”here they are, we have used these since 2008″.

Look, its ALL different. You originate, you know that. You have been dealing with it daily as your sponsors struggle to protect themselves by monitoring you. It’s a new question every day. It’s a whole new world out there for us mortgage lenders.

Here’s an idea. I offer a subscription plan whereby you can send me your compliance questions whenever they arise, and I will provide guidance via an email response based on knowledge of our current world. Just don’t abuse me, folks. If you are that far out of compliance or out of date, just engage me and let’s get rolling.

You can reach me at (800) 557-6580. That’s it for now.

Financial Assessment is taking effect now – were your loan officers and underwriters prepared for the impact of this major change in our thinking?

This post will be about Reverse Mortgages and the upcoming implementation of financial assessment. While I direct it to HECM originators and underwriters, you can probably rest assured it will end up on the agency or CFPB’s future “check lists” for use during an audit. So, what is a financial assessment?

Effective April 27th, 2015, all HECM borrowers will be submitted to a soft underwriting procedure called the “financial assessment”. It is a review procedure developed by FHA with input from the Industry. It requires the originator to be more savvy when collecting the initial data and requires the underwriter to review the borrower’s financial situation and certify to HUD that the borrower is “HECM-worthy”, and that the borrower’s financial profile is such that it becomes unlikely the HECM would default and become a liability to the FHA fund down the road somewhere.

Credit will be scrutinized more closely. In addition to federal or other liens and problems with prior mortgages, the underwriters will now screen at an enhanced level looking for borrower patterns of financial irresponsibility regarding use of credit, payment of taxes, maintenance, and insurance.  Title histories will be scrutinized more closely for unusual changes in ownership. And as always occupancy will remain a key issue for underwriter comfort level.

While this assessment does not rise to the level of a full underwrite it is certainly much more involved than what our borrowers have had to satisfy in the past.

Underwriters, you know your additional responsibilities. You read  ML 14-21, 14-22, and HUD’s Financial Assessment Guide . But what about you originators?

You guys are going to have to  ask more questions, dig deeper into credit, verify more, and educate more. If you don’t, your borrower will hear it all from the counselor, and FUD will ruin your prospects.

Because I also originate loans, I just completed my first round with financial assessment. It was manageable. Your attitude is a big part of how you deal with this change.

I am available for a one hour webinar with yourself or your staff, to review this new development and provide some guidance especially to the MLO. All you have to do is call the number above. Affordable training done by a licensed compliance attorney who actually originates HECM loans, go figure huh.

Don’t lose business where you can avoid it. And don’t originate loans that don’t meet the new guidelines, because that disappoints your senior and upsets the guy who pays the bills.

That’s it for now. If you need me, just let me know.

Gramm Leach Bliley – Identity Theft – and “What’s in your wallet”?

I was recently working on a situation where we needed to see some old documents related to a file that was in controversy. After much pushing and pulling a third party produced personal identification, documents, and photographs that had originally been provided when that third party was an employee of a different institution. What were they doing with that information in their possession?  Was this proper? Can you keep personal information about your past clients to include materials that could create a risk of identity theft for them or a potential abuse of  their privacy?

I don’t think so. There might be some argument about regulatory record retention that you could try to rely on, but I believe the CFPB would look upon this as creating a consumer risk that actually had no purpose as an offset.

Now think, what’s in your “wallet”? Of course, I mean your storage files.

If you have any of this personal information, or have kept documents that should have been shredded after submission to your funding lender, I suggest you go to your storage facility and shred all of them right now. Keep only the file basics as required by state and federal law. Protect your client’s identity and privacy by shredding the supporting identification documentation.

Got it?

Let me work for you, Give me a call at 800-557-6580. Knowledgeable and affordable. Over and out.

Have your compliance questions answered within 24 hours by an expert at a fixed cost.

Many of my Mortgage Industry Compliance Clients tell me that before they found me, they sometimes waited days for a response from their compliance advisors. This increased chances that they would be in violation of a regulation and subject to possible fines.

So I set up a system to make this easy for you.

You can subscribe to our Q+A service on a six month or annual basis and I will respond to your compliance questions within 24 hours. If the matter is one so serious that I feel you should investigate your situation further, I will discount my hourly rate for anyone with a subscription. These are not canned answers, they are personal to your question.

This service is a nice compliment to the policies, procedures, governance documents, and training packages that I have already assembled. You have 24 hour access for questions. I have a new client. Win-Win, right!

Our new Plano office is one block away from a Texas Federal Courthouse. CFPB issues are federal and we are admitted to the federal bar. We can represent you when the CFPB comes knocking.

So, think about the value added here. What good does the big firm do you if you can’t get through to them?  Let me hear from you!

Have you scheduled your annual AML/GLB training? It’s a CFPB requirement.

Did you know that once a year, the new regs require you to train your staff (and yourself and your Board of Directors) on the nuances of Anti-Money Laundering and the Privacy Act. It does not stop there. You also have to test them, and retain proof of the tests and their passing scores.

And during the year, you have to provide the training to any new hire within 30 days of their reporting for duty.

Most Brokers and Lenders don’t take this too seriously. It will get you in hot water with the auditors and could cost you dearly if you ignore it.

The solution? Let me do it for you. I have a program that will provide both the annual and “one-at-a-time” training for you at one low cost for the full year. I even proctor the exam. All you have to do is show up via Gotomeeting. Which I also provide.

Give me a shout, there is still time to get this done before they come knocking on your door.

That’s it for now.

Welcome to the Reverse Mortgage Training Blog!

Well, somebody had to do it, right? What I plan to do here is re-build the training libraries I had created for my former employer. Thanks to Go Daddy, they just sort of evaporated one day. Remember that if you plan to use Go Daddy for a blog. It’s nice that they have Danica Patrick working for them, but I would have preferred they had left my blogs alone. Now I have to start all over.

So I plan to use some of the older ones, update them when necessary, and and create many new ones to help a HECM MLO gain more insight into the product and a greater understanding of the senior demographic.

I’m planning on posting about once a week.

So if I gave you access to this blog, USE IT and watch your sales climb. Nothing would make us happier.

 

 

What the HECM is a Reverse Mortgage anyway?

WHAT? REVERSE MORTGAGE?

You know, for years we never had this problem. All mortgages were “forward” mortgages. They all amortized. They all started out high and ended up at zero. And then, in 1988, along came a little guy in Minnesota with a crazy idea. What if we started out low, and went up? Hence, the Reverse Mortgage was born.

First there were only FHA programs. Then Fannie Mae jumped into the hot tub with FHA. Next, Transamerica and Household Bank. Finally, some private banks like Virtual Bank climbed in also.

Then, oops, over 50 million seniors? Might be some risks to consider. So the process started to reverse itself. First Fannie Mae climbed out of the hot tub. Then the insurance companies and private banks jumped out too. Finally, even FHA eliminated half its programs and here we are today with essentially three variants of reverse mortgages to market.

Want to learn more? Listen to this presentation. Things have been changing quickly; I might not be 100% right. But you will come away knowing more than you started with.

Marketing to Seniors – The best way is going to surprise you!

This is one of the most important questions I get asked. I used to be a whale of an originator. Everyone wanted to know how I found all those clients.  I never left my desk.

Further, there are persons in our office right now that follow this system perfectly and have never had to look too far for a new application.

So what is the secret about marketing to Seniors?

Listen and learn.

 

 

“Senior Speak”……what they are hearing when you are busy talking, and how to get them on the same page!

Seniors are unique. As we age, we hear and speak differently. I don’t mean the words or grammar used – I mean what is going on analytically inside our head as we listen to the words being spoken. As most seniors age, they naturally becomes more cautious and vulnerable. That affects the way they hear things.

So to be effective you must take this into consideration when you make a telephone call or an in-person presentation.

Here are some important tips about “Senior Speak”.

Tips to get your clients off that pesky “fence”…..and land the application!

We all know how hard it can be when you work with that certain type of senior who just seems incapable of making the “go ahead” decision. Sometimes they have really good reasons for taking their time. For example, they might be trying to decide if they should downsize instead. Or maybe they are thinking of selling and moving into assisted care. Or perhaps they are thinking about moving to another state.

But many times the decisional paralysis is the result of irrational fear. We have spoken about the fud factor in other sessions. Fud is what causes irrational fear. Many seniors have irrational fear especially as they age. Life is a bell shaped curve and self confidence follows that curve almost exactly. The older we get the less confident we are.

If you have encountered a client that is paralyzed by irrational fear, this audio might help you. It gives you tips on identifying six of the most common irrational fears, and how to address them.

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Read about my “TENS LIST” and how to use it to get more applications!

The most successful originators are the ones with the best discipline. They put equal amounts of time each day into farming or prospecting for new applications, as they invest in processing and closing activities on their existing files.

When I was originating, I knew I needed a system that would force me to be organized and consistent in my daily approach to finding new business.

And so, I invented the TENS LIST. Listen here to a short description of how it works.

Then download the example TENS LIST format and put it into motion.  Here’s the form.  LW Tens List 082114

Your applications will climb almost immediately.

Telephone Tips – CALL TWO

And here we have the second half of the story. Remember, in part one of this two part series, you left your client sitting in their favorite chair, eyes closed, dreaming about what they were going to do with all that new found financial freedom.

In this segment we will hear about how to handle the second call – the “good news”. How to set it up and close the appointment.

But what about “bad news”? I will give you some ideas on how to handle that and keep the client in the process.

Remember, no deal is ever cold unless YOU allow it to go cold. Using this information, you will increase your application count and subsequently, your income.

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Telephone Tips – CALL ONE

Here we go with the first half of our series on mastering the art of the telephone appointment closing.

Here’s a PDF script for you. NL Telephone Tips First Contact 080414

Here is how I feel when this blog works the right way!

Telephone Tips – Introduction

Hey there people, I promised I would give some tips on how to make handling that 800 pound gorilla (the telephone) a more pleasant experience. I made a series of three audio files, this is number one. I will also release a written outline, as soon as I figure out how.

Once again I would like to thank Go Daddy for screwing up and erasing all my prior blogs and making all this work necessary.