Other NCUA Board action taken on corporates, sub debt; CUSOs
(Jan. 15, 2021) In other action at its Thursday meeting, the NCUA Board:
- Adopted a final rule clarifying that corporate credit unions may purchase subordinated debt instruments issued by natural person credit unions (allowed under a final rule issued by NCUA late last year). The final rule also specifies the capital treatment of these instruments for corporate credit unions that purchase them. NASCUS and the state system strongly supported the subordinated debt rule, which allows well-capitalized, federally insured credit unions to count subordinated debt as capital for risk-based net worth purposes. The agency said it delayed finalizing the corporate rule, proposed in February 2020, until the subordinated debt rule itself was approved last month.
- Released (for a 30-day comment period, on a 2-1 vote with Harper dissenting) a proposed rule that would add to the agency’s list of permissible CUSO services the origination of any type of loan that a federal credit union (FCU) may originate. This expands the list of permissible loans by CUSOs from only business loans, consumer mortgage loans, student loans, and credit cards to any type of loan an FCU may originate, including, for example, automobile and small-dollar (payday) loans – the two types NCUA said would likely draw the newest involvement by CUSOs.
- Issued (for a 30-day comment period, on a 2-1 vote again with Harper voting no) a proposal raising the threshold for a credit union to be considered “complex” under risk-based capital rules from $50 million to $500 million and a risk-based net worth requirement that exceeds 6%. The change, if adopted, would be effective until the current risk-based capital (RBC) rule goes into effect, currently set for Jan. 1, 2022. “The COVID-19 pandemic has created a vital need for financial institutions, including credit unions, to provide access to responsible credit and other member services to support consumers,” which the agency inferred would be facilitated by the proposal.
- Heard a report on its 2021 Annual Performance Plan, which essentially outlines the general direction of the agency for the coming year through its strategic goals of: Ensuring a safe and sound credit union system; providing a regulatory framework that is transparent, efficient and improves consumer access; and “maximizing organizational performance to enable mission success.”
LINKS:
Final Rule, Part 704, Corporate Credit Unions
Proposed Rule, Part 702, Risk-Based Net Worth, Complex Threshold