Financial Services

Guide to complying with laws and regulations that apply to financial services businesses and the financial services industry.

Banking Services

• Activities Permissible for a National Bank
  Any activity described in this document as permissible for a national bank is also permissible for an operating subsidiary of a national bank.
  
  
• Bank Assessment Process : FAQs
  Examples of questions frequently asked by banking industry personnel.
  
  
• Bank Director's Tool Kit
  Guides and handbooks to help national bank directors meet their fiduciary responsibilities.
  
  
• Bank Regulations and Examinations
  Provides access to examination manuals and other materials including laws and regulations that govern the actions of FDIC-insured institutions and resources for banking professionals including bank directors.
  
  
• Bank Secrecy Act : FAQs
  Provides answers to basic questions that are frequently asked regarding the Bank Secrecy Act.
  
  
• Community Development Webpage
  Provides access to information on commercial credit, community development, and community development investment information.
  
  
• Community Reinvestment Act
  The CRA requires that each depository institution's record in helping meet the credit needs of its entire community be evaluated periodically. That record is taken into account in considering an institution's application for deposit facilities.
  
  
• Comptroller's Handbook for Asset Management
  Links to sections of the Comptroller's Handbook covering asset management.
  
  
• Comptroller's Handbook for Compliance
  Links to sections of the Comptroller's Handbook covering compliance issues, including disclosure, examination and reporting procedures.
  
  
• Comptroller's Licensing Manual
  Consists of a series of booklets that explain policies and procedures to form a new national bank, for existing institutions to enter the national banking system, for individuals to acquire control of a national bank, and for national banks to effect structural changes and expand activities. Includes sample filing forms and OCC's sample response documents.
  
  
• Corporate Applications and Documents for National Banks
  Sample documents to accompany the Comptroller's Licensing Manual.
  
  
• Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act (EGRPRA)
  EGRPRA requires the federal financial regulatory agencies to identify outdated, unnecessary, or unduly burdensome statutory or regulatory requirements. This site provides a place for bankers to comment on pending issues regarding regulatory matters.
  
  
• FBI Checks on Employees of Banks and Related Entities
  Information on conducting criminal history background checks on employees of banking-related institutions.
  
  
• FDICconnect Business Center
  Provides access to the FDIC's secure internet website for bankers.
  
  
• FED 101 : How the Federal Reserve Regulates and Supervises Banks
  An interactive site that explains how the Fed supervises financial institutions by examining a "virtual" bank.
  
  
• Federal Reserve Board : Application and Filing Information
  Contains general information about the types of filings required by the Federal Reserve and how they are processed. Banking organizations are generally required to notify the Federal Reserve or seek its approval before acquiring banks or companies or engaging in new activities.
  
  
• Federal Reserve Board : Legal Interpretations
  These letters consist of opinions of Board staff and the Board of Governors.
  
  
• Federal Reserve Board : Regulations and Compliance Guides
  Provides access to the full text of regulations that the Federal Reserve Board is responsible for implementing under the Federal Reserve Act.
  
  
• Federal Reserve Board : Reporting and Data Collection Forms
  The Federal Reserve uses reporting forms to collect data from bank holding companies, depository institutions, other financial and non-financial entities, and consumers. Use of the forms is required in some cases, voluntary in others. Some data are collected periodically, others only occasionally. The forms and instructions on this web site are current and may be reproduced for use by respondents for data collection.
  
  
• Federal Reserve Financial Services
  The portal to national financial services for depository institution customers of the Federal Reserve System.
  
  
• Federal Reserve Regulatory Reporting Forms/Data Collections Currently Under Review
  The Federal Reserve information collections listed are currently under review, awaiting implementation, or have been recently approved and implemented.
  
  
• Federal Reserve System Regulatory and Financial Reporting Portal
  Information on regulatory and financial reporting and reserves.
  
  
• Financial Institution Employee's Guide to Deposit Insurance
  This guide helps bank and savings association employees understand the rules that govern deposit insurance coverage to be able to explain them clearly and accurately to bank customers.
  
  
• Financial Institution Letters
  Announcements of new regulations and policies, new FDIC publications, and a variety of other matters of principal interest to those responsible for operating a bank or savings association.
  
  
• Guide to the National Banking System
  This guide provides an overview of the national banking system, its regulation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).
  
  
• Guidelines and Policies for Community Development Corporations
  Provides guidance on Federal Reserve policies and guidelines governing bank investments for community development.
  
  
• Quick Links to Resources for Banking Professionals
  Variety of resources for banking professionals categorized by topic.
  

Credit Unions

• Credit Union Resources
  Provides a directory of guides and resources for credit union management and volunteers.
  
  
• Guides, Manuals and Forms for Credit Unions
  Provides a comprehensive list of guides, manuals, forms and bulletins relevant to credit unions.
  
  
• NCUA Regulatory Alerts
  Up to date regulatory news from the NCUA.
  

Information Security

• Consumer Reports : What Insurers Need to Know
  Insurance provders using consumer credit reports to underwrite insurance policies and to screen high-risk applicants must comply with privacy regulations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
  
  
• Financial Institutions and Customer Information : Complying with the Safeguards Rule
  The Gramm-Leach-Bliley (GLB) Act requires companies defined under the law as "financial institutions" to ensure the security and confidentiality of customer data including names, addresses, and phone numbers; bank and credit card account numbers; income and credit histories; and Social Security numbers.
  
  
• Gramm-Leach Bliley Act
  Provides an overview of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which includes provisions to protect consumers. personal financial information held by financial institutions. This guide discussed three principal parts to the Act's privacy requirements: the Financial Privacy Rule, Safeguards Rule and pretexting provisions.
  

International Trade

• Export-Import Bank Application Tools and Guidance
  List of applications and transaction tools used for doing business with the Export-Import Bank.
  
  
• Export-Import Bank Products and Policies
  List of Export-Import Bank's lending policies and products.
  
  
• Export-Import Bank's Guide for Filing Multi-buyer Insurance Policies
  Your Multi-buyer insurance policy provides valuable protection when some invoices go unpaid and you have to file an insurance claim with Ex-Im Bank. Unfortunately, some claims are denied because the insurance policyholder failed to do something required under the Policy. Please help us to help you avoid these mistakes. Here are four common reasons that multi-buyer insurance claims are not paid.
  

Mortgages

• Federal Housing Board Agency Actions
  Directory of agency decision documents.
  
  
• Federal Housing Finance Board Advisory Bulletins
  Staff documents providing guidance to the Federal Home Loan Banks regarding particular supervisory issues.
  
  
• Federal Housing Finance Board General Council Opinions
  Regulatory Interpretations are written guidance issued by Federal Housing Finance Board staff with respect to application of the Federal Home Loan Bank Act or a Federal Housing Finance Board rule, regulation, policy, or order to a proposed transaction or activity.
  
  
• Federal Housing Finance Board Guidance
  provides guidance and interpretations of agency laws, rules, and policies
  
  
• Federal Housing Finance Board Regulations
  Information about how to comment on Federal Housing Board regulations.
  
  
• Federal Housing Finance Board Regulatory Interpretations
  General Counsel Opinions are written statements advising the Board of Directors and other Finance Board officials and the Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Home Loan Bank members, the Office of Finance, and other individuals or entities, as necessary, on interpretations of law, regulation, or policy.
  
  
• Home Mortgage and Disclosure Act
  The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act requires lending institutions to report public loan data. This site provides resource to help institutions meet their reporting requirements.
  

Pensions

• 4010 Filing Requirements
  Summarizes and explains the requirement of certain under funded plans to report identifying, financial and actuarial information to the PBGC.
  
  
• Distress Terminations
  An overview of the steps involved in filing a distress termination of a defined benefit pension plan.
  
  
• Exemption Procedures Under Federal Pension Law
  This booklet provides information about the exemption provisions under Section 408(a) of ERISA. The booklet provides employers, plan administrators and employee benefit practitioners with the basic requirements and procedures needed to apply for exemptions from the prohibited transaction rules of ERISA.
  
  
• Online Premium Filing (My PAA)
  How to electronically submit premium filings and payments
  
  
• Pension Guide for Practitioners
  Resources available to PBGC Practitioners such as actuaries, plan administrators, plan sponsors, and other plan professionals.
  
  
• Premium Forms and Instructions
  Links to Forms and Instructions for submitting premium filings and payments
  
  
• Selecting and Monitoring Pension Consultants : Tips for Plan Fiduciaries
  This tool, developed with the SEC, provides tips to help a retirement plan fiduciary comply with ERISA's fiduciary responsibility provisions when selecting and monitoring a service provider for its plan.
  
  
• Small Business Guide to Federal Pension Insurance
  Guide to help employers understand legal requirements for pension plans.
  
  
• Standard Terminations
  Explains how to file a standard termination of a defined benefit pension plan.
  

Savings & Loans

• How to File an Application with the Office of Thrift Supervision
  Provides instructions for completing an OTS application.
  
  
• Thrift Institution Compliance Self-Assessment Guide
  Guide to complying with consumer protection laws and regulations by outlining a process that a savings association should use to evaluate its compliance operations and to enhance the effectiveness of its compliance program.
  
  
• Thrift Institution Examination Handbook
  A comprehensive handbook that contains safety and soundness and compliance guidance. This handbook addresses all of the major areas of concern to examiners and supervisors during a full-scope examination of OTS-regulated savings associations.
  
  
• Thrift Supervision : FAQs
  Answers to questions frequently asked by thrift institutions.
  

Securities & Investments Industry

• Financial Markets : Regulations and Regulators
  Overview of how the federal government regulates financial markets.
  
  
• Guide to Broker-Dealer Registration
  Find information about whether you need to register as a broker-dealer and how you can register, as well as what standards of conduct and financial responsibility rules broker-dealers must follow.
  
  
• Laws that Govern the Security Industry
  Provides an overview of the all the laws and regulations governing the securities industry.
  
  
• Regulation of Exchanges, Brokers-Dealers, Clearing Agencies and Transfer Agents
  Regulatory information for major securities market participants, including broker-dealers, self-regulatory organizations (such as stock exchanges, NASD, and clearing agencies), and transfer agents.
  
  
• SEC Forms
  Provides links to PDF versions of SEC public forms and many of the rules, regulations, and schedules associated with these forms.
  
  
• SEC Guidance for Investment Companies
  Provides information on laws, rules, notices and guidance for investment companies including mutual funds, closed-end funds, UITs, ETFs, and interval funds, variable insurance products, and federally registered investment advisers.