Risk management

With Republicans now controlling both chambers of Congress and signals from Democrats that they are open to alterations, revisions to Dodd-Frank are at the top of the agenda in addition to other subjects, like terrorism insurance and housing finance reform.

When reading a CBO report, be sure to read all the words, carefully.

SecurityNational Mortgage has reached a settlement with Bank of America to resolve a financial crisis-era dispute over the companies' loan purchase agreements.

As a result of certain court decisions, government agencies like the Federal Housing Administration have even more latitude in pursuing these claims against lenders.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group could pay a fine to settle claims of misconduct in its handling of U.S. mortgage securities as early as this quarter, a person with knowledge of the matter said.

SunTrust Banks will provision $145 million in its fourth quarter results for legal expenses related to previously disclosed mortgage issues, the company said in a regulatory filing Monday.

The CFPB’s rapid pace is likely to continue this year as it tackles some of its trickiest areas yet, including payday loans, debt collection and overdraft protection, which are likely to have a significant impact on the financial services arena.

Kenneth Phelan was hired by the U.S. Treasury Department for the newly created position of chief risk officer, a role he previously took at Royal Bank of Scotland Group and Fannie Mae in the aftermath of the financial crisis.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group fell after the Times reported in London that the U.K. lender could pay at least $7.7 billion to resolve claims of misconduct in its handling of U.S. mortgage securities.

Take a look back at National Mortgage News' top stories of 2014.

Bank servicers have a compliance dilemma: they need to quickly shed mortgage-servicing rights ahead of Basel III at a time when regulators are keeping a close watch on the manner in which transfers are handled.

Ocwen Financial's settlement with New York regulators could have a negative impact on the cash flows of mortgage bonds heavily exposed to loans serviced by Ocwen in that state, according to Moody's Investors Service.

Incentives for companies aren't the same as incentives for people. The QRM risk-retention rule doesn't solve "IBG, YBG" — "I'll be gone, you'll be gone." Banks appear to have been slow to adopt clawback policies for individual lenders.

After 2014's sweeping reforms, which put huge strain on lenders' operations, 2015 may not look so bad. But big potential changes still loom

The guarantee fees collected by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could be used as a tool to moderate the boom and bust cycles in the housing market, according to a new report by a Treasury Department office.

Experian will now offer FICO credit scores through its direct-to-consumer products, the Costa Mesa, Calif.-based credit bureau announced today.

Data Facts Inc., a mortgage credit report and verification services provider based in Cordova, Tenn., has adopted AccountChek, a deposit verification service provided by FormFree.

The ongoing push for more robust loan data will continue in 2015, as market participants across the mortgage lifecycle adopt new regulatory requirements and take advantage of recent developments in paperless processing and self-service capabilities.

The government-sponsored enterprises' changes to their representations and warranties regulations could increase lending — and some risks. Here's the downside to the move and how lenders can mitigate related concerns.

The number of mortgages outstanding is down considerably from pre-recession levels but is starting to slowly increase. How much further it needs to go depends on certain public policy goals.