Comment for 1026.31 - General Rules | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (2024)

31(c) Timing of Disclosure

1. Furnishing disclosures. Disclosures are considered furnished when received by the consumer.

31(c)(1) Disclosures for high-cost mortgages.

1. Pre-consummation or account opening waiting period. A creditor must furnish §1026.32 disclosures at least three business days prior to consummation for a closed-end, high-cost mortgage and at least three business days prior to account opening for an open-end, high-cost mortgage. Under §1026.32, “business day” has the same meaning as the rescission rule in comment 2(a)(6)-2 - all calendar days except Sundays and the Federal legal holidays listed in 5 U.S.C. 6103(a). However, while the disclosure rule under §§1026.15 and 1026.23 extends to midnight of the third business day, the rule under §1026.32 does not. For example, under §1026.32, if disclosures were provided on a Friday, consummation or account opening could occur any time on Tuesday, the third business day following receipt of the disclosures. If the timing of the rescission rule were to be used, consummation or account opening could not occur until after midnight on Tuesday.

31(c)(1)(i) Change in Terms

1. Redisclosure required. Creditors must provide new disclosures when a change in terms makes disclosures previously provided under §1026.32(c) inaccurate, including disclosures based on and labeled as an estimate. A change in terms may result from a formal written agreement or otherwise.

2. Premiums or other charges financed at consummation or account opening. If the consumer finances the payment of premiums or other charges as permitted under §1026.34(a)(10), and as a result the monthly payment differs from what was previously disclosed under §1026.32, redisclosure is required and a new three-day waiting period applies.

31(c)(1)(ii) Telephone disclosures.

1. Telephone disclosures. Disclosures by telephone must be furnished at least three business days prior to consummation or account opening, as applicable, calculated in accordance with the timing rules under §1026.31(c)(1).

31(c)(1)(iii) Consumer's waiver of waiting period before consummation or account opening.

1. Modification or waiver. A consumer may modify or waive the right to the three-day waiting period only after receiving the disclosures required by §1026.32 and only if the circ*mstances meet the criteria for establishing a bona fide personal financial emergency under §1026.23(e). Whether these criteria are met is determined by the facts surrounding individual situations. The imminent sale of the consumer's home at foreclosure during the three-day period is one example of a bona fide personal financial emergency. Each consumer entitled to the three-day waiting period must sign the handwritten statement for the waiver to be effective.

31(c)(2) Disclosures for Reverse Mortgages

1. Business days. For purposes of providing reverse mortgage disclosures, “business day” has the same meaning as in comment 31(c)(1)-1 - all calendar days except Sundays and the Federal legal holidays listed in 5 U.S.C. 6103(a). This means if disclosures are provided on a Friday, consummation could occur any time on Tuesday, the third business day following receipt of the disclosures.

2. Open-end plans. Disclosures for open-end reverse mortgages must be provided at least three business days before the first transaction under the plan (see §1026.5(b)(1)).

31(d) Basis of Disclosures and Use of Estimates

1. Redisclosure. Section 1026.31(d) allows the use of estimates when information necessary for an accurate disclosure is unknown to the creditor, provided that the disclosure is clearly identified as an estimate. For purposes of Subpart E, the rule in §1026.31(c)(1)(i) requiring new disclosures when the creditor changes terms also applies to disclosures labeled as estimates.

31(d)(3) Per-Diem Interest

1. Per-diem interest. This paragraph applies to the disclosure of any numerical amount (such as the finance charge, annual percentage rate, or payment amount) that is affected by the amount of the per-diem interest charge that will be collected at consummation. If the amount of per-diem interest used in preparing the disclosures for consummation is based on the information known to the creditor at the time the disclosure document is prepared, the disclosures are considered accurate under this rule, and affected disclosures are also considered accurate, even if the disclosures were not labeled as estimates. (See comment 17(c)(2)(ii)-1 generally.)

31(h) Corrections and unintentional violations.

1. Notice requirements. Notice of a violation pursuant to §1026.31(h)(1) or (2) should be in writing. The notice should make the consumer aware of the choices available under §1026.31(h)(1)(iii) and (2)(iii). For notice to be adequate, the consumer should have at least 60 days in which to consider the available options and communicate a choice to the creditor or assignee.

2. Reasonable time. To claim the benefit of §1026.31(h), a creditor or assignee must implement appropriate restitution and the consumer's elected adjustment within a reasonable time after the consumer provides notice of that election to the creditor or assignee. What length of time is reasonable will depend on what changes to a loan or credit plan's documentation, disclosure, or terms are necessary to effectuate the adjustment. In general, implementing appropriate restitution and completing an adjustment within 30 days of the consumer's providing notice of the election can be considered reasonable.