Prepaid Accounts Under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (Regulation E) and the Truth In Lending Act (Regulation Z)
Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 225 (Tuesday, November 22, 2016)
Federal Register Volume 81, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 22, 2016)
Rules and Regulations
Pages 83934-84387
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov
FR Doc No: 2016-24503
Page 83933
Vol. 81
Tuesday,
No. 225
November 22, 2016
Part II
Book 2 of 2 Books
Pages 83933-84388
Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection
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12 CFR Parts 1005 and 1026
Prepaid Accounts Under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (Regulation E) and the Truth In Lending Act (Regulation Z); Final Rule
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BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION
12 CFR Parts 1005 and 1026
Docket No. CFPB-2014-0031
RIN 3170-AA22
Prepaid Accounts Under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (Regulation E) and the Truth In Lending Act (Regulation Z)
AGENCY: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.
ACTION: Final rule; official interpretations.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau or CFPB) is issuing this final rule to create comprehensive consumer protections for prepaid accounts under Regulation E, which implements the Electronic Fund Transfer Act; Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act; and the official interpretations to those regulations. The final rule modifies general Regulation E requirements to create tailored provisions governing disclosures, limited liability and error resolution, and periodic statements, and adds new requirements regarding the posting of account agreements. Additionally, the final rule regulates overdraft credit features that may be offered in conjunction with prepaid accounts. Subject to certain exceptions, such credit features will be covered under Regulation Z where the credit feature is offered by the prepaid account issuer, its affiliate, or its business partner and credit can be accessed in the course of a transaction conducted with a prepaid card.
DATES: This rule is effective on October 1, 2017, except for the addition of Sec. 1005.19(b), which is delayed until October 1, 2018.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jane Raso, Yaritza Velez, and Shiri Wolf, Counsels; Kristine M. Andreassen, Krista Ayoub, and Marta I. Tanenhaus, Senior Counsels, Office of Regulations, at (202) 435-7700.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Summary of the Final Rule
Regulation E implements the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA), and Regulation Z implements the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). On November 13, 2014, the Bureau issued a proposed rule to amend Regulations E and Z, which was published in the Federal Register on December 23, 2014 (the proposal or the proposed rule).\1\ The Bureau is publishing herein final amendments to extend Regulation E coverage to prepaid accounts and to adopt provisions specific to such accounts, and to generally expand Regulation Z's coverage to overdraft credit features that may be offered in conjunction with prepaid accounts. The Bureau is generally adopting the rule as proposed, with certain modifications based on public comments and other considerations as discussed in detail in part IV below. This final rule represents the culmination of several years of research and analysis by the Bureau regarding prepaid products.
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\1\ 79 FR 77102 (Dec. 23, 2014). See also Press Release, CFPB, CFPB Proposes Strong Federal Protections for Prepaid Products (Nov. 13, 2014), available at http://www.consumerfinance.gov/newsroom/cfpb-proposes-strong-federal-protections-for-prepaid-products. The Bureau had previously published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (Prepaid ANPR) that posed a series of questions for public comment about how the Bureau might consider regulating GPR cards and other prepaid products. 77 FR 30923 (May 24, 2012).
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Scope. The final rule's definition of prepaid accounts specifically includes payroll card accounts and government benefit accounts that are currently subject to Regulation E. In addition, it covers accounts that are marketed or labeled as ``prepaid'' that are redeemable upon presentation at multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, or that are usable at automated teller machines (ATMs). It also covers accounts that are issued on a prepaid basis or capable of being loaded with funds, whose primary function is to conduct transactions with multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, or at ATMs, or to conduct person-to-person (P2P) transfers, and that are not checking accounts, share draft accounts, or negotiable order of withdrawal (NOW) accounts.
The final rule adopts a number of exclusions from the definition of prepaid account, including for gift cards and gift certificates; accounts used for savings or reimbursements related to certain health, dependent care, and transit or parking expenses; accounts used to distribute qualified disaster relief payments; and the P2P functionality of accounts established by or through the United States government whose primary function is to conduct closed-loop transactions on U.S. military installations or vessels, or similar government facilities.
Pre-acquisition disclosures. The final rule establishes pre-
acquisition disclosure requirements specific to prepaid accounts. Under the final rule, financial institutions must generally provide both a ``short form'' disclosure and a ``long form'' disclosure before a consumer acquires a prepaid account. The final rule provides guidance as to what constitutes acquisition for purposes of disclosure delivery; in general, a consumer acquires a prepaid account by purchasing, opening, or choosing to be paid via a prepaid account. The final rule offers an alternative timing regime for the delivery of the long form disclosure for prepaid accounts acquired at retail locations and by telephone, provided certain conditions are met. For this purpose, a retail location is a store or other physical site where a consumer can purchase a prepaid account in person and that is operated by an entity other than the financial institution that issues the prepaid account.
The short form disclosure sets forth the prepaid account's most important fees and certain other information to facilitate consumer understanding of the account's key terms and comparison shopping among prepaid account programs. The long form disclosure, on the other hand, provides a comprehensive list of all of the fees associated with the prepaid account and detailed information on how those fees are assessed, as well as certain other information about the prepaid account program. The final rule also adopts specific content, form, and formatting requirements for both the short form and the long form disclosures.
The first part of the short form contains ``static'' fees, setting forth standardized fee disclosures that must be provided for all prepaid account programs, even if such fees are $0 or if they relate to features not offered by a particular program. The second part provides information about some additional types of fees that may be charged for that prepaid account program. This includes a statement regarding the number of additional fee types the financial institution may charge consumers; they must also list the two fee types that generate the highest revenue from consumers (excluding certain fees, such as those that fall below a de minimis threshold) for the prepaid account program or across prepaid account programs that share the same fee schedule. The final part of the short form provides certain other key information, including statements regarding registration and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) deposit or National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) share insurance eligibility, and whether an overdraft credit feature may be offered in conjunction with the account. In addition, the final rule requires that short form disclosures for payroll card accounts and government benefit
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accounts include, at the top of the form, a statement regarding alternative wage or benefit payment options.
The long form disclosure, in contrast, sets forth in a table all of the prepaid account's fees and their qualifying conditions, as well as certain other information about the prepaid account program. This includes, for example, more detailed information regarding FDIC or NCUA insurance eligibility and a separate disclosure for the fees associated with any overdraft credit feature that may be offered in conjunction with the prepaid account.
The final rule includes several model short form disclosures that offer a safe harbor to the financial institutions that use them, provided that the model forms are used accurately and appropriately. The final rule also includes one sample long form disclosure as an example of how financial institutions might choose to structure this disclosure.
The final rule also includes requirements to disclose certain information such as any purchase price or activation fee outside, but in close proximity to, the short form disclosure; disclosures required to be printed on the prepaid card itself; and short form and long form disclosure requirements for prepaid accounts with multiple service plans.
The final rule requires financial institutions to provide pre-
acquisition disclosures in a foreign language if the financial institution uses that same foreign language in connection with the acquisition of a prepaid account in certain circumstances. The financial institution also must provide the long form disclosure in English upon a consumer's request and on its Web site where it discloses this information in a foreign language.
Access to account information. The final rule adopts an alternative to Regulation E's periodic statement requirement that permits financial institutions to make available to consumers certain methods for accessing information about their prepaid accounts in lieu of sending periodic statements. The final rule also adopts a requirement that financial institutions provide summary totals of the fees they have assessed against the prepaid account on a monthly and annual basis.
Limited liability and error resolution, including provisional credit. The final rule extends Regulation E's limited liability and error resolution requirements to all prepaid accounts, regardless of whether the financial institution has completed its consumer identification and verification process with respect to the account, but does not require provisional credit for unverified accounts. Once an account has been verified, the financial institution must comply with the provisional credit requirements, for both errors that occur prior to and after account verification, within the provisional credit timeframe.
Submission and posting of prepaid account agreements. Under the final rule, prepaid account issuers must submit their prepaid account agreements to the Bureau. The final rule also requires that prepaid account issuers publicly post on their own Web sites prepaid account agreements that are offered to the general public. Financial institutions must make any agreements not posted on their own Web sites available upon request for consumers who have prepaid accounts under those agreements.
Remittance transfers. The final rule makes several revisions to the rules governing remittance transfers in subpart B of Regulation E that are intended to continue the current application of those rules to prepaid products. Specifically, they clarify that for prepaid accounts other than payroll card accounts and government benefit accounts, the location of these accounts does not determine where funds are being sent to or from for purposes of application of the rules in subpart B. They also clarify that the temporary exception allowing insured institutions to use estimates when providing certain disclosures does not apply to prepaid accounts, unless the prepaid account is a payroll card account or government benefit account.
Overdraft credit features. The final rule amends Regulations E and Z generally to regulate prepaid accounts that offer overdraft credit features. Specifically, the final rule generally covers under Regulation Z's credit card rules any credit feature offered in conjunction with a prepaid account where the credit feature is offered by the prepaid account issuer, its affiliate, or its business partner and credit can be accessed in the course of a transaction conducted with the prepaid card to obtain goods or services, obtain cash, or conduct P2P transfers. The final rule generally requires that such credit features be distinct from the asset portion of the prepaid account--structured as a separate credit account or a credit sub-
account to the asset account--to facilitate transparency and compliance with various Regulation Z requirements. The final rule uses the term ``hybrid prepaid-credit card'' to refer to a prepaid card that can access both an overdraft credit feature that is subject to the Regulation Z credit card rules and the asset portion of a prepaid account.
An issuer may not extend credit via a negative balance on the prepaid account except in several limited circumstances where the credit is incidental and the issuer generally does not charge credit-
related fees for that credit; in these circumstances, the incidental credit is not subject to Regulation Z. These exceptions for incidental credit cover situations where the issuer has a general established policy and practice of declining to authorize transactions when the consumer has insufficient or unavailable funds to cover the transaction but credit is nonetheless extended as a result of so-called ``force pay'' transactions, transactions that will not take the account negative by more than $10 (i.e., a de minimis ``purchase cushion''), or certain transactions that are conducted while incoming deposits to the prepaid account are pending.
The final rule's provisions regarding hybrid prepaid-credit cards are largely housed in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. To effectuate these provisions and provide compliance guidance to industry, the final rule also amends certain other existing credit card provisions in Regulation Z. The final rule does not adopt the proposal's provisions that would have made certain account numbers into credit cards where the credit could only be deposited directly to particular prepaid accounts specified by the creditor.
The final rule subjects overdraft credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-credit cards to various credit card rules under Regulation Z. For open-end products, this includes rules restricting certain fees charged in the first year after account opening, limitations on penalty fees, and a requirement to assess a consumer's ability to pay. In addition, the final rule requires issuers to wait at least 30 days after a prepaid account is registered before soliciting a consumer to link a covered credit feature to the prepaid account and to obtain consumer consent before linking such a credit feature to a prepaid account. The final rule permits issuers to deduct all or a part of the cardholder's credit card debt automatically from the prepaid account or other deposit account held by the card issuer no more frequently than once per month, pursuant to a signed, written authorization by the cardholder to do so, and requires that issuers allow consumers to have at least 21 days to repay the debt incurred in connection with using such features. It also amends the compulsory use provision under Regulation E so that prepaid account issuers are prohibited from requiring
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consumers to set up preauthorized electronic fund transfers (EFTs) to repay credit extended through an overdraft credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card.
Effective date. The final rule generally becomes effective on October 1, 2017. Financial institutions are not required to pull and replace prepaid account packaging materials prepared in the normal course of business prior to that date that do not comply with the final rule's disclosure requirements. The final rule also contains several additional provisions addressing notices of certain changes in terms and updated initial disclosures as a result of this final rule taking effect in certain circumstances, and for rolling compliance with certain access to account information requirements if financial institutions do not have readily accessible the data necessary to comply with the final rule's requirements as of October 1, 2017. The requirement that issuers submit their prepaid account agreements to the Bureau pursuant to Sec. 1005.19(b) becomes effective on October 1, 2018, as described in Sec. 1005.19(f).
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Background
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Prepaid Financial Products
Prepaid products--in various forms--have been among the fastest growing types of payment instruments in the United States. A 2013 study by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Board) reported that compared with noncash payments such as credit, debit, automated clearing house (ACH), and check, prepaid card payments increased at the fastest rate from 2009 to 2012.\2\ Among other things, the study found that the number of prepaid card payments reached 9.2 billion transactions in 2012 (up from 5.9 billion in 2009).\3\
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\2\ Fed. Reserve Sys., The 2013 Federal Reserve Payments Study, Recent and Long-Term Payment Trends in the United States: 2003-2012, Detailed Report and Updated Data Release (2014), available at https://www.frbservices.org/files/communications/pdf/general/2013_fed_res_paymt_study_detailed_rpt.pdf.
\3\ Id. at 37.
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The U.S. market for prepaid products can largely be categorized into two general market segments: Closed-loop and open-loop products. The total amount of funds loaded onto open-loop and closed-loop prepaid products has grown significantly, from approximately $358 billion in 2009 to approximately $594 billion in 2014.\4\ A consumer or other authorized party can add funds to both closed-loop and open-loop prepaid products; however, typically, consumers can only use funds stored on closed-loop prepaid products at designated locations (e.g., at a specific merchant or group of merchants in the case of certain gift cards; within a specific transportation system in the case of transit cards). In contrast, consumers have more options with respect to how to spend funds held on open-loop prepaid products, because transactions made with these products are typically run on payment network rails (often through point-of-sale (POS) terminals, ATM networks, or both).\5\ As discussed below, a general purpose reloadable (GPR) card is one type of reloadable, open-loop prepaid product. Other open-loop products are used by third parties to distribute funds to consumers, including payroll cards, cards for the disbursement of student loans or insurance proceeds, and cards used to disburse Federal and non-needs based State and local government benefits.\6\
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\4\ Mercator Advisory Group, Twelfth Annual U.S. Prepaid Cards Market Forecasts, 2015-2018, at 8 (Dec. 2015) (Mercator 12th Annual Market Forecasts).
\5\ Payment networks include Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover; ATM networks include NYCE, PULSE, STAR, and Cirrus.
\6\ As noted in the proposal, certain prepaid products are not reloadable. See 79 FR 77102, 77104 (Dec. 23, 2014).
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Closed-loop and open-loop prepaid products are regulated by at both the Federal and State level. Regulation E, for example, currently contains protections for consumers who use payroll card accounts and certain government benefit accounts, as well as consumers who use certain gift cards and similar products.\7\ However, the status of GPR cards and certain other newer prepaid products such as digital and mobile wallets is less clear under existing regulation. As discussed in greater detail throughout this notice, this final rule imposes a comprehensive regulatory regime for prepaid accounts to ensure that consumers who use them receive consistent protections. This part II.A provides a condensed discussion of the detailed background information contained in the proposal, which the Bureau considered and relied on in preparing this final rule.\8\
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\7\ See Sec. Sec. 1005.18, 1005.15, and 1005.20, respectively.
\8\ See 79 FR 77102, 77103-77112 (Dec. 23, 2014).
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General Purpose Reloadable Cards
A GPR card is one of the most common and widely available forms of open-loop prepaid products. GPR cards, which can be purchased at retail locations as well as directly from financial institutions, can be loaded with funds through a variety of means and can be used to access loaded funds at POS terminals and ATMs, online, and often through other mechanisms as well. Accordingly, they increasingly can be used as substitutes for traditional checking accounts.\9\
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\9\ Throughout the supplementary information for this final rule, the term checking account generally also refers to credit union share draft accounts.
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The prevalence of GPR cards has grown rapidly. According to estimates by the Mercator Advisory Group, the amount of funds loaded onto GPR cards grew from under $1 billion in 2003 to nearly $65 billion in 2012.\10\ This makes GPR cards among the fastest-growing forms of prepaid products over that decade, growing from less than 8 percent of prepaid load to over 36 percent during that same period. The Mercator Advisory Group further projects that the total dollar value loaded onto GPR cards will grow annually by 5 percent through 2019, when it will exceed $117 billion.\11\
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\10\ Mercator Advisory Group, Eleventh Annual U.S. Prepaid Cards Market Forecasts, 2014-2017, at 13 (Nov. 2014).
\11\ Mercator Advisory Group, Thirteenth Annual U.S. Open-Loop Prepaid Cards Market Forecasts, 2016-2019, at 9 (Sept. 2016) (Mercator 13th Annual Market Forecasts).
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The Bureau notes that the top five GPR card programs (as measured by the total number of cards in circulation) have maximum balance amounts that vary significantly.\12\ To the extent that the cards have a maximum balance cap, the range is between $2,500 and $100,000.\13\ One of these top five GPR card programs does not have a maximum balance amount, but does have a monthly cash deposit limit of $4,000.\14\
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\12\ See First Annapolis, Chase Enhances Competitive Positioning of Liquid (Sept. 2015), available at http://www.firstannapolis.com/articles/chase-enhances-competitive-positioning-of-liquid; see also American Express Servesupreg Prepaid Card Cardholder Agreement, available at https://serve.com/intuit/pdf/ServeTemp_Card_Agreement.pdf.
\13\ See Green Dot Card Cardholder Agreement, available at https://www.greendot.com/content/docs/Legacy(4-2012).pdf; see also American Express Servesupreg Prepaid Card Cardholder Agreement, available at https://serve.com/intuit/pdf/ServeTemp_Card_Agreement.pdf.
\14\ See Chase Liquid Agreement, available at https://www.chase.com/content/dam/chasecom/en/debit-reloadable-cards/documents/chase_liquid_terms_conditions.pdf.
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Virtual GPR cards. Prepaid products are not all tied to a physical card or device. Some may exist only electronically; these virtual products are accessible and usable online or at a physical location through a mobile device such as a smartphone. To use these ``virtual GPR cards,'' consumers receive an account number or other information that they can then use to make purchases using a mobile application or other means. The use of GPR prepaid products not linked to a
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physical card or device to store and transfer funds via the internet, text, or mobile phone application appears to be growing.\15\
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\15\ See, e.g., Mercator Advisory Group, Consumers and Prepaid: Rising Use, Especially by Mobile, at 16-18 (Dec. 2014).
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GPR Card Functionality
Consumers generally purchase or acquire GPR cards at retail locations, over the telephone, or online. When buying a GPR card at a retail location, consumers typically pay an up-front purchase fee. A GPR card is usually loaded by the retailer at the time of purchase with funds provided by the consumer. Some GPR cards purchased at retail are activated at the time of purchase so that the card can be used immediately for POS purchases and potentially certain other types of transactions; other cards require the consumer to contact the financial institution or program manager online or by phone to activate the card before it can be used. However, in order to take advantage of all of the GPR card's features, including to make ATM withdrawals and to be able to reload the card, consumers are generally required to contact the financial institution or program manager in order to register the card. (Many financial institutions combine the activation and registration process for GPR cards.) After registration, financial institutions often send a permanent card embossed with the consumer's name that, once activated, replaces the temporary card the consumer acquired from the retailer. The process for acquiring GPR cards directly from the financial institution or program manager online or by telephone tends to be more streamlined; financial institutions typically do not charge an up-front purchase fee and registration is completed during the acquisition process before the consumer is mailed a physical card.
Registration is driven both by Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) \16\ requirements and by the financial institution's desire to establish full communications and an ongoing relationship with its customers. In order for financial institutions to satisfy the BSA's Customer Identification Program (CIP) requirements, financial institutions typically require consumers to provide specific identifying information (i.e., full name, domestic residential address, date of birth, and a Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number, or, in some instances, another government-issued identification number) as part of the registration process.\17\ The financial institution or program manager uses the information to verify the consumer's identity. If the consumer's identity cannot be verified, the card is not considered registered; the consumer can typically spend down the card balance at POS but cannot withdraw funds at an ATM and cannot reload the card.
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\16\ See, in part, 31 U.S.C. 5311 et seq. See also 31 CFR chapter X.
\17\ See Bd. of Governors of the Fed. Reserve Sys., Fed. Deposit Ins. Corp., Nat'l Credit Union Admin., Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Fin. Crimes Enforcement Network, Interagency Guidance to Issuing Banks on Applying Customer Identification Programs to Holders of Prepaid Access Cards (Mar. 21, 2016), available at http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/press/bcreg/bcreg20160321a1.pdf. Among other things, the guidance clarified that a financial institution's CIP should apply to GPR cardholders if the GPR card is issued by the financial institution.
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GPR cards can generally be reloaded through a variety of means, including direct deposit of wages, pensions, or government benefits; cash reloads conducted at, for example, retail locations designated by the card issuer or program manager,\18\ or by purchasing a ``reload pack'' at retail; transfer from another prepaid account, or a checking or savings account; or deposit of a check at a participating check-
cashing outlet or via remote deposit capture.\19\ Consumers can typically obtain cash from their GPR cards via ATM withdrawals, bank teller transactions, or by electing to obtain cash back from merchants through POS transactions using a personal identification number (PIN). Additionally, consumers can typically make purchases with their GPR cards wherever the payment network brand appearing on the card is accepted. A number of GPR card programs also offer an online bill pay function, which sometimes has a fee associated with it. Consumers can typically obtain updates regarding their GPR card's account balance (and, for some programs, recent transaction activity) via toll-free telephone calls to the financial institution or program manager, text messages, email alerts, the program's Web site or mobile application, at ATMs, or by requesting written account histories sent by mail. Some GPR card providers charge consumers to speak to a customer service agent or to receive a written copy of their account history. Consumers may also incur fees to obtain balance information at ATMs.
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\18\ See, e.g., Green Dot Card Cardholder Agreement, available at https://www.greendot.com/content/docs/CardholderAgreement-Legacy(4-2012).pdf.
\19\ The Bureau understands some financial institutions permit consumers to reload GPR cards via paper checks mailed to the financial institution or program manager.
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GPR cards can vary substantially with respect to the fees and charges assessed to consumers, both in terms of their total volume as well as in the number and type of fees assessed. Based on its review of a 2012 study of consumer use of prepaid products by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, the Bureau believes average cardholder costs for GPR and payroll cards range from approximately $7 to $11 per month, depending on the type and distribution channel of the account.\20\ In a 2014 report, The Pew Charitable Trusts (Pew) estimated that the median consumer using one of the 66 major GPR cards it examined would be charged approximately $10 to $30 every month for use of the cards, on average, depending on the consumer's understanding of the card's fee structure and ability to alter behavior to avoid fees.\21\ The 2012 FRB Philadelphia Study also found that in terms of total value, maintenance and ATM withdrawal fees are among the most significant fees incurred by users of open-loop prepaid products.\22\
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\20\ Stephanie Wilshusen et al., Consumers' Use of Prepaid Cards: A Transaction-Based Analysis, at 39 (Fed. Reserve Bank of Phila., Discussion Paper, 2012), available at http://www.philadelphiafed.org/consumer-credit-and-payments/payment-cards-center/publications/discussion-papers/2012/D-2012-August-Prepaid.pdf (2012 FRB Philadelphia Study). The authors of the report noted that the report's primary focus is on GPR cards and payroll cards, which will be discussed in greater detail below.
\21\ The Pew Charitable Trusts, Consumers Continue to Load Up on Prepaid Cards, at 39 (Feb. 2014), available at http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2014/02/06/consumers-continue-to-load-up-on-prepaid-cards (2014 Pew Study).
\22\ 2012 FRB Philadelphia Study at 6.
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Consumers' Use of GPR Cards
The 2012 FRB Philadelphia Study found that most of the prepaid products in its study are used for both cash withdrawals and purchases of goods and services, with cash withdrawals accounting for about one-
third to one-half of the funds taken off a product, depending on the product. The study also concluded that prepaid cards are used primarily to purchase nondurable goods and noted that many of the products studied were also used to pay bills.\23\
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\23\ Id.
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The types of consumers who use GPR cards and their reasons for doing so vary. For consumers who lack access to more established products such as bank accounts and credit cards, GPR cards can be appealing because they are subject to less up-front screening by financial institutions. While CIP requirements for checking and savings
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accounts apply to GPR cards as well, banks and credit unions generally review information about prospective checking and savings account customers obtained from specialized reporting agencies that can reveal a prior history of involuntary account closure, unsatisfied balances, and other issues with prior account use. Even where financial institutions do not intend to provide overdraft services to a consumer, they may be motivated to evaluate potential checking account customers for credit risk more closely than for prepaid customers. For example, check deposits may be a more prevalent feature of checking accounts than prepaid accounts and, because a deposited check can be returned unpaid (in contrast to a cash deposit or load), a check deposit may present credit risk to a financial institution. With respect to credit cards, approvals are generally contingent on a consumer successfully navigating an underwriting process to determine whether an applicant is an appropriate credit risk. In contrast, most financial institutions do not engage in screening or underwriting GPR customers (aside from CIP) because the product involves little credit risk.
In light of these distinctions, it is not surprising that consumers who lack access to more established financial products such as bank accounts and credit cards consistently make up a sizeable segment of the consumer base that uses GPR cards on a regular basis. For example, a 2014 Pew survey found that 41 percent of prepaid card users did not have a checking account, and that 26 percent of the consumers in this group believed that they would not be approved for a checking account.\24\ It also found that prepaid card users were much more likely to use an alternative financial product or service, such as a payday loan, compared to consumers in the general population (40 percent vs. 25 percent).\25\ The survey also found that 33 percent of monthly users of open-loop prepaid products have never had a credit card.\26\ A 2015 Pew survey suggested that unbanked prepaid card users tended to be less knowledgeable than consumers with bank accounts about whether their prepaid card had FDIC insurance and about liability limits if their card is lost or stolen.\27\
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\24\ The Pew Charitable Trusts, Why Americans Use Prepaid Cards: A Survey of Cardholders' Motivations and Views, at 7, 14 (Feb. 2014), available at http://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/legacy/
uploadedfiles/pcs_assets//prepaidcardssurveyreportpdf.pdf (2014 Pew Survey). It appears that the prepaid products discussed in the report included GPR cards, payroll cards, and government benefit cards. The report excluded closed-loop prepaid products.
\25\ Id. at 9.
\26\ See Id. at 7. The Bureau recognizes that this figure may include consumers that have never tried opening a credit card account, as well as those that tried to open a credit card account but had their applications denied.
\27\ The Pew Charitable Trusts, Banking on Prepaid: Survey of Motivations and Views of Prepaid Card Users, at 10-12 (June 2015), available at http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2015/06/banking-on-prepaid (2015 Pew Survey).
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Consistent with Pew's findings, a 2013 survey by the FDIC found that approximately 33 percent of those who reported using a prepaid card in the 30 days prior to being surveyed were unbanked.\28\ More broadly, the survey found that 19.7 percent of underbanked and 27.1 percent of unbanked households, as well as 33 percent of previously banked households,\29\ reported having used such cards (compared with 12 percent reported use in the entire population).\30\ The FDIC also found that while GPR card usage among all households had remained relatively stable since 2009, the proportion of unbanked households that had used a prepaid card increased from 12.2 percent in 2009 to 17.8 percent in 2011 and to 27.1 percent in 2013.\31\ The FDIC survey also found that prepaid card users were more likely than the general population to be young, single mothers, or disabled, and to have incomes below $50,000; they were less likely than the general population to be homeowners, white, have college degrees, and to be employed.\32\
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\28\ See Fed. Deposit Ins. Corp., 2013 FDIC National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households, at 31 (Oct. 2014), available at https://www.fdic.gov/householdsurvey/2013report.pdf (2013 FDIC Survey). The FDIC survey found, generally, that there are approximately 30 million unbanked and underbanked households in the United States. Like Pew, the FDIC found that unbanked and underbanked consumers are more likely than the general population to use open-loop prepaid products such as GPR cards. Id. at 4.
\29\ Previously banked households are households that had a bank account in the past. The FDIC survey treats these households as a subset of unbanked households. 2013 FDIC Survey at 29.
\30\ Id.
\31\ Id.
\32\ 2013 FDIC Survey at 46-47.
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For consumers with access to traditional financial products and services, GPR cards may be appealing as a limited-use product instead of as a transaction account substitute.\33\ For example, the Bureau understands that one of the ways in which many consumers use such cards is for a limited purpose such as while traveling or making online purchases, because they may believe that using prepaid cards is safer than using cash, a credit card, or a debit card in those situations.\34\ These consumers may not ever register and reload the card. Instead, they may let the card become dormant or discard it after spending down the initial balance, and then purchase another GPR card at a later date if new needs arise. The Bureau understands that another popular way in which consumers use GPR cards is as a budgeting tool to help them better manage their funds. For example, a family might budget a fixed amount each month for dining out and put those funds on a GPR card, or parents may provide a GPR card, as opposed to a credit card for example, to a child at college to control the child's spending. Pew has found that the majority of both unbanked and banked GPR card users would like their cards to have a feature allowing them to put some of their card balances into savings and a budgeting tool that would track their spending in different categories automatically and alert them if they overspent.\35\
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\33\ 2014 Pew Survey at 7. It found that 59 percent of prepaid card users also have a checking account and that most prepaid card users also have experience using credit cards, with almost half having used a credit card in the past year.
\34\ See, e.g., 2014 Pew Survey at 1, 13.
\35\ 2015 Pew Survey at 7.
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Additionally, for both unbanked and banked consumers, the desire to avoid overdraft services associated with checking accounts appears to motivate many consumers to choose GPR cards over checking accounts. The 2015 Pew Survey reports that most GPR prepaid card users would rather have a purchase denied than overdraft their accounts and incur an overdraft fee.\36\ Its 2014 survey found that 41 percent of prepaid users have closed or lost a checking account due to overdraft fees or bounced check fees.\37\ As discussed further below, in contrast to checking overdraft fees, which are often $35 per item,\38\ GPR cards generally are not offered with an overdraft service nor other credit features, and the few exceptions appear to involve smaller fees.\39\ Indeed, the Bureau has observed that many GPR cards are advertised as a ``safe'' or ``secure'' alternative to a
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checking account precisely because they do not offer overdraft services.
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\36\ Id.
\37\ 2014 Pew Survey at 8.
\38\ As part of this rulemaking, the Bureau calculated the median checking account overdraft fee charged as of July 2014 among the 50 largest U.S. banks ranked by consumer checking balances at $35 per item. Nearly all banks the Bureau considered assess overdraft fees on a per-item basis. Among those that do, both the median and modal lowest-tier overdraft fee is $35. Some banks have higher overdraft fees that apply after a certain number of overdraft occurrences. However, the Bureau's analysis considered only the lowest-tier fees a consumer would encounter if de minimis or other policies do not preclude a fee. For banks that charge different amounts in different regions, Bureau staff considered pricing for the region where the bank is headquartered.
\39\ See, e.g., 2014 Pew Study at 4, 9-10.
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Based on the Bureau's market research and analysis, the Bureau believes that consumer acceptance of GPR cards will grow. It also believes that some consumers that currently use GPR cards may increasingly find that they no longer want or need to have traditional financial products and services such as a checking account or a credit card in addition to their GPR card as these products continue to evolve. The Bureau notes that GPR card functionality has been expanding. For example, some GPR card programs have started to offer checking account-like features such as the ability to write checks using pre-authorized checks. Similarly, many GPR programs allow third parties to credit the GPR card account via ACH (e.g., through direct deposit) and in more limited circumstances, to debit the GPR card account via ACH. Additionally, many GPR card programs have offered consumers ways to access their account online, including through mobile devices such as smartphones. For example, oftentimes consumers can use smart phone applications to closely monitor their GPR card transactions, balances, and fees; to load funds to their GPR cards; and to transfer funds between accounts. The 2015 Pew Survey found that for both unbanked and banked GPR card users, more than half monitor their account balances through online access.\40\ Lastly, as discussed above, like credit and debit cards, GPR cards provide access to payment networks. Consumers may find this to be an important feature of GPR cards in that some merchants may only accept payment through a card that provides access to one of these networks.
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\40\ 2015 Pew Survey at 13.
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Marketing and Sale of GPR Cards
In recent years, the GPR card segment has grown increasingly competitive, which has resulted in a decrease in prices, coupled with an increase in transparency for many products.\41\ Nevertheless, various factors continue to negatively affect consumers' ability to make meaningful comparisons.\42\ Because card packaging is generally designed to be sold in retail stores, the ``J-hook package'' is no larger than 4 inches by 5.25 inches.\43\ Thus, card packages have limited space in which to explain their product and disclose key features. Consumer groups have also criticized GPR product providers for making comparison shopping challenging by, for example, using different terms to describe similar fees and providing consumers with incomplete information about fees.\44\ In addition to the size limitations on GPR card packaging, certain other aspects of purchasing GPR cards in retail settings may also pose obstacles to comparison shopping. For example, some retail locations may only offer one or a few types of GPR cards.\45\ Some stores may only display prepaid products behind a register, requiring a consumer to ask to see each product individually, and stores may display GPR cards with or near closed-loop products such as prepaid cellular phone plan cards or gift cards. Store personnel may not be sufficiently familiar with the different products to respond accurately to consumer questions. When consumers are purchasing a GPR card along with groceries and convenience items, general time pressures may cause consumers to make decisions quickly and ask fewer questions.
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\41\ See, e.g., Fed. Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Cards, Cards and More Cards: The Evolution to Prepaid Cards, Inside the Vault, at 1, 2 (Fall 2011), available at http://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/itv/articles/?id=2168 (``Competition among prepaid card issuers and increased volume have helped lower card fees and simplify card terms.''). See also 2014 Pew Study at 2 (``Our research finds that the providers are competing for business by lowering some fees and are facing pressure from new entrants in the market.'').
\42\ 2014 Pew Survey at 5, 6.
\43\ A j-hook is a looped hook used by retailers to hang prepaid cards (and other products). Retailers often sell prepaid cards on j-
hooks in a standalone display rack at the end of an aisle in a store.
\44\ See, e.g., Consumer Reports, Prepaid Cards: How They Rate 2014, at 5 (Nov. 2014), available at https://consumersunion.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Prepaid_Cards_How_They_Rate_2014.pdf.
\45\ Prepaid card providers can establish exclusive marketing arrangements that may prevent competitors' cards from being sold in the same store. See, e.g., Press Release, Blackhawk Network, Blackhawk Network, Safeway and Blackhawk extend exclusive prepaid card distribution agreement through 2019 (Mar. 7, 2014), available at http://blackhawknetwork.com/blackhawk-comments-on-parent-company-safeways-spin-off-announcement/. The press release announced that Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc., a major prepaid product provider, extended its exclusive distribution arrangement with Safeway Inc. through 2019.
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All of these factors mean that consumers often purchase a card and load initial funds on it before they have an opportunity to review the full terms and conditions. Retail locations often cannot refund the cash loaded onto the card, and the Bureau believes that few consumers are likely to realize that refunds may be available from the GPR card programs. Thus, it is likely far more typical that consumers would spend down the funds initially loaded onto a GPR card and then discard it if they find it to be unsatisfactory as a long-term product. However, monthly maintenance fees may continue to accrue on spent-down cards. Moreover, the 2015 Pew Survey suggests that it can be particularly difficult for unbanked GPR card users to disentangle themselves from their cards. For example, Pew reported that more than 40 percent of unbanked GPR card users put their wages on their GPR cards through direct deposit and approximately 75 percent of them reload their cards regularly.\46\
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\46\ 2015 Pew Survey at 5.
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Structure of Typical GPR Card Programs
GPR cards are generally provided by combinations of entities working together rather than by a single, vertically integrated entity operating all aspects of the GPR card program. Although a consumer may only interact with a single entity or limited number of entities, the Bureau believes that the presence of many different companies in the supply chain could expose consumers as well as the entities themselves to greater risks, such as potential losses resulting from the insolvency or malfeasance of a business partner, than those associated with a traditional vertically integrated checking or savings account program. The Bureau discusses the various entities that may be involved in a typical GPR card program below.
Entities involved in a typical GPR card program. One of the most important entities involved in a GPR card program is the prepaid card issuer, which is typically either a depository institution or credit union. Some of the major payment card networks' rules require that GPR cards bearing their brand be issued by banks or credit unions, although one payment card network that issues its own cards does so through a non-bank entity. Issuers also typically manage the underlying accounts that hold funds loaded onto the cards. Some banks and credit unions are actively involved in all aspects of their GPR card programs, serving as program manager as well as issuer. Other banks and credit unions act as issuers and provide sponsorship into specific payment card networks, but work with a non-bank entity that serves as the program manager. Program managers are generally responsible for designing, managing, marketing, and operating GPR card programs. The Bureau understands that variations in issuers' roles can be driven by the extent to which the program manager performs particular services by itself, as well as
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due to the particular features of a specific GPR card program.\47\
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\47\ In some cases, a white label model is used whereby banks and credit unions rely upon another institution to issue prepaid accounts, which may be branded with the bank or credit union's name. There are a handful of such programs through which banks and credit unions offer prepaid accounts (typically as a convenience to their customers or members).
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Program managers typically establish or negotiate a GPR card program's terms and conditions, market the card, assume most of the financial risks associated with the program, and reap the bulk of the revenue from the program.\48\ Some program managers may exercise substantial control over and responsibility for GPR card programs. For example, some program managers maintain the databases that contain cardholder account and transaction histories. They also approve and decline transactions.\49\ The program manager is also, in most cases, the primary consumer-facing party in connection with a GPR card because it is typically the program manager's brand on the card as well as its packaging.\50\
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\48\ See Fumiko Hayashi & Emily Cuddy, General Purpose Reloadable Prepaid Cards: Penetration, Use, Fees, and Fraud Risks, at 6 (Fed. Reserve Bank of Kan. City, Working Paper No. RWP 14-01, Feb. 2014), available at https://www.kansascityfed.org/publicat/reswkpap/pdf/rwp14-01.pdf (2012 FRB Kansas City Study).
\49\ Id.
\50\ Id. See also Aite Group LLC, Prepaid Debit Card Realities: Cardholder Demographics and Revenue Models, at 17 (Nov. 2013).
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Program managers often contract with other third-party service providers to perform specific functions for a GPR card program. To produce, market, and sell GPR cards, program managers often work with manufacturers that are responsible for printing and assembling the cards and associated packaging. Distributors arrange for GPR cards to be sold through various channels including through retailers, money transfer agents, tax preparers, check cashers, and payday lenders. Further, payment processors often provide many of the back-office processing functions associated with initial account opening (including those related to transitioning from temporary to permanent cards), transaction authorization and processing, and account reporting. Lastly, the payment networks themselves also establish and enforce their own rules and security standards related to payment cards generally and prepaid products such as GPR cards specifically. The networks also facilitate card acceptance, routing, processing, and settling of transactions between merchants and card issuers.
How funds are held. Prepaid products including GPR cards differ from traditional checking or savings accounts in that the underlying funds are typically held in a pooled account at a depository institution or credit union. This means that rather than establish individual accounts for each cardholder, a program manager may establish a single account at a depository institution or credit union in its own name, but typically title the account to indicate that it is held for the benefit of each individual underlying cardholder. The Bureau understands that the program manager, sometimes in conjunction with the issuing depository institution or credit union or the depository institution or credit union holding the funds, will typically establish policies and procedures and put in place systems to demarcate each cardholder's funds within the pooled account. As discussed in detail below, these pooled accounts may qualify for, as applicable, FDIC pass-through deposit insurance or NCUA pass-through share insurance.
Revenue generation. The Bureau understands that GPR cards typically generate revenue through the up-front purchase price paid by the consumer where applicable, the assessment of various monthly maintenance and/or transactional fees, and interchange fees collected from merchants by the payment networks. The 2012 FRB Philadelphia Study found that interchange fees paid by a merchant or acquiring bank for the purpose of compensating an issuer for its involvement in prepaid programs account for more than 20 percent of issuer revenues in GPR programs and almost 50 percent of revenues in payroll program.\51\ The Bureau understands that in most cases, publicly available details of how revenue is distributed and expenses are accounted among entities involved in the GPR card supply chain is sparse, although as discussed above, program managers generally reap the bulk of the revenue from GPR card programs. The Bureau believes that allocation of revenue and expenses likely varies across programs.
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\51\ 2012 FRB Philadelphia Study at 6.
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Prepaid Products Distributed and Funded by Third Parties
Consumers may also receive network-branded open-loop prepaid products from third parties such as employers, student aid sources, insurance companies, and government agencies that disburse funds to consumers by loading the funds into such accounts. These prepaid products are thus taking the place of distributions to the consumer via paper check, direct deposit into a traditional checking or savings account, or cash. The following discussion highlights some of the most common or fastest growing open-loop prepaid products onto which funds are loaded that are distributed to consumers by third parties.
Payroll cards. Payroll cards are the most common example of prepaid products used by third parties to distribute funds to consumers. In 2013, over 5 million payroll cards were issued, and $30.6 billion was loaded onto them.\52\ According to the Mercator Advisory Group, payroll cards make up the second largest segment in the U.S. open-loop prepaid product market.\53\ The total amount of funds loaded onto payroll cards is expected to grow on average 6 percent each year through 2019, when it will reach $44.6 billion.\54\ While direct deposit into consumer accounts remains the most popular form of wage distribution overall,\55\ the number of consumers who receive their wages on payroll cards surpassed the number of consumers paid by paper checks for the first time in 2015, and an estimated 12.2 million workers are expected to receive their wages on payroll cards by 2019, compared to an estimated 2.2 million workers who are expected to get paper checks.\56\
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\52\ See Mercator Advisory Group, Eleventh Annual U.S. Prepaid Cards Market Forecasts, 2014-2017, at 32 (Nov. 2014).
\53\ Mercator 13th Annual Market Forecasts at 28. The payroll card segment, as measured by the Mercator Advisory Group, is made up of wages paid to employees and 1099 workers using an employer-
provided prepaid card.
\54\ Id. at 29.
\55\ Aite Group LLC, Checkmate: U.S. Payroll Cards Trump Paper Checks, at 5 (Apr. 2015) (reporting that according to the American Payroll Association, 90 percent of all employees currently receive their pay through direct deposit to checking accounts).
\56\ Id. at 6.
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An employer generally works with a financial institution to set up a payroll card program. Among other things, the financial institution issues the payroll cards and holds the funds loaded into the payroll card accounts. Section 1005.10(e)(2) of Regulation E prohibits financial institutions and employers from requiring consumers to agree to have their compensation distributed via a payroll card as a condition of employment. As discussed in greater detail below, the Bureau is finalizing specific disclosure requirements as part of the short form disclosure, to make clear Sec. 1005.10(e)(2)'s applicability to payroll card accounts. Where employees choose to participate in a payroll card program, the employer will provide the employee with a network-branded prepaid card issued by the employer's financial institution partner that
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accesses a subaccount assigned to the individual employee. On each payday, the employer will transfer the employee's compensation to the payroll card account, instead of providing the employee with a paper check or making a direct deposit of funds to the employee's checking or savings account. The employee can use the payroll card to withdraw funds at an ATM or over-the-counter via a bank teller. The employee can also use the payroll card to make purchases online and at physical retail locations, and may also be able to obtain cash back at POS. Some payroll cards may offer features such as convenience checks and electronic bill payment.
The Bureau understands that employers market payroll cards as an effective means to receive wages for employees who may lack a traditional banking relationship, and that unbanked consumers may find the cards to be a more suitable, cheaper, and safer method of receiving their wages as compared to other methods, such as receiving a check and going to a check-cashing store. Nonetheless, within the last 10 years, there have been increasing concerns raised about payroll cards, with specific focus on potentially harmful fees and practices associated with them. These problematic practices may impact low-income consumers disproportionately, as it has been reported that payroll cards are especially prevalent in industries that have many low-wage, hourly workers.\57\
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\57\ Nat'l Consumer L. Ctr., Rating State Government Payroll Cards, at 5 (Nov. 2015), available at http://www.nclc.org/images/pdf/pr-reports/payroll-card-report.pdf.
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As explained in greater detail below, the Bureau issued a guidance bulletin in September 2013 to remind employers that they cannot require their employees to receive wages on a payroll card and to explain some of the Regulation E protections that apply to payroll card accounts, such as those pertaining to fee disclosure, access to account history, limited liability for unauthorized use, and error resolution rights.\58\ Although it appears that certain industry stakeholders have worked to develop industry standards incorporating and building upon the guidance given in the bulletin,\59\ concerns persist as to whether and how employers and financial institutions are complying with the compulsory use provision and other provisions of Regulation E, as well as related State laws applicable to the distribution of wages.\60\ For example, employees may not always be aware of the ways in which they may receive their wages because States may have differing and evolving requirements.\61\
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\58\ CFPB Bulletin 2013-10, Payroll Card Accounts (Regulation E) (Sept. 12, 2013), available at http://www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201309_cfpb_payroll-card-bulletin.pdf.
\59\ See, e.g., Press Release, MasterCard, MasterCard Introduces Payroll Card Standards (Dec. 13, 2013), available at http://newsroom.mastercard.com/press-releases/mastercard-introduces-payroll-card-standards/.
\60\ See, e.g., N.Y. St. Att'y Gen., Labor Bureau, The Impact of Payroll Cards on Low-Wage Workers, available at http://www.ag.ny.gov/pdfs/Pinched%20by%20Plastic.pdf.
\61\ See, e.g., http://paycard.americanpayroll.org/compliance-regulations (listing the various State regulations that apply to payroll cards).
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The Bureau additionally believes that payroll card accounts raise transparency issues beyond those addressed by its payroll card accounts guidance bulletin. Employers may offer a payroll card account when an employee starts employment, when it is likely that the question of how the employee is to be paid will be one of many human resource issues confronting the employee during orientation. An employee may be provided with a stack of forms to complete and may not have the time or opportunity to review them. It is also possible that the employee may be unaware that receiving wages via a payroll card account is optional, particularly if the employer does not present the options clearly. The forms the employee may receive from the employer may not always include all of the relevant information regarding the terms and conditions of the payroll card account, such as fees associated with the card and how cardholders can withdraw funds on the card. Employees who want to complete their hiring paperwork in a single setting may not take the opportunity to comparison shop. Separately, some industry observers have raised concerns about the extent to which payroll card providers share program revenue with employers and, if so, whether that revenue sharing has negative consequences for cardholders, for instance by creating incentives to increase the fees on payroll card products.
Campus cards. Federal law permits Federal financial aid to be disbursed to students via prepaid products.\62\ A number of colleges and universities partner with banks and program managers to market and often disburse student financial aid proceeds into network-branded open-loop prepaid products that are endorsed by those colleges and universities, as a potential alternative to direct deposit into a student or parent's existing checking account, prepaid account, or other means of disbursement. The total amount of funds loaded in the open-loop campus card segment grew by 15 percent in 2015, to $2.72 billion, and is forecasted to have an average annual growth rate of 10 percent through 2019, when it is forecasted to reach $3.98 billion.\63\
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\62\ See 34 CFR 668.164(c)(2) (treating certain Federal student aid payments disbursed via ``an account that underlies a stored-
value card'' as direct payments to a student or parent).
\63\ Mercator 13th Annual Market Forecasts at 16. These figures include campus cards used by colleges and universities, as well as K-12 institutions.
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Similar to payroll card accounts, some have raised concerns about the ways in which students are encouraged to obtain an endorsed prepaid product and with the potential incentives created by revenue sharing in connection with prepaid cards provided to students. A 2014 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that of the U.S. colleges and universities participating in Federal student aid programs for the 2011-2012 school year that had agreements with banks and program managers to provide debit and prepaid card services for students, approximately 20 percent of such agreements were for prepaid cards.\64\ The report also stated that more than 80 percent of the schools identified in the report with card agreements indicated that students could use their cards to receive financial aid and other funds from the school.\65\
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\64\ U.S. Gov't Accountability Office, GAO-14-91, College Debit Cards, Actions Needed to Address ATM Access, Student Choice, Transparency, a Report to the Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pension, U.S. Senate, at 8 (Feb. 2014), available at http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/660919.pdf. The GAO found that the rest of the agreements were for debit cards.
\65\ Id. at 9.
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Among other things, the GAO noted concerns about the fees on student debit and prepaid cards, as well as the lack of ATM access and the lack of the schools' neutrality toward the card programs.\66\ It found instances in which schools appeared to encourage students to enroll in the school's specific prepaid card program, rather than present neutral information about disbursement options for financial aid.\67\ As discussed in greater detail below, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued a final rule in October 2015 that addresses a number of concerns with campus cards that the GAO described in its report.
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\66\ U.S. Gov't Accountability Office, GAO Highlights: Highlights of GAO-14-91, a Report to the Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pension, U.S. Senate (Feb. 2014), available at http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/660920.pdf.
\67\ Id.
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Government benefit cards. Government entities also distribute
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various funds onto prepaid products by partnering with financial institutions and program managers. In its latest annual report to Congress on the prevalence of prepaid card use in Federal, State, and local government-administered payment programs, the Board reports that a number of government entities now mandate that recipients receive payments electronically, through either a prepaid card or direct deposit.\68\ The Board reported that government offices distributed $150 billion through prepaid cards in 2015.\69\ The Federal government and various State governments may use prepaid products to distribute government benefits such as Social Security payments,\70\ unemployment insurance benefits,\71\ and child support payments, as well as a distinct set of disbursements called needs-tested benefits.
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\68\ Bd. of Governors of the Fed. Reserve Sys., Report to the Congress on Government Administered, General-Use Prepaid Cards, at 3 (July 2016), available at http://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/other-reports/files/government-prepaid-report-201607.pdf (2016 FRB Government Prepaid Cards Report).
\69\ Id. at 1.
\70\ The U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) has established the Direct Express program for the distribution of government benefits such as Social Security payments.
\71\ See, e.g., Nat'l Consumer Law Ctr., 2013 Survey of Unemployment Compensation Prepaid Cards, at 3, 7 (Jan. 2013), available at http://www.nclc.org/issues/unemployment-compensation-prepaid-cards.html (noting that 42 States offer some form of prepaid card for distribution of unemployment compensation payments).
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Most States offer a choice at least between direct deposit to a traditional checking or savings account or a prepaid product for the receipt of unemployment insurance benefits. However, the Bureau is aware that, in the recent past, several States have required the distribution of at least the first payment of such benefits onto prepaid cards.
State and local government programs for distributing needs-tested benefits are typically referred to as electronic benefit transfer (EBT) programs. Needs-tested benefits include funds related to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). According to the Board, State agencies administering SNAP disbursed approximately $69 billion onto EBT cards in 2015.\72\ As noted below in the discussion of relevant law, Regulation E does not apply to EBT programs.\73\
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\72\ 2016 FRB Government Prepaid Cards Report at 5.
\73\ EFTA section 904(d)(2)(B); Sec. 1005.15(a)(2).
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In addition, Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service, on behalf of the United States military, provides both closed-loop and open-loop prepaid cards for use by servicemembers and contractors in the various branches of the armed forces.\74\ The features of and fees charged in connection with these cards may vary.
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\74\ See, e.g., Navy Cash/Marine Cash, (http://fms.treas.gov/navycash/index.html) and Eagle Cash, (https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/eagleCash/eagleCash_home.htm). The Navy Cash and Marine Cash products may have multiple ``purses'' such that one ``purse'' can only be used at a limited number of linked merchants (such as various places on a Naval vessel) while the other ``purse'' can be linked to a payment card network that provides global acceptance to unaffiliated merchants.
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Other open-loop prepaid cards distributed and funded by third parties. Open-loop prepaid cards are also used by some insurance providers to pay certain insurance claims such as claims related to a property or casualty loss and for emergency payments designed to help consumers get through immediate problems.\75\ During the Bureau's pre-
proposal outreach, some insurance providers informed the Bureau that, where permitted by State law, it is faster and more economical to provide workers compensation payments on prepaid cards relative to mailing paper checks. Additionally, after a natural disaster, the disbursement of funds from insurance claims onto prepaid cards may allow funds to be delivered to consumers who may be unable to use or access traditional checking or savings accounts. The Mercator Advisory Group reports that the total amount loaded onto insurance cards is expected to grow at a rate of 3 percent per year through 2019, when loads are expected to exceed $13 billion.\76\
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\75\ Mercator 12th Annual Market Forecasts at 28.
\76\ Mercator 13th Annual Market Forecasts at 26. The insurance category in the report measures funds loaded onto prepaid cards for disbursements of insurance settlements and for emergency payments.
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Similarly, taxpayers may direct tax refunds onto prepaid cards provided by tax preparers or arranged by government entities. These cards are typically open-loop and may or may not be reloadable. Other disbursements onto prepaid cards include disbursement of mass transit or other commuting-related funds, which are typically onto restricted closed-loop cards. However, the Bureau understands that new transit payment models are emerging, and these models tend to involve open-loop prepaid cards.\77\ Aid distributed by relief organizations or government agencies in response to natural disasters is usually loaded onto open-loop cards. In some of these cases, the cards may be reloaded by the entity that initially disbursed funds onto the card.\78\
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\77\ See, e.g., Ventra Card, https://www.ventrachicago.com/ (the city of Chicago's mass transit card has reloadable open-loop features). See also SEPTA, http://www.septa.org/key/ (the city of Philadelphia announced that its mass transit card will also have reloadable open-loop features).
\78\ As discussed in greater detail below in the section-by-
section analysis of Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(ii), the final rule excludes from the definition of prepaid account those accounts that are directly or indirectly established through a third party and loaded only with qualified disaster relief payments.
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As evidenced by the discussions above in connection with payroll and campus cards, prepaid products loaded by third parties can raise a number of consumer protection concerns. Some of these issues appear to be largely the same as GPR cards on items such as the lack of clear, consistent disclosures about fees and other important terms and conditions. Consumers may use these products as their primary transaction accounts, particularly when the products are loaded with all of the consumers' incoming funds (e.g., wages, unemployment benefits, student loan proceeds). In accepting the product, a consumer may not fully grasp all of its fees and terms and how those fees and terms might impact the consumer over time.
However, the Bureau believes that some consumer issues may be heightened or unique to particular categories of prepaid products loaded by third parties. For example, in selecting a GPR card, the consumer is making a distinct purchase decision; while some sales channels may be more convenient than others for comparison shopping, the consumer is in any event focused on the transaction as a standalone decision. Where a prepaid product is being provided to a consumer by a third party, however, the consumer may be deciding whether to accept the prepaid product in the course of another activity (such as starting a new job or school term, or dealing with a catastrophic event). Consumers may not understand the extent to which they can reject the product being offered, may not have a practicable option to comparison shop under the circumstances if they do not already have a transaction account to serve as an alternative, and may have concerns about upsetting an employer or other third party by rejecting the option. In addition, where there are revenue sharing arrangements in place, the third party may have a financial incentive to select a product offering with higher fees and to structure the sign-up process in a way that tends to increase participation. Further, the
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Bureau understands many of the prepaid accounts that are loaded by third parties are distributed to very specific segments of consumers such as college-age students or very low-income consumers, and accordingly, there may be distinct consumer protection issues associated with these prepaid products.
Digital Wallets
A consumer may keep cash, debit and credit cards, GPR cards, and gift cards in a physical wallet or purse. ``Digital wallets'' and ``mobile wallets'' (i.e., digital wallets that a consumer could access using a mobile device such as a smartphone) similarly store one or more of the consumer's payment credentials electronically.\79\ These payment credentials may be accessed by the consumer through a Web site or mobile application. The Bureau understands that some, but not all, digital and mobile wallets allow a consumer to store funds in them directly or by funding a prepaid product, and draw down the stored funds. A 2015 survey by the Board suggests that digital wallets serve as an important funding source for mobile payments (i.e., consumer payment for goods and services using mobile phones). The survey reported that 15 percent of mobile payment users reported that they used an account at a non-financial institution such as PayPal to fund their payments.\80\
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\79\ Aite Group LLC, Money Goes Mobile (May 2014).
\80\ Bd. of Governors of the Fed. Reserve Sys., Consumers and Mobile Financial Services 2015, at 17 (Mar. 2015), available at http://www.federalreserve.gov/econresdata/consumers-and-mobile-financial-services-report-201503.pdf (2015 FRB Consumers and Mobile Financial Services Survey). The survey was updated in 2016. The percentage of mobile payment users reported that they used an account at a non-financial institution such as PayPal to fund their payments appears to have held steady at 16 percent. See Bd. of Governors of the Fed. Reserve Sys., Consumers and Mobile Financial Services Survey 2016, at 17 (Mar. 2016), available at http://www.federalreserve.gov/econresdata/and-mobile-financial-services-report-201603.pdf (2016 FRB Consumers and Mobile Financial Services Survey).
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Digital and mobile wallets have been marketed as allowing consumers to electronically transmit funds in multiple settings. Currently, such wallets can be used by a consumer for online purchases,\81\ payments at brick-and-mortar retailers through, for example, contactless communication at the point of sale,\82\ as well as person-to-business (i.e., bill pay) and P2P transfers.\83\ The Bureau understands that there may be significant variations in how funds are held in digital and mobile wallets and how payments are processed by such wallets. It also understands that payment processing by digital and mobile wallets is evolving quickly. For instance, some such wallets provide methods for accessing the ACH system to make a payment. A consumer might use such a digital or mobile wallet to pay for an online purchase, and the wallet would facilitate the transfer of funds from the consumer's checking account to fund the transaction. In other cases, the consumer's funds are first transferred to the digital or mobile wallet either by the consumer or the wallet provider, and then transferred to the ultimate payee. For example, it may be possible for a consumer to maintain a positive balance in the digital or mobile wallet through transfers from sources such as a bank account, a credit, debit, or prepaid card, or a P2P transfer. The consumer's digital or mobile wallet balance may be held in the name of the wallet provider. The Bureau expects that variations of digital and mobile wallets will continue to grow and observes that the methods described herein are a few of the funding options available in the current market. As discussed above, the application of EFTA and Regulation E to digital and mobile wallets has been less clear than the application of the statute and the regulation to prepaid products such as payroll card accounts and government benefit accounts.\84\
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\81\ See, e.g., Visa Checkout Terms of Service, https://secure.checkout.visa.com/pages/terms?country=VUS&locale=en.
\82\ See, e.g., Google Wallet Terms of Service, https://wallet.google.com/termsOfService?type=BUYER&gl=US.
\83\ See, e.g., Boost Mobile Wallet Terms of Service, https://boostmobile.wipit.me/legal/terms.aspx.
\84\ Law360, PayPal Customers Take Another Stab at $3.2M Class Deal (Sept. 10, 2015), available at http://www.law360.com/articles/701403/paypal-customers-take-another-stab-at-3-2m-class-deal. The class action was brought by PayPal customers to sue PayPal for, among other things, alleged violations of EFTA in managing the customers' accounts.
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Credit Features, Overdraft Programs, and Prepaid Products
As described briefly above, most prepaid products as currently offered and marketed do not generally allow consumers to spend more money than is loaded onto the product. Although there are a few exceptions, most providers of prepaid products do not currently offer overdraft services,\85\ a linked line of credit,\86\ access to a deposit advance product,\87\ or other method of accessing formal credit features in connection with a prepaid product.\88\ Instead, prepaid products, including many GPR cards, are actively marketed as ``safe'' alternatives to checking accounts with opt-in overdraft services, credit cards, or other credit options.\89\ Prepaid account
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balances can nonetheless be taken negative under certain limited circumstances, however. Specifically, so-called ``force pay'' transactions can occur when the prepaid account issuer either does not receive a request to authorize a transaction in advance or the final transaction amount is higher than the authorized amount, and the prepaid account issuer is required by card network rules to pay the transaction even though there are insufficient or unavailable funds in the prepaid account to cover the transaction at settlement. In such circumstances, prepaid issuers generally are not charging credit-
related fees to consumers in connection with force pay transactions.
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\85\ As discussed further below, overdraft services evolved in the context of checking accounts from ad hoc, discretionary programs in which financial institutions would sometimes cover particular transactions that would otherwise overdraw a checking account as a courtesy to the consumer rather than return the transaction and subject the consumer to a not sufficient-funds fee, merchant fees, and other negative consequences from bounced checks. Overdraft services fees are generally imposed on a per-transaction basis, and the financial institution takes the balance owed as soon as additional funds are deposited into the account. As explained below, the Board exempted overdraft services from regulation under TILA and Regulation Z, unless the payment of items that overdraw an account and the imposition of the charges for paying such items were previously agreed upon in writing. In addition, these programs are not typically subject to traditional underwriting processes used for other credit products. Under Regulation E, financial institutions must obtain an opt-in from the consumer before imposing overdraft fees on ATM and one-time debit card transactions. See Sec. 1005.17(b).
\86\ A linked line of credit is a separate line of credit that a financial institution ``links'' to a deposit account or prepaid product to draw funds automatically where a transaction made using funds from the account or product would otherwise take the balance on the account or product negative. Such a credit feature is generally subject to interest rates, traditional credit underwriting, and TILA and Regulation Z. Similarly, some financial institutions offer consumers an option to link their credit card to a deposit account to provide automatic ``pulls'' to cover transactions that would otherwise exceed the balance in the account.
\87\ A deposit advance product (DAP) is a small-dollar, short-
term loan or line of credit that a financial institution makes available to a customer whose deposit account reflects recurring direct deposits. The customer obtains a loan, which is to be repaid from the proceeds of the next direct deposit. DAPs typically do not assess interest and are fee-based products. Repayments are typically collected from ensuing deposits, often in advance of the customer's other bills. See CFPB, Payday and Deposit Advance Products: A White Paper of Initial Data Findings (Apr. 24, 2013), available at http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201304_cfpb_payday-dap-whitepaper.pdf; see also FDIC and OCC Final Guidance on Supervisory Concerns and Expectations Regarding Deposit Advance Products, 78 FR 70552 and 78 FR 70624 (Nov. 26, 2013). Publication of the Bureau's White Paper and the guidance issued by the FDIC and OCC has caused many financial institutions to reevaluate their DAP programs.
\88\ For example, a financial institution could offer a product whereby consumers with a credit account access that account and ``push'' the credit into their prepaid accounts where it can be spent.
\89\ See, e.g., Network Branded Prepaid Card Ass'n, Prepaid Card Benefits, http://www.nbpca.com/en/What-Are-Prepaid-Cards/Prepaid-Card-Benefits.aspx (last visited Oct. 1, 2016) (``For many Americans, prepaid cards serve as a tool with which to more effectively budget their spending. With a prepaid card, consumers avoid the risk of over-spending or overdraft, thus avoiding the interest, fees and potential negative credit score implications of traditional credit cards. And for parents, prepaid cards provide tools to maintain control over their teens' or college students' spending.''); see also Examining Issues in the Prepaid Card Market, Hearing before the Subcomm. on Fin. Inst. and Consumer Prot., S. Comm. on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, 112th Cong. 2 (2012) (Remarks of Dan Henry, C.E.O., NetSpend Holdings, Inc.) (``Our customers are typically working Americans who want control. . . .'').
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As also discussed above, according to the 2014 Pew Survey, a desire to avoid fee-based overdraft services motivates a sizeable portion of consumers to choose prepaid products, such as GPR cards, over checking accounts.\90\ The survey also reported that a slight majority of participants stated that one of the major reasons that they use prepaid products is that those products help those consumers control their spending.\91\ Similarly, the Bureau's own focus groups also found that many consumers choose prepaid products because the products help them control their spending.\92\
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\90\ 2014 Pew Survey at 1.
\91\ Id. at 14 ex.12 (noting that the top two reasons consumers claim to use prepaid cards related to avoiding credit card debt (67 percent) and helping them not spend more money than they actually have (66 percent).
\92\ ICF Int'l, ICF Report: Summary of Findings: Design and Testing of Prepaid Card Fee Disclosures, at 5 (Nov. 2014), available at http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201411_cfpb_summary-findings-design-testing-prepaid-card-disclosures.pdf (ICF Report I).
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It also appears that many consumers specifically seek to acquire prepaid products that do not offer overdraft credit features because they have had negative experiences with credit products, including checking accounts with overdraft features, or want to avoid fees related to such products. As discussed above, the 2014 Pew Survey found that many prepaid consumers previously had a checking account and either lost that account (due to failure to repay overdrafts or related issues) or gave up the checking account due to overdraft or bounced check fees.\93\ Relatedly, the survey reported that prepaid products are often used by consumers who cannot obtain a checking account due to bad credit or other issues.\94\ GPR cards, which are sometimes marketed as involving ``no credit check,'' provide consumers with access to electronic payment networks, the ability to make online purchases, and increased security and convenience over alternatives such as cash.\95\
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\93\ 2014 Pew Survey at 7-8 (noting both that ``Most prepaid card users who have had a checking account in the past have paid associated overdraft fees for debit card usage'' and that ``Among those prepaid card users who have ever had a bank account, 41 percent of them say they have closed or lost a checking account because of overdraft or bounced check fees'').
\94\ Id. at 8 (noting that 34 percent of prepaid consumers who ever had a checking account say they have closed a checking account themselves because of overdraft or bounced check fees, and 21 percent say they have had a financial institution close their account because of overdraft or bounced check fees.
\95\ See ICF Report I at 5; see also 2014 Pew Survey at 14 ex.12 (noting that 72 percent of prepaid consumers say that a reason they have a prepaid card is to make purchases online and other places that do not accept cash).
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Apart from consumers' reasons for favoring prepaid products, regulatory factors may also have discouraged prepaid product providers from offering overdraft credit features in connection with their products. The Bureau understands that some prepaid issuers have received guidance from their prudential regulators that has deterred these financial institutions from allowing prepaid cards they issue to offer overdraft credit features. Relatedly, the Bureau believes that a 2011 Office of Thrift Supervision enforcement action regarding a linked deposit advance feature may also have had a chilling effect on the offering of deposit advance products in connection with prepaid accounts.\96\ Further, while a number of industry commenters to the Prepaid ANPR expressed interest in offering overdraft credit features in connection with prepaid products, some industry commenters also expressed their reluctance to proceed until there is greater certainty as to whether this rulemaking would alter the permissible bounds of such a program. In addition, as discussed further below, the Bureau understands that a Dodd-Frank Act provision affecting interchange fees on prepaid products with overdraft features seems to have further discouraged activity.\97\ The Board found that among prepaid cards provided to consumers pursuant to government-administered payment programs, virtually all revenue from overdraft fees disappeared in 2014.\98\
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\96\ See In the Matter of MetaBank, Office of Thrift Supervision, Order No. CN 11-25 (July 15, 2011), available at http://www.occ.gov/static/ots/enforcement/97744.pdf.
\97\ The debit card interchange restrictions and exemptions thereto are discussed in greater detail in part II.B below.
\98\ See Bd. of Governors of the Fed. Reserve Sys., Report to the Congress on Government Administered, General-Use Prepaid Cards, at 9 (July 2015), available athttp://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/other-reports/files/government-prepaid-report-201507.pdf (2015 FRB Government Prepaid Cards Report). See also 2016 FRB Government Prepaid Cards Report at 8.
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The Bureau understands that currently, credit features are generally not being offered on prepaid accounts. When they are offered, the Bureau understands that they are typically structured as overdraft services,\99\ which in some ways appear less expensive as well as more consumer friendly in other respects than their checking account analogs.\100\ For example, the programs charge a per transaction fee each time the consumer incurs an overdraft (e.g., one program charges $15), although the fees tend to be lower than those charged for overdraft services on checking accounts (median fee as of July 2014 was $35).\101\ Along these lines, one recent study found that for consumers who overdraft, under the currently available programs, GPR cards are significantly less costly than checking accounts. For these consumers, the study found that the average total cost of checking accounts per month ranged between $86 and $112, while GPR cards' monthly costs ranged between $38 and $57.\102\ In addition, some
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programs will waive the overdraft fee if the consumer repays the overdraft quickly (e.g., within 24 hours) or if the amount by which the account is negative is only for a nominal amount (e.g., $5 or $10). Further, some programs may also limit the number of overdrafts that will be permitted in a given month and the amount by which the account balance can go negative, and impose ``cooling off'' periods after a consumer has incurred more than a certain number of overdrafts. During the cooling off period, the consumer is typically prohibited from using the overdraft service.
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\99\ The Bureau is aware of one prepaid account program where a linked credit service is structured as a line of credit.
\100\ See Ctr. for Fin. Services Innovation, CFSI Prepaid Industry Scorecard: Assessing Quality in the Prepaid Industry with CFSI's Compass Principles, at 11 (March 2014), available at http://www.cfsinnovation.com/CMSPages/GetFile.aspx?guid=b596e5ee-41fe-4d30-82e7-a9cbf407a716 (2014 CFSI Scorecard) (noting that only two in a survey of 18 GPR programs representing 25 percent of the market currently offers an opt-in overdraft service); CFPB, Study of Overdraft Programs: A White Paper of Initial Data Findings, at 14 (June 2013), available at http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201306_cfpb_whitepaper_overdraft-practices.pdf (CFPB Overdraft White Paper) (summarizing data showing that most banks and credit unions offer opt-in overdraft programs). Apart from actual overdraft programs, some prepaid programs, according to their terms and conditions, reserve the right to impose a fee for a negative balance on a prepaid account. (These programs' agreements typically state that the cardholder is not permitted to spend beyond the balance in the prepaid account, but if circumstances were to occur that cause the balance to go negative, a fee will or may be imposed. Some agreements state that repeated attempts to spend beyond the card balance will or may result in the prepaid account being closed). Roughly 10 percent of reviewed agreements noted such a charge.
\101\ As part of this rulemaking, Bureau staff determined the median figure for checking account overdraft fees through an analysis of the overdraft fees charged by the largest 50 U.S. banks ranked by consumer checking balances.
\102\ Fumiko Hayashi et al., Driver of Choice? The Cost of Financial Products for Unbanked Consumers, at 20 (Fed. Reserve Bank of Kan. City, Working Paper No. 15-15, Nov. 2015), available at https://www.kansascityfed.org/publicat/reswkpap/pdf/rwp15-15.pdf (the authors assumed that a consumer who overdrafts makes at most one overdraft transaction in a day and each overdraft transaction results in four consecutive days of negative balance in the consumer's account).
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Revenue from overdraft services does not appear to have significantly influenced the pricing structure of prepaid products overall, as has happened with traditional checking accounts as discussed further below. Indeed, as noted above, overdraft services offered in connection with prepaid products are relatively rare, and fees are relatively modest compared to similar fees associated with checking account overdraft programs. As discussed in greater detail in the section-by-section analysis below, as a result of several regulatory exemptions, the Bureau believes that checking account overdraft programs have evolved from courtesy programs under which financial institutions would decide on a manual, ad hoc basis to cover particular transactions and help consumers avoid negative consequences to automated programs that are the source of as much as two-thirds of financial institutions' deposit account revenue.\103\ As a result, banks and credit unions have developed checking accounts to have low (or sometimes no) up-front costs, to add services such as online bill pay \104\ at no additional cost, and to rely on ``back end'' fees such as per transaction overdraft fees and non-sufficient funds (NSF) fees to maintain profitability. The Bureau believes that financial institutions that issue prepaid accounts typically do not earn their revenue from ``back-end'' overdraft fees or NSF fees. Instead, they earn revenue from other types of fees, such as ATM fees and interchange fees collected from use of payment networks.\105\
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\103\ According to information supplied to the Bureau as part of its large bank overdraft study and reported in the CFPB Overdraft White Paper, overdraft and NSF-related fees from consumer checking accounts constituted 61 percent of consumer and 37 percent of total deposit account service charges earned by study banks in 2011. If aggregate study bank fee revenue ratios could be extrapolated to all FDIC-insured institutions, this would imply the banking industry earned roughly $12.6 billion in consumer NSF and overdraft fees in 2011. See CFPB Overdraft White Paper at 14-15.
\104\ Such bill pay services may include not only electronic payments through the ACH network, but also manual generation of checks authorized through the bank or credit union's online bill pay portal. Id at 12.
\105\ For example, in both 2013 and 2014, one major program manager derived approximately 60 percent of its operating revenue from cash-reload fees and interchange fees. See Green Dot Corp., 2014 Annual Report, at 29 (2015), available at http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=235286&p=irol-reportsAnnual; see also Green Dot Corp., 2015 Annual Report, at 30 (2016), available at http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=235286&p=irol-reportsAnnual.
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The Bureau understands that program managers of prepaid products with overdraft credit features have structured their products to comply with Regulation E's rules regarding overdraft services. Specifically, the Bureau understands that providers of overdraft programs on GPR and payroll card accounts purport to provide a disclosure similar to Model Form A-9 in appendix A to Regulation E.\106\ Model Form A-9 is a model consent form that a financial institution may use to obtain a consumer's opt-in to overdraft services for a fee for one-time debit card or ATM transactions.\107\
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\106\ The Bureau understands that prepaid providers that offer overdraft services typically do so with respect to both their GPR cards and payroll card accounts, to the extent they offer both products.
\107\ As discussed in greater detail below, the Bureau reviewed publicly available account agreements for prepaid products that appeared to meet the Bureau's proposed definition of the term ``prepaid account'' and found that some programs' agreements stated that while they do not offer formal overdraft services, they will impose negative balance or other similar fees for transactions that may take an account negative despite generally not permitting such activity. See CFPB, Study of Prepaid Account Agreements, at 24-25 (Nov. 2014), available at http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201411_cfpb_study-of-prepaid-account-agreements.pdf (Study of Prepaid Account Agreements). However, the Bureau does not believe such fees are typically charged.
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The Bureau understands that prepaid products with overdraft credit features generally offer such features only to those consumers that meet specified criteria, such as evidence of the receipt of recurring deposits over a certain dollar amount. These recurring deposits presumably allow the financial institution to have some confidence that there will be incoming funds of adequate amounts to repay the debt. Further, the Bureau understands that the terms and conditions of prepaid product overdraft programs typically require that the next deposit of funds into the prepaid product--through either recurring deposits or cash reloads--be used to repay the overdraft, or the provider will claim such funds for the purpose of repaying the overdraft.
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Existing Regulation of Prepaid Products
Various Federal and State regulations apply to prepaid products. With respect to Federal regulation, there are several Federal regulatory regimes, including those regarding consumer protection, receipt of Federal payments, interchange fees, financial crimes, and Federal student aid disbursement, that apply to some or all types of prepaid products. Some of the most relevant applicable Federal laws and regulations include EFTA and Regulation E; Treasury's rule governing the receipt of Federal payments on prepaid cards; \108\ the Board's Regulation II on debit card interchange and routing; \109\ the Financial Crime Enforcement Network's (FinCEN) prepaid access rule; \110\ and ED's Cash Management Regulation.\111\
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\108\ 75 FR 80335 (Dec. 22, 2010).
\109\ 12 CFR part 235.
\110\ 76 FR 45403 (July 29, 2011).
\111\ 80 FR 67126 (Oct. 30, 2015).
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Prudential regulators have also issued guidance about the application of their regulations to prepaid products, program managers, and financial institutions that issue prepaid products. For example, as discussed in greater detail below, both the FDIC and the NCUA have set criteria regarding how prepaid products may qualify for, as applicable, pass-through deposit (or share) insurance. In addition, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has a bulletin that provides guidance to depository institutions under its supervision with respect to how to assess and manage the risks associated with prepaid access programs.\112\ However, as the Bureau noted in the proposal, it believes that there are gaps in the existing Federal regulatory regimes that cause certain prepaid products not to receive full consumer protections, in particular under EFTA and Regulation E.
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\112\ Office of the Comptroller of Currency, OCC Bulletin 2011-
27, Prepaid Access Programs, Risk Management Guidance and Sound Practices (June 28, 2011), available at http://www.occ.gov/news-issuances/bulletins/2011/-27.html.
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EFTA and Related Provisions in Regulation E
Congress enacted EFTA in 1978 with the purpose of ``providing a basic framework establishing the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of participants in electronic fund transfer systems.'' EFTA's primary objective is ``the provision of individual consumer rights.'' \113\ Congress also empowered the Board to promulgate regulations
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implementing EFTA.\114\ With the adoption of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), authority to implement most of EFTA transferred to the Bureau.\115\
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\113\ See Public Law 95-630; 92 Stat. 3728 (1978).
\114\ EFTA section 904(a).
\115\ Public Law 111-203, section 1084, 124 Stat. 2081 (2010) (codified at 15 U.S.C. 1693a et seq.). See also Dodd-Frank Act section 1061(b); 12 U.S.C. 5581(b).
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The regulations first promulgated by the Board to implement EFTA now reside in subpart A of Regulation E.\116\ These rules provide a broad suite of protections to consumers who make EFTs. An EFT is any transfer of funds initiated through an electronic terminal, telephone, computer, or magnetic tape for the purpose of ordering, instructing, or authorizing a financial institution to debit or credit a consumer's account.\117\ Regulation E also provides protections for accounts from which consumers can make EFTs. In its initial rulemaking to implement EFTA, the Board developed a broad definition of ``account,'' which closely mirrored the definition of ``account'' in EFTA.\118\ The definition provides that, subject to certain specific exceptions, an account is a demand deposit (checking), savings, or other consumer asset account (other than an occasional or incidental credit balance in a credit plan) held directly or indirectly by a financial institution and established primarily for personal, family, or household purposes.\119\
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\116\ These provisions were originally adopted as 12 CFR part 205 but upon transfer of authority in the Dodd-Frank Act to implement Regulation E to the Bureau were renumbered as 12 CFR part 1005. 76 FR 81020 (Dec. 27, 2011). Unless otherwise noted, historical provisions described as residing in 12 CFR part 1005 originally were contained in 12 CFR part 205.
\117\ Sec. 1005.3(b)(1).
\118\ 44 FR 18468, 18480 (Mar. 28, 1979).
\119\ Sec. 1005.2(b)(1).
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For covered accounts, Regulation E mandates that consumers receive certain initial disclosures, in writing and in a form that the consumer can keep.\120\ As applicable, the initial disclosures must include, among other things, disclosures regarding a consumer's liability for unauthorized EFTs, an error resolution notice, contact information for the financial institution providing the account, the types of transfers a consumer may make and any limitations on the frequency and dollar amount of transfers, and the fees associated with making EFTs.\121\ Regulation E also sets forth substantive provisions on error resolution and imposes limits on a consumer's liability for unauthorized EFTs.\122\ Moreover, Regulation E contains, among other things, provisions specific to periodic statements (which generally must be provided in writing),\123\ the issuance of access devices,\124\ preauthorized EFTs and compulsory use,\125\ overdraft services,\126\ and ATM disclosures.\127\
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\120\ Sec. 1005.4(a)(1).
\121\ See generally Sec. 1005.7(b).
\122\ See Sec. Sec. 1005.6 and 1005.11.
\123\ Sec. 1005.9(b).
\124\ Sec. 1005.5. An access device is a card, code, or other means of access to a consumer's account, or any combination thereof, that may be used by the consumer to initiate EFTs. Sec. 1005.2(a)(1).
\125\ Sec. 1005.10.
\126\ Sec. 1005.17.
\127\ Sec. 1005.16. Since the transfer of authorities, the Bureau has amended Regulation E in two substantive respects. First, the Bureau added consumer protections to Regulation E in new subpart B for certain international fund transfers. Sec. Sec. 1005.30 through 1005.36. Additionally, the Bureau amended Regulation E with respect to certain rules pertaining to ATM fee notices. 78 FR 18221 (Mar. 26, 2013).
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As discussed in greater detail in the proposal,\128\ between 1994 and 2010, the Board amended Regulation E a number of times to add consumer protection for certain prepaid and other stored-value products. First, the Board adopted consumer protections in the mid 1990s for accounts used to distribute benefits for Federally-
administered government benefit programs and non-needs tested State and local government benefit programs, such as employment-related ones.\129\ As noted in the proposal, the Board's original rule included needs-tested State and local electronic benefit transfer programs (e.g., benefits such as those provided under SNAP and the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program),\130\ but Congress subsequently enacted legislation that limited the application of EFTA and Regulation E with respect to State and local electronic benefit transfer programs to only those programs that are ``non-needs tested.'' \131\ The Board issued updated rules in 1997.\132\
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\128\ 79 FR 77102, 77113-14 (Dec. 23, 2014).
\129\ See current Sec. 1005.15.
\130\ 59 FR 10678 (Mar. 7, 1994).
\131\ Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Public Law 104-193, 110 Stat. 2105 (1996).
\132\ 62 FR 43467 (Aug. 14, 1997).
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In the mid 2000s, the Board expanded Regulation E to provide specific protections for prepaid products that are payroll card accounts established by an employer for providing an employee's compensation on a regular basis.\133\ The Payroll Card Rule, among other things, brought payroll card accounts within the definition of account in Sec. 1005.2(b).\134\ The Board also tailored certain general Regulation E requirements to the payroll context. For example, the Board allowed providers of payroll card accounts to avoid the general requirement to provide written periodic statements, if the institution makes available to the consumer: (1) The account balance, through a readily available telephone line; (2) an electronic history of account transactions that covers at least 60 days (including all the information required in periodic statements by Sec. 1005.9(b)); and (3) a written history of account transactions that is provided promptly in response to an oral or written request and that covers at least 60 days (including all the information required in periodic statements by Sec. 1005.9(b)).\135\ Related provisions in Sec. 1005.18(c) modify other requirements of Regulation E with respect to payroll card accounts, including initial disclosures, annual error resolution notices (otherwise required by Sec. 1005.8(b)), and error resolution and limitations on liability, in recognition of the modified periodic statement requirement.
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\133\ 71 FR 51437, 51438 (Aug. 30, 2006). The Board proposed the rule in 2004. 69 FR 55996 (Sept. 17, 2004). The Payroll Card Rule is codified in Sec. 1005.18.
\134\ 71 FR 51437, 51438 (Aug. 30, 2006).
\135\ See Sec. 1005.18(b).
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More recently, the Board adopted a rule in 2010 to implement certain sections of the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 (Credit CARD Act) \136\ applicable to gift cards, gift certificates, and certain types of general-use prepaid cards that are marketed or labeled as gift cards (the Gift Card Rule).\137\ Although the Credit CARD Act explicitly gave the Board the discretionary authority to apply the majority of Regulation E's protections, including provisions regarding periodic statements, liability for unauthorized transactions, and error resolution to covered products,\138\ the Board chose only to implement specific statutory provisions governing expiration dates and dormancy or inactivity fees.\139\
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\136\ Public Law 111-24, 123 Stat. 1734 (2009).
\137\ Sec. 1005.20.
\138\ Credit CARD Act section 401; EFTA section 915(d)(1). The Gift Card Rule only covers certain general-use prepaid cards. Consistent with the Credit CARD Act, covered general-use prepaid cards are those that are non-reloadable cards or that are reloadable and marketed or sold as a gift card. See Sec. 1005.20(a)(3) (definition of a ``general-use prepaid card''). Moreover, like the Credit CARD Act, the Gift Card Rule excludes those general-use prepaid cards that are reloadable and not marketed or labeled as a gift card or gift certificate. Sec. 1005.20(b)(2).
\139\ Id.
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The Board considered whether to regulate GPR cards under EFTA and Regulation E several times, both in the course of promulgating these other amendments and independently. For example, when the Board initiated
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rulemaking in 1996 to amend its 1994 rule on government benefit accounts to exclude needs-tested programs, it took notice that prepaid cards (at the time referred to as stored-value cards) were beginning to be used by more consumers. The Board explained its belief that facts supported the determination that ``accounts'' under Regulation E would include stored-value accounts and sought comment on whether to adopt rules specific to prepaid financial products (other than government benefit accounts) pursuant to its authority under EFTA and noted pending legislation in Congress that would address stored-value cards.\140\ Ultimately, Congress directed the Board to conduct a study to evaluate whether provisions of EFTA could be applied to stored-value products without adversely affecting the cost, development, and operation of such products.\141\ The Board implemented the directive and published its findings in March 1997. It found, among other things, that the market for stored-value products was evolving rapidly and was not yet ripe for regulation.\142\ The Board did not finalize its 1996 proposal on stored-value.
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\140\ 61 FR 19696 (May 2, 1996); H.R. 2520, 104th Cong., Sec. 443; S. 650, 104th Cong., Sec. 601 (1995). Among the provisions considered in the 1996 proposal on stored-value, the Board proposed to extend Regulation E's error resolution provisions to stored-value accounts and provide a periodic statement alternative for such accounts similar to what was adopted for government benefit cards in 1994. The Board also noted pending legislation in Congress that would address stored-value cards.
\141\ Public Law 104-208, 110 Stat. 3009 (1996).
\142\ Bd. of Governors of the Fed. Reserve Sys., Report to Congress on the Application of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act to Electronic Stored-Value Products, at 75 (Mar. 1997), available at http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/rptcongress/efta_rpt.pdf. Notably, the products examined by the Board in this report differ from most prepaid products in use today.
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The Board again considered whether to regulate stored value cards in the course of issuing the Payroll Card Rule, but decided to focus solely on payroll card accounts because at that time they were more often used as transaction account substitutes than were other types of prepaid products.\143\
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\143\ 71 FR 51437, 51441 (Aug 30, 2006). Taking stock of the market at that time, the Board noted that consumers did not often use other prepaid products such as general-use prepaid cards in the same way that they used payroll card accounts. The Board stated that ``For payroll card accounts that are established through an employer, there is a greater likelihood than for general-use prepaid cards that the account will serve as a consumer's principal transaction account and hold significant funds for an extended period of time.'' Id. Similarly, in an earlier interim final rule that established that payroll card accounts are covered accounts under Regulation E, the Board expressed its belief that to the extent that consumers use general-use prepaid cards like gift cards, ``consumers would derive little benefit from receiving full Regulation E protections for a card that may only be used on a limited, short-term basis and which may hold minimal funds, while the costs of providing Regulation E initial disclosures, periodic statements, and error resolution rights would be quite significant for the issuer.'' 71 FR 1473, 1475 (Jan. 10, 2006). At the time, the Board viewed GPR cards as ``generally designed to make one-time or a limited number of payments to consumers and . . . not intended to be used on a long-term basis.'' Id.
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FMS Regulations of the Treasury Department
The Treasury Financial Management Service (FMS), now part of Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service, manages all Federal payments. In 2010, it promulgated an interim final rule that permitted delivery of Federal payment to prepaid cards (the FMS Rule).\144\ Among other things, the FMS Rule provides that for a prepaid card to be eligible to receive Federal payments, the card account must be held at an insured financial institution, must be set up to meet the requirements for FDIC or NCUA pass-through insurance, and must not have an attached line of credit or loan feature that triggers automatic repayment from the card account. Additionally, the card account issuer must comply with all of the requirements, and provide the cardholder with all of the consumer protections, that apply to payroll card accounts under Regulation E.\145\
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\144\ 75 FR 80335 (Dec. 22, 2010). Prior to the effective date of the FMS Rule, prepaid cards (other than those issued under FMS-
established programs) were not eligible to receive Federal payments.
\145\ 31 CFR 210.5(b)(5)(i).
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Based on Bureau research and as explained in the proposal, the Bureau believes that many GPR card providers have chosen to structure their prepaid products generally to comply with the FMS Rule, rather than tailoring compliance only for those accounts that actually receive Federal payments.\146\ For example, if, prior to the FMS Rule, a prepaid provider did not maintain error resolution procedures with respect to its prepaid products (or maintained procedures different from Regulation E's error resolution regulations), the provider had to either adjust its processes to provide consumers who receive Federal payments with Regulation E's error resolution rights or ensure that their prepaid products do not receive Federal payments. Rather than provide two different error resolution regimes for individual customers, many providers have opted to apply the same procedures to all cards on their systems.
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\146\ In issuing the FMS Rule, Treasury noted that it expected prepaid card issuers to comply with the FMS Rule (and thus provide Regulation E payroll card protections) to ensure that their products remain eligible to receive Federal payments. 75 FR 80335, 80338 (Dec. 22, 2010).
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Pass-Through Deposit (or Share) Insurance
Both the FDIC and NCUA have special rules regarding how the deposit or share insurance they provide generally applies to funds loaded onto prepaid products that are held in pooled accounts at banks and credit unions, as applicable.\147\ In the case of the FDIC, its 2008 General Counsel Opinion No. 8 provides that FDIC's deposit insurance coverage will ``pass through'' the custodian to the underlying individual owners of the deposits in the event of failure of an insured depository institution, provided that three specific criteria are met.\148\ First, the account records of the insured depository institution must disclose the existence of the agency or custodial relationship.\149\ Second, the records of the insured depository institution or records maintained by the custodian or other party must disclose the identities of the actual owners and the amount owned by each such owner. Third, the funds in the account actually must be owned (under the agreements among the parties or applicable law) by the purported owners and not by the custodian (or other party).150 151
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\147\ FDIC deposit insurance generally protects deposit accounts, including checking and savings accounts, money market deposit accounts and certificates of deposit against loss up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured depository institution, within each account ownership category (e.g., for individual owners, co-
owners, trust beneficiaries, and the like). See, e.g., http://www.fdic.gov/deposit. The FDIC also has resources for consumers about pass-through deposit insurance for prepaid cards. See fdic.gov/deposit/deposits/prepaid.html. The NCUA administers the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) for the purpose of providing insurance to protect deposits of credit union members of insured credit unions. See, e.g., http://www.ncua.gov/DataApps/Pages/SI-NCUA.aspx.
\148\ FDIC General Counsel Opinion No. 8, Insurability of Funds Underlying Stored Value Cards and Other Nontraditional Access Mechanisms, 73 FR 67155 (Nov. 13, 2008), internal citations omitted.
\149\ This requirement can be satisfied by opening the account under a title such as the following: ``ABC Company as Custodian for Cardholders.'' See id. at 67157.
\150\ Id.
\151\ The FDIC has also issued guidance on the application of requirements for brokered deposits as applied to prepaid cards. See, e.g., FDIC, Identifying, Accepting and Reporting Brokered Deposits Frequently Asked Questions (updated June 2016), available at https://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2016/fil16042b.pdf.
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Similarly, NCUA regulations generally require that the details of the existence of a relationship which may provide a basis for additional insurance and the interest of other parties in the account must be ascertainable either
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from the records of the credit union or the records of the member maintained in good faith and in the regular course of business.\152\
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\152\ 12 CFR 745.2(c)(2).
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The Bureau believes that most prepaid products subject to this final rule are set up to be eligible for FDIC or NCUA pass-through insurance. As discussed in greater detail below in the section-by-
section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xi), this final rule requires a financial institution to indicate on the short form disclosure required pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2) whether a prepaid account is eligible for FDIC or NCUA pass-through insurance.
Interchange and the Board's Regulation II
Section 1075 of the Dodd-Frank Act added new section 920 to EFTA regarding debit card interchange and amended EFTA section 904(a) to give the Board sole authority to prescribe rules to carry out the purposes of section 920.\153\ The statute also addresses prepaid cards that operate on debit card networks. Specifically, EFTA section 920(a)(2) requires that the amount of any interchange fee that an issuer of debit cards receives or charges with respect to an electronic debit transaction be reasonable and proportional to the cost incurred by the issuer with respect to the transaction. It directs the Board to establish standards for assessing whether the amount of any interchange fee is reasonable and proportional to the cost incurred by the issuer. The statute also provides certain exemptions from the interchange fee limitations for certain cards, including in section 920(a)(7)(A) an exemption for general-use reloadable prepaid (and debit) cards provided to a consumer pursuant to government-administered payment programs and for certain GPR cards. In addition, there is a blanket exemption from the interchange fee limitations for cards of issuers with total assets of less than $10 billion. Thus, interchange fees for transactions made with prepaid cards meeting the criteria for the statutory exemptions are generally not subject to the fee restrictions of EFTA section 920(a). However, the statute also provides a carveback that rescinds the exemption if certain fees, such as an overdraft fee, may be charged with respect to a card listed in section 920(a)(7)(A). There is no such carveback for the cards of issuers with total assets below $10 billion, however. The statute uses the same definition of general-use prepaid card as the Credit CARD Act.\154\ In July 2011, the Board promulgated Regulation II (12 CFR part 235) to implement EFTA section 920. The provisions regarding debit card interchange fee restrictions became effective as of October 1 of that year.\155\
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\153\ The amendment is known as ``The Durbin Amendment,'' after U.S. Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, who was the amendment's chief sponsor. See, e.g., David Morrison, Durbin Amendment Lawsuit Unresolved as 2013 Winds Down, Credit Union Times Magazine, Dec. 18, 2013, available at http://www.cutimes.com/2013/12/18/durbin-amendment-lawsuit-unresolved-as-2013-winds; see also Zhu Wang, Debit Card Interchange Fee Regulation: Some Assessments and Considerations, 98 Econ. Q. 159 (2012), available at https://www.richmondfed.org/-/media/richmondfedorg/publications/research/economic_quarterly/2012/q3/pdf/wang.pdf.
\154\ EFTA section 920(c)(2)(B).
\155\ 76 FR 43394 (July 20, 2011); 76 FR 43478 (July 20, 2011); amended by 77 FR 46258 (Aug. 3, 2012).
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FinCEN's Prepaid Access Rule
FinCEN, a bureau of the Treasury, regulates prepaid products pursuant to its mission to safeguard the financial system from illicit use, combat money laundering, and promote national security through the collection, analysis, and dissemination of financial intelligence and strategic use of financial authorities. In 2011, pursuant to a mandate under the Credit CARD Act, FinCEN published a final rule to amend BSA regulations applicable to money services businesses with respect to stored value or ``prepaid access'' (FinCEN's Prepaid Access Rule).\156\ The rule regulates prepaid access in a number of ways, including requiring providers or sellers of prepaid access to: (1) File suspicious activity reports; (2) collect and retain certain customer and transactional information; and (3) maintain an anti-money laundering program. The customer identification and verification requirements for providers and sellers of prepaid access under this rule are largely similar to the CIP requirements for banks and credit unions. These BSA requirements are similar to those that apply to other categories of money services businesses.\157\ However, consumer protection is not the focus of FinCEN's rules.
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\156\ 76 FR 45403 (July 29, 2011). Subject to certain specific exemptions, a ``prepaid program'' is defined as an ``arrangement under which one or more persons acting together provide(s) prepaid access.'' 31 CFR 1010.100(ff)(4)(iii). The term ``prepaid access'' is defined as ``access to funds or the value of funds that have been paid in advance and can be retrieved or transferred at some point in the future through an electronic device or vehicle, such as a card, code, electronic serial number, mobile identification number, or personal identification.'' 31 CFR 1010.100(ww).
\157\ 76 FR 45403, 45419 (July 29, 2011).
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Department of Education's Cash Management Regulations
ED, among other things, regulates the disbursement of Federal financial aid by colleges and universities. In October 2015, it adopted a final rule that amends its cash management regulations by setting forth new criteria that apply to colleges that partner with vendors to distribute Title IV funds and/or sponsor or directly market accounts to their students.\158\ Among other things, the rule prohibits colleges and universities that receive Federal financial aid from requiring students or parents to open a certain account into which student aid funds are deposited. Additionally, colleges and universities must provide students with a list of account options that the student may choose from to receive the student's aid disbursement. Each option must be presented neutrally and the student's preexisting bank account must be listed as the first and most prominent option with no account preselected. Further, the final rule bans point-of-sale and overdraft fees on accounts, including prepaid card accounts, that are directly marketed to students by a financial institution with which the student's college or university has an arrangement to disburse Federal financial aid on behalf of the post-secondary institution. Moreover, the final rule requires that college-sponsored accounts provide students with reasonable access to surcharge-free ATMs and deposit insurance.
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\158\ 80 FR 67126 (Oct. 30, 2015).
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As discussed in greater detail in the Prepaid Proposal and noted above, some colleges and universities partner with third parties to disburse financial aid proceeds into network-branded open-loop prepaid products endorsed by the colleges and universities, and questions have been raised about revenue sharing between the colleges and universities and these third parties.\159\ Indeed, in its final rule, ED stated its belief that the new regulations are warranted because of the numerous concerns that have been raised about the practices of certain colleges and universities and third parties with respect to the distribution of Federal student aid. These practices include implying to students that they must sign up for certain accounts to receive Federal student aid and charging students onerous, confusing, or unavoidable fees in order to access student aid funds or otherwise use the account.\160\
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\159\ See 79 FR 77102, 77109 (Dec. 23, 2014).
\160\ See, e.g., 80 FR 67126, 67129, 67179 (Oct. 30, 2015).
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Page 83949
State Laws
As discussed in greater detail in the proposal, many States have passed consumer protection laws or other rules to regulate prepaid products in general, and in particular, certain types of prepaid products such as government benefits cards. For example, in 2013, Illinois imposed pre-acquisition, on-card, and at-the-time-of-purchase disclosure requirements on ``general-use reloadable prepaid cards.'' \161\ Also in 2013, California enacted a law that extended protections similar to the FMS Rule to prepaid products receiving unemployment benefits and basic-needs benefits from the State of California.\162\
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\161\ IL SB 1829 (2013), Public Act 098-0545, codified at 205 Ill. Comp. Stat. 616/10 and 616/46. The Illinois law defines ``general use reloadable card'' as, among other things, issued for consumer use; can be reloaded; is open-loop; and not marketed or labeled as a gift card or gift certificate. 205 ILCS 616/10.
\162\ CA A 1820 (2013), ch. 557, codified at Cal. Unemp. Ins. Code Sec. 1339.1 and Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code Sec. 11006.2. Similar to the FMS Rule, this law includes provisions requiring that, among other things, such accounts to be set up to be eligible for pass-
through deposit or share insurance, not be attached to any credit or overdraft feature that is automatically repaid from the account after delivery of the payment, and compliance not only with the Payroll Card Rule (or other rules subsequently adopted under EFTA that apply to prepaid card accounts). See also CA A 2252 (2014), ch. 180, codified at Cal. Fam. Code Sec. 17325 (extending similar protections to cards used for distribution of child support payments).
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Further, many States have money transmitter laws that may apply to prepaid product providers. The laws vary by State but generally require a company to be licensed and to post a surety bond to cover accountholder losses if it becomes insolvent. Most States further require that the companies hold high-grade investments to back the money in customer accounts. But as noted in the proposal, States vary in the amount of their oversight of companies licensed under the money transmitter laws, and many may not have streamlined processes to pay out funds in the event a prepaid product provider were to file for bankruptcy protection.\163\
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\163\ See, e.g., The Pew Charitable Trusts, Imperfect Protection--Using Money Transmitter Laws to Insure Prepaid Cards (Mar. 2013), available at http://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/legacy/
uploadedfiles/pcs_assets/2013/.pdf.
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Existing Regulation of Credit Products and Overdraft Services Offered in Connection With Transaction Accounts
As discussed further below, this final rule sets forth certain requirements that apply to overdraft credit features offered in connection with prepaid accounts. In crafting a regime to apply to credit accessed by prepaid cards, the Bureau has been conscious of existing regimes for regulating overdraft lines of credit (where there is a written agreement to pay overdrafts) generally under TILA and its implementing Regulation Z and overdraft services in the context of checking accounts (where there is no written agreement to pay overdrafts) under EFTA and Regulation E. Such overdraft services are exempt from Regulation Z but subject to certain parts of Regulation E.
Open-End (Not Home-Secured) Credit Products Under the Truth in Lending Act and the Electronic Fund Transfer Act
Credit products are generally subject to TILA and Regulation Z, although the application of specific provisions of the statute and regulation depends on the attributes of the particular credit product. In 1968, Congress enacted TILA to promote the informed use of consumer credit by requiring disclosures about its terms and cost and to provide standardized disclosures. Congress has revised TILA several times and its purpose now is to ``assure a meaningful disclosure of credit terms so that the consumer will be able to compare more readily the various credit terms available to him,'' to ``avoid the uninformed use of credit,'' and ``to protect the consumer against inaccurate and unfair credit billing and credit card practices.'' \164\ TILA defines credit broadly to mean the right granted by a creditor to a debtor to defer payment of debt or incur debt and defer its payment.\165\
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\164\ 15 U.S.C. 1601(a).
\165\ 15 U.S.C. 1602(f). The term creditor in Regulation Z, set forth in Sec. 1026.2(a)(17)(i), generally means a person who regularly extends consumer credit that is subject to a finance charge or is payable by written agreement in more than four installments (not including a down payment), and to whom the obligation is initially payable, either on the face of the note or contract, or by agreement when there is no note or contract.
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Congress has amended TILA on several occasions to provide consumers using certain types of credit products with additional protections. The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA),\166\ enacted in 1974, added a number of substantive protections for consumers who use open-end credit \167\ or use credit cards subject to TILA.\168\ For example, the FCBA increased rights and remedies for consumers who assert billing errors and required a minimum 14-day grace period for payments for creditors that offer a grace period, prompt re-crediting of refunds, and refunds of credit balances. Credit cards are also subject to these requirements,\169\ but also to a broad range of additional protections. Regulation Z defines the term ``credit card'' to mean any card, plate, or other single credit device that may be used from time to time to obtain credit.\170\ Cognizant that many financial institutions issue credit cards to cardholders with whom they also have a deposit account relationship, Congress in the FCBA also restricted the right of such institutions from taking funds out of a deposit account to satisfy their credit card claims.\171\ In 1988, Congress amended TILA through the Fair Credit and Charge Card Disclosure Act, which required issuers of credit cards and charge cards to provide certain disclosures at the time of application and solicitation.\172\
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\166\ Public Law 93-495, 88 Stat. 1511 (1974).
\167\ As discussed in greater detail in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1026.2(a)(20), open-end credit exists where there is a plan in which the creditor reasonably contemplates repeated transactions; the creditor may impose a finance charge from time to time on an outstanding unpaid balance; and the amount of credit that may be extended to the consumer during the term of the plan (up to any limit set by the creditor) is generally made available (even if not disclosed) to the extent that any outstanding balance is repaid. Sec. 1026.2(a)(20). Closed-end credit is credit that does not meet the definition of open-end credit. Sec. 1026.2(a)(10).
\168\ Public Law 93-495, 88 Stat. 1511 (1974).
\169\ Indeed, credit cards are subject to specialized and heightened disclosure requirements in advertisements, at the time of account opening, periodically for each billing cycle (i.e., periodic statements), and when certain terms of the account change. In addition, for credit card accounts disclosures generally are required on or with applications or solicitations. Among the required disclosures for credit cards on or with an application or solicitation is a tabular disclosure setting forth seven different disclosures. Sec. 1026.60. This ``Schumer box'' must be similar to the model forms in appendix G-10 to Regulation Z and must set forth certain fees, interest rates, transaction charges, and other required charges.
\170\ See Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i).
\171\ See Gardner v. Montgomery County Teachers Fed. Credit Union, 864 F.Supp.2d 410 (D. Md. 2012) (providing an overview of the FCBA's no offset provision).
\172\ A charge card is a credit card on an account for which no periodic rate is used to compute a finance charge. Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(iii).
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In 2009, Congress enhanced protections for credit cards in the Credit CARD Act, which it enacted to ``establish fair and transparent practices related to the extension of credit'' in the credit card market.\173\ The Credit CARD Act, which amended TILA and EFTA, regulates both the underwriting and pricing of credit card accounts. Specifically, it prohibits credit card issuers from extending credit without assessing the consumer's ability to pay and imposes special rules regarding the extension of credit to persons under the age of 21 and to college students. The Credit CARD Act also restricts the fees that an issuer can charge during the first
Page 83950
year after an account is opened, and limits both the instances in which issuers can charge ``back-end'' penalty fees when a consumer makes a late payment or exceeds his or her credit limit and the amount of such fees. Additionally, the Credit CARD Act restricts the circumstances under which issuers can increase interest rates on credit card accounts and establishes procedures for doing so. The Board generally implemented these provisions in subpart G of Regulation Z. Thus, while all open-end (not home-secured) credit plans receive some of TILA's protections, generally only open-end (not home-secured) credit plans that are accessed by credit cards receive the additional protections of the Credit CARD Act.
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\173\ Public Law 111-24, 123 Stat. 1734 (2009).
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Although EFTA does not generally focus on credit issues, Congress provided a specific credit-related protection in that statute. Known as the compulsory use provision, it provides that no person may ``condition the extension of credit to a consumer on such consumer's repayment by means of preauthorized electronic fund transfers.'' \174\ A preauthorized EFT is an EFT authorized in advance to recur at substantially regular intervals, such as a recurring direct deposit or ACH debit. Where applicable, the compulsory use provision thus prevents a creditor from requiring a particular form of payment, such as a recurring ACH debit to another account, to repay credit. This provides consumers with the ability to control how and when they repay credit and does not allow a creditor to insist on a particular form of repayment. Thus, as implemented in Regulations Z and E, some of these protections are broadly applicable to credit generally while others are specific to particular credit products. For example, open-end lines of credit that consumers can link to a deposit account to pull funds when the account has insufficient funds where there is a written agreement to pay overdrafts generally are subject to certain disclosure requirements under Regulation Z and certain provisions of the FCBA. The Board, however, exempted overdraft lines of credit from the compulsory use provision, as discussed in more detail below). The Board also exempted overdraft lines of credit accessed by a debit card from the Credit CARD Act provisions.\175\
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\174\ EFTA section 913(1). As implemented in Regulation E, this provision (Sec. 1005.10(e)(1)) contains an exception for overdraft credit plans: ``No financial institution or other person may condition an extension of credit to a consumer on the consumer's repayment by preauthorized electronic fund transfers, except for credit extended under an overdraft credit plan or extended to maintain a specified minimum balance in the consumer's account.''
\175\ 75 FR 7658 (Feb. 22, 2010).
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Federal Regulatory Treatment of Deposit Account Overdraft Services
A separate regulatory regime has evolved over the years with regard to treatment of overdraft services, which started as courtesy programs under which financial institutions would decide on a manual, ad hoc basis to cover particular check transactions for which consumers lacked funds in their deposit accounts rather than to return the transactions and subject consumers to a NSF fee, merchant fees, and other negative consequences from bounced checks. Although Congress did not exempt overdraft services or similar programs offered in connection with deposit accounts when it enacted TILA, the Board in issuing Regulation Z in 1969 carved financial institutions' overdraft programs (also then commonly known as ``bounce protection programs'') out of the new regulation.\176\ The Board distinguished between bounce protection programs where there is no written agreement to pay items that overdraw the account and more formal line-of-credit overdraft programs where there is a written agreement to pay overdrafts. Specifically, the Board exempted informal bounce protection programs but subjected overdraft lines of credit to Regulation Z when the creditor imposes a finance charge.\177\
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\176\ 34 FR 2002 (Feb. 11, 1969). See also, e.g., Sec. 1026.4(c)(3) (excluding charges imposed by a financial institution for paying items that overdraw an account from the definition of ``finance charge,'' unless the payment of such items and the imposition of the charge were previously agreed upon in writing); Sec. 1026.4(b)(2) (providing that any charge imposed on a checking or other transaction account is an example of a finance charge only to the extent that the charge exceeds the charge for a similar account without a credit feature).
\177\ Later in the 1970s, the Board added provisions in Regulation Z specifically addressing credit cards. 40 FR 43200 (Sept. 19, 1975). The Board subsequently carved debit cards, where there is no agreement to extend credit, out of the definition of credit card. 46 FR 50288, 50293 (Oct. 9, 1981).
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The Board revisited the exception of bounce protection programs from Regulation Z in 1981, in a rulemaking in which the Board implemented the Truth in Lending Simplification and Reform Act.\178\ In the related proposal, the Board considered adjusting its overdraft exemption to apply only to ``inadvertent'' overdrafts because, the Board stated, a charge imposed for honoring an instrument under any agreement between the institution and the consumer is a charge imposed for a credit extension and thus fits the general definition of a finance charge, regardless of whether the charge and the honoring of the check are reflected in a written agreement.\179\ Ultimately, however, the Board made only a ``few minor editorial changes'' to the exception in Sec. 1026.4(c)(3) from the definition of finance charge that applied to fees for paying items that overdraw an account where there is no written agreement to pay, concluding that it would exclude from Regulation Z ``overdraft charges from the definition of finance charge unless there is an agreement in writing to pay items and impose a charge.'' \180\
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\178\ Public Law 96-221, sec. 601, 94 Stat. 132; 45 FR 80648 (Dec. 5, 1980).
\179\ 45 FR 80648, 80657.
\180\ 46 FR 20848, 20855 (Apr. 7, 1981).
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The Board also took up the status of bounce protection programs in the early 1980s in connection with the enactment of EFTA. As noted above, EFTA's compulsory use provision generally prohibits financial institutions or other persons from conditioning the extension of credit on a consumer's repayment by means of preauthorized EFTs. The Board, however, exercised its EFTA section 904(c) exception authority to create an exception to the compulsory use provision for credit extended under an overdraft credit plan or extended to maintain a specified minimum balance in the consumer's account.\181\ In adopting this exception, the Board stated that ``overdraft protection is a service that financial institutions have been providing to consumers at little or no extra cost beyond the cost of the protected account.'' \182\
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\181\ See Sec. 1005.10(e)(1).
\182\ 46 FR 2972, 2973 (Jan. 13, 1981).
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Overdraft services in the 1990s began to evolve away from the historical model of bounce protection programs in a number of ways. One major industry change was a shift away from manual ad hoc decision-
making by financial institution employees to a system involving heavy reliance on automated programs to process transactions and to make overdraft decisions. A second was to impose higher overdraft fees. In addition, broader changes in payment transaction types also increased the impacts of these other changes on overdraft services. In particular, debit card use expanded dramatically, and financial institutions began extending overdraft services to debit card transactions.
In the 1990s, many institutions expanded transactional capabilities by replacing consumers' ATM-only cards with debit cards that consumers could use to make electronic payments to merchants and service providers directly from their checking accounts
Page 83951
using the major payment networks (and thus most merchants could accept them).\183\ As a result, debit card transaction volumes grew quickly as payment networks that enable these transactions broadened. Acceptance by grocery stores, gas stations, fast food restaurants, and other retailers helped to drive the popularity of debit card payments across regional and global ATM networks (accessed by using a PIN). By the late 1990s, ``signature debit'' transaction volumes became the most common type of debit card transaction.\184\ These debit cards offered acceptance at all merchants that honored payments from the major payment networks, such as internet retailers.\185\
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\183\ See R. Borzekowski et al., Consumers' Use of Debit Cards: Patterns, Preferences, and Price Response, at 2 (Fed. Reserve Board, Apr. 2006), available at http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/feds/2006/200616/200616pap.pdf (noting that, as of 2006, ``annual debit card transactions at the point of sale have been growing at over twenty percent per year since 1996 and now exceed credit card transactions.''). By 2006, debit card payment transaction volumes in the U.S. had exceeded both check and credit card payments, and from 2006 to 2011, the total volume of U.S. consumer debit card transactions nearly doubled.
\184\ Fumiko Hayashi, The New Debit Card Regulations: Initial Effects on Networks and Banks, Fed. Reserve Bank of Kan. City Econ. Rev., at 83 chart 2 (4th quarter 2012), available at https://www.kansascityfed.org/publicat/econrev//12q4Hayashi.pdf. With respect to ``signature debit'' transactions, a consumer does not use a PIN but instead typically signs a copy of a transaction receipt provided by the merchant in order to affirm the consumer's identity. For further information on the difference between signature-based and PIN-based card transactions, see, for example, the preamble of the Board's proposed rule to implement the Durbin amendment. 75 FR 81722, 81723 (Dec. 28, 2010).
\185\ See generally CFPB Overdraft White Paper at 11-17 (explaining growth of debit card transactions from consumers' deposit accounts).
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As a result of these operational changes, overdraft services became a significant source of revenue for banks and credit unions as the volume of transactions involving checking accounts increased due primarily to the growth of debit cards.\186\ Before debit card use grew, overdraft fees on check and ATM transactions formed a greater portion of deposit account overdrafts. Debit card transactions presented consumers with markedly more chances to incur an overdraft fee when making a purchase because of increased acceptance and use of debit cards for relatively small transactions (e.g., fast food and grocery stores).\187\ Over time, revenue from overdraft increased and began to influence significantly the overall pricing structure for many deposit accounts, as providers began relying heavily on back-end pricing while eliminating or reducing front-end pricing (i.e., ``free'' checking accounts with no monthly fees) as discussed above.\188\
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\186\ Id. at 16.
\187\ Id. at 11-12.
\188\ Id. at 16-17.
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As a result of the growth of debit card transactions and the changing landscape of deposit account overdraft services, Federal banking regulators expressed increasing concern about consumer protection issues and began a series of issuances and rulemakings. First, in September 2001, the OCC released an interpretive letter expressing concern about overdraft protection services.\189\ The letter noted that overdrafts are credit but that related fees may not be finance charges under Regulation Z. In declining to issue a ``comfort letter'' regarding an unnamed overdraft service, the OCC called attention to a number of troubling practices, including inadequate disclosure to consumers of the risk of harm from overdraft services and failure to properly help consumers who were using overdraft services as ``a means of meeting regular obligations'' to find more economical forms of credit.\190\
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\189\ Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Interpretive Letter No. 914, 3rd Party Program, (Aug. 3, 2001), available at http://www.occ.gov/static/interpretations-and-precedents/sep01/int914.pdf.
\190\ Id.
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The Board also signaled concern with overdraft services in a number of rulemaking actions. In a 2002 proposal to amend Regulation Z with regard to the status of certain credit card-related fees and other issues, the Board noted that some overdraft services may not be all that different from overdraft lines of credit and requested comment on whether and how Regulation Z should be applied to banks' bounce-
protection services, in light of the Regulation's exclusion of such services but inclusion of lines-of-credit where a finance charge is imposed or is accessed by a debit card.\191\ The Board did not modify the Regulation Z exemptions when it issued final rules in 2003,\192\ but proposed revisions to Regulation DD (which implements the Truth in Savings Act (TISA)) and its commentary in 2004 to address concerns about the uniformity and adequacy of institutions' disclosure of overdraft fees generally and to address concerns about advertised automated overdraft services in particular.\193\ The Board specifically noted that it was not proposing to cover overdraft services under TILA and Regulation Z, but that further consideration of the need for such coverage would be appropriate if consumer protection concerns about these overdraft services were to persist in the future.\194\
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\191\ 67 FR 72618, 72620 (Dec. 6, 2002).
\192\ The March 2003 final rule preamble stated that ``the Board's staff is continuing to gather information on these services, which are not addressed in the final rule.'' 68 FR 16185 (Apr. 3, 2003).
\193\ 69 FR 31760 (June 7, 2004).
\194\ Id. at 31761.
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When the Board finalized the Regulation DD proposal in 2005, it noted that it declined at that time to extend Regulation Z to overdraft services. In doing so, it noted that industry commenters were concerned about the cost of imposing Regulation Z requirements on deposit accounts and about the compliance burden of providing an annual percentage rate (APR) that is calculated based on overdraft fees without corresponding benefits to consumers in better understanding the costs of credit. The Board noted that consumer advocates stated that overdraft services compete with traditional credit products--open-end lines of credit, credit cards, and short-term closed-end loans--all of which are covered under TILA and Regulation Z and provide consumers with the cost of credit expressed as a dollar finance charge and an APR. The Board explained that these commenters believed TILA disclosures would enhance consumers' understanding of the cost of overdraft services and their ability to compare costs of competing financial services. The Board also noted that some members of its Consumer Advisory Council believed that overdraft services are the functional equivalent of a traditional overdraft line of credit and thus should be subject to Regulation Z, but that financial institutions' historical practice of paying occasional overdrafts on an ad hoc basis should not be covered by Regulation Z. While not specifically addressing these concerns, the Board emphasized that its decision not to apply Regulation Z did not preclude future consideration regarding whether it was appropriate to extend Regulation Z to overdraft services.\195\
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\195\ 70 FR 29582, 29584-85 (May 24, 2005). In this 2005 rulemaking, the Board revised Regulation DD to address concerns about the uniformity and adequacy of information provided to consumers when they overdraw their deposit accounts. Among other things, the final rule required institutions that promote the payment of overdrafts in an advertisement to disclose on periodic statements, total fees imposed for paying overdrafts and total fees imposed for returning items unpaid on periodic statements, both for the statement period and the calendar year to date, and to include certain other disclosures in advertisements of overdraft services. Id. Ultimately, in 2009, the Board expanded this provision to all institutions, not just those that promote the payments of overdrafts. See 74 FR 5584 (Jan. 29, 2009).
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In February 2005 (prior to the Board having finalized the Regulation DD
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changes discussed above), the Federal banking agencies also issued joint guidance on overdraft programs in response to the increased availability and customer use of overdraft services.\196\ The purpose of the Joint Guidance was to assist insured banks in the responsible disclosure and administration of overdraft programs. The agencies were concerned that the banks failed to clearly disclose the terms and conditions of the programs, including the fees associated with them and that consumers might have been misled.\197\
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\196\ 70 FR 9127 (Feb. 24, 2005) (Joint Guidance). The Office of Thrift Supervision also issued guidance on overdraft protection programs. See 70 FR 8428 (Feb. 18, 2005).
\197\ 70 FR 9127, 9129 (Feb. 24, 2005).
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The Joint Guidance stated that ``the existing regulatory exceptions i.e., exceptions in Regulation Z such that the Regulation does not apply were created for the occasional payment of overdrafts, and as such could be reevaluated by the Board in the future, if necessary. Were the Board to address these issues more specifically, it would do so separately under its clear TILA authority.'' \198\ The Joint Guidance went on to state that ``when overdrafts are paid, credit is extended. Overdraft protection programs may expose an institution to more credit risk (e.g., higher delinquencies and losses) than overdraft lines of credit and other traditional overdraft protection options to the extent these programs lack individual account underwriting.'' \199\ This guidance remains in effect.
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\198\ Id. at 9128.
\199\ Id.
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In the late 2000s as controversy regarding overdraft services continued to mount despite the increase in regulatory activity, Federal agencies began exploring various additional measures with regard to overdraft, including whether to require that consumers affirmatively opt in before being charged for overdraft services. First, in May 2008, the Board along with the NCUA and the now-defunct Office of Thrift Supervision proposed to exercise their authority under section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act) \200\ to prohibit institutions from assessing any fees on a consumer's account in connection with an overdraft service, unless the consumer was given notice and the right to opt out of the service, and the consumer did not opt out.\201\ At the same time, the Board issued a proposal under Regulation DD to expand disclosure requirements and revise periodic statement requirements to provide aggregate totals for overdraft fees and for returned item fees for the periodic statement period and the year to date.\202\ The Board finalized portions of the Regulation DD proposal in January 2009.\203\ In addition, although the three agencies did not finalize their FTC Act proposal, the Board ultimately adopted an opt-in requirement for ATM and one-time debit card transactions under Regulation E in late 2009.
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\200\ Section 5 of the FTC Act prohibits ``unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce.'' 15 U.S.C. 45. See also Federal Deposit Insurance Act section 8 (extending to the Board authority to take appropriate action when unfair or deceptive acts or practices are discovered). 12 U.S.C. 1818.
\201\ 73 FR 28904 (May 19, 2008).
\202\ 73 FR 28730 (May 19, 2008).
\203\ 74 FR 5584 (Jan. 29, 2009). Specifically, this rule required, among other things, all banks to disclose aggregate overdraft fees on periodic statements, and not solely institutions that promote the payment of overdrafts.
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The overdraft opt-in rule in Regulation E applies to all accounts covered by Regulation E, including payroll card accounts. In addressing overdraft services for the first time as a feature of accounts in Regulation E,\204\ the Board concluded that the opt-in rule carried out ``the express purposes of EFTA by: (a) establishing notice requirements to help consumers better understand the cost of overdraft services for certain EFTs; and (b) providing consumers with a choice as to whether they want overdraft services for ATM and one-time debit card transactions in light of the costs associated with those services.'' \205\ The rule did not discuss GPR cards, which as noted above, the Board had not expressly subjected to Regulation E coverage.
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\204\ 74 FR 59033 (Nov. 17, 2009).
\205\ Id. at 59037.
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Following the adoption of the Board's overdraft opt-in rule, the FDIC expanded on the previously issued Joint Guidance via a Financial Institution Letter to reaffirm its existing supervisory expectations with respect to overdraft payment programs generally and provide specific guidance with respect to automated overdraft payment programs.\206\ In 2011, the OCC proposed similar guidance regarding automatic overdraft programs and deposit advance products. This guidance, if finalized, would have clarified the OCC's application of principles of safe and sound banking practices in connection with deposit-related consumer credit products such as automated overdraft services and direct deposit advance programs.\207\ The OCC withdrew this proposed guidance in 2013.\208\
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\206\ Fed. Deposit Ins. Corp., FIL-81-2010, Overdraft Payment Programs and Consumer Protection Final Overdraft Payment Supervisory Guidance (Fin. Inst. Letter, Nov. 24, 2010), available at https://www.fdic.gov/news/news//2010/fil10081.html.
\207\ 76 FR 33409 (June 8, 2011). The Office of Thrift Supervision also proposed supplemental guidance on overdraft protection programs. 75 FR 22681 (Apr. 29, 2010).
\208\ 78 FR 25353 (Apr. 30, 2013).
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Since the Bureau assumed authority from the Board for implementing most of EFTA in 2011, it has taken a number of steps--including research, analysis, and solicitation of comment--to assess the impact and efficacy of the Board's 2009 overdraft opt-in rule. In early 2012, the Bureau issued a Request For Information that sought input from the public on a number of overdraft topics, including lower cost alternatives to overdraft protection programs, consumer alerts and information provided regarding balances and overdraft triggers, the impact of changes to Regulations DD and E and overdraft opt-in rates, the impact of changes in financial institutions' operating policies, the economics of overdraft programs, and the long-term impact on consumers.\209\ In response, the Bureau received over 1,000 comments. The Bureau did not request information specific to prepaid products, and few commenters specifically addressed prepaid products. The Bureau has also undertaken significant research into overdraft services that has resulted, to date, in the release of the CFPB Overdraft White Paper, noted above, and a data point in July 2014.\210\ The Bureau is engaged in pre-rule making activities to consider potential regulation of overdraft services on checking accounts.\211\ As part of its preparations, the Bureau has begun consumer testing initiatives related to the opt-in process set forth in current Regulation E.\212\
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\209\ 77 FR 12031 (Feb. 28, 2012).
\210\ See CFPB, Data Point: Checking Account Overdraft (July 2014), available at http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201407_cfpb_report_data-point_overdrafts.pdf.
\211\ See CFPB, Spring 2016 Rulemaking Agenda (May 2016), available at http://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/spring-2016-rulemaking-agenda/.
\212\ Id.
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Other Relevant Federal Regulatory Activity
In addition, several Federal initiatives have specifically addressed the possibility of credit features being offered in connection with prepaid products. First, the Treasury FMS Rule (described above), adopted in late December 2011, permits Federal payments to be deposited onto a prepaid product only if the product is not attached to a line of credit or loan agreement under which repayment from
Page 83953
the account is triggered upon delivery of the Federal payments, among other conditions.\213\ The preamble to that Interim Final Rule indicates that the goal of this requirement is to prevent payday lending and other arrangements in which a financial institution or creditor ``advances'' funds to a cardholder's account, and then repays itself for the advance and any related fees by taking some or all of the cardholder's next deposit.\214\ The Treasury FMS Rule does not, however, directly address the permissibility of overdraft services.
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\213\ See 31 CFR 210.5(b)(5)(i)(C).
\214\ 75 FR 80335 (Dec. 22, 2010).
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Second, as discussed above, the Board's Regulation II generally caps interchange fees that may be imposed on debit card transactions. Regulation II provides an exemption from the fee restrictions for cards provided pursuant to a Federal, State, or local government-administered payment program and for certain reloadable prepaid cards.\215\ However, Regulation II carves out of this exemption interchange fees for transactions made with these prepaid cards if, with respect to the card, an overdraft fee may be charged.\216\ EFTA and Regulation II provide a separate, blanket exemption for cards of issuers with assets of less than $10 billion, so these cards are not subject to the fee restrictions even if overdraft fees may be charged.\217\
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\215\ See 12 CFR 235.5(b) through (d).
\216\ 12 CFR 235.5(d)(1).
\217\ See EFTA section 920(a)(6)(A) and 12 CFR 235.5(a).
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Third, as discussed above in part II.B, ED's cash management regulation bans point-of-sale and overdraft fees on accounts, including prepaid card accounts, that are directly marketed to students by a financial institution with which the student's college or university has an arrangement to disburse Federal financial aid on behalf of the post-secondary institution.\218\
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\218\ See generally 80 FR 67126 (Oct. 30, 2015).
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Separately, in 2015, the Department of Defense (DOD) issued a final rule \219\ amending its regulation \220\ that implements the Military Lending Act (MLA).\221\ Under the MLA, a creditor generally may not apply a military APR (MAPR) greater than 36 percent in connection with an extension of consumer credit to a military service member or dependent.\222\ The final rule expands the types of consumer credit covered by the regulation that implements the MLA so that it is now more consistent with the types of consumer credit covered by TILA, subject to certain statutory exemptions set forth in the MLA. Because overdraft services are exempted from Regulation Z, they are also exempted from the regulation that implements the MLA.\223\ Additionally, although the DOD proposed that for open-end (not home-
secured) credit card accounts, any credit-related charge that is a finance charge under Regulation Z (as well as certain other charges) would be included in calculating the MAPR for a particular billing cycle, and the MAPR for that billing cycle could not exceed 36 percent, the final rule provides a two-year exemption for credit extended in a credit card account under an open-end (not home-secured) consumer credit plan.\224\
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\219\ 80 FR 43560 (July 22, 2015). The DOD issued a related interpretive rule in August 2016. See 81 FR 58840 (Aug. 26, 2016).
\220\ 32 CFR part 232.
\221\ 10 U.S.C. 987 et seq.
\222\ 10 U.S.C. 987(b).
\223\ 80 FR 43560, 43580 (July 22, 2015).
\224\ 32 CFR 232.13.
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Other Payments-Related Bureau Actions
The Bureau has handled approximately 5,600 prepaid card complaints as of August 1, 2016.\225\ Concerns have included issues related to accessing funds loaded on the prepaid cards, unauthorized transactions, fees, and error resolution.\226\ In June 2014, the Bureau issued a Request for Information regarding the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of mobile financial products and services.\227\ The Bureau sought information on how mobile technologies are impacting economically vulnerable consumers with limited access to traditional banking systems. The Bureau received approximately 48 comments in response to this request for information, and published a summary of the comments in November 2015.\228\ Among other things, the summary noted that the comments indicated a significant increase in the use of virtual prepaid products (prepaid products accessed via computer or on a mobile device without a physical card) by underserved consumers (i.e., low-income, unbanked, underbanked, and economically vulnerable consumers).
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\225\ While this number reflects complaints since July 11, 2011, the Bureau did not officially begin accepting consumer complaints about prepaid products until July 2014. See Press Release, CFPB, CFPB Begins Accepting Consumer Complaints on Prepaid Cards and Additional Nonbank Products (July 21, 2014), available at http://www.consumerfinance.gov/newsroom/cfpb-begins-accepting-consumer-complaints-on-prepaid-cards-and-additional-nonbank-products.
\226\ See, e.g., CFPB Monthly Complaint Report, at 11-12 (Mar. 2016), available at http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201603_cfpb_monthly-complaint-report-vol-8.pdf (the monthly report included a section on prepaid card complaints).
\227\ 79 FR 33731 (June 12, 2014).
\228\ CFPB, Mobile Financial Services--A Summary of Comments from the Public on Opportunities, Challenges, and Risks for the Underserved (Nov. 2015), available at http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201511_cfpb_mobile-financial-services.pdf.
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In August 2014, the Bureau issued a consumer advisory on virtual currencies that discussed the risks to consumers posed by them.\229\ At the same time, the Bureau also began accepting consumer complaints regarding virtual currencies. In the proposal, the Bureau stated that its analysis with respect to virtual currencies and related products and services was ongoing. The proposal did not resolve specific issues with respect to the application of either existing regulations or the proposed rule to virtual currencies and related products and services.\230\ Nonetheless, the Bureau received some comments on whether the Bureau should regulate virtual currency products and services under this final rule. These comments are discussed in greater detail in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.2(b) below.
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\229\ CFPB Consumer Advisory, Risks to Consumers Posed by Virtual Currencies (Aug. 2014), available at http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201408_cfpb_consumer-advisory_virtual-currencies.pdf.
\230\ 79 FR 77102, 77133 (Dec. 23, 2014).
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Summary of the Rulemaking Process
The Bureau undertook several years of research, analysis, and other outreach before issuing this final rule. As noted above, the Bureau issued the Prepaid ANPR in 2012, which posed a series of questions for public comment about how the Bureau might consider regulating GPR cards. The Bureau sought input on the following topics: (1) The disclosure of fees and terms; (2) if consumers should be informed whether their funds are protected by FDIC pass-through deposit insurance; (3) unauthorized transactions and the costs and benefits of requiring card issuers to provide limited liability protection from unauthorized transactions similar to those protections available for other accounts under Regulation E; and (4) other product features including credit features in general and overdraft services in particular, linked savings accounts, and credit repair or credit building features.
The Bureau received over 220 comments on the Prepaid ANPR.\231\ Industry commenters, including banks and credit unions, prepaid program managers, payment networks and
Page 83954
industry trade associations, submitted the majority of comments. The Bureau also received comment letters from consumer and other interest groups, as well as several individual consumers. The Bureau evaluated the comments received in response to the Prepaid ANPR in its preparation of the proposed rule.
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\231\ The comments can be reviewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=CFPB-2012-0019-0001.
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The Bureau conducted extensive and significant additional outreach and research following the Prepaid ANPR as part of its efforts to study and evaluate prepaid products. The Bureau's pre-proposal outreach included meetings with industry, consumer groups, and non-partisan research and advocacy organizations. The Bureau also conducted market research, monitoring, and related actions pursuant to section 1022(c)(4) of the Dodd-Frank Act, which allows the Bureau to gather information from time to time regarding the organization, business conduct, markets, and activities of covered persons and service providers to aid the Bureau's market monitoring efforts. Further, the Bureau obtained information directly from consumers through focus groups and consumer testing. Additionally, as noted above, the Bureau studied publicly available account agreements for prepaid products that appear to meet the Bureau's proposed definition of the term ``prepaid account'' that involved Bureau staff reviewing of numerous prepaid products' terms and conditions to determine current industry practices in a number of areas to inform its understanding of the potential costs and benefits of extending various Regulation E provisions to prepaid accounts. The Bureau's consumer testing and Study of Prepaid Account Agreements are discussed in greater detail below.
To prepare this final rule, the Bureau considered, among other things, feedback provided in response to the Prepaid ANPR, feedback provided to the Bureau prior to the issuance of its proposal, including information gathered during consumer testing, interagency consultations, and feedback provided in response to the proposed rule, and additional consumer testing.
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Pre-Proposal and Post-Proposal Consumer Testing
The Bureau conducted both pre-proposal and post-proposal qualitative testing of prepaid account prototype disclosure forms with prepaid card users to inform the Bureau's design and development of the model and sample forms included in the final rule. The prototypes included forms that could be used in the context of GPR cards, payroll and government benefits cards, and for prepaid account programs with multiple service plans. The Bureau engaged and directed a third-party vendor selected by competitive bid, ICF International (ICF), to coordinate this qualitative consumer testing. ICF prepared a report memorializing the consumer testing after both pre-proposal and post-
proposal testing in, respectively, ICF Report I and ICF Report II.\232\ The qualitative testing was conducted in accordance with OMB Control Number 3170-0022.
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\232\ See ICF Report I, and ICF Int'l, Final Report of Findings: Post-Proposal Testing of Prepaid Card Disclosures (Oct. 2015), available at http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201510_cfpb_report-findings-testing-prepaid-card-disclosures.pdf (ICF Report II).
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Pre-proposal testing consisted of (1) four informal focus groups to gather in-depth information about how consumers shop for prepaid cards and the factors they consider when acquiring such products and (2) three rounds of one-on-one interviews to see how consumers interact with the prototype forms developed by the Bureau and use them in comparison shopping exercises. The focus groups were held in Bethesda, Maryland in December 2013; each lasted approximately 90 minutes and included eight to 10 participants. Each of the three rounds of one-on-
one interviews lasted approximately 60 to 75 minutes, included nine or 10 participants each, and took place in early 2014 in Baltimore, Maryland; Los Angeles, California; and Kansas City, Missouri.
The findings from the focus groups, as well as responses to the Bureau's ANPR (see the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b) below) and other outreach activities, strongly influenced the Bureau's decision to develop and propose a pre-acquisition disclosure regime that includes both an easily digestible ``short form'' disclosure highlighting key fees and features of a prepaid account program in a standardized format apt for comparison shopping that could fit on existing packaging material used to market prepaid products on J-hooks in retail locations and a ``long form'' disclosure containing a comprehensive list of fees and other information germane to the purchase and use of the prepaid account program. Pre-proposal one-on-
one testing allowed the Bureau to experiment with various structures and content to arrive at an optimal design.
Post-proposal testing, which consisted of two rounds of one-on-one interviews, had the same goals as pre-proposal interviews but with the added goal of further refining the proposed model and sample short form and long form disclosures. This further refinement was based on the response of testing participants to changes to the prototypes resulting from the Bureau's own internal review as well as public comments received in response to the proposed rule. Each one-on-one interview lasted approximately 75 minutes and took place in Arlington, Virginia in July 2015 and Milwaukee, Wisconsin in August 2015 with 9 and 11 participants, respectively.
Eighty-nine consumers participated in the pre- and post-proposal testing, representing a range of ages, races, and education levels.\233\ All testing was conducted in English, but each round included native speakers of languages other than English. All participants self-identified as having used a prepaid card in the previous six months (for focus group participants) or 12 months (for interview participants). Several participants had experience with payroll or government benefits cards in addition to or in lieu of GPR cards.
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\233\ For a detailed discussion of the methodology used in the consumer testing, including participant selection, see, respectively, ICF Report I at 2-4 and ICF Report II at 4.
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Focus group findings highlights. Few focus group participants reported doing any formal comparison shopping before purchasing a prepaid card in a retail store. Furthermore, only about half of participants indicated that they learned about the fees associated with their prepaid cards prior to purchase; a few of them reported learning about a card's fees post-acquisition only after unknowingly incurring certain fees and seeing that the fees were deducted from their card balance. When asked about which fees were most important to them, almost all participants cited one of the following fees: (1) Monthly maintenance fees; (2) per purchase fees; (3) ATM withdrawal fees; and (4) cash reload fees. Based on these finding and the Bureau's outreach more generally, the Bureau developed several ``short form'' and ``long form'' prototype disclosure forms to test with participants in the individual interview segment of the consumer testing.
Individual interviews findings highlights. In both pre- and post-
proposal consumer testing, ICF asked participants questions to assess how well they were able to comprehend the fees and other information included on prototype forms. In some cases, ICF also asked participants to engage in shopping exercises to compare fee information printed on different prototype forms. After each round of testing, ICF analyzed and briefed the Bureau on the results of the testing. The Bureau used this feedback to make
Page 83955
iterative changes, as necessary, to the form design for the next round of testing.
In the first round of pre-proposal testing, the Bureau tested short form disclosures that variably included: (1) A ``top-line'' of four fees displayed more prominently than the other fees, (2) fees grouped together by category, or (3) fees listed without including either the top-line or fee categories. Generally, participants were able to understand the basic fee information presented in all of the prototype disclosure forms. However, many participants expressed a preference for a form that is both easy to read and that prominently displays the most important fee information. These participants also said they believed that prototype forms that included a ``top line'' disclosure of certain fees met these objectives.
The Bureau also focused on developing and testing a short form that did not disclose all the variations for each fee and full explanations of the conditions under which those variations could be incurred. In other words, the Bureau used testing to determine how to best present a subset of key information about a prepaid product in the short form disclosure, while effectively indicating to consumers that additional information not included on the form was also available. The prototype forms in the first round of testing included a system with sets of multiple asterisks to indicate additional information was available for fees that could vary in amount. Many participants, however, failed to notice the text associated with the asterisks or struggled to accurately connect the various symbols with the appropriate fees.
To improve comprehension, the Bureau introduced forms in the second round of testing that only included a single symbol linked to one line of explanatory text indicating all of the fees that might vary on the form. This modification appeared to increase the frequency with which participants noticed the language associated with the symbol, and thus, the frequency with which participants noticed that fees could vary also increased. In the third round of testing, in addition to reviewing additional short form disclosure prototypes, participants engaged in a shopping exercise with a prototype long form disclosure to compare the relative utility of the short form and long form disclosures.
During its pre-proposal testing, the Bureau posted a blog on its Web site that included two of the prototype short form disclosure designs used during the second round of testing \234\ and invited the public to provide feedback on the prototypes, including suggestions for improvement. The Bureau received over 80 comments from industry, consumer advocacy groups, and individual consumers, in addition to email submissions and other correspondence. These comments informed the Bureau's form design for the ensuing round of pre-proposal consumer testing as well as for the model forms included in the proposed rule.
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\234\ Eric Goldberg, Prepaid cards: Help design a new disclosure, CFPB Blog Post, (Mar. 18, 2014), http://www.consumerfinance.gov/blog/prepaid-cards-help-design-a-new-disclosure/.
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Post-proposal testing consisted of two rounds of one-on-one interviews intended to further refine the model and sample forms published in the proposed rule. In addition to general refinement of the text and design of the proposed short form and long form disclosures, the Bureau tested new elements introduced as a result of internal Bureau analysis and stakeholder input from comments to the proposal and post-proposal ex-parte communications.\235\
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\235\ For more detailed discussion of post-proposal testing, see ICF Report II and the specific section-by-section analysis of the particular disclosure elements below.
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Post-proposal testing of the overall design integrity and effectiveness of the disclosures confirmed participants' general ability to navigate and understand the short and long form disclosures. Nearly all participants were able to successfully identify all fees on the short form disclosure when asked whether the prepaid account had such a fee.\236\ Further, when asked about a fee that did not appear on or with the short form disclosure, almost all participants referred to the long form disclosure and were able to successfully find the information for which they were looking.\237\ Also, when comparing short forms for two different hypothetical prepaid account programs, most participants were able to compare fees between forms and reach an informed decision as to which card would be best for their circumstances.\238\ This was true even when one of the forms described a prepaid card with a more complex, multiple fee plan structure.\239\ With regard to the requirement to disclose the highest fee in the short form disclosure, continued refinement in post-proposal testing of the asterisk system to alert consumers of when the fee amount could be lower resulted in increased participant comprehension with almost all participants correctly applying the text to fees with an asterisk, and fewer misapplications of the text to fees without an asterisk.\240\
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\236\ See ICF Report II at 5.
\237\ Id. at 7.
\238\ Id. at 5.
\239\ Id.
\240\ Id. See also the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(i) below.
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Post-proposal testing of a statement regarding overdraft and credit generally showed participants correctly understood that they would not necessarily be offered credit or overdraft by the prepaid provider, would have to wait 30 days to get the feature, and might be charged fees for the feature.\241\ Testing of a statement regarding FDIC insurance coverage generally showed participants understood whether or not the prepaid card offered such insurance and that insurance coverage was a positive feature, although less than half were able to accurately explain against what FDIC insurance would protect them.\242\ The testing of two versions of language at the top of the short form disclosure for payroll cards and government benefits cards explaining that other methods were also available for potential card recipients to receive their wages or benefits indicated that participants who saw this language generally understood they did not have to accept payment on the card.\243\ Testing also revealed that neither version affected whether or not participants said they would be interested in receiving wages or benefits via the card.\244\
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\241\ Id. at 6, 14-15, and 24-25. See also the section-by-
section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(x) below.
\242\ Id. at 7. See also the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xi) below.
\243\ Id. at 7. See also the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(iv)(A) below.
\244\ Id.
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Post-proposal testing indicated the effectiveness of the removal or addition of some disclosure elements from the proposed short form disclosures that the Bureau is adopting in this final rule. For example, in an attempt to streamline the short form with a single disclosure for like fees, when testing participants were presented with a single fee for ATM withdrawals, as opposed to separate fees for both ``in-network'' and ``out-of-network'' withdrawals, all participants seemed to understand that the amount of this fee would not depend on whether the cardholder used an in-network or out-of-network ATM.\245\ Also, the testing of the addition of a second symbol (a dagger symbol (dagger), in addition to the asterisk discussed above) linked to a statement about situations in which the monthly fee would be waived or discounted revealed that most
Page 83956
participants saw the dagger and were able to link it to the appropriate statement.\246\
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\245\ Id. at 5. See also the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(iii) below.
\246\ Id. at 5. See also the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(ii) below.
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Results from the focus groups and one-on-one testing conducted by the Bureau and ICF in pre- and post-proposal consumer testing, fortified with a variety of forms of stakeholder input and the Bureau's own research and analysis, led the Bureau to its final disclosure requirements and the design of the model and sample forms contained in this final rule.
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Study of Prepaid Account Agreements
To determine current industry practices with respect to existing compliance with Regulation E and other features and protections currently offered by prepaid products and to inform its understanding of the potential costs and benefits of extending various Regulation E protections to prepaid accounts, the Bureau conducted a study of 325 publicly available account agreements for prepaid products that appeared to meet the Bureau's proposed definition of the term ``prepaid account,'' and published the results in the Study of Prepaid Account Agreements concurrently with the Bureau's issuance of the proposal.
The study contains the Bureau's analysis of key provisions regarding error resolution protections, including provisional credit; limited liability protections; access to account information; overdraft and treatment of negative balances and declined transaction fees; FDIC or NCUA pass-through insurance; and general disclosure of fees. The agreements the Bureau analyzed included GPR card program agreements (including GPR cards marketed for specific purposes, such as travel or receipt of tax refunds, or for specific users, such as teenagers or students), payroll cards agreements, agreements for cards used for the distribution of certain government benefits, and agreements for similar card programs. The Bureau also included agreements for prepaid products specifically used for P2P transfers that appeared to be encompassed by the proposal's definition of prepaid account. The Bureau did not include gift, incentive and rebate card programs, health spending account and flexible spending account programs, and needs-tested State and local government benefit card programs in the study, because the Bureau proposed to exclude such products from the rulemaking. As discussed in greater detail in the proposal, the Bureau cautioned that its agreement collection was neither comprehensive nor complete. In addition, the study was not intended to be relied upon as an assessment of legal issues, including actual compliance with current Regulation E provisions that apply to payroll card accounts or cards used for the distribution of certain government benefits, the FMS Rule, or the proposal.\247\
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\247\ 79 FR 77102, 77123 (Dec. 23, 2014).
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The Bureau's Proposal
In November 2014, the Bureau released for public comment a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding Regulations E and Z that proposed comprehensive consumer protections for prepaid accounts. The proposal was published in the Federal Register in December 2014.\248\ Although prepaid products are among the fastest growing types of payment instruments in the United States, with certain limited exceptions prepaid products have not been subject to the existing Federal consumer regulatory regime in Regulation E that provides consumer disclosures, error resolution, and protection from unauthorized transfers.\249\
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\248\ 79 FR 77102 (Dec. 23, 2014).
\249\ See generally 12 CFR part 1005.
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The Bureau proposed to establish a new definition of ``prepaid account'' within Regulation E and adopt comprehensive consumer protection rules for such accounts. The proposal would have extended Regulation E protections to prepaid products that are cards, codes, or other devices capable of being loaded with funds, not otherwise accounts under Regulation E and redeemable upon presentation at multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, or usable at either ATMs or for P2P transfers; and are not gift cards (or certain other types of limited purpose cards), by bringing these products under the proposed definition of ``prepaid account.''
The proposal also would have modified Regulation E, as it would pertain to prepaid accounts, in several key respects. First, the proposal would have required financial institutions to make certain disclosures available to consumers before a consumer acquires a prepaid account. These disclosures would have taken two forms, whether provided orally, in writing, or electronically. The first would have been a short form highlighting key fees that the Bureau believed to be most important for consumers to know about prior to acquisition. The second would have been a long form setting forth all of the prepaid account's fees and the conditions under which those fees could be imposed. In certain circumstances, the proposed rule would have provided an exception for financial institutions that offered prepaid cards for sale over the phone or in retail stores that would have allowed such institutions to provide consumers with access to the long form disclosure by telephone or internet, but otherwise not make the long form available until after a consumer had acquired the prepaid account. To facilitate compliance, the proposal contained new model forms and sample forms, as well as revisions to existing Regulation E model forms and model clauses. The use of the model forms would have established a safe harbor for compliance with the short form disclosure requirement.
In addition, with certain modifications, the proposed rule would have extended to all prepaid accounts the existing Regulation E requirements regarding the provision of transaction information to accountholders that currently apply to payroll card accounts, Federal government benefit accounts, and non-needs tested State and local government benefit accounts. These provisions would have allowed financial institutions to either provide periodic statements or, alternatively, make available to the consumer: (1) The account balance, through a readily available telephone line; (2) an electronic history of account transactions that covered at least 18 months; and (3) a written history of account transactions that covered at least 18 months upon request. For all prepaid accounts, the proposed rule would have required financial institutions to disclose monthly and annual summary totals of all fees imposed on a prepaid account, as well as the total amount of all deposits to and debits from a prepaid account when providing a periodic statement or electronic or written account history.
Further, the proposed rule would have modified Regulation E to adopt error resolution and limited liability provisions specific to prepaid accounts. Regulation E limits consumers' liability for unauthorized transfers, provided that the consumer gives timely notice to the financial institution, and requires financial institutions to resolve certain errors in covered accounts. The proposal would have extended these consumer protections to registered prepaid accounts, with modifications to the timing requirements for reporting unauthorized transfers and errors when a financial institution followed the periodic statement alternative described above.
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In addition, the proposed rule would have required prepaid account issuers to post prepaid account agreements on the issuers' Web sites (or make them available upon request in limited circumstances) and to submit new and amended agreements to the Bureau on a quarterly basis for posting on a Web site maintained by the Bureau.
The proposed rule would have also revised various other provisions in subparts A and B of Regulation E. With respect to subpart A, the proposed amendments included a revision that would have made clear that, similar to payroll card accounts, a consumer could not be required to establish an account with a particular institution for receipt of government benefits. Additionally, the Bureau proposed to revise official interpretations to Regulation E to incorporate a preemption determination the Bureau made regarding certain State laws related to unclaimed gift cards. With respect to subpart B, which applies to remittance transfers, the Bureau proposed certain conforming and streamlining changes to the official interpretations that would not have affected the substance of the interpretations.
Overdraft Services and Certain Other Credit Features
The proposed rule would have modified Regulations Z and E to address the treatment of overdraft services and certain other credit features offered in connection with prepaid accounts.
Regulation Z. The proposal would have amended Regulation Z so that prepaid account issuers that offered prepaid accounts with overdraft services and certain other credit features and charged a fee for the service (such as interest, transaction fees, annual fees, or other participation fees) generally would have become subject to Regulation Z's credit card rules and disclosure requirements for open-end (not home-secured) consumer credit plans. In addition, the proposed rule would have revised Regulation Z so that its credit card rules have applied to separate lines of credit linked to prepaid accounts. The proposed rule would have also required an issuer to obtain an application or request from a consumer before adding overdraft credit features to a prepaid account and would have prohibited the issuer from adding such features until at least 30 calendar days after a consumer registered the prepaid account. Moreover, the proposed rule would have amended Regulation Z to provide that a consumer would receive a periodic statement not more often than once per month and then have at least 21 days to repay the debt the consumer incurred in connection with using an overdraft service or credit feature. The proposed rule would have also prevented an issuer from automatically deducting overdraft amounts from the next deposit to the prepaid account, such as cash loads or direct deposits, to repay and replenish the credit line.
Regulation E. The proposed rule would have revised Regulation E to include disclosures about overdraft services and certain other credit features that could be linked to prepaid accounts in the short form and long form disclosures. The proposed rule also would have provided that the compulsory use prohibition would apply to overdraft services and certain other credit features linked to prepaid accounts. Prepaid account issuers would have been prohibited from requiring consumers to set up preauthorized EFTs to repay credit extended through an overdraft service or credit feature. Lastly, the proposed rule would have amended Regulation E to restrict issuers from applying to a consumer's prepaid account different terms and conditions such as charging different fees for accessing funds in a prepaid account, depending on whether the consumer elects to link the prepaid account to an overdraft service or credit feature.
Effective Date
The proposed rule would have provided that with certain exceptions, the effective date for the requirements set forth in a final rule would be nine months after publication in the Federal Register. The exception would have been that for a period of 12 months after the final rule is published in the Federal Register, financial institutions would be permitted to continue selling prepaid accounts that do not comply with the final rule's pre-acquisition disclosure requirements, if the account and its packaging material were printed prior to the proposed effective date.
Requests To Extend the Comment Period
The Bureau set the length of the comment period on the proposal at 90 days from the date on which it was published in the Federal Register. The proposal was published on December 23, 2014, thus making March 23, 2015 the last day of the comment period. A number of members of Congress and two national trade associations representing prepaid product providers submitted written requests that asked the Bureau extend the 90-day comment period by an additional 60 days. The requests indicated that additional time would enable industry to evaluate the proposal in a more thorough manner. The Bureau believes that the 90-day comment period set forth in the proposed rule gave interested parties a sufficient amount of time to consider the proposal and prepare their responses, and thus did not extend the comment period beyond March 23, 2015. However, as discussed below, the Bureau considered ex parte comments submitted after the deadline as part of its deliberations.
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Feedback Provided to the Bureau
The Bureau received over 65,000 comments on the proposal during the comment period. Approximately 150 comments were unique, detailed comment letters representing diverse interests. These commenters included consumer advocacy groups; national and regional industry trade associations; prepaid industry members including issuing banks and credit unions, program managers, payment networks, and payment processors; digital wallet providers; virtual currency companies; non-
partisan research and advocacy organizations; members of Congress; State and local government agencies; and individual consumers.
Approximately 6,000 consumers submitted comments generally supporting the availability of overdraft services for prepaid products (approximately 1,000 of which were form comments). Approximately 56,000 form comments were submitted by individual consumers as part of a comment submission campaign organized by a national consumer advocacy group, generally in support of the proposal--particularly related to limited liability and the requirement to assess consumers' ability to pay before offering credit attached to prepaid cards.\250\ These form comments also urged the Bureau to go further in certain respects; requesting, among other things, that the Bureau add additional information to its proposed disclosure forms and require that funds loaded into prepaid accounts be FDIC insured. Several hundred of these 56,000 comments contained additional remarks from consumer commenters, though many of these were outside the scope of this rulemaking.
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\250\ The Bureau typically does not post form letters containing identical comments to the docket. Rather, the Bureau generally posts a single example of the form letter to the docket. Form letter comments that contain some customization from the sender are all posted to the docket.
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In addition, the Bureau also considered comments received after the comment period closed via approximately 65 ex parte submissions,
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meetings, and telephone conferences.\251\ Materials on the record, including ex parte submissions and summaries of ex parte meetings and telephone conferences, are publicly available at http://www.regulations.gov. Relevant information received is discussed below in the section-by-section analysis and subsequent parts of this notice, as applicable. The Bureau considered all the comments it received regarding the proposal, made certain modifications, and is adopting the final rule as described part V below.
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\251\ See also CFPB Bulletin 11-3, CFPB Policy on Ex Parte Presentations in Rulemaking Proceedings (2011), available at http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/2011/08/Bulletin_20110819_ExPartePresentationsRulemaking.pdf.
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Legal Authority
The Bureau is issuing this final rule pursuant to its authority under EFTA, the Dodd-Frank Act, and TILA, as discussed in this part IV and throughout the section-by-section analyses of the final rule in part V below.
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The Electronic Fund Transfer Act
EFTA section 902 establishes that the purpose of the statute is to provide a basic framework establishing the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of participants in EFT and remittance transfer systems but that its primary objective is the provision of individual consumer rights. Among other things, EFTA contains provisions regarding disclosures made at the time a consumer contracts for an EFT service,\252\ notices of certain changes to account terms or conditions,\253\ provision of written documentation to consumers regarding EFTs,\254\ error resolution,\255\ consumers' and financial institutions' liability for unauthorized EFTs,\256\ and compulsory use of EFTs.\257\
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\252\ EFTA section 905(a).
\253\ EFTA section 905(b).
\254\ EFTA section 906.
\255\ EFTA section 908.
\256\ EFTA sections 909 and 910.
\257\ EFTA section 913.
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With respect to disclosures provided prior to opening an account, EFTA section 905(a) states that the terms and conditions of EFTs involving a consumer's account shall be disclosed at the time the consumer contracts for an EFT service, in accordance with regulations of the Bureau. EFTA section 904(b) establishes that the Bureau shall issue model clauses for optional use by financial institutions to facilitate compliance with the disclosure requirements of EFTA section 905 and to aid consumers in understanding the rights and responsibilities of participants in EFTs by utilizing readily understandable language. As discussed in the section-by-section analysis below, the final rule's pre-acquisition disclosure requirements (including those in final Sec. 1005.18(b)) are adopted pursuant to the Bureau's authority under EFTA sections 904(a), (b), 905(a), and its adjustments and exceptions authority under EFTA section 904(c).
As amended by the Dodd-Frank Act, EFTA section 904(a) authorizes the Bureau to prescribe regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of EFTA. As noted above, the express purposes of EFTA, are to establish ``the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of participants in electronic fund and remittance transfer systems'' and to provide ``individual consumer rights.'' \258\ EFTA section 904(c) further provides that regulations prescribed by the Bureau may contain such classifications, differentiations, or other provisions, and may provide for such adjustments or exceptions, for any class of EFTs or remittance transfers that the Bureau deems necessary or proper to effectuate the purposes of EFTA, to prevent circumvention or evasion, or to facilitate compliance. The Senate Report accompanying EFTA noted that regulations are ``essential to the act's effectiveness'' and ``permit the Bureau to modify the act's requirements to suit the characteristics of individual EFT services. Moreover, since no one can foresee EFT developments in the future, regulations would keep pace with new services and assure that the act's basic protections continue to apply.'' \259\ As discussed in the section-by-section analyses below, the Bureau is adopting amendments to Regulation E, including with respect to the definition of account, limited liability, procedures for resolving errors, access to account information, and prepaid accounts that may offer an overdraft credit feature, pursuant to the Bureau's authority under, as applicable, EFTA sections 904(a) and (c).
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\258\ EFTA section 902(b).
\259\ See S. Rept. No. 95-1273, at 26 (Oct. 4, 1978).
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Section 1022 of the Dodd-Frank Act
Section 1022(b)(1) of the Dodd-Frank Act authorizes the Bureau to prescribe rules ``as may be necessary or appropriate to enable the Bureau to administer and carry out the purposes and objectives of the Federal consumer financial laws, and to prevent evasions thereof.'' Among other statutes, title X of the Dodd-Frank Act, EFTA, and TILA are Federal consumer financial laws.\260\ Accordingly, in adopting this final rule, the Bureau is exercising its authority under Dodd-Frank Act section 1022(b) to prescribe rules under EFTA, TILA, and title X that carry out the purposes and objectives and prevent evasion of those laws. Section 1022(b)(2) of the Dodd-Frank Act prescribes certain standards for rulemaking that the Bureau must follow in exercising its authority under section 1022(b)(1). See part VII below for a discussion of the Bureau's standards for rulemaking under Dodd-Frank Act section 1022(b)(2).
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\260\ Dodd-Frank Act section 1002(14) (defining ``Federal consumer financial law'' to include the ``enumerated consumer laws'' and the provisions of title X of the Dodd-Frank Act); Dodd-Frank Act section 1002(12) (defining ``enumerated consumer laws'' to include TILA and EFTA).
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Dodd-Frank Act section 1022(c)(1) provides that, to support its rulemaking and other functions, the Bureau shall monitor for risks to consumers in the offering or provision of consumer financial products or services, including developments in markets for such products or services. Section 1022(c)(3) provides that the Bureau shall publish not fewer than one report of significant findings of its monitoring in each calendar year and may make public such information obtained by the Bureau under this section as is in the public interest.\261\ Moreover, section 1022(c)(4) provides that, in conducting such monitoring or assessments, the Bureau shall have the authority to gather information from time to time regarding the organization, business conduct, markets, and activities of covered persons and service providers. As discussed in the section-by-section analysis below, new Sec. 1005.19 is adopted pursuant to the Bureau's authority under Dodd-Frank Act sections 1022(c) and 1032(a), as well as its authority under EFTA sections 904 and 905. It requires submission of prepaid account agreements to the Bureau. It also requires that financial institutions disclose such agreements on their Web sites.
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\261\ Dodd-Frank Act section 1022(c)(3).
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Section 1032 of the Dodd-Frank Act
Section 1032(a) of the Dodd-Frank Act provides that the Bureau ``may prescribe rules to ensure that the features of any consumer financial product or service, both initially and over the term of the product or service, are fully, accurately, and effectively disclosed to consumers in a manner that permits consumers to understand the costs, benefits, and risks associated with the product or service, in light of the facts and circumstances.'' The authority granted to the Bureau in section 1032(a) is broad, and empowers the Bureau to prescribe rules regarding
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the disclosure of the ``features'' of consumer financial products and services generally. Accordingly, the Bureau may prescribe disclosure requirements in rules regarding particular features even if other Federal consumer financial laws do not specifically require disclosure of such features.
Dodd-Frank Act section 1032(c) provides that, in prescribing rules pursuant to section 1032, the Bureau ``shall consider available evidence about consumer awareness, understanding of, and responses to disclosures or communications about the risks, costs, and benefits of consumer financial products or services.'' Accordingly, in developing this final rule under Dodd-Frank Act section 1032(a), the Bureau has considered available studies, reports, and other evidence about consumer awareness, understanding of, and responses to disclosures or communications about the risks, costs, and benefits of consumer financial products or services. Moreover, the Bureau has considered the evidence developed through its consumer testing of the model forms as discussed above and in ICF Report I and ICF Report II.
In addition, Dodd-Frank Act section 1032(b)(1) provides that ``any final rule prescribed by the Bureau under section 1032 requiring disclosures may include a model form that may be used at the option of the covered person for provision of the required disclosures.'' Any model form issued pursuant to that authority shall contain a clear and conspicuous disclosure that, at a minimum, uses plain language that is comprehensible to consumers, contains a clear format and design, such as an easily readable type font, and succinctly explains the information that must be communicated to the consumer.\262\
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\262\ Dodd-Frank Act section 1032(b)(2).
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As discussed in more detail below, certain portions of this final rule are adopted pursuant to the Bureau's disclosure authority under Dodd-Frank Act section 1032(a).
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The Truth in Lending Act
As discussed above, TILA is a Federal consumer financial law. In adopting TILA, Congress explained that:
Economic stabilization would be enhanced and the competition among the various financial institutions and other firms engaged in the extension of consumer credit would be strengthened by the informed use of credit. The informed use of credit results from an awareness of the cost thereof by consumers. It is the purpose of this subchapter to assure a meaningful disclosure of credit terms so that the consumer will be able to compare more readily the various credit terms available to him and avoid the uninformed use of credit, and to protect the consumer against inaccurate and unfair credit billing and credit card practices.\263\
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\263\ TILA section 102(a); 15 U.S.C. 1601(a).
TILA and Regulation Z define credit broadly as the right granted by a creditor to a debtor to defer payment of debt or to incur debt and defer its payment.\264\ TILA and Regulation Z set forth disclosure and other requirements that apply to creditors. Different rules apply to creditors depending on whether they are extending ``open-end credit'' or ``closed-end credit.'' Under the statute and Regulation Z, open-end credit exists where there is a plan in which the creditor reasonably contemplates repeated transactions; the creditor may impose a finance charge from time to time on an outstanding unpaid balance; and the amount of credit that may be extended to the consumer during the term of the plan (up to any limit set by the creditor) is generally made available to the extent that any outstanding balance is repaid.\265\ Closed-end credit is credit that does not meet the definition of open-
end credit.\266\
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\264\ TILA section 103(f); 15 U.S.C. 1602(f); Sec. 1026.2(a)(14); 15 U.S.C. 1602(f).
\265\ Sec. 1026.2(a)(20).
\266\ Sec. 1026.2(a)(10).
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The term ``creditor'' generally means a person who regularly extends consumer credit that is subject to a finance charge or is payable by written agreement in more than four installments (not including a down payment), and to whom the obligation is initially payable, either on the face of the note or contract, or by agreement when there is no note or contract.\267\ TILA defines finance charge broadly as the sum of all charges, payable directly or indirectly by the person to whom the credit is extended, and imposed directly or indirectly by the creditor as an incident to the extension of credit.\268\ The term ``creditor'' also includes a card issuer, which is a person or its agent that issues credit cards, when that person extends credit accessed by the credit card.\269\ Regulation Z defines the term ``credit card'' to mean any card, plate, or other single credit device that may be used from time to time to obtain credit.\270\ In addition to being subject to the general rules of TILA and Regulation Z applicable to all creditors, card issuers also generally must comply with the credit card rules set forth in the FCBA and in the Credit CARD Act (if the card accesses an open-end credit plan), as implemented in Regulation Z subparts B and G.\271\
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\267\ TILA section 103(g); 15 U.S.C. 1602(g); Sec. 1026.2(a)(17)(i).
\268\ TILA section 106(a); 12 U.S.C. 1605(a); Sec. 1026.4.
\269\ TILA section103(g); 15 U.S.C. 1602(g); Sec. 1026.2(a)(17)(iii) and (iv).
\270\ Sec. 1026.2(a)(15). As noted above, under Regulation Z, a charge card is a credit card on an account for which no periodic rate is used to compute a finance charge. Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(iii).
\271\ See generally Sec. Sec. 1026.5(b)(2)(ii)(A), 1026.7(b)(11), 1026.12, and 1026.51 through 1026.60.
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TILA section 105(a). As amended by the Dodd-Frank Act, TILA section 105(a) \272\ directs the Bureau to prescribe regulations to carry out the purposes of TILA, and provides that such regulations may contain additional requirements, classifications, differentiations, or other provisions, and may provide for such adjustments and exceptions for all or any class of transactions, that the Bureau judges are necessary or proper to effectuate the purposes of TILA, to prevent circumvention or evasion thereof, or to facilitate compliance. As discussed above, pursuant to TILA section 102(a), a purpose of TILA is ``to assure a meaningful disclosure of credit terms so that the consumer will be able to compare more readily the various credit terms available to him and avoid the uninformed use of credit.'' Moreover, this stated purpose is tied to Congress's finding that ``economic stabilization would be enhanced and the competition among the various financial institutions and other firms engaged in the extension of consumer credit would be strengthened by the informed use of credit.'' \273\ Thus, strengthened competition among financial institutions is a goal of TILA, achieved through the effectuation of TILA's purposes.
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\272\ 15 U.S.C. 1604(a).
\273\ TILA section 102(a).
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Historically, TILA section 105(a) has served as a broad source of authority for rules that promote the informed use of credit through required disclosures and substantive regulation of certain practices. However, Dodd-Frank Act section 1100A clarified the Bureau's section 105(a) authority by amending that section to provide express authority to prescribe regulations that contain ``additional requirements'' that the Bureau finds are necessary or proper to effectuate the purposes of TILA, to prevent circumvention or evasion thereof, or to facilitate compliance. This amendment clarified the authority to exercise TILA section 105(a) to prescribe requirements beyond those specifically listed in the statute that meet the standards outlined in section 105(a). Accordingly, as amended by the Dodd-Frank Act, TILA section 105(a)
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authority to make adjustments and exceptions to the requirements of TILA applies to all transactions subject to TILA, except with respect to the provisions of TILA section 129 that apply to the high-cost mortgages referred to in TILA section 103(bb).\274\
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\274\ 15 U.S.C. 1602(bb).
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For the reasons discussed in this notice, the Bureau is adopting amendments to Regulation Z with respect to certain prepaid accounts that are associated with overdraft credit features to carry out TILA's purposes and is adopting such additional requirements, adjustments, and exceptions as, in the Bureau's judgment, are necessary and proper to carry out the purposes of TILA, prevent circumvention or evasion thereof, or to facilitate compliance. In developing these aspects of this final rule pursuant to its authority under TILA section 105(a),\275\ the Bureau has considered the purposes of TILA, including ensuring meaningful disclosures, facilitating consumers' ability to compare credit terms, and helping consumers avoid the uninformed use of credit, and the findings of TILA, including strengthening competition among financial institutions and promoting economic stabilization.
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\275\ As discussed further in the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.60(b), the Bureau also relies on TILA section 127(c)(5) for the requirements in the final rule for additional disclosures provided on or with charge card applications and solicitations.
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Section-by-Section Analysis
Regulation E
Subpart A--General
Overview of the Bureau's Approach to Regulation E
As discussed above in part III.C, the Bureau proposed to amend Regulation E, which implements EFTA, along with the official interpretations thereto. The proposal would have created comprehensive consumer protections for prepaid financial products by expressly bringing such products within the ambit of Regulation E as prepaid accounts. In addition, the proposal would have created several new provisions specific to such accounts.
After consideration of the feedback received at every stage of the rulemaking process (in response to the Prepaid ANPR, in the course of developing the proposal, and since issuing the proposal) as well as multiple rounds of consumer testing, and interagency consultations, the Bureau is adopting this same general approach in the final rule, with some modifications, as discussed herein.
The Bureau's rationale for its approach in the final rule, and its response to specific comments addressing each of the proposed revisions and additions, are discussed in greater detail in the section-by-
section analyses that follow.
Comments Received on the Bureau's Proposed Approach Generally
In addition to comments regarding specific sections of the proposal, the Bureau received comments addressing more generally its proposed approach to regulating prepaid accounts under Regulation E. Consumer group commenters largely praised the Bureau for proposing to add protections for prepaid accounts. They pointed to what they described as a gap in regulatory protection relating to GPR cards, and noted the importance of additional protections for this product segment, especially in light of what they characterized as increased consumer usage and increased complexity of product offerings in the GPR card market. In particular, following a high-profile service disruption affecting a particular issuer and thousands of its prepaid accountholders, several consumer groups submitted a joint letter commending the Bureau for its proposal to extend Regulation E to all prepaid accounts. The letter suggested that, had Regulation E applied uniformly to all prepaid accounts at the time of the incident, consumers may have had more and better tools at their disposal to address the incident. In addition to generally commending the Bureau for proposing a rule that, in their view, would provide necessary protections for prepaid account consumers that consumers of other account types already have, consumer group commenters voiced general support for specific key portions of the Bureau's proposal, in particular the standardization of prepaid account disclosures, extending Regulation E's limited liability and error resolution provisions to prepaid accounts, and regulating credit features offered in connection with prepaid accounts.
Most consumer group commenters, however, urged the Bureau to go farther by finalizing additional protections beyond those that were proposed. Specifically, several consumer groups urged the Bureau to ban or limit specific fees generally or to do so for specific products. For example, commenters argued that the Bureau should ban or limit balance inquiry fees, fees for making customer service calls, declined transaction or NSF fees, card replacement fees, inactivity fees, maintenance fees, legal process fees, research fees, and account closing fees. Still other commenters argued that the Bureau should ban all fees on cards used by correctional facilities to distribute funds to formerly-incarcerated individuals, or that it should ban or limit all fees for withdrawing salary or wages, or insurance, tax, or student financial aid funds, especially in cases where the cardholder has no choice but to receive those funds on a prepaid account.
Consumer group commenters also sought certain prohibitions unrelated to fees. For example, a number of consumer groups asked the Bureau to prohibit forced arbitration and class action ban clauses in prepaid account agreements. One consumer group urged the Bureau to limit financial institutions' ability to place holds on account funds while a transaction clears. Other consumer groups urged the Bureau to require that additional features be offered in connection with prepaid accounts. For example, a number of consumer groups asked the Bureau to consider requiring, or at least encouraging, financial institutions to offer linked savings accounts in connection with prepaid accounts, and a coalition of consumer groups urged the Bureau to require that consumers' prepaid account usage be reported to the credit reporting agencies.\276\
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\276\ In the Prepaid ANPR, the Bureau sought input and data on the efficacy of certain other features that are or could be offered in connection with prepaid accounts, including linked savings features and credit-building features whereby consumers' transaction history may be reported to credit reporting agencies. Based on the ANPR comments received, as well as its understanding of the state of the market, the Bureau stated its belief that it would not be appropriate to take further action on those issues in the context of the proposal. Nonetheless, the Bureau solicited additional input and data on these issues.
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While most commenters, including industry groups, did not object to the general concept of bringing prepaid products within the ambit of Regulation E, many industry commenters voiced concern about the overall level of burden that would be imposed by the proposal on entities that issue or act as service providers for issuers of prepaid accounts. This includes some trade associations, issuing banks and credit unions, program managers, and others, as well as a member of Congress, who argued that the overall burdens of the proposal would be disproportionate to what they viewed as limited benefits. Some of these commenters argued in particular that the rule was unnecessary because most issuers of GPR cards are already following Regulation E. A subset of these commenters, including an issuing bank, a law firm writing on
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behalf of a coalition of prepaid issuers, and a payment network, argued that the proposed rule would over-burden industry because it was impractical or impossible to comply with, overly complex, highly prescriptive, or overly broad. These and other commenters, including industry trade associations, issuing banks, and a payment network, argued further that financial institutions would respond to these additional burdens by either exiting the market, reducing their product offerings, or raising prices, all of which, they said, have the potential to reduce overall consumer choice in the prepaid marketplace. Some of these commenters expressed concern particularly about the impacts of the rule on digital wallets and other emerging products. Some commenters, including a program manager, industry trade associations, an issuing bank, and the law firm writing on behalf of a coalition of prepaid issuers, also argued that the burdens imposed by the rule were not justified by the intended consumer benefits or by the Bureau's desire to remedy what the commenters viewed as relatively minor or hypothetical consumer harms.
Commenters urged the Bureau to exclude specific types of entities from coverage under the rule. In particular, a number of industry commenters noted the unique burdens they believed the rule would place on small banks and credit unions, while a subset of these commenters, including an issuing credit union, trade associations representing banks and credit unions, and a program manager, argued that the Bureau should exempt these smaller institutions from the rule altogether. By contrast, one industry trade association urged the Bureau to take additional steps to supervise and enforce against non-depository financial institutions in the prepaid market, such as by issuing a rule under section 1024 of the Dodd-Frank Act,\277\ arguing that without direct oversight from the Bureau, these non-depository players would be unfairly advantaged by lower compliance costs.
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\277\ Under section 1024 of the Dodd-Frank Act, the Bureau is authorized to supervise certain non-bank covered persons for compliance with Federal consumer financial laws and for other purposes. Under section 1024(a)(1)(B) of the Dodd-Frank Act, for certain markets, the supervision program generally will apply only to ``larger participants'' of these markets. The Bureau has defined larger participants in several markets and is considering issuing additional regulations to define further the scope of the Bureau's non-bank supervision program.
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Summary of the Bureau's Approach To Regulating Prepaid Accounts Under Regulation E
The Bureau has considered these general comments and has made certain modifications to the rule, as discussed in detail in the section-by-section analyses that follow, to calibrate carefully with regard to burden concerns. The major provisions of the final rule are organized as follows: Sec. 1005.2(b)(3) adds the term prepaid account to the general definition of account in Regulation E and sets forth a definition for that term, revised from the proposal for clarity and with some additional exclusions. Comment 10(e)(2)-2 clarifies that the existing prohibition on compulsory use in Sec. 1005.10(e)(2) prohibits a government agency from requiring consumers to receive government benefits by direct deposit to any particular institution. Section 1005.15, which includes preexisting provisions applicable to government benefit accounts, also includes new provisions setting forth and clarifying the application of several provisions of revised Sec. 1005.18 (concerning disclosures, access to account information, error resolution and limited liability requirements, and overdraft credit features) to government benefit accounts.
Section 1005.18 contains the bulk of the final rule's specific requirements for prepaid accounts. Section 1005.18(a) states that prepaid accounts must comply with subpart A of Regulation E, except as modified by Sec. 1005.18. Section 1005.18(b)(1) sets forth that, in general, both the short form and long form disclosures must be provided before a consumer acquires a prepaid account. For prepaid accounts sold at retail locations, however, a financial institution may provide the long form disclosure after acquisition so long as the short form contains information enabling the consumer to access the long form by telephone and on a Web site. A similar accommodation is made for prepaid accounts acquired orally by telephone. Section 1005.18(b)(2) contains the general content requirements for the short form disclosure, while Sec. 1005.18(b)(3) addresses specific short form requirements related to disclosure of variable fees and third-party fees, as well as treatment of finance charges on overdraft credit features offered in connection with a prepaid account. Section 1005.18(b)(4) contains the content requirements for the long form disclosure. Section 1005.18(b)(5) requires that certain additional information be disclosed outside but in close proximity to the short form, including the purchase price and activation fee, if any, for the prepaid account. Section 1005.18(b)(6) contains requirements regarding the form of the pre-acquisition disclosures, including specific requirements applicable when disclosures are provided in writing, electronically, or orally by telephone. Section 1005.18(b)(7) sets forth formatting requirements for the short form and long form disclosures generally, as well as formatting requirements for payroll card accounts and prepaid accounts that offer multiple service plans in particular. Section 1005.18(b)(8) requires that fee names and other terms must be used consistently within and across the disclosures required by final Sec. 1005.18(b). Section 1005.18(b)(9) requires financial institutions to provide pre-acquisition disclosures in foreign languages in certain circumstances.
Next, Sec. 1005.18(c) addresses access to account information requirements for prepaid accounts. It states that a financial institution is not required to provide periodic statements if it makes available to the consumer balance information by telephone, at least 12 months of electronic account transaction history, and upon the consumer's request, at least 24 months of written account transaction history. Periodic statements and account transaction histories must disclose the amount of any fees assessed against the account, and must display a summary total of the amount of all fees assessed by the financial institution against the consumer's prepaid account for the prior calendar month and for the calendar year to date. Section 1005.18(d) sets forth alternative disclosure requirements for both the initial disclosures and annual error resolution notices for financial institutions that provide information under the periodic statement alternative in Sec. 1005.18(c).
Section 1005.18(e) clarifies that prepaid accounts must generally comply with the limited liability provisions in existing Sec. 1005.6 and the error resolution requirements in Sec. 1005.11, with some modifications. Specifically, the final rule extends Regulation E's limited liability and error resolution requirements to all prepaid accounts, regardless of whether the financial institution has completed its consumer identification and verification process with respect to the account, but does not require provisional credit for unverified accounts. Section 1005.18(f) contains certain other disclosure requirements, such as a requirement that the initial disclosures required by Sec. 1005.7 include
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all of the information required to be disclosed in the long form and specific disclosures that must be provided on prepaid account access devices. Finally, Sec. 1005.18(h) sets forth a general effective date of October 1, 2017 for most of the final rule, with some specific accommodations related to disclosures and account information. Among other things, the final rule permits financial institutions to continue distributing prepaid account packaging material that was manufactured, printed, or otherwise produced prior to the effective date provided certain conditions are met.
Section 1005.19 contains the requirements for submitting prepaid account agreements to the Bureau and for posting the agreements to the Web site of the prepaid account issuer. Section 1005.19(a) provides certain definitions specific to Sec. 1005.19. Section 1005.19(b)(1) requires an issuer to make submissions to the Bureau no later than 30 days after an issuer offers, amends, or ceases to offer any prepaid account agreement. Sections 1005.19(b)(2) and (3) set forth the requirements for the submission of amended agreements and the notification of agreements no longer offered. Sections 1005.19(b)(4) and (5) provide de minimis and product testing exceptions to the submission requirement. Section 1005.19(b)(6) sets forth the form and content requirements for prepaid account agreements submitted to the Bureau. Section 1005.19(c) generally requires an issuer to post and maintain on its publicly available Web site prepaid account agreements that are offered to the general public. Section 1005.19(d) requires issuers to provide consumers with access to their individual prepaid account agreements either by posting and maintaining the agreements on their Web site, or by promptly providing a copy of the agreement to the consumer upon request. Section 1005.19(f) provides a delayed effective date of October 1, 2018 for the requirement to submit prepaid account agreements to the Bureau.
The final rule also adds provisions to Regulation E that supplement and complement the final rule amendments to Regulation Z regarding overdraft credit features offered in connection with a prepaid account. As discussed below in the section-by-section analyses under Regulation Z, the final rule generally applies the Regulation Z credit card rules to overdraft credit features that can be accessed in the course of a transaction with the prepaid card where such credit features are provided by the prepaid account issuer, its affiliate, or its business partner. The final rule generally requires that such overdraft credit features be structured as separate sub-accounts or accounts, distinct from the prepaid asset account. Under the final rule, a prepaid card that can access such an overdraft credit feature is defined as a ``hybrid prepaid-credit card,'' and the overdraft credit feature is defined as a ``covered separate credit feature.'' Related modifications to Regulation E include a revision to Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) that prohibits issuers from requiring consumers to set up preauthorized EFTs to repay credit extended through a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card. Section 1005.12(a) clarifies whether Regulation E or Regulation Z governs the issuance of a hybrid prepaid-credit card, and a consumer's liability and error resolution rights with respect to transactions that occur in connection with a prepaid account with a covered separate credit feature. Section 1005.17 clarifies that a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card is not an ``overdraft service'' as that term has been defined under Regulation E in connection with checking accounts. Finally, Sec. 1005.18(g) requires a financial institution to provide the same account terms, conditions, and features on a prepaid account without a covered separate credit feature that it provides on prepaid accounts in the same prepaid account program that have such a credit feature, except that the financial institution may impose higher fees or charges on a prepaid account with such a credit feature.
In finalizing these provisions, the Bureau has carefully considered the general comments summarized above expressing concerns about the Bureau's proposal to extend Regulation E coverage to prepaid accounts. The Bureau believes that comments opposing this approach generally fell into three categories. First, some commenters argued that the potential burden and risk to financial institutions of formally subjecting their prepaid account programs to Regulation E requirements would not produce substantial benefits for consumers because, among other reasons, many programs (particularly those for GPR cards) are already generally operated in compliance with the requirements for payroll cards in Regulation E. Second, some commenters were concerned that the rulemaking would define prepaid accounts broadly to include digital wallets and other emerging products, thereby chilling innovation in the payments market. Third, some commenters were primarily concerned about the burden and complexity of specific portions of the proposal. The Bureau has carefully considered the potential benefits and costs with regard to each of these sub-issues in deciding to finalize the rule.
As discussed in greater detail below in connection with the definition of prepaid account in Sec. 1005.2(b)(3) that shapes the scope of coverage under the final rule, the Bureau believes that there is substantial benefit to consumers in subjecting prepaid accounts to Regulation E coverage even if some issuers are already generally in compliance. The Bureau notes that those issuers who are in fact in compliance will face a substantially lesser implementation burden than those who are not, as discussed in part VII below. Moreover, the Bureau believes that consumer protections are clearer and more effective when companies are accountable for complying with them as a matter of law, rather than by the choice or discretion of individual issuers. Indeed, the Bureau agrees with the consumer group commenters who asserted that uniform coverage of prepaid accounts under Regulation E will better equip and empower consumers to work with financial institutions to address problems with their prepaid accounts.
As discussed in greater detail in connection with Sec. 1005.2(b)(3) below, the Bureau has carefully evaluated the benefits and costs of extending Regulation E to digital wallets and other similar products, as well as to government benefit accounts, payroll card accounts, GPR cards, and other types of prepaid products. The Bureau recognizes that there is some need for tailoring of particular provisions for prepaid accounts in certain circumstances, and has made revisions to various specific requirements to address such nuances. For example, the Bureau has revised proposed Sec. 1005.19(c) such that the final rule does not require issuers to post on their publicly-available Web sites account agreements that are not offered to the general public, such as those for government benefit and payroll card accounts. Nevertheless, the Bureau believes that there is substantial value to both consumers and financial institutions in promoting consistent treatment where logical and appropriate across products. The Bureau has considered the possibility that providers might pass on increased costs to consumers or be more cautious in developing additional products or features, as discussed in part VII below, and believes that such concerns are relatively modest.
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Likewise, the Bureau acknowledges industry's concerns about the volume of information financial institutions will have to disclose under the final rule's pre-acquisition disclosure regime, and the potential redundancies between the short form and long form disclosures. The Bureau continues to believe, however, that there is clear consumer benefit to ensuring consumers have access to both of these disclosures pre-acquisition because the disclosures play crucial but distinct roles. The Bureau designed and developed the short form disclosure to provide a concise snapshot of a prepaid account's key fees and features that is both easily noticeable and digestible by consumers. The Bureau believes that the overall standardization of the short form disclosure will facilitate consumers' ability to comparison shop among prepaid account programs. On the other hand, the Bureau also recognizes that providing only a subset of a prepaid account program's fee information on the short form might not provide all consumers with the information they need to make fully-informed acquisition decisions in all cases. For this reason, the final rule also requires the long form disclosure to be provided as a companion disclosure to the short form, offering a comprehensive repository of all of a prepaid account's fees and the conditions under which those fees could be imposed, along with certain other key information about the prepaid account. The Bureau notes that, under the alternative timing regime for disclosures provided in a retail location or by phone, a financial institution may provide the long form disclosure after acquisition so long as the short form contains information enabling the consumer to access the long form by telephone and on a Web site. In sum, the short form and the long form disclosures together provide consumers with an overview of the key information about the prepaid account and an unabridged list of fees and conditions and other important information about the account.
The Bureau has also considered concerns about burden and complexity both with regard to specific elements of the proposal and regarding coverage and compliance more broadly, and has made numerous adjustments to more finely calibrate the final rule to promote compliance and a smooth implementation process, as discussed in more detail with regard to individual provisions in the section-by-section analyses that follow. At the outset, the Bureau notes that the fact that a significant majority of these products are already substantially in compliance with existing Regulation E provisions applicable to payroll card accounts will reduce implementation burdens considerably. Furthermore, the Bureau notes that several provisions of the final rule have been adjusted to take more careful account of current industry practices, and as such should not require significant changes to existing procedures. For example, the Bureau has specifically clarified the timing of acquisition requirements for purposes of delivering pre-
acquisition disclosures in final comment 18(b)(1)(i)-1 for payroll card accounts and prepaid accounts generally, and in final comments 15(c)-1 and -2 for government benefit accounts. These revisions are consistent with what the Bureau believes to be the current practices of many employers and government agencies and therefore should not require significant modifications to current procedures.
The Bureau also has incorporated certain burden-reducing measures to address various concerns raised by commenters about the burden on industry they asserted would result from the proposed pre-acquisition disclosure regime. These burden-alleviating modifications include the various changes to the additional fee types disclosures, including disclosure of two fees rather than three; a de minimis threshold; and reassessment and updating required every 24 months rather than 12. Other measures in the final rule that reduce burden include permitting reference in the short form disclosure for payroll card accounts (and government benefit accounts) to State-required information and other fee discounts and waivers pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xiv)(B); permitting disclosure of the long form within other disclosures required by Regulation E pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(7)(iii); and flexible updating of third-party fees in the long form disclosure pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(4)(ii).
As another example, the Bureau has modified the periodic statement alternative in Sec. 1005.18(c)(1)(ii) to require at least 12 months of electronic account transaction history (instead of 18 months as proposed), which commenters explained many financial institutions already make available; the Bureau therefore believes any changes needed to comply with that portion of the rule for most financial institutions should be minimal. Likewise, implementing changes to provide at least 24 months of written account transaction history upon request pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(c)(1)(iii) should also not be problematic because the Bureau understands financial institutions generally retain several years of account transaction data in archived form. Relatedly, final Sec. 1005.18(c)(5) requires financial institutions to provide a summary total of the fees assessed against the consumer's prepaid account for the prior calendar month and calendar year to date, but not summary totals of all deposits to and debits from a consumer's prepaid account as proposed.
Similarly, regarding the prepaid account agreement posting requirement, the Bureau believes the modification in final Sec. 1005.19(c) to require issuers to post on their publicly-available Web sites only the agreements that are offered to the general public will reduce the number of agreements prepaid account issuers must post. In addition, this is generally consistent with the types of agreements that issuers post to their Web sites already, thus reducing the burden associated with this requirement relative to the proposal. Likewise, the Bureau believes that the revision in final Sec. 1005.19(b)(1) to submit agreements to the Bureau on a rolling basis (instead of quarterly) should reduce the burden of the submission requirement on issuers relative to the proposal.
The Bureau has also given substantial thought to ways in which it can facilitate industry's implementation process for this final rule. For example, the Bureau has extended the general effective date of the rule from the proposed nine months following the publication of the rule in the Federal Register to approximately 12 months following the Bureau's issuance of this final rule. The Bureau has also eliminated the proposed requirement to pull and replace non-compliant prepaid account access devices and packaging materials after the effective date, which the Bureau believes obviates commenters' concerns about the environmental impact and cost of retrieving and destroying old packaging. The Bureau is also providing native design files for print and source code for web-based disclosures for all of the model and sample forms included in the final rule for the convenience of the prepaid industry and to help reduce development costs.\278\ The Bureau also believes the accommodation set forth in new Sec. 1005.18(h)(3) for financial institutions that do not have readily available the data necessary to comply in full with the periodic statement alternative or summary totals of fees requirements as of October 1, 2017
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should provide financial institutions with the additional flexibility in preparing for this final rule's effective date. Finally, the Bureau believes the delayed effective date of October 1, 2018 set forth in new Sec. 1005.19(f)(2) for the prepaid account agreement submission requirement, as well as the other modifications made to the posting requirement in final Sec. 1005.19, as discussed above, should help alleviate the time pressures prepaid account issuers might otherwise face when complying with those provisions.
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\278\ These files are available at www.consumerfinance.gov/prepaid-disclosure-files.
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In addition to these specific modifications to the rule to reduce burden to industry relative to the proposal, the Bureau is committed to working with industry to facilitate the transition process through regulatory implementation support and guidance, including by developing and providing a compliance guide to covered entities.\279\
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\279\ Under section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA), for each rule or group of related rules for which an agency is required to prepare a final regulatory flexibility analysis under 5 U.S.C. 605(b), the Bureau is required to publish a small entity compliance guide. As set forth in part VIII below, the Bureau has certified that this rule does not require a final regulatory flexibility analysis. Accordingly, the Bureau is not required under SBREFA to publish a small entity compliance guide, but nonetheless intends to do so to assist industry with implementation and compliance.
Regulatory implementation materials related to this final rule are available at http://www.consumerfinance.gov/policy-compliance/guidance/implementation-guidance/prepaid.
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In light of the modifications the Bureau has made to the rule as proposed, as well as the benefits of the final rule to consumers, the Bureau does not believe that further modifications to its general approach of regulating prepaid accounts under Regulation E--that is, beyond those specific modifications discussed in the following section-
by-section analyses--are warranted. Nor does it believe that it would be appropriate to exempt from the final rule entire categories of financial institutions, as some commenters writing on behalf of smaller banks and credit unions suggested. The Bureau notes, however, that to the extent smaller banks or credit unions merely sell prepaid accounts issued by other entities, they are not covered financial institutions under Regulation E, since they do not satisfy either part of the definition of financial institution (i.e., they do not hold prepaid accounts, nor do they issue prepaid accounts and agree with consumers to provide EFT services in connection with prepaid accounts).\280\ As such, while some of the required changes may be implemented by third-
party service providers, such as program managers or processors, the burden of and liability for complying with this final rule would generally fall on the financial institution that issues the prepaid accounts, not on the banks or credit unions selling those products. Moreover, to help alleviate some of the burdens anticipated by smaller banks and credit unions in this situation with respect to disclosures, the Bureau has expanded the alternative timing regime for pre-
acquisition disclosures that applies to prepaid accounts acquired in person to apply to any retail location, not just a retail store--under the final rule, therefore, banks and credit unions that sell other financial institutions' prepaid accounts in their branches will be able to provide the long form disclosure after acquisition, provided they comply with the requirements set forth in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii).
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\280\ See Sec. 1005.2(i).
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With respect to the comment requesting the Bureau to increase its supervisory authority over non-depository financial institutions in the market for prepaid accounts, the Bureau notes that this final rule's requirements apply equally to depositories and non-depositories alike. The Bureau will continue to monitor the markets, and may consider future rulemakings aimed at defining larger participants in this or other relevant markets, pursuant to its authority under section 1024 of the Dodd-Frank Act.
With respect to specific requests made by consumer groups for additional requirements or prohibitions, the Bureau notes that many of the requests go significantly beyond the scope of what the Bureau contemplated in the proposed rule. Specifically, requests to ban certain fees, either in general or in the context of particular types of cards, are outside the scope of this rulemaking, and as such, the Bureau declines to include any such blanket fee bans in the final rule. Nonetheless, the Bureau recognizes commenters' concerns regarding financial institutions' fee practices, particularly with respect to practices that disproportionately impact vulnerable populations, such as formerly incarcerated individuals, and will continue to monitor these practices going forward. Likewise, the final rule does not address financial institutions' practices with respect to placing holds on funds pending clearance of a transaction.\281\
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\281\ The Bureau notes that the U.S. transition from magnetic strip to EMV chip payment cards is expected to reduce the incidence of card-related fraud. As such, account holds related to fraud prevention may likewise reduce in amount or frequency.
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The request that the Bureau ban arbitration or class action waivers in prepaid account agreements is also outside the scope of this rulemaking. The Bureau notes, however, that if finalized as proposed, the Bureau's recent Arbitration Agreements NPRM would prohibit covered providers of certain consumer financial products and services from using an arbitration agreement to bar the consumer from filing or participating in a class action with respect to the covered consumer financial product or service.\282\
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\282\ 81 FR 32830 (May 24, 2016). The proposal would also facilitate monitoring of consumer arbitrations by requiring providers to report certain information to the Bureau in connection with individual arbitration proceedings.
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Finally, with respect to consumer group commenters' requests that the Bureau require or encourage financial institutions to add savings or credit building features to prepaid accounts, the Bureau agrees with commenters that such features can be beneficial to consumers. Linked savings programs, for instance, may allow participating consumers to better manage their current spending and set aside funds for planned or unexpected expenses. Nevertheless, the Bureau does not believe it would be appropriate to mandate one at this juncture. The Bureau will continue to encourage financial institutions to expand their offerings in this area, in such a way as to provide protections and opportunities for consumers.\283\
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\283\ See also Press Release, CFPB, CFPB Project Catalyst Study Finds Savings Offers Double the Number of Consumers Saving (Sept. 29, 2016), available at http://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-project-catalyst-study-finds-savings-offers-double-number-consumers-saving/.
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Other Regulation E Subpart A Provisions Applicable to Prepaid Accounts
The Bureau explained in the proposal that unless as otherwise provided under the proposed rule, the requirements of current subpart A of Regulation E would extend to prepaid accounts in the same manner they currently apply to payroll card accounts. This aspect of the proposal is adopted as proposed.
A law firm commenter representing a coalition of prepaid issuers asserted that the Bureau should permit financial institutions to provide all required disclosures related to prepaid accounts electronically regardless of whether a financial institution complies with the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-
Sign Act),\284\ which generally requires consumer consent and a demonstration that the
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consumer can receive materials electronically before written disclosures can be delivered electronically.
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\284\ 15 U.S.C. 7001 et seq.
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In general, the Bureau believes that existing Sec. 1005.4(a)(1) should apply to prepaid accounts. Section 1005.4(a)(1) permits the electronic delivery of disclosures required pursuant to subpart A of Regulation E, subject to compliance with the consumer consent and other applicable provisions of the E-Sign Act. However, the final rule permits financial institutions to provide the short form and long form disclosures electronically without E-Sign consent for prepaid accounts that are acquired electronically, including via a mobile device, to ensure that consumers receive relevant disclosure information at the appropriate time. During the pre-acquisition time period for prepaid accounts, the Bureau believes that it is important for consumers who decide to go online to acquire a prepaid account to see the relevant disclosures in electronic form. The Bureau believes that many consumers may decide whether to acquire a particular prepaid account after doing research online, and that if they are not able to see disclosures on the prepaid account program's Web site, they cannot make an informed acquisition decision. But the fact that the consumer has used the Web site once to acquire the account does not mean that the consumer intends to receive all disclosures later in the account relationship via Web site, absent a formal process by which the consumer is informed of and consents to that delivery method. And with accounts acquired through other means, the Bureau similarly believes it is important that consumers have an opportunity to consent to electronic delivery of disclosures in general. Accordingly, the Bureau declines to permit financial institutions to provide all required disclosures related to prepaid accounts electronically regardless of whether a financial institution complies with the E-Sign Act.
Finally, current Sec. 1005.10(c) provides that a consumer can revoke authorization of preauthorized EFTs orally or in writing. If the consumer gives the stop payment request orally, a financial institution may require the consumer to then give written confirmation, or else the oral stop payment order will cease to bind the financial institution. A consumer group commenter requested that the Bureau clarify that consumers can revoke their authorization of preauthorized EFTs in writing, electronically, or orally in any manner, as long as the method provides a consumer's creditor with reasonable notice and opportunity to act. The Bureau declines to modify Sec. 1005.10(c) in this way, as doing so would be outside of the scope of this rulemaking insofar as any such clarification would presumably apply to all Regulation E accounts, not just prepaid accounts.
The Bureau notes that among the other various Regulation E provisions that will apply to prepaid accounts are the limitations on the unsolicited issuance of an access device in existing Sec. 1005.5 and the requirement in existing (Sec. 1005.13) to retain records that evidence compliance with the requirements of EFTA and Regulation E.
Section 1005.2 Definitions
2(b) Account
2(b)(2) Bona Fide Trust Account
The current definition of account in Regulation E includes an exception for bona fide trust accounts.\285\ To accommodate the proposed definition for the term prepaid account and a proposed adjustment to the definition of payroll card account, the Bureau proposed to renumber the exception for bona fide trust accounts as Sec. 1005.2(b)(2) without any substantive changes to the exception. The Bureau did not receive any comments on this portion of the proposal and is finalizing this change as proposed. As explained in the proposal, to accommodate this change, the Bureau does not need to renumber existing comments 2(b)(2)-1 and -2 because those comments are currently misnumbered in the Official Interpretations to Regulation E.
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\285\ See existing Sec. 1005.2(b)(3).
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2(b)(3) Prepaid Account
The Bureau's Proposal
The Bureau proposed several changes to Sec. 1005.2(b), as discussed below. In sum, these changes would have created a broad new defined term, ``prepaid account,'' as a subcategory of the definition of ``account'' in existing Sec. 1005.2(b)(1), and thus subject to Regulation E. As discussed in detail in the proposal, existing Sec. 1005.2(b)(1) defines an ``account'' generally for purposes of Regulation E as a demand deposit (checking), savings, or other consumer asset account (other than an occasional or incidental credit balance in a credit plan) held directly or indirectly by a financial institution and established primarily for personal, family, or household purposes. EFTA and existing Regulation E contain explicit provisions applying specifically to payroll card accounts, as well as accounts used for the distribution of government benefits in existing Sec. Sec. 1005.18 and 1005.15, respectively. Gift cards, although not included in the Sec. 1005.2(b) definition of account, are addressed specifically in Sec. 1005.20. The Board, in adopting rules to include payroll card accounts within the ambit of Regulation E, explicitly stated that Regulation E did not, at that time, cover general spending cards to which a consumer might transfer by direct deposit some portion of the consumer's wages.\286\ As a result, some regulators, the prepaid industry, and others had interpreted Regulation E as not applying to various types of prepaid products that are not payroll card accounts, accounts used for the distribution of government benefits, or gift cards.\287\
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\286\ 71 FR 51437, 51441 (Aug. 30, 2006).
\287\ See, e.g., FMS Rule, 75 FR 80335, 80337 (Dec. 22, 2010). However, as evidenced by the Study of Prepaid Account Agreements, many prepaid providers have, for a variety of reasons, elected to apply some or all of Regulation E's provisions (as modified by the Payroll Card Rule) to their non-payroll prepaid products generally.
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After the Bureau assumed authority for implementing most of EFTA pursuant to the transfer of certain authorities from the Board to the Bureau under the Dodd-Frank Act, it analyzed whether other types of prepaid products not already specifically identified in Regulation E could or should be covered by the regulation. It first considered the applicability of EFTA to prepaid products. EFTA, among other things, governs transactions that involve an EFT to or from a consumer's account. It defines an account to be ``a demand deposit, savings deposit, or other asset account . . . as described in regulations of the Bureau, established primarily for personal, family, or household purposes.'' \288\ Insofar as the statute defines account broadly to include any other asset account and for the other reasons discussed below, the Bureau believed it was reasonable to interpret ``account'' in EFTA to include prepaid accounts. Thus, it proposed to include prepaid accounts expressly within Regulation E's definition of account. To clarify the scope of the proposed rule and to modify Regulation E to reflect the characteristics of prepaid accounts, the Bureau proposed to modify the definition of ``account'' under Sec. 1005.2(b) to create a specific sub-definition for prepaid account.
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\288\ EFTA section 903(2), 15 U.S.C. 1693a(2).
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The Bureau believed that proposing to apply Regulation E to prepaid accounts was appropriate for several reasons. First, it concluded that consumers' use of prepaid products had evolved significantly since 2006, when the Board last examined the issue in the course of its payroll card account
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rulemaking. The Bureau noted that a substantial number of consumers could and do use prepaid accounts that involve substantial sums of money, in part because many have wages and/or benefits loaded onto prepaid cards through direct deposit.\289\ In addition, consumers use prepaid cards for a variety of purposes, including making purchases, paying bills, and receiving payments.\290\ Indeed, the Bureau noted that some consumers without other transaction accounts depend on prepaid cards to meet all of their payment account needs.\291\ As a result, the Bureau believed that such products should be considered consumer asset accounts subject to EFTA and Regulation E.
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\289\ See, e.g., Fed. Deposit Ins. Corp., 2013 FDIC National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households, at 55 (Oct. 2014), available at https://www.fdic.gov/householdsurvey/2013report.pdf (2013 FDIC Survey) (finding that for households that reloaded prepaid debit cards in the last 12 months, 17.7 percent of all households and 27.7 percent of unbanked households did so via direct deposit of a paycheck).
\290\ See, e.g., id. at 48 (finding that for all households that used prepaid debit cards in the last 12 months, 44.5 percent did so to pay for everyday purchases or to pay bills and 19.4 percent did so to receive payments).
\291\ See, e.g., id. (finding that for unbanked households that used prepaid debit cards in the last 12 months, 65 percent did so to pay for everyday purchases or to pay bills and 41.8 percent did so to receive payments).
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Second, the Bureau concluded that inclusion aligned appropriately with the purposes of EFTA. The legislative history of EFTA indicates that Congress's primary goal was to protect consumers using EFT services. Although, at the time, providers of electronic payment services argued that enactment of EFTA was premature and that the electronic payment market should be allowed to develop further on its own, Congress believed that establishing a framework of rights and duties for all parties would benefit both consumers and providers. Likewise, in the proposal, the Bureau stated its belief that it was appropriate to establish such a framework for prepaid accounts, because doing so would benefit both consumers and providers.\292\
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\292\ 79 FR 77102, 77127 (Dec. 23, 2014).
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In addition, were it to finalize the proposal, the Bureau believed that consumers would be better able to assess the risks of using prepaid products. Indeed, the Bureau was concerned that because prepaid cards could be so similar to credit and debit cards (which are protected under Regulations Z and E), consumers may not realize that their prepaid cards lack the same benefits and protections as those other cards. The Bureau stated its belief that the proposal, if finalized, would serve to make those protections more consistent and eliminate a regulatory gap.
With these considerations in mind, the Bureau proposed to bring a broad range of prepaid products within the ambit of Regulation E and also proposed to modify certain substantive provisions of Regulation E as appropriate for different types of prepaid accounts. To facilitate this, the Bureau proposed to add a definition of ``prepaid account,'' the specifics of which are discussed in greater detail in the section-
by-section analyses that follow, to the existing definition of ``account'' in Sec. 1005.2(b). In sum, the proposed definition would have created a broad general umbrella definition for prepaid accounts that are issued on a prepaid basis or loaded with funds thereafter and are usable to conduct transactions with merchants or at an ATM, or usable to facilitate P2P transfers. The definition would not have depended on whether such accounts were reloadable or non-reloadable. Payroll card accounts and government benefit accounts would have been subsumed within the broader definition, though still enumerated as specific subcategories for purposes of tailoring certain substantive rules. The Bureau noted that while not all prepaid products covered by the proposed definition could or would be used as full and ongoing transaction account substitutes, it was concerned that to try to carve out very specific types of products that were, or could be, used for short-term limited purposes would create substantial complexity and could result in consumer confusion as to what protections would apply to otherwise indistinguishable products. The proposed definition would have excluded accounts that were already subject to Regulation E.\293\
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\293\ Id. at 77127-28.
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Comments Received
As with the comments the Bureau received in response to the ANPR, most commenters to the proposal (industry, consumer advocacy groups, and others) did not object to the general concept of bringing prepaid products within the ambit of Regulation E.\294\ While there were some concerns from industry and others, discussed in more detail below, about exactly which types of prepaid products the Bureau might subject to Regulation E, most commenters favored inclusion of GPR cards. Among other reasons, several industry trade associations noted that insofar as many GPR card issuers and program managers already voluntarily comply with Regulation E, the Bureau should formalize GPR cards' inclusion in Regulation E as a means of standardizing protections for consumers.
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\294\ A trade association representing credit unions asserted that the Bureau lacked the statutory authority to extend Regulation E to GPR cards. The commenter argued that, because Congress expressly exempted GPR cards from the provisions of the Credit CARD Act that apply to gift cards, the Bureau lacks the authority to extend the requirements of all of Regulation E to prepaid cards absent a statutory amendment to EFTA to define ``account'' to include prepaid cards. The Bureau disagrees. The provisions in the Credit CARD Act that apply to gift cards were specific requirements that Congress mandated for the unique context of gift cards. These provisions do not take away from the Bureau's authority and discretion to regulate accounts more generally under EFTA as a whole, and the Bureau believes that ``account'' is reasonably interpreted to include prepaid accounts.
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A number of industry commenters, however, took issue with the Bureau's proposal to define prepaid account more broadly than just GPR cards. A number of these commenters, including program managers, a trade association, and a law firm writing on behalf of a coalition of prepaid issuers, stated that the scope of the proposal's coverage was a significant departure from the Bureau's Prepaid ANPR, which they noted focused exclusively on GPR cards and like products. A number of commenters, including trade associations and an issuing bank, urged the Bureau to focus its rulemaking on products that could be used in the same ways as traditional transaction accounts. The commenters contrasted such products, which they contended include GPR cards, with products that have limitations on use, such as non-reloadable cards or so-called reload packs, which are cards that can only be used to load funds onto GPR cards. According to the commenters, products that had limited uses or functions were generally characterized by a more limited relationship between the issuer and consumer, which made these types of products inherently riskier--from a fraud-prevention perspective--and less profitable to financial institutions than GPR cards. The commenters asserted that if these more limited product types were covered under the definition of prepaid account, the cost of adding Regulation E protections may cause issuers of those products to discontinue offering them. A number of trade associations advocated that the Bureau specifically exclude non-reloadable cards for these reasons. Similarly, these and other commenters urged the Bureau to exclude reload packs.
Other industry commenters objected to the Bureau's decision to cover ``innovative'' payment products, such as
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digital wallets capable of storing funds, mobile and electronic payments, mobile applications, and other products that were being or may one day be developed. A digital wallet provider argued for an explicit exemption for digital wallets, which it defined as card, code, or other device that is capable of accessing two or more payment credentials for purposes of making payment for goods and services at multiple unaffiliated merchants. According to the commenter, digital wallets and GPR cards should not be encompassed within the same regulatory regime because they have fundamentally different consumer use cases and functionalities, and as such are not viewed by consumers as interchangeable. For example, the commenter asserted, in contrast with GPR cards, digital wallets are used primarily to access payment credentials, not funds. The commenter further stated that, to the extent digital wallets store funds, such funds are almost always loaded onto the wallets as a result of a P2P transaction, not because the accountholder purposefully loads the wallet with funds for future use. In addition, the commenter argued, digital wallets do not present the same risks as prepaid accounts--specifically, digital wallets charge lower fees than GPR cards and do not offer overdraft features.
Other commenters, including an issuing bank, several industry trade associations, a think tank, and a group of members of Congress, argued that if the Bureau's prepaid accounts rule applied to such products, it would stifle growth and innovation by imposing a one-size-fits-all regime on a diverse and evolving market. These commenters advocated that the Bureau take an incremental approach to broadening the definition of prepaid account by including GPR cards in this final rule, and reevaluating the possible addition of other products at a later time.
A subset of these commenters, joined by a number of additional trade associations, a payment network, and an issuing bank, argued that the proposed definition was ambiguous and vague. Specifically, these commenters argued that the proposed definition did not draw a sufficiently clear line between accounts that were already covered by Regulation E--namely, demand deposit (checking) accounts, savings accounts, and other consumer asset accounts--and accounts that would newly be covered as prepaid accounts. These commenters expressed concern that under the proposed definition certain accounts could qualify as both prepaid accounts subject to the augmented Regulation E requirements of the proposal and traditional bank accounts (or other consumer asset accounts) subject to existing Regulation E requirements. Relatedly, other commenters stated that certain prepaid account issuers already considered their products covered under Regulation E as consumer asset accounts. As a result, commenters asserted, essentially identical products could be subject to different consumer protection regimes, resulting in inconsistent consumer protections for similar products and heightened compliance risk stemming from industry's uncertainty regarding which regime their products fall under. These commenters urged the Bureau to create a clearer demarcation between prepaid accounts and other types of accounts. Specifically, commenters proposed that the Bureau add greater clarity by limiting the definition of prepaid account. They had various suggestions for how to limit the definition, including, inter alia, limiting it to GPR cards, accounts that can only be accessed by a physical card, accounts that are marketed and labeled as prepaid accounts, accounts held by a financial institution in an omnibus (or pooled) account structure, or accounts featuring some combination of these characteristics.
Consumer groups likewise urged the Bureau to apply Regulation E to those prepaid products that consumers can use as transaction account substitutes because, in part, consumers do not know that their prepaid products lack certain protections offered by other transaction accounts. The consumer groups diverged from industry commenters, however, by largely supporting the breadth of the Bureau's proposed definition. A number of groups agreed with the Bureau's decision to include both reloadable and non-reloadable accounts in the proposed definition, arguing that the focus of the definition should be on how the account is used, not on how it is loaded. A think tank argued that consumer usage supported covering non-reloadable cards, noting that one-third of prepaid account users in its survey do not reuse their account after the initial amount of funds was depleted. A number of consumer groups advocated that the Bureau expand the proposed definition further to include specific types of non-reloadable cards loaded by third parties, such as student loan disbursement cards and prison release cards. Other consumer groups argued that a broad definition was necessary to accommodate new and changing products. These commenters supported the Bureau's decision to cover mobile and virtual payment systems, arguing that, as payment systems evolve, it was important not to adopt a narrow definition that would permit evasion.
Some commenters also urged the Bureau to expand the scope of the definition of government benefit account so that it applied to more categories of government benefit programs. Those comments and the Bureau's response thereto are discussed in greater detail in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.15(a) below.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is finalizing the rule to define the term ``account'' under Regulation E to include a ``prepaid account,'' while making several revisions to the proposed definition of prepaid account, as summarized below and discussed in greater detail in the section-by-section analyses that follow. EFTA section 903(2) defines an account broadly to be ``a demand deposit, savings deposit, or other asset account . . . as described in regulations of the Bureau, established primarily for personal, family, or household purposes.'' Insofar as the statute defines account broadly to include any other asset account and for the other reasons discussed below, the Bureau believes it is reasonable to interpret account in EFTA to include prepaid accounts. In general, the Bureau declines to narrow the scope of the proposed definition to cover, for example, only GPR cards, reloadable accounts, or cards that otherwise function as transaction account substitutes, as some commenters had requested.
As it stated in the proposal, the Bureau recognizes that not all types of prepaid products lend themselves to permanent use as transaction account substitutes. Nevertheless, the Bureau continues to believe that the features of non-GPR card prepaid products as well as the ways consumers can and do use those products warrant Regulation E protection and that the prepaid regime provided in this final rule is the most appropriate regime to apply. Consumers can receive significant disbursements of funds--such as tax refunds or pay-outs of home insurance proceeds--on non-reloadable prepaid cards. They can then use such cards for a variety of purposes, including making purchases and paying bills, for which error resolution and other Regulation E protections could be important.\295\ Indeed, even though some
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types of prepaid cards may not be reloadable, consumers who lack other transaction accounts may depend entirely on such cards to meet their payment account needs, at least until the cards are spent down.\296\ Likewise, consumers increasingly use digital wallets to conduct daily financial transactions for which Regulation E protections are important. The Bureau is not convinced by the argument that digital wallets used in this fashion are fundamentally dissimilar to other types of prepaid accounts. Indeed, to the extent that they are used to access funds the consumer has deposited into the account in advance, the Bureau believes digital wallets operate very much like a prepaid account. The Bureau notes that the fact that digital wallets currently on the market may not charge usage fees, as one commenter asserted, may not hold true in the future, especially if these products become more widely used and the features and services offered broaden.\297\
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\295\ See, e.g., 2013 FDIC Survey at 34 (finding that for all households that used prepaid debit cards in the last 12 months, 47.6 percent did so to pay for everyday purchases or to pay bills and 31.8 percent did so to receive payments).
\296\ See, e.g., id. (finding that for unbanked households that used prepaid debit cards in the last 12 months, 65 percent did so to pay for everyday purchases or to pay bills and 41.8 percent did so to receive payments).
\297\ The same commenter argued in the alternative that, if digital wallets were not explicitly exempted from the definition of prepaid account, they be exempted from the pre-acquisition disclosure regime. That request, and the Bureau's response to it, are discussed in greater detail below.
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The Bureau is thus finalizing a definition of prepaid account that covers a range of products including GPR cards, as well as other products that may not be used as transaction account substitutes, such as certain non-reloadable accounts and digital wallets. The Bureau recognizes that the scope of the final rule's coverage extends beyond the types of accounts that were the primary focus of in the Prepaid ANPR, as some commenters remarked. The Bureau notes, however, that the ANPR also asked broader questions regarding the potential definitional scope for a prepaid rulemaking. While an ANPR is not a required part of the rulemaking process under the Administrative Procedures Act, the over 220 comments received in response helped inform the scope the Bureau's proposal. The Bureau notes in addition, and in response to comments from consumer groups, that the final rule's definition is broad enough to cover prepaid accounts used by consumers in various scenarios and for various purposes, so long as those accounts meet the specific provisions of the definition, as set forth below. This would include, for example, student loan disbursement cards and prison release cards that meet the other criteria set forth in the definition.
At the same time, the Bureau appreciates commenters' concerns that the single broad proposed umbrella definition could have created too much uncertainty as to treatment of products that were already subject to Regulation E prior to this rulemaking, and their concern that certain additional narrow categories of products should be excluded from the definition due to various unique circumstances. The Bureau has considered various avenues for addressing these concerns, including, as suggested by commenters, limiting coverage under the final rule to only GPR cards or to accounts held by a financial institution in an omnibus (or pooled) structure. As set forth in greater detail below, the Bureau has decided to add further clarity to the proposed definition by adding a reference to the way the account is marketed or labeled, as well as to the account's primary function. The Bureau is not finalizing a definition that would limit coverage to only GPR cards, as stated above, because it continues to believe that the features of non-GPR card prepaid products as well as the ways consumers can and do use those products warrant Regulation E protection. In addition, the Bureau declines to limit coverage under the definition to accounts held in a pooled account structure, because the Bureau believes that the characteristics that make an account a prepaid account should not be dependent on the product's back-office infrastructure.
In addition to minor changes to streamline the definition and sequence of the regulation, the Bureau has reorganized the structure of the definition and added certain wording to the final rule that is designed to more cleanly differentiate products that are subject to this final rule from those that are subject to general Regulation E. First, to streamline the definition and to eliminate redundancies, the Bureau is omitting the phrase ``card, code, or other device, not otherwise an account under paragraph (b)(1) of this section, which is established primarily for personal, family, or household purposes'' from final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i). Second, the Bureau is clarifying the scope of the definition by adding a reference to the way the account is marketed or labeled, as well as to the account's primary function. Under the final definition, therefore, an account is a prepaid account if it is a payroll card account or government benefit account; or it is marketed or labeled as ``prepaid,'' provided it is redeemable upon presentation at multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services or usable at ATMs; or it meets all of the following criteria: (a) It is issued on a prepaid basis in a specified amount or not issued on a prepaid basis but capable of being loaded with funds thereafter; (b) its primary function is to conduct transactions with multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, or at ATMs, or to conduct P2P transfers; and (c) it is not a checking account, share draft account, or NOW account.
The final rule also contains several additional exclusions from the definition of prepaid account for: (1) Accounts loaded only with funds from a dependent care assistance program or a transit or parking reimbursement arrangement; (2) accounts that are directly or indirectly established through a third party and loaded only with qualified disaster relief payments; and (3) the P2P functionality of accounts established by or through the U.S. government whose primary function is to conduct closed-loop transactions on U.S. military installations or vessels, or similar government facilities. Other than these clarifications and exclusions discussed herein, the Bureau does not intend the changed language in the final rule to significantly alter the scope of the proposed definition of the term prepaid account.
2(b)(3)(i)
Proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i) would have defined the term prepaid account as a card, code, or other device, not otherwise an account under Sec. 1005.2(b)(1), that was established primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, and that satisfied three additional criteria as to how the account was loaded and used, as laid out in proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(A) through (C), which are discussed separately below. This proposed definition of prepaid account was based on the formulation for the definition of general-use prepaid card in the Gift Card Rule (Sec. 1005.20). Proposed comment 2(b)(3)(i)-1 would have clarified that for purposes of subpart A of Regulation E, except for Sec. 1005.17 (requirements for overdraft services), the term ``debit card'' also included a prepaid card. Proposed comment 2(b)(3)(i)-2 would have explained that proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3) applied only to cards, codes, or other devices that were acquired by or provided to a consumer primarily for personal, family, or household purposes. For further guidance interpreting the phrase ``card, code, or other device,'' proposed comment 2(b)(3)(i)-2 would have
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referred to existing comments 20(a)-4 and -5.
The Bureau received comment from an industry trade association asserting that defining a prepaid account as a ``card, code, or other device'' may conflate the actual covered account with the access device that the consumer can use to transact or withdraw from that account. Upon further consideration, the Bureau has revised Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i) to remove the phrase ``card, code, or other device,'' so that the definition does not conflate the access device that may be used to access the underlying account with the account itself. The Bureau intends the definition of prepaid account to cover the account itself, not the device used to access it.
The Bureau has also removed the reference to the prepaid account being an account that is ``not otherwise an account under paragraph (b)(1) of this section.'' As discussed below, the prepaid account definition's interaction with the existing definition of account in Regulation E is now addressed in other paragraphs of final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D). Specifically, excluded from the definition of prepaid account by new Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(3) are checking accounts, share draft accounts, and NOW accounts, while commentary to final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i) clarifies that other types of accounts, such as savings accounts, are excluded from the definition of prepaid account because they do not have the same primary functions.
The Bureau has revised comment 2(b)(3)(i)-1 to state that for purposes of subpart A of Regulation E, unless where otherwise specified, the term debit card also includes a prepaid card. The Bureau has removed the proposed reference to Sec. 1005.17 in this paragraph, as the Bureau's revisions to Sec. 1005.17, discussed below, have rendered its reference here unnecessary.
Finally, the Bureau has also removed the phrase ``established primarily for personal, family, or household purposes'' from the definition of prepaid account. Upon further consideration, the Bureau believes that phrase is unnecessary here as it already appears in the main definition of account in Sec. 1005.2(b)(1), and prepaid accounts are expressly included as a subcategory within that broader definition. The Bureau has likewise removed proposed comment 2(b)(3)(i)-2, which would have provided guidance with respect to the meaning of ``established primarily for personal, family, or household purposes.''
2(b)(3)(i)(A)
As discussed above, the proposed rule would have created a broad general definition of prepaid account that hinged in significant part on how the account could be loaded and used, as set forth in proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(A) through (C). Rather than relying on a single broad umbrella definition, the Bureau has concluded in response to commenters' concerns about ambiguity as to the scope of coverage that it would provide greater clarity to specify several types of products that are included within the general definition of prepaid account, and then specify an additional, narrower category for the balance of covered products by reference to those products' functionality. Accordingly, the final rule has been reorganized to list the specific categories of products first. The reorganization is not intended to substantively alter the scope of the proposed prepaid account definition's coverage.
Final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(A) defines the first such category, payroll card accounts. As discussed above, Regulation E currently contains provisions specific to payroll card accounts and defines such accounts.\298\ Insofar as the Bureau was generally proposing to adapt existing payroll card account rules to prepaid accounts in Sec. 1005.18 (which currently addresses only payroll card accounts), payroll card accounts would have been subsumed within the broad general definition of prepaid account. Nevertheless, the Bureau believed that because there are certain provisions of Regulation E that would remain specific to payroll card accounts, it was appropriate to propose to maintain the term payroll card account as a standalone sub-definition of prepaid account. Specifically, proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(ii) would have provided that the term ``prepaid account'' included a ``payroll card account,'' and would have restated the existing payroll card account definition.
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\298\ See existing Sec. 1005.2(b)(2).
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In addition, the Bureau proposed to renumber existing comment 2(b)-
2, which concerns certain employment-related cards not covered as payroll card accounts, as comment 2(b)(3)(ii)-1. The Bureau proposed to add to comment 2(b)(3)(ii)-1 an explanation that would have clarified that, while the existing examples given of cards would not be payroll card accounts (i.e., cards used solely to disburse incentive-based payments, such as bonuses, disbursements unrelated to compensation, and cards used in isolated instances to which an employer typically does not make recurring payments, such as when providing final payments or in emergency situations where other payment methods are unavailable), such cards could constitute prepaid accounts generally, provided the other conditions of the definition of that term in proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3) were satisfied. Similar to existing comment 2(b)-2, proposed comment 2(b)(3)(ii)-1 would have also stated that all transactions involving the transfer of funds to or from a payroll card account or prepaid account were covered by the regulation, even if a particular transaction involved payment of a bonus, other incentive-
based payment, or reimbursement, or the transaction did not represent a transfer of wages, salary, or other employee compensation.
The Bureau did not receive any comments on this portion of the proposal, and as such, is finalizing the regulatory text and commentary largely as proposed, with minor modifications in the commentary for clarity and consistency with terms used elsewhere in this final rule.\299\ To accommodate several substantive changes to the definition of prepaid account, however, the Bureau has renumbered several sub-
sections of Sec. 1005.2(b)(3), including Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(ii) and its related commentary. Under the new numbering scheme, proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(ii) is now final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(A) and proposed comment 2(b)(3)(ii)-1 is accordingly renumbered as comment 2(b)(3)(i)-
2.
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\299\ The Bureau received several comments from industry requesting that the Bureau maintain a separate section for payroll card accounts, rather than treat payroll card accounts in Sec. 1005.18, which, as the Bureau proposed, will become the general prepaid account section. Those comments, and the Bureau's response to them, are summarized in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(a) below.
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2(b)(3)(i)(B)
As discussed above, Regulation E currently contains provisions in Sec. 1005.15 that are specifically applicable to an account established by a government agency for distributing government benefits to a consumer electronically. While such accounts are currently defined only in existing Sec. 1005.15(a)(2), the Bureau stated its belief in the proposal that given the other modifications to Regulation E proposed therein, it was appropriate to explicitly add such accounts used for the distribution of government benefits as a stand-alone sub-
definition of prepaid account as well. Specifically, the Bureau proposed to have Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(iii) state that the term
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prepaid account includes a government benefit account, as defined in existing Sec. 1005.15(a)(2).
The Bureau did not receive any comments on this portion of the proposal.\300\ Consistent with its overall approach in specifying particular product types that are ``prepaid accounts'' before defining an additional, narrower category for the balance of covered accounts, the Bureau is finalizing the proposed language concerning government benefit accounts as Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(B) without any other changes. Relatedly, as discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(ii)(E) below, the Bureau has added an exclusion from the definition of government benefit accounts for accounts used to distribute needs-tested benefits in a program established by under State or local law or administered by a State or local agency. That exclusion is part of the existing definition of government benefit account in Sec. 1005.15(a)(2), and the Bureau believes it should be repeated as part of final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3).
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\300\ Comments received recommending that the Bureau expand the reach of the term government benefit account, and the Bureau's response thereto, are discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.15(a) below.
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2(b)(3)(i)(C)
As noted above, several commenters requested that the Bureau revise the proposed definition of prepaid account to add greater certainty as to the scope of coverage. One commenter, a trade association, specifically suggested that the Bureau modify the definition to only apply to products that are expressly marketed and labeled as ``prepaid.'' The Bureau agrees that the addition of a provision focusing on marketing and labeling would provide greater clarity. The Bureau believes that all or most GPR cards are currently marketed or labeled as ``prepaid,'' either on the packaging or display of the card or in related advertising. As such, the Bureau believes that most, if not all, GPR cards will qualify as prepaid accounts under this provision of the definition. In addition, the Bureau believes that, in order to prevent consumer confusion and conform to consumer expectations, accounts that are marketed or labeled as ``prepaid'' should be accompanied by the same disclosures and protections that consumers will expect prepaid accounts to provide pursuant to this final rule.
The Bureau is thus adopting new Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(C) to define as a prepaid account an account that is marketed or labeled as ``prepaid.'' The Bureau understands, however, that there are certain products that are intended for specific, limited purposes--for example, prepaid phone cards--that may use the term ``prepaid'' for marketing or labeling purposes, but which the Bureau did not intend to include under the definition of prepaid account by function of this prong. The Bureau is clarifying, therefore, that in order to qualify as a prepaid account under the ``marketed or labeled'' prong, an account must also be redeemable upon presentation at multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services or usable at ATMs. Accordingly, although products such as prepaid phone cards are marketed or labeled as ``prepaid,'' they would not qualify as prepaid accounts under this prong because they are not redeemable at multiple, unaffiliated merchants or usable at ATMs.
To clarify the meaning of ``marketed or labeled,'' the Bureau is also adopting new comment 2(b)(3)(i)-3. That comment, which draws on similar existing commentary to Regulation E concerning the marketing and labeling of gift cards,\301\ clarifies that the term ``marketed or labeled as `prepaid' '' means promoting or advertising an account using the term ``prepaid.'' For example, an account is marketed or labeled as prepaid if the term ``prepaid'' appears on the access device associated with the account or the access device's packaging materials, or on a display, advertisement, or other publication to promote purchase or use of the account. The comment further clarifies that an account may be marketed or labeled as prepaid if the financial institution, its service provider, including a program manager, or the payment network on which an access device for the account is used, promotes or advertises, or contracts with another party to promote or advertise, the account using the label ``prepaid.'' Finally, the comment clarifies that a product or service that is marketed or labeled as prepaid is not a ``prepaid account'' if it does not otherwise meet the definition of account in Sec. 1005.2(b)(1).
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\301\ See comment 20(b)(2)-2.
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2(b)(3)(i)(D)
Final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D) contains a descriptive, general definition of the term ``prepaid account'' that largely preserves the structure of the proposed definition, with an increased focus on the account's functionality for greater clarity. The provision builds on elements of proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(A) and (B), which focused on whether an account was issued to a consumer on a prepaid basis or was capable of being loaded with funds thereafter and whether the account was redeemable upon presentation at multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, usable at ATMs, or usable for P2P transfers. To constitute a prepaid account under final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D), an account must satisfy all three of the prongs of final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(1) through (3), which are discussed in turn below.
2(b)(3)(i)(D)(1)
The Bureau's Proposal
Proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(A) would have defined a prepaid account as either issued on a prepaid basis to a consumer in a specified amount or not issued on a prepaid basis but capable of being loaded with funds thereafter. This portion of the proposed definition expanded upon the phrase ``issued on a prepaid basis'' used in the Gift Card Rule's definition of general-use prepaid card in Sec. 1005.20(a)(3),\302\ by also including a prepaid product that was ``not issued on a prepaid basis but capable of being loaded with funds thereafter.''
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\302\ Section 1005.20(a)(3) defines the term general use prepaid card as ``a card, code, or other device that is: (i) Issued on a prepaid basis primarily for personal, family, or household purposes to a consumer in a specified amount, whether or not that amount may be increased or reloaded, in exchange for payment; and (ii) Redeemable upon presentation at multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, or usable at automated teller machines.''
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As it explained in the proposal, the Bureau sought to ensure that accounts that are not loaded at acquisition are nonetheless eligible to be prepaid accounts. The Bureau proposed this approach to address concerns that prepaid providers could restructure existing products to avoid coverage by the proposed rule if they were to separate account acquisition from initial funding. In addition, the Bureau believed the proposed provision would have ensured that consumers who used prepaid accounts received the protections in the proposed rule--particularly the pre-acquisition disclosures regarding fees and other key terms--
prior to and upon establishment of the account.
Proposed comment 2(b)(3)(i)-3 would have clarified that to be ``issued on a prepaid basis,'' a prepaid account had to be loaded with funds when it was first provided to the consumer for use. For example, if a consumer purchased a prepaid account and provided funds that were loaded onto a card at the time of purchase, the prepaid account would have been issued on a prepaid basis. A prepaid account offered for sale in a
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retail store would not have been issued on a prepaid basis until it was purchased by the consumer.
Proposed comment 2(b)(3)(i)-4 would have explained that a prepaid account that was not issued on a prepaid basis but was capable of being loaded with funds thereafter included a prepaid card issued to a consumer with a zero balance to which funds could be loaded by the consumer or a third party subsequent to issuance. This would not have included a product that could never store funds, such as a digital wallet that only held payment credentials for other accounts.
Proposed comment 2(b)(3)(i)-5 would have clarified that to satisfy proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(A), a prepaid account would have to either be issued on a prepaid basis or be capable of being loaded with funds. This would have meant that the prepaid account had to be capable of holding funds, rather than merely acting as a pass-through vehicle. For example, if a product was only capable of storing a consumer's payment credentials for other accounts but was incapable of having funds stored on it, such a product would not have been a prepaid account. However, if a product allowed a consumer to transfer funds, which could be stored before the consumer designated a destination for the funds, the product would have satisfied proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(A).
With these examples, the Bureau sought to make clear that it did not intend to extend the proposed definition of prepaid account to a product that could never store funds. To the extent that a digital wallet, for example, merely stores payment credentials (e.g., a consumer's bank account or payment card information), rather than storing the funds themselves, the digital wallet would not have been considered a prepaid account under the proposed rule. If, however, a digital wallet allowed a consumer to store funds in it directly, then the digital wallet would have been a prepaid account if the other criteria of the proposed definition were also met. Finally, proposed comment 2(b)(3)(i)-6 would have provided that prepaid accounts did not have to be reloadable by the consumer or a third party.
Comments Received
As discussed above, some industry commenters urged the Bureau to limit the final rule to those products that could be reloaded by a consumer, arguing that such products were more likely to act as transaction account substitutes. Those comments are summarized in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.2(b)(3) above. In short, these commenters argued that, to the extent the Bureau was seeking to create a uniform regulatory regime for like products, non-reloadable products did not function like other accounts already covered by Regulation E and thus should be excluded from coverage. They noted, for example, that non-reloadable cards were not generally accompanied by an expectation of a continued relationship between the financial institution and the consumer. In addition, these commenters argued, such accounts were largely used as a substitute for cash, such that adding disclosure and other substantive requirements to these cards would add unnecessary complexity that would far outweigh consumer expectations or needs with respect to these products. Commenters also noted that with respect to many types of non-reloadable cards, such as cards used to disburse insurance claim proceeds or tax refunds, consumers did not in fact have a choice with respect to which card they received. Comparison shopping in such circumstances, they argued, was unhelpful. Finally, with respect to the Bureau's proposed rationale that including non-reloadable accounts in the definition of prepaid account would help prevent evasion, a trade association stated that they believed that such evasion was unlikely, and further argued that the Bureau could address this risk through the adoption of an anti-
evasion provision specifically aimed at preventing financial institutions from morphing their products to avoid coverage under this rule.
With respect to the clarification in proposed comment 2(b)(3)(i)-5 that the prepaid account definition only covered accounts that were capable of holding funds (rather than just acting as a pass-through), several commenters, including issuing banks, a payment network, a digital wallet provider, and a consumer group, agreed with the proposed approach. These commenters asserted that, to the extent a digital wallet was simply acting as a pass-through of credentials for accounts that were already protected under Regulation E (or other regulations), consumers using those digital wallets were already receiving sufficient protections. As stated in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.2(b)(3) above, other commenters objected to the Bureau's decision to cover digital wallets under the rule in any respect.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is finalizing the general content of proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(A), renumbered as Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(1), with minor edits to streamline the language. Specifically, final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(1) defines a prepaid account, in part, as an account that is issued on a prepaid basis in a specified amount or not issued on a prepaid basis but capable of being loaded with funds thereafter. In addition, the Bureau is finalizing proposed comments 2(b)(3)(i)-3, -4, -5, and -6, renumbered as comments 2(b)(3)(i)-4, -5, -6, and -7, largely as proposed, with some minor revisions for clarity.
The Bureau continues to believe that it would be inappropriate to exclude a product from the definition of prepaid account based on whether it can be reloaded or who can (or cannot) load funds into the account. The Bureau notes that products that may limit consumers from loading funds include payroll card accounts, which are already subject to Regulation E. Other products reloadable only by a third party also may hold funds which similarly represent a meaningful portion of a consumer's available funds. This may be true, for example, for students receiving financial aid disbursements or a consumer receiving worker's compensation payments. The Bureau believes that, like consumers relying on payroll card accounts,\303\ consumers may use these products as transaction account substitutes for a substantial period of time even when consumers cannot reload the cards themselves, and thus such products should be similarly protected. In addition, while it is true that non-reloadable products are distinct from transaction accounts (to the extent that the funds will eventually be spent down in their entirety and the account abandoned), while the accounts are in use, they may be used to conduct a significant portion of a consumer's transactions or hold a substantial portion of a consumer's funds, and as such the Bureau believes that they warrant the protections of Regulation E, including error resolution in particular. Furthermore, the Bureau believes that extending protections to all broadly usable prepaid accounts is necessary to avoid consumer confusion as to what protections apply to similar accounts. Finally, the Bureau remains concerned that, if it were to exclude non-reloadable cards from the definition of prepaid account, a financial institution could evade the Bureau's rulemaking on prepaid accounts by issuing non-reloadable cards repeatedly to the same consumer, such as to provide repeated disbursements (e.g., providing a new student loan disbursement card each semester). The Bureau does not believe
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that an anti-evasion provision is the optimal method for dealing with this concern; rather, the Bureau is concerned that, at this time, such a provision would in fact cause some uncertainty without addressing all other concerns.
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\303\ See 71 FR 51437, 51441 (Aug. 30, 2006).
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The Bureau also is not persuaded by commenters' objections to the Bureau's proposal to cover digital wallets that can hold funds under the definition of prepaid account. The Bureau continues to believe that digital wallets that can hold funds operate in large part in a similar manner to physical or online prepaid accounts--a consumer can load funds into the account, spend the funds at multiple, unaffiliated merchants (or conduct P2P transfers), and reload the account once the funds are depleted. Accordingly, the Bureau believes that consumers who transact using digital wallets deserve the same protections as consumers who use other prepaid accounts. Indeed, as with other prepaid accounts, a consumer's digital wallet could fall victim to erroneous or fraudulent transactions. In addition, while the Bureau understands that most digital wallets available today do not typically charge many fees (with few exceptions, such as, for example, foreign exchange fees in certain circumstances or a fee for having funds from the account issued to the consumer in the form of a check), it is impossible to rule out that existing or new digital wallet providers will charge such fees in the future. If fees do become standard in this space, consumers ought to know what those fees are and when they will be imposed.
2(b)(3)(i)(D)(2)
The Bureau's Proposal
The next part of the Bureau's proposed definition of prepaid account would have addressed how such products must be able to be used to be considered a prepaid account. As the Board noted in adopting the Gift Card Rule, a key difference between a general-use prepaid card and a store gift card is where the card can be used.\304\ While store gift cards and gift certificates can be used at only a single merchant or an affiliated group of merchants,\305\ a general-use prepaid card is defined in part under the Gift Card Rule as redeemable upon presentation at multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services or usable at ATMs.\306\ The Bureau proposed to add Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(B), which would have stated that to qualify as a prepaid account, the card, code or other device had to be redeemable upon presentation at multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, usable at ATMs, or usable for P2P transfers. Proposed comment 2(b)(3)(i)-7 would have referred to existing comments 20(a)(3)-1 and -2 from the Gift Card Rule for guidance regarding the meaning of the phrase multiple, unaffiliated merchants.\307\
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\304\ See 75 FR 16580, 16588 (Apr. 1, 2010).
\305\ See Sec. 1005.20(a)(1)(ii) and (2)(ii).
\306\ Sec. 1005.20(a)(3)(ii).
\307\ The Gift Card Rule provides that a card, code, or other device is redeemable upon presentation at multiple, unaffiliated merchants if, for example, such merchants agree to honor the card, code, or device if it bears the mark, logo, or brand of a payment network, pursuant to the rules of the payment network. See comment 20(a)(3)-1.
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The Bureau believed it was appropriate to limit the definition of prepaid account to those products that consumers could use at multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, at ATMs, or for P2P transfers. The Bureau noted in the proposal that a core feature of a conventional debit card is that it is usable at multiple, unaffiliated merchants and at ATMs. Insofar as a purpose of the Bureau's rulemaking on prepaid accounts is to provide comparable coverage for products with comparable functionality--in this case traditional debit cards and prepaid cards--the Bureau believed it was appropriate to structure the proposed definition in a way that products with similar features had the protections afforded by Regulation E. Pursuant to the proposed definition, therefore, a prepaid account would have been an account that was accepted widely at unaffiliated merchants, rather than only a single merchant or specific group of merchants, such as those located on a college campus or within a mall or defined shopping area.
Next, the Bureau recognized that prepaid products were also growing in popularity as a vehicle for consumers to transmit payments to each other or to businesses. The Bureau noted that an increasing number of products allowed consumers to make P2P or P2B payments without using a third-party branded payment network. These services may not always have wide merchant acceptance, but they do allow consumers to send money to other consumers and businesses. The Bureau proposed to add new comment 2(b)(3)(i)-8 to further explain when accounts capable of P2P transfers were prepaid accounts. Specifically, the comment would have explained that a prepaid account capable of P2P transfers was an account that allowed a consumer to send funds to another consumer or business. As the comment made clear, an account could qualify as a prepaid account if it permitted P2P transfers even if it was neither redeemable upon presentation at multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, nor usable at ATMs. A transaction involving a store gift card would not have been a P2P transfer if it could have only been used to make payments to the merchant or affiliated group of merchants on whose behalf the card was issued.
Comments Received
The only specific aspect of proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(B) on which the Bureau received comment concerned its decision to include products that could only be used to facilitate P2P transfers. A number of consumer groups and a trade association voiced support for the Bureau's decision to include such products in the proposal. Other industry commenters who commented on the issue either opposed coverage of products usable for P2P transfers or requested that the Bureau adopt specific carve-outs from this prong of the definition. A digital wallet provider urged the Bureau to exclude P2P products from the definition of prepaid account, arguing that P2P functionality is more similar to a closed-loop payment system than to open-loop GPR cards. Two industry trade associations and a law firm writing on behalf of a coalition of prepaid issuers argued that regulation of products used solely to facilitate P2P transfers would be premature, and could limit future development of innovative products, to the detriment of consumers. An issuing bank, a program manager, and a commenter representing non-bank money transfer providers noted that products used to facilitate P2P transfers could be interpreted to include products or services offered by State-licensed money transmitters, which they said are already covered under existing regulations. They argued that to avoid duplicative and potentially inconsistent regulation, the Bureau should specifically exclude any product or service that is subject to State or Federal money transmitter laws.
As described above, the Bureau also received a number of more general comments urging greater clarity to distinguish what existing products are subject to general Regulation E from those subject to the Bureau's final rule governing prepaid accounts.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is finalizing Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(B) largely as proposed, but with refinements to limit the scope to accounts whose primary function is among those specifically listed. To
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accomplish this change, the Bureau has removed the phrase ``is redeemable upon presentation at'' and replaced it with ``whose primary function is,'' to clarify that, in order to qualify as a prepaid account under this portion of the definition, an account must be more than merely capable of being used in the ways specified. Finally, as part of its overall reordering of Sec. 1005.2(b)(3), the Bureau has renumbered proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(B) as final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(2). Specifically, final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(2) defines a prepaid account, in part, as an account whose primary function is to conduct transactions with multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, or at ATMs, or to conduct P2P transfers.
The Bureau has considered the comments regarding the appropriateness of extending the definition of prepaid account to products that can only be used for P2P transfers, and has decided to finalize its decision to include such products in the definition of prepaid account. The Bureau continues to believe that the structure and usage of P2P products warrants their inclusion in the final rule. Unlike many limited-use prepaid products that have acceptance limited to a restricted location (such as at merchants located on a college campus or in a mall), P2P products do not have such a limitation. Indeed, as the Bureau noted in the proposal, insofar as a P2P product could be accepted by anyone that contracts with the P2P provider, the model is not very different from a card association that contracts with unaffiliated merchants. Further, insofar as consumers could use these products to pay anyone with funds stored in the account, the Bureau continues to believe that they should be included in the definition of prepaid account. Accordingly, the Bureau declines to exclude such products from coverage under the final rule. The Bureau is therefore finalizing the reference to P2P transfers in Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(2), and finalizing proposed comment 2(b)(3)(i)-8, renumbered as comment 2(b)(3)(i)-10, largely as proposed.
The Bureau has also revised proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(B), renumbered as Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(2), to more clearly delineate the distinction between accounts that are covered by existing Regulation E and accounts that are covered under the new definition of prepaid account. Specifically, the Bureau has refocused the definition to apply only to accounts ``whose primary function is to conduct'' transactions with multiple, unaffiliated merchants or at ATMs, or P2P transfers. (In addition, as discussed below, the Bureau is adding a new prong, Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(3), to explicitly exclude checking accounts, share draft accounts, and NOW accounts from the residual definition of prepaid accounts.) The Bureau is aware that many types of accounts, including accounts already covered by Regulation E, may be capable of being used for the above functions. The Bureau is therefore concerned that the language used in proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(B) could be over-inclusive, contributing to the uncertainty raised by some commenters regarding which accounts are covered under which provisions of Regulation E.
The Bureau intends its change here to narrow the definition of prepaid account to focus on products whose primary function for consumers is to provide general capability to use loaded funds to conduct transactions with merchants, or at ATMs, or to conduct P2P transfers, while excluding products that only provide such capability incidental to a different primary function. For example, the primary function of a traditional brokerage account is to hold funds so that the consumer can conduct transactions through a licensed broker or firm, not to conduct transactions with multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, or at ATMs, or to conduct P2P transfers. Similarly, the primary function of a savings account is to accrue interest on funds held in the account; such accounts restrict the extent to which the consumer can conduct general transactions and withdrawals.\308\
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\308\ See, e.g., the Board's Regulation D, 12 CFR 204.2(d) (defining a savings deposit as a deposit or account with respect to which the depositor may be required by the depository institution to give written notice of an intended withdrawal or a deposit or account from which the depositor is permitted or authorized to make no more than six transfers and withdrawals, or a combination of such transfers and withdrawals, per calendar month or statement cycle).
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To provide greater clarity about this intended interpretation, the Bureau is making minor wording revisions to Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(2) and related commentary to accommodate the ``primary function'' approach, and is adding a comment with several illustrative examples of when an account satisfies the ``primary function'' prong of final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D). New comment 2(b)(3)(i)-8 clarifies that, to qualify as a prepaid account, an account's primary function must be to provide consumers with general transaction capabilities, including by enabling consumers to use loaded funds to conduct the transactions enumerated in Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(2), and that accounts that provide such capabilities only incidentally are excluded from the definition, and as such are not prepaid accounts as defined by final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3). The comment provides examples of accounts that provide the enumerated transactional capabilities only incidentally--specifically, brokerage accounts and savings accounts, where a consumer deposits money, for example, with a financial institution for the primary purpose of conducting transactions with the institution (e.g., to conduct trades in a brokerage account) rather than with third parties. The comment then provides several examples for additional guidance. New comment 2(b)(3)(i)-8.i clarifies that an account's primary function is to enable a consumer to conduct transactions with multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, or at ATMs, or to conduct P2P transfers, even if it also enables a third party to disburse funds to a consumer. For example, a prepaid account that conveys tax refunds or insurance proceeds to a consumer meets the primary function test if the account can be used, e.g., to purchase goods or services at multiple, unaffiliated merchants.
Next, new comment 2(b)(3)(i)-8.ii clarifies that whether an account satisfies final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D) is determined by reference to the account, not the access device associated with the account. An account satisfies final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D) even if the account's access device can be used for other purposes, e.g., as a form of identification. Such accounts may include, for example, a prepaid account used to disburse student loan proceeds via a card device that can be used at unaffiliated merchants or to withdraw cash from an ATM, even if that access device also acts as a student identification card.
New comment 2(b)(3)(i)-8.iii clarifies that, where multiple accounts are associated with the same access device, the primary function of each account is determined separately. The comment goes on to clarify that one or more accounts can satisfy final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D) even if other accounts associated with the same access device do not. This commentary is intended to address situations where two or more separate ``wallets'' or ``purses'' are associated with the same access device. It provides the specific example of a student identification card, which may act as an access device associated with two separate accounts: An account used to conduct transactions with multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, and an account used to conduct closed-loop
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transactions on campus. The comment clarifies that the account used to conduct transactions with multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services satisfies final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D), even though the account used to conduct closed-loop transactions does not.
Next, new comment 2(b)(3)(i)-8.iv clarifies that an account satisfies final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D) if its primary function is to provide general transaction capability, even if an individual consumer does not in fact use it to conduct multiple transactions. For example, the fact that a consumer may choose to withdraw the entire account balance at an ATM or transfer it to another account held by the consumer does not change the fact that the account's primary function is to provide general transaction capability. The Bureau is including this comment to clarify that an account's primary function is not determined by how frequently an individual consumer chooses to use the account for a given function. This clarification aligns with the Bureau's decision, discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.2(b)(3) above, to cover under the final rule as prepaid accounts those products that do not necessarily act as transaction account substitutes. For example, the Bureau understands that some consumers who receive funds from third parties--such as tax refunds or insurance proceeds--via prepaid accounts may not always transact with the accounts on an ongoing basis, opting instead to withdraw the funds from the account in their entirety after acquisition or transfer them to another account. Pursuant to new comment 2(b)(3)(i)-8.iv, these consumer's accounts would still meet the ``primary function'' prong set forth in final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(2).
Finally, new comment 2(b)(3)(i)-8.v states the corollary of the general rule set forth in Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(2). Specifically, it explains that an account whose primary function is other than to conduct transactions with multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, or at ATMs, or to conduct P2P transfers, does not satisfy final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D). The comment goes on to provide the example of an account whose only function is to make a one-time transfer of funds into a separate prepaid account as an account that would not qualify as a prepaid account under this prong of the definition. Such accounts could include, for example, so-called reload packs, which several industry commenters urged the Bureau to exclude from coverage under the final rule. In contrast to non-reloadable prepaid cards, which can be used to make purchases or other transactions, reload packs can only be used to transfer funds into prepaid accounts.
The Bureau is also adopting proposed comment 2(b)(3)(i)-7, renumbered as comment 2(b)(3)(i)-9, which cross-references comments 20(a)(3)-1 and -2 for guidance on the meaning of the term redeemable upon presentation at multiple, unaffiliated merchants.
2(b)(3)(i)(D)(3)
As discussed in greater detail in the section-by-section analyses of Sec. 1005.2(b)(3) and (3)(i)(C) above, the Bureau received several comments requesting that it revise the proposed definition of prepaid account to provide a clearer line between accounts that were already covered by the existing definition of account in Sec. 1005.2(b) and accounts that would be covered by the newly created prepaid account definition. A number of commenters, including a payment network and an industry trade association, noted a specific lack of clarity with respect to products that could arguably qualify as both. To illustrate, they noted that some prepaid accounts offer preauthorized check-writing capability, while some checking accounts allow consumers to transact using the ACH routing number or online passcode. These commenters asked the Bureau to resolve this ambiguity.
As set forth in the section-by-section analyses of Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(C) and (D)(2) above, the Bureau is finalizing several changes to the proposed definition of prepaid account to provide a clearer delineation between accounts that are covered by Regulation E generally and accounts that will be covered as prepaid accounts. In addition to those changes, the Bureau is also adding a third prong to Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D). Pursuant to final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(3), only accounts that are not otherwise a checking account, a share draft account, or a NOW account will qualify as a prepaid account. For purposes of this element, the Bureau does not consider the capability to issue preauthorized checks to qualify an account as checking, share draft, or NOW accounts. The Bureau notes that it intended to exclude checking and other demand deposit accounts from the proposed definition of prepaid account by including the phrase ``not otherwise an account under paragraph (b)(1) of this section.'' The Bureau acknowledges, however, that its proposed approach did not sufficiently resolve the potential ambiguity referenced by commenters. The Bureau believes that its express reference in final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(3) to the account not being a checking, share draft, or NOW account, together with the primary function test in final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(2), more directly address these concerns.
2(b)(3)(ii)
The next portion of the final definition of prepaid account includes several express exclusions from that definition. In addition to the exclusions included in the proposed rule, the Bureau is adding exclusions for (1) accounts loaded only with funds from a dependent care assistance program or a transit or parking reimbursement arrangement; (2) accounts that are directly or indirectly established through a third party and loaded only with qualified disaster relief payments; and (3) the P2P functionality of accounts established by or through the U.S. government whose primary function is to conduct closed-loop transactions on U.S. military installations or vessels, or similar government facilities. The Bureau notes that, to the extent certain accounts were already covered as accounts under existing Regulation E generally, these exclusions do not change that, and only exclude from the definition of prepaid account.
2(b)(3)(ii)(A)
Proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(iv) would have addressed prepaid products established in connection with certain health care and employee benefit programs. Specifically, the proposed provision would have stated that the term prepaid account did not include a health savings account, flexible spending account, medical savings account, or a health reimbursement arrangement. Proposed comment 2(b)(3)(iv)-1 would have defined these terms by referencing existing provisions in the Internal Revenue Code. Specifically, the Bureau proposed to define ``health savings account'' as a health savings account as defined in 26 U.S.C. 223(d); ``flexible spending account'' as a cafeteria plan which provides health benefits or a health flexible spending arrangement pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 125; ``medical savings account'' as an Archer MSA as defined in 26 U.S.C. 220(d); and ``health reimbursement arrangement'' as a health reimbursement arrangement which is treated as employer-provided coverage under an accident or health plan for purposes of 26 U.S.C. 106.
The Bureau believed that, while these health care and employee benefit accounts could, in some ways, be similar to other types of prepaid
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accounts, coverage under Regulation E was not necessary at this time. Specifically, the Bureau noted that these products typically come with limits on the amount of funds that could be loaded on to them, the methods for loading, and numerous restrictions on where, when, and how those funds could be spent.
The Bureau received several comments in response to this aspect of the proposal. Several consumer groups opposed the exclusion, noting that the accounts at issue can hold large amounts of money that consumers use over long periods of time. These commenters noted further that these types of accounts especially warrant error resolution protections since--according to the commenters--healthcare billing is notoriously error-prone. In addition, these commenters asserted that compliance should not be overly burdensome for issuers of these types of accounts, since many of the underlying benefit programs already provide consumers with error resolution protections.
By contrast, industry commenters, including issuing banks and credit unions, trade associations representing both financial institutions and employers, a payment network, and a program manager, expressed support for the proposed exclusions, and urged the Bureau to expand them further to include additional categories of similar employer-sponsored compensation programs. Specifically, several commenters urged the Bureau to add exclusions for accounts used to disburse parking, transit, dependent care, and wellness benefits. They argued that these programs are similar in several key respects to the types of programs the Bureau excluded from the definition of prepaid account in the proposal. For example, they explained that these accounts are typically funded from the employer's general assets, not by consumers, and as such they belong to the employer rather than the consumer. They argued further that these accounts do not warrant coverage under the rule because they are not consumer asset accounts in the sense that their use is highly restricted and, for certain types of programs, the funds held in them are notional, rather than actual, in nature. A subset of these commenters also urged the Bureau to reconsider referring to specific sections of the Internal Revenue Code when specifying the types of programs that would qualify for the exclusion, noting that the Code's numbering may change in the future.
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is finalizing exclusions for health savings accounts, flexible spending arrangements, medical savings accounts, and health reimbursement arrangements in proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(iv), renumbered as Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(ii)(A). The Bureau is likewise finalizing proposed comment 2(b)(3)(iv)-1, renumbered as 2(b)(3)(ii)-1. The Bureau is persuaded that accounts used to disburse funds related to these programs are fundamentally different from other prepaid accounts covered by the final rule. As stated in the proposal, these products are governed by the terms of their plans and related regulations, such that, for example, health savings accounts and medical savings accounts can typically only be used to pay for qualified medical expenses. The Bureau believes that the limited use of funds under such arrangements distinguish them from consumer transaction accounts. As such, the Bureau believes such accounts are appropriately excluded from the rule. The Bureau believes that the term account is reasonably interpreted not to include these types of products or, in the alternative, to further the purposes of EFTA; the Bureau believes it is necessary and proper to exercise its authority under EFTA section 904(c) to finalize an express exclusion in final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(ii)(A).
The Bureau has also considered the comments requesting that additional categories of employer-sponsored compensation be added to the exclusion in Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(ii)(A). The Bureau agrees that, to the extent other programs exist that are significantly similar to health savings accounts, flexible spending arrangements, medical savings accounts, and health reimbursement arrangements, those programs should also be excluded from the rule for the same reasons. Accordingly, the Bureau is expanding the exclusion to encompass accounts associated with other employer-sponsored benefit arrangements, namely, accounts used to disburse funds from a dependent care assistance program or a transit or parking reimbursement arrangement. The Bureau is adding a reference to these additional program types in final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(ii)(A) and the Internal Revenue Code sections that reference them in final comment 2(b)(3)(ii)-1. The Bureau is finalizing that comment with references to the relevant Internal Revenue Code sections because it believes that specificity will help ensure that the exclusions remain limited in scope, and because it believes that the clarity provided by such specificity outweighs the potential difficulty that may occur in the event the numbering scheme of the Internal Revenue Code changes.
The Bureau is otherwise finalizing Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(ii)(A) and comment 2(b)(3)(ii)-1 as proposed. The Bureau notes, in response to commenters that requested that it add an exclusion for employee wellness programs, that such programs are likely excluded from the rule under the exclusion for loyalty, award, or promotional gift cards. That exclusion applies to loyalty, award, or promotional gift cards, as defined in Sec. 1005.20(a)(4) and (b). Existing comment 20(a)(4)-1.vi lists incentive programs through which an employer provides cards to employees to encourage employee wellness as a type of loyalty, award, or promotional gift card.
2(b)(3)(ii)(B)
Several commenters, including a payment network, an issuing bank, several industry trade associations, and a national relief organization, urged the Bureau to add a separate exclusion for accounts used to distribute disaster relief funds. Most notably, the national relief organization noted that the accounts used to distribute the funds, as well as the funds themselves, are the property of the relief organization, not the consumer, which makes these accounts distinct from other consumer asset accounts the Bureau proposed to cover. Commenters argued that such accounts are different because consumers who receive these accounts cannot shop for them, and tend to use them for a short period of time without reloading--in most cases, the trade association commenter noted, the cards will expire if not used within 60 days. The payment network argued that the proposed pre-acquisition disclosure requirements would delay consumers' receipt of relief funds in the wake of tragic events. In addition, commenters noted that these accounts rarely feature any of the fees that would be required to be disclosed on the proposed short form. Accordingly, these commenters asserted, covering these accounts under the Bureau's final rule on prepaid accounts would increase the cost of providing them to consumers in need for the sake of disclosures that are neither necessary nor useful to those consumers. The national relief organization, which uses prepaid cards to disburse disaster relief funds in some circumstances, noted further that the proposed disclosure requirements in conjunction with the packaging replacement requirements in proposed Sec. 1005.18(h) would render much of its prepaid card inventory useless. A consumer group commenter, by
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contrast, argued that disaster relief cards should not be excluded so long as they are used in the same way as other prepaid accounts--i.e., as open-loop accounts used to make purchases at multiple, unaffiliated merchants.
The Bureau agrees that the nature of these accounts--such as, for example, the fact that the underlying funds are owned by the relief organization, rather than the consumer--warrant their exclusion from the rule. The Bureau believes that such an exclusion is further warranted because, on balance, the burden of requiring these accounts to comply with the requirements of this final rule outweighs the potential utility of those requirements to consumers who have had the misfortune of experiencing a disastrous event. The Bureau does not believe it would be appropriate at this time to place such additional burdens on providers. Accordingly, to further the purposes of EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of prepaid account consumers, the Bureau believes it is necessary and proper to exercise its authority under EFTA section 904(c) to finalize an express exclusion in new Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(ii)(B) for accounts that are established directly or indirectly by a third party and loaded only with qualified disaster relief payments. This express exclusion will protect consumers by ensuring that they have quick access to crucial funds provided by disaster relief organizations in the wake of tragic events. The Bureau is also adding new comment 2(b)(3)(ii)-2 to clarify that the exclusion is limited to funds made available through a qualified disaster relief program, as that term is defined in the Internal Revenue Code.\309\
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\309\ See 26 U.S.C. 139(b) (defining ``qualified disaster relief payment'' as, generally, any amount paid to or for the benefit of an individual to reimburse or pay reasonable and necessary expenses incurred as a result of, or for the repair or rehabilitation of property necessitated by, a qualified disaster).
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2(b)(3)(ii)(C)
The Bureau received a request through the interagency consultation process to expressly exempt from the prepaid account definition certain accounts, currently marketed under the brand names Eagle Cash and Navy Cash/Marine Cash, that are primarily used by members of the armed forces to conduct closed-loop transactions on military property. According to the request, these accounts allow servicemembers to conduct closed-loop transactions in forward-deployed environments, such as an army base or a naval vessel, where cash is inconvenient and other commercially available payments technologies are unavailable. These accounts sometimes offer a P2P feature that allows users to transfer loaded funds to other accountholders from the closed-loop ``purse'' of the account, but such functionality, the Bureau understands, is incidental to the primary closed-loop function of the account.
The Bureau agrees that accounts whose primary function is to facilitate closed-loop transactions by members of the armed forces in forward-deployed environments are sufficiently distinguishable and unique to warrant a narrow, express exclusion from the final rule. Accordingly, to further the purposes of EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of prepaid account consumers, the Bureau believes it is necessary and proper to exercise its authority under EFTA section 904(c) to finalize an express exclusion in new Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(ii)(C) for the P2P transfer functionality of an account established or through the United States government whose primary function is to conduct closed-loop transactions on U.S. military installations or vessels, or similar government facilities. This express exclusion will protect servicemember consumers by ensuring that they have access to a convenient and well-established payment method at a time when alternate payment methods such as cash or bank accounts may not be available for operational reasons. The Bureau notes that this is a narrow exclusion intended to accommodate a specific set of closed-loop products that are used in unique circumstances, such as on military vessels or bases, or similar government facilities (e.g., embassies or consulates) in remote locations. The Bureau notes further that, to the extent that such accounts offer an open-loop capability that allows the consumer to conduct transactions at multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, that functionality would not be covered by this exclusion.
2(b)(3)(ii)(D)
The Bureau's Proposal
Regulation E's gift card provisions cover some prepaid products that also could fall within the proposed definition of prepaid account. In particular, Sec. 1005.20 contains provisions applicable to gift certificates, store gift cards, and general-use prepaid cards.\310\ For those products marketed and sold as gift cards (and that meet certain other qualifications), the Gift Card Rule requires certain disclosures, limits the imposition of certain fees, and contains other restrictions. The Gift Card Rule is distinct from the rest of subpart A of Regulation E, however, and does not provide consumers who use gift cards with the other substantive protections of Regulation E, such as limited liability and error resolution protections, or periodic statements. The Gift Card Rule in Sec. 1005.20(b)(2) expressly excludes those general-
use prepaid cards that are reloadable and not marketed or labeled as gift cards or gift certificates, while including general-use prepaid cards that are not reloadable as well as those that are marketed or labeled as gift cards or gift certificates. The Bureau proposed to add Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(C), which would have provided that a prepaid account was not a gift certificate as defined in Sec. 1005.20(a)(1) and (b); a store gift card as defined in Sec. 1005.20(a)(2) and (b); a loyalty, award, or promotional gift card as defined in Sec. 1005.20(a)(4) and (b); or a general-use prepaid card as defined in Sec. 1005.20(a)(3) and (b) that is both marketed and labeled as a gift card or gift certificate.
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\310\ The Gift Card Rule defines a general-use prepaid card as ``a card, code, or other device that is: (i) Issued on a prepaid basis primarily for personal, family, or household purposes to a consumer in a specified amount, whether or not that amount may be increased or reloaded, in exchange for payment; and (ii) Redeemable upon presentation at multiple, unaffiliated merchants for goods or services, or usable at automated teller machines.'' Sec. 1005.20(a)(3).
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The Bureau believed that having to apply both the existing gift card regulatory requirements and the proposed prepaid account requirements could adversely impact the gift card market. The Bureau further expressed concern that if the requirements of the proposed rule were applied to gift cards, it was possible that those requirements, in the context of the typical gift card, could confuse consumers. Relatedly, the Bureau noted that, because most gift cards are not reloadable, not usable at ATMs, and not open loop, consumers were less likely to use gift cards as transaction account substitutes. Finally, the Bureau was concerned that, were it to impose provisions for access to account information and error resolution, and create limits on consumers' liability for unauthorized EFTs, the cost structure of gift cards could change dramatically, since, unlike other types of prepaid products, many gift cards do not typically offer these protections. The Bureau noted in the proposal that the exemption in the Gift Card Rule for general-use prepaid cards applies to products that are reloadable
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and not marketed or labeled as gift cards or gift certificates.\311\
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\311\ See Sec. 1005.20(b)(2).
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By contrast, the Bureau proposed to exclude from the definition of prepaid account only such general-use prepaid products that were both marketed and labeled as gift cards or gift certificates. The Bureau was concerned that, absent this approach, some products it intended to cover in the proposal may be inadvertently excluded due to occasional or incidental marketing activities. For example, comment 20(b)(2)-2 describes, in part, a network-branded GPR card that is principally advertised as a less-costly alternative to a bank account but is promoted in a television, radio, newspaper, or internet advertisement, or on signage as ``the perfect gift'' during the holiday season. For purposes of the Gift Card Rule, such a product would be considered marketed as a gift card or gift certificate because of this occasional holiday marketing activity. For purposes of proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(C), however, such a product would not have been considered to be both marketed and labeled as a gift card or gift certificate and thus would have been covered by the proposed definition of prepaid account. Proposed comment 2(b)(3)(i)-9 would have explained this distinction.
Comments Received
A number of issuing banks, a digital wallet provider, and an industry trade association submitted comments in support of the proposed exclusion for gift cards. Two trade association commenters urged the Bureau to expand the exclusion to also cover rebate or refund cards used by retailers or other businesses as part of their merchandise return or reimbursement programs. In addition, a program manager and a payment network objected to the Bureau's decision to exclude only those GPR products that were both marketed and labeled as gift cards. These commenters urged the Bureau to exclude any prepaid product that was subject to the Gift Card Rule, regardless of how it was marketed or labeled. They argued that any card subject to the Gift Card Rule was likely to be limited in function and therefore did not warrant coverage by a rule aimed at protecting transaction account substitutes. In the same vein, they argued that the burden of complying with the proposal would far outweigh the benefit to consumers for these products, and could effectively remove these products from the marketplace. In addition, the payment network noted that the fact that some prepaid products could be subject to both the proposal and the Gift Card Rule could confuse consumers and create regulatory ambiguity for industry.
Two consumer group commenters, by contrast, opposed this proposed exclusion. One group urged the Bureau to cover network-branded, open-
loop reloadable gift cards loaded with at least $500, while the other urged the Bureau to cover reloadable gift cards with a balance of at least $250, each arguing that a card that is loaded with more than those amounts poses a higher consumer risk associated with unauthorized transactions.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is finalizing proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(C) and proposed comment 2(b)(3)(i)-9, renumbered as Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(ii)(D) and comment 2(b)(3)(ii)-3, respectively, with technical revisions to conform internal references to reordering elsewhere in the final rule. Gift certificates and gift cards do not meet the Bureau's definition of prepaid accounts, as they typically cannot be used with multiple, unaffiliated merchants. With regard to general-use prepaid cards that are both marketed and labeled as a gift card or gift certificate, the Bureau believes it is necessary and proper to finalize this exclusion pursuant to its authority under EFTA section 904(c) to further the purposes of EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of prepaid account consumers.
After consideration of the comments, the Bureau remains convinced that subjecting this general category of products to both the Gift Card Rule and the requirements of this final rule would place a significant burden on industry without a corresponding consumer benefit. On the other hand, the Bureau continues to believe that the gift card exclusion should not extend to products that consumers may use as or confuse with transaction account substitutes, even if such products are also covered by the Gift Card Rule. To illustrate, the Bureau understands that some consumers may use multiple non-reloadable cards as transaction accounts to pay important household expenses like utilities and groceries, spending them down and discarding them when the funds are depleted. These cards may be subject to the Gift Card Rule because they are not reloadable and thus do not qualify for the GPR card exclusion in Sec. 1005.20(b)(2). However, if these cards are not labeled or marketed as gift cards, it is possible that consumers will unwittingly acquire these cards thinking that they carry the same protections as other prepaid accounts under this final rule. As previously stated, the Bureau believes consumers who use non-reloadable prepaid products in this way deserve the same protections as consumers who use GPR cards. Further, the Bureau believes that consumers generally understand the protections associated with, and limitations of, gift cards to the extent they are labeled as such. Accordingly, the Bureau declines to expand the proposed exclusion for accounts that are both marketed and labeled as gift cards to accounts that are labeled or marketed as gift cards, as some industry commenters suggested. The Bureau notes that in the gift card provisions of the Credit CARD Act, Congress expressly granted to the Board (now to the Bureau) authority to determine the extent to which the individual definitions and provisions of EFTA or Regulation E should apply to general-use prepaid cards, gift certificates, and store gift cards.\312\
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\312\ Public Law 111-24, 123 Stat. 1734, 1754 (2009); EFTA section 915(d)(1)(B); 15 U.S.C. 1693l-1(d)(1)(B).
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The Bureau has considered the comments asserting that coverage under both the Prepaid and Gift Card Rules will cause consumer confusion and regulatory ambiguity. However, the Bureau understands that, currently, prepaid issuers consciously avoid marketing and labeling their products in such a way as would cause such products to be covered under the Gift Card Rule. As such, the Bureau believes that, in practice, very few products that are subject to the Gift Card Rule will also qualify as prepaid accounts under this final rule.
Finally, the Bureau declines to expressly expand the exclusion for accounts that are both marketed and labeled as gift cards to rebate cards, as two commenters suggested. The Bureau believes such an express exclusion would be unnecessary, since such programs are generally excluded from the rule under the exclusion for loyalty, award, or promotional gift cards, as defined in Sec. 1005.20(a)(4) and (b). Existing comment 20(a)(4)-1.iii lists rebate programs operated or administered by a merchant or product manufacturer that can be redeemed for goods or services.
2(b)(3)(ii)(E)
As discussed above, Regulation E currently contains provisions in Sec. 1005.15 that are specifically applicable to an account established by a government agency for distributing government benefits to a consumer electronically. Existing Sec. 1005.15(a)(2)
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defines a government benefit ``account'' to exclude accounts for distributing needs-tested benefits in a program established under State or local law or administered by a State or local agency. The Bureau proposed to have Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(iii) state that the term prepaid account included a government benefit account, as defined in existing Sec. 1005.15(a)(2), but did not repeat the exclusion in Sec. 1005.15(a)(2) for State and local needs-tested benefit programs as part of the definition of prepaid account in proposed Sec. 1005.2(b)(3). To make clear that accounts excluded from the definition of government benefit account in Sec. 1005.15(a)(2) are also excluded from the general definition of prepaid account in Sec. 1005.2(b)(3), and pursuant to its authority under EFTA section 904(d) to further the purposes of EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of prepaid account consumers, the Bureau is finalizing new Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(ii)(E) to explicitly exclude accounts established for distributing needs-tested benefits in a program established under State or local law or administered by a State or local agency, as set forth in Sec. 1005.15(a)(2).
Virtual Currency
As noted in part II.D above, the Bureau received a number of comments on whether the Bureau should regulate virtual currency products and services under this final rule. Commenters included banks, a digital wallet provider, a virtual currency exchange, industry trade associations, consumer advocacy groups, a law firm representing a coalition of prepaid issuers, and a non-governmental virtual currency policy organization.
Industry commenters had mixed reactions to whether the Bureau should regulate virtual currency products and services. Two trade association commenters representing banks stated that the proposed definition of ``prepaid account'' should be modified to expressly include accounts funded or capable of being funded with virtual currencies and submitted a definition of virtual currency they urged the Bureau to adopt. They asserted that virtual currencies are ``funds'' under EFTA, and coverage is needed to ensure consumers get the kind of protections they would have if they used other comparable but closely regulated traditional payment systems and products. They further asserted that virtual currency products and systems pose greater risks to consumers than traditional payment products and systems funded with fiat currency.
These trade association commenters further asserted their belief that, with few exceptions, regulating prepaid accounts funded in virtual currencies would be consistent with the Bureau's goal of providing comprehensive consumer protections for prepaid products. With respect to the exceptions, the commenters suggested that it was unnecessary to regulate virtual currencies that can only be used (1) at a specific merchant or defined group of affiliated merchants; (2) within online gaming platforms with no market or application outside of those platforms; or (3) as part of a customer affinity or rewards program. They asserted that their suggested carve outs are similar to the proposed exclusions for certain store gift cards and for loyalty, award, or promotional gift cards, in the proposed definition of prepaid account.
On the other hand, a diverse group of industry commenters and a non-governmental virtual currency policy organization commenter urged the Bureau to expressly provide in the final rule that it does not apply to virtual currency products and services. Commenters expressed concern that regulation would be premature, thus potentially stifling innovation. Several commenters highlighted the low rate of consumer adoption of virtual currency products and services. Commenters also asserted that the Bureau has not adequately studied the virtual currency industry, and that regulations developed for GPR cards are unsuitable to apply to virtual currency products and services because of the differences between such products and services and GPR cards.
A law firm commenting on behalf of a coalition of prepaid issuers and a virtual currency trade association commented that they supported the Bureau's desire to ensure consumer protection rules are applied consistently across different industries that share similar functionalities. However, neither commenter supported regulating virtual currency products and services in the context of the prepaid rulemaking. The law firm commenter asserted that it was premature to regulate virtual currency products and services, and that adopting regulations to apply to virtual currency products and services would impose significant regulatory burden on such products and services and also stifle innovation. It further suggested that the Bureau adopt the approach the Board took with respect to the regulation of prepaid cards generally. It asserted that despite the Board's decision to not extend the coverage of its Payroll Card Rule to GPR cards, issuers of GPR cards have nonetheless applied consumer protection comparable to those established in that rule. The trade association commenter asserted that the Bureau should address virtual currencies in a separate rulemaking.
Consumer group commenters generally urged the Bureau to regulate those virtual currency products and services that are used by or marketed to consumers. Specifically, two consumer group commenters stated that the Bureau was right to develop rules that, they believed, anticipated the increasing role of virtual currencies. One urged the Bureau to extend the definition of account to include virtual currency wallets, stating that such extension would be appropriate because it is important for consumer protection rules to be in place before consumer adoption of such wallets becomes widespread, and the application of Regulation E to virtual currency wallets could incent virtual currency wallet providers to ensure that the funds consumers put into virtual currency wallets are adequately protected (to the extent they are not already doing so). Another consumer group commenter asserted that as long as virtual currencies are used for consumer purposes, consumers need protection. It observed that current virtual currency systems lack such protections and highlighted the lack of protection in the areas of limited liability, dispute rights, and error resolution. However, one consumer group commenter opposed regulating virtual currency products and services as prepaid accounts. The commenter stated that it did not believe that accounts that convert fiat money into stored value in a form that is not fiat currency should be classified as prepaid accounts, because the funds in those accounts would be protected once they are converted back into fiat currency.
As discussed above, the Bureau stated in the proposal that the Bureau's analysis is ongoing with respect to virtual currencies and related products and services. The proposed rule did not resolve specific issues with respect to the application of either existing regulations or the proposed rule to virtual currencies and related products and services. Accordingly, although the Bureau received some comments addressing virtual currency products and services, the Bureau reiterates that application of Regulation E and this final rule to such products and services is outside of the scope of this rulemaking. However, the Bureau notes that as part of its broader administration and enforcement of the enumerated consumer financial protection statutes and title X of the Dodd-Frank Act, the Bureau continues to analyze the nature
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of products or services tied to virtual currencies.
Section 1005.4 General Disclosure Requirements; Jointly Offered Services
4(a)(1) Form of Disclosures
Existing Sec. 1005.4(a)(1) sets forth general requirements for disclosures required by Regulation E. Among other things, it provides that the disclosures must be clear and readily understandable. Existing comment 4(a)-1 explains that there are no particular rules governing type size, number of pages, or the relative conspicuousness of various terms in the disclosures. As discussed in greater detail below, the short form and long form disclosures under final Sec. 1005.18(b) are subject to the specific formatting requirements, including prominence and size requirements, that are set forth in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(7). Similarly, remittance transfers subject to subpart B of Regulation E are also subject to specific formatting requirements set forth in existing Sec. 1005.31(c). Accordingly, the Bureau is adopting a conforming change to comment 4(a)-1 to clarify that Sec. Sec. 1005.18(b)(7) and 1005.31(c) are exceptions to this general principle explained in comment 4(a)-1.
Section 1005.10 Preauthorized Transfers
10(e) Compulsory Use
10(e)(1) Credit
In the discussion below of the Bureau's final changes to Regulation Z, the Bureau explains in detail its approach to the regulation of credit offered in connection with prepaid accounts. (That discussion provides an overall explanation of the Bureau's approach in this rulemaking to credit offered in connection with prepaid accounts, including with respect to changes to Regulation E, the details of which are set forth below.)
As discussed in more detail in the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 below, the Bureau is adopting a new definition of ``hybrid prepaid-credit card'' in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 which sets forth the circumstances in which a prepaid card is a credit card under Regulation Z.\313\ A prepaid card that is a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 is a credit card under final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i). See also new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(1) and new Regulation Z comment 2(a)(15)-2.i.F. As set forth in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(1), a prepaid card that is not a ``hybrid prepaid-credit card'' is not a credit card for purposes of Regulation Z. See also new Regulation Z comment 2(a)(15)-2.ii.D.
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\313\ Throughout the section-by-section analyses of Regulations E and Z, the term ``hybrid prepaid-credit card'' refers to a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61.
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As discussed in the Overview of the Final Rule's Amendments to Regulation Z section and in more detail in the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 below, the Bureau generally intends to cover under Regulation Z overdraft credit features offered in connection with prepaid accounts where the credit features are offered by the prepaid account issuer, its affiliates, or business partners. New Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(b) generally requires that such credit features be structured as separate sub-accounts or accounts, distinct from the prepaid asset account, to facilitate transparency and compliance with various Regulation Z requirements. New Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2)(i) provides that a prepaid card is a ``hybrid prepaid-credit card'' with respect to a separate credit feature if the card meets the following two conditions: (1) The card can be used from time to time to access credit from the separate credit feature in the course of authorizing, settling, or otherwise completing transactions conducted with the card to obtain goods or services, obtain cash, or conduct P2P transfers; and (2) the separate credit feature is offered by the prepaid account issuer, its affiliate, or its business partner. New Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2)(i) defines such a separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit credit as a ``covered separate credit feature.'' Thus, the hybrid prepaid-
credit card accesses both the covered separate credit feature and the asset feature of the prepaid account, and the hybrid prepaid-credit card is a credit card under Regulation Z with respect to the covered separate credit feature.
As discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 below, the Bureau also has decided to exclude prepaid cards from being covered as credit cards under Regulation Z when they access certain specified types of credit. First, under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2)(ii), a prepaid card is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card with respect to a separate credit feature that does not meet both of the conditions above, for example, where the credit feature is offered by an unrelated third party that is not the prepaid account issuer, its affiliate or its business partner. Such credit features are defined as ``non-covered separate credit features,'' as discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2) below. Under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4), a prepaid card also is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card when the prepaid card accesses incidental credit in the form of a negative balance on the asset account where the prepaid account issuer generally does not charge credit-related fees for the credit.\314\ A prepaid card is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 or a credit card under final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i) when it accesses credit from these types of credit features. For more detailed explanations of when prepaid cards are not credit cards under Regulation Z, see the section-by-section analyses of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2) and (4) below.
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\314\ Throughout the section-by-section analyses of Regulations E and Z, the term ``incidental credit'' is used to refer to credit that meets the conditions of new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4).
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As part of the Bureau's approach to the regulation of credit offered in connection with prepaid accounts, the Bureau's final rule revises the compulsory use provision of Regulation E, existing Sec. 1005.10(e)(1), to make clear that it applies to covered separate credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-credit cards as defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. The Bureau also is providing guidance to explain that incidental credit described in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4) is exempt from the compulsory use provisions in Regulation E, similar to checking overdraft services.
EFTA's compulsory use provision, EFTA section 913(1),\315\ prohibits any person from conditioning the extension of credit to a consumer on the consumer's repayment by means of preauthorized EFTs. As implemented in Regulation E, existing Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) currently states that ``no financial institution or other person may condition an extension of credit to a consumer on the consumer's repayment by preauthorized EFTs, except for credit extended under an overdraft credit plan or extended to maintain a specified minimum balance in the consumer's account.'' The term ``credit'' is defined in existing Sec. 1005.2(f) to mean the right granted by a financial institution to a consumer to defer payment of debt, incur debt and defer its payment, or purchase property or services and defer payment therefor. The term preauthorized EFT is defined in existing Sec. 1005.2(k) to mean an EFT authorized in advance to recur at substantially regular intervals.
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\315\ 15 U.S.C. 1693k(1).
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Congress enacted the compulsory use provision to prevent financial
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institutions that are creditors from mandating repayment of credit by future preauthorized EFTs. Were the compulsory use provision not to exist, creditors could access consumers' available funds at the same institution via direct transfers, or at other institutions via recurring ACH transfers, to repay the debt. By doing so, consumers could lose access to these funds and lose the ability to prioritize repayment of debts, as a creditor could compel the consumer to grant the creditor preauthorized transfer access to the consumer's asset account as a condition for agreeing to provide credit to that consumer.
In adopting what is now existing Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) in 1981 to implement EFTA section 913(1), the Board used its EFTA exception authority to exclude overdraft credit plans from the general compulsory use rule of EFTA section 913(1).\316\
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\316\ See 46 FR 2972, 2973 (Jan. 13, 1981) (``After careful consideration of the issues raised, the Board is adopting the amendment as proposed. The Board believes that it has the legal authority to adopt this exception for overdraft credit plans under section 904(c) of the act, which expressly authorizes the Board to provide adjustments and exceptions for any class of electronic fund transfer that in the Board's judgment are necessary or proper to carry out the purposes of the act or to facilitate compliance.'').
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The Bureau's Proposal
The Bureau proposed certain modifications to the compulsory use provision. In particular, the proposal would have provided that the provision's exception for overdraft credit plans would not have extended to overdraft credit plans accessed by prepaid cards that are credit cards under Regulation Z. Specifically, the proposal would have amended existing Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) to provide that the exception for overdraft plans from the compulsory use provision does not apply to a credit plan that is a credit card account accessed by an access device for a prepaid account where the access device is a credit card under Regulation Z. Thus, under the proposal, the compulsory use provision in proposed Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) would have applied to overdraft credit plans accessed by prepaid cards that are credit cards under Regulation Z.
Under the proposal, existing comment 10(e)(1)-2 related to the exception for overdraft credit plans would have been amended to explain that this exception does not apply to credit extended under a credit plan that is a credit card account accessed by an access device for a prepaid account where the access device is a credit card under Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i).
The proposal would have added comment 10(e)(1)-3 to provide guidance on how the prohibition in proposed Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) would have applied to credit extended under a credit plan that is a credit card account accessed by a prepaid card under Regulation Z as discussed above. Specifically, proposed comment 10(e)(1)-3 would have explained that under proposed Sec. 1005.10(e)(1), creditors must not require by electronic means on a preauthorized, recurring basis repayment of credit extended under a credit plan that is a credit card account accessed by an access device for a prepaid account where the access device is a credit card under Regulation Z.
Proposed comment 10(e)(1)-3 also would have provided that the prohibition in proposed Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) would have applied to any credit extended under a credit card plan as described above, including credit arising from transactions not using the credit card itself but taking place under plans that involve credit cards. For example, if the consumer writes a check that accesses a credit card plan as discussed above, the resulting credit would be subject to the prohibition in proposed Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) since it is incurred through a credit card plan, even though the consumer did not use an associated credit card.
Under Regulation Z proposed comment 2(a)(15)-2.i.F, a prepaid card would not have been a credit card under Regulation Z where the prepaid card only accesses credit that is not subject to any finance charge, as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4, or any fee described in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4(c), and is not payable by written agreement in more than four installments. Proposed comment 10(e)(1)-3 would have cross-referenced Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i), proposed comment 2(a)(15)-2.i.F to explain that a prepaid card is not a credit card under Regulation Z if the access device only accesses credit that is not subject to any finance charge, as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4, or any fee described in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4(c), and is not payable by written agreement in more than four installments. Thus, under the proposal, the prohibition in proposed Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) would not have applied to credit extended in connection with a prepaid account under an overdraft credit plan that is not a credit card account. Under the proposal, an overdraft credit plan would not have been a credit card account if it would have been accessed only by a prepaid card that only accesses credit that is not subject to any finance charge as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4, or any fee described in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4(c), and is not payable by written agreement in more than four installments.
Proposed comment 10(e)(1)-3.i also would have explained the connection between the prohibition in proposed Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) on the compulsory use of preauthorized EFT to repay credit extended under a credit plan accessed by prepaid cards that are credit cards under existing Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i) and proposed comment 2(a)(15)-2.i.F, and the prohibition on offsets by credit card issuers in proposed Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(d). Under existing Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(d)(1), a card issuer may not take any action, either before or after termination of credit card privileges, to offset a cardholder's indebtedness arising from a consumer credit transaction under the relevant credit card plan against funds of the cardholder held on deposit with the card issuer.
Under proposed Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(d)(3), with respect to credit card accounts that are accessed by prepaid cards, a card issuer generally would not have been prohibited from periodically deducting all or part of the cardholder's credit card debt from a deposit account (such as a prepaid account) held with the card issuer under a plan that is authorized in writing by the cardholder, so long as the creditor does not make such deductions to the plan more frequently than once per calendar month. Therefore, a card issuer for such credit card accounts would have been prohibited under proposed Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(d)(3) from automatically deducting all or part of the cardholder's credit card debt from a deposit account (such as a prepaid account) held with the card issuer on a daily or weekly basis, or whenever deposits are made to the deposit account. Under proposed Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(d)(3), with respect to credit card accounts that are accessed by prepaid cards, EFTs pursuant to a plan described in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(d)(3) would have been preauthorized EFTs under existing Sec. 1005.2(k) because such EFTs would be authorized in advance to recur periodically (but could not recur more frequently than once per calendar month). Proposed comment 10(e)(1)-3.i thus would have explained that proposed Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) further restricts the card issuer from requiring payment from a deposit account (including a prepaid account) of credit card balances by electronic means on a preauthorized, recurring basis where the credit card
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account is accessed by an access device for a prepaid account.
As a technical revision, the proposal also would have moved existing guidance in existing comment 10(e)(1)-1 related to when financial institutions may provide incentives to consumers to agree to automatic repayment plans to a new proposed comment 10(e)(1)-4; no substantive changes were intended.
Comments Received
A trade association and an issuing bank urged the Bureau not to adopt the proposed changes to the compulsory use exception in Regulation E for overdraft credit plans that are accessed by prepaid cards that are credit cards under Regulation Z. These commenters asserted that allowing financial institutions to recoup overdraft balances from incoming credits to the account is the only way for those institutions to mitigate the credit risk caused by overdrafts. These commenters suggested that the Bureau's proposed compulsory use and offset prohibitions, for example, would effectively deny consumers the ability to access short-term credit in connection with prepaid accounts. These concerns about the rule's impact on small-dollar credit are discussed in more detail below in the Overview of the Final Rule's Amendments to Regulation Z section.
Nonetheless, other industry trade associations representing credit unions agreed with the Bureau's proposal not to extend the overdraft credit plan exception in the compulsory use provision in existing Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) to overdraft credit plans accessed by prepaid cards that are credit cards under Regulation Z.
One consumer group likewise supported the Bureau's proposal not to exempt from the compulsory use provision in existing Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) overdraft credit plans that are accessed by prepaid cards that are credit cards under Regulation Z. This commenter stated that giving consumers control over how and when to repay overdraft credit would protect consumers that hold prepaid cards that are credit cards under Regulation Z and give creditors incentives to consider whether those consumers have the ability to pay credit that will be extended under such overdraft credit plans. This commenter also noted that the exemption from the compulsory use provision for overdraft credit plans is not statutory.
The Final Rule
Covered separate credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-
credit cards. For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is finalizing Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) as proposed with certain revisions to be consistent with provisions in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 for when a prepaid card is a credit card under Regulation Z.\317\ Specifically, the Bureau has modified existing Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) to provide that the overdraft credit plan exception in existing Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) does not apply to a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. As discussed above, under the final rule, a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card includes an overdraft credit feature offered by a prepaid account issuer, its affiliate, or its business partner that can be accessed by a prepaid card (except as provided in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4)).
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\317\ The Regulation Z proposal would have provided that the term ``credit card'' includes an account number that is not a prepaid card that may be used from time to time to access a credit plan that allows deposits directly only into particular prepaid accounts specified by the creditor. Proposed Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) would have provided that the compulsory use provision's general prohibition against conditioning the extension of credit to a consumer on the consumer's repayment by means of preauthorized EFTs would have applied to credit card accounts under Regulation Z accessed by such account numbers. Proposed comments 10(e)(1)-2 and -
3 would have provided additional guidance on how proposed Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) would have applied to these credit card plans accessed by these account numbers. For the reasons set forth in the section-
by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i) below, the final rule does not adopt the provisions related to the account numbers that would have made these account numbers into credit cards under Regulation Z. Thus, the provisions in proposed Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) and proposed comments 10(e)(1)-2 and -3 in connection with these account numbers have not been adopted.
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Consistent with the intent of the proposal, the Bureau has revised existing comment 10(e)(1)-2 which relates to the exception for overdraft credit plans. The final rule has moved existing comment 10(e)(1)-2 to new comment 10(e)(1)-2.i and revised it to provide that the exception for overdraft credit plans in final Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) applies to overdraft credit plans other than for a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. Proposed comment 10(e)(1)-3 would have referenced guidance on when a prepaid card would not have been a credit card under Regulation Z as proposed, such that the overdraft exception in proposed Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) would have still applied to credit accessed by those prepaid cards. The final rule moves this guidance to final comment 10(e)(1)-2.ii and revises it as discussed below.
In addition, the Bureau is finalizing the other guidance in proposed comment 10(e)(1)-3, renumbered as new comment 10(e)(1)-3.i, with revisions to be consistent with new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. Specifically, final comment 10(e)(1)-3.i explains that under final Sec. 1005.10(e)(1), creditors may not require by electronic means on a preauthorized, recurring basis repayment of credit extended under a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. Consistent with the proposal, final comment 10(e)(1)-3.i also clarifies that the prohibition in final Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) applies to any credit extended under such a credit feature, including preauthorized checks. Final comment 10(e)(1)-3.i also cross-references new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 and new comment 61(a)(1)-3, which provide guidance related to the credit extended under a covered separate credit feature by use of a preauthorized check on the prepaid account.
Also, the Bureau has moved the guidance in proposed comment 10(e)(1)-3.i to new comment 10(e)(1)-3.ii and has revised it to be consistent with new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. New comment 10(e)(1)-
3.ii explains the connection between the prohibition in final Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) on the compulsory use of preauthorized EFTs to repay credit extended under a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card, as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61, and the prohibition on offsets by credit card issuers in final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(d). Specifically, new comment 10(e)(1)-3.ii provides that under existing Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(d)(1), a card issuer may not take any action, either before or after termination of credit card privileges, to offset a cardholder's indebtedness arising from a consumer credit transaction under the relevant credit card plan against funds of the cardholder held on deposit with the card issuer.
Under final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(d)(3), with respect to covered separate credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-credit cards as defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61, a card issuer generally is not prohibited from periodically deducting all or part of the cardholder's credit card debt from a deposit account (such as a prepaid account) held with the card issuer under a plan that is authorized in writing by the cardholder, so long as the card issuer does not make such deductions to the plan more frequently than once per calendar month. A card issuer therefore is prohibited under final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(d)(3) from automatically deducting all or part of the cardholder's
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credit card debt from a covered separate credit feature from a deposit account (such as a prepaid account) held with the card issuer on a daily or weekly basis, or whenever deposits are made to the deposit account. In Regulation E, final Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) provides a complementary prohibition on the card issuer from requiring payment from a deposit account (such as a prepaid account) of credit card balances of a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card by electronic means on a preauthorized, recurring basis.
Consistent with the proposal, as a technical revision, the Bureau has moved existing guidance in comment 10(e)(1)-1 related to when financial institutions may provide incentives to consumers to agree to automatic repayment plans to a new comment 10(e)(1)-4; no substantive change is intended.
Consistent with the statutory text and purposes of EFTA, the Bureau is not extending the exception for overdraft credit plans currently in Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) to covered separate credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-credit cards as defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. The purposes of EFTA are to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of consumers participating in EFT systems and to provide individual consumer rights.\318\ Further, EFTA's legislative history states that the EFTA compulsory use provision is designed to assure that ``EFT develops in an atmosphere of free choice for the consumer.'' \319\ The Bureau believes its final rule, which does not extend Regulation E's existing exception for overdraft credit plans to covered separate credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-credit cards, should ensure that consumers have choice when deciding whether and how to link their prepaid accounts to covered separate credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-credit cards and have control over the funds in their prepaid accounts if and when such a link is established.
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\318\ See EFTA section 902(b); 15 U.S.C. 1693(b).
\319\ See Senate Report No. 95-915 at 16 (1978).
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As discussed in greater detail in the section-by-section analyses of Regulation Z Sec. Sec. 1026.5(b)(2)(ii), 1026.7(b)(11), and 1026.12(d) below, the Bureau also believes that not extending the exception for overdraft credit plans to covered separate credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-credit cards is consistent with the purposes of and provisions in TILA. In particular, TILA section 169 prohibits offsets by credit card issuers.\320\ In addition, TILA sections 127(b)(12) and (o) require that for credit card accounts under an open-end consumer credit plan, payment due dates--which must be the same date each month--must be disclosed on the Regulation Z periodic statement.\321\ In addition, TILA section 163 provides that, for credit card accounts under an open-end consumer credit plan, a card issuer must adopt reasonable procedures designed to ensure that: (1) Periodic statements for those accounts are mailed or delivered at least 21 days prior to the payment due date disclosed on the Regulation Z statement as discussed above; and (2) the card issuer does not treat as late for any purpose a required minimum periodic payment received by the card issuer within 21 days after mailing or delivery of the Regulation Z periodic statement disclosing the due date for that payment.\322\
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\320\ 15 U.S.C. 1666h(a); see also Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(d).
\321\ 15 U.S.C. 1637(b)(12) and (o); see also Regulation Z Sec. 1026.7(b)(11)(i)(A).
\322\ 15 U.S.C. 1666b; see also Regulation Z Sec. 1026.5(b)(2)(ii)(A).
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In particular, the Bureau believes that the revisions to existing Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) complement the offset prohibition and the periodic statement requirements in Regulation Z by helping to ensure that consumers do not lose access to prepaid account funds and lose the ability to prioritize repayment of debts, one of the main purposes of EFTA section 913(1), as implemented by final Sec. 1005.10(e)(1). The Bureau is concerned that absent these protections, with respect to covered separate credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-credit cards, some card issuers might attempt to avoid the TILA offset prohibition by requiring that all or part of the cardholder's credit card debt under the covered separate credit feature be automatically deducted from the prepaid account to help ensure that the debt is repaid (similar to how overdraft services function today). For example, the Bureau believes that without its revisions to the compulsory use provision, financial institutions might require that prepaid account consumers set up automated payment plans to repay the credit card debt under the covered separate credit feature and set the payment due date each month to align with the expected date of incoming deposits to the prepaid account. The Bureau believes that this type of payment arrangement would undermine the purposes of EFTA section 913(1), as implemented by final Sec. 1005.10(e)(1), which is designed to help ensure that consumers do not lose access to account funds and lose the ability to prioritize repayment of debts. Thus, the Bureau does not believe that it is appropriate to extend the exception for overdraft credit plans to covered separate credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-credit cards.
To the extent that the Board justified its original treatment of overdraft credit plans as providing benefits to consumers from automatic payment, the Bureau notes that under this final rule consumers would still be allowed to choose to make payments on the covered separate credit features on an automatic basis once per month if they find it beneficial to do so. The Bureau also believes that certain credit card rules in Regulation Z that apply under the final rule to covered separate credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-
credit cards that are credit card accounts under an open-end (not home-
secured) consumer credit plan will help consumers avoid late payments and excessive late fees with respect to their covered separate credit features. For example, as discussed above, under the final rule, card issuers would be required, under final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.5(b)(2)(ii)(A)(1), to adopt reasonable procedures to ensure that Regulation Z periodic statements for covered separate credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-credit cards that are credit card accounts under an open-end (not home-secured) consumer credit plan are mailed or delivered at least 21 days prior to the payment due date disclosed on the periodic statement. The Bureau believes this will help ensure that consumers have sufficient time after receiving a periodic statement for such a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-
credit card to make a payment on that credit feature. Also, as discussed in more detail in the section-by-section analyses of Regulation Z Sec. Sec. 1026.52(b) and 1026.55 below, with respect to covered separate credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-credit cards that are credit card accounts under an open-end (not home-
secured) consumer credit plan, card issuers are limited in the circumstances in which they could increase interest rates for late payments and are limited in the amount of late fees they could charge to consumers who pay late, as set forth in final Regulation Z Sec. Sec. 1026.52(b) and 1026.55.
Credit features not accessible by hybrid prepaid-credit cards. As discussed above, the final rule moves existing comment 10(e)(1)-2 to new comment 10(e)(1)-2.i and revises it to provide that the exception for overdraft
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credit plans in final Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) applies to overdraft credit plans other than for a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. Proposed comment 10(e)(1)-3 would have referenced guidance on when a prepaid card would not have been a credit card under Regulation Z as proposed, such that the overdraft exception in proposed Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) would have still applied to credit accessed by those prepaid cards. As explained in more detail below, the final rule moves this guidance to final comment 10(e)(1)-2.ii and revises it.
As discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 below, the Bureau has decided to exclude prepaid cards from being covered as credit cards under Regulation Z when they access certain specified types of credit. First, under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2)(ii), a prepaid card is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card with respect to a ``non-covered separate credit feature,'' which means that the separate credit feature either (1) cannot be accessed in the course of a prepaid card transaction to obtain goods or services, obtain cash, or conduct P2P transfers, or (2) is offered by an unrelated third party that is not the prepaid account issuer, its affiliate, or its business partner. Second, under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4), a prepaid card also is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card when the prepaid card accesses incidental credit in the form of a negative balance on the asset account where the prepaid account issuer generally does not charge credit-related fees for the credit. A prepaid card is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 or a credit card under final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i) when it accesses credit from these types of credit features. For more detailed explanations of when prepaid cards are not credit cards under Regulation Z, see the section-by-section analyses of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2) and (4) below.
New comment 10(e)(1)-2.i provides that the exception for overdraft credit plans in final Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) applies to overdraft credit plans other than for a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. The final rule also adds new comment 10(e)(1)-2.ii to provide additional guidance on the application of the exception in Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) with respect to the circumstances described above in which a prepaid card is not a credit card when the prepaid card accesses incidental credit in the form of a negative balance on the asset account where the prepaid account issuer generally does not charge credit-related fees for the credit. Specifically, new comment 10(e)(1)-2.ii provides that credit extended through a negative balance on the asset feature of a prepaid account that meets the conditions of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4) is considered credit extended pursuant to an overdraft credit plan for purposes of Sec. 1005.10(e)(1). Thus, the exception for overdraft credit plans in Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) applies to this credit.
A credit feature that does not qualify as a covered separate credit feature under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 because it cannot be accessed in the course of a prepaid card transaction to obtain goods or services, obtain cash, or conduct P2P transfers would be subject to the compulsory use rule under final Sec. 1005.10(e)(1); the exception to final Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) does not apply because such a credit product is not an overdraft line of credit or overdraft service. The Bureau also does not believe that the exception to Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) would be invoked with regard to a credit feature that does not qualify as a covered separate credit feature under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 because it is offered by an unrelated third party, since that unrelated third party will typically not be aware that the consumer had chosen to link the credit feature to his or her prepaid account.
10(e)(2) Employment or Government Benefit
The Bureau's Proposal
EFTA section 913(2), as implemented by Sec. 1005.10(e)(2), provides that no financial institution or other person may require a consumer to establish an account for receipt of EFTs with a particular institution as a condition of employment or receipt of a government benefit. Existing comment 10(e)(2)-1 explains that an employer (including a financial institution) may not require its employees to receive their salary by direct deposit to any particular institution. These provisions regarding compulsory use precede the addition of the Payroll Card Rule to Regulation E.\323\
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\323\ In September 2013, the Bureau reiterated the applicability of Regulation E's prohibition on compulsory use for payroll card accounts. CFPB Bulletin 2013-10, Payroll Card Accounts (Regulation E) (Sept. 12, 2013), available at http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201309_cfpb_payroll-card-bulletin.pdf. The Bureau explained that, among other things, Regulation E's compulsory use provision prohibits employers from mandating that employees receive wages only on a payroll card of the employer's choosing. Id. at 3.
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No parallel comment currently exists with respect to the application of the compulsory use provision to the distribution of government benefits. In the proposal, the Bureau noted that questions had arisen as to whether the compulsory use prohibition applied to prepaid cards used to distribute non-needs tested government benefits. EFTA and Regulation E clearly apply to the electronic distribution of non-needs tested government benefits generally, and EFTA section 913(2) prohibits ``requiring a consumer to establish an account for receipt of electronic fund transfers with a particular financial institution as a condition of . . . receipt of a government benefit.'' To provide greater clarity, the Bureau proposed to add comment 10(e)(2)-2, which would have stated that a government agency could not require consumers to receive government benefits by direct deposit to any particular institutions. The comment would have also stated that a government agency could, alternatively, require recipients to receive their benefits via direct deposit, so long as the recipient could choose which institution would receive the deposit, or provide recipients with a choice of having their benefits deposited at a particular institution or receiving their benefits via another means.
The Bureau sought comment on whether a financial institution complies with the compulsory use prohibition if it provides the first payment to a benefit recipient on a government benefit card and, at that same time, provides information on how to divert or otherwise direct future payments to an account of the consumer's choosing. In addition, the Bureau sought comment on whether a similar restriction on compulsory use should be extended to other types of prepaid accounts (other than payroll card accounts and government benefit accounts), such as cards used by post-secondary educational institutions for financial aid disbursements or insurance companies to pay out claims.
Comments Received
Requests to clarify whether certain enrollment methods comply with Sec. 1005.10(e)(2). Two commenters--a program manager of government benefit cards and a State government agency--generally objected to the Bureau's proposal to clarify the application of compulsory use to government agencies. They argued that government agencies should be allowed to require that consumers receive their benefit payments on a prepaid card of the agency's choosing, since doing so allows the agencies to save money by outsourcing the disbursement process and preventing fraud related to false benefits claims. These commenters
Page 83984
urged the Bureau to remove proposed comment 10(e)(2)-2. In the alternative, the program manager, along with a payment network and several other State government agency commenters, urged the Bureau to clarify that a covered person complies with Sec. 1005.10(e)(2) by providing the first payment to a government benefit recipient on a prepaid card and, at that time, providing information to the recipient on how to divert or otherwise direct future payments to an account of the his or her choosing. According to these commenters, this enrollment method would allow the financial institution or other person to adopt a single, streamlined on-boarding process for beneficiaries, while still providing consumers with a real--if delayed--choice on how to receive their payments. One State government agency argued that, if the Bureau did not adopt the requested clarification allowing agencies to unilaterally disburse funds onto prepaid cards, the Bureau should delay the rule's effective date with respect to government benefit accounts to allow the agencies to identify and implement the most economical and efficient means of complying with the compulsory use prohibition.
Other commenters, including issuing banks, program managers, trade associations, a payment network, and an employer that disburses compensation via payroll card accounts, asked the Bureau to address situations--for both government benefit accounts and payroll card accounts--where the consumer is provided a choice but does not make a selection. Specifically, these commenters asked the Bureau to confirm in the final rule that a financial institution or other person complies with the compulsory use prohibition by providing a consumer with two or more alternative methods for receiving funds, and, if the consumer fails to affirmatively select from among the available methods within a prescribed period of time, disbursing the consumer's payment to a pre-
selected, default enrollment method, such as a payroll card account or government benefit account. According to these commenters, this method of enrollment is standard practice among many employers and government benefit programs, and is in fact permitted under some State laws. Mandating changes to these existing practices, they argued, would require costly system changes.
Several consumer group commenters, by contrast, urged the Bureau to clarify that a financial institution or other person that unilaterally enrolls a consumer in a payroll card account or government benefit account program violates the compulsory use prohibition, regardless of whether the person only disburses the consumer's initial payment onto that card or provides the consumer with information about how to divert future payments to an account of the consumer's choosing. In general, these commenters argued that an automatic, unilateral disbursement of a first payment onto a prepaid card is tantamount to a condition that the consumer have an account with a particular institution in order to receive his or her salary or government benefit, in violation of the compulsory use prohibition. Moreover, these commenters argued, default options are ``sticky,'' meaning that once consumers are enrolled in one payment method, they are unlikely to go through the effort to un-enroll or otherwise direct payments to another account. In other words, the commenters asserted, a consumer who continues to receive payments to a payroll card account or government benefit account after being unilaterally enrolled in that card program has not made an affirmative choice to be paid that way. A nonprofit organization representing the interests of restaurant workers provided the Bureau with survey results showing that more than a quarter of employees at a particular restaurant company who responded to the organization's survey reported that they were never told that they had options other than a payroll card account by which to receive their wages. With regards to the possibility of a financial institution's use of a default enrollment method where consumers are provided with a choice of payment method but fail to communicate a preference after a certain period of time, one consumer group indicated that it was not categorically opposed to this practice, but suggested that the period the financial institution should have to wait before enrolling a non-responsive consumer in a default enrollment method should be 30 days or more.
One consumer group commenter asked the Bureau to go further and require that, in order to comply with the compulsory use prohibitions, a financial institution or other person obtain a consumer's written consent before disbursing the consumer's payment via a payroll card account or government benefit account. Another consumer group argued that the Bureau should mandate a specific waiting period before a consumer was required to make a selection with respect to his or her preferred payment method.
Requests to expand the scope of Sec. 1005.10(e)(2) beyond payment of salary or government benefit. Although it did not propose alterations to the scope of the compulsory use prohibition, the Bureau did seek comment on whether a similar restriction should be extended to other types of prepaid accounts, as discussed above. In response, numerous consumer group commenters urged the Bureau to expand the compulsory use prohibition to other types of prepaid accounts used by third parties to disburse funds to consumers, including accounts used to disburse student aid or student loans, accounts used to disburse insurance or workers' compensation payments, and accounts used by correctional facilities to disburse funds to incarcerated or formerly incarcerated individuals. The commenters expressed concern that consumers in these circumstances could not otherwise avoid the high fees or restrictive terms and conditions that they allege often accompany such cards, if the consumers must accept the cards to access their funds.
Several commenters, including several members of Congress, pointed to prison release cards as a particularly troubling example of a prepaid account product that they say comes with high fees and terms and conditions that limit consumers' ability to access their own funds. Funds disbursed onto prison release cards may include prison job wages or public benefits paid to the prisoner while in prison. The commenters argued that consumers who receive these prepaid products should have a choice with respect to how they get paid. In the alternative, the commenters urged the Bureau to limit fees on cards that the consumer has to accept, as well as on cards issued on an unsolicited basis. In response, a commenter that manages several prison release card programs, as well as other ``correction-related'' services submitted a comment disputing the consumer groups' allegations with respect to its programs. This commenter objected to the suggestion that its prepaid products are or should be subject to the compulsory use provision. Among other arguments, the commenter noted that prison release cards are a superior alternative to checks, which are often accompanied by excessive check cashing fees, or cash, which can be mismanaged by correctional staff. This commenter also took issue with the suggestion that its prepaid account programs are accompanied by particularly high fees, noting that State departments of corrections that bid for its services look carefully at the fees charged to card users. The commenter provided fee schedules for several of its programs that it argued show that the
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programs' cardholder fees are not exorbitant.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting comment 10(e)(2)-2 as proposed with minor modifications for clarity and conformity. The Bureau declines to amend regulatory text or adopt additional commentary as requested by some commenters. The Bureau continues to believe it is important that consumers have a choice with respect to how they receive their salary or government benefits. Whether a financial institution or other person complies with Sec. 1005.10(e)(2), therefore, depends on whether the financial institution or other person provides the consumer with a choice regarding how to receive his or her payment. For example, a financial institution or other person that mandates that consumers receive their salary or government benefit on a specific prepaid card violates EFTA section 913(2) and Sec. 1005.10(e)(2), as the statutory and regulatory text make clear. Accordingly, the Bureau declines to revise Sec. 1005.10(e)(2) to allow government agencies to require consumers to receive government benefits on a prepaid card of the agency's choosing, as some commenters requested.
Likewise, after considering the comments on this issue, the Bureau agrees with consumer group commenters that a financial institution or other person that mandates that a consumer receive the first payment of salary or government benefits on a prepaid card does not give the consumer a choice regarding how to receive the payment, even if the consumer can later re-direct the payment to an account of his or her choice.\324\ In such a scenario, the consumer does not have a choice with respect to how to receive the first payment of salary or government benefit; rather, at least with respect to that first payment, the consumer was required to establish an account with the financial institution that issued the prepaid account as a condition of receiving the funds.
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\324\ The Bureau likewise declines to grandfather in or provide an extended timeframe to amend or rebid existing vendor contracts for government benefit accounts beyond the final rule's general effective date, as requested by some commenters. See the section-by-
section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(h) below for a more detailed discussion of the final rule's effective date.
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The Bureau does not at this time and on this record believe it would be appropriate to set a bright-line test based solely on amount of time or whether the consumer agrees to the preferred payment method in writing, as some commenters suggested. As the Bureau noted in the proposal, there are many ways a consumer can obtain a prepaid account, and the Bureau believes its disclosure regime should be--and is--
adaptable to this variety.\325\ The Bureau notes that how long a consumer had to select a preferred payment method may not always be indicative of whether the consumer was given a choice regarding how to receive his payment. For example, a company's policies and procedures may dictate that employees be given at least two weeks to select a preferred payment method. However, such a policy may not help an employee who is ordered by his direct supervisor to accept wages via a payroll card. Likewise, the way a consumer expresses her preferred payment method may not be indicative of whether she exercised a choice with respect to how to receive her payments. Relatedly, as some industry commenters noted, consumers are sometimes given a choice between two or more payment alternatives, but may fail to indicate their preference. Depending on the facts and circumstances--for example, the date by which the consumer has to be paid her wages under State law--it may be reasonable for a financial institution or other person in this scenario to employ a reasonable default enrollment method.
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\325\ 79 FR 77102, 77148 (Dec. 23, 2014).
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The Bureau also declines to amend existing regulatory text or adopt additional commentary concerning which alternative payment methods must be made available to a consumer to comply with the compulsory use prohibition. In response to requests for clarification from a member of Congress and an industry commenter on the one hand, and several consumer group commenters on the other, the Bureau notes that the compulsory use prohibition does not amount to a requirement that a financial institution or other person provide a consumer with any particular alternative to a prepaid account. More specifically, Sec. 1005.10(e)(2) does not mandate that a covered person offer a consumer the option of getting paid by paper check (to address concerns from the member of Congress and industry commenter), nor require that one of the payment options made available to the consumer be direct deposit to an account of the consumer's choosing (as the consumer groups requested). Rather, the consumer must not be required to establish a particular account and must be presented with at least one alternative to the prepaid account, which may be a paper check, direct deposit to the consumer's bank account or to her own prepaid account, or some other payment method.
With respect to the comments recommending that the Bureau expand application of the compulsory use prohibition to other types of prepaid accounts, the Bureau has concluded that it would not be appropriate to take such a step at this time. The compulsory use prohibition has been in place and largely unchanged since its adoption in 1978 in EFTA.\326\ The Bureau believes it would be inappropriate to alter the application of the prohibition in the manner suggested by commenters in this final rule without additional public participation and information gathering about the specific product types at issue. The Bureau notes that to the extent that student, insurance, or prison release cards are used to disburse consumers' salaries or government benefits, as defined under applicable law, such accounts are already covered by Sec. 1005.10(e)(2) and will continue to be so under this final rule. The Bureau notes further that it is continuing to monitor financial institutions' and other persons' practices relating to consumers' lack of choice (including with respect to prepaid accounts that are not subject to the compulsory use prohibitions). Depending on the facts and circumstances, the Bureau may consider whether exercise of the Bureau's authority under title X of the Dodd-Frank Act, including its authority over unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices, would be appropriate.
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\326\ EFTA section 913; Public Law 95-630, 92 Stat. 3737 (1978) (codified at 15 U.S.C. 1693k).
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Section 1005.11 Procedures for Resolving Errors
11(c) Time Limits and Extent of Investigation
The Bureau is making a conforming change to Sec. 1005.11 to except unverified accounts from the provisional credit requirements therein, in conformance with changes to the error resolution requirements for prepaid accounts in revised Sec. 1005.18(e) below.
EFTA section 908 governs the timing and other requirements for consumers and financial institutions pertaining to error resolution, including provisional credit, and is implemented for accounts under Regulation E generally, including payroll card accounts, in Sec. 1005.11. Section 1005.11(c)(1) and (3)(i) require that a financial institution, after receiving notice that a consumer believes an EFT from the consumer's account was not authorized, must investigate promptly and determine whether an error occurred (i.e., whether
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the transfer was unauthorized), within 10 business days (20 business days if the EFT occurred within 30 days of the first deposit to the account). Existing Sec. 1005.11(c)(2) provides that if the financial institution is unable to complete the investigation within 10 business days, its investigation may take up to 45 days if it provisionally credits the amount of the alleged error back to the consumer's account within 10 business days of receiving the error notice.\327\ Provisional credit is not required if the financial institution requests but does not receive written confirmation within 10 business days of an oral notice by the consumer, or if the alleged error involves an account that is subject to Regulation T of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Securities Credit by Brokers and Dealers, 12 CFR part 220).\328\
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\327\ The financial institution has 90 days (instead of 45) to investigate if the claimed unauthorized EFT was not initiated in a state, resulted from a point-of-sale debit card transaction, or occurred within 30 days after the first deposit to the account was made. Sec. 1005.11(c)(3)(ii).
\328\ Sec. 1005.11(c)(2)(i)(A) and (B).
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The Bureau proposed in Sec. 1005.18(e)(2) to extend to all prepaid accounts the error resolution provisions of Regulation E, including provisional credit, with modifications to the Sec. 1005.11 timing requirements in proposed Sec. 1005.18(e)(2) for financial institutions following the periodic statement alternative in proposed Sec. 1005.18(c)(1). In addition, the Bureau proposed to use its exception authority under EFTA section 904(c) to propose Sec. 1005.18(e)(3); that provision would have provided that for prepaid accounts that are not payroll card accounts or government benefit accounts, if a financial institution disclosed to the consumer the risks of not registering a prepaid account using a notice that is substantially similar to the proposed notice contained in paragraph (c) of appendix A-7, a financial institution would not have been required to comply with the liability limits and error resolution requirements under Sec. Sec. 1005.6 and 1005.11 for any prepaid account for which it had not completed its collection of consumer identifying information and identity verification.
As discussed in greater detail in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(e)(3) below, the Bureau is revising the limitation on financial institutions' obligations to provide limited liability and error resolution protections for prepaid accounts that have not completed the consumer identification and verification process. Rather than allow financial institutions to forego providing all of the limited liability and error resolution protections for such unverified accounts, as the Bureau proposed, the final rule allows financial institutions to forego extending provisional credit to such accounts as part of the error resolution process--under the final rule, therefore, financial institutions may take up to 45 days (or 90 days, where applicable) to investigate an error claim without provisionally crediting the account in the amount at issue for prepaid accounts with respect to which the financial institution has not completed its consumer identification and verification process. To implement this revision, the Bureau is adopting an exception to the general requirement in Sec. 1005.11(c)(2) that a financial institution must provide provisional credit if it takes longer than 10 business days to investigate and determine whether an error occurred. As stated above, there are two existing exceptions listed in Sec. 1005.11(c)(2)(i)(A) (no provisional credit where institution required, but did not receive, written confirmation of the oral notice of error within 10 business days) and Sec. 1005.11(c)(2)(i)(B) (no provisional credit where error involves an account subject to the Board's Regulation T). The Bureau is adding a third exception in new Sec. 1005.11(c)(2)(i)(C), which, together with Sec. 1005.11(c)(2)(i), provides that a financial institution does not have to provisionally credit a consumer's account if the alleged error involves a prepaid account, other than a payroll card account or government benefit account, for which the financial institution has not completed its consumer identification and verification process, as set forth in Sec. 1005.18(e)(3)(ii).\329\ The Bureau believes it is necessary and proper to finalize this exclusion pursuant to its authority under EFTA section 904(c) to further the purposes of EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of prepaid account consumers.
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\329\ Pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(e)(3)(ii), a financial institution has not completed its consumer identification and verification process where it has not concluded its consumer identification and verification process; it has concluded its consumer identification and verification process, but could not verify the identity of the consumer; or it does not have a consumer identification and verification process by which the consumer can register the prepaid account. See the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(e)(3) below for a detailed explanation of these provisions and related commentary.
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By adding an exception for unverified accounts to the provisional credit requirement set forth in Sec. 1005.11(c)(2)(i), the Bureau intends to clarify the scope of the revised exception in final Sec. 1005.18(e)(3). Specifically, although the Bureau is finalizing a provision that would allow financial institutions not to extend provisional credit to prepaid accounts for which the financial institution has not completed its consumer identification and verification process, all other timing and related requirements set forth in Sec. 1005.11(c), as modified by final Sec. 1005.18(e)(2), will apply to both verified and unverified accounts. The addition of new Sec. 1005.11(c)(2)(i)(C), therefore, is intended to make clear that accounts referenced in that provision are only exempted from the provisional credit requirement in Sec. 1005.11(c)(2)(i), and not from any other provisions of Sec. 1005.11(c). Final Sec. Sec. 1005.11(c)(2)(i)(C) and 1005.18(e)(3) reference each other for added clarity.
A full discussion of the Bureau's revisions to the limited liability and error resolution requirements for prepaid accounts in this final rule can be found in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(e) below.
Section 1005.12 Relation to Other Laws
12(a) Relation to Truth in Lending
Existing Sec. 1005.12(a) provides guidance on whether the issuance provisions in existing Regulation E Sec. 1005.5 or the unsolicited issuance provisions in existing Regulations Z Sec. 1026.12(a) apply where access devices under Regulation E also are credit cards under Regulation Z. (For discussion of when this may occur, see Regulation Z below.) In addition, existing Sec. 1005.12(a) also provides guidance on how the provisions on liability for unauthorized use and for resolving errors in existing Regulation E Sec. Sec. 1005.6 and 1005.11 and existing Regulation Z Sec. Sec. 1026.12(b) and 1026.13 interact where a credit transaction is incidental to an EFT.
Issuance Rules
The Bureau's Proposal
Consistent with EFTA section 911(a),\330\ existing Sec. 1005.5(a) provides that a financial institution generally may issue an access device for an account that is subject to Regulation E to a consumer only: (1) In response to an oral or written request for the device; or (2) as a renewal of, or in substitution for, an accepted access device, whether issued by the institution or a successor. Nonetheless, consistent with EFTA section 911(b),\331\ existing Sec. 1005.5(b) provides that a financial institution may distribute an access device to a
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consumer on an unsolicited basis if four enumerated situations are met. These exceptions are particularly important to issuance of debit cards to access checking accounts for which the consumer is eligible for overdraft services or has opened an overdraft line of credit.
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\330\ 15 U.S.C. 1693i(a).
\331\ 15 U.S.C. 1693i(b).
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In contrast, the issuance rules for a credit card under Regulation Z are more restrictive. Consistent with TILA section 132,\332\ existing Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(a) provides that regardless of the purpose for which a credit card is to be used, including business, commercial, or agricultural use, no credit card shall be issued to any person except (1) in response to an oral or written request or application for the card; or (2) as a renewal of, or substitute for, an accepted credit card.
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\332\ 15 U.S.C. 1642.
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Existing Sec. 1005.12(a) provides guidance on whether the issuance provisions in Regulation E or the unsolicited issuance provisions in Regulations Z apply where access devices under Regulation E also are credit cards under Regulation Z. Specifically, existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1) currently provides that EFTA and Regulation E govern: (1) The addition to an accepted credit card, as defined in Regulation Z (existing Sec. 1026.12, comment 12-2), of the capability to initiate EFTs; (2) the issuance of an access device that permits credit extensions pursuant to an overdraft line of credit (involving a preexisting agreement between a consumer and a financial institution to extend credit only when the consumer's account is overdrawn or to maintain a specified minimum balance in the consumer's account), or under an overdraft service (as defined in existing Sec. 1005.17(a)); and (3) the addition of an overdraft service, as defined in existing Sec. 1005.17(a), to an accepted access device.
On the other hand, existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(2) provides that TILA and Regulation Z apply to (1) the addition of a credit feature to an accepted access device; and (2) the issuance of a credit card that is also an access device, except the issuance of an access device that permits credit extensions pursuant to a preexisting overdraft line of credit or under an overdraft service as discussed above. The application of these various provisions to prepaid accounts and revisions to the relevant prongs of existing Sec. 1005.12 are discussed below. The proposal would have amended provisions in existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(ii) so that the rules in TILA and Regulation Z would govern whether a prepaid card could be a credit card when it is issued. Proposed Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(h) (renumbered as new Sec. 1026.61(c) in the final rule) would have required a credit card issuer to wait at least 30 days from prepaid account registration before opening a credit card account for a holder of a prepaid account, or providing a solicitation or application to the holder of the prepaid account to open a credit card account that would be accessed by the access device for a prepaid account that is a credit card. Thus, proposed Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(h) would have prevented a prepaid card from being a credit card at the time it was issued if it was issued before the expiration of the 30-day period set forth in proposed Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(h). Under the proposal, because a prepaid card could not have been a credit card at the time it was issued if it was issued before the expiration of the 30-day period discussed above, the issuance of such a prepaid card would have been governed under the issuance rules in EFTA and Regulation E.
Existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(2)(ii) currently provides that TILA and Regulation Z apply to the issuance of a credit card that is also an access device, except the issuance of an access device that permits credit extensions pursuant to a preexisting overdraft line of credit or under an overdraft service as discussed in existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(ii). Existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(ii) provides that the issuance rules of EFTA and Regulation E govern the issuance of an access device that permits credit extensions under a preexisting agreement between a consumer and a financial institution only when the consumer's account is overdrawn or to maintain a specified minimum balance in the consumer's account, or under an overdraft service as defined in existing Sec. 1005.17(a).
For checking accounts, a consumer may have a preexisting agreement with the financial institution to cover checks that overdraft the account. This overdraft line of credit would be subject to Regulation Z. If a debit card is then added to access this overdraft line of credit under the preexisting agreement, existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(ii) provides that the debit card (which would also be a credit card under Regulation Z) may be issued under the issuance rules in Regulation E, instead of the issuance rules in Regulation Z. In contrast, Regulation Z's issuance rules apply if the access device can access another type of credit feature when it is issued; for example, one permitting direct extensions of credit that do not involve the asset account. Existing comment 12(a)-2 provides that for access devices that also constitute credit cards, the issuance rules of Regulation E apply if the only credit feature is a preexisting credit line attached to the asset account to cover overdrafts (or to maintain a specified minimum balance) or an overdraft service, as defined in existing Sec. 1005.17(a). Regulation Z rules apply if there is another type of credit feature; for example, one permitting direct extensions of credit that do not involve the asset account.
The proposal would have amended existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(ii) to provide that this provision relating to preexisting overdraft lines of credit and overdraft services does not apply to access devices for prepaid accounts. The proposal also would have moved existing comment 12(a)-2 related to preexisting overdraft lines of credit and overdraft services to proposed comment 12(a)-1 and would have revised the comment to explain that it does not apply to access devices for prepaid accounts. Thus, under the proposal, because the existing exception for preexisting overdraft line of credit and overdraft services would not have applied to an access device for a prepaid account, the issuance rules in TILA and Regulation Z would have applied to the issuance of a prepaid card that also a credit card at the time it is issued.
Nonetheless, under the proposal, in proposed Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(h) (renumbered as new Sec. 1026.61(c) in the final rule), a prepaid card could not have been a credit card when it was issued if it was issued before the expiration of the 30-day period set forth in proposed Sec. 1026.12(h). Proposed Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(h) would have required a credit card issuer to wait at least 30 days from prepaid account registration before opening a credit card account for a holder of a prepaid account, or providing a solicitation or application to the holder of the prepaid account to open a credit card account, that would be accessed by the access device for a prepaid account that is a credit card. The Bureau proposed to comment 12(a)-3 to explain that an access device for a prepaid account may not access a credit card account when the access device is issued and would have cross referenced proposed Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(h). Under the proposal, because a prepaid card could not have been a credit card when it was issued if it was issued before the expiration of the 30-day period set forth in proposed Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(h), the issuance of such a prepaid card would have been governed under the issuance rules in EFTA and Regulation E.
The proposal also would have amended existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iii)
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and (2)(i) to address whether Regulation E or Regulation Z governs the addition of a credit feature or plan (including an overdraft credit plan) to a previously issued access device for a prepaid account where the credit feature or plan would have made the access device into a credit card under Regulation Z. Existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iii) provides that the issuance rules of EFTA and Regulation E govern the addition of an overdraft service, as defined in existing Sec. 1005.17(a), to an accepted access device. The proposal would have amended existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iii) to provide that this provision does not apply to access devices for prepaid accounts. The proposal also would have moved comment 12(a)-3 which discussed overdraft services as defined in existing Sec. 1005.17(a) to proposed comment 12(a)-2 and revised the comment to indicate that this comment does not apply to access devices for prepaid accounts. As discussed in more detail in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.17 below, the proposal would have revised the term ``overdraft service'' as defined in existing Sec. 1005.17(a) to exclude a credit plan that is accessed by an access device for a prepaid account where the access device is a credit card under Regulation Z, because these credit plans would have been subject to the provisions in Regulation Z.
The proposal also would have amended existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(2)(i) to provide that the unsolicited issuance rules in TILA and existing Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(a) would have applied to the addition of a credit feature or plan to an accepted access device, including an access device for a prepaid account, that would make the access device into a credit card under Regulation Z. The proposal would have added proposed comment 12(a)-4 that would have explained that Regulation Z governs the addition of any credit feature or plan to an access device for a prepaid account where the access device also would be a credit card under Regulation Z. Proposed comment 12(a)-4 also would have stated that Regulation Z (existing Sec. 1026.2(a)(20), proposed comment 2(a)(20)-2.ii) would have provided guidance on whether a program constitutes a credit plan, and that Regulation Z (existing Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i), proposed comment 2(a)(15)-2) would have defined the term credit card and provided examples of cards or devices that are and are not credit cards.
Comments Received and the Final Rule
The Bureau did not receive any specific comments on its proposal to amend existing Sec. 1005.12(a) and related commentary with respect to the issuance rules, other than those related to general comments from industry not to cover overdraft plans offered on prepaid accounts under Regulation Z. See the Overview of the Final Rule's Amendments to Regulation Z section for a discussion of those comments.
As explained in more detail below, with respect to the issuance rules, the Bureau is amending existing Sec. 1005.12(a) and related commentary consistent with the proposal, with revisions to clarify the intent of the provisions and to be consistent with new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61.
Issuance of a prepaid card. As discussed above, existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(2)(ii) generally provides that the unsolicited issuance rules in TILA and Regulation Z, which prohibit the unsolicited issuance of credit cards, govern the issuance of a credit card that is also an access device. Existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(ii) provides that the issuance rules of EFTA and Regulation E govern the issuance of an access device that permits credit extensions under a preexisting agreement between a consumer and a financial institution only when the consumer's account is overdrawn or to maintain a specified minimum balance in the consumer's account, or under an overdraft service, as defined in existing Sec. 1005.17(a). Existing comment 12(a)-2 provides that for access devices that also constitute credit cards, the issuance rules of Regulation E apply if the only credit feature is a preexisting overdraft line of credit attached to the asset account to cover overdrafts (or to maintain a specified minimum balance) or an overdraft service, as defined in existing Sec. 1005.17(a). Regulation Z rules apply if there is another type of credit feature; for example, one permitting direct extensions of credit that do not involve the asset account.
Consistent with the proposal, the Bureau is amending existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(ii) to provide that this provision does not apply to access devices for prepaid accounts. Consistent with the proposal, the final rule moves existing comment 12(a)-2 related to preexisting overdraft lines of credit and overdraft services to final comment 12(a)-1 and revises it to explain that it does not apply to access devices for prepaid accounts. Thus, under the final rule, the existing exception in Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(ii) for credit extended under a preexisting overdraft line of credit or under an overdraft service does not apply to an access device that accesses a prepaid account. Thus, under the final rule, Sec. 1005.12(a)(2)(ii) provides that the issuance rules in TILA and Regulation Z govern the issuance of an access device for a prepaid account that is a credit card at the time it is issued.
Nonetheless, under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(c), a prepaid card may not be a credit card under Regulation Z when it is issued if the prepaid card is issued prior to expiration of the 30-day period set forth in new Sec. 1026.61(c). New Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(c) provides that with respect to a covered separate credit feature that could be accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card at any point, a card issuer must not do any of the following until 30 days after the prepaid account has been registered: (1) Open a covered separate credit feature accessible by the hybrid prepaid-credit card; (2) make a solicitation or provide an application to open a covered separate credit feature accessible by the hybrid prepaid-credit card; or (3) allow an existing credit feature that was opened prior to the consumer obtaining the prepaid account to become a covered separate credit feature accessible by the hybrid prepaid-credit card. As discussed in more detail in the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2) below, a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card includes an overdraft credit feature offered by a prepaid account issuer, its affiliate, or its business partner that can be accessed by a prepaid card (except as provided in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4)). The prepaid card is a hybrid prepaid-credit card under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 and a credit card under final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i) with respect to the covered separate credit feature.
As discussed above, the proposal would have added comment 12(a)-3 to explain that an access device for a prepaid account may not access a credit card account when the access device is issued and would have cross referenced proposed Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(h). Consistent with the proposal, the Bureau is adopting new comment 12(a)-3, with revisions to clarify the intent of the provision and to be consistent with new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. New comment 12(a)-3 provides that an access device for a prepaid account cannot access a covered separate credit feature as defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 when the access device is issued if the access device is issued prior to the expiration of the 30-day period set forth in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(c). New comment 12(a)-3 also explains that an access device for a prepaid account that is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card as that term is defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61
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is subject to the issuance rules in Regulation E. Because a prepaid access device cannot access a covered separate credit feature that would make the access device into a credit card when the access device is issued if the access device is issued prior to the expiration of the 30-day period set forth in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(c), the issuance rules in EFTA and Regulation E will apply to the issuance of the prepaid access device that does not access a covered separate credit feature as defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61.
As discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 below, the Bureau has decided to exclude prepaid cards from being covered as credit cards under Regulation Z when they access certain specified types of credit. First, under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2)(ii), a prepaid card is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card with respect to a ``non-covered separate credit feature,'' which means that the separate credit feature either (1) cannot be accessed in the course of a prepaid card transaction to obtain goods or services, obtain cash, or conduct P2P transfers, or (2) is offered by an unrelated third party that is not the prepaid account issuer, its affiliate, or its business partner. Second, under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4), a prepaid card also is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card when the prepaid card accesses incidental credit in the form of a negative balance on the asset account where the prepaid account issuer generally does not charge credit-related fees for the credit. A prepaid card is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 or a credit card under final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i) when it accesses credit from these types of credit features. For more detailed explanations of when prepaid cards are not credit cards under Regulation Z, see the section-by-section analyses of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2) and (4) below.
The issuance rules in EFTA and Regulation E apply to those prepaid cards that are not hybrid prepaid-credit cards even though the prepaid card accesses the credit feature at the time the prepaid card is issued.
Addition of a covered separate credit feature to an existing access device for a prepaid account. The Bureau is amending existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(2)(i) as proposed to provide that the issuance rules in TILA and Regulation Z govern the addition of a credit feature or plan to an accepted access device, including an access device for a prepaid account, that would make the access device into a credit card under Regulation Z.
The proposal would have added comment 12(a)-4 that would have explained that Regulation Z governs the addition of any credit feature or plan to an access device for a prepaid account where the access device also would be a credit card under Regulation Z. Proposed comment 12(a)-4 also would have stated that Regulation Z (existing Sec. 1026.2(a)(20), proposed comment 2(a)(20)-2.ii) would have provided guidance on whether a program constitutes a credit plan, and that Regulation Z (existing Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i), proposed comment 2(a)(15)-2) would have defined the term credit card and provided examples of cards or devices that are and are not credit cards. Consistent with the proposal, the Bureau is finalizing new comment 12(a)-4, with revisions to be consistent with new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. New comment 12(a)-4 provides that Regulation Z governs the addition of a covered separate credit feature as that term is defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 to an existing access device for a prepaid account. In this case, the access device becomes a hybrid prepaid-credit card under Regulation Z. A credit card feature may be added to a previously issued access device for a prepaid account only upon the consumer's application or specific request as described in final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(a)(1) and only in compliance with new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(c), as discussed above. As discussed in more detail in the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2) below, a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card includes an overdraft credit feature offered by a prepaid account issuer, its affiliate, or its business partner that can be accessed by a prepaid card (except as provided in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4)). The prepaid card is a hybrid prepaid-credit card under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 and a credit card under final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i) with respect to the covered separate credit feature.
For the reasons set forth in the Overview of the Final Rule's Amendments to Regulation Z section, the Bureau believes that credit card rules in Regulation Z, including the unsolicited issuance rules in final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(a), should apply to hybrid prepaid-
credit cards that access covered separate credit features. The Bureau believes that the more restrictive issuance rules in Regulation Z for issuance of a credit card are appropriate in this context. As discussed above, consistent with TILA section 132, final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(a) provides that no credit card generally may be issued to any person on an unsolicited basis. This is in contrast to Regulation E which allows an access device to be provided to a consumer on an unsolicited basis if four enumerated situations are met.
The Bureau believes in particular that the addition of a covered separate credit feature to an accepted prepaid access device that would make the prepaid card into a hybrid prepaid-credit card causes a significant transformation with respect to a prepaid account. The Bureau believes that applying the Regulation Z unsolicited issuance rules to the addition of such a credit feature to a prepaid access device will help ensure that consumers must take affirmative steps to effect such a transformation by permitting financial institutions to link covered separate credit features to prepaid cards only in response to consumers' applications or requests that the credit features be linked. A card issuer also must comply with new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(c) with respect to linking the covered separate credit feature to the prepaid card, as discussed above and in the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(c) below. New Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(c) will help ensure that consumers are fully aware of the implications of their decisions to link covered separate credit features to prepaid cards by prohibiting card issuers from linking a covered separate credit feature to a prepaid card until 30 days after the prepaid account has been registered.
Overdraft credit services defined in Sec. 1005.17. Existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iii) provides that the issuance rules of EFTA and Regulation E govern the addition of an overdraft service, as defined in existing Sec. 1005.17(a), to an accepted access device. Existing comment 12(a)-3 provides that the addition of an overdraft service, as that term is defined in existing Sec. 1005.17(a), to an accepted access device does not constitute the addition of a credit feature subject to Regulation Z. Instead, the provisions of Regulation E apply, including the liability limitations (existing Sec. 1005.6) and the requirement to obtain consumer consent to the service before any fees or charges for paying an overdraft may be assessed on the account (existing Sec. 1005.17). The proposal would have provided that existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iii) would not have applied to access devices for prepaid accounts. The proposal would have moved existing comment 12(a)-3 to proposed comment 12(a)-2 and would have revised it to provide that the
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comment does not apply to access devices for prepaid accounts.
The final rule does not adopt the proposed changes to existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iii). The final rule moves existing comment 12(a)-3 to new comment 12(a)-2 for organizational purposes, but does not amend the comment as proposed. The Bureau has not adopted the proposed amendments to existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iii) and new comment 12(a)-2 because the Bureau believes such revisions are unnecessary in light of changes in other parts of the rule. As discussed in the section-by-
section analysis of Sec. 1005.17 below, the Bureau is adding Sec. 1005.17(a)(4) to provide that an overdraft service does not include any payment of overdrafts pursuant to (1) a credit feature that is a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61; or (2) credit extended through a negative balance on the asset feature of the prepaid account that meets the conditions of new Sec. 1026.61(a)(4). Thus, because a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card is not an overdraft service under final Sec. 1005.17(a), existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iii) and new comment 12(a)-2 related to the addition of an overdraft service as defined in final Sec. 1005.17(a) to an access device are not applicable to a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card.
Rules Applicable to Limits on Liability for Unauthorized Use and to Billing Errors Procedures
The Bureau's Proposal
Current Sec. 1005.6 generally sets forth provisions for when a consumer may be held liable, within the limitations described in existing Sec. 1005.6(b), for an unauthorized EFT involving the consumer's account. Current Sec. 1005.11 generally sets forth the procedures for resolving errors relating to EFTs involving a consumer's account. The Bureau is adding new Sec. 1005.18(e) to set forth a consumer's liability for unauthorized EFTs and the procedures for investigating errors related to EFTs involving prepaid accounts. See generally the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(e) below.
Relatedly, current Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(b) sets forth limits on the amount of liability that a credit card issuer may impose on a consumer for unauthorized use of a credit card. Current Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13 generally sets forth error resolution procedures for billing errors that relate to extensions of credit that are made in connection with open-end credit plans or credit card accounts.
Existing Regulation E Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv) currently provides guidance on how the provisions on limits on liability for unauthorized use and the provisions setting forth error resolution procedures under Regulations E and Z apply when credit is extended incident to an EFT. Specifically, current Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv) provides that EFTA and Regulation E govern a consumer's liability for an unauthorized EFT and the investigation of errors involving an extension of credit that occurs pursuant to an overdraft line of credit (under an agreement between the consumer and a financial institution to extend credit when the consumer's account is overdrawn or to maintain a specified minimum balance in the consumer's account), or under an overdraft service, as defined in existing Sec. 1005.17(a).
Current comment 12(a)-1.i provides that for transactions involving access devices that also function as credit cards, whether Regulation E or Regulation Z applies depends on the nature of the transaction. For example, if the transaction solely involves an extension of credit, and does not include a debit to a checking account (or other consumer asset account), the liability limitations and error resolution requirements of Regulation Z apply. If the transaction debits a checking account only (with no credit extended), the provisions of Regulation E apply. If the transaction debits a checking account but also draws on an overdraft line of credit attached to the account, Regulation E's liability limitations apply, in addition to existing Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13(d) and (g) (which apply because of the extension of credit associated with the overdraft feature on the checking account).\333\ If a consumer's access device is also a credit card and the device is used to make unauthorized withdrawals from a checking account, but also is used to obtain unauthorized cash advances directly from a line of credit that is separate from the checking account, both Regulation E and Regulation Z apply. Current comment 12(a)-1.ii sets forth examples that illustrate these principles.
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\333\ Existing Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13(d) sets forth certain requirements that apply until a billing error is resolved. For example, existing Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13(d)(1) provides that a consumer need not pay (and the creditor may not try to collect) any portion of any required payment that the consumer believes is related to a disputed amount reflected on the consumer's credit card bill. It also provides that if the cardholder has enrolled in an automatic payment plan, the card issuer shall not deduct any part of the disputed amount or related finance or other charges from the consumer's asset account if the consumer provides to the card issuer a billing error notice that the card issuer receives any time up to 3 business days before the scheduled payment date. Existing Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13(g) sets forth requirements governing what a creditor must do if it determines that a consumer owes all or part of the disputed amount and related finance or other charges.
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With respect to limits on consumer liability for unauthorized use, existing Sec. 1005.12(a) and comment 12(a)-1 are consistent with EFTA section 909(c), which applies EFTA's limits on liability for unauthorized use to transactions which involve both an unauthorized EFT and an extension of credit pursuant to an agreement between the consumer and the financial institution to extend such credit to the consumer in the event the consumer's account is overdrawn.\334\ In adopting rules in 1980 to implement EFTA, the Board generally applied Regulation E's error resolution procedures to credit transactions that are incident to an EFT involving an extension of credit that occurs under an agreement between the consumer and a financial institution to extend credit when the consumer's account is overdrawn or to maintain a specified minimum balance in the consumer's account.\335\ In proposing these rules, the Board stated that the proposed rule would simplify procedures for financial institutions where an EFT results in both a debit to a consumer's account and a credit extension.\336\
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\334\ 15 U.S.C. 1693g(c).
\335\ 45 FR 8249, 8266 (Feb. 6, 1980).
\336\ 44 FR 25850, 25857 (May 3, 1979).
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For the reasons discussed in more detail in the section by section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13(i) below, the Bureau proposed to amend existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv) by moving the current language to proposed Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(A) and applying it to accounts other than prepaid accounts. The Bureau also proposed to add Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(B) to provide that with respect to a prepaid account, EFTA and Regulation E govern a consumer's liability for an unauthorized EFT and the investigation of errors involving an extension of credit, under a credit plan subject to Regulation Z subpart B, that is incident to an EFT when the consumer's prepaid account is overdrawn.
Proposed Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(B) that would have applied to credit in connection with a prepaid account was similar but not the same as proposed Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(A) that would have applied to accounts other than prepaid accounts. Like proposed Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(A), proposed Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(B) generally would have applied Regulation E's limits on
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liability for unauthorized use and error resolution procedures to transactions that are partially funded through an EFT using an access device and partially funded through credit under a plan that is accessed by an access device when the consumer's prepaid account is overdrawn.
However, unlike proposed Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(A), proposed Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(B) would not have focused on whether there is an agreement between a consumer and a financial institution to extend credit when the consumer's prepaid account is overdrawn or to maintain a specified minimum balance in the consumer's prepaid account. Instead, proposed Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(B) would have focused on whether credit is extended under a ``plan'' when the consumer's prepaid account does not have sufficient funds to complete a transaction and the plan is subject to the provisions in Regulation Z subpart B. For example, under the proposal, a credit plan that is accessed by a prepaid card that is a credit card would have been subject to the provisions of subpart B. Under the proposal, a prepaid card would have been a credit card under Regulation Z even if the creditor retains discretion not to pay the credit transactions. Thus, proposed Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(B) would have focused on whether credit is extended under an ``plan'' that is subject to the provisions of subpart B, rather than whether there is an agreement between a consumer and a financial institution to extend credit when the consumer's account is overdrawn or to maintain a specified minimum balance in the consumer's account.
The proposal would have added comment 12(a)-5.i to provide that for an account other than a prepaid account where credit is extended incident to an EFT under an agreement to extend overdraft credit between the consumer and the financial institution, Regulation E's liability limitations and error resolution provisions would have applied, in addition to Sec. 1026.13(d) and (g) of Regulation Z (which apply because of the extension of credit associated with the overdraft feature on the asset account). With respect to an account other than a prepaid account, credit that is incident to an EFT that is not extended under an agreement between the consumer and the financial institution where the financial institution agrees to extend credit is governed solely by the error resolution procedures in Regulation E and Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13(d) and (g) do not apply. With respect to a prepaid account where credit is extended under a credit plan that is subject to Regulation Z subpart B, Regulation E's liability limitations and error resolution provisions would have applied, in addition to Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13(d) and (g) (which apply because of the extension of credit associated with the overdraft feature on the asset account). In addition, proposed comment 12(a)-5.i would have provided that a credit plan is subject to Regulation Z subpart B if it is accessed by an access device that is a credit card under Regulation Z or if it is open-end credit under Regulation Z. An access device for a prepaid account would not have been a credit card if the access device only accesses credit that is not subject to any finance charge, as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4, or any fee described in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4(c), and is not payable by written agreement in more than four installments. Proposed comment 12(a)-5.i also would have provided that credit incident to an EFT under a credit plan that only can be accessed by an access device for a prepaid account that is not a credit card is not subject to Regulation Z subpart B and is governed solely by the error resolution procedures in Regulation E because the credit plan would not have accessed by a credit card and the plan would not have been open-end credit. In this case, Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13(d) and (g) would not have applied.
As discussed above, existing comment 12(a)-1.i provides guidance on how the principles in existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv) apply to transactions involving access devices that are credit cards under Regulation Z. The proposal would have moved existing comment 12(a)-1.i to proposed comment 12(a)-5.ii and made revisions to make clear that this guidance applies to prepaid cards that would have been credit cards under the proposal. The proposal also would have made technical revisions to proposed comment 12(a)-5.ii for clarity.
Existing comment 12(a)-1.ii.A through D provide examples of how the principles described in existing comment 12(a)-1.i relate to transactions involving access devices that also function as credit cards under Regulation Z. Specifically, these examples describe different types of transactions that involve a debit card that also is a credit card and discuss whether Regulation E or Regulation Z's liability limitations and error resolution requirements apply to those transactions. The proposal would have moved existing comment 12(a)-
1.ii.A through D to proposed comment 12(a)-5.iii.A through D respectively. The proposal also would have revised the examples in proposed comment 12(a)-5.iii.A through D to clarify that these examples relate to a credit card that also is an access device that draws on a consumer's checking account, and would have made technical revisions to clarify the intent of the examples. No substantive changes would have been intended with these revisions. The proposal also would have added proposed comment 12(a)-5.iii.E that would have provided that the same principles in proposed comment 12(a)-5.iii.A through D apply to prepaid cards that would have been credit cards under the proposal.
Comment Received and the Final Rule
The Bureau did not receive any specific comments on this proposal to amend existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv) related to applicability of limits on liability for unauthorized use and error resolution provisions under Regulations E and Z.
The Bureau is amending existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv) and adding new Sec. 1005.12(a)(2)(iii) to be consistent with new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61.
For the reasons discussed in more detail in the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13(i) below, consistent with the proposal, the Bureau is amending existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv) by moving the current language to Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(A) and applying it to transactions that do not involve prepaid accounts. The Bureau also is adding new Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(B) to provide that with respect to transactions that involve a covered separate credit feature and an asset feature on a prepaid account that are both accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as those terms are defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61, EFTA and Regulation E govern a consumer's liability for an unauthorized EFT and the investigation of errors involving an extension of credit that is incident to an EFT that occurs when the hybrid prepaid-credit card accesses both funds in the asset feature of the prepaid account and a credit extension from the credit feature with respect to a particular transaction. As discussed in more detail in the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2) below, a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card includes an overdraft credit feature offered by a prepaid account issuer, its affiliate, or its business partner that can be accessed by a prepaid card (except as provided in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4)). The prepaid card is a hybrid prepaid-credit card under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 and a credit card under final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i) with respect to the covered separate credit feature.
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As discussed below, the final rule also adds new Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(C), and (D), and (2)(iii) to provide guidance on whether Regulation E or Regulation Z governs the consumer's liability for unauthorized use and the investigation of errors with respect to transactions made by prepaid cards that are not hybrid prepaid-credit cards as defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61.
Proposed comment 12(a)-5.i would have provided guidance on the provisions in both proposed Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(A) and (B). As discussed in more detail below, the final rule retains the guidance related to credit extended in connection with prepaid accounts in new comment 12(a)-5.i with revisions to be consistent with new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. As discussed in more detail below, the final rule moves guidance related to other types of credit from proposed comment 12(a)-
5.i to new comment 12(a)-5.ii and revises it to be consistent with new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. Consistent with the proposal, the final rule also moves current comment 12(a)-1.i and ii to new comment 12(a)-
5.iii and iv and revises this comment to be consistent with new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61.
Consistent with the proposal, with respect to transactions that involve a covered separate credit feature and an asset feature on a prepaid account that are both accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as those terms are defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61, new Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(B) does not focus on whether there is an agreement between a consumer and a financial institution to extend credit when the consumer's prepaid account is overdrawn or to maintain a specified minimum balance in the consumer's prepaid account. Under the final rule, whether a prepaid card is a hybrid prepaid-credit card does not depend on whether there is an agreement between a consumer and a financial institution to extend credit when the consumer's prepaid account is overdrawn or to maintain a specified minimum balance in the consumer's prepaid account. Instead, under the final rule, a prepaid card is a credit card under Regulation Z when it is a ``hybrid prepaid-
credit card'' as defined in Regulation Z. In particular, new Regulation Z comment 61(a)(1)-1 provides that a prepaid card is a hybrid prepaid-
credit card if the prepaid card can access credit from a covered separate credit feature even if, for example: (1) The person that can extend the credit does not agree in writing to extend the credit; (2) the person retains discretion not to extend the credit; or (3) the person does not extend the credit once the consumer has exceeded a certain amount of credit.
Thus, consistent with the proposal, new Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(B) focuses on transactions that involve a covered separate credit feature and an asset feature on a prepaid account that are both accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as those terms are defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61, where an extension of credit that is incident to an EFT occurs when the hybrid prepaid-credit card accesses both funds in the asset feature of the prepaid account and a credit extension from the credit feature with respect to a particular transaction. These are the situations in which Regulations Z and E would overlap with respect to covered separate credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-credit cards. New Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(B) provides that in these circumstances, EFTA and Regulation E generally govern a consumer's liability for an unauthorized EFT and the investigation of errors with respect to these transactions. Regulation Z's provisions related to a consumer's liability for unauthorized transactions and error resolution procedures generally do not apply, except for existing Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13(d) and (g) that apply to the credit portion of the transaction.
New Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(B) and new comment 12(a)-5.i and iii through iv are discussed first. New Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(C) and (D), and (2)(iii) are discussed second. New Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(A) and new comment 12(a)-5.ii are discussed third.
Transactions involving covered separate credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-credit cards. As discussed above, new Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(B) provides that with respect to transactions that involve a covered separate credit feature and an asset feature on a prepaid account that are both accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as those terms are defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61, EFTA and Regulation E govern a consumer's liability for an unauthorized EFT and the investigation of errors involving an extension of credit incident to an EFT that occurs when the hybrid prepaid-credit card accesses both funds in the asset feature of the prepaid account and a credit extension from the credit feature with respect to a particular transaction.
Proposed comment 12(a)-5.i would have provided guidance on the provisions in both proposed Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(A) and (B). In the final rule, the guidance related to credit extended in connection with prepaid accounts is retained in new comment 12(a)-5.i with revisions to be consistent with new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. As discussed in more detail below, the final rule moves guidance related to other types of credit from proposed comment 12(a)-5.i to new comment 12(a)-5.ii with revisions.
Under the final rule, new comment 12(a)-5.i provides that with respect to a transaction that involves a covered separate credit feature and an asset feature on a prepaid account that are both accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as those terms are defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61, where credit is extended under a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card that is incident to an EFT when the hybrid prepaid-credit card accesses both funds in the asset feature of a prepaid account and credit extensions from the credit feature with respect to a particular transaction, Regulation E's liability limitations and error resolution provisions apply to the transaction, in addition to existing Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13(d) and (g) (which apply because of the extension of credit associated with the covered separate credit feature).
As discussed above, existing comment 12(a)-1.i provides guidance on how the principles in existing Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv) apply to transactions involving access devices that are credit cards under Regulation Z. The proposal would have moved existing comment 12(a)-1.i to proposed comment 12(a)-5.ii and made revisions to make clear that this guidance applies to prepaid cards that would have been credit cards under the proposal. The proposal also would have made technical revisions to proposed comment 12(a)-5.ii for clarity; no substantive changes were intended. The final rule moves current comment 12(a)-1.i to new comment 12(a)-5.iii and adopts this comment consistent with the proposal, with additional technical revisions for clarity. New comment 12(a)-5.iii provides guidance on how the principles in final Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv) apply to transactions involving access devices that are credit cards under Regulation Z, including hybrid prepaid-credit cards that access covered separate credit features. New comment 12(a)-
5.iii provides that for transactions involving access devices that also function as credit cards under Regulation Z, whether Regulation E or Regulation Z applies depends on the nature of the transaction. For example, if the transaction solely involves an extension of credit, and does not access funds in a consumer asset account, such as a checking account or prepaid account, the liability limitations and
Page 83993
error resolution requirements of Regulation Z apply. If the transaction accesses funds in an asset account only (with no credit extended), the provisions of Regulation E apply. If the transaction access funds in an asset account but also involves an extension of credit under an overdraft credit feature subject to Regulation Z attached to the account, Regulation E's liability limitations and error resolution provisions apply, in addition to existing Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13(d) and (g) (which apply because of the extension of credit associated with the overdraft feature on the asset account). If a consumer's access device is also a credit card and the device is used to make unauthorized withdrawals from an asset account, but also is used to obtain unauthorized cash advances directly from a credit feature that is subject to Regulation Z that is separate from the asset account, both Regulation E and Regulation Z apply.
Existing examples in comment 12(a)-1.ii.A through D provide examples of how the principles in existing comment 12(a)-1.i relate to transactions involving access devices that also function as credit cards under Regulation Z. Specifically, these examples describe different types of transactions that involve a debit card that also is a credit card and discuss whether Regulation E or Regulation Z's liability limitations and error resolution requirements apply to those transactions. The proposal would have moved existing comment 12(a)-
1.ii.A through D to proposed comment 12(a)-5.iii.A through D respectively and would have made several revisions as discussed above.
The final rule moves the existing examples from existing comment 12(a)-1.ii.A through D to new comment 12(a)-5.iv.A through D respectively. Consistent with the proposal, the final rule also revises the examples in new comment 12(a)-5.iv.A through D to clarify that these examples relate to a credit card that also is an access device that draws on a consumer's checking account, and makes technical revisions to clarify the intent of the examples. No substantive changes are intended with these revisions. Consistent with the proposal, the final rule also adds new comment 12(a)-5.iv.E that provides that the same principles in new comment 12(a)-5.iv.A through D apply to an access device for a prepaid account that also is a hybrid prepaid-
credit card with respect to a covered separate credit feature under Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. New comment 12(a)-5.iv.E also provides a cross-reference to final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13(i)(2) and new comment 13(i)-4 that deals with the interaction between Regulations E and Z with respect to billing error resolution for transactions that involve covered separate credit features accessible by hybrid prepaid-
credit cards.
Prepaid cards that are not hybrid prepaid-credit cards. As discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 below, the Bureau has decided to exclude prepaid cards from being covered as credit cards under Regulation Z when they access certain specified types of credit. First, under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2)(ii), a prepaid card is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card with respect to a ``non-covered separate credit feature,'' which means that the separate credit feature either (1) cannot be accessed in the course of a prepaid card transaction to obtain goods or services, obtain cash, or conduct P2P transfers, or (2) is offered by an unrelated third party that is not the prepaid account issuer, its affiliate, or its business partner. Second, under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4), a prepaid card also is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card when the prepaid card accesses incidental credit in the form of a negative balance on the asset account where the prepaid account issuer generally does not charge credit-related fees for the credit. A prepaid card is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 or a credit card under final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i) when it accesses credit from these types of credit features. For more detailed explanations of when prepaid cards are not credit cards under Regulation Z, see the section-by-section analyses of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2) and (4) below.
As discussed above, the final rule adds new Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(C), (D), and (2)(iii) to provide guidance on whether Regulation E or Regulation Z governs the consumer's liability for unauthorized use and the investigation of errors with respect to transactions made by prepaid cards that are not hybrid prepaid-credit cards as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. New Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(C) provides that Regulation E governs the consumer's liability for an unauthorized EFT and the investigation of errors with respect to transactions that involves credit extended through a negative balance to the asset feature of a prepaid account that meets the conditions set forth in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4). New comment 12(a)-5.i clarifies that Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(C) provides that with respect to transactions that involves credit extended through a negative balance to the asset feature of a prepaid account that meets the conditions set forth in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4), these transactions are governed solely by the liability limitations and error resolution procedures in Regulation E, and Regulation Z does not apply.
New Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(D) provides that with respect to transactions involving a prepaid account and a non-covered separate credit feature as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61, Regulation E governs the consumer's liability for an unauthorized EFT and the investigation of errors with respect to transactions that access the prepaid account, as applicable. New Sec. 1005.12(a)(2)(iii) provides that with respect to transactions involving a prepaid account and a non-covered separate credit feature as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61, Regulation Z governs the consumer's liability for unauthorized use and the investigation of errors with respect to transactions that access the non-covered separate credit feature, as applicable. New comment 12(a)-5.i clarifies that Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(D) and (2)(iii), taken together, provide that with respect to transactions involving a prepaid account and a non-covered separate credit feature as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61, a financial institution must comply with Regulation E's liability limitations and error resolution procedures with respect to transactions that access the prepaid account as applicable, and the creditor must comply with Regulation Z's liability limitations and error resolution procedures with respect to transactions that access the non-covered separate credit feature, as applicable.
As discussed above, EFTA section 909(c) provides that EFTA's limits on liability for unauthorized use apply to transactions which involve both an unauthorized EFT and an extension of credit pursuant to an agreement between the consumer and the financial institution to extend such credit to the consumer in the event the consumer's account is overdrawn.\337\ The Bureau believes, however, that EFTA section 909(c) does not apply to transactions that access a non-covered separate credit feature. Non-covered separate credit features only include overdraft credit features with respect to prepaid accounts provided by unrelated third-party creditors other than the prepaid account issuer, its affiliates, or its business partners. Thus, a non-covered separate credit feature could not be offered by a financial institution that is offering overdraft on the prepaid account. For purposes of EFTA section 909(c), the Bureau believes extending
Page 83994
credit is reasonably interpreted only to apply where the financial institution is itself the creditor, and thus would not encompass a situation where the financial institution who is the prepaid account issuer would be accessing credit, pursuant to an agreement with the consumer, from the consumer's non-covered separate credit feature. Thus, as explained in new comment 12(a)-5.i, new Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(D) and (2)(iii), taken together, provide that with respect to transactions involving a prepaid account and a non-covered separate credit feature as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61, a financial institution must comply with Regulation E's liability limitations and error resolution procedures with respect to transactions that access the prepaid account as applicable, and the creditor must comply with Regulation Z's liability limitations and error resolution procedures with respect to transactions that access the non-covered separate credit feature, as applicable. See also the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13(i) below.
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\337\ 15 U.S.C. 1693g(c).
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Transactions that do not involve prepaid accounts. As discussed above, final Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(A) provides that EFTA and Regulation E generally govern a consumer's liability for an unauthorized EFT and the investigation of errors with respect to transactions that (1) do not involve a prepaid account; and (2) involve an extension of credit that is incident to an EFT that occurs under an agreement between the consumer and a financial institution to extend credit when the consumer's account is overdrawn or to maintain a specified minimum balance in the consumer's account, or under an overdraft service, as defined in final Sec. 1005.17(a).
As discussed above, proposed comment 12(a)-5.i would have provided guidance on the provisions in both proposed Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv)(A) and (B). In the final rule, the proposed guidance related to credit extended in connection with prepaid accounts is retained in new comment 12(a)-5.i with revisions. The final rule moves guidance related to other types of credit from proposed comment 12(a)-5.i to new comment 12(a)-5.ii and revises it to be consistent with new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61.
The final rule adds new comment 12(a)-5.ii to provide guidance with respect to accounts other than prepaid accounts. Specifically, new comment 12(a)-5.ii provides that with respect to an account (other than a prepaid account) where credit is extended incident to an EFT under an agreement to extend overdraft credit between the consumer and the financial institution, Regulation E's liability limitations and error resolution provisions apply to the transaction, in addition to existing Regulation Z Sec. 1026.13(d) and (g) (which apply because of the extension of credit associated with the overdraft feature on the asset account). Access devices that access accounts other than prepaid accounts are credit cards under Regulation Z when there is an agreement by the financial institution to extend credit. See final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(iv) and existing Regulation Z comments 2(a)(15)-
2.i.B and ii.A. As discussed above, new comments 12(a)-5.iii and iv provide guidance on, and examples of, how the principles in final Sec. 1005.12(a)(1)(iv) apply to transactions involving access devices that are credit cards under Regulation Z.
12(b) Preemption of Inconsistent State Laws
The Bureau's Proposal
In 2013, the Bureau published a final determination as to whether certain laws of Maine and Tennessee relating to unclaimed gift cards are inconsistent with and preempted by EFTA and Regulation E.\338\ The Bureau stated that it had no basis for concluding that the provisions at issue in Maine's unclaimed property law relating to gift cards are inconsistent with, or therefore preempted by, Federal law. The Bureau did determine, however, that one provision in Tennessee's unclaimed property law relating to gift cards is inconsistent with, and therefore preempted by, Federal law. The Bureau's final determination stated that the determination would also be reflected in the commentary accompanying Regulation E.
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\338\ 78 FR 24386, 24391 (Apr. 25, 2013).
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The Bureau proposed to add a summary of its preemption determination with respect to Tennessee's unclaimed property law as comment 12(b)-4. Proposed comment 12(b)-4 would have stated that the Bureau had determined that a provision in the State law of Tennessee is preempted by the Federal law, effective April 25, 2013. It would have further stated that, specifically, section 66-29-116 of Tennessee's Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed (Personal) Property Act is preempted to the extent that it permits gift certificates, store gift cards, and stored-value cards, as defined in Sec. 1005.20(a), to be declined at the point-of-sale sooner than the gift certificates, store gift cards, or stored value cards and their underlying funds are permitted to expire under Sec. 1005.20(e).
Existing comment 12(b)-2 states that the Bureau recognizes State law preemption determinations made by the Board prior to July 21, 2011, unless and until the Bureau makes and publishes any contrary determination. The Bureau proposed to make this statement into a standalone comment in proposed comment 12(b)-2 under the heading Preemption determinations generally. The Bureau proposed to renumber the remainder of existing comment 12(b)-2 as proposed comment 12(b)-3, to make the heading for that comment Preemption determination--Michigan for clarity, and to update proposed comments 12(b)-3.i through iv to provide full citations to the preempted Michigan law at issue therein, which appear in chapter 488 of the Michigan Compiled Laws. Additionally, the Bureau proposed adding language in proposed comment 12(b)-3.iv to clarify that the preemption of sections 488.17 and 488.18 of Michigan law does not apply to transfers of $15 or less, which, pursuant to existing Sec. 1005.9(e), are not subject to Sec. 1005.9. Section 1005.9(e) (then Sec. 205.9(e)) was added by the Board in 2007 to eliminate the requirement to provide terminal receipts for transactions of $15 or less.\339\
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\339\ See 72 FR 36589 (July 5, 2007).
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Comments Received
The Bureau received no comments regarding the proposed revisions to the commentary for Sec. 1005.12(b). The Bureau did, however, receive comments from a consumer group and the office of a State Attorney General urging the Bureau to clarify that this final rule does not preempt stronger State laws with respect to payroll, student, prison, and government benefit accounts and to acknowledge that State laws may require additional disclosures and obligations not required by this final rule. These commenters specifically referenced the Illinois payroll card law, which they stated provides certain employee protections that are not contemplated by this rule, and recommended that the Bureau emphasize that employers may have additional obligations and restrictions under State law.
The Bureau also received a comment from a payment network, urging the Bureau to expressly provide that all State law requirements that are inconsistent with the requirements of the Bureau's final rule governing prepaid accounts are preempted. The commenter stated that inconsistent State requirements would detract from any required Federal disclosures and add costs to prepaid programs that
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ultimately will be borne by consumers. The commenter specifically expressed concern regarding State laws governing disclosures of fees or terms because, it said, such laws will frustrate the goals of consistent disclosure and comparison shopping.
The Final Rule
The Bureau is finalizing comments 12(b)-2 and -3 generally as proposed, with several minor modifications for clarity. The Bureau is also finalizing comment 12(b)-4 as proposed, but in lieu of the proposed reference to ``stored value cards,'' the Bureau is using ``general-use prepaid cards'' in final comment 12(b)-4.i for consistency with Sec. 1005.20(a). The Bureau considered the comments discussed above from the consumer group, the office of a State Attorney General, and the payment network, but does not believe that a revision to the regulatory text or commentary is necessary. EFTA section 922 makes clear that it does not preempt State laws except to the extent those laws are inconsistent with EFTA (and then only to the extent of that inconsistency). It further provides that ``a State law is not inconsistent with EFTA if the protection such law affords any consumer is greater than the protection afforded by EFTA.'' The Bureau acknowledges that State laws may require additional disclosures and obligations not required by this final rule, and agrees that financial institutions and other persons involved in prepaid account programs, including employers, should be aware of additional obligations and restrictions under State law.
Section 1005.15 Electronic Fund Transfer of Government Benefits
Section 1005.15 of Regulation E currently contains provisions specific to certain accounts established by government agencies for distributing government benefits to consumers electronically, such as through ATMs or POS terminals. In 1997, the Board modified Regulation E to exempt ``needs-tested'' EBT programs established or administered under State or local law in response to a 1996 change to EFTA made by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.\340\ All accounts used to distribute benefits for Federally administered programs (including needs-tested EBT programs) and non-
needs tested State and local programs, such as those used to distribute unemployment insurance payments, pensions, and child support, are currently covered by Sec. 1005.15.\341\
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\340\ Public Law 104-193, 110 Stat. 2105 (1996).
\341\ See, e.g., 62 FR 43467 (Aug. 14, 1997).
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The Bureau proposed to modify existing Sec. 1005.15 to address the proposed revisions for government benefit accounts, rather than subsuming the rules for such accounts into proposed Sec. 1005.18 (as the Bureau proposed to do with respect to payroll card accounts). The Bureau sought general comment on whether it should subsume all requirements for government benefit accounts into Sec. 1005.18, as well. The majority of industry commenters who commented on this issue supported maintaining a separate section for requirements specifically applicable to government benefit accounts, arguing that government benefit accounts had unique legal and functional characteristics that warranted separate treatment. No commenter opposed maintaining a separate section for government benefit cards. After considering the comments and reading no reasons to the contrary, the Bureau is maintaining the government benefit account provisions in a separate section (Sec. 1005.15) as proposed.
15(a) Government Agency Subject to Regulation
Existing Sec. 1005.15(a)(1) provides, inter alia, that a government agency shall comply with all applicable requirements of EFTA and Regulation E, except as provided in Sec. 1005.15. Existing Sec. 1005.15(a)(2), in turn, defines the term ``account'' to mean an account established by a government agency for distributing government benefits to a consumer electronically, such as through ATMs or POS terminals (not including an account for distributing needs-tested benefits in a program established under State or local law or administered by a State or local agency). The Bureau proposed to adjust the final sentence of Sec. 1005.15(a)(1) to reflect that proposed Sec. 1005.15 would include substantive requirements, and not just exceptions to Regulation E requirements. In addition, for ease of reference, the Bureau proposed to define an account under Sec. 1005.15(a)(2) as a ``government benefit account.''
As it stated in the proposal, the Bureau did not intend for the proposed revisions to impact the existing scope of Sec. 1005.15(a). Numerous commenters asked the Bureau to clarify that government benefit accounts would continue to be covered under the existing requirements of Regulation E, rather than under the new requirements applying to prepaid accounts. One industry commenter, for example, argued that the final rule should exempt from coverage all cards used to distribute government benefits, regardless of whether such benefits are needs-
tested. Other industry commenters asked the Bureau to exempt cards used to disburse certain types of benefits--for example, child support, unemployment insurance, and workers' compensation benefits. Currently, these commenters noted, the issuers of these cards administer the programs at no cost to the government agency disbursing the benefit, and at little cost to consumers. If saddled with the costs of complying with the various requirements of the proposed rule, they argued, these issuers may increase their fees or stop issuing government benefit cards altogether.
Consumer group commenters, by contrast, advocated that the Bureau expand the scope of the ``government benefit account'' definition to include additional account types, including accounts that are expressly exempted from Regulation E now. A significant number of consumer group commenters argued that the Bureau should clarify that the exemption for needs-tested government benefit programs established or administered under State or local law does not apply to prepaid accounts. According to these commenters, the rationales for the exemption were either outdated or should not apply to prepaid cards. For example, one consumer group commenter noted that the exemption was intended to relieve regulatory burden for State and local governments, whereas the vast majority of government benefit accounts today are administered by financial institutions that are well-equipped to handle Regulation E compliance. Commenters argued additionally that the recipients of needs-tested benefits are, by definition, the neediest of all prepaid consumers, and thus should be entitled to the full protections of the Bureau's final rule governing prepaid accounts.
The Bureau has considered the comments but believes that changes to the scope of the government benefit account definition are not warranted at this time. As discussed above, the Bureau did not intend its proposed changes to the definition of government benefit account to affect the scope of Sec. 1005.15's coverage, nor did it contemplate or seek comment on whether or how it should narrow or expand the scope of the definition in the final rule. The Bureau understands that the existing scope of the definition, which has been in place since 1997, is well-established and forms the basis of
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current industry, government, and consumer practices, and it is not persuaded that the policy rationales presented by the commenters warrant unsettling the status quo with respect to the scope of coverage for government benefit accounts. The Bureau likewise declines to exempt government benefit accounts from the new requirements of this final rule, as some industry commenters requested. As detailed in the following sections, the Bureau believes that this final rule's revisions to existing government benefit account requirements, such as the requirements for pre-acquisition disclosures and enhanced access to account information, will substantially benefit consumers by providing them with a full, accurate, and timely disclosure of all of their account's terms and fees, and by helping them gain a more complete picture of their account activity. Accordingly, the Bureau is adopting the revisions to Sec. 1005.15(a) as proposed.
15(b) Issuance of Access Devices
The Bureau did not propose to modify Sec. 1005.15(b). Accordingly, the Bureau is finalizing that provision unchanged.
15(c) Pre-Acquisition Disclosure Requirements
The Bureau's Proposal
The Bureau proposed new disclosure requirements for government benefit accounts that would be provided before a consumer acquired a government benefit account. The requirements in proposed Sec. 1005.15(c) would have been in addition to the initial disclosure requirements in existing Sec. 1005.7(b) and corresponded to the requirements in proposed Sec. 1005.18(b) for prepaid accounts generally.\342\ EFTA section 905(a) sets forth disclosure requirements for accounts subject to the Act.\343\ In addition to these disclosures, the Bureau proposed to use its authority under EFTA sections 904(a) and (c), and 905(a), and section 1032(a) of the Dodd-Frank Act to require government agencies to provide disclosures prior to the time a consumer acquires a government benefit account. As discussed in more detail in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i) below for prepaid accounts, the Bureau believed that adjustment of the timing requirement was necessary and proper to effectuate the purposes of EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of government benefit account consumers, because the proposed revision would have assisted consumers' understanding of the terms and conditions of their government benefit accounts.
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\342\ The Bureau also proposed, for purposes of government benefit accounts, to expand the requirement in existing Sec. 1005.7(b)(5) to disclose fees related to EFTs to cover all fees related to the government benefit account, as discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.15(f)(1) below. See also Sec. 1005.18(f)(1) (finalizing the same requirement for prepaid accounts).
\343\ Specifically, EFTA section 905(a) states that ``the terms and conditions of electronic fund transfers involving a consumer's account shall be disclosed at the time the consumer contracts for an electronic fund transfer service, in accordance with regulations of the Bureau.'' 15 U.S.C. 1693c(a).
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The Bureau proposed new Sec. 1005.15(c) to extend to government benefit accounts the same pre-acquisition disclosure requirements the Bureau proposed for prepaid accounts, as discussed in detail in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b) below. Specifically, proposed Sec. 1005.15(c)(1) would have stated that before a consumer acquired a government benefit account, a government agency must comply with the pre-acquisition disclosure requirements applicable to prepaid accounts as set forth in proposed Sec. 1005.18(b), in accordance with the timing requirements of proposed Sec. 1005.18(h).
To address issues of compulsory use (see existing Sec. 1005.10(e)(2) and new comment 10(e)(2)-2)), the Bureau proposed that a notice be provided at the top of the short form disclosure to highlight for consumers that they were not required to accept the government benefit account. As it noted in the proposal, the Bureau believed it was important for consumers to realize they had the option of not accepting a government benefit account before they acquired the account, and that receiving such notice at the top of the short form would help to ensure consumers were aware of this right. To that end, proposed Sec. 1005.15(c)(2) would have stated that before a consumer acquired a government benefit account, the agency must provide a statement pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(A) that the consumer did not have to accept the government benefit account and that the consumer could ask about other ways to get their benefit payments from the agency instead of receiving them through the account, in a form substantially similar to proposed Model Form A-10(a).
Proposed comment 15(c)-1 would have explained that proposed Model Form A-10(a) contained a model form for the pre-acquisition short form disclosure requirements for government benefit accounts pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.15(c), and that government agencies could use Sample Form A-10(e) to comply with the pre-acquisition long form disclosure requirements of proposed Sec. 1005.15(c)(1). Proposed comment 15(c)-2 would have reiterated that proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i) generally required delivery of both the short form and long form disclosures before a consumer acquired a prepaid account, and provided, in comment 15(c)-2.i, an example illustrating when a consumer received disclosures before acquisition of an account for purposes of proposed Sec. 1005.15(c)(1). Proposed comment 15(c)-3 would have explained that the disclosures and notice required by proposed Sec. 1005.15(c)(1) and (2) could be given in the same process or appointment during which the consumer acquired or agreed to acquire a government benefit account. When a consumer received benefits eligibility information and signed up or enrolled to receive benefits during the same process or appointment, a government agency that gave the disclosures and notice required by proposed Sec. 1005.15(c)(1) and (2) before issuing a government benefit account would have complied with the timing requirements of proposed Sec. 1005.15(c).
Comments Received
Several industry and government commenters objected to the wholesale application of the proposed pre-acquisition disclosures to government benefit accounts. Specifically, several trade associations, a program manager for government benefit accounts, and two State government agencies urged the Bureau to exempt government benefit accounts from the proposed disclosure regime altogether, or to exempt them from the requirement to provide the short form disclosure. These commenters argued that the timing requirements proposed by the Bureau were too difficult to implement and unnecessary, since consumers could not in fact shop for alternative government benefit cards. One State government agency commenter argued that the application of the proposal to its program could necessitate revisions to its vendor contracts. In addition, commenters argued that most of the information that would be required by the proposed disclosures is already disclosed to consumers of government benefit accounts in the initial disclosures required by existing Sec. 1005.7(b)(5) or would be disclosed via the proposed long form disclosure. Receiving duplicative information in the short form and long form disclosures, these commenters asserted, would lead to consumer confusion and information overload.
Other industry and government commenters did not object to the general application of the pre-acquisition disclosure requirements to
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government benefit accounts, but urged the Bureau to modify the requirements to better suit the government benefit account context. For example, several industry trade associations, a law firm writing on behalf of a coalition of prepaid issuers, a program manager for government benefit card programs, and State government agencies argued that consumers would be confused if they saw certain fees listed on the government benefit account disclosures that did not in fact apply to their government benefit account program. These commenters urged the Bureau to allow agencies and financial institutions to omit such fees rather than disclose them with a corresponding ``N/A'' or ``$0,'' as required under proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) and comment 18(b)(2)(i)-
1. Likewise, certain commenters objected to the proposed requirement that the disclosures for government benefit account programs disclose the maximum amount that could be charged for each fee, since such a disclosure would in some cases misinform consumers as to the actual fee charged in connection with their account.
The program manager commenter and a State government agency commenter argued that government benefit accounts should be exempt from the proposed incidence-based fee disclosure requirements. They argued that the calculation required by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8) would be too difficult to complete for government benefit accounts, especially since it was unclear whether the calculation must include every distinct program the issuer offers (of which there could be dozens), or only different types of programs. Oftentimes, the commenters noted, issuers offer only one type of program, but that program is customized for individual government agency clients. The commenters argued in addition that government benefit accounts should be exempted from the segregation requirement in proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(4), so that the short form disclosure accompanying them can include additional information about how consumers can use their accounts with minimal fee charges.
A large number of commenters, including payment networks, issuing banks, program managers, industry trade associations, a member of Congress, and several government agencies, urged the Bureau to revise the language of the notice requirement in proposed Sec. 1005.15(c)(2) to inform a consumer that he or she was not required to accept the government benefit account. They argued that the proposed language was overly negative in tone and would dissuade consumers from choosing prepaid accounts by giving them the impression that prepaid products were unsafe or less preferable than other payment options. A program manager for government benefit accounts and a State government agency also urged the Bureau to remove the requirement that the banner notice for government benefit accounts include a sentence encouraging consumers to ``ask about other ways to get'' their payments. These commenters argued that this language would lead consumers to contact the government agency or their individual caseworkers to get information about the prepaid account program. Such outreach by consumers would place a further burden on already strained resources without aiding consumers, since agencies or caseworkers were unlikely to have the information the consumer is seeking. Consumer group commenters also asked the Bureau to revise the notice language to include information about what alternative payment methods the consumer could choose, arguing that the onus should not be on the consumer to seek out information about what other payment options are available.
The Bureau also received numerous comments, from both industry and consumer groups, regarding the timing requirements of the pre-
acquisition disclosures and their application in the government benefit context. As stated above, the Bureau proposed comments 15(c)-2 and -3 to clarify when a consumer enrolling to receive government benefits via a prepaid account received the disclosures in compliance with the timing requirements of Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i). An industry trade association, two issuing banks, a program manager for government benefit accounts, and a State government agency, argued that the proposed comments did not provide sufficient clarity. Specifically, they were concerned that proposed comment 15(c)-2.i suggested that ``acquisition'' in the government benefit context meant the consumer's physical acquisition of the card. According to these commenters, entities charged with administering government benefit account programs often distribute inactive government benefit cards to consumers at the same time as they distribute accompanying disclosures and other paperwork. The commenters were concerned that, as proposed, the commentary would disrupt current practices and place additional implementation burdens on government agencies. Further, they argued that the practice of providing consumers with an inactive card does not harm consumers, since consumers do not accrue any fees or undertake any obligations until the card is activated. Instead, the industry and government commenters urged the Bureau to clarify in revised commentary that acquisition for purposes of government benefit accounts was the point at which the consumer agreed or elected to be paid via a government benefit card. One trade association argued instead that the Bureau should define acquisition in this context as the point at which the consumer activates the government benefit account.
Several consumer group commenters agreed that the Bureau should provide greater clarity regarding what it meant to ``acquire'' a government benefit account, but argued that the point of acquisition should be defined as earlier in the enrollment process. Two consumer groups specified further that the disclosures should be provided before the consumer acquired the physical (if un-activated) card.
Finally, an industry trade association and an issuing bank argued that the Bureau should exempt government benefit accounts from the requirement in proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(12) that the short form disclosure include a statement communicating to the consumer that a prepaid account must register with a financial institution or service provider in order for the funds loaded onto it to be protected. As stated in the proposal, the Bureau believed this disclosure was necessary because many consumer protections set forth in the proposal would not have taken effect until the consumer registered the account. The Bureau acknowledged, however, that the disclosure would be less useful for government benefit account recipients, since consumers have to register with the agency in any event in order to receive their benefits. Commenters noted in addition that the notice was not necessary for government benefit accounts because, as discussed in greater detail in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(e)(3) below, government agencies are required to provide error resolution and limited liability protections to government benefit account consumers regardless of whether those consumers have registered their accounts.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is finalizing the general requirement in Sec. 1005.15(c) that government agencies comply with the pre-acquisition disclosure requirements in final Sec. 1005.18(b), with a number of revisions, as explained below. The Bureau is finalizing this provision
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pursuant to its authority under EFTA sections 904(a) and (c), and 905(a), and section 1032(a) of the Dodd-Frank Act. The Bureau believes that extending the disclosure requirements in Sec. 1005.18(b) is necessary and proper to effectuate the purposes of EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of government benefit account consumers, by assisting consumers' understanding of the terms and conditions of their government benefit accounts.
Largely similar to proposed Sec. 1005.15(c), final Sec. 1005.15(c)(1) states that before a consumer acquires a government benefit account, a government agency shall comply with the pre-
acquisition disclosure requirements applicable to prepaid accounts as set forth in Sec. 1005.18(b). As discussed in more detail below, the Bureau is adopting new Sec. 1005.15(c)(2)(i) and (ii), which largely mirror final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(xiv)(A) and (B). Section 1005.15(c)(2)(i) reflects several changes to the proposed requirement to inform consumers that they are not required to accept the government benefit account, while Sec. 1005.15(c)(2)(ii) provides that agencies may include additional information about how consumers can access their government benefit account funds or balance information for free or for a reduced fee. The Bureau is also adopting new Sec. 1005.15(c)(3) to address the form of the pre-acquisition disclosures required for government benefit accounts pursuant to final Sec. 1005.15(c). Second, the Bureau is not finalizing proposed comment 15(c)-1; accordingly, it has renumbered proposed comments 15(c)-2 and -3 as final comments 15(c)-1 and -2, respectively. Third, the Bureau is adopting new comment 15(c)-3. Finally, the Bureau is finalizing certain revisions to those comments to provide further guidance on when a consumer acquires a government benefit account for purposes of the pre-acquisition disclosure requirements.
Although the Bureau understands that government benefit accounts are distinguishable from other prepaid accounts in several material respects, including the way they are distributed and marketed and the fees associated with them, the Bureau declines to exempt government benefit accounts from the general requirement to provide both a short form and long form disclosure before the consumer acquires the account. The Bureau notes that, pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(h) and as discussed in the section-by-section analysis thereof, agencies are not required to pull and replace prepaid account packaging materials with non-compliant disclosures that were produced in the normal course of business prior to October 1, 2017.
The Bureau continues to believe that consumers who use these accounts will benefit from the ability to review a set of uniform disclosures regarding their accounts. First, the disclosures provide a clear and conspicuous disclosure of consumers' right under Sec. 1005.10(e)(2) to receive their payment in some other form. The Bureau believes that this important disclosure may be less conspicuous, and therefore potentially less effective, if it were disclosed on the long form disclosure, since the long form disclosure contains far more information in a format that is less hierarchical than the short form disclosure. Second, the new disclosures highlight information that, according to the Bureau's consumer testing, was the most important information consumers needed to inform their decision-making with respect to their preferred payment method.\344\ Third, although consumers may not be able to shop for alternative government benefit cards, the short form disclosure facilitates comparison shopping between the government benefit card and, for example, the consumer's own prepaid card or a prepaid card sold at retail. With respect to the comments that the pre-acquisition timing requirements would be particularly difficult to implement in the government benefit context, the Bureau notes that the revisions it is making to proposed comment 15(c)-2 (re-numbered as comment 15(c)-1) in the final rule, as discussed below, will provide government agencies and financial institutions with more flexibility to design efficient and practical enrollment procedures that comply with Sec. 1005.15(c).
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\344\ See ICF Report I at 7.
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The Bureau likewise disagrees with industry commenters' suggestion that the statement regarding benefit payment options is negative and implies that government benefit accounts are inferior products, thereby discouraging consumers from using them. As discussed in greater detail in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xiv) below, the Bureau examined this issue in its post-proposal consumer testing and found that participants did not construe the language negatively, confirming the Bureau's original understanding from the proposal.\345\ Nonetheless, the Bureau has decided to include in the final rule an alternative version of the statement language which the Bureau believes would address commenters' concerns. Moreover, unlike the proposed statement, this added alternative has the advantage of providing concrete options to consumers regarding other ways to receive their funds. The Bureau is thus finalizing Sec. 1005.15(c)(2)(i), which mirrors final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xiv)(A), and provides that as part of its short form pre-acquisition disclosures, the agency must provide a statement that the consumer does not have to accept the government benefit account and directing the consumer to ask about other ways to receive their benefit payments from the agency instead of receiving them via the account, using the following clause or a substantially similar clause: ``You do not have to accept this benefits card. Ask about other ways to receive your benefits.'' Alternatively, an agency may provide a statement that the consumer has several options to receive benefit payments, followed by a list of the options available to the consumer, and directing the consumer to indicate which option the consumer chooses using the following clause or a substantially similar clause: ``You have several options to receive your payments: list of options available to the consumer; or this benefits card. Tell the benefits office which option you choose.'' Final Sec. 1005.15(c)(2)(i) also provides that this statement must be located above the information required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) through (iv). This statement must appear in a minimum type size of eight points (or 11 pixels) and appear in no larger a type size than what is used for the fee headings required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) through (iv).
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\345\ See ICF Report II at 16-17 and 27.
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To address comments arguing that agencies should be permitted to include additional information on the short form disclosure for government benefit accounts about how consumers can use their accounts with minimal fee charges, the Bureau is adopting new Sec. 1005.15(c)(2)(ii), which states that an agency may, but is not required to, include a statement in one additional line of text in the short form disclosure directing the consumer to a particular location outside the short form disclosure for information on ways the consumer may access government benefit account funds and balance information for free or for a reduced fee. This statement must be located directly below any statements disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(i) and (ii), or, if no such statements are disclosed, above the statement required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(x). This
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statement must appear in the same type size used to disclose variable fee information pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(i) and (ii), or, if none, the same type size used for the information required by Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(x) through (xiii).
To provide greater clarity and additional guidance on the specific form and formatting requirements that must apply to government benefit account disclosures, the Bureau is moving the reference to Model Form A-10(a) to new Sec. 1005.15(c)(3). New Sec. 1005.15(c)(3) mirrors several form and formatting requirements in final Sec. 1005.18(b). Specifically, it states that when a short form disclosure required by final Sec. 1005.15(c) is provided in writing or electronically, the information required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) through (ix) shall be provided in the form of a table. Except as provided in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(6)(iii)(B), the short form disclosure required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2) shall be provided in a form substantially similar to final Model Form A-10(a). Final Sample Form A-10(f) provides an example of the long form disclosure required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(4) when the agency does not offer multiple service plans.
Because the Bureau has added format requirements for government benefit account disclosures in new Sec. 1005.15(c)(3), proposed comment 15(c)-1 is now superfluous; accordingly, the Bureau is not finalizing that comment. The Bureau has therefore renumbered proposed comments 15(c)-2 and -3 as final comments 15(c)-1 and -2, respectively.
With respect to comments regarding the timing of acquisition requirements in Sec. 1005.15(c), the Bureau agrees that the final rule should provide greater clarity with respect to when a consumer acquires a government benefit account. The Bureau believes that, in providing such clarity, the rule should strike a balance between avoiding significant disruption of current benefit enrollment practices and ensuring that consumers receive the new disclosures early enough in the enrollment process to inform their decision of how to receive their payments, thereby furthering the goals of the compulsory use provision in Sec. 1005.10(e)(2). Accordingly, the Bureau declines to define acquisition as, for example, the point at which the consumer obtains physical possession of a government benefit card, or the point at which a consumer signs an enrollment form, because such a rule could be overly prescriptive and could disrupt current practices and delay benefit disbursement. On the other hand, the Bureau also declines to define acquisition as the point at which a consumer receives his or her first payment on the government benefit card, because it believes that by the time a consumer receives funds via a particular payment method, he or she is less likely to consider alternative options for how to get paid, thereby reducing the value of the pre-acquisition disclosures. Furthermore, the Bureau notes that, pursuant to the compulsory use prohibition in Sec. 1005.10(e)(2), discussed above, consumers cannot be required to receive government benefits by direct deposit to any particular institutions, including a specific prepaid account. In other words, consumers who have the option to receive their government benefits via a government benefit account must be provided with at least one alternative payment method. The Bureau believes that, particularly in such scenarios, the proposed disclosures should be provided in time to help a consumer decide between the alternative payment methods available to him or her.
Accordingly, and in consideration of the comments above, the Bureau is finalizing revisions to proposed comments 15(c)-2 and -3 (re-
numbered as comments 15(c)-1 and -2, respectively) to clarify that a consumer acquires a government benefit account when he or she chooses to receive benefits via the government benefit account. Specifically, final comment 15(c)-1 has been revised to state that, for purposes of final Sec. 1005.15(c), a consumer is deemed to have received the disclosures required by Sec. 1005.18(b) prior to acquisition when the consumer receives the disclosures before choosing to receive benefits via the government benefit account. The Bureau recognizes that consumers may indicate their choice to be paid via a government benefit card in various ways, including, for example, by signing or filling out an enrollment form or by calling the financial institution to activate the card. The final rule does not specify what actions manifest a consumer's choice regarding how to get paid.
The Bureau is finalizing the first example in comment 15(c)-1.i generally as proposed. The second example in final comment 15(c)-1.i (which as proposed would have stated that the short form and long form disclosures are provided post-acquisition if a consumer receives them after receiving the government benefit card) has been revised to state that if the consumer does not receive the disclosures required by final Sec. 1005.18(b) to review until the time at which the consumer received the first benefit payment deposited into the government benefit account, these disclosures were provided to the consumer post-
acquisition, and were not provided in compliance with final Sec. 1005.15(c). Under the final rule, therefore, a government agency can provide the short form and long form disclosures in the same package as the physical prepaid card and still comply with the requirement in final Sec. 1005.15(c) that the forms be provided prior to acquisition. Likewise, a government agency can provide the pre-acquisition disclosures at the same appointment during which the consumer acquires the government benefit account so long as the disclosures are provided before the consumer actually chooses to receive payments via the account.
Final comment 15(c)-2 also reflects certain other technical revisions for clarity and consistency with the above changes. Specifically, this comment states that the disclosures and notice required by final Sec. 1005.15(c) may be given in the same process or appointment during which the consumer receives a government benefit card. When a consumer receives benefits eligibility information and enrolls to receive benefits during the same process or appointment, a government agency that gives the disclosures and notice required by final Sec. 1005.15(c) before the consumer chooses to receive the first benefit payment on the card complies with the timing requirements of final Sec. 1005.15(c).
The Bureau has added new comment 15(c)-3 to provide clarification regarding the form and formatting requirements for government benefit account disclosures. This comment explains that the requirements in Sec. 1005.15(c) correspond to those for payroll card accounts set forth in Sec. 1005.18(b). The comment also cross-references final comments 18(b)(2)(xiv)(A)-1 and 18(b)(2)(xiv)(B)-1 for additional guidance regarding the requirements set forth in final Sec. 1005.15(c)(2)(i) and (ii), respectively. The Bureau has also added new comment 15(c)-4 to clarify the application of the requirement in Sec. 1005.18(b)(5) that the name of the financial institution be disclosed outside the short form disclosure for government benefit accounts. Pursuant to new comment 15(c)-4, the financial institution whose name must be disclosed pursuant to the requirement in Sec. 1005.18(b)(5) is the financial institution that directly holds the account or issues the account's access device. Also pursuant to comment 15(c)-4, the disclosure provided outside the short form may, but is not required
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to, include the name of the government agency that established the government benefit account.
Finally, the Bureau agrees with commenters that the notice regarding registration of the prepaid account that would have been required by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(12) is likely not necessary for government benefit accounts, as the registration process is typically completed before the account is opened. As discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xi) below, the final rule does not require the statement regarding registration where customer identification and verification occurs for all prepaid accounts within the prepaid program before the account is opened.
15(d) Access to Account Information
15(d)(1) Periodic Statement Alternative
The Bureau's Proposal
Section 1005.9(b), which implements EFTA section 906(c), generally requires a periodic statement for each monthly cycle in which an EFT occurred or, if there are no such transfers, a periodic statement at least quarterly.\346\ Existing Sec. 1005.15(c) explains that government agencies can provide periodic statements that comply with the general provisions in Regulation E, or alternatively, the agency must make available to the consumer: (1) The account balance, through a readily available telephone line and at a terminal (such as by providing balance information at a balance-inquiry terminal, or providing it, routinely or upon request, on a terminal receipt at the time of an EFT); and (2) a written history of account transactions that is provided promptly in response to an oral or written request and that covers at least 60 days.
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\346\ The periodic statement must include transaction information for each EFT, the account number, the amount of any fees assessed, the beginning and ending account balance, the financial institution's address and telephone number for inquiries, and a telephone number for preauthorized transfers. See Sec. 1005.9(b).
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The Bureau proposed to revise existing Sec. 1005.15(c), renumbered as Sec. 1005.15(d)(1), which would have allowed government agencies to instead provide access to account balance by telephone and at a terminal, 18 months of transaction history online, and 18 months written transaction history upon request. The Bureau believed that, to further the purposes of EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of prepaid account consumers (including government benefit account consumers), it was necessary and proper to exercise its authority under EFTA section 904(c) to continue the exception to the periodic statement requirements of EFTA section 906(c) for government benefit accounts and to modify that exception in Regulation E to more closely align it with the proposed requirements for prepaid accounts generally. See also the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(c)(1) below.
Proposed Sec. 1005.15(d)(1) and (1)(i) would have stated that a government agency need not furnish periodic statements required by Sec. 1005.9(b) if the agency made available to the consumer the consumer's account balance, through a readily available telephone line and at a terminal (such as by providing balance information at a balance-inquiry terminal or providing it, routinely or upon request, on a terminal receipt at the time of an EFT). This language was unchanged from existing Sec. 1005.15(c)(1). Existing Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i) for payroll card accounts and proposed Sec. 1005.18(c)(1)(i) for prepaid accounts, however, did not include the requirement to provide balance information at a terminal. As discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(c)(1)(i) below, the Bureau sought comment on whether a similar requirement to provide balance information at a terminal should be added to the requirements of proposed Sec. 1005.18(c) for prepaid accounts generally, or whether, alternatively, the requirement should be eliminated from Sec. 1005.15 given the other proposed enhancements and for parity with proposed Sec. 1005.18.
Second, proposed Sec. 1005.15(d)(1)(ii) would have required government agencies to provide an electronic history of the consumer's account transactions, such as through a Web site, that covered at least 18 months preceding the date the consumer electronically accessed the account. As noted above, the requirement to provide an electronic history of a consumer's account transactions was new for government benefit accounts. The Bureau did not believe that the proposed requirement would have imposed significant burden on government agencies, as the Bureau believed that many government benefit account programs already provided electronic access to account information.
Third, proposed Sec. 1005.15(d)(1)(iii) would have required government agencies to provide a written history of the consumer's account transactions promptly in response to an oral or written request and that covered at least 18 months preceding the date the agency received the consumer's request. This provision was similar to existing Sec. 1005.15(c)(2), but was modified to change the time period covered by the written history from 60 days to 18 months, and to otherwise mirror the language used in proposed Sec. 1005.18(c)(1)(iii) for prepaid accounts generally.
Comments Received
A consumer group commenter supported the Bureau's decision to apply the requirement to provide consumers access to a longer account history period to government agencies. A think tank commenter, on the other hand, objected to the decision, arguing that it would be difficult for government agencies to manage beneficiaries' account histories for 18 months. In addition, an industry trade association and an issuing bank opposed the Bureau's decision to maintain the requirement that government agencies wishing to take advantage of the periodic statement alternative provide consumers' account balance information at a terminal, arguing that terminal access was outdated and has been replaced by text or online account access. Two consumer groups, by contrast, supported the continued requirement for balance information at a terminal for government benefit accounts and urged the Bureau to expand the requirement to all prepaid accounts. They argued that ATMs are easy to use and that all consumers have access to ATM terminals, while not all consumers may have access to online account information.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting Sec. 1005.15(d)(1) and comment 15(d)-1 largely as proposed, with minor revisions for consistency with final Sec. 1005.18(c). To further the purposes of EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of prepaid account consumers (including government benefit account consumers), the Bureau believes it is necessary and proper to exercise its authority under EFTA section 904(c) to continue the exception to the periodic statement requirements of EFTA section 906(c) for government benefit accounts and to modify that exception in Regulation E to more closely align it with the proposed requirements for prepaid accounts generally. As discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(c)(1) below, the Bureau has modified proposed Sec. 1005.18(c)(1) to require 12 months of electronic account transaction history and 24 months of
Page 84001
written account transaction history instead of 18 months for both as proposed. The Bureau has therefore modified Sec. 1005.15(d)(1) accordingly. The Bureau believes that this revision strikes the appropriate balance between the burden imposed on industry overall while, in conjunction with final Sec. 1005.18(c)(1)(iii) discussed below, ensuring that additional transaction history will be available for consumers who need it. Final comment 15(d)-1 cross-references final comments 18(c)-1 through -3 and -5 through -9 for further guidance on the access to account information requirements.
In response to the comment that the proposed 18-month access to account information requirements should not be extended to government benefit accounts, the Bureau is not convinced that there is a significant difference between the burden these requirements place on prepaid account issuers as financial institutions and the burden they place on government agencies, since, as the Bureau noted in the proposal, government benefit account programs are typically administered by financial institutions pursuant to a contract between the institution and the agency.\347\ With respect to the requirement that government agencies continue to provide account balances at terminal locations, the Bureau has considered the comments and is adopting Sec. 1005.15(d)(1)(i) as proposed. The requirement is unchanged from existing Sec. 1005.15(c)(1); recipients of government benefits may have come to rely on the ATM as a source of account information, and the Bureau does not see a need to remove this provision from the final rule. Relatedly, the Bureau notes that ATMs are still in wide use by consumers of various financial services products, and as such, it disagrees with commenters who argued that ATMs are an obsolete method of providing balance information to consumers. Furthermore, the Bureau understands that recipients of government benefits may be among the neediest consumers of prepaid accounts, and as such, may be less likely to have access to a mobile phone when they need it, such as prior to withdrawing money at the ATM. Having access to their balance at an ATM could help consumers in this scenario avoid costly fees. Finally, the Bureau notes that government agencies and financial institutions remain free under the final rule to recommend or encourage consumers to use particular modes of accessing their account balances.
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\347\ 79 FR 77102, 77141 (Dec. 23, 2014). As it noted in the proposal, the Bureau has found that all the government benefit card programs included in its Study of Prepaid Account Agreements already provide online access to account information (see Study of Prepaid Account Agreements at 18 tbl.5), and, in most cases, electronic periodic statements as well (see id. at 20 tbl.7).
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15(d)(2) Additional Access to Account Information Requirements
The Bureau proposed Sec. 1005.15(d)(2), which would have required that a government agency comply with the account information requirements as set forth in proposed Sec. 1005.18(c)(2), (3), and (4). As discussed in more detail below, proposed Sec. 1005.18(c)(2) would have required that the electronic and written histories in the periodic statement alternative include the information set forth in Sec. 1005.9(b). This provision currently exists for payroll card accounts in existing Sec. 1005.18(b)(2), but does not presently appear in Sec. 1005.15 for government benefit accounts. Proposed Sec. 1005.18(c)(3) would have required disclosure of all fees assessed against the account, in both the history of account transactions provided as periodic statement alternatives, as well as in any periodic statement. Proposed Sec. 1005.18(c)(4) would have required disclosure, in both the history of account transactions provided as periodic statement alternatives, as well as in any periodic statement, monthly and annual summary totals of fees imposed on and the total amount of deposits and debits made to a prepaid account. Proposed comment 15(d)-1 would have referred to proposed comments 18(c)-1 through -5 for guidance on access to account information requirements.
The Bureau did not receive any comments specifically addressing Sec. 1005.15(d)(2)'s application of the account information requirements in Sec. 1005.18(c)(2) through (4) to government benefit accounts. Accordingly, the Bureau is finalizing Sec. 1005.15(d)(2) as proposed with revised cross-references to reflect changes in the numbering of provisions within final Sec. 1005.18(c). To further the purposes of EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of prepaid account consumers (including government benefit account consumers), the Bureau believes that it is necessary and proper to exercise its authority under EFTA section 904(c) to modify the periodic statement requirements of EFTA section 906(c) to require inclusion of all fees charged and summary totals of both monthly and annual fees. The Bureau believes that these revisions will assist consumers' understanding of the account activity on their government benefit accounts. In addition, the Bureau is also using its disclosure authority pursuant to section 1032(a) of the Dodd-
Frank Act because it believes that disclosure of all fees and account activity summaries will ensure that the features of government benefit accounts, over the term of the account, are fully, accurately, and effectively disclosed to consumers in a manner that permits consumers to understand the costs, benefits, and risks associated with government benefit accounts.
The Bureau notes, however, that it is finalizing certain revisions to proposed Sec. 1005.18(c)(2) through (4), renumbered as final Sec. 1005.18(c)(3) through (5). Most significantly, the Bureau has removed the requirement that financial institutions provide summary totals of all deposits to and debits from a consumer's prepaid account from the final rule. The specific revisions and their respective rationales are discussed in the section-by-section analyses of Sec. 1005.18(c)(3) through (5) below.
15(e) Modified Disclosure, Limitations on Liability, and Error Resolution Requirements
Because the Bureau proposed to modify the periodic statement alternative for government benefit accounts in proposed Sec. 1005.15(d)(1), the Bureau proposed to modify the requirements in existing Sec. 1005.15(d), renumbered as Sec. 1005.15(e), to adjust the corresponding timing provisions therein and to align with the requirements of proposed Sec. 1005.18(d) for prepaid accounts generally. For the reasons set forth below, the Bureau is finalizing the various provisions of Sec. 1005.15(e) as proposed. As specified in final Sec. 1005.15(e), these requirements apply to government agencies that provide access to account information under the periodic statement alternative in final Sec. 1005.15(d)(1). The Bureau has also revised the heading for final Sec. 1005.15(e) to reflect that the section contains modified requirements regarding limitations on liability and error resolution, as well as disclosures.
15(e)(1) Initial Disclosures
15(e)(1)(i) Access to Account Information
Proposed Sec. 1005.15(e)(1)(i) would have required a government agency to modify the disclosures required under Sec. 1005.7(b) by disclosing a telephone number that the consumer could call to obtain the account balance, the means by which the consumer could obtain an electronic account history, such as the address of a Web site, and a summary of the consumer's right to receive a written account history upon request (in
Page 84002
place of the a periodic statement required by Sec. 1005.7(b)(6)), including a telephone number to call to request a history. The disclosure required by proposed Sec. 1005.15(e)(1)(i) could have been made by providing a notice substantially similar to the notice contained in proposed appendix A-5. The Bureau did not receive any comments in response to this portion of the proposal. As such, it is finalizing Sec. 1005.15(e)(1)(i) as proposed.
15(e)(1)(ii) Error Resolution
Mirroring existing Sec. 1005.15(d)(1)(iii), proposed Sec. 1005.15(e)(1)(ii) would have required a government agency to modify the disclosures required under Sec. 1005.7(b) by providing a notice concerning error resolution that was substantially similar to the notice contained in proposed appendix A-5, in place of the notice required by Sec. 1005.7(b)(10). Those proposed modifications are discussed below in the section-by-section analysis of appendix A-5. The Bureau did not receive any comments on proposed Sec. 1005.15(e)(1)(ii); accordingly, the Bureau is adopting Sec. 1005.15(e)(1)(ii) as proposed.
15(e)(2) Annual Error Resolution Notice
Mirroring existing Sec. 1005.15(d)(2), proposed Sec. 1005.15(e)(2) would have required that an agency provide an annual notice concerning error resolution that was substantially similar to the notice contained in proposed appendix A-5, in place of the notice required by Sec. 1005.8(b). The Bureau proposed to add that, alternatively, the agency could include on or with each electronic or written history provided in accordance with proposed Sec. 1005.15(d)(1), a notice substantially similar to the abbreviated notice for periodic statements contained in paragraph (b) of appendix A-3, modified as necessary to reflect the error resolution provisions set forth in proposed Sec. 1005.15. The Bureau proposed to allow each electronic and written history to include an abbreviated error resolution notice, in lieu of an annual notice, for parity with proposed Sec. 1005.18(d)(2) for prepaid accounts generally. The Bureau sought comment, however, on whether to continue to require annual error resolution notices for government benefit accounts in certain circumstances, such as when a consumer has not accessed an electronic history or requested a written history in an entire calendar year.
One consumer group commenter urged the Bureau to maintain the requirement that government agencies send annual error resolution notices in connection with government benefit accounts in all instances, regardless of whether the consumer had recently accessed the account. Several industry commenters, including a program manager, an issuing bank, and a trade association, supported the Bureau's decision to allow government agencies to provide an abbreviated error resolution notice on each electronic or written history in lieu of the annual notice. These commenters argued that providing an annual notice is costly, that many such notices get returned to the sender without being opened, and that consumers with dormant accounts who receive these notices may be confused and led to believe that their government benefits were being affected in some way.
The Bureau has considered the above comments. To further the purposes of EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of prepaid account users and pursuant to its authority under EFTA section 904(c) to adopt an adjustment to the error resolution notice requirement of EFTA section 905(a)(7), the Bureau is finalizing the annual error resolution notice requirement in Sec. 1005.15(e)(2) as proposed. As stated in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(d) below, the Bureau continues to believe that its regime for error resolution notices strikes an appropriate balance by providing consumers with enough information to know about and exercise their rights without overwhelming them with more information than they can process or put to use.
15(e)(3) Modified Limitations on Liability Requirements
For accounts under Regulation E generally, Sec. 1005.6(a) provides that a consumer may be held liable for an unauthorized EFT resulting from the loss or theft of an access device only if the financial institution has provided certain required disclosures and other conditions are met.\348\ If the consumer provides timely notice to the financial institution within two business days of learning of the loss or theft of the access device, the consumer's liability is the lesser of $50 or the amount of unauthorized transfers made before giving notice.\349\ If timely notice is not given, the consumer's liability is the lesser of $500 or the sum of (1) the lesser of $50 or the amount of unauthorized transfers occurring within two business days of learning of the loss/theft and (2) the amount of unauthorized transfers that occur after two business days but before notice is given to the financial institution.\350\ Section 1005.6(b)(3) provides, in part, that a consumer must report an unauthorized EFT that appears on a periodic statement within 60 days of the financial institution's transmittal of the statement in order to avoid liability for subsequent transfers.
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\348\ The required disclosures for this purpose include a summary of the consumer's liability under Sec. 1005.6, or under State law or other applicable law or agreement, for unauthorized EFTs; the telephone number and address of the person or office to be notified when the consumer believes an unauthorized transfer has been or may be made; and the financial institution's business days. Sec. Sec. 1005.6(a) and 1005.7(b)(1) through (3).
\349\ Sec. 1005.6(b)(1).
\350\ Sec. 1005.6(b)(2).
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For government agencies that follow the periodic statement alternative in existing Sec. 1005.15(c), existing Sec. 1005.15(d)(3) provides that for purposes of Sec. 1005.6(b)(3), the 60-day period shall being with the transmittal of a written account history or other account information provided to the consumer under existing Sec. 1005.15(c). Proposed Sec. 1005.15(e)(3) would have modified existing Sec. 1005.15(d)(3) to adjust the timing requirements for reporting unauthorized transfers based on the proposed requirement to provide consumers with electronic account history under proposed Sec. 1005.15(d)(1)(ii), as well as written history upon request. Specifically, proposed Sec. 1005.15(e)(3)(i) would have provided that for purposes of existing Sec. 1005.6(b)(3), the 60-day period for reporting any unauthorized transfer began on the earlier of the date the consumer electronically accessed the consumer's account under proposed Sec. 1005.15(d)(1)(ii), provided that the electronic history made available to the consumer reflected the unauthorized transfer, or the date the agency sent a written history of the consumer's account transactions requested by the consumer under proposed Sec. 1005.15(d)(1)(iii) in which the unauthorized transfer was first reflected.
Proposed Sec. 1005.15(e)(3)(ii), which mirrored existing Sec. 1005.18(c)(3)(ii) and proposed Sec. 1005.18(e)(1)(ii), would have provided that an agency could comply with proposed Sec. 1005.15(e)(3)(i) by limiting the consumer's liability for an unauthorized transfer as provided under existing Sec. 1005.6(b)(3) for any transfer reported by the consumer within 120 days after the transfer was credited or debited to the consumer's account.
The Bureau did not receive any comments on this portion of the proposal. To further the purposes of
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EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of prepaid account users and to facilitate compliance with its provisions, the Bureau believes it is necessary and proper to exercise its authority under EFTA 904(c) to modify the timing requirements of EFTA 909(a). As such, it is finalizing Sec. 1005.15(e)(3)(i) and (ii) as proposed. The Bureau did receive comments on Sec. 1005.18(e)(1)(ii), which are discussed in the section-by-
section analysis of that provision below. The Bureau notes that nothing in this final rule modifies the requirement to comply with existing Sec. 1005.6(b)(4) regarding an extension of time limits if a consumer's delay in notifying the agency was due to extenuating circumstances, nor any other provisions of existing Sec. 1005.6.
15(e)(4) Modified Error Resolution Requirements
Section 1005.11(c)(1) and (3)(i) requires that a financial institution, after receiving notice that a consumer believes an EFT from the consumer's account was not authorized, must investigate promptly and determine whether an error occurred (i.e., whether the transfer was unauthorized), within 10 business days (20 business days if the EFT occurred within 30 days of the first deposit to the account). Upon completion of the investigation, the financial institution must report the investigation's results to the consumer within three business days. After determining that an error occurred, the financial institution must correct an error within one business day.\351\ Under EFTA section 909(b), the burden of proof is on the financial institution to show that an alleged error was in fact an authorized transaction; if the financial institution cannot establish proof of valid authorization, the financial institution must credit the consumer's account.
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\351\ See Sec. 1005.11(c)(1).
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Existing Sec. 1005.11(c)(2) provides that if the financial institution is unable to complete the investigation within 10 business days, its investigation may take up to 45 days if it provisionally credits the amount of the alleged error back to the consumer's account within 10 business days of receiving the error notice.\352\ Provisional credit is not required if the financial institution requires but does not receive written confirmation within 10 business days of an oral notice by the consumer.\353\ If the investigation establishes proof that the transaction was, in fact, authorized, the financial institution may reverse any provisional credit previously extended (assuming there are still available funds in the account).\354\
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\352\ The financial institution has 90 days (instead of 45) if the claimed unauthorized EFT was not initiated in a state, resulted from a point-of-sale debit card transaction, or occurred within 30 days after the first deposit to the account was made. See Sec. 1005.11(c)(3)(ii).
\353\ See Sec. 1005.11(c)(2)(i)(A).
\354\ See Sec. 1005.11(d)(2).
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For government agencies that follow the periodic statement alternative in existing Sec. 1005.15(c), existing Sec. 1005.15(d)(4) provides that an agency shall comply with the requirements of existing Sec. 1005.11 in response to an oral or written notice of an error from the consumer that is received no later than 60 days after the consumer obtains the written account history or other account information under existing Sec. 1005.15(c) in which the error is first reflected. The Bureau noted in the proposal that this provision only modified the 60-
day period for consumers to report an error and did not alter any other provision of Sec. 1005.11.
Proposed Sec. 1005.15(e)(4) would have modified existing Sec. 1005.15(d)(3) to adjust the timing requirements for reporting errors based on the proposed requirement to provide consumers with electronic account history under proposed Sec. 1005.15(d)(1)(ii), as well as written history upon request. Specifically, proposed Sec. 1005.15(e)(4)(i) would have provided that an agency shall comply with the requirements of existing Sec. 1005.11 in response to an oral or written notice of an error from the consumer that is received by the earlier of 60 days after the date the consumer electronically accessed the consumer's account under proposed Sec. 1005.15(d)(1)(ii), provided that the electronic history made available to the consumer reflected the alleged error, or 60 days after the date the agency sent a written history of the consumer's account transactions requested by the consumer under proposed Sec. 1005.15(d)(1)(iii) in which the alleged error was first reflected.
Proposed Sec. 1005.15(e)(4)(ii) would have provide that in lieu of following the procedures in proposed Sec. 1005.15(e)(4)(i), an agency complied with the requirements for resolving errors in existing Sec. 1005.11 if it investigated any oral or written notice of an error from the consumer that was received by the agency within 120 days after the transfer allegedly in error was credited or debited to the consumer's account.
Proposed comment 15(e)-1 would have cross-referenced proposed comments 18(d)-1 through -3 for guidance on modified limited liability and error resolution requirements.
The Bureau did not receive any comments with respect to proposed Sec. 1005.15(e)(4) or comment 15(e)-1. Accordingly, it is finalizing those provisions as proposed. The Bureau is finalizing the proposed provisions to further the purposes of EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of prepaid account users and to facilitate compliance with its provisions, and because it believes it is necessary and proper to exercise its authority pursuant to EFTA section 904(c) to modify the timing requirements of EFTA section 909(a).
As explained in greater detail in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(e) below, the Bureau has revised its proposed error resolution requirements for prepaid accounts generally in several key respects in the final rule. Specifically, under the final rule, financial institutions that have not completed their consumer identification and verification process with respect to a particular account will still have to investigate and resolve errors reported with respect to that account. However, pursuant to new Sec. 1005.18(e)(3), financial institutions that have not completed the consumer identification and verification process, that completed the process but were not able to verify the account holder's identity, or that do not have a process by which consumers can register their accounts, can take up to the maximum length of time permitted under Sec. 1005.11(c)(2)(i) or (3)(ii), as applicable, to investigate and resolve the error without having to provisionally credit the consumer's account, as required by Sec. 1005.11(c)(2).
The exclusion set forth in final Sec. 1005.18(e)(3) from certain aspects of existing Sec. 1005.11(c)(2) does not apply to government benefit accounts. This is to retain the current application of these rules to government benefit accounts. As the Bureau explained in the proposal, the Bureau understands that the consumer identifying information associated with a government benefit account is collected and verified by the government agency, another financial institution, or a service provider prior to the account's distribution. Therefore, under the final rule, and as discussed in greater detail in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(e)(3) below, government agencies and other financial institutions must provide full error resolution protections for government benefit accounts, including provisional credit for accounts when investigations of errors take longer than 10 business days, regardless of whether the
Page 84004
government benefit account had been registered or the consumer's identity had been verified.
15(f) Initial Disclosure of Fees and Other Information
The Bureau proposed Sec. 1005.15(f) to provide that for government benefit accounts, a government agency would have to comply with the requirements governing initial disclosure of fees and other key information applicable to prepaid accounts as set forth in proposed Sec. 1005.18(f), in accordance with the timing requirements of proposed Sec. 1005.18(h). EFTA section 905(a)(4), as implemented by existing Sec. 1005.7(b)(5), requires financial institutions to disclose to consumers, as part of an account's terms and conditions, any charges for EFTs or for the right to make such transfers. The Bureau believed that for prepaid accounts (including government benefit accounts), it was important that the initial account disclosures provided to consumers listed all fees that may be imposed in connection with the account, not just those fees related to EFTs.
Specifically, the Bureau proposed Sec. 1005.15(f), which would have cross-referenced proposed Sec. 1005.18(f) to require that, in addition to disclosing any fees imposed by a government agency for EFTs or the right to make such transfers, the agency would have also had to provide in its initial disclosures given pursuant to Sec. 1005.7(b)(5) all other fees imposed by the agency in connection with a government benefit account. For each fee, an agency would have had to disclose the amount of the fee, the conditions, if any, under which the fee may have been imposed, waived, or reduced, and, to the extent known, whether any third-party fees would have been applied. These disclosures pursuant to proposed Sec. Sec. 1005.15(f) and 1005.18(f) would have had to include all of the information required to be disclosed pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ii)(B) and would have needed to be provided in a form substantially similar to proposed Sample Form A-10(e). Further, for consistency purposes and to facilitate consumer understanding of a government benefit account's terms, the fee disclosure provided pursuant to Sec. 1005.7(b)(5), as modified by proposed Sec. 1005.18(f), would have to be in the same format of the long form disclosure requirement of proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ii)(A).
The Bureau did not receive any comments regarding this portion of the proposal. Thus, to further the purposes of EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of prepaid account users, the Bureau believes it is necessary and proper to exercise its authority under EFTA section 904(c) to finalize an adjustment of the requirement implemented in existing Sec. 1005.7(b)(5) for government benefit accounts. Accordingly, it is adopting Sec. 1005.15(f) largely as proposed to cross-reference the requirements set forth in final Sec. 1005.18(f), with revisions for parity with the final text of Sec. 1005.18(f).
The Bureau notes that it is also finalizing certain revisions to proposed Sec. 1005.18(f). The specific revisions and their respective rationales are discussed in detail the section-by-section analyses of Sec. 1005.18(f) and (f)(3) below. In summary, the Bureau has revised proposed Sec. 1005.18(f), renumbered as Sec. 1005.18(f)(1), to require that a financial institution include, as part of the initial disclosures given pursuant to Sec. 1005.7, all of the information required to be disclosed in its pre-acquisition long form disclosure pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b). The Bureau has added new Sec. 1005.18(f)(2) to make clear that a financial institution must provide a change-in-terms notice, pursuant to Sec. 1005.8(a), for any change in a term or condition required to be disclosed under Sec. Sec. 1005.7 or 1005.18(f)(1). Finally, Sec. 1005.18(f)(3) sets forth the required disclosures that must appear on prepaid account access devices (in the proposal, these requirements would have been set forth in proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(7)). To clarify the application of the requirement in Sec. 1005.18(f)(3) that the name, Web site URL, and telephone number of the financial institution be disclosed on the prepaid account access device to government benefit accounts, the Bureau is adding new comment 15(f)-1. Pursuant to new comment 15(f)-1, the financial institution whose name must be disclosed pursuant to the requirement in Sec. 1005.18(f)(3) is the financial institution that directly holds the account or issues the account's access device.
15(g) Government Benefit Accounts Accessible by Hybrid Prepaid-Credit Cards
The Bureau proposed Sec. 1005.15(g), which would have required that for credit plans linked to government benefit accounts, a government agency would have to comply with prohibitions and requirements applicable to prepaid accounts as set forth in proposed Sec. 1005.18(g). The Bureau did not receive any comments regarding this portion of the proposal, and is finalizing Sec. 1005.15(g) largely as proposed with minor modifications to incorporate the term hybrid prepaid-credit card that this final rule is adopting under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. The Bureau has made changes, however, to certain of the underlying requirements in proposed Sec. 1005.18(g). See the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(g) below for additional information on those requirements.
Section 1005.17 Requirements for Overdraft Services
17(a) Definition
The Bureau's Proposal
Existing Sec. 1005.17 sets forth requirements that financial institutions must follow in order to provide an ``overdraft service'' to consumers related to consumers' accounts. Under existing Sec. 1005.17, financial institutions must provide consumers with a notice describing the institution's overdraft service for ATM and one-time debit card transactions, and obtain the consumer's affirmative consent, before fees or charges may be assessed on the consumer's account for paying such overdrafts.
Existing Sec. 1005.17(a) currently defines ``overdraft service'' to mean a service under which a financial institution assesses a fee or charge on a consumer's account held by the institution for paying a transaction (including a check or other item) when the consumer has insufficient or unavailable funds in the account. Existing Sec. 1005.17(a) also provides that the term ``overdraft service'' does not include any payment of overdrafts pursuant to: (1) A line of credit subject to Regulation Z, including transfers from a credit card account, home equity line of credit, or overdraft line of credit; (2) a service that transfers funds from another account held individually or jointly by a consumer, such as a savings account; or (3) a line of credit or other transaction exempt from Regulation Z pursuant to existing Regulation Z Sec. 1026.3(d). In adopting the provisions in what is now existing Sec. 1005.17, the Board indicated that these methods of covering overdrafts were excluded because they require the express agreement of the consumer.\355\
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\355\ 74 FR 59033, 59040 (Nov. 17, 2009).
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As discussed in the Overview of the Final Rule's Amendments to Regulation Z section, in the proposal, the Bureau declined to extend the current regulatory scheme governing overdraft services on checking accounts to prepaid accounts, and instead proposed to regulate these types of services generally under Regulation Z (as well as
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Regulation E's compulsory use provision). The proposal would have amended existing Sec. 1005.17(a)(1) to explain that the term ``overdraft service'' does not include credit plans that are accessed by prepaid cards that are credit cards under Regulation Z. Specifically, the proposal would have amended existing Sec. 1005.17(a)(1) to provide that the term ``overdraft service'' does not include any payments of overdrafts pursuant to a line of credit or credit plan subject to Regulation Z, including transfers from a credit card account, home equity line of credit, overdraft line of credit, or a credit plan that is accessed by an access device for a prepaid account where the access device is a credit card under Regulation Z. Similar to the other exemptions from the definition of ``overdraft service,'' under proposed Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(a)(1) and proposed comment 12(a)(1)-7, credit card plans in connection with prepaid accounts would have required the express agreement of consumers in that, under the proposal, such plans could be added to previously issued prepaid accounts only upon a consumer's application or request. In addition, under proposed Sec. 1005.18(g)(1) and proposed Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(h), a credit card account could not have been added to a previously issued prepaid account until 30 days after the prepaid account has been registered.
In the proposal, the Bureau also noted that the opt-in provision in existing Sec. 1005.17 would not have applied to credit accessed by a prepaid card that would not have been a credit card under the proposal because the card could have only accessed credit that is not subject to any finance charge, as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4, or any fee described in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4(c), and is not payable by written agreement in more than four installments. Specifically, existing Sec. 1005.17(a) applies only to overdraft services where a financial institution assessed a fee or charge for the overdraft. For prepaid accounts under the proposal, any fees or charges for ATM or one-time ``debit card'' transactions (as that term is used in existing Sec. 1005.17) that access an institution's overdraft service would have been considered ``finance charges'' under the proposal. Thus, under the proposal, a prepaid card that is not a credit card could not be charging any fees or charges for ATM or one-time ``debit card'' transactions (as that term is used in existing Sec. 1005.17) for accessing the overdraft service, such that the opt-in provision in existing Sec. 1005.17 would apply. Under the proposal, if a prepaid card were charging any fees or charges for ATM or one-time ``debit card'' transactions (as that term is used in existing Sec. 1005.17) that accessed the overdraft service, the prepaid card would have been a credit card under Regulation Z. In that case, the prepaid card would not have been subject to the opt-in requirement in existing Sec. 1005.17, but would be subject to provisions of Regulation Z, as discussed above.
Comments Received and the Final Rule
The Bureau did not receive specific comment on the proposed changes to existing Sec. 1005.17(a)(1), other than those related to general comments from industry not to cover overdraft plans offered on prepaid accounts under Regulation Z and instead cover these overdraft plans under Regulation E Sec. 1005.17. See the Overview of the Final Rule's Amendments to Regulation Z section for a discussion of those comments.
As discussed in more detail below, the final rule moves the language in proposed Sec. 1005.17(a)(1) that specifically would have provided that credit plans accessed by prepaid cards that are credit cards are exempt from the definition of ``overdraft service'' to new Sec. 1005.17(a)(4) and revises it to be consistent with new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. New Sec. 1005.17(a)(4) provides that a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 is not a ``overdraft service'' under final Sec. 1005.17(a).
In addition, as discussed in more detail below, consistent with the proposal, new Sec. 1005.17(a)(4) also provides that credit extended through a negative balance on the asset feature of a prepaid account that meets the conditions of new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4) is not an ``overdraft service'' under final Sec. 1005.17(a). As discussed below, a prepaid card that accesses such credit is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61.
Covered separate credit features accessible by a hybrid prepaid-
credit card. Consistent with the proposal, the opt-in provisions in final Sec. 1005.17 will not apply to the payment of overdrafts pursuant to a credit feature that is accessible by a prepaid card that is a credit card. The final rule moves the language in proposed Sec. 1005.17(a)(1) that specifically would have provided that credit plans accessed by prepaid cards that are credit cards are exempt from the definition of ``overdraft service'' to new Sec. 1005.17(a)(4) and revises it to be consistent with new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. New Sec. 1005.17(a)(4) provides that a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 is not a ``overdraft service'' under final Sec. 1005.17(a). This exception is consistent with existing Sec. 1005.17(a)(1) which exempts from the term ``overdraft service'' under existing Sec. 1005.17(a) any payment of overdrafts pursuant to a line of credit subject to Regulation Z Sec. 1026, including transfers from a credit card account, home equity line of credit, or overdraft line of credit. As discussed in more detail in the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2) below, a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card includes an overdraft credit feature offered by a prepaid account issuer, its affiliate, or its business partner that can be accessed by a prepaid card (except as provided in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4)). The prepaid card is a hybrid prepaid-credit card under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 and a credit card under final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i) with respect to the covered separate credit feature. Thus, a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-
credit card is a credit card account subject to Regulation Z.
Credit features on prepaid accounts not accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card. As discussed above, in the proposal, the Bureau also noted that the opt-in provision in existing Sec. 1005.17 would not have applied to credit accessed by a prepaid card that would not have been a credit card under the proposal because the card only accesses credit that is not subject to any finance charge, as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4, or any fee described in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4(c), and is not payable by written agreement in more than four installments.
As discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 below, the Bureau has decided to exclude prepaid cards from being covered as credit cards under Regulation Z when they access certain specified types of credit. First, under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2)(ii), a prepaid card is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card with respect to a ``non-covered separate credit feature,'' which means that the separate credit feature either (1) cannot be accessed in the course of a prepaid card transaction to obtain goods or services, obtain cash, or conduct P2P transfers, or (2) is offered by an unrelated third party that is not the prepaid account issuer, its affiliate, or its business partner. Second, under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4), a prepaid card also is not a hybrid
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prepaid-credit card when the prepaid card accesses incidental credit in the form of a negative balance on the asset account where the prepaid account issuer generally does not charge credit-related fees for the credit. A prepaid card is not a hybrid prepaid-credit card under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 or a credit card under final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i) when it accesses credit from these types of credit features. For more detailed explanations of when prepaid cards are not credit cards under Regulation Z, see the section-by-section analyses of Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(2) and (4) below.
Consistent with the proposal, the Bureau is adding new Sec. 1005.17(a)(4) to provide that the term ``overdraft service'' does not include any payment of overdrafts pursuant to credit extended through a negative balance on the asset feature of a prepaid account that meets the conditions set forth in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4). As discussed above, a prepaid card would not be a hybrid prepaid-card when it accesses this credit. With respect to such an overdraft credit that meets the conditions for the exception in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4), a prepaid account issuer could still qualify for this exemption if the issuer is charging a per transaction fee for paying a transaction on the prepaid account, so long as the amount of the per transaction fee is not higher based on whether the transaction only accesses asset funds in the prepaid account or also accesses credit. For example, assume a $1.50 transaction charge is imposed on the prepaid account for each paid transaction that is made with the prepaid card, including transactions that only access asset funds, transactions that take the account balance negative, and transactions that occur when the account balance is already negative. A prepaid account issuer could still qualify for the exception under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4) even if it was charging this $1.50 transaction fee, so long as the prepaid account issuer meets the conditions of new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4).
The Bureau is adding new Sec. 1005.17(a)(4) to provide that credit which is exempt from Regulation Z under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4) is not an overdraft service under final Sec. 1005.17(a) and thus would not be subject to the opt-in requirements in final Sec. 1005.17. This is true even though the prepaid account issuer may be charging a per transaction fee as described above on the prepaid account, including for transactions that access incidental credit as described above. The Bureau believes that the opt-in requirements in final Sec. 1005.17 are not necessary for this types of overdraft credit given that the per transaction fee is the same amount regardless of whether the transaction is only accessing funds in the prepaid account or is also accessing credit.
The Bureau notes that a prepaid account issuer does not satisfy the exception in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4) from the definition of ``hybrid prepaid-credit card'' if it charges on a prepaid account transaction fees for credit extensions on the prepaid account where the amount of the fee is higher based on whether the transaction accesses asset funds in the prepaid account or accesses credit. For example, assume a $15 transaction charge is imposed on the prepaid account each time a transaction is authorized or paid when there are insufficient or unavailable funds in the asset balance of the prepaid account at the time of the authorization or settlement. Also assume, a $1.50 fee is imposed each time a transaction on the prepaid account only accesses funds in the asset balance of the prepaid account. The $15 charge would disqualify the prepaid account issuer for the exception under new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4) and the prepaid card would be a ``hybrid prepaid-credit card'' with respect to that prepaid account. In that case, the prepaid account issuer still would not be subject to final Sec. 1005.17, but would be subject to Regulation Z. In that case, under final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(b), the credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card must be structured as a ``covered separate credit feature'' as discussed above.
While overdraft credit described in new Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61(a)(4) is exempt from final Sec. 1005.17, this incidental credit generally is covered under Regulation E. For example, as discussed in more detail in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.12(a) above, Regulation E's provisions in final Sec. Sec. 1005.11 and 1005.18(e) regarding error resolution would apply to extensions of this credit. In addition, such credit extensions would be disclosed on Regulation E periodic statements under final Sec. 1005.18(c)(1) or, if the financial institution follows the periodic statement alternative in final Sec. 1005.18(c)(1), on the electronic and written histories of the consumer's prepaid account transactions. This overdraft credit, however, is exempt from the compulsory use provision in final Sec. 1005.10(e)(1). See the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.10(e)(1) above.
Non-covered separate credit features that are functioning as an overdraft credit features with respect to prepaid accounts also typically will not be subject to final Sec. 1005.17 because these credit features typically will be lines of credit that are subject to Regulation Z, which are expressly exempt from the definition of ``overdraft service'' under final Sec. 1005.17(a)(1).
Section 1005.18 Requirements for Financial Institutions Offering Prepaid Accounts
Currently, Sec. 1005.18 contains provisions specific to payroll card accounts. Because payroll card accounts would be largely subsumed into the proposed definition of prepaid account, the Bureau proposed to revise Sec. 1005.18 by replacing it with provisions governing prepaid accounts, which the Bureau proposed to apply to payroll card accounts as well. Each of the provisions of Sec. 1005.18 is discussed in turn below.
Regarding the Bureau's proposed approach to Sec. 1005.18, several commenters, including industry trade associations, program managers, and issuing banks, argued that payroll card accounts should not be treated the same as other prepaid accounts, because they are already heavily regulated by State laws, and, unlike prepaid accounts sold at retail, are not distributed or marketed to the general public. These commenters thus urged the Bureau to finalize the provisions related to payroll card accounts specifically in a separate section, rather than to subsume those provisions into proposed Sec. 1005.18. They argued that maintaining two separate sections would ease compliance and provide regulatory clarity and certainty for issuers and employers. One issuing bank, however, took the opposite position, arguing that there was no reason to treat payroll card accounts distinctly from other prepaid accounts.
As discussed in more detail in the Overview of the Bureau's Approach to Regulation E section and the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(A) above, the Bureau believes that there is substantial value to both consumers and financial institutions in promoting consistent treatment across products. In addition, the Bureau believes that, to the extent many GPR cards already comply with existing regulations for payroll card accounts, financial institutions already treat payroll card accounts and GPR cards similarly. Similarly, the Bureau believes that maintaining the current numbering system that financial institutions already complying with Regulation E have come to rely on--i.e., keeping provisions related to government benefit accounts in
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Sec. 1005.15 and provisions related to payroll card accounts in Sec. 1005.18--will enhance compliance by preventing unnecessary confusion. Thus, although there are several provisions in final Sec. 1005.18 that distinguish payroll card accounts (and government benefit accounts) from other types of prepaid accounts, the Bureau believes it is appropriate to subsume the requirements for payroll card accounts into the requirements for prepaid accounts generally in final Sec. 1005.18. The Bureau is finalizing Sec. 1005.15 separately for government benefit accounts, however, because of the unique complexities surrounding who constitutes a financial institution for purposes of that section (and Regulation E generally) with respect to government benefit accounts.
18(a) Coverage
The Bureau proposed to modify Sec. 1005.18(a) to state that a financial institution shall comply with all applicable requirements of EFTA and Regulation E with respect to prepaid accounts except as modified by proposed Sec. 1005.18. Proposed Sec. 1005.18(a) would have also referred to proposed Sec. 1005.15 for rules governing government benefit accounts.
Existing comment 18(a)-1 addresses issuance of access devices under Sec. 1005.5 and explains that a consumer is deemed to request an access device for a payroll card account when the consumer chooses to receive salary or other compensation through a payroll card account. The Bureau proposed to add a cross-reference to Sec. 1005.5(b) (regarding unsolicited issuance of access devices) in comment 18(a)-1 and to add additional guidance that would have explained that a consumer was deemed to request an access device for a prepaid account when, for example, the consumer acquired a prepaid account offered for sale at a retail store or acquired a prepaid account by making a request or submitting an application by telephone or online. The Bureau also proposed to revise existing comment 18(a)-2 regarding application of Regulation E to employers and services providers to refer to prepaid accounts in addition to payroll card accounts, but otherwise the proposal would have left current comment 18(a)-2 unchanged.
One program manager commenter asked the Bureau to clarify in existing comment 18(a)-1 that the distribution of an un-activated payroll card to a new employee did not constitute unsolicited issuance of a payroll card account. A number of other industry commenters, including a trade association and two issuing banks, requested that the Bureau make the same clarification with respect to other account types, including disaster relief cards and student ID cards that also function as prepaid accounts. With respect to the first comment, the Bureau did not intend the proposal to alter the application of Sec. 1005.5 to payroll card accounts, nor is this final rule making such a change. As such, the Bureau declines to revise comment 18(a)-1 in the final rule to change the existing guidance with respect to when a consumer solicits a payroll card account.
With respect to the request for similar clarification regarding other types of cards, the Bureau does not believe that such a clarification is warranted.\356\ The Bureau understands from the comments received that most issuers of student prepaid accounts already comply with most, if not all, of the requirements of existing Sec. 1005.5(b) with respect to such cards. Specifically, the Bureau understands that, when students receive access devices they did not specifically request, the devices are inactive and need to be validated before they can be used to access a prepaid account; further, the Bureau understands the devices already come accompanied by most, if not all, of the disclosures required by Sec. 1005.7. The Bureau believes that the remaining requirements of Sec. 1005.5(b)--that the access devices be accompanied by an explanation that it is not validated, as well as an explanation of how the consumer may dispose of the card--
should not place an additional ongoing burden on issuers of student prepaid accounts.\357\ At the same time, the Bureau is aware of reports of students incurring ``confusing'' or ``unreasonably high fees'' for using their student cards.\358\ The Bureau believes that, consistent with Sec. 1005.5(b), students who receive ID cards with a prepaid functionality they did not request should know that they are receiving a financial product, and should be aware that they have the right to decline that product's functionality if they so wish.
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\356\ See Sec. 1005.5(b)(1), (3), and (4). As discussed in part II.B above, ED recently finalized a rule ``intended to ensure that students have convenient access to their title IV, HEA program funds,\\ do not incur unreasonable and uncommon financial account fees on their title IV funds, and are not led to believe they must open a particular financial account to receive their Federal student aid.'' 80 FR 67126 (Oct. 30, 2015). ED considered, but did not adopt, limitations on schools or financial institutions sending students ID cards that can act as access devices to a student's account. Id. at 67159. In stating its decision, however, ED noted that distribution of such ID cards would constitute an unsolicited issuance under Sec. 1005.5(b); accordingly, financial institutions must still comply with consumer protection rules regarding unsolicited access device issuance. Id.
\357\ See Sec. 1005.5(b)(2).
\358\ See 80 FR 67126, 67128 (Oct. 30, 2015).
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In sum, the Bureau believes there are significant consumer protection benefits in requiring student ID cards with prepaid functionality to comply with the unsolicited issuance provisions in Sec. 1005.5(b), even in light of any the potential burden to industry. The Bureau therefore declines to add an exception to the unsolicited issuance provisions in Sec. 1005.5(b) for student ID cards, and, likewise, is not adopting any additional guidance with respect to when a student ID card is distributed on an unsolicited basis in Sec. 1005.18. Accordingly, student ID cards with prepaid functionality that are distributed without a consumer's request, and not as a renewal or substitution for an existing access device, are unsolicited and must comply with the requirements of Sec. 1005.5(b).
The Bureau did not receive any additional comments on its proposed revisions to Sec. 1005.18(a). Accordingly, the Bureau is adopting Sec. 1005.18(a) and related commentary as proposed, with certain technical revisions to comment 18(a)-1 for clarity and consistency with the Bureau's changes to Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii), discussed below.
18(b) Pre-Acquisition Disclosure Requirements
Overview of the Final Rule's Pre-Acquisition Disclosure Regime for Prepaid Accounts
The final rule requires that new disclosures for prepaid accounts be provided to consumers before they acquire a prepaid account. The Bureau believes that providing these disclosures pre-acquisition will ensure that all consumers, regardless of the type of prepaid account they are acquiring, receive relevant information to better inform their decision before they have committed themselves to a particular account.
The new disclosure regime for prepaid accounts requires a financial institution to provide a consumer with both a ``short form'' and a ``long form'' disclosure pre-acquisition. The short form sets forth the prepaid account's most important fees and certain other information to facilitate consumer understanding of the account's key terms and aid comparison shopping among prepaid account programs.\359\ The long form disclosure, on the other hand, provides the consumer with a comprehensive list of all of the fees
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associated with the prepaid account and detailed information on how those fees are assessed, as well as certain other information about the prepaid account program. The long form provides consumers an opportunity to review all fee information about a prepaid account before acquiring it. In sum, the short form provides a snapshot of key fees and information, while its companion disclosure, the long form, provides an unabridged, straightforward list of fees and greater detail regarding use of the prepaid account.
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\359\ The final rule also requires pre-acquisition disclosure of certain information outside but in close proximity to the short form disclosure. See final Sec. 1005.18(b)(5).
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The Bureau understands that there are many methods through which a consumer can acquire a prepaid account, and it has designed the final rule's disclosure regime to be adaptable to all these methods. For example, a consumer might purchase a prepaid account at retail, online through a financial institution's Web site (or the Web site of a service provider such as a program manager), or by telephoning the financial institution (or program manager). An employee might receive a payroll card account from an employer, or a student might receive a prepaid account from his or her university in connection with the disbursement of financial aid. A government benefit recipient might receive benefit payments on a government benefit card distributed by the agency responsible for administering those benefits, or an insurance company might distribute prepaid cards to consumers to disburse property or casualty insurance proceeds.
The Bureau has tailored the final rule to accommodate these varied methods while maintaining the overall integrity of the required disclosures. This tailoring includes permitting special formatting for prepaid disclosures delivered electronically; permitting disclosure of discounts and waivers for the periodic fee; permitting information within the short form disclosure for payroll card accounts (and government benefit accounts) directing consumers to sources of information regarding State-required information and other fee discounts and waivers; and accommodating disclosure of fees for optional services as well as those charged on non-traditional prepaid accounts, such as digital wallets, via a requirement to disclose certain information about additional types of fees not otherwise disclosed on the short form. The Bureau believes that creating a generally consistent and comprehensive disclosure regime that applies before the consumer's acquisition of a prepaid account will ensure that any consumer who obtains a prepaid account, regardless of the type of prepaid account or its method of acquisition, will receive relevant information at an opportune time in the acquisition sequence to better inform his or her purchase and use decisions.
The content and structure of the short form and long form disclosures set forth in the final rule largely mirror that of the proposed rule, although the Bureau has refined various elements and reorganized the disclosure provisions in the final rule to simplify the structure and aid compliance. See the individual section-by-section analyses below under this Sec. 1005.18(b) for a more detailed discussion of each aspect of the final pre-acquisition disclosure regime. The following provides a summary of the key provisions in the final rule's pre-acquisition disclosure regime.
The short form disclosure. The short form disclosure, designed to provide a snapshot of key fees and information for a prepaid account, features a section for fees and a section for certain other information. The fee section must appear in the form of a table, and consists of two parts. The first part contains ``static'' fees, setting forth standardized fee disclosures that must be provided for all prepaid account programs, even if such fees are $0 or if they relate to features not offered by a particular program. The second part provides information about some additional types of fees that may be charged for that prepaid account program.
Specifically, the static portion of the short form fee disclosures features a ``top line'' component highlighting four types of fees at the top of the form: The periodic fee, the per purchase fee, ATM withdrawal fees (parsed out for both in- and out-of-network withdrawals in the United States), and the cash reload fee. As discussed in more detail in part III.A above, the Bureau believes these fees are the most important to consumers when shopping for a prepaid account. For this reason, the top line is designed to quickly draw the attention of consumers through its dominant location and use of larger and more prominent type than that used for the remainder of the disclosures on the short form. Located just below the top line are disclosures for three other types of fees: ATM balance inquiry fees (parsed out for both in- and out-of-network balance inquiries in the United States), customer service fees (parsed out for both live and automated customer service), and the inactivity fee. While the final rule generally prohibits disclosure of third-party fees, the final rule requires that the cash reload fee disclosed in the top line include third-party fees.
The static fees are followed by a portion of the disclosure that addresses additional types of fees specific to that prepaid account program. For the final rule, the Bureau has brought together the proposed statement disclosing the number of ``other fees'' not listed on the short form disclosure and the proposed disclosure of ``incidence-based fees'' into a common category referred to as ``additional fee types'' and located these disclosures together on the short form immediately following the static fee disclosures. First, the final rule requires a statement disclosing the number of additional fee types the financial institution may charge consumers with respect to the prepaid account (the proposal would have required disclosure of the total number of individual fees rather than fee types). Second, the final rule requires a statement explaining to consumers that what follows are examples of some of those additional fee types.
Next, the two additional fee types that generate the highest revenue from consumers above a de minimis threshold must be disclosed. These fee types must be calculated for the prepaid account program or across prepaid account programs that share the same fee schedule. In general, financial institutions must assess their additional fee types every 24 months and, if necessary, update their disclosures. There is an exception to this requirement, however, such that financial institutions are not required to pull and replace disclosures provided on, in, or with prepaid account packaging material if there is a change in the additional fee types required to be listed. (Under the proposal, this disclosure would have been based on incidence rather than revenue, would have been three fees rather than two, and updating would have been required every 12 rather than 24 months. The de minimis threshold and assessment across programs that share the same fee schedule are also new to the final rule.) The final rule also contains additional flexibility regarding the timing for reassessments, voluntary disclosures of additional fee types in certain circumstances, and disclosure of fee variations within additional fee types.
The final, non-fee section of the short form is comprised of a series of statements containing certain other key information regarding the prepaid account. The final rule generally requires disclosure of the highest fee when the price of a service or feature may vary and permits use of a symbol, such as an asterisk, to indicate that those fees may vary; the statement linked to that asterisk must appear below the fee disclosures. The final rule also permits use of a different symbol,
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such as a dagger, to provide specific information about waivers or discounts for the periodic fee only. Next is a statement indicating whether an overdraft credit feature may be offered in connection with the prepaid account and, if so, an explanation that the feature may be offered after a certain number of days and that fees would apply. In contrast to the proposal, the final rule requires disclosure both when a prepaid account is set up to be eligible for FDIC or NCUA insurance and when it is not, and combines this statement with the call to action for the consumer to register the account, if applicable. The final rule requires disclosure of the URL for a Bureau Web site from which consumers can obtain general information on prepaid accounts. The short form disclosure concludes with a statement directing consumers to where they can obtain information on all fees and services for that particular prepaid account program. The Bureau has incorporated into the regulatory text of the final rule specific language for each of these statements rather than referencing the model forms for such language.
Short form disclosures for payroll card accounts (and government benefit accounts). The final rule contains an additional requirement and an additional accommodation for short form disclosures for payroll card accounts (and government benefit accounts). For these accounts, like in the proposal, financial institutions are required to include a statement regarding alternate wage (or benefits) payment options above the top-line fee disclosures. The final rule permits financial institutions to choose between two different statements to make this disclosure. The first statement simply informs consumers that they do not have to accept the card and directs them to ask about other ways to receive their wages. The alternative statement informs consumers that they have several options to receive their wages, followed by a list of those options, and directs them to tell their employer which option they choose. The final rule also permits financial institutions to include an optional line in the informational statements portion of the short form disclosure for these accounts directing consumers to a particular location outside the short form for State-required information and other fee discounts and waivers.
Short form disclosures for multiple service plans. The final rule permits financial institutions offering prepaid account programs with multiple service plans to use a short form disclosure specifically tailored for these products. The Bureau has redesigned the multiple service plan short form to be more simple and clear, incorporating a multi-columned structure for displaying all short form fees across all plans.
Additional disclosures outside the short form. The final rule requires that the following information be disclosed outside but in close proximity to the short form: The name of the financial institution; the name of the prepaid account program; and the purchase price and activation fee, if any.
The long form disclosure. The long form disclosure is the second part of the pre-acquisition disclosure regime for prepaid accounts and complements the short form disclosure. It sets forth in a table all of the prepaid account's fees and their qualifying conditions as well as other information about the prepaid account program. Similar to the short form, the long form also contains a series of statements following the fee table containing certain other key information regarding the prepaid account. First is a statement regarding registration and FDIC or NCUA insurance eligibility that mirrors the statement required for the short form, together with an explanation of the benefit of FDIC or NCUA insurance coverage or the consequence of the lack of such coverage. Next is a statement indicating whether an overdraft credit feature may be offered in connection with the prepaid account and, if so, an explanation that the feature may be offered after a certain number of days and that fees would apply; this statement also mirrors the one required in the short form disclosure. The final rule also requires contact information for the financial institution; the URL of a Bureau Web site where the consumer can obtain general information on prepaid accounts; and the Bureau Web site URL and telephone number to submit a complaint about a prepaid account. Finally, the long form must include certain Regulation Z disclosures if, at any point, a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 may be offered in connection with the prepaid account. The final rule provides a safe harbor for financial institutions from having to reprint the long form disclosure due to changes in third-party fees or the Regulation Z disclosures.
Form and format of the disclosures. The final rule contains detailed provisions addressing the form and formatting of the short form and long form disclosures. These provisions reflect the changes to the multiple service plan short form design, discussed above, as well as several additional exceptions to the general retainability requirement for the pre-acquisition disclosures and clarification regarding how certain requirements apply to electronic disclosures (including how to comply with the requirement that electronic disclosures be viewable across all screen sizes). The final rule contains additional formatting requirements to address new disclosure elements added to the final rule, including several optional elements discussed above. The final rule also contains a provision requiring that fee names and other terms be used consistently within and across the short form and long form disclosures.
Model and sample disclosure forms. The final rule contains five model form variations for the short form disclosure: Two iterations of the short form disclosures generally, one for payroll card accounts, one for government benefit accounts, and one for prepaid account programs with multiple service plans. See Model Forms A-10(a) through (e). The final rule also contains a sample long form disclosure. See Sample Form A-10(f). The model forms provide a safe harbor to financial institutions that use them (provided that the model forms are used accurately and appropriately), unlike the sample form which serves only as an example. Whether a financial institution chooses to use a model form for its short form disclosure or design its long form disclosure based on the long form, the financial institution must of course tailor its disclosures for the specific prepaid account program in order to comply with the requirements of Sec. 1005.18(b).
For the convenience of the prepaid industry and to help reduce development costs, the Bureau is also providing native design files for print and source code for Web-based disclosures for all of the model and sample forms included in the final rule. These files are available at www.consumerfinance.gov/prepaid-disclosure-files.
Timing requirements for pre-acquisition disclosures generally and the alternative timing regime for prepaid accounts acquired at retail locations and orally by telephone. The final rule generally requires that the disclosures required by Sec. 1005.18(b) be provided before a consumer acquires a prepaid account. Commentary to the final rule explains that a consumer acquires a prepaid account by purchasing, opening, or choosing to be paid via a prepaid account, and includes several examples.
Consistent with the proposal, the final rule also provides special rules for
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situations in which a consumer acquires a prepaid account at retail or orally by telephone. In these situations, a financial institution must provide the short form disclosure to the consumer prior to acquisition and must provide methods for consumers to access the long form by telephone and via a Web site prior to acquisition. If these conditions are met, the financial institution does not need to provide the long form in writing until after acquisition. The Bureau has expanded this exception in the final rule to cover all retail locations (rather than just retail stores) that sell prepaid accounts in person, without regard to whether the location is operated by a financial institution's agent. A financial institution selling its own prepaid accounts in its own branches does not qualify for the retail location exception with respect to those prepaid accounts.
Prepaid accounts acquired in foreign languages. A financial institution must provide the pre-acquisition disclosures in a foreign language if the financial institution uses that same foreign language in connection with the acquisition of a prepaid account in certain circumstances. Unlike the proposal, the final rule does not require a financial institution to provide pre-acquisition disclosures in a foreign language if an employee of the financial institution or a third party uses that foreign language in person with the consumer. The financial institution also must provide the long form disclosure in English upon a consumer's request and on its Web site.
Background and the Bureau's Proposed Pre-Acquisition Disclosure Regime for Prepaid Accounts
EFTA section 905(a) sets forth disclosure requirements for accounts subject to the Act. The relevant portion of EFTA section 905 states that the terms and conditions of EFTs involving a consumer's account shall be disclosed at the time the consumer contracts for an EFT service, in accordance with regulations of the Bureau. Section 905(a) further states that the disclosures must include, among other things and to the extent applicable, any charges for EFTs or for the right to make such transfers,\360\ that a fee may be imposed for use of certain ATMs,\361\ information regarding the type and nature of EFTs that the consumer can initiate,\362\ and details regarding the consumer's liability for unauthorized transactions and whom to contact in the event an unauthorized transaction has occurred.\363\ The implementing regulation for this provision, Sec. 1005.7, further elaborates that the required disclosures must be provided to a consumer at the time a consumer contracts for an EFT or before the first EFT is made involving the consumer's account. However, while EFTA section 905(a) and Sec. 1005.7(b) mandate the inclusion of several specific items, they do not specify a particular format for the disclosures.\364\ At various points, these general provisions in Sec. 1005.7 have been modified for use with other types of accounts or in other contexts.\365\
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\360\ EFTA section 905(a)(4).
\361\ EFTA section 905(a)(10).
\362\ EFTA section 905(a)(3).
\363\ EFTA section 905(a)(1) and (2).
\364\ Specifically, section 905(a) and Sec. 1005.7(b) generally require disclosure of details regarding the types of EFTs that the consumer may make (including limitations on the frequency and dollar amount of the transfers), any fees imposed by the financial institution for EFTs or for the right to make transfers, and a notice that a fee may be imposed by an ATM operator when the consumer initiates an EFT or makes a balance inquiry, among other requirements.
In addition, TISA contains disclosure requirements for accounts issued by depository institutions. Specifically, Regulation DD, 12 CFR part 1030, which implements TISA, requires disclosure of the amount of any fee that may be imposed in connection with the account (or an explanation of how the fee will be determined) and the conditions under which the fee may be imposed. Regulation DD Sec. 1030.4(b)(4).
\365\ See generally Sec. 1005.14(b)(1) (disclosures provided by certain service providers), 61 FR 19662, 19674 (May 2, 1996); existing Sec. 1005.15(d) (disclosures related to the EFT of government benefits), 61 FR 19662, 19670 (May 2, 1996); Sec. 1005.16 (disclosures at ATMs), 78 FR 18221, 18224 (Mar. 26, 2013); Sec. 1005.17(d) (overdraft disclosures), 74 FR 59033, 59053 (Nov. 17, 2009); existing Sec. 1005.18(c)(1) (payroll card account disclosures), 71 FR 51437, 51449 (Aug. 30, 2006); and Sec. 1005.31 (disclosures related to remittance transfers), 77 FR 50244, 50285 (Aug. 20, 2012).
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Section 1005.18(b) of the final rule implements, in part, EFTA section 905(a) for prepaid accounts. In addition, pursuant to its authority under EFTA sections 904(a), (b), and (c) and 905(a), and section 1032(a) of the Dodd-Frank Act, the Bureau is requiring financial institutions to provide disclosures prior to the time a consumer acquires a prepaid account and for disclosures to include all fees that may be charged for the prepaid account. Also, the Bureau is requiring that in certain circumstances financial institutions provide disclosures in languages other than English.
The Bureau proposed a new pre-acquisition disclosure regime for prepaid accounts, separate from the general requirements under Sec. 1005.7, for several reasons. First, the Bureau was concerned that providing core pricing and usage information at the time the contract is formed or prior to the first EFT would be too late for many consumers to make informed acquisition decisions. As the Bureau explained in the proposal, for instance, the Bureau understood based on its outreach that many financial institutions were providing only limited fee information on the outside of packaging for GPR cards, so that consumers would have to purchase the card to access comprehensive information about the card's fees and terms. Similarly, the Bureau was concerned about the acquisition process for payroll card accounts, where new employees often receive account terms and conditions documents at the same time they received large quantities of other benefits-related paperwork, and about the sequencing of account disclosures in an online environment.
Second, the Bureau believed that it was important to provide specific formatting information that would ensure substantial consistency to facilitate consumers' comparison and selection process across a range of acquisition channels and carefully balance concerns about information overload. The Bureau therefore designed and developed its proposed pre-acquisition disclosures for prepaid accounts over the course of several years through a process that included consumer testing conducted both prior to and after the publication of the proposal and feedback from stakeholders in direct meetings, comments responding to the Prepaid ANPR, and follow up to a blog post of prototype disclosure designs.\366\
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\366\ Eric Goldberg, Prepaid cards: Help design a new disclosure, CFPB Blog Post, (Mar. 18, 2014), http://www.consumerfinance.gov/blog/prepaid-cards-help-design-a-new-disclosure/.
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The majority of both industry and consumer groups agreed that it was important for consumers to receive disclosures before they purchase a prepaid account. Industry and consumer groups encouraged the Bureau to develop disclosures to accommodate the variety of distribution channels through which prepaid products are distributed and sold, while also considering how distribution may evolve in the future. The majority also strongly supported standardized disclosures, instead of a more general rule requiring only that fees be disclosed clearly and conspicuously without providing specific instructions or model forms. However, industry mostly advocated that on-package disclosures should include only the fees that a consumer would most commonly incur while using a prepaid account, in order to increase the likelihood that consumers would understand and use the disclosures. On the other hand, many
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consumer groups urged provision of a full disclosure to the consumer of all fees associated with a GPR card, voicing concern that consumers would not get a full understanding of a prepaid account's true costs without comprehensive fee information and that providers could subvert a limited scope disclosure by adjusting fee schedules to increase or add fees not required to be disclosed on a shorter disclosure.
To balance such concerns, the Bureau proposed to require financial institutions to provide both a short form and a long form disclosure, as generally described above, prior to the time the consumer acquires a prepaid account. The proposed short form focused on the fees charged most frequently across most types of prepaid account programs, as well as providing limited information about the three fees incurred most frequently by users of the particular program. The short form thus would have provided largely consistent information for purposes of comparison, while also providing certain unique information about other fees that were charged most frequently to consumers (so-called ``incidence-based fees'') and other cues encouraging the consumer to consult the long form for more detailed and comprehensive information. The Bureau also proposed to require that financial institutions provide the disclosures in languages other than English in certain circumstances.
Specifically, proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2) would have set forth the substantive requirements for the Bureau's proposed prepaid account pre-
acquisition disclosure regime, with content requirements for the short form disclosures addressed by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i), content requirements for the long form disclosure addressed by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ii), and form and formatting requirements for both disclosures addressed by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(3) and (4), respectively.\367\
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\367\ As discussed in detail below, the final rule addresses these requirements in Sec. 1005.18(b)(2) and (4) and Sec. 1005.18(b)(6) and (7), respectively.
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Depending on the structure of a particular prepaid account, however, the Bureau recognized that the proposed short form may not capture all of a particular prepaid account's fees or explain the conditions under which a financial institution might impose those fees. The Bureau's pre-proposal consumer testing indicated that when participants were shown prototype short forms, most understood that they represented only a subset of fee information and that they could potentially be charged fees not shown on the form.\368\ Further, except in certain retail stores or with respect to accounts acquired orally by telephone, under the proposed pre-acquisition disclosure regime, a consumer would have received a long form disclosure simultaneously with the short form and therefore have the opportunity to see all fees associated with a prepaid account and any relevant conditions before acquiring a prepaid account. In addition, in pre-proposal testing, most participants did not identify any additional fees that they would have wanted to see listed in a short form.\369\ The Bureau believed that the proposed short form contained most fees that might be charged in connection with a prepaid account and the fees listed are those that are most important for a consumer to know in advance of acquiring a prepaid account.
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\368\ See ICF Report I at 9.
\369\ See id. at 6-8.
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The Bureau also recognized that disclosing even this proposed subset of fee information on the short form ran the same risk of information overload that the Bureau believed could occur if all fees were disclosed to a consumer instead of just a subset of fees. The Bureau believed, however, based on its pre-proposal consumer testing and other research, that incorporating elements of visual hierarchy would mitigate these risks. Most importantly, the fee types that would have been disclosed pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(1) through (4) in the top line of the short form would have used font size and other elements to promote readability.
General Comments Received
The Bureau sought comment on its proposed overall approach to the pre-acquisition disclosure regime. Discussed in this section are the comments provided in response as well as certain other general comments received. Comments regarding particular aspects of the proposed pre-
acquisition disclosure regime are addressed in the applicable section-
by-section analyses below.
Several State government agencies, a majority of consumer groups, and a substantial number of industry commenters (including trade associations, a credit union, and a program manager) expressed general support for the proposed pre-acquisition regime, although most also offered criticisms and recommendations for change of some individual elements. The credit union and industry trade associations complimented the Bureau on the proposed pre-acquisition disclosures, with some commenters calling the short form disclosure an elegant and smart solution that would give consumers a clear, simple, and consumer friendly way to review critical data when shopping for prepaid accounts. Consumer groups and individual consumers who submitted comments as part of a comment submission campaign organized by a national consumer advocacy group also strongly supported the design and content of the proposed short form and long form disclosures as essential to protecting consumers. In particular, the consumer groups praised the short form disclosure's clear standardized form, saying it provides a good balance between simplicity and completeness.
Most industry commenters offered specific criticisms of or recommended changes to specific elements of the proposed pre-
acquisition disclosure regime. Industry commenters' more general criticisms of the proposed disclosures included both that the amount of information in the short form disclosure would be overwhelming to consumers (and thus certain aspects should be eliminated, such as the disclosure of the number of additional fees, incidence-based fees, or any incidental fees that are excluded from the disclosure requirements of Regulation DD) and that the short form failed to provide certain information that the commenters believed to be meaningful to consumers' purchase decisions (such as disclosure of fee waivers and discounts instead of disclosure of the highest fee as proposed) and thus that additional information should be added.
More globally, one academic group and several industry commenters (including program managers, a credit union, and a regional credit union trade association) urged the Bureau to eliminate both the short form and long form disclosures. These commenters said variously that the proposed disclosures would overwhelm consumers, burden industry without commensurate benefits to consumers, or duplicate the initial disclosures already required by Regulation E. They also asserted that research by the Bureau and others indicated that few consumers engage in formal comparison shopping among prepaid accounts or that consumers lack the financial literacy or inclination to read disclosures (and thus, the Bureau's efforts to facilitate comparison shopping are unnecessary). One of the program managers and the academic group asserted that the highly competitive prepaid marketplace, which in their view had already produced lower fees and simpler fee structures,
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was sufficient to meet the evolving needs of consumers. Industry commenters expressed concern regarding the burden they felt the proposed disclosures would impose; the program manager elaborated that the proposed disclosure regime would require expensive and time-
consuming redesign of disclosures and changes in packaging, manufacturing processes, and distribution.
A number of other industry commenters and a group of members of Congress opposed one, but not both, of the proposed pre-acquisition disclosures. A few industry commenters (including an issuing credit union, a credit union association, and a program manager) recommended eliminating the short form disclosure in favor of the long form disclosure. A larger group (including trade associations, issuing banks, credit unions, program managers, a law firm writing on behalf of a coalition of prepaid issuers, and the group of members of Congress) recommended eliminating the long form disclosure in favor of the short form--or at least that the long form not be required to be provided pre-acquisition or only be required to be provided online, over the telephone, or upon request. As a whole, both groups of commenters asserted that requiring both of the proposed disclosures would result in too many disclosures (the short form and long form, prepaid account agreement containing initial disclosures, and State-required disclosures for payroll card accounts), resulting in high compliance costs and disclosure fatigue for consumers.
The industry commenters recommending elimination of the short form asserted that it was redundant of the long form, which they argued would be sufficient alone by virtue of it providing a complete disclosure of fees. The program manager recommended combining the short form and the long form to create a single comprehensive pre-acquisition disclosure. The industry commenters critical of the long form variously asserted that it was redundant of the short form and other disclosures required by Regulation E before a consumer can use the prepaid card (i.e., initial disclosures) and State-required disclosures for some payroll card accounts; inferior to the short form, which would provide the most pertinent and common fees; and would overload and confuse consumers with its comprehensive information and therefore not contribute to consumer purchase decisions. An issuing bank, a program manager, a trade association, and a group of members of Congress recommended against requiring the long form, arguing that the Bureau's pre-proposal consumer testing indicated consumers would not use it to make pre-acquisition decisions. Several industry commenters opposed required disclosure of optional incidental services that are not available at the time of purchase; rather, they suggested those fees should not have to be disclosed until such services are accepted by the consumer.
A number of industry commenters and a State government agency recommended that the Bureau eliminate the proposed short form disclosure requirement for payroll card accounts and government benefit accounts or, alternatively, treat the short form disclosure for these accounts differently from those for GPR cards. Some of these commenters said otherwise these disclosures would be burdensome for financial institutions providing payroll (and government benefit) cards for a number of reasons. They said the proposed disclosures were, in their opinion, duplicative of the initial disclosures required by Sec. 1005.7(b) and that the differences between payroll card accounts (and government benefit accounts) and GPR cards militate against requiring a short form disclosure for the former. They said that, compared to GPR cards, these accounts have fewer fees, features, and conditions, and the statement regarding registration and many specific fees listed in the static portion of the proposed short form are inapplicable. They also pointed to State-required disclosure of certain fee discounts and waivers for these accounts as another distinguishing factor from GPR cards. Some commenters said the proposed disclosures were inapt for payroll card accounts (and government benefit accounts) as there are not the same space constraints as there are for GPR cards sold at retail and, further, consumers cannot comparison shop for these kinds of accounts. Finally, some commenters requested that the Bureau eliminate the long form disclosure for these types of accounts as they said it would be redundant of the short form disclosure and the prepaid account agreement; they also suggested that the long form disclosure could be provided post-acquisition or at the time of registration or activation in the payroll (and government benefit) context.
Rather than eliminating the short form disclosure altogether for payroll card accounts (and government benefit accounts), some industry commenters recommended that the Bureau eliminate certain short form requirements, such as the registration statement which would be inapplicable for these products.\370\ On the other hand, other industry commenters recommended permitting additional disclosures on the short form, such as disclosure of State-required methods to access wages without incurring fees. Some recommended requiring disclosure of all fees on the payroll card account (and government benefit account) short form disclosure as these accounts generally have fewer fees, thereby allowing room for full fee disclosure.
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\370\ See the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xiv) below for a discussion of elements that commenters suggested the Bureau remove from the short form disclosure in the payroll (and government benefit) context.
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Similarly, some industry commenters argued that differences in other types of prepaid accounts necessitated greater flexibility in the content and delivery requirements for the short form disclosure. For example, some industry commenters, including issuing banks, program managers, and a trade association, recommended that the Bureau exclude non-reloadable prepaid products from the proposed disclosure regime, or at least from certain disclosure requirements such as those regarding registration and eligibility for FDIC insurance. Some industry commenters suggested that requiring standardized disclosures for these products would be of limited use to consumers given how the products are meant to be used, and would come at a prohibitively high cost for issuers; several suggested the burden of complying with the proposed disclosure requirements--for example, the requirement to calculate incidence-based fees--may lead to the removal of certain of these products from market. These commenters suggested instead that the Bureau create a separate disclosure regime for non-reloadable cards, similar to the treatment of loyalty, award, and promotional gift card products under the Gift Card Rule.\371\
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\371\ See Sec. 1005.20(a)(4)(iii) (exempting loyalty, award, or promotional gift cards from general coverage of the Gift Card Rule provided that they satisfy certain specific disclosure requirements).
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Likewise, several trade associations and a provider of digital wallets urged the Bureau not to sweep innovative financial services, such as digital wallets, into a disclosure regime they felt was designed for a specific type of product (i.e., GPR cards sold at retail) based on how it functioned at a fixed point in time. Specifically, the digital wallet provider argued that disclosures cannot be standardized effectively across industries as diverse as digital wallets and GPR cards. In addition, the commenter stated that current digital
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wallet models do not charge any fees for general usage. As such, the proposed short form disclosure's top-line fees would all be disclosed as $0 or N/A, which it said could potentially confuse consumers and cause them to abandon the digital wallet sign-up process. The commenter also noted that, because consumers are not likely to comparison shop between digital wallets and GPR cards, it believed the comparison shopping benefit of the short form disclosure would be inapplicable to digital wallets.
A payment network and a law firm writing on behalf of a coalition of prepaid issuers criticized the proposal for not providing a method for updating or curing outdated pricing, which it said issuers may typically accomplish through disclosures and consumer consent at registration, or at a later point in the customer relationship through a Regulation E change-in-terms notice. The payment network suggested that the Bureau grant a safe harbor and allow financial institutions to keep existing physical cards stocked at retail locations and notify consumers of any changes either by sending change-in-terms notices or by obtaining consumer consent upon registration. This commenter added that this approach would both cure outdated pricing on card packaging and also allow financial institutions to introduce new features that have a fee.
While consumer groups generally supported the proposed disclosures, they also asserted some criticisms focused primarily on requesting that the Bureau prohibit certain fees, add certain information to either or both the short form and long form disclosures, and eliminate the proposed short form disclosure for multiple service plans. A few consumer groups also recommended enhancing the disclosures with visual aids, such as an image of a piggy bank to denote that an account offers a savings feature.
The Bureau's General Approach to the Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting a disclosure regime in final Sec. 1005.18(b), under which financial institutions must generally provide both a short form and a long form disclosure before consumers acquire prepaid accounts. The final rule generally retains the content, formatting, and delivery requirements of the short form and long form disclosures as proposed, but includes substantial refinements to some individual elements and numerous smaller changes in response to information received through comments received on the proposal, the interagency consultation process, further consumer testing, and other research and analysis. The Bureau believes the final rule's disclosure requirements will achieve the desired results of providing consumers with a succinct and engaging overview of crucial information in the short form disclosure and an unabridged reference for all fees and other crucial information in the long form disclosure.
The Bureau has also made substantial organizational changes to the structure of the final rule to facilitate understanding and compliance. The Bureau also has incorporated certain burden-reducing measures to address various concerns raised by commenters about the burden on industry they asserted would result from the proposed pre-acquisition disclosure regime. The analysis of costs and benefits in part VII.E.1 as well as the section-by-section analyses below both contain discussion of provisions adopted in this final rule that are aimed at reducing burden on industry relative to the proposal. These burden-
alleviating modifications include the various changes to the additional fee types disclosures, including disclosure of two fees rather than three; a de minimis threshold; and reassessment and updating required every 24 months rather than 12. Other measures in the final rule that reduce burden include permitting reference in the short form disclosure for payroll card accounts (and government benefit accounts) to State-
required information and other fee discounts and waivers pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xiv)(B); permitting disclosure of the long form within other disclosures required by Regulation E pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(7)(iii); and flexible updating of third-party fees pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(4)(vii).
Although some industry commenters suggested that the competitive nature of the prepaid market forecloses the need for disclosure regulation, the Bureau believes both consumers and industry are better served by disclosure regulations carefully calibrated to balance the needs and concerns of all parties.
The Bureau is issuing the final rule pursuant to EFTA section 904(a), (b), and (c), and 905(a) and 913(2), and section 1032 of the Dodd-Frank Act. As discussed further below in the section-by-section analyses of Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i), (b)(2)(xiv), (b)(4)(ii), and (b)(9), the Bureau believes that adjustment of the timing and fee requirements and the disclosure language is necessary and proper to effectuate the purposes of EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of prepaid account consumers because the revision will assist consumers' understanding of the terms and conditions of their prepaid accounts. In addition, the Bureau believes that pre-acquisition disclosures of all fees for prepaid accounts as well as certain foreign language disclosures will, consistent with section 1032(a) of the Dodd-Frank Act, ensure that the features of the prepaid accounts are fully, accurately, and effectively disclosed to consumers in a manner that permits consumers to understand the costs, benefits, and risks associated with the account.
Short form and long form disclosures generally. As discussed in the proposal, the Bureau believes the short form and long form disclosures both play crucial but distinct roles. Eliminating one or both would defeat the overall purpose of the pre-acquisition disclosure regime to provide consumers with comprehensible information to make reasoned purchase and use decisions with regard to their prepaid accounts. The short form discloses key fees and information to consumers in a standardized visual hierarchy that lends itself to comparison shopping prior to purchase and provides a handy summary post-purchase; the long form provides a comprehensive location for all fees and other information that a consumer may consult both prior to and after purchase. In the absence of such a disclosure regime, consumers have scant opportunity to see all fees prior to purchase or to quickly assess the relative benefits of one prepaid account over another.
Specifically, the Bureau believes that by prominently displaying key fees with limited explanatory text, the short form enhances consumers' ability to notice these key fees and enables them to use the disclosure to inform their acquisition choice. The Bureau also believes that the short form's design, and in particular the emphasized top-line portion of the disclosure, creates a visual hierarchy of information that will more effectively draw consumers' attention to a prepaid account's key terms. The Bureau also believes the general visual hierarchy as well as the relatively spare content of the short form increases the likelihood that consumers will engage with the disclosure.
The Bureau understands that, faced with the disclosures in the current marketplace, consumers may spend little time reviewing fee disclosures, particularly when shopping for prepaid accounts in person. The Bureau believes it is therefore important to provide a disclosure that quickly draws
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consumers' attention to the most important information regarding that particular account with minimal clutter on the form. For this reason, the Bureau designed and developed the short form as a concise snapshot of a prepaid account's key fees and features that is both easily noticeable and digestible by consumers. Relatedly, the Bureau also believes that the overall standardization of the short form disclosure will facilitate consumers' ability to comparison shop among prepaid account programs. The standardization of the static fee components of the short form disclosure ensures that consumers will be provided certain key fee information about prepaid accounts in a consistent manner regardless of how or where they shop for or obtain prepaid accounts. For example, under the final rule, a consumer who takes a package containing a prepaid account access device off of a J-hook in a retail location would see the same fee disclosures in the static portion of the short form as that consumer would see if shopping online for a prepaid account. Similarly, the standardization of the informational statements at the bottom of the short form permits that consumer to easily compare, for example, whether the prepaid accounts are eligible for FDIC or NCUA insurance.
The Bureau believes that consumers offered payroll card accounts at their place of employment can also benefit from this standardization because, even though they cannot comparison shop among payroll card accounts, they can make meaningful comparisons with a prepaid account they may already have or with one they may choose to acquire in lieu of the payroll card account. Moreover, the straightforward standardized format of the short form can enhance consumers' comprehension of the key terms of the payroll card account if they do choose to acquire it. In sum, the Bureau believes that standardizing the short form disclosure across all possible acquisition channels will enhance consumer understanding of the terms of all prepaid accounts and make it easier for consumers to choose the prepaid account that best meets their needs.
The Bureau recognizes that providing only a subset of a prepaid account program's fee information on the short form might not provide all consumers with the information they need to make fully-informed acquisition decisions. For this reason, the new disclosure regime also requires the long form disclosure to be provided as a companion disclosure to the short form, offering a comprehensive repository of all of a prepaid account's fees and the conditions under which those fees could be imposed. The long form disclosure also provides detailed explanations to consumers about conditions that may cause fees to vary, such as the impact of crossing a threshold number of transactions or specific waivers and discounts. Such explanations are generally not permitted on the short form to preserve its simplicity, but may be relevant to some consumers' acquisition decisions.
The Bureau expects that consumers will use the long form if they want to review a comprehensive list of fees before choosing to acquire a prepaid account and learn details about the fees listed on the short form. In sum, the short form and the long form used alone or in tandem provide consumers with either or both an overview of the key information about the prepaid account and an unabridged list of fees and conditions and other important information.
The Bureau believes that providing both disclosures is more beneficial than either form standing alone, and the Bureau does not believe that providing only the long form would be satisfactory. The Bureau understands that the potential size and complexity of the long form could lead consumers to disregard the disclosure in some settings, such as in retail locations where consumers are shopping while standing up, and not use it to comparison shop across products or even to evaluate a single product. However, in the Bureau's pre-proposal testing of a simulated purchase environment, some participants indicated they would use information found only in the long form disclosure, i.e., information absent from the short form disclosure, in making their purchase decisions.\372\ Thus, insofar as the subset of fee information on the short form disclosure may be incomplete or insufficient for some consumers, the Bureau believes that providing both the short form and long form disclosures will strike the right balance between giving consumers key information about a prepaid account to aid understanding and comparison shopping, while also providing them with the opportunity to review all of a prepaid account's fee information pre-acquisition.
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\372\ See ICF Report I at 32-33.
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Disclosures for payroll card accounts and government benefit accounts. The Bureau declines, as requested by some commenters, to eliminate the proposed short form disclosure requirement for payroll card accounts and government benefit accounts or, alternatively, create a short form disclosure specifically for these accounts, for several reasons. First, the short form disclosure provides an opportunity to clearly and conspicuously inform consumers of their wage and benefit payment rights under the compulsory use prohibition in EFTA section 913 and Sec. 1005.10(e)(2), which the Bureau believes is key information for consumers. If the short form disclosure were eliminated and this statement was moved to the long form disclosure, for example, the Bureau believes it likely this information would be obscured by the relatively increased length and complexity of the long form disclosure and thereby deprive consumers of an opportunity to be informed of this crucial statutory right.
Second, the short form disclosure is important because consumers may be more likely to view it than the long form disclosure. The short form disclosure was designed to showcase information the Bureau believes is most important to consumers in their general prepaid account purchase and use decisions and such information is intended to complement the information disclosed in the more detailed long form. Pre-proposal testing indicated that consumers would prefer the short form over the long form when shopping for a prepaid card in certain environments, such as at retail while standing up.\373\ The Bureau believes that consumers will benefit from receiving the short form disclosure for payroll card accounts and government benefit accounts in that consumers may receive multiple pieces of written information at the beginning of a new job or when applying for government benefits, that may compete for the consumer's attention. Thus, even if consumers do not look at the long form disclosure before choosing to receive wages or benefits via the account, they may at least see information about key fees and features of the account on the short form disclosure.
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\373\ See ICF Report I at 34.
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Third, while employees cannot comparison shop among payroll card accounts or government benefit accounts, the short form disclosure provides a convenient way to compare key fees and features with the consumer's own prepaid account (if they have one) and, perhaps at a later time, with other prepaid accounts. Consumers may also use the short form disclosure to quickly assess the relative advantage of receiving their wages (or benefits) via the account versus other payment methods, such as direct deposit to a bank account or by check.
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In sum, while the consumer may not comparison shop among payroll card accounts (or government benefit accounts), the short form disclosure nevertheless provides important comparison opportunities for consumers offered payroll card accounts (and government benefit accounts).
Finally, while the Bureau understands that some payroll card accounts (and government benefit accounts) currently charge fewer fees and offer fewer features than GPR cards, requiring the short form disclosure in this context ensures that consumers know that certain features and services are free or unavailable and further, it ensures they will be apprised of the charges for any new fees the payroll (or government benefit) industry may impose on such accounts in the future.
Disclosures for non-reloadable cards and digital wallets. The Bureau also considered the comments requesting exemption from the short form disclosure requirements for non-reloadable cards and digital wallets, but declines such exemption in the final rule. The Bureau believes consumers who buy these product types will benefit from the short form disclosure. As discussed above with respect to payroll card accounts and government benefit accounts, the short form disclosure was designed to showcase information participants identified in the Bureau's pre-proposal consumer testing as key to their general prepaid account purchase and use decision-making; such information is intended to complement the information disclosed in the more detailed long form. In addition, the Bureau is concerned that creating an individualized disclosure regime for different types of prepaid accounts could create a patchwork regulatory regime, which is one of the results this rule seeks to prevent.
With respect to the request to exempt digital wallets from the pre-
acquisition disclosure requirements (particularly the short form), the Bureau believes consumers of digital wallets should have the same opportunity to review fees (or lack thereof) in the short form disclosure as consumers of other prepaid accounts. While the majority of digital wallet models currently on the market may not charge usage fees, as one commenter asserted, this may not hold true in the future, especially if these products become more widely used and the features and services offered broaden. The Bureau is also not persuaded that there are sufficient factors distinguishing digital wallets from other types of prepaid accounts that are marketed or available for acquisition electronically. The Bureau is skeptical that the technical and other constraints suggested by commenters would impact the ability of digital wallets to provide pre-acquisition disclosures. The Bureau is not persuaded, therefore, that a convincing policy rationale exists for treating digital wallets differently than other prepaid accounts with regard to pre-acquisition disclosures.
Changes in terms and addition of new EFT services. The Bureau understands financial institutions do not change the fee schedules for most prepaid accounts often, especially for prepaid products distributed in person, such as GPR cards and similar products sold at retail, because a financial institution may need to pull and replace outdated card packaging when making changes to those programs' disclosed fee structures. Financial institutions' reasons for pulling and replacing may include compliance with legal requirements under operative State consumer protection and contract laws, difficulties that may arise in attempting to provide notice of changed terms to consumers, as well as financial institutions' concerns about being accused of deceptive advertising practices by selling products with inaccurate disclosures. The Bureau encourages the practice of pulling and replacing when making significant changes to prepaid account programs, as it believes that doing so will facilitate consumer understanding of the products they are purchasing and reduce risk to the financial institution of litigation or regulatory claims of deception.
Two industry commenters, however, stated that financial institutions also sometimes make changes either through disclosures and consumer consent at registration, or at a later point in the customer relationship through a Regulation E change-in-terms notice. The Bureau recognizes that Regulation E provides a system for notifying existing customers of changes in terms to existing accounts, set forth in Sec. 1005.8(a). The Bureau believes that in some circumstances, such procedures may also provide an appropriate means to notify new customers of changes to recently acquired prepaid accounts.
The Bureau also notes that Regulation E also provides a means, separate from a change-in-terms notice, for financial institutions to notify consumers of terms associated with a new EFT service that is added to a consumer's account, in Sec. 1005.7(c).\374\ The Bureau believes that such procedures are appropriate in circumstances where a financial institution is, for example, making available a new optional service for all prepaid accounts in a particular prepaid account program. In such a circumstance, financial institutions do not need to pull and replace card packaging that does not disclose that new optional feature, even though a long form disclosure that may be provided inside the card packaging pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii)(A), the number of additional fee types pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii), and the listing of additional fee types pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) may be incomplete or inaccurate due to the addition of that service. Instead, a financial institution may provide to new customers disclosures for the addition of the new service in accordance with Sec. 1005.7(c) post-acquisition. The Bureau expects, however, that financial institutions will keep their other disclosures up to date (including those provided electronically and orally, as well as disclosures provided in writing that are not a part of pre-printed packaging materials, such as those printed by a financial institution upon a consumer's request).
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\374\ See also final Sec. 1005.18(f)(1), which extends the requirements of Sec. 1005.7 to all fees, not just fees for EFTs or the right to make EFTs.
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Other requests by commenters. In response to the consumer groups requesting the addition of visual aids to the disclosures, the Bureau believes that there is insufficient space in the short form to accommodate such visuals and that the length and detail of the information in the long form disclosure obviate the need for such additional requirements there.
With regard to comments from some consumer group commenters and the office of a State Attorney General recommending prohibition of certain fees, such requests are outside of the scope of this rulemaking. However, the Bureau intends to monitor compliance with this rule as well as developments in the prepaid market in general, and will consider additional action in future rulemakings if necessary.
Alternative Approaches Considered by the Bureau
Before proposing the pre-acquisition disclosure regime that the Bureau is adopting in this final rule, the Bureau considered and rejected two alternative approaches. As discussed in the proposal, an ``all-in'' approach would have disclosed a single monthly cost for using a particular prepaid account.\375\ Proponents of this approach said it would provide a quick and understandable reference point and, as compared to a disclosure listing several different numbers with line items for
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each fee type, could also allow for easier comparisons among prepaid account programs. The Bureau also considered the ``category heading'' approach which would have featured a short form disclosure with category headings based on the function for which a consumer would use the service associated with each fee, a format that many prepaid account providers have already adopted, in lieu of the top-line fee type format the Bureau is adopting in this final rule.\376\ The proposal included a discussion of the justification for the Bureau's rejection of these two alternative approaches in favor of the pre-
acquisition disclosure regime that the Bureau proposed and is now adopting in this final rule.
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\375\ See 79 FR 77102, 77150-51 (Dec. 23, 2014).
\376\ See ICF Report I at app. C, 2A. As listed in that prototype short form disclosure, an ``Add and withdraw money'' category, for example, would list the various ways the consumer could withdraw money from a prepaid account, such as through a withdrawal from an ATM.
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The Bureau received few comments regarding these rejected alternatives. Two program managers expressed their support for the Bureau's decision to reject both the ``all-in'' and ``category heading'' approaches for the reasons the Bureau set forth in the proposal and an issuing bank supported the Bureau's reasoning for avoiding the all-in approach. One of the program managers noted that use of payroll cards varies significantly both by individual consumer and the specific employer's payroll card account program. On the other hand, two consumer group commenters recommended that the Bureau reconsider the feasibility of the ``all-in'' approach. While acknowledging the Bureau's valid concerns about determining typical usage costs given the wide variety of consumer use, they said that providing through the short form disclosure the estimated cost of typical use of a specific prepaid account would help the minority of consumers who are ``intensive users'' of prepaid accounts and use them essentially as a substitute for checking accounts. They recommended that the Bureau require financial institutions to analyze the distribution of accountholders' actual total expenses and identify total expenses at the 25th and 75th percentiles of distribution. They said this analysis would show that consumers who use a specific prepaid account product frequently for routine financial transactions would be likely to incur costs within a concrete range.
For the reasons the Bureau declined to embrace the ``all-in'' and ``category heading'' approaches in the proposal, the Bureau also has rejected these approaches in the final rule in favor of the pre-
acquisition disclosure regime described above and throughout this final rule. As discussed in more detail in the proposal \377\ and acknowledged by the consumer groups recommending the ``all-in'' approach, the Bureau continues to question the viability of developing a single formula that accurately reflects typical consumer use of a particular prepaid account program, including how to decide which fee types to include in such a formula and in view of studies indicating there are numerous use cases for prepaid accounts, particularly GPR cards.\378\ Moreover, a prepaid account that might have a higher cost under such a formula adopted by the Bureau may actually be less costly for certain consumers, depending on how they use the prepaid account. For example, a formula that included ATM withdrawal fees would disclose an ``all-in'' fee not germane to consumers who do not withdraw cash via an ATM. The Bureau is concerned that such a result may be confusing to consumers. The Bureau also believes that an explanation of the methodology used to calculate the ``all-in'' disclosure would disturb the balance in the short form of the most important information for consumers and the brevity and clarity necessary for optimal consumer comprehension. Thus, the Bureau has concluded that an ``all-in'' disclosure would be of limited utility and could even mislead consumers, and declines to adopt such a disclosure in this final rule.
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\377\ See 79 FR 77102, 77150 (Dec. 23, 2014).
\378\ See, e.g., 2014 Pew Study at 13.
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The Bureau also continues to believe the use of the ``category heading'' approach would not be appropriate because the headings would take up valuable space in the short form disclosure that would limit disclosure of other, more important information, particularly for headings under which there would only be disclosed one fee. Also, as discussed above, the Bureau's pre-proposal consumer testing indicated that the top-line approach embraced in the proposed and final rules proved effective with consumers and the Bureau does not believe that the short form disclosure could effectively accommodate both approaches together. Finally, pre-proposal testing revealed that participant comprehension of fees and their purposes did not improve with the use of category headings. The Bureau also notes that the less space-
restricted long form disclosure, pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(7)(i)(B), requires the use of subheadings by the categories of function for which a financial institution may impose fees, as illustrated by Sample Form A-10(e). The Bureau thus declines to adopt a ``category heading'' approach for the short form disclosure in this final rule.
18(b) Pre-Acquisition Disclosure Requirements--Commentary
The Bureau is adopting two comments to accompany Sec. 1005.18(b), as described below.
Written and electronic pre-acquisition disclosures. The final rule includes certain specific requirements for pre-acquisition disclosures depending on whether they are provided in written, electronic, or oral form. See, e.g., Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(iii) and (6). The Bureau is adding new comment 18(b)-1 to provide additional guidance as to the interaction of these Sec. 1005.18(b) disclosure requirements with the E-Sign Act and with other existing provisions within Regulation E. Specifically, comment 18(b)-1 explains that existing Sec. 1005.4(a)(1) generally requires that disclosures be made in writing; written disclosures may be provided in electronic form in accordance with the E-Sign Act. The comment goes on to say that, because final Sec. 1005.18(b)(6)(i)(B) provides that electronic disclosures required by final Sec. 1005.18(b) need not meet the consumer consent or other applicable provisions of the E-Sign Act, Sec. 1005.18(b) addresses certain requirements for written and electronic pre-acquisition disclosures separately. Final Sec. 1005.18(b) also addresses specific requirements for pre-acquisition disclosures provided orally.
Disclosures in foreign currencies. A payment network commenter recommended that the Bureau permit disclosure of fees in a foreign currency for prepaid cards denominated in that currency. The commenter gave the example of permitting disclosures in pound sterling for prepaid accounts sold in U.S. airports for intended use in England. The Bureau is adding comment 18(b)-2 to clarify that such disclosures are permitted. Specifically, comment 18(b)-2 explains that fee amounts required to be disclosed by Sec. 1005.18(b) may be disclosed in a foreign currency for a prepaid account denominated in that foreign currency, other than the fee for the purchase price required by Sec. 1005.18(b)(5). The comment gives an example that a prepaid account sold in a U.S. airport intended for use in England may disclose in pound sterling (pound) the fees required to be disclosed in the short form and long form disclosures and outside the short form disclosure, except for the purchase price.
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18(b)(1) Timing of Disclosures
18(b)(1)(i) General
The Bureau's Proposal
As discussed above, Sec. 1005.7(b) currently requires financial institutions to provide certain initial disclosures when a consumer contracts for an EFT service or before the first EFT is made involving a consumer's account. The Bureau proposed in revised Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i) that, in addition to the initial disclosures that are usually provided in an account's terms and conditions document pursuant to existing Sec. 1005.7(b), a financial institution would also have to provide a consumer with certain fee-related disclosures before a consumer acquired a prepaid account. In the proposal, the Bureau explained its concerns as noted above that while some financial institutions were already providing limited disclosures to consumers prior to acquisition, consumers across a range of acquisition channels did not always have access to consistent and comprehensive information before selecting a prepaid account.
Based on its outreach and research, the Bureau explained in the proposal its understanding that some financial institutions were not disclosing the fees that consumers may find relevant to their acquisition decision until the account was purchased (or otherwise acquired), the packaging material was opened, and the consumer reviewed the enclosed account agreement document. To take just one example, one prepaid product the Bureau looked at imposed an inactivity fee after 90 days of no transactions, but this fee was not disclosed on an outward-
facing external surface of the prepaid account access device's packaging material that was visible before purchase. Further, the Bureau expressed concern that new employees might have been receiving terms and conditions documents regarding payroll card accounts at the same time they received substantial other benefits-related paperwork, making the fees difficult for employees to comprehend while sorting through other important and time-sensitive documents. Similarly, certain providers of prepaid accounts online may have been presenting disclosures on their Web sites in a way that made it difficult for consumers to have the chance to review them prior to acquisition.
In the proposal, the Bureau stated its belief that, for several reasons, consumers in all acquisition scenarios would benefit from receiving these new pre-acquisition disclosures prior to contracting for an EFT service or before the first EFT was made involving the account, at which point they would receive the initial disclosures that Sec. 1005.7(b) already requires.
First, the Bureau believed that pre-acquisition disclosures could limit the ability of financial institutions to obscure key fees. For example, many participants in the Bureau's consumer pre-proposal consumer testing reported incurring fees that they did not become aware of until after they purchased their prepaid account.\379\ Several participants also admitted to having difficulty understanding the disclosures they received with their current prepaid accounts and were very unsure as to whether key fees had been disclosed before they acquired the accounts.\380\ The Bureau believes that its pre-
acquisition disclosure regime will reduce the likelihood that these problems recur.
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\379\ See ICF Report I at 7.
\380\ See id.
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Second, the Bureau believed that, in order to comparison shop among products, it is helpful for consumers to be able to review disclosures setting forth key terms in like ways before choosing a product. The Bureau recognized that consumers offered prepaid products by third parties like employers or educational institutions may be unable to easily comparison shop. For example, at the time students are offered a student card from their university, such as when registering for school, they might be unable to compare that card with other products. The Bureau believed, however, that even in this scenario, students benefit from receiving the short form and the long form disclosure so that they can better understand the product's terms before deciding to accept it. Additionally, the Bureau believed that both the short and long form disclosures could inform the way in which these consumers decide to use the product once they acquired it.
Third, the Bureau believed that consumers could use their prepaid account for an extended period of time and potentially incur substantial fees over that time. For example, the Bureau noted that, during its pre-proposal consumer testing, participants indicated that they tend to use a given prepaid account, even one they do not like, at least until they spend the entirety of the initial load amount, which could be as much as $500, paying whatever fees are incurred in the course of doing so. Other research is consistent. Specifically, the Bureau cited to one study that indicated that prepaid accounts receiving direct deposit of government benefits might have life spans of as long as three years, and consumers who receive non-government direct deposit on their accounts use them on average for longer than one year.\381\ Thus, the Bureau believed that whatever disclosure information a consumer used when selecting a prepaid account could have a significant and potentially long-term impact, especially if a consumer chooses to receive direct deposit into a prepaid account.
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\381\ 2012 FRB Kansas City Study at 40.
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Regulation E, however, currently only provides for initial disclosures to be delivered at the time a consumer contracts for an EFT service or before the first EFT is made involving a consumer's account. The Bureau was concerned that, in the prepaid account context, this might sometimes be too late. With prepaid accounts, consumers often contract for an EFT service when acquiring the prepaid account and completing an initial load. The Bureau was concerned that, under the timing requirements for initial disclosures in Sec. 1005.7, consumers were receiving fee-related disclosures too late to use them in their decision-making and comparison-shopping. The Bureau therefore proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i), which would have required a financial institution, in most cases, to provide the short form and long form disclosures before a consumer acquired a prepaid account.
The Bureau also proposed to add comment 18(b)(1)(i)-1, which would have provided examples of what would and would not qualify as providing disclosures pre-acquisition in the bank branch and payroll contexts. Proposed comment 18(b)(1)(i)-2 would have provided further explanation regarding circumstances when short form and long form disclosures would have been considered to have been delivered after a consumer acquires a prepaid account, and thus in violation of the timing requirement in proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i).
Comments Received
As with the timing of acquisition of a government benefit account, discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.15(c) above, the Bureau received numerous comments requesting that it provide further clarification on the meaning of the term acquisition in the payroll card context.
A number of commenters urged that, as with government benefit accounts, acquisition in the payroll card account context should be defined as the point at which the consumer chooses to receive wages via a payroll card account. These commenters included
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issuers, program managers, employers that use payroll card accounts, a think tank, and trade associations representing the prepaid industry and payroll and human resource professionals. The commenters argued in support of defining acquisition as the point of consumer choice because it has already been adopted in several states' wage and hour laws, emphasizing that those laws have the same purpose as this rule: to ensure that employees are aware that they have options with regard to how they get paid. The commenters argued that alternative approaches--
for example, defining acquisition as the point at which an employee takes physical possession of a payroll card--could cause significant disruption to current industry practice. Under current practice, they asserted, an employee may arrive on the first day of work and receive a package containing an inactive payroll card account, disclosures related to that account, and additional information regarding payroll, benefits, and other work-related issues. According to commenters, this practice is beneficial to employees, as an employee is more likely to be engaged in the on-boarding process and to ask questions about the payroll card on that first day than at some later time, so distributing the card and disclosures together in that circumstance maximizes the chances that the employee will review the disclosures and ask related questions. Further, these commenters asserted, an employee who possesses a physical payroll card has at least one way of receiving his pay. If he chooses the payroll card, they argued, he will be paid quickly and without much hassle, in contrast to paper checks, which can take time to clear and cost money to cash or deposit, or direct deposit, which requires the employee to submit additional information to the employer in order to set up.
One employer that uses payroll card accounts to distribute wages to its employees argued that acquisition should mean either the point at which a consumer affirmatively chooses to receive wages via a payroll card account, or the point at which a consumer fails to make a choice from among a previously-presented list of available payment options. According to this commenter, some employers provide payroll cards as the default payment option if an employee fails to affirmatively elect a payment option. This practice, the commenter maintained, should be allowed to continue so long as the employee is notified (and where permitted by State law).
On the other hand, a number of consumer groups stated that under current payroll card disbursement processes, there have been continuing reports of employers steering employees to select payroll card accounts as their payment method. Such reports, they maintained, show that current methods for distributing payroll cards or disclosures do not sufficiently ensure that employees have the time and information they need to evaluate or choose an alternative payment method. Relatedly, two consumer groups also argued that employees should be given a minimum number of days (seven, according to one commenter, and 30, according to the other) before they are required to select a method of payment. Other commenters did not suggest a specific point in time for defining acquisition. Rather, they urged the Bureau to define acquisition in a way that ensures employees receive the pre-acquisition disclosures earlier than they currently receive the initial account opening disclosures pursuant to Sec. 1005.7.
With respect to online acquisition, a digital wallet provider argued that the point of acquisition for a digital wallet should be the point at which the consumer's account first holds a balance, not the point at which the consumer sets up or opens the account. Prior to the point at which the account holds a balance, the commenter argued, the pre-acquisition disclosures are irrelevant and may confuse consumers and cause them to abandon the online sign-up process. In addition, the commenter urged the Bureau to revise proposed comment 18(b)(1)(i)-2 to allow digital wallet providers to collect personally identifiable information before providing the disclosures. The commenter noted that these providers have to collect certain information in order to open the account. In a similar vein, a program manager asked the Bureau to clarify that the collection of certain personally identifiable information from a consumer does not by itself constitute ``acquisition.'' The commenter provided the example of an individual who goes online and submits her name and address in order to receive more information about a prepaid product by mail. The commenter was concerned that proposed comment 18(b)(1)(i)-2 could be read to require the financial institution to provide the short and long form disclosures before the consumer submitted this information, even if the consumer was providing the information on a third-party Web site while seeking information about multiple prepaid account products.
Also with respect to online acquisition of accounts, a consumer group commenter asked the Bureau to clarify that consumers must be shown both the short form and long form prior to acquiring the account, not just provided a link to them. The commenter argued that there was a lack of clarity in proposed comment 18(b)(1)(i)-2 around this point, since the comment both states that the consumer should not be able to easily bypass the disclosures, and that the financial institution can include a link to the long form on the same Web page as it discloses the short form.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i) largely as proposed, with a technical revision. The Bureau is also adopting proposed comments 18(b)(1)(i)-1 and -2 with several revisions. First, the Bureau has added guidance in comment 18(b)(1)(i)-1 to clarify that for purposes of Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i), a consumer acquires a prepaid account by purchasing, opening, or choosing to be paid via a prepaid card. Second, the Bureau has added clarification to comment 18(b)(1)(i)-1.ii to explain that, in the context of payroll card accounts, short form and long form disclosures are provided pre-acquisition if they were provided before a consumer chose to receive wages via a payroll card. Third, the Bureau has revised comment 18(b)(1)(i)-2 to clarify that a consumer who goes online to obtain more information about a prepaid account does not acquire a prepaid account by providing personally identifiable information in the process. The comment also provides additional examples of when a consumer who acquires a prepaid account electronically receives the short form and long comments for clarity and consistency.
The Bureau is adopting Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i), as well as Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii) and (iii) discussed below, pursuant to its authority under EFTA sections 904(a) and (c), and 905(a), and section 1032(a) of the Dodd-Frank Act. As discussed above, the Bureau believes that adjustment of the timing and fee requirements and the disclosure language is necessary and proper to effectuate the purposes of EFTA to provide a framework to establish the rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of prepaid account users because the revision will assist consumers' understanding of the terms
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and conditions of their prepaid accounts.
Specifically, the Bureau has added language to comment 18(b)(1)(i)-
1 stating that a consumer acquires a prepaid account by purchasing, opening, or choosing to be paid via a prepaid account. The Bureau agrees with commenters that additional clarity was needed around the use of the term acquisition in circumstances where the consumer does not purchase the prepaid account. Accordingly, the Bureau has included such terms as ``opening'' or ``choosing to be paid'' in the commentary to clarify the point in time at which consumers acquire a prepaid account in circumstances other than the retail scenario. The Bureau is finalizing comment 18(b)(1)(i)-1.i, which includes an example of the acquisition timing requirements in the context of a bank branch, largely as proposed, with minor revisions for conformity with changes elsewhere in Sec. 1005.18(b).
For similar reasons, the Bureau has revised comment 18(b)(1)(i)-
1.ii to clarify that, in the payroll card account context, a consumer who is provided with a payroll card and the disclosures required by Sec. 1005.18(b) at the time he or she learns that he or she can receive wages via a payroll card account, but before the consumer chooses to receive wages via a payroll card account, is provided with the disclosures prior to acquisition. The final comment explains that, if a consumer receives the disclosures after the consumer receives the first payroll payment on the payroll card, those disclosures were provided post-acquisition, in violation of Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i).
As above with respect to the timing of acquisition of a government benefit card, the Bureau has attempted to strike a balance that ensures that employees receive the new disclosures early enough to inform their payment choices, thereby furthering the goals of the compulsory use prohibition in Sec. 1005.10(e)(2), while minimizing the potential disruption to current employer practices. Further, as discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.10(e)(2) above, the Bureau believes it is important that consumers have a choice with respect to how they receive their wages or salary. Accordingly, the Bureau believes it is appropriate to adopt a rule requiring financial institutions to provide their new disclosures before the consumer chooses a method of payment. Under the final rule, therefore, consumers must receive both the short form and long form disclosures (which include on the short form disclosure a notice informing consumers they have other options besides the payroll card account to receive their wages) before they choose the payment method that is best for them.
The Bureau declines to require a mandatory waiting period between the time consumers receive the disclosures and the time they are required to elect a payment method, for the reasons set forth in the section-by-section analyses of Sec. Sec. 1005.10(e)(2) and 1005.15(c) above. Specifically, the Bureau does not believe that it is necessary at this time to specify a single time period that would apply in all enrollment scenarios.
Further, the Bureau is aware that, as noted by an employer commenter and as discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.10(e)(2) above, consumers are sometimes given a choice between two or more payment alternatives, but may fail to indicate their preference. Depending on the facts and circumstances--for example, the date by which the consumer has to be paid her wages under State law--it may be reasonable for a financial institution or other person in this scenario to employ a reasonable default enrollment method. However, the Bureau is concerned about reports from consumer group commenters of employees being coerced to accept payroll card accounts as their default method of receiving wages and intends to monitor the payroll card account market for compliance with the compulsory use prohibition and will consider further action in a future rulemaking if necessary. As stated above, the Bureau also believes that by requiring the disclosures to be provided before a consumer acquires a prepaid account, the final rule will help ensure that all prepaid consumers, including employees receiving payroll card accounts, have the information they need to evaluate the prepaid account option (or options) available to them.
With respect to proposed comment 18(b)(1)(i)-2, regarding the timing for delivery of disclosures provided electronically, the Bureau understands that the digital wallet acquisition process may in some respects be different than the acquisition process for other prepaid accounts. However, the Bureau does not believe that this warrants different treatment for purposes of the timing requirement for delivery of pre-acquisition disclosures. In particular, the Bureau notes that the fact that a digital wallet consumer could receive the disclosures before the wallet holds any funds is not unique to digital wallets. Indeed, to qualify as a prepaid account, an account must be issued on a prepaid basis or be capable of being loaded with funds after acquisition.\382\ The Bureau believes that it is important that consumers are informed of the fees and other key terms that will apply to their prepaid account before they open or purchase that account, whether that account is accessed by a physical prepaid card, a digital wallet, or through some other means. Furthermore, the Bureau understands that digital wallet providers presently provide some disclosures (for instance, user agreements and privacy policies) prior to a consumer opening an account. Thus, the Bureau does not believe that requiring digital wallet providers to provide the short form and long form disclosures before the consumer opens the account should be problematic for financial institutions or confusing to consumers.
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\382\ See final Sec. 1005.2(b)(3)(i)(D)(1).
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Next, the Bureau has removed the reference in proposed comment 18(b)(1)(i)-2 to a consumer's provision of personally identifiable information. The Bureau understands that there may be scenarios in which a consumer provides personal information, such as name or address, in order to obtain more information about a particular product. Likewise, there could be instances where a consumer provides personal information for one purpose online, and that information is then used for other purposes, such as to market a prepaid account to the consumer. In either scenario, the consumer did not provide the personal information in order to acquire the prepaid account. Final comment 18(b)(1)(i)-2, therefore, no longer states that a consumer who receives the disclosures after the consumer provides personally identifiable information has received the disclosures post-acquisition. Instead, the comment states that the disclosures required by Sec. 1005.18(b) may be provided before or after a consumer has initiated the acquisition process. If the disclosures are presented after a consumer initiates the acquisition process such disclosures are made pre-
acquisition if the consumer receives them before choosing to accept the prepaid account.
Finally, with respect to consumer groups' requests that the Bureau clarify that a consumer must be shown both the short form and long form disclosures prior to a consumer's acquisition of a prepaid account through electronic means, the Bureau has added several examples in final comment 18(b)(1)(i)-2 to illustrate disclosure methods that would comply with final Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i). In the first example, set forth in new paragraph i, the
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financial institution presents the short form, long form, and Sec. 1005.18(b)(5) disclosures on the same Web page, which the consumer must view before choosing to accept the prepaid account. In the second example, set forth in new paragraph ii, the financial institution presents the short form and Sec. 1005.18(b)(5) disclosures on one Web page, together with a link that directs the consumer to a separate Web page containing the long form disclosure, which the consumer must also view before choosing to accept the prepaid account. Finally, in the third example, set forth in new paragraph iii, the financial institution presents on a Web page the short form and Sec. 1005.18(b)(5) disclosures, followed by the initial disclosures required by Sec. 1005.7(b) containing the long form disclosure in accordance with final Sec. 1005.18(f)(1), on the same Web page. The financial institution includes a link, after the short form disclosure or as part of the statement required by Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xiii), that directs the consumer to the section of the initial disclosures containing the long form disclosure. The consumer must view this Web page containing the two disclosures prior to choosing to accept the prepaid account.
These comments are intended to clarify that a consumer does not receive electronic disclosures prior to acquisition if the consumer is able to bypass some or all of the Sec. 1005.18(b) disclosures before choosing to accept the prepaid account. The Bureau agrees with the consumer group commenter that language in the proposed comment regarding whether or not the consumer could review unrelated information before reviewing the long form disclosure on a separate Web page potentially contradicted this general principle. Accordingly, the Bureau has removed that language from the commentary to the final rule.
In addition to the revisions discussed above, the Bureau is finalizing certain other minor changes to comments 18(b)(1)(i)-1 and -2 for clarity and consistency.
18(b)(1)(ii) Disclosures for Prepaid Accounts Acquired in Retail Locations
The Bureau's Proposal
The Bureau proposed an adjustment to the general pre-acquisition timing requirement where consumers acquired prepaid accounts in retail stores. Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii) would have permitted financial institutions to employ an alternative method of delivering the long form disclosure. Under this alternative timing regime, a financial institution would have been permitted to provide the long form disclosure in writing after the consumer acquired a prepaid account as long as three conditions were met, as discussed below.
In the proposal, the Bureau stated its belief that in many cases it was not feasible for financial institutions that offered prepaid accounts in retail stores to provide printed long form disclosures prior to acquisition. For example, due to size and space limitations on standard J-hook display racks, the Bureau believed that many financial institutions would not have been able to present both the short form and long form disclosures required by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) and (ii) on the packaging without overhauling the packaging's design or otherwise adjusting the relevant retail space.
Nevertheless, the Bureau believed it was important that consumers be provided an opportunity to review both the short form and long form disclosures before acquisition. Thus, proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii) would have permitted a financial institution to provide the long form disclosure after a consumer acquired a prepaid account in person in a retail store, as long as three conditions were met. Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii)(A) would have set forth the first condition: That the access device for the prepaid account available for sale in a retail store had to be inside of a packaging material. This condition would have applied even if the product, when sold, was only a temporary access device. Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii)(B) would have set forth the second condition: That the short form disclosures required by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) had to be provided on or be visible through an outward-facing, external surface of a prepaid account access device's packaging material in the tabular format described in proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(iii). The Bureau believed that financial institutions offering the majority of current prepaid accounts at retail would be able to satisfy this condition without altering the structure of the existing packaging.
The third condition, set forth in proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii)(C), would have required that a financial institution include the telephone number and URL a consumer could use to access the long form disclosure while in a retail store on the short form disclosure, as required by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(11). The Bureau believed that consumers should at least be able to access the long form disclosure by telephone or via a Web site, should they want to obtain comprehensive fee information. The Bureau believed that many consumers had the ability to access a Web site through the URL that would be listed on the short form disclosure when shopping for a prepaid account, but nonetheless also proposed that when a financial institution did not disclose the long form disclosure before a consumer acquired a prepaid account, the financial institution had to also make the long form disclosure available to a consumer by telephone. The Bureau acknowledged that it might be complicated for financial institutions to provide the long form disclosure by telephone. Further, the Bureau acknowledged that it may be harder for a consumer to understand the information in the long form disclosure when delivered orally. Nevertheless, the Bureau believed that if a consumer took the affirmative step to request additional information about a prepaid account by telephone when shopping in a retail store, it may have been more likely that the consumer was seeking out specific information not included on the short form disclosure, and that such a consumer would therefore be less likely to suffer from information overload.
Proposed comment 18(b)(1)(ii)-1 would have provided guidance on the definition of retail store. Specifically, proposed comment 18(b)(1)(ii)-1 would have explained that, for purposes of the proposed requirements of Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii), a retail store was a location where a consumer could obtain a prepaid account in person and that was operated by an entity other than a financial institution or an agent of the financial institution. Proposed comment 18(b)(1)(ii)-1 would have further clarified that a bank or credit union branch was not a retail store, but that drug stores and grocery stores at which a consumer can acquire a prepaid account could be retail stores. Proposed comment 18(b)(1)(ii)-1 would have also clarified that a retail store that offered one financial institution's prepaid account products exclusively would be considered an agent of the financial institution, and, thus, both the short form and the long form disclosure would need to be provided pre-acquisition pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i) in such settings.
The Bureau believed that if a financial institution was the sole provider of prepaid accounts in a given retail store, or was otherwise an agent of the financial institution, then it would be easier for the financial institution to manage the distribution of disclosures to consumers. The Bureau believed that financial institutions with such exclusive relationships should have fewer hurdles to providing both the
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short form and long form disclosures to a consumer before acquisition. Nevertheless, the Bureau sought comment on whether agents of the financial institution faced space constraints in retail stores that would have made it difficult to provide the short form and long form disclosures pre-acquisition.
Proposed comment 18(b)(1)(ii)-2 would have explained that disclosures were considered to have been provided post-acquisition if they were inside the packaging material accompanying a prepaid account access device that a consumer could not see or access before acquiring the prepaid account, or if it was not readily apparent to a consumer that he or she had the ability to access the disclosures inside of the packaging material. Proposed comment 18(b)(1)(ii)-2 would also provide the example that if the packaging material is presented in a way that consumers would assume they must purchase the prepaid account before they can open the packaging material, the financial institution would be deemed to have provided disclosures post-acquisition.
Proposed comment 18(b)(1)(ii)-3 would have explained that a payroll card account offered to and accepted by consumers working in retail stores would not have been considered a prepaid account acquired in a retail store for purposes of proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii), and thus, a consumer would have had to receive the short form and long form disclosures pre-acquisition pursuant to the timing requirement set forth in proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i). The Bureau explained that it did not believe that there were space constraints involved in offering payroll card accounts to retail store employees. Finally, proposed comment 18(b)(1)(ii)-4 would have clarified that pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii)(C), a financial institution could make the long form accessible to a consumer by telephone and by a Web site by, for example, providing the long form disclosure by telephone using an interactive voice response system or by using a customer service agent.
Comments Received
Industry commenters overwhelmingly supported the proposed retail store exception. Despite this general support, however, a large number of industry commenters, including issuing banks, program managers, trade associations, a payment network, and an advocacy organization advocating on behalf of business interests, generally opposed the proposition that neither financial institutions nor their agents could qualify for the proposed retail store exception. These commenters argued that the exclusion of financial institutions and their agents was unnecessary and did not reflect compliance and market realities. Specifically, the commenters asserted that the location of acquisition should not dictate the type of disclosure the consumer receive since, they said, the constraints of providing the long form disclosure in any in-person environment are the same. Thus, they argued, there is no basis for distinguishing between large retailers that carry multiple prepaid account programs and small retailers, who may have no choice but to carry only one financial institution's products, nor between retail stores and bank and credit union branches who may also sell prepaid accounts on J-hooks or in J-hook-style packaging. One program manager argued that the Bureau's failure to distinguish in this context between banks that issue prepaid accounts and smaller financial institutions, like credit unions or smaller banks, that only sell prepaid accounts issued by others, is inequitable in that it places a greater compliance burden on smaller institutions than comparable retailers would face. These commenters urged the Bureau to expand the application of the retail store exception to more or all in-person sales of prepaid accounts.
A subset of these commenters objected specifically to the proposed commentary stating that an entity is an agent of the financial institution for purposes of proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii) if it exclusively sells one financial institution's prepaid account products. These commenters argued that agency status should be an issue determined under State law. They explained that, under several States' laws, a financial institution must appoint any store that sells its products as its agent, which would make such store ineligible for the retail store exception as proposed. Commenters also argued that the exclusive retailer exclusion would be difficult to enforce. For example, they noted that retailers may not be aware that they were selling prepaid accounts from only one financial institution, especially as retailers often deal with a program manager rather than directly with the financial institution itself. The commenters also listed several circumstances under which a retail store could unwittingly become disqualified from the proposed retail store exception by inadvertently offering only that financial institution's prepaid accounts, including, for example, if a retail store offers two financial institutions' prepaid accounts, but the supply of one financial institution's products runs out.
Few consumer groups commented on this issue, but those that did, along with the office of a State Attorney General, opposed the retail store exception generally. They urged the Bureau to instead require that the long form disclosure be provided prior to acquisition in all scenarios because, they argued, consumers are more likely to pay attention to information disclosed on a physical form than on a Web site. They further noted that financial institutions could develop viable alternative disclosure methods that would allow them to disclose physical copies of both the short form and the long form prior to acquisition as part of the prepaid card package--for example, the long form could be disclosed under a flap that could be secured to the package with a Velcro tab. These commenters did not comment, however, on the types of entities that should qualify for the retail store exception if the Bureau were to adopt such a regime in the final rule.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii) with modifications to the situations that qualify for the alternative timing regime for delivery of the long form disclosure for prepaid accounts sold at retail. In general, under the final rule, the alternative timing regime applies when a consumer acquires a prepaid account in person at a retail location, without regard to whether the location is operated by an agent of the financial institution. The final rule also clarifies, however, that financial institutions selling prepaid accounts in their own branches qualify for the exception only with respect to prepaid accounts that they do not themselves issue. Finally, the Bureau has made several minor revisions to Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii) and its commentary for clarity and consistency.
The Bureau has considered whether, as some consumer group commenters suggested, it might be more beneficial for consumers to see all of a prepaid account's fees pre-acquisition for prepaid accounts in all acquisition scenarios including at retail to avoid putting the burden on consumers to seek out additional information. The Bureau declines, however, to revise the proposed alternative timing regime for prepaid accounts sold at retail in this way, for the reasons discussed below. The Bureau also declines to permit post-acquisition disclosure of the long form in all in-person acquisition scenarios, as some industry commenters requested.
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The Bureau continues to believe that consumers benefit from receiving both the short form and the long form disclosures in writing prior to acquisition, because the disclosures serve different but complementary goals. See the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b) above for a detailed discussion of the reasons the Bureau is generally requiring that financial institutions provide both the short form and the long form disclosures pre-acquisition.
However, the Bureau is cognizant of the potentially significant cost to industry of providing the long form disclosure prior to acquisition at retail and the packaging adjustments that including such a disclosure would likely require based on the space constraints for products sold at retail. Specifically, commenters have confirmed the Bureau's understanding that, if it were to finalize a requirement that the long form disclosure be provided in writing prior to acquisition of a prepaid account in a retail environment, financial institutions would have to undertake a significant overhaul of current packaging designs.\383\ As such, the Bureau continues to believe that such packaging adjustments would result in significant expense to industry and would likely increase the cost of prepaid accounts and limit the diversity of options available to consumers shopping for prepaid accounts at retail (assuming retailers maintain the same overall space for the display and sale of all prepaid accounts that they have now).
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\383\ As some consumer group commenters recognized, the only way a printed long form could be incorporated into the current packaging design is by adding additional material and functionality to the package. As the Bureau noted in the proposal, adding material to prepaid card packaging could limit the number of packages retailers could sell on J-hook displays. See 79 FR 77102, 77153 (Dec. 23, 2014).
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To balance these considerations, the Bureau has revised Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii) and its commentary to broaden in certain respects the type of entity that qualifies for the retail location exception set forth in Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii). Under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii), therefore, a financial institution is not required to provide the long form disclosures before a consumer acquires a prepaid account in person at a retail location; provided the following conditions are met: (A) The prepaid account access device is contained inside the packaging material; (B) the short form disclosures are provided on or are visible through an outward-facing, external surface of a prepaid account access device's packaging material; (C) the short form disclosures include the information set forth in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xiii) that allows a consumer to access the long form disclosure by telephone and via a Web site; and (D) the long form disclosures are provided after the consumer acquires the prepaid account.
The Bureau is persuaded that, in certain cases, the constraints that apply in retail stores--limited space, distribution of disclosures by someone other than the financial institution that issues the prepaid account--could also apply in the context of other in-person acquisition scenarios, such as in the branches of banks and credit unions that sell another financial institution's prepaid accounts. Accordingly, the Bureau is revising Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii) and its commentary to broaden the scope of the retail exception by referring to a retail location rather than a retail store. The Bureau does not believe that this shift in approach undermines the consumer protections offered by the Bureau's pre-acquisition disclosure regime generally. Rather, the Bureau continues to believe that its alternative timing regime, with certain modifications described below, strikes an appropriate balance by providing consumers with--or with access to--important disclosures before acquiring a prepaid account while recognizing the packaging and other constraints faced by financial institutions when selling prepaid accounts at retail. Further, the Bureau notes that the conditions placed on a financial institution's ability to use the exemption--
including that the short form disclosure appear on the outside of the packaging containing the card and list a telephone number and Web site URL the consumer can use to access the long form disclosure \384\--
should ensure that most consumers have access to comprehensive fee information while they shop.
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\384\ See final Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii)(A) through (D).
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The Bureau has revised comment 18(b)(1)(ii)-1 to remove the commentary stating that a retail store must be operated by an entity other than a financial institution or a financial institution's agent, and giving specific examples of what type of entities would or would not qualify as retail stores. Instead, final comment 18(b)(1)(ii)-1 states that, for purposes of final Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii), a retail location is a store or other physical site where a consumer can purchase a prepaid account in person and that is operated by an entity other than the financial institution that issues the prepaid account.
The Bureau continues to believe, however, that a financial institution selling its own prepaid accounts does not face the same challenges as in other retail locations, and in particular that it is far less difficult for such a financial institution to manage the distribution of disclosures to consumers. In addition, the Bureau believes it is unlikely that any financial institution selling its own prepaid accounts in its own branches also offers prepaid accounts issued by other financial institutions. The Bureau also understands, as stated in the proposal, that financial institutions selling their own prepaid accounts may be less dependent on the J-hook infrastructure to market their products to consumers. Thus, the Bureau believes it is still appropriate to exclude from the retail location exception financial institutions that sell their own prepaid accounts. Accordingly, the Bureau has revised comment 18(b)(1)(ii)-1 to clarify that a branch of a financial institution that offers its own prepaid accounts is not a retail location with respect to those accounts and, thus, both the short form and the long form disclosure must be provided pre-acquisition pursuant to the timing requirements set forth in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i).
Next, the Bureau is adopting new Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii)(D) to make clear that, to qualify for the retail location exception, the financial institution must provide the long form disclosure after the consumer acquires the prepaid account. Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii) would have permitted a financial institution, under certain conditions, to provide the long form disclosure after acquisition, but left open a possible interpretation that the financial institution could forego delivering the long form disclosure altogether, which was not the Bureau's intent. For clarity, therefore, the Bureau is adopting Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii)(D) to make delivery of the long form disclosure after acquisition an explicit requirement in Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii). The new provision does not set forth a specific time by which the long form disclosure must be provided after acquisition. In practice, however, the Bureau expects that compliance with final Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii)(D) will typically be accomplished in conjunction with compliance with final Sec. 1005.18(f)(1), which provides that a financial institution must include, as part of the initial disclosures given pursuant to Sec. 1005.7, all of the disclosures required by Sec. 1005.18(b)(4). The initial disclosures required by Sec. 1005.7 must be provided prior to a consumer contracting for an EFT service or before the first EFT involving the account.
Relatedly, the Bureau has removed the portion of proposed comment
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18(b)(1)(ii)-2 that would have provided an example of when prepaid disclosures provided inside packaging material are provided post-
acquisition, because it believes the other provisions of the rule make clear that, other than as set forth in the retail location exception in Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii), the short form and long form disclosures must both be provided to a consumer prior to acquiring the prepaid account. The Bureau is otherwise finalizing comment 18(b)(1)(ii)-2, as well as comments 18(b)(1)(ii)-3 and -4, generally as proposed with minor modifications for clarity and consistency, as well as conforming changes to reflect the numbering changes elsewhere in Sec. 1005.18(b).
18(b)(1)(iii) Disclosures for Prepaid Accounts Acquired Orally by Telephone
Similar to the proposed alternative for retail stores, the Bureau proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(iii) to provide that before a consumer acquired a prepaid account orally by telephone, a financial institution would have to disclose orally the short form information that would have been required by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i). Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(iii) would have further stated that a financial institution could provide a written or electronic long form disclosure required by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ii) after a consumer acquired a prepaid account orally by telephone if the financial institution communicated to a consumer orally, before a consumer acquired the prepaid account, that the information required to be disclosed by Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ii) was available orally by telephone and on a Web site. The Bureau believed that as long as consumers were made aware of their ability to access the information contained in the long form disclosure, they would be able to get enough information to make an informed acquisition decision. Those who wished to learn more about the prepaid account could do so, and financial institutions would not be unduly burdened by having to provide the long form disclosure orally to all consumers who acquire prepaid accounts by telephone. A version of the long form disclosure, however, would have still been required to be provided after acquisition in the prepaid account's initial disclosures, pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(f).
Proposed comment 18(b)(1)(iii)-1 would have explained that, for purposes of proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(iii), a prepaid account was considered to have been acquired orally by telephone when a consumer spoke to a customer service agent or communicated with an automated system, such as an interactive voice response system, to provide personally identifiable payment information to acquire a prepaid account, but would have clarified that prepaid accounts acquired using a mobile device without speaking to a customer service agent or communicating with an automated system were not considered to have been acquired orally by telephone. The Bureau believed that, if a consumer used a smartphone to access a mobile application to acquire a prepaid account, and did not receive disclosures about the prepaid account orally, the disclosures could be provided electronically pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(i)(B). The Bureau believed that in such a scenario the logistical challenges justifying an alternative timing requirement for accounts acquired orally by telephone were not present.
Proposed comment 18(b)(1)(iii)-2 would have explained how disclosures provided orally could comply with the pre-acquisition timing requirement in proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i). Specifically, proposed comment 18(b)(1)(iii)-2 would have clarified that to comply with the pre-acquisition requirement set forth in proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i) for prepaid accounts acquired orally by telephone, a financial institution may, for example, read the disclosures required under proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) over the telephone after a consumer had initiated the purchase of a prepaid account by calling the financial institution, but before a consumer agreed to acquire the prepaid account. Proposed comment 18(b)(1)(iii)-2 would have also explained that although the disclosure required by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ii) was not required to be given pre-acquisition when a consumer acquired a prepaid account orally by telephone, a financial institution would still have to communicate to a consumer that the long form disclosure was available upon request, either orally by telephone or on a Web site. Finally, the proposed comment would have clarified that a financial institution must provide information on all fees in the terms and conditions as required by existing Sec. 1005.7(b)(5), as modified by proposed Sec. 1005.18(f), before the first EFT was made from a consumer's prepaid account.
One consumer group commenter urged the Bureau to provide consumers who acquire a prepaid account by telephone or electronically the option of receiving written disclosures by mail upon request. The Bureau notes that consumers acquiring prepaid accounts through these methods must still receive the initial disclosures required by Sec. 1005.7, which, as modified by final Sec. 1005.18(f)(1), must include all of the information required to be disclosed in its pre-acquisition long form disclosure pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(4). Accordingly, the Bureau does not believe it is necessary to separately provide consumers the right to request a written copy of information they are already required to receive under existing Sec. 1005.7 and final Sec. 1005.18(f)(1).
The Bureau is therefore adopting Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(iii) and its related commentary largely as proposed, with a few minor revisions. Under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(iii), a financial institution is not required to provide the long form disclosure required by Sec. 1005.18(b)(4) before a consumer acquires a prepaid account orally by telephone if the following conditions are met: (A) The financial institution communicates to the consumer orally, before the consumer acquires the prepaid account, that the long form disclosure is available both by telephone and on a Web site; (B) the financial institution makes the long form disclosure available both by telephone and on a Web site; and (C) the long form disclosures are provided after the consumer acquires the prepaid account.
The Bureau continues to believe that it is appropriate to modify the proposed general pre-acquisition disclosure requirements when a consumer acquires a prepaid account orally by telephone, and that requiring disclosure of only limited information by telephone will increase the likelihood that a consumer will understand any information about the prepaid account when acquiring it orally by telephone. The Bureau believes that, since the final rule mandates that consumers be made aware of their ability to access the information contained in the long form disclosure, consumers will have access to enough information to make an informed acquisition decision.
As stated above, the Bureau is finalizing several modifications to Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(iii) and its commentary. First, the Bureau has added language to comment 18(b)(1)(iii)-2 to clarify that a financial institution can meet the requirements of final Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(iii) by providing the required disclosures over the telephone using an interactive voice response or similar system. Second, for the same reason the Bureau is adopting new Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii)(D) above, the Bureau is adopting new Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(iii)(C) to clarify that, to qualify for the telephone exception, the financial institution would have to provide the long form disclosure after
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the consumer acquires the prepaid account. Again, while this new provision does not set forth a specific time by which the long form disclosure must be provided after acquisition, the Bureau expects that compliance with Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(iii)(C) will typically be accomplished through delivery of the long form disclosure as part of the initial disclosures required by Sec. 1005.7, in accordance with final Sec. 1005.18(f)(1). Finally, the Bureau has made certain other revisions to Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(iii) and its commentary to streamline and clarify the language therein.
18(b)(2) Short Form Disclosure Content
Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2) would have consisted solely of a heading, with the substantive content requirements for the Bureau's proposed prepaid account pre-acquisition disclosure regime located under proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) for the short form disclosure and proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ii) for the long form disclosure. The regulatory text of proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) would have consisted of a general statement that would have required that the fees, information, and notices that would have been set forth in the regulatory provisions under proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) be provided in the short form disclosure.
The Bureau has relocated the regulatory text and commentary from proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) to the final rule in Sec. 1005.18(b)(2) (with certain modifications as discussed below).\385\ In keeping with this relocation, the discussion of the Bureau's proposal and comments received regarding the regulatory text and comments of proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) are incorporated into this section-by-
section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2) (except the overall description of the proposed short form disclosure, which can be found in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b) above).
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\385\ See the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b) above for a general discussion of the reorganization of the final rule.
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The Bureau's Proposal
Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) would have required that, before a consumer acquires a prepaid account, a financial institution provide a short form disclosure containing specific information about the prepaid account, including certain notices, fees, and other information, as applicable.
Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)-1 would have explained what a provider should disclose on the short form when fees are inapplicable to a particular prepaid account product or are $0. Specifically, the proposed comment would have said that the disclosures required by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) must always be provided prior to prepaid account acquisition, even when a particular disclosure is not applicable to a specific prepaid account. The proposed comment would have also provided an example that if a financial institution does not charge a fee to a consumer for withdrawing money at an ATM in the financial institution's network or an affiliated network, which is a type of fee that would have been required to be disclosed pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(3), the financial institution should list ``ATM withdrawal (in network)'' on the short form disclosure and list ``$0'' as the fee. Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)-1 would have further clarified, however, that if the financial institution does not allow a consumer to withdraw money from ATMs that are in the financial institution's network or from those in an affiliated network, it should still list ``ATM withdrawal (in-network)'' and ``ATM withdrawal (out-
of-network)'' on the short form disclosure and state ``not offered'' or ``N/A.'' The Bureau believed it important that the static portion of the short form disclosure list identical account features and fee types across all prepaid account products, to create standardization in order to enable consumers to quickly determine and compare the potential cost of certain offered features.
The Bureau also proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)-2 to further explain how to disclose fees and features on the short form disclosure. Specifically, the proposed comment would have explained that no more than two fees may be disclosed for each fee type required to be listed by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(2), (3), and (5) in the short form disclosure (that is, the per purchase fee, the ATM withdrawal fee, and the ATM balance inquiry fee), and that only one fee may be disclosed for each fee type required to be disclosed by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(1), (4), (6), (7), and (8) (that is, the periodic fee, the cash reload fee, the customer service fee, the inactivity fee, and the incidence-based fees). The proposed comment would have clarified, however, that proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8) would have required the disclosure of up to three additional fee types. Finally, the proposed comment would have provided the example that, if a financial institution offers more than one method for loading cash into a prepaid account, only the fee for the method that will charge the highest fee should be disclosed, and the financial institution may use an asterisk or other symbol next to the cash reload fee disclosed to indicate that the fee may be lower. Finally, the proposed comment would have provided a cross-reference to proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(C)-1.
As the Bureau explained in the proposal, the Bureau believed that simplicity and clarity are important goals for the short form disclosure, particularly in light of the space constraints imposed in retail settings. Insofar as allowing complicated explanations and multiple different fees to be disclosed for a particular feature could disrupt those goals, the Bureau thus proposed that for most fees on the short form, a financial institution only be permitted to list one fee--
the highest fee a consumer could incur for a particular activity. The Bureau noted that these limitations would only apply to the short form disclosure; the financial institution could use any other portion of the packaging material or Web site to disclose other relevant fees at its discretion, and would be required to disclose the other variations on the long form.
The Bureau also believed there was particular value in maintaining simplicity on the short form by limiting the top-line portion of the form in order to encourage consumer engagement with the disclosure. Thus, the Bureau proposed to require only four fee types in the top line. For two of those fee types--per purchase fees and ATM withdrawal fees--the Bureau also proposed to require disclosure of two fee values. The Bureau believed that it is important to include two per purchase fees--a per purchase fee when a consumer uses a signature and a per purchase fee when a consumer uses a PIN--because consumers could potentially incur these fees every time they use their prepaid accounts, and the fee could vary depending on how a consumer completes the transaction. The Bureau believed including two per purchase fees would highlight for consumers that the fees for completing a transaction using a PIN versus the fee for using a signature could differ. Similarly, the Bureau believed that it is important to include two ATM withdrawal fees in order to highlight that fees for in-network and out-of-network transactions may differ and to signal to consumers that the product's ATM network may have an impact on the fee incurred, which could lead a consumer to seek out more information about the relevant network. The Bureau noted that in its pre-proposal consumer testing, some participants were
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confused about the meaning of an ATM network.
By contrast, the Bureau proposed to allow only one periodic fee and one cash reload fee to be listed in the top line of the short form. The Bureau acknowledged that both of these fees might also vary based, for example, on how often a consumer uses a prepaid account or the method used to reload cash into a prepaid account. Despite this possibility for variation, however, the Bureau believed consumers would benefit more from immediately seeing the two ways the per purchase and ATM withdrawal fees may vary.
Comments Received
Comments received regarding the Bureau's proposed pre-acquisition disclosing regime generally, including those regarding the short form disclosure as a whole, are addressed in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b) above. Comments received that address specific disclosure requirements in the short form disclosure are addressed in the section-by-section analysis that corresponds to each specific disclosure requirement. Comments received regarding proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)-1 (regarding how to disclose features that are inapplicable or free) are discussed below.
Several industry commenters, including program managers, an issuing credit union, a payment network, and an industry trade association, recommended against requiring disclosure of inapplicable fees. They said such disclosures would take up valuable space on the short form and it would confuse consumers to inform them about fees and services that are not offered, especially for non-reloadable prepaid products and government benefits prepaid cards which, the commenters said, do not charge monthly, per purchase, or cash reload fees. Conversely, two consumer groups, a program manager, and an issuing bank supported the disclosure of inapplicable fees as providing a quick and accurate basis for comparison across prepaid accounts. Another program manager and issuing bank both supported the disclosure of inapplicable fees but recommended requiring ``not applicable'' instead of ``N/A'' to clarify to consumers that the service itself, not the fee, is inapplicable. One of the consumer groups said ``N/A'' was confusing and recommended disclosing ``not offered'' instead.
One issuing bank and an industry trade association recommended against disclosing when no fee is charged. The bank recommended this specifically for the fees that do not appear in the top line because it said they are not commonly charged and the space in the short form could be used for more commonly-charged fees. The bank recommended listing the required fees if there is a charge but, if there is no charge, permitting the issuer to decide what fee to display. A program manager recommended eliminating the ``$0'' fee requirement for government benefit accounts for fees that do not apply to such accounts.\386\
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\386\ The Bureau notes that for fees for features that are not available for such accounts, the disclosure made in the short form would be ``N/A'' not ``$0.''
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The Final Rule
As noted above, to simplify the structure of the final rule, the Bureau has modified proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2) and (2)(i), to locate the content requirements for the short form disclosure in the final rule under Sec. 1005.18(b)(2). Also, for reasons set forth below, the Bureau is adopting revisions to proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)-1, renumbered as comment 18(b)(2)-1. Second, the Bureau is not finalizing proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)-2 regarding the number of fees to disclose, as this comment would have repeated information found elsewhere in the final regulatory text and commentary. Finally, the Bureau is adopting new comment 18(b)(2)-2 regarding the prohibition on disclosure of finance charges in the short form.
The Bureau has made both substantive and technical modifications to comment 18(b)(2)-1 to clarify the explanation and examples in the proposed comment that required fees must always be disclosed in the short form--even when the financial institution does not charge a fee or does not offer the feature, in which case the financial institution would disclose ``$0'' or ``N/A,'' respectively, as applicable. Although some commenters opposed a requirement to disclose a fee when there is no charge or the feature is not offered, the Bureau is adopting this requirement in the final rule to preserve standardization among short forms such that consumers can see when a feature is offered for free or is not offered at all to better compare prepaid accounts and inform consumer purchase and use decisions. The Bureau recognizes that many payroll card accounts and government benefit accounts do not currently charge certain fees or offer certain features required to be disclosed in the short form, but is finalizing the rule as proposed to allow consumers to compare payroll card accounts or government benefit accounts with their own prepaid accounts or prepaid accounts they may acquire to receive their benefits or wages.
The Bureau's post-proposal consumer testing revealed that nearly all participants understood both ``N/A'' and ``not offered'' when disclosed in place of a required fee for features not offered by a financial institution.\387\ However, in order to achieve a greater degree of standardization across short form disclosures, the Bureau is finalizing the rule to require disclosure of ``N/A,'' but not ``not offered,'' when a financial institution does not offer a feature for which a fee is required to be disclosed in the short form. The Bureau believes this single standardized approach is shorter, simpler, and clearer for consumers to use to compare fees and information in the short form across prepaid accounts. Thus, final comment 18(b)(2)-1 clarifies that ``N/A'' is the required disclosure when a financial institution does not offer a feature for which a fee is required to be disclosed in the short form.
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\387\ See ICF Report II at 17 and 27.
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The Bureau is adopting new comment 18(b)(2)-2, which clarifies that pursuant to new Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(vi), a financial institution may not include in the short form disclosure finance charges as described in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4(b)(11) imposed in connection with a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in Sec. 1026.61. The comment also cross-references new comment 18(b)(3)(vi)-1.
18(b)(2)(i) Periodic Fee
The Bureau's Proposal
Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(1) would have required disclosure of a periodic fee charged for holding a prepaid account, assessed on a monthly or other periodic basis, using the term ``Monthly fee,'' ``Annual fee,'' or a substantially similar term. The proposal stated the provision was intended to capture regular maintenance fees that a financial institution levies on a consumer solely for having a prepaid account for a period of time, whether the fee is charged monthly, annually, or for some other period of time. A financial institution could choose a label for this fee that accurately reflects the relevant periodic interval. Pursuant to the formatting requirements in proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(4), a financial institution would have been required to disclose this fee in the top line of the short form disclosure.
The proposal set forth the following reasons for the Bureau's proposed
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requirement that financial institutions disclose the presence or absence of a periodic fee as the first item in the short form. First, the Bureau's analysis of fee data indicated that many prepaid accounts charge a recurring fee, typically on a monthly basis. Second, the Bureau believed a periodic fee is one that consumers will likely pay no matter what other fees they incur because it is imposed for maintaining the prepaid account, unless a financial institution offers a way for a consumer to avoid that fee (e.g., through the receipt of a regular direct deposit or maintaining a certain average daily account balance). Those prepaid accounts that do not assess a periodic fee often charge other fees instead, typically per purchase fees.\388\ The Bureau therefore believed that the lack of a periodic fee is also an important feature of a prepaid account that should be included in the top line to allow consumers to more easily identify this trade-off between periodic fees and per purchase fees. Third, the Bureau believed that the existence of a monthly fee (or lack thereof) is typically a key factor in a consumer's decision about whether to acquire a particular prepaid account. Additionally, the Bureau's pre-proposal consumer testing showed that participants frequently cited periodic fees as one of the most important factors influencing their decision about which prepaid account to acquire.
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\388\ The Bureau also proposed to require the disclosure of per purchase fees on the top line of the short form. As discussed in greater detail below, the Bureau is finalizing the per purchase fee disclosure mostly as proposed, including locating it in the top line of the short form. See the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ii) below.
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Comments Received
No commenter opposed disclosure of the periodic fee, though an issuing bank requested that the Bureau permit disclosure in the short form of the conditions under which a financial institution may waive the periodic fee and many other commenters urged more generally to provide latitude to financial institutions to disclose conditions for waiver or reduction of all listed fees.\389\ An office of a State Attorney General recommended that the Bureau ban periodic fees for payroll card accounts, but otherwise supported the disclosure required by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(1).
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\389\ These comments are addressed in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(3) below.
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The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(1), renumbered as Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i), with minor technical modifications for conformity and clarity. Also, for the reasons set forth below, the Bureau is adopting comment 18(b)(2)(i)-1.
The Bureau is finalizing the requirement that financial institutions disclose the periodic fee as the first fee on the short form disclosure because it is a virtually universal charge and, even if a per purchase fee is incurred instead of the periodic fee, the Bureau continues to believe that consumers should be apprised of the trade-off between the two pricing schemes.
The Bureau agrees that it may be particularly important for consumers to be aware of waivers and discounts of the periodic fee, and thus is adopting a new provision in the final rule that permits financial institutions to disclose, in addition to the highest fee, conditions under which the periodic fee may vary. While final Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(i) requires disclosure of the highest fee when a fee can vary, final Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(ii) permits a financial institution to disclose a waiver of or reduction in the fee amount for the periodic fee in language lower down in the short form disclosure. See the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(3) below for a discussion of the comments received and analysis leading to the adoption of this alternative for the periodic fee.
To clarify the specific applicability of final Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(i) and (ii) to the periodic fee disclosure required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i), the Bureau is adopting new comment 18(b)(2)(i)-1. Comment 18(b)(2)(i)-1 states that, if the amount of a fee disclosed on the short form could vary, the financial institution must disclose in the short form the information required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(i). If the amount of the periodic fee could vary, the financial institution may opt instead to use an alternative disclosure pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(ii). The Bureau is adopting this comment to direct attention to the alternative disclosure of the periodic fee in the short form permitted by Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(ii).
With regard to the comment recommending that the Bureau ban the periodic fee for payroll card accounts, such a request is outside the scope of this rulemaking.
18(b)(2)(ii) Per Purchase Fee
Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(2) would have required disclosure of two fees for making a purchase using a prepaid account, both for when a consumer uses a PIN and when a consumer provides a signature, including at point-of-sale terminals, by telephone, on a Web site, or by any other means, using the term ``Per purchase fee'' or a substantially similar term, and ``with PIN'' or ``with sig.,'' or substantially similar terms.
The proposal explained that, although the Bureau understands that most prepaid accounts do not charge per transaction fees for purchases of goods or services from a merchant, some do. The Bureau said that the impact of these fees could be substantial for consumers who make multiple purchases. Often these fees are charged when periodic fees are not, and thus a consumer may be choosing between a prepaid account that has no monthly fee but charges for each purchase and a prepaid account that has a monthly fee but no per purchase charge. Therefore, the Bureau believed it appropriate for all prepaid accounts to disclose on the short form both whether there is a per purchase fee and, if so, the fee for making those purchases. Proposed Model Forms A-10(a) through (d) would have disclosed the per purchase fees on the top line of the short form.
The Bureau's proposed rule further recognized that a handful of prepaid accounts charge a different per purchase fee depending on whether the purchase is processed as a signature or PIN transaction. While PIN debit transactions require input of the accountholder's PIN code at the time of authorization of the transaction, for a signature transaction, the accountholder may sign for the transaction but does not need to enter his or her PIN code. The Bureau therefore proposed model forms for prepaid accounts that disclose both fees for these two authorization methods.
No commenters objected to inclusion of per purchase fees generally in the short form disclosure. An industry trade association, an issuing bank, and a program manager commented on the relevance of requiring the separate disclosure of per purchase fees for PIN and signature. These commenters said that such methods may become obsolete with the evolution of new cardholder verification methods (CVMs) and that many current transactions do not technically require either PIN or signature, such as online purchases. These commenters, plus another industry trade association and the office of a State Attorney General, suggested permitting disclosure of one per purchase fee if the PIN and signature fees are the same. The office of a State Attorney General also urged the Bureau to ban per purchase fees for payroll card accounts.
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(2), renumbered as
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Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ii), with certain modifications as described below. Because a per purchase fee could be significant for consumers who make multiple purchases with their prepaid card, the Bureau continues to believe it appropriate for all prepaid accounts to disclose on the short form whether there is a per purchase fee and, if so, the fee for making a purchase. However, the Bureau understands that most prepaid accounts do not charge fees for each purchase transaction and, for those that do, the Bureau believes that distinguishing between PIN and signature when other methods of cardholder verification may now or in the future be available may be confusing to consumers. The Bureau further understands that new cardholder verification methods are rapidly evolving. For these reasons, the Bureau believes disclosure of the breakdown of specific per purchase fees has less consumer benefit than disclosure of one per purchase fee, i.e., the highest fee charged for making a purchase as required pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(i), which is discussed in detail below. Thus, the Bureau is finalizing this provision as proposed, except it is requiring disclosure of only a single fee for making a purchase using the prepaid account instead of requiring disclosure of two fees (both for when a consumer uses a PIN and when a consumer uses a signature to verify the purchase). The Bureau has also made other technical revisions to this provision for clarity.
With regard to the comment recommending that the Bureau ban per purchase fees for payroll card accounts, such a request is outside the scope of this rulemaking.
18(b)(2)(iii) ATM Withdrawal Fees
The Bureau's Proposal
Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(3) would have addressed disclosure on the short form of ATM fees for withdrawing cash. Specifically, proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(3) would have required disclosure of two fees for using an ATM to initiate a withdrawal of cash in the United States from a prepaid account, both within and outside of the financial institution's network or a network affiliated with the financial institution, using the term ``ATM withdrawal fee'' or a substantially similar term, and ``in-network'' or ``out-of-
network,'' or substantially similar terms. Proposed Model Forms A-10(a) through (d) would have disclosed these ATM withdrawal fees on the top line of the short form.
The Bureau understood that the ATM fees for most prepaid accounts differ depending on whether the ATM is in a network of which the financial institution that issued the card is a member or an affiliate. Insofar as accessing ATM networks of which the issuing financial institution is not a member or an affiliate often costs the financial institution more, it typically charges a higher fee to a consumer for using that out-of-network ATM. Given that such potential variances are common, the Bureau believed that disclosure of fees for both in- and out-of-network ATMs withdrawals is important. Although the Bureau noted in the proposal that many participants during its pre-proposal consumer testing were unfamiliar with the difference between ``in-network'' and ``out-of-network'' ATMs, the Bureau believed the inclusion of these two fees on the top line of the proposed short form would highlight for consumers that such fee variations can occur and the importance of understanding the ATM network associated with a particular prepaid account program.
Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(3)-1 would have clarified that, if the fee imposed on the consumer for using an ATM in a foreign country to initiate a withdrawal of cash is different from the fee charged for using an ATM in the United States within or outside the financial institution's network or a network affiliated with the financial institution, a financial institution must not disclose the foreign ATM fee pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(3), but may be required to do so pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8) as part of the proposed incidence-based fee disclosure.
Comments Received
Several industry and consumer group commenters and one office of a State Attorney General commented on the Bureau's proposed ATM withdrawal fee disclosure. In response to the Bureau's question regarding whether additional information is needed on the short form to explain the distinction between in-network versus out-of-network ATMs, a prepaid program manager, an issuing bank, and an industry trade association commented that it was unnecessary to require such an explanation, asserting that consumers generally understand the terminology and if not, consumers could direct their questions to the prepaid issuer or to the Bureau. The program manager also suggested permitting disclosure of a single ATM fee if the fees for both in- and out-of-network withdrawals are the same, as well as disclosing when ATM withdrawals are not available.
The office of a State Attorney General and an industry trade association specifically addressed payroll card accounts. The office of the State Attorney General said that its research revealed that ATMs were the most common way for payroll card accountholders in its State to access their wages and that accountholders regularly incurred fees for ATM transactions. It recommended that all payroll card account programs be required to provide free and unlimited withdrawal of wages via ATMs with no third-party fees. The trade association recommended permitting disclosure in the short form of the number of free ATM withdrawals available to payroll card accountholders.
Two consumer groups and the office of the State Attorney General recommended additional ATM-related disclosures, such as the name of the ATM network and whether the prepaid account is affiliated with the network, the full extent of the network, whether third-party fees apply, whether there are limits on in-network ATM withdrawals, and the cost of international ATM transactions.
No commenters objected to the inclusion of ATM withdrawal fees in the short form, or generally regarding distinguishing between in- and out-of-network ATM withdrawal fees.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(3), renumbered as Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(iii), as proposed with minor technical modifications for clarity. The Bureau continues to believe it is important for consumers to know how much they will be charged to withdraw funds at an ATM and to know the difference, if any, for conducting the withdrawal at an in-network versus out-of-network ATM. The Bureau is also adopting proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(3)-1, renumbered as comment 18(b)(2)(iii)-1, explaining that a financial institution may not disclose its fee (if any) for using an ATM to initiate a withdrawal of cash in a foreign country in the disclosure required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(iii), although it may be required to disclose that fee as an additional fee type pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). In response to comments requesting that additional information be added to the disclosure of ATM withdrawal fees, the Bureau declines to require disclosure of such additional information in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(iii). The Bureau believes the short form disclosure balances the
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most important information for consumers with the brevity and clarity necessary for optimal consumer comprehension. Moreover, much of the additional information recommended by commenters, such as third-party fees and the name and extent of the ATM network, must or may be provided in the long form disclosure. See, e.g., final Sec. 1005.18(b)(4)(ii) and Sample Form A-10(f).
To address the comments recommending that the Bureau require more fulsome disclosure of the details regarding ATM fees for payroll card accounts (and similar comments made elsewhere recommending disclosure of other information in addition to ATM fees), the Bureau is finalizing new Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xiv)(B), which permits inclusion of a statement in the short form disclosure for payroll card accounts directing consumers to a location outside the short form for information on how to access funds and balance information for free or for a reduced fee. Final Sec. 1005.15(c)(2)(ii) contains a similar provision for government benefit accounts. To address the comment recommending disclosure of a single ATM fee if the fees for both in- and out-of-
network withdrawals are the same (and similar comments made elsewhere regarding two-tier fee disclosures), the Bureau is finalizing new Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(iii), which permits a single disclosure for like fees. Regarding the comment recommending disclosure of when ATM withdrawals are not available, both proposed and final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2) require such disclosure through use of ``N/A'' as discussed above. See also final comment 18(b)(2)-1. Regarding the comment requesting that the Bureau ban fees for ATM transactions on payroll card accounts, such request is outside the scope of this rulemaking.
18(b)(2)(iv) Cash Reload Fee
The Bureau's Proposal
Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(4) would have required disclosure of a fee for loading cash into a prepaid account using the term ``Cash reload'' or a substantially similar term. Cash reloads are one of the primary ways for a consumer to add funds to a prepaid account. As such, the Bureau believed that the existence of a cash reload service and the fee for using such a service, if any, is important for consumers to know insofar as this is a key feature of many prepaid accounts. Proposed Model Forms A-10(a) through (d) would have disclosed the cash reload fee on the top line of the short form disclosure.
The Bureau also proposed to adopt comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(4)-1, which would have provided guidance on what would be considered a cash reload fee. Specifically, the proposed comment explained that the cash reload fee, for example, would include the cost of adding cash at a point-of-sale terminal, the cost of purchasing an additional card or other device on which cash is loaded and then transferred into a prepaid account, or any other method a consumer may use to load cash into a prepaid account. This proposed comment would have also clarified that if a financial institution offers more than one method for a consumer to load cash into the prepaid account, proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(C) would have required that it only disclose the highest fee on the short form. The Bureau noted that consumers may incur additional third-party fees when loading cash onto a card or other access device; these expenses are typically not controlled by the financial institution or program manager and instead are charged by the entity selling the cash reload product. Such fees would not be disclosed on the proposed short form pursuant to proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(C)-2. The Bureau noted, however, that, pursuant to proposed comment 18(b)(2)(ii)(A)-3, fees imposed by third parties acting as an agent of the financial institution would always have to be disclosed in the long form.
As described in the proposal, the Bureau considered requiring financial institutions to list on the short form disclosure both cash reload methods discussed in proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(4)-1: Loads via a point-of-sale terminal and loads via an additional card or other device. The Bureau, however, believed it was important to limit the amount of information on the short form disclosure to maintain its simplicity in order to facilitate consumer understanding of the information that is included. Further, in its pre-proposal consumer testing, the Bureau found that participants consistently understood a disclosure containing a single cash reload fee, and therefore the Bureau did not believe it was as important to include two fees for this fee type.\390\
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\390\ See ICF Report I at 20, 29, and 30.
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Comments Received
One issuing bank and a number of consumer groups expressed concern that failing to reflect third-party fees in connection with the proposed disclosure of the cash reload fee in the short form might create consumer confusion given that it is a standard industry practice for reload network providers or third-party retailers, not the financial institutions that issue prepaid accounts, to provide and charge for the reloading of cash into prepaid accounts. In such circumstances, due to the prohibition on inclusion of third-party fees in the short form pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(C), a financial institution that does not offer proprietary cash reloading capabilities would typically disclose the cash reload fee as ``$0,'' while a financial institution that offers proprietary cash reloading capabilities would have to disclose the cost for the cash reload. In addition to confusing consumers, commenters suggested this outcome would result in a competitive disadvantage for financial institutions that offer proprietary systems, which are usually less expensive than third-party systems, and thereby dissuade financial institutions from offering this service. A trade association recommended eliminating the term ``cash reload'' fee in favor of ``deposit'' fee for consistency and clarity. An issuing bank recommended disclosure of a range of fees for cash reloads and a statement explaining where to find reload locations as well as allowing disclosure of the conditions under which the cash reload fee could be waived instead of the asterisk and linked statement for variable fees pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(C). A program manager commenter recommended permitting disclosure of a disclaimer for third-party charges for cash reloads. An office of a State Attorney General recommended prohibiting cash reload fees, particularly for payroll card accounts, but otherwise supported the disclosure.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(4), renumbered as Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(iv), with certain modifications as described below. As in the proposal, the Bureau is requiring in the final rule disclosure of the cash reload fee in the top line of the short form because it is one of the primary ways consumers fund their prepaid accounts. The Bureau believes the disclosure in the short form of a single cash reload fee balances the most important information for consumers with the brevity and clarity necessary for optimal consumer comprehension and therefore declines to require disclosure of additional content in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(iv) as requested by commenters.
The Bureau is adopting the final rule with a notable change from the proposal. The final rule requires
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disclosure of the cash reload fee as the total of all charges from the financial institution and any third parties for a cash reload. See also final Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(iv) and (v). The Bureau had intended the proposed rule to require disclosure of the complete cost of reloading cash. While the Bureau believes that a general prohibition on the disclosure of third-party fees in the short form is appropriate, the Bureau also believes that it is important to reflect the cost of a cash reload via a non-proprietary cash reload network and to avoid disfavoring particular prepaid market participants in connection with reload systems, which is a concern raised by several commenters. By requiring inclusion of the full cost of cash reloads, including third-
party fees, consumers will receive full information about the amount of this key fee as well as ensuring standardized disclosure requirements among market participants. Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(iv) also reflects minor technical modifications for clarity.
The Bureau is adopting proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(4)-1, renumbered as comment 18(b)(2)(iv)-1, with modifications to reflect the above-referenced modification to the regulatory text. The comment provides several examples illustrating how financial institutions must disclose cash reload fees.
The Bureau is persuaded that labeling this fee as ``cash deposits,'' rather than ``cash reloads,'' may be more meaningful to consumers in certain circumstances. Final comment 18(b)(2)(iv)-2 thus allows a financial institution that does not permit cash reloads via a third-party reload network but instead permits cash deposits, for example, in a bank branch, to use the term ``cash deposit'' instead of ``cash reload.'' Regarding the comment requesting that the Bureau ban fees for cash reloads, such request is outside the scope of this rulemaking.
The disclosure and updating of third-party cash reload fees is discussed in further detail in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(3) below.
18(b)(2)(v) ATM Balance Inquiry Fees
The Bureau's Proposal
Directly below the top line in the short form disclosure, the Bureau proposed to include balance inquiry fees charged by a financial institution for inquiring into the prepaid account's balance at an ATM. Specifically, proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(5) would have required disclosure of two fees for using an ATM to check the balance of a consumer's prepaid account, both within and outside of the financial institution's network or a network affiliated with the financial institution, using the term ``ATM balance inquiry'' or a substantially similar term, and ``in-network'' or ``out-of-network,'' or substantially similar terms. Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(5)-1 would have clarified that if the fee imposed on a consumer for using an ATM in a foreign country to check the balance of a consumer's prepaid account is different from the fee charged for using an ATM within or outside the financial institution's network or a network affiliated with the financial institution in the United States, a financial institution would not disclose the foreign ATM balance inquiry fee pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(5), but could be required to do so as part of the proposed incidence-based fee disclosure pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8).
The Bureau believed that, just as it is important for consumers to know that different fees could be imposed for ATM withdrawals depending on whether the ATM is in-network or out-of-network, it is also important for consumers to know that different fees could be imposed when requesting balance inquiries at an ATM in a financial institution's network or outside of the network. However, the Bureau did not propose to include balance inquiry fees in the top line of the short form disclosure, because it believed that it is less common for consumers to initiate ATM balance inquiry transactions compared to withdrawals at ATMs.
Comments Received
The Bureau received comments about the proposed ATM balance inquiry fees disclosure from several industry and consumer group commenters, and an office of a State Attorney General. In response to the Bureau's question regarding placement of ATM balance inquiry fees on the short form disclosure, a program manager stated that placing these fees below the top line of the short form disclosure is sufficient, because consumers are not assessed this fee frequently enough to justify its inclusion in the top line. According to this commenter, as well as a trade association and issuing bank, an ATM is one of the most expensive ways for consumers to check their balance on a prepaid card. The program manager added that consumers generally use free and more convenient methods to obtain balance information such as via interactive voice response, the internet, email, and text message.
A consumer group suggested that the Bureau either eliminate the disclosure to save space or require financial institutions to disclose all methods a consumer may use to check the consumer's prepaid account balance to make consumers aware of free balance inquiry methods. Another consumer group recommended that the Bureau replace the ``or'' in the text of the ATM balance inquiry fee disclosure in the proposed model short form disclosure with a slash (``/'') to distinguish between in- and out-of-network fees. If there are two fees listed, the commenter stated that the use of ``or,'' as opposed to ``/,'' may create uncertainty with respect to which fee is the in-network fee, and which fee is the out-of-network fee.
An office of a State Attorney General supported the Bureau's proposal as an alternative to its primary recommendation that the Bureau ban ATM balance inquiry fees for payroll card accounts. The commenter further suggested that the Bureau require financial institutions to list the in-network and out-of-network ATM balance inquiry fee on separate lines of the short form to enhance consumer comprehension.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(5), renumbered as Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(v), with minor technical modifications for clarity. The Bureau continues to believe consumers should know the different fees they could be charged for in-network versus out-of-network ATM balance inquiries but that these fees are not incurred frequently enough to merit disclosure in the top line of the short form. The Bureau is also adopting proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(5)-1, renumbered as comment 18(b)(2)(v)-1, with several revisions. Final comment 18(b)(2)(v)-1 explains that a financial institution may not disclose its fee (if any) for using an ATM to check the balance of the prepaid account in a foreign country in the disclosure required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(v), although it may be required to disclose that fee as an additional fee type pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix).
The Bureau believes the final rule's ATM balance inquiry fee disclosure requirement balances the most important information for consumers with the brevity and clarity necessary for optimal consumer comprehension and therefore declines to require disclosure of additional content in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(v) as requested by one of the commenters. Regarding the recommendation that the Bureau use a slash (``/'') instead of ``or'' to distinguish between in- and out-of-
network fees, the
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Bureau notes that in post-proposal consumer testing of prototype short forms nearly all participants were able to correctly identify the ATM balance inquiry fee when using ``or'' and showed no indication of misunderstanding the distinction between in- and out-of-network fees, confirming the Bureau's understanding from pre-proposal testing.\391\ Thus, the Bureau declines to make this change. Regarding the request that the Bureau ban fees for balance inquiries for payroll card accounts, such request is outside the scope of this rulemaking.
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\391\ See ICF Report II at 10 and 21.
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18(b)(2)(vi) Customer Service Fees
Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(6) would have required disclosure on the short form of any fee for calling the financial institution or its service provider, including an interactive voice response system, about a consumer's prepaid accounts using the term ``Customer service fee'' or a substantially similar term. The Bureau believed that many consumers regularly have issues with their prepaid accounts that require talking to a customer service agent by telephone. The Bureau also believed that some providers impose fees for making such a call. Additionally, several participants in the Bureau's pre-
proposal consumer testing reported having incurred such customer service fees. For these reasons, the Bureau believed that the short form disclosure should include this fee, and thus proposed to include it. The Bureau noted that this disclosure would have been required even if the financial institution did not charge such a fee pursuant to proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)-1.
No commenters opposed inclusion of customer service fees in the short form disclosure. Instead of disclosing the single highest customer service fee, an issuing bank and several consumer groups recommended disclosing either the fee for both live agent and interactive voice response (IVR) customer service or just the IVR fee. They said otherwise customers may be misled into thinking the disclosed fee includes the cost of a call to an IVR customer service, which generally is free. An office of a State Attorney General recommended that the Bureau ban customer service fees for payroll card accounts because such fees chill inquiry into fraudulent or erroneous charges, but it otherwise supported the disclosure.
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(6), renumbered as Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(vi), with certain modifications as described below. The Bureau continues to believe that it is important to require disclosure of this fee because consumers regularly have issues or questions that require contact with the financial institution's customer service department, but the fee is not so common as to merit disclosure in the top line of the short form.
The Bureau is adopting the final rule with a notable change from the proposal. The Bureau agrees with commenters that it is beneficial for consumers to specifically be alerted to the generally free or less expensive IVR method of customer service, and thus is finalizing Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(vi) requiring disclosure in the short form of fees for both automated and live agent customer service. The Bureau's post-
proposal consumer testing revealed that, consistent with several commenters' observations, disclosure of a general customer service fee resulted in many participants incorrectly assuming the fee would remain the same whether the service was live or automated, while all participants understood the distinction when both automated and live agent customer service fees were disclosed.\392\ Similarly, when a short form disclosed a fee for ``live customer service,'' all participants understood that the fee would apply if they spoke to a live customer service agent and that the fee would not be charged if they used the automated customer service system to get information about their accounts.\393\ However, because the structure of the multiple service plan short form permitted pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(6)(iii)(B)(2) does not have sufficient room to disclose both automated and live customer service fees on separate lines, final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(vi) states that a financial institution using the multiple service plan short form pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(6)(iii)(B)(2) must disclose only the fee for live customer service. The Bureau believes that disclosing the live customer service fee is preferable to disclosing the automated fee because of the potential cost to the consumer, as the Bureau understands that automated customer service is typically provided at no cost to the consumer. Finally, the Bureau has made other technical modifications to this provision for clarity. Regarding the request that the Bureau ban customer service fees for payroll card accounts, such a request is outside the scope of this rulemaking.
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\392\ See ICF Report II at 12-13.
\393\ Id. at 23.
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18(b)(2)(vii) Inactivity Fee
The Bureau's Proposal
Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(7) would have required disclosure of a fee for non-use, dormancy, or inactivity on a prepaid account, using the term ``Inactivity fee'' or a substantially similar term, as well as the duration of inactivity that triggers a financial institution to impose such an inactivity fee. The Bureau believed that many financial institutions charge consumers fees when they do not use their prepaid accounts for a specified period of time. The Bureau believed disclosure of these fees is important insofar as consumers sometimes acquire a prepaid account for occasional use; such consumers may want to know that a particular prepaid account program charges fees for inactivity.\394\ Thus, the Bureau proposed that financial institutions disclose the existence, duration, and amount of inactivity fees, or that no such fee will be charged, as part the short form disclosure. The Bureau also noted in the proposal, however, that, as with all the disclosures in the short form, the requirement to disclose a particular fee type was not an endorsement of such a fee.\395\
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\394\ In the Bureau's pre-proposal consumer testing, several participants mentioned only using their prepaid cards occasionally.
\395\ The Bureau understands that some States bar or limit inactivity fees, and nothing in this final rule is meant to preempt any such State laws.
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Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(7)-1 would have clarified that when disclosing the inactivity fee pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ii)(A) as part of the long form disclosure, a financial institution should specify whether this inactivity fee was imposed in lieu of or in addition to the periodic fee disclosed pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(1). The Bureau believed that a lower inactivity fee may correlate with a prepaid account product imposing a higher monthly periodic fee on a consumer. Thus, consumers using a prepaid account only sporadically, but often enough to not reach the dormancy period that would trigger the inactivity fee, might actually incur higher fees if they shop based on the inactivity fee instead of the monthly periodic fee. In preparing the proposal, the Bureau considered whether the risk of potential confusion to a consumer outweighed the benefit of including the inactivity fee on the short form disclosure, but believed that providing consumers with the inactivity fee amount and the relevant duration of dormancy would allow consumers to make an informed choice about which
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prepaid account product is best for their usage patterns.
Comments Received
The Bureau received comments from a program manager, an issuing bank, an industry trade association, a consumer group, and an office of a State Attorney General about the proposed inactivity fee disclosure. In response to the Bureau's solicitation of comments as to whether inactivity fees should be included in the short form disclosure, the program manager responded that disclosure of both the monthly fee and the inactivity fee would not confuse consumers, as most prepaid products either charge a monthly fee or an inactivity fee, but not both. Even if both fees are charged, it said, consumers can get more information about the fees from the long form disclosure or on the Web site associated with the prepaid program disclosed on the short form. In contrast, the trade association and the issuing bank urged the Bureau not to require disclosure of inactivity fees because, they said, both studies of prepaid cards that they reviewed and information provided to the trade association by its members indicate that inactivity fees are not commonly charged. Additionally, the commenters said there are better means than the short form through which consumers can learn about inactivity fees, such as the Bureau's Web site, the prepaid issuer's Web site or its customer service, and that contact information for those sources is included in the short form disclosure. The consumer group and the office of a State Attorney General recommended primarily that the Bureau ban inactivity fees, but otherwise generally supported the disclosure.
The consumer group also asserted that the portion of proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(7)-1 directing financial institutions to include in the long form disclosure whether an inactivity fee is charged in lieu of or in addition to the periodic fee disclosure implied the Bureau's implicit endorsement of charging of both a periodic fee and an inactivity fee--a practice the consumer group opposed. The consumer group also stated that the inactivity fee can be known as ``dormancy'' or ``maintenance'' fees, and that the Bureau should require standardized terminology to avoid confusion.
The office of the State Attorney General also recommended that the Bureau require a minimum 10-day notice prior to imposition of an inactivity fee on a payroll card account. The commenter stated that the notice should include the amount of the inactivity fee, the date the fee will be assessed, and a description of how to avoid the fee. The commenter asserted that the notice should be provided through the employee's preferred method of receiving communications from the payroll card account vendor.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(7) and comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(7)-1, renumbered as Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(vii) and comment 18(b)(2)(vii)-1, with certain modifications as described below. Because some consumers use prepaid cards on an infrequent or occasional basis, the Bureau continues to believe that disclosure of the inactivity fee is important to provide specific information to consumers regarding the consequences of their prepaid account use patterns, even though not all financial institutions may charge this fee. The Bureau understands the concerns of those commenters seeking to have the fee removed from the short form, but believes that other means of communicating this potentially significant fee are insufficient.
In the final rule, in place of the proposed disclosure of the ``duration of inactivity,'' the Bureau is requiring the broader disclosure of the ``conditions'' that trigger the financial institution to impose the inactivity fee.\396\ This change is intended to ensure that more relevant information is disclosed, including what the consumer must do to avoid imposition of the inactivity fee (such as engaging in at least one transaction during a specified time period), the time period after which the fee is imposed, and how often the fee is assessed. The Bureau has made corresponding changes to comment 18(b)(2)(vii)-1, and also removed the direction to financial institutions to specify in the long form whether the inactivity fee is imposed in lieu of or in addition to the periodic fee, having relocated this portion of the comment to final comment 18(b)(4)(ii)-2, which addresses disclosure in the long form of any conditions under which a fee may be imposed, waived, or reduced. Final comment 18(b)(2)(vii)-1 also contains an illustrative example of an inactivity fee disclosure. Finally, the Bureau made other technical modifications to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(vii) and comment 18(b)(2)(vii)-1 for conformity and clarity.
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\396\ Of course, if there is no inactivity fee, no disclosure of conditions is required.
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In response to the comment from a consumer group that proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(7)-1 implicitly endorses the simultaneous charge of both a periodic fee and an inactivity fee, the Bureau reiterates that it does not endorse such a practice nor is it aware of any financial institution that imposes both fees at the same time. However, the Bureau believes it is important that consumers be clearly apprised if their prepaid account charges a periodic fee and an inactivity fee in tandem and for this reason it is included in the commentary for the final rule's long form disclosure requirements. In response to the consumer group recommending that the Bureau require standardized terminology for the inactivity fee disclosure to avoid consumer confusion, because the final rule requires financial institutions to make this disclosure using the term ``inactivity fee'' or a substantially similar term, the Bureau expects that financial institutions will not use substantially different terminology that would confuse consumers. The Bureau also notes that final Sec. 1005.18(b)(8), discussed below, requires financial institutions to use fee names and other terms consistently within and across the short form and long form disclosures.
Regarding the comment requesting that the Bureau ban inactivity fees either generally or for payroll card accounts, such a request is outside the scope of this rulemaking.
18(b)(2)(viii) Statements Regarding Additional Fee Types
The proposal would have required two distinct disclosures in the short form designed to alert consumers to other fees financial institutions may charge in addition to the standardized static fees disclosed at the top of the short form. First, following the static fee disclosures, pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8), the proposed short form would have disclosed up to three fees incurred most frequently by consumers of that particular prepaid card program that were not otherwise disclosed on the short form (referred to as incidence-based fees). Second, pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(10), the short form would have included a statement in bold-faced type near the bottom of the disclosure stating: ``We charge X other fees not listed here.'' As described further below, the Bureau believed that these two elements would help emphasize to consumers that the short form disclosure was not a comprehensive list of all fees, provide consumers with specific information about the additional fees that they were most likely to encounter, and encourage consumers to review the long form disclosure or otherwise seek additional
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information about the prepaid account's features and costs.
As discussed further below in connection with both final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) and (ix), the Bureau is adopting both proposed disclosures with substantial revisions and is placing them together on the short form to provide greater clarity to consumers and enhance the impact of each disclosure relative to the proposed version. Other adjustments to the final rule to improve consumer comprehension and reduce implementation burdens for financial institutions include, for example, requiring disclosure of the number of additional types of fees charged in connection with the prepaid account program, rather than counting each variation in fees toward the total as proposed, and requiring disclosure of specific fee types on the short form based on revenue, rather than frequency, and only if in excess of a de minimis threshold. The Bureau believes that these and other changes will make the disclosures easier for financial institutions to prepare and more meaningful for consumers.
The Bureau's Proposal
In proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(10), the Bureau proposed to require financial institutions to disclose on the short form a statement regarding the number of fees that could be imposed upon a consumer, in a form substantially similar to the clause set forth in proposed Model Forms A-10(a) through (d). The number of fees would have been derived from those listed on the comprehensive long form disclosure pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ii)(A), other than those listed in the short form pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(1) through (8).
The Bureau sought comment on whether the proposed disclosure would be useful to consumers or whether listing the total number of additional fees without any other information would actually interfere with consumers' ability to make an informed choice between prepaid account programs. The Bureau acknowledged that there was some risk that consumers might assume that the additional fees were punitive, rather than covering the cost of optional services or product features that the consumer might find advantageous. However, the Bureau also noted that some participants in the Bureau's pre-proposal consumer testing reported finding out about fees only after purchasing their card, and sometimes only after incurring them.\397\ On balance, the Bureau believed that disclosing in the short form a statement indicating exactly how many additional fees could apply would encourage consumers to seek out more information about a prepaid account before acquisition.
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\397\ See ICF Report I at 7.
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Unlike the proposed incidence-based fees, the Bureau did not believe it was necessary to propose provisions about updating this statement regarding other fees. Pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(f), a financial institution would have been required to include the long form disclosure in a prepaid account's Sec. 1005.7(b)(5) initial disclosures. Any updates made to the fees disclosed in the long form would have required an overhaul of all of the disclosures for a given prepaid account product, which the Bureau believed was unlikely to occur. Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(10)-1 would have provided examples of how to comply with proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(10). Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(10)-2 would have provided guidance about how to count the total number of fees to disclose pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(10). Specifically, the proposed comment would have clarified that, if the fee a financial institution imposes might vary, even if the variation is based on a consumer's choice of how to utilize a particular service, the financial institution must count each variation of the fee that might be imposed as a separate fee. The proposed comment also would have provided an example illustrating this concept. Finally, the proposed comment would have explained that, even if a fee could be waived under certain conditions, it would still be counted in order to comply with proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(10).
Comments Received
Several consumer groups generally supported this portion of the proposed short form disclosure as beneficial to alert consumers to fees not disclosed in the short form and to encourage financial institutions to simplify their fee schedules, although some groups also advocated providing a paper long-form disclosure in all settings to ensure that consumers could immediately review more detailed information about any additional fees.\398\
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\398\ For a discussion of the reasons the Bureau is requiring both a short form and a long form disclosure but is not requiring a written disclosure of all fees in all acquisition settings, see the section-by-section analyses of Sec. 1005.18(b) and (b)(1)(ii) and (iii) respectively.
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A number of industry commenters, including trade associations, issuing banks, and program managers, recommended eliminating the proposed disclosure of the number of additional fees charged. In its place, many of these commenters favored a general statement that other fees are charged, generally with reference to the cardholder agreement for more information about these other fees. One trade association and an issuing bank stated that they found the proposed disclosure rational and reasonable, as it provided useful data to consumers without overwhelming them with information and without overcrowding the short form disclosure, though they also preferred a requirement simply to state that additional fees could apply.
Many of these industry commenters expressed concern that presenting the number of fees would tend to mislead and confuse consumers and thus interfere with consumers' ability to make an informed choice among prepaid account programs. Several industry commenters said that the statement would mislead consumers into believing that these other fees are common fees they are likely to incur when in fact the commenters asserted that the fees may only be charged in connection with optional specialized services. Other industry commenters said that the number of other fees could mislead and confuse consumers into thinking that a product with a higher number of available functions--and fees for those functions--is more expensive or otherwise inferior to a product with fewer other fees, when in fact the opposite may be true. Some industry commenters warned that this stigmatized perception of a higher number of other fees and commensurate costs to update the disclosures may undermine innovation and flexibility, as financial institutions may either discontinue or cease developing new and flexible services that may be advantageous to consumers.
Similarly, one of the consumer groups that recommended disclosure of all fees in all acquisition settings noted that an account that has many more other fees may actually charge fewer fees for the services it has in common with another account, but the proposed short form would make it seem as though it was potentially a more costly product. The consumer group recommended that the Bureau monitor the effect of requiring only the listing of the number of ``other'' fees on market innovation and the cost and types of fees that are charged.
An issuing bank agreed that the disclosure of the number of additional fees charged can be a factor for consumers in comparing prepaid account terms, but also challenged the methodology of counting each fee
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variation as a separate fee. It said this methodology could be misleading to consumers as it will lead to an artificial overstatement of the total number of fees. It said that services like bill payment, which may have standard and expedited delivery and are designed to be flexible and offer the most choice and control to consumers, will make the product appear undesirable, as the number of additional fees will be inflated. Instead, it recommended counting fee types rather than individual fee variations within fee types. Two trade associations and two other issuing banks also recommended against counting each fee variation as a separate fee, agreeing that it might unnecessarily increase the number of other fees without commensurate benefit for consumers.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(10), renumbered as Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii), with substantial modifications, largely in response to comments received. First, the Bureau is locating together both disclosures dealing with fees not otherwise disclosed in the short form: The number of such fees required pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) and the disclosure of certain such fees (referred to in the proposal as incidence-based fees) pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). Second, instead of requiring disclosure of the number of additional fees, including all fee variations, the Bureau is requiring disclosure of the number of additional fee types.\399\ Third, instead of requiring the number of additional fees that could be imposed on a consumer in general, the Bureau is limiting this disclosure to the number of additional fee types that the financial institution may charge consumers with respect to the prepaid account. Fourth, the Bureau is requiring disclosure of an additional statement if a financial institution discloses additional fee types pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) that directs consumers to the disclosure of those additional fee types that follows. Fifth, the Bureau has relocated the statement regarding the number of additional fee types from the bottom portion of the proposed short form disclosure to a more clearly delineated ``additional fee types'' portion that follows the static fees.
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\399\ See final comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-2 for an explanation of the term ``fee type'' and a list of examples of fee types and fee variations within those fee types.
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Finally, the Bureau is not adopting any of the proposed commentary, but rather is adopting new comments 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-1 through -4 and 18(b)(2)(viii)(B)-1 to clarify various issues regarding application of the final rule.
Statement Regarding the Number of Additional Fee Types Charged Required by Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A)
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A) requires a statement disclosing the number of additional fee types the financial institution may charge consumers with respect to the prepaid account, using the following clause or a substantially similar clause: ``We charge x other types of fees.'' The number of additional fee types disclosed must reflect the total number of fee types under which the financial institution may charge fees, excluding fees required to be disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) through (vii) and (5) and any finance charges as described in final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4(b)(11) imposed in connection with a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in new Sec. 1026.61.
The Bureau is finalizing Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) because it continues to believe, as explained in the proposal, that it is crucial to inform consumers that there may be a cost for features not otherwise captured in the short form disclosure. Disclosure of this information will help both alert consumers that the short form is not a comprehensive fee disclosure and encourage consumers to seek out more information about the prepaid account from the long form disclosure and other sources. As noted in the proposal, the Bureau's pre-proposal consumer testing revealed that participants often did not know all the fees that might be assessed prior to their purchase of a prepaid account. In addition, the Bureau's post-proposal consumer testing revealed that, while not all participants understood the significance of the disclosure of the number of additional fee types, participants were keenly interested in this disclosure, which the Bureau believes will motivate consumers to seek more information about these additional fee types.\400\
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\400\ ICF Report II at 11-12 and 22.
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The Bureau declines to use a more general statement to alert consumers that there may be additional fees, as requested by some industry commenters. The Bureau believes that disclosure of the specific number of additional fee types, as opposed to a general statement regarding other fees charged, provides consumers with concrete information and stronger motivation to both better inform themselves and to direct their searches for additional information. Moreover, as discussed below, the Bureau believes that focusing the disclosure on tallying the types of fees rather than counting each variation in fees toward the total directly addresses industry's concerns that disclosing a specific number of other fees would prompt consumers to assign undue negative weight to the fact that a product may have many fee variations. The change to fee types also helps reduce compliance burden across the two related disclosures of the number of additional fee types required by this provision and the disclosure of additional fee types required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix).
The Bureau disagrees with commenters that the comprehensive disclosure of all fees in another disclosure, such as the long form or the cardholder agreement, negates the rationale for disclosing the number of additional fee types in the short form. The Bureau believes that consumers generally would rely solely on the short form disclosure in making their acquisition decisions if they do not see language that specifically emphasizes the value of consulting the long form. The Bureau thus believes that listing the total number of fee types that are not otherwise listed on the short form will complement and enhance the statement in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xiii) directing consumers to the long form, providing a concrete incentive to consult the longer disclosure for products that are more complex.\401\ Specifically, the Bureau's post-proposal consumer testing revealed that, when asked how they could learn more about ``other fees'' not shown on the short form, practically all participants referred to the financial institution's telephone number and Web site disclosed on the prototype short form disclosure (i.e., the information sources required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xiii)).\402\ In sum, the Bureau believes that the disclosure of the number of additional fee types in the short form pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) will directly inform consumers of important information and serve to spur them to further inquiry in other more detailed disclosures.
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\401\ See ICF Report II at 12 and 22.
\402\ Id.
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The Bureau acknowledges commenters' concerns that some consumers may tend to assume that a prepaid account with a relatively high number of additional fees is more expensive or less desirable than other accounts, even when the opposite may be true. In part to address this concern, the Bureau is finalizing the rule
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requiring financial institutions to disclose the total number of fee types, rather than the total number of all fees (including all fee variations within a fee type) that would have been required under the proposal. Requiring disclosure of the number of fee types instead of the number of discrete fees likely will reduce the number required to be disclosed for a typical prepaid account program. The Bureau believes that this modification for the final rule should help ameliorate the risk raised by some commenters that consumers will reject prepaid accounts with a high number of additional fees out of hand without seeking more detailed fee information to determine whether the products meet their needs. Moreover, the requirements for both final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) and (ix) are based on fee types (as opposed to one being based on discrete fees and the other on fee types), thereby reducing the burden of developing and maintaining two separate counts to determine and disclose the elements under their respective rules. The Bureau is also providing a list of fee types and fee variations in final comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-2, discussed below--which are based on fees that the Bureau is aware exist in the current prepaid marketplace--that a financial institution may use when determining both the number of additional fee types charged pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A) and any additional fee types to disclose pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). The Bureau believes that these provisions will reduce the risks and burdens raised by commenters concerning the proposed disclosure of the total number of fees not otherwise listed, while still providing the consumer with an important signal and incentive to investigate prepaid accounts that have more complex pricing structures.
In addition, the Bureau believes that this modification addresses commenters' concerns, at least in part, regarding a potential chill to innovation of new features because such fee variations within a fee type will not be required to be separately counted for purposes of this disclosure. The Bureau intends to monitor compliance with this rule, including financial institutions' disclosures of the number of additional fee types charged, as well as market innovations in the prepaid industry more generally, and will consider additional action in future rulemakings if necessary.
Modifying the final rule to require disclosure of the number of fee types also addresses concerns raised by some commenters that the proposed disclosure would have included many fees that are not commonly incurred by consumers--including fees for discretionary features that require specific consumer action before they are incurred. For example, under the final rule, a financial institution would count bill payment as an additional fee type if it offered this feature, but, unlike the rule as proposed, would not count each of the discrete fee variations within bill payment such as ACH bill payment, paper check bill payment, check cancellation, and regular or expedited delivery of a paper check. Thus, in addition to a reduction in the overall number of additional fees required to be disclosed under the final rule, a financial institution would similarly not be required to disclose many of the less common fees and fees triggered by affirmative consumer action. While some of the additional fee types required to be disclosed in the final rule may still be less common or triggered only when a consumer elects to use an optional service, the Bureau reiterates that the primary objective of this provision is to alert consumers to fee information absent from the short form and to spur consumers to take action to gain a more fulsome understanding of the terms of a prospective prepaid account; this disclosure fulfils this objective.
As discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) below, the Bureau is adopting a de minimis threshold with respect to the disclosure of specific additional fee types. The Bureau does not believe a de minimis threshold would be appropriate for the disclosure required by Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A) regarding the total number of additional fee types. The Bureau notes, however, that with the de minimis threshold in Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix), disclosure of such fee types under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) would not be required, although such fee types would be counted in the total number of additional fee types disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii).
Finally, the Bureau continues to believe it is not necessary to include in the final rule specific requirements for updating the statement regarding the number of additional fee types charged required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A). As discussed in the section-by-
section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b) above, the Bureau does not believe that financial institutions change the fee schedules for prepaid accounts often, particularly those sold at retail. If a financial institution is making available a new optional service for all prepaid accounts in a particular prepaid account program, Regulation E provides a means for financial institutions to notify consumers of terms associated with a new EFT service that is added to a consumer's account, in Sec. 1005.7(c). A financial institution may provide new consumer disclosures in accordance with Sec. 1005.7(c) post-
acquisition, without needing to pull and replace card packaging that does not reflect that new optional feature in the disclosure of the number of additional fee types pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A). The Bureau does expect, however, that financial institutions will keep their other disclosures up to date (including those provided electronically and orally, as well as disclosures provided in writing that are not a part of pre-printed packaging materials, such as those printed by a financial institution upon a consumer's request). The Bureau intends to monitor financial institutions' practices in this area, however, and may consider additional requirements in a future rulemaking if necessary.
Final comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-1 clarifies what fee types to count in the total number of additional fee types, specifically excluding fees otherwise required to be disclosed in and outside the short form pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) through (vii) and (5) and any finance charges as described in final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4(b)(11) imposed in connection with a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in final Sec. 1026.61. Excluding the static fees and fees required to be disclosed outside the short form avoids the duplicative counting of fees already disclosed to the consumer. As discussed in more detail below, the Bureau has made a strategic decision to focus the bulk of the short form disclosure on usage of the prepaid account itself rather than any charges related to overdraft credit features. The possibility that consumers may be offered an overdraft credit feature for use in connection with the prepaid account is addressed in the short form pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(x), which requires the following statement if such a feature may be offered: ``You may be offered overdraft/credit after x days. Fees would apply.'' Consistent with this overall decision, the Bureau believes that it is appropriate to exclude any finance charges related to an overdraft credit feature that may be offered at a later date to some prepaid consumers from the disclosures regarding additional fees under both final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) and (ix). If consumers are interested in such a feature, they can look to the Regulation Z disclosures in the long form pursuant
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to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(4)(vii), discussed below, for more details.
Final comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-1.i explains that the number of additional fee types includes only fee types under which the financial institution may charge fees; accordingly, third-party fees are not included unless they are imposed for services performed on behalf of the financial institution. The comment additionally clarifies that the number of additional fee types includes only fee types the financial institution may charge consumers with respect to the prepaid account; accordingly, additional fee types does not include other revenue sources such as interchange fees or fees paid by employers for payroll card programs, government agencies for government benefit programs, or other entities sponsoring prepaid account programs for financial disbursements.
Final comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-1.ii explains that fee types that bear a relationship to, but are separate from, the static fees disclosed in the short form must be counted as additional fee types for purposes of final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii). The comment also provides a detailed explanation regarding the treatment of international ATM fees and fees for reloading funds into a prepaid account in a form other than cash (such as electronic reload and check reload). In addition, the comment explains that additional fee types disclosed in the short form pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) must be counted in the total number of additional fee types. This is because the exclusions in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)(1) and (2) are only for fees required to be disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) through (vii) and (5) and any finance charges imposed on the prepaid account as described in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4(b)(11)(ii) in connection with a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61. Further, the statement required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(B) explains that the additional fee types disclosed are some of the total number of additional fee types.
The Bureau is adopting new comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-2 to provide guidance regarding the calculation of the number of additional fee types pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) as well as to address concerns raised by an industry commenter regarding how to categorize fees in determining the additional fee types to disclose under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). The comment explains that the term fee type, as used in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) and (ix), is a general category under which a financial institution charges fees to consumers. A financial institution may charge only one fee within a particular fee type, or may charge two or more variations of fees within the same fee type. (The Bureau notes that an additional fee type for which a financial institution does not charge any fee to the consumer, including for any variations of the additional fee type, is not counted in the total number of additional fee types under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) nor required to be disclosed on the short form under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix).) The comment goes on to provide a list of examples of fee types a financial institution may use when determining both the number of additional fee types charged pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A) and any additional fee types to disclose pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). The comment also explains that a financial institution may create an appropriate name for other additional fee types.
The Bureau compiled the list of examples of fee types in new comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-2 to provide guidance to financial institutions and to help facilitate their categorization of additional fee types for satisfying the requirements in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A) and (ix). The list also may encourage standardization of this portion of the short form in that, although additional fee types disclosed will vary across short forms for different prepaid account programs, the Bureau believes financial institutions will generally use consistent nomenclature for additional fee types identified on the list. The Bureau compiled this list of examples of fee types based on particular fee types referenced in comments received on the proposal and by reviewing the packaging of and disclosures for scores of prepaid account programs.\403\ The Bureau balanced multiple considerations in compiling the list in final comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-2 for purposes of both final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) and (ix), including existing industry practices with regard to fee types, the accounting burdens associated with relatively narrower or broader definitions of fee types, and the potential benefits to both industry and consumers in using narrower definitions of fee types to communicate information about specific account features and fees. The Bureau believes the resulting list strikes an appropriate balance by capturing categories and terms employed by the prepaid industry itself that will be useful to financial institutions and consumers in determining and understanding additional fee types. The Bureau is providing flexibility to financial institutions to fashion appropriate names for other fee types, including fee types for services that do not yet exist in the prepaid marketplace.
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\403\ As part of the Bureau's Study of Prepaid Account Agreements, Bureau staff found fee tables or other explanations of at least some of the fees charged for 278 of the 325 agreements reviewed. See Study of Prepaid Account Agreements at 29 and note 49.
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Final comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-3 clarifies that, pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(vi), a financial institution using the multiple service plan short form disclosure pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(6)(iii)(B)(2) must disclose only the fee for calling customer service via a live agent. Thus, pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii), any charge for calling customer service via an interactive voice response system must be counted in the total number of additional fee types.
Final comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-4 clarifies that a financial institution must use the same categorization of fee types in the number of additional fee types disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) and in its determination of which additional fee types to disclose pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). The Bureau is including this comment on consistency to make clear that a financial institution is not permitted to, for example, shorten its list of fee types into a few broad categories (in order to minimize the number of additional fee types required to be disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)) but use a more detailed list of fee types broken out into a greater number of categories when assessing its obligations under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) (in order to maximize the number of fee types that may fall below the de minimis threshold pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)(2)).
Statement Directing Consumers To Disclosure of Additional Fee Types Required by Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(B)
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(B) requires that, if a financial institution makes a disclosure of specific additional fee types pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix), the financial institution must include a statement directing consumers to that disclosure, located after but on the same line of text as the statement regarding the number of additional fee types required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A), using the following clause or a substantially similar clause: ``Here are some of them:''.
The disclosure required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A) indicating the number of additional fee types will
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generally be followed by the specific disclosure of two additional fee types pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). The Bureau believes that a brief transition statement linking these two disclosures will enhance consumer understanding of both disclosures and dispel potential consumer misunderstanding that features are not offered if they are not disclosed on the short form.\404\ Thus, the line in the short form disclosure following the static fees would disclose the following or substantially similar clauses: ``We charge X other types of fees. Here are some of them:''.
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\404\ See the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) below discussing industry commenters' concern that disclosure of the proposed incidence-based fees would mislead consumers into thinking that features are not offered if they are not disclosed as incidence-based fees.
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As discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) below, the Bureau believes that the brevity and clarity of the short form disclosure necessary for optimal consumer comprehension and engagement cannot support a detailed explanation of what additional fee types are or the criteria the financial institution used in determining which additional fee types to disclose. The Bureau's pre-proposal consumer testing of such explanations support this conclusion.\405\ Pre-proposal testing of a statement intended to inform consumers that the fees listed were those that generated significant revenue for the financial institution resulted in minimal participant comprehension or notice.\406\ Post-proposal testing of a similar disclosure that, in addition to including an explanation of the criteria for disclosing such fees (i.e., that the two fees listed were the most commonly charged), also directed consumers where to find detail about all fees, similarly did not increase participant comprehension.\407\
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\405\ See ICF Report I at 35 and ICF Report II at 22-23.
\406\ See ICF Report I at 35. (Certain prototype short form disclosures tested included the statement: ``The fees below generate significant revenue for this company.'')
\407\ See ICF Report II at 22-23. (Certain prototype short form disclosures tested included the statement: ``We charge x additional fees. Details on fees inside the package, at 800-234-5678 or at bit.ly/XYZprepaids. These are our most common:''.)
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Thus, to make the connection for consumers that the additional fee types disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) are a subset of the number of additional fee types disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A), and that absence of any feature on the short form does not necessarily mean the prepaid account program does not offer that feature, the Bureau is including in the final rule the transition statement set forth above.
Final comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(B)-1 provides guidance regarding the statement required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(B) directing consumers to the disclosure of additional fee types pursuant final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). The comment explains that a financial institution that makes no disclosure pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) may not include a disclosure pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(B). The comment also provides examples regarding substantially similar clauses a financial institution may use in certain circumstances to make its disclosures under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A) and (B), such as when a financial institution has several additional fee types but is only required to disclose one of them pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix).
18(b)(2)(ix) Disclosure of Additional Fee Types
As explained at the beginning of the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) above, the proposal would have required two distinct disclosures in the short form designed to alert consumers to other fees financial institutions may charge in addition to the standardized static fees disclosed at the top of the short form. First, following the static fee disclosures, pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8), the proposed short form would have disclosed up to three fees incurred most frequently by consumers of that particular prepaid card program that were not otherwise disclosed on the short form (referred to as incidence-based fees). Second, pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(10), the short form would have disclosed a statement in bold-faced type near the bottom of the disclosure stating: ``We charge X other fees not listed here.'' As described herein, the Bureau believed that these two elements would help emphasize to consumers that the short form disclosure was not a comprehensive list of all fees, provide consumers with specific information about the additional fees that they were most likely to encounter, and encourage consumers to review the long form or otherwise seek additional information about the prepaid account's features and costs.
As discussed in connection with both final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) and (ix), the Bureau is adopting both proposed disclosures with substantial revisions and is placing them together on the short form to provide greater clarity to consumers and enhance the impact of each disclosure relative to the proposed version. Other adjustments made to the final rule to improve consumer comprehension and reduce implementation burdens for financial institutions include, for example, requiring disclosure of the number of additional types of fees charged in connection with the prepaid account program, rather than counting each variation in fees toward the total as proposed and requiring disclosure of specific fee types on the short form based on revenue, rather than frequency, and only if in excess of a de minimis threshold. The Bureau believes that these and other changes will make the disclosures easier for financial institutions to prepare and more meaningful for consumers.
The Bureau's Proposal
In addition to the fees that all financial institutions would have had to disclose in the static portion of the short form disclosure pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(1) through (7), the Bureau also proposed that financial institutions disclose up to three additional ``incidence-based'' fees not already disclosed elsewhere on the short form that are incurred most frequently for that particular prepaid account product. If a financial institution offered several prepaid account products, the incidence-based fees analysis would have had to be conducted separately for each product, based on usage patterns in the prior 12-month period, and updated annually. Thus, the incidence-based fees that would have been disclosed to a consumer on the short form could have varied from one product to the next depending on which fees consumers incurred most frequently for each product.
The Bureau proposed this disclosure because it was concerned that, while the fee disclosures in the static portion of the short form under the proposed rule would have included the key fees on most prepaid accounts, that list is not comprehensive and there could be other fees that consumers might incur with some frequency. The Bureau also had concerns that, absent this incidence-based disclosure, there was a risk of evasion whereby a financial institution trying to gain an advantage relative to its competitors could restructure its fee schedule to make the fees disclosed in the static portion of the short form lower, while structuring its pricing to make up or even increase overall revenue by imposing fees that would not otherwise be disclosed on the short form. The Bureau believed that requiring financial institutions to disclose other fees that are frequently
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paid by consumers would limit the ability of financial institutions to avoid having to disclose relevant fee information up front on the short form disclosure.
Additionally, the Bureau believed that the incidence-based portion of the short form, though it would have mandated a specific metric to determine which additional fees may be listed, would have provided some flexibility to industry participants to disclose up to three more fees on the short form particular to each prepaid account product and that may be imposed for features that could be appealing to consumers.
Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(I). Accordingly, proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(I) would generally have required disclosure of up to three fees, other than any of those fees disclosed pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(1) through (7), that were incurred most frequently in the prior 12-month period by consumers of that particular prepaid account product.
For existing prepaid account products, proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(I) would have required that, at the same time each year, a financial institution assess whether the incidence-based fees disclosed pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(I) were the most frequently incurred fees in the prior 12-month period by consumers of that particular prepaid account product. In accordance with the timing requirements of proposed Sec. 1005.18(h), a financial institution would have had to execute any updates required by the rules within 90 days for disclosures provided in written, electronic, or oral form pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i). Disclosures provided on the packaging material of prepaid account access devices, for example, in retail stores pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii), or in other locations, would have had to be revised when the financial institution printed new packaging material for its prepaid account access devices, in accordance with the timing requirements in proposed Sec. 1005.18(h). All disclosures provided pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(I) and created after a financial institution makes an incidence-based fee assessment and determines changes are necessary would have had to include such changes, in accordance with the timing requirements in proposed Sec. 1005.18(h).
The Bureau believed that it was important for the incidence-based fee disclosure to list a prepaid account product's most commonly incurred fees. The Bureau, however, recognized that financial institutions would need time to update disclosures upon assessing whether any changes to the incidence-based fee disclosure are needed, although the Bureau expected such changes would be infrequent. The Bureau believed such updates would be easier for disclosures provided in electronic form or in written form outside of a retail setting. Thus, the Bureau proposed that financial institutions would have had to make updates to written, electronic, and oral disclosures within 90 days to ensure that consumers receive up-to-date incidence-based fee disclosures. The Bureau, however, recognized that it could be more complicated and time-consuming for financial institutions to make updates to packages used to market prepaid accounts in retail stores, and therefore proposed that financial institutions would have been able to implement updates on packaging material whenever they are printing new stock during normal inventory cycles. The Bureau acknowledged that the proposal could result in some disclosures for the same prepaid account product (i.e., electronic disclosures provided online or printed disclosures provided in person without the use of packaging) having different incidence-based fee disclosures on the short forms provided on retail store packaging material. The Bureau, however, did not believe that this discrepancy would significantly impact a consumer's decision regarding which prepaid account product to acquire since consumers would most likely be comparing the disclosures for two distinct products, and not reviewing disclosures side-by-side for the same prepaid account product found in different acquisition channels.
The Bureau also recognized that allowing financial institutions to continue to use packaging with out-of-date incidence-based fee disclosure in retail stores could reduce the effectiveness of this disclosure. The Bureau, however, believed that imposing a cut-off date after which sale or distribution of out-of-date retail packages would be prohibited could be overly burdensome.
The Bureau also proposed to adopt several comments to provide additional guidance on incidence-based fee disclosures. Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)-1 would have provided guidance regarding the number of incidence-based fees to disclose in the short form, including when no fees, more than three, or less than three fees meet the criteria in the definition of incidence-based fees. Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)-2 would have set forth how to determine which fees were incurred most frequently in the prior 12-month period and would have also clarified that the price for purchasing or activating a prepaid account could qualify as an incidence-based fee. Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(I)-3 would have provided guidance regarding the disclosure of incidence-based fees in accordance with the proposed effective date regime in proposed Sec. 1005.18(h). Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(I)-4 would have explained how to disclose incidence-
based fees when disclosing multiple service plans on a short form disclosure that would have been permitted by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(iii)(B). Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(I)-5 would have explained that proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(I) would have permitted a reprint exception that would not have required that financial institutions immediately destroy existing inventory in retail stores or elsewhere in the distribution channel, to the extent the disclosures on such packaging materials were otherwise accurate, but would have required that, if a financial institution determines that an incidence-based fee listed on a short form disclosure in a retail store no longer qualified as one of the most commonly incurred fees and made the appropriate change when printing new disclosures, any packages in retail stores that contained the previous incidence-based fee disclosure could still be sold in compliance with proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(I).
Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(II). Recognizing that new prepaid products have no prior fee data history, the Bureau also proposed additional requirements to address such circumstances. Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(II) would have required that, if a particular prepaid account product was not offered by the financial institution during the prior 12-month period, the financial institution would have to disclose up to three fees other than any of those fees disclosed pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(1) through (7) that it reasonably anticipates will be incurred by consumers most frequently during the next 12-month period. The incidence-based fee disclosures for newly-created prepaid account products would have to be included on all disclosures created for the prepaid account product, whether the disclosure is written, electronic, or on the packaging material of a prepaid account product sold in a retail store, in accordance with the timing
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requirements in proposed Sec. 1005.18(h). Although financial institutions do not have actual fee data for new prepaid account products, the Bureau believed that they nonetheless would have a reasonable expectation as to which fees would be incurred most frequently. Thus, financial institutions would have been required, for those prepaid account products without prior fee data, to estimate in advance the fees that should be disclosed in the incidence-based portion of the short form disclosure. Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(II)-1 would have explained that the financial institution should use available data to reasonably anticipate what fees should be disclosed and provided an example to illustrate.
Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(8)(III). The Bureau also proposed additional requirements for when a particular prepaid account product's fee schedule changes. Specifically, proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(III) would have required that, if a financial institution changes an existing prepaid account product's fee schedule at any point after assessing its incidence-based fee disclosure for the prior 12-month period pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(I), it would have had to determine whether, after making such changes, it reasonably anticipates that the existing incidence-based fee disclosure would represent the most commonly incurred fees for the remainder of the current 12-month period. If the financial institution reasonably anticipates that the current incidence-based fee disclosure would not have represented the most commonly incurred fees for the remainder of the current 12-month period, it would have had to update the incidence-based fee disclosure within 90 days for disclosures provided in written or electronic form, in accordance with the timing requirements in proposed Sec. 1005.18(h).
Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(III) also would have required that disclosures provided on a prepaid account product's packaging material, for example, in retail stores pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii), or in other locations, must be revised when the financial institution is printing new packaging material, in accordance with the timing requirements of proposed Sec. 1005.18(h). All disclosures provided pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(III) and created after a financial institution makes an incidence-based fee assessment and determines changes are necessary must include such changes, in accordance with the timing requirements of proposed Sec. 1005.18(h). Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(III)-1 would have provided an example demonstrating the impact of a fee change on an existing prepaid account product's incidence-based fee disclosure.
The Bureau noted in the proposal that its proposed model forms did not isolate or identify these incidence-based fees in a way that would have distinguished them from the other fees, outside the top-line, disclosed under proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(5) through (7). Thus, the Bureau explained, a consumer comparing two different prepaid account products may see some types of fees that are the same (the seven standardized fees disclosed pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(1) through (7)) and may see some that differ (the three incidence-based fees disclosed pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)). During its pre-proposal consumer testing, the Bureau tested language identifying the incidence-based fees as such, but this language was often ignored or misunderstood by participants.\408\ Nevertheless, the Bureau recognized that some variation on the short form fee disclosure could lead to confusion, and thus the Bureau sought comment on whether the model forms should more clearly indicate to a consumer the meaning of the incidence-based fees.
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\408\ See ICF Report I at 35.
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The Bureau also recognized that the proposed procedure for determining and disclosing incidence-based fees could be complicated in some instances, particularly for new prepaid accounts or those with revised fee schedules. Further, the Bureau acknowledged that basing the incidence-based fees determination on fee incidence might not make sense for all prepaid products. Thus, the Bureau sought comment on all aspects of this incidence-based fees proposal. Among other things, the Bureau specifically solicited feedback on whether other measures, such as fee revenue, would be better measures of the most important remaining fees to disclose to consumers considering a prepaid account, and whether there should be a de minimis threshold below which changes to the incidence ranking would not require form revisions, and if so, what that threshold should be.
Comments Received
Numerous industry commenters spanning a panoply of interests in the prepaid industry including trade associations, issuing banks, credit unions, program managers, a law firm commenting on behalf of a coalition of prepaid issuers, and other parties involved in the prepaid industry, as well as several employers, addressed the proposed requirement to disclose incidence-based fees, with the vast majority recommending the Bureau eliminate this aspect of the short form disclosure. Their specific concerns and criticisms are discussed in detail below. Industry commenters, however, generally supported the proposed reprint exception. That exception would have excused financial institutions from annually updating the incidence-based fees for disclosures provided on a prepaid account product's packaging material, for example, in retail stores, until the financial institution prints new packaging material.
Industry commenters offered myriad reasons in support of their recommendation that the Bureau not finalize the requirement to disclose incidence-based fees. Industry commenters' concerns, summarized here, are discussed in more detail in the paragraphs that follow. Some said that the disclosure would heavily burden industry with what they viewed to be little, if any, benefits to consumers and, if finalized as proposed, would likely cause some prepaid providers to exit the market. Many said that this disclosure defeats the uniformity in the short form and thus could inhibit consumers' ability to comparison shop. Many others asserted that the disclosure would create a discrepancy between fees disclosed online and those disclosed on packaging for financial institutions taking advantage of the reprint exception. Some industry commenters suggested that the incidence-based fees disclosed may not be germane to all consumers. Some also asserted the disclosure would be redundant because the incidence-based fees can be found elsewhere, such as on the long form disclosure.
Specifically, some industry commenters voiced concern regarding consumer comprehension of the significance of incidence-based fees. They said that the disclosure defeats uniformity within and comparison shopping among short form disclosures because incidence-based fees would vary among different prepaid account programs and over time even for the same program, which they contended would mislead consumers into thinking that absence of a certain fee on the short form may mean the feature is not offered. A few commenters said that because of differences in customer usage, some of the disclosed incidence-based fees would not be germane to some consumers. Some industry commenters contended that the Bureau's pre-proposal consumer testing
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showed that consumers did not understand if they would incur incidence-
based fees, that frequency of incidence determined disclosure of one feature over another, or how the information was relevant to them in selecting a prepaid account. One industry commenter said that addressing this confusion with an explanation of these topics in the short form disclosure would take up valuable space and create its own confusion, but that eliminating the requirement to disclose incidence-
based fees would solve this problem while reducing the overwhelming amount and complexity of the information required in the short form disclosure.
Some industry commenters questioned the Bureau's rationale for the disclosure of incidence-based fees in the proposed rule, saying that the risk of fee evasion by industry is unwarranted in the current competitive prepaid marketplace.
Some industry commenters questioned the validity of the data upon which incidence-based fees would be calculated, saying incidence-based fees were unlikely to change significantly absent structural changes to the program and that, because prepaid accounts are typically short-
lived, annual assessment would not provide a sufficient basis from which to extrapolate meaningful information.
Some industry commenters, including issuing banks, credit unions, and industry trade associations, asserted that requiring disclosure of incidence-based fees for products distributed in bank branch settings is unnecessary as availability of the long form disclosure prior to acquisition and bank personnel to answer questions both encourage more thoughtful consumer review. Some of these industry commenters claimed incidence-based disclosures would disproportionately burden community banks and credit unions because they use outside vendors to handle disclosures, creating higher costs and unfair due diligence demands on banks to oversee the vendors. Some said that, without an exemption for small issuers, compliance costs may force these providers out of the market. A program manager for government benefit account programs recommended an exemption for accounts arranged for or issued by government agencies, saying agencies usually each offer only one prepaid account program and consequently, consumers do not need disclosures to be provided in a format designed to facilitate comparison of multiple prepaid accounts offered by the agency. Alternatively, the commenter recommended permitting government agencies to aggregate their data for incidence-based fees rather than analyzing each program separately.
Many industry commenters focused on the perceived burden of this proposed requirement, saying the disclosure would be complex, costly, and difficult to implement. One industry commenter said the fear that any changes to incidence-based fees will require changes to packaging and marketing materials would stifle innovation and development of new services or new prepaid products. Another recommended the Bureau commission a study to confirm that the benefits of the incidence-based disclosure outweigh the burden. Many industry commenters said it would be a major undertaking to identify and calculate incidence-based fees, with some saying the proposed annual update alone would necessitate a massive amount of new procedures, controls, system updates, and packaging design changes.
Some questioned the meaning in the proposed rule of the term ``separate prepaid account program,'' saying initial and ongoing identification and calculation of incidence-based fees would be particularly cost prohibitive for entities with hundreds or thousands of separate prepaid account programs, as they said is the case with certain companies that issue or manage payroll card account programs. Some commenters involved in payroll card account programs queried whether the proposed rule would require them to calculate incidence-
based fees for each individual program negotiated separately with an employer or whether they could aggregate data across programs. For example, one payroll card account program manager with 4,000 individual employer programs said every annual printing would cost $1 per cardholder such that annual printing costs alone would be a multimillion dollar undertaking.
Some industry commenters questioned specific aspects of the proposed incidence-based fee disclosure. A few commenters questioned the proposed 90-day period for updates, saying it was unclear whether both assessing and updating incidence-based fees would be required in that time frame and recommended various extensions of the period, for example, to 120 days for both assessment and updating, 12 months after analysis to update, or within a reasonable time after a change. A trade association commenter said the requirement to disclose additional fee types would pose a ``compliance trap'' because financial institutions could be second-guessed on how they categorized them.\409\ Another industry commenter said financial institutions would have to justify their categorization and tracking of fees to examiners, even when vendors perform that service (as, they said, is the case with many small banks). Another commenter said the ``reasonable'' standard for estimating incidence for new products would be complicated and inexact, with no guarantee of accuracy but would function as a de facto strict liability standard.
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\409\ While proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(8)(I) would have required disclosure of up to three fees, proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8)(I)-2 would have explained that, in determining incidence-based fees, financial institutions would have had to total the incidence for each fee type incurred during the prescribed period.
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Many industry commenters responded to the Bureau's solicitation of comments regarding alternatives to the proposed incidence-based fee disclosure. They variously recommended the following in the short form disclosure: A general statement that other fees may apply, disclosing all fees, or adding to the static fees already disclosed on the short form up to three more common fees chosen by the financial institution or determined by the Bureau on the basis of research. Some industry commenters recommended modifying the proposed update schedule by requiring the update every two years, or requiring it only when there is a fee change which would require the financial institution to update the prepaid account terms, packaging, and disclosures in any case.
A few industry commenters addressed the Bureau's queries regarding whether the disclosure should be based on assessment of fee frequency, as proposed, or fee revenue. A trade association and an issuing bank said they had no preference, as long as the criteria are clear, easy to determine, and not subject to annual updating. A program manager also said it had no preference as it has the data necessary for either calculation, and the cost and compliance burden would be the same either way.
The proposal sought comment on a de minimis threshold below which changes to the incidence ranking would not require form revisions. While some industry commenters supported this idea, others went further and advocated for a general de minimis threshold that would not require disclosure of additional fee types below a threshold set by the Bureau. A trade association, a payment network, an issuing bank, and several program managers urged the Bureau to adopt a general de minimis exclusion from the incidence-based fee
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requirement. The issuing bank said this would help to ensure that consumers are provided with information on the short form disclosure that is most likely to be relevant to their actual use of the prepaid account. Other commenters explained that, in general, very little revenue is generated from fees paid by consumers that are not already reflected on the proposed short form, other than from the purchase price and activation fees (when charged), though there are outliers in certain circumstances. One commenter expressed concern that because so few consumers use the services associated with these other fees, the incidence-based fees required to be disclosed would likely change every year due to small shifts in consumer usage.
A trade association recommended the Bureau adopt a safe harbor to the proposed incidence-based fee requirement that allows financial institutions to disclose all fees on the short form, with a de minimis exception for fees that are imposed on fewer than 25 percent of accounts. A credit union similarly recommended that the Bureau give financial institutions the option of listing all fees on the short form, which it said would be more transparent to consumers and more beneficial particularly for issuers who charge a limited number of fees on their prepaid accounts.
Several consumer group commenters, on the other hand, supported the proposed disclosure of incidence-based fees. These commenters said that requiring disclosure of incidence-based fees would prevent financial institutions from designing their fee schedules to minimize fees required to be disclosed on the short form and to maximize those that are only listed on the long form disclosure, where consumers are less likely to see them. They also said the disclosure of incidence-based fees would help consumers evaluate and avoid the most-commonly charged fees.
The consumer group commenters also recommended some changes to the proposed requirement. They all recommended requiring calculation of the fees based on revenue, rather than frequency of incidence, saying it is more important to warn consumers about high fees that impact small numbers of consumers rather than small fees charged often. They warned that placing more importance on a commonly incurred but inexpensive fee, rather than a rare expensive fee, could result in consumers paying more for fees that are not prominently displayed. They said the rule could incent some providers to bring down cost of the most common fees in favor of higher fees on those incurred less often, thus hiding potential costly charges.
One consumer group commenter recommended eliminating the 12-month lookback period for assessment of incidence-based fees because an expensive fee, such as a legal process fee, may be charged sporadically but could devastate a consumer. That commenter also argued against a de minimis exception, saying any fee so small or so rarely incurred should be eliminated. Moreover, it said, a de minimis threshold would likely eliminate disclosure of infrequent but costly fees, such as legal fees for garnishment. The consumer group also suggested requiring standardized use of the term ``bill payment'' for incidence-based fees. Another consumer group recommended permitting a financial institution that charges a total of four other fees to disclose all four of those fees in lieu of disclosing three of those fees and the statement regarding other fees.
Regarding purchase price, one consumer group commenter agreed that, as the Bureau had proposed, the purchase price for a prepaid account should be a potential incidence-based fee and not be required as a static fee because of the limited space in the short form and other parts of the packaging can disclose this information. Moreover, the commenter said, it is a one-time fee and consumers will take notice of the price they have to pay for the prepaid account. On the other hand, another consumer group commenter recommended that the purchase price be required to be disclosed as a static fee on the short form or, alternatively, as an incidence-based fee. It said disclosure of this fee was important because almost half of regular GPR card users buy a new card when their funds are exhausted, so the purchase price is a frequent expense. Further, it stated that simply because the purchase price is deducted from the amount of cash loaded onto a prepaid card does not mean that consumers understand this fee.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(8), renumbered as Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix), with substantial modifications, largely in response to comments received. First, as discussed above, the Bureau is moving the disclosure's location on the short form so that it appears immediately after the statement regarding the number of additional fee types charged pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A). The Bureau believes that locating these disclosures together will help consumers see their connection and increase understanding of why the fee information specified under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) may vary among prepaid account programs, and thus enhance the use of short form disclosures for comparison shopping. The Bureau believes this will also make the disclosure of the total number of additional fee types under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) more valuable to consumers by providing some additional specific information.
Second, the Bureau is finalizing several changes to the nature of the disclosure. In particular, the Bureau is requiring disclosure of two fee types \410\ instead of three, and has renamed this requirement the ``disclosure of additional fee types.'' In addition, the Bureau is requiring that the criteria for determining fee types be based on which categories generate the highest revenue from consumers, rather than highest incidence of consumer use as proposed. As discussed above, the Bureau compiled a list of fee type examples to provide guidance to financial institutions and to help facilitate their categorization of additional fee types for satisfying the requirements in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A) and (ix).
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\410\ See comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-2 for an explanation of the term ``fee type'' and a list of examples of fee types and fee variations within those fee types that a financial institution may use when determining both the number of additional fee types pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A) and any additional fee types to disclose pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). Final comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-4 also clarifies that a financial institution must use the same categorization of fee types in the number of additional fee types disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) and in its determination of which additional fee types to disclose pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix).
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Third, the Bureau has made a number of other adjustments intended to reduce compliance burden relative to the proposal regarding the tracking and reporting of the additional fee types. These adjustments are in addition to proposed burden-reducing measures that the Bureau is adopting in the final rule, such as the exemption from having to update the listing of additional fee types on previously printed packaging materials, pursuant to the update printing exception in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(4). Additional burden-reducing measures in the final rule include a 24-month (rather than annual) cycle for assessing and updating the disclosures and permitting financial institutions to track revenue on a consolidated basis across multiple prepaid account programs that share the same fee schedule. The final rule also permits issuers not to provide
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disclosures for any fee categories that fall below 5 percent of consumer-generated revenues, as well as excluding certain other fee categories. Finally, the Bureau has replaced the proposed commentary with a number of new comments to provide additional clarification and guidance on the requirements set forth in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix).
The Bureau has considered the industry comments objecting to the proposed disclosure of incidence-based fees \411\ and recommending their elimination from the final rule. It has also considered the alternatives recommended by some industry commenters and suggestions for improvement by consumer group commenters. The Bureau has made extensive refinements to the proposed framework based in substantial part on this feedback but continues to believe that there is value to maintaining a dynamic element on the short form and that disclosing specific additional fee information that is updated on a periodic basis is the best way to provide such dynamic information, as discussed further below.
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\411\ Hereinafter, the Bureau uses the final rule term ``additional fee types'' in place of ``incidence-based fees,'' unless the discussion calls for specific reference to the term from the proposed rule.
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As discussed in detail in the next few paragraphs, the Bureau continues to believe it is important that financial institutions disclose to consumers certain fee types not otherwise listed on the short form. The Bureau believes that this may be particularly important for certain virtual wallets and other products covered by this final rule that may have pricing structures that do not mirror those of GPR cards or other more traditional prepaid products, as well as for capturing potential major evolutions in pricing structures on traditional products that may occur in the future. Further, the final rule provides some flexibility to financial institutions that have fewer than two fee types required to be disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(B) to disclose additional fee types of their choice, such as those particular to their prepaid account program and imposed for features that could be appealing to consumers. It also provides additional flexibility for financial institutions to disclose the names and fee amounts of the discrete fee variations for additional fee types with two or fewer fee variations pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(C).
First, as pointed out by some consumer group commenters, the requirement to disclose additional fee types in the short form disclosure creates a dynamic disclosure designed to reduce incentives for manipulating fee structures to reduce the cost of the most common fee types in favor of higher fees on fee types incurred less often, thus hiding potential costly charges. The Bureau is not convinced, as asserted by some industry commenters, that market forces alone would adequately control for potential fee manipulation. Requiring disclosure of additional fee types in the short form will help prevent financial institutions from minimizing the cost of the fees required to be disclosed in and outside the short form by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) through (vii) and (5) in favor of higher fees for fee types that would only be required to be disclosed in the comprehensive long form disclosure, where the Bureau believes consumers are much less likely to see them before acquiring a prepaid account. In particular for prepaid accounts sold at retail, consumers may not see the additional fee types disclosed only in the long form and, thus, could be more likely to incur such fees unknowingly. Putting consumers on notice of additional fee types that, outside of those excluded from disclosure pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)(1) through (3), generate the highest revenue from consumers for the particular prepaid account or across prepaid account programs that share the same fee schedule will alert consumers to account features for which they may end up incurring a significant cost.
Second, eschewing full standardization in a static short form disclosure in favor of the dynamic disclosure of additional fee types enables the disclosure to capture market changes and innovations. In this way, the short form is capable of reflecting over time significant changes in consumer use patterns that affect the amount of revenue generated for new features. Disclosing additional fee types in the short form allows the disclosure to reflect the advent of new fee types that consumers may come to incur frequently and for significant cost that, without this requirement, otherwise would be prohibited from disclosure in the short form and thus could render it outdated and of diminished value to consumers over time. This same dynamism also permits disclosure of fees for certain types of prepaid accounts, such as mobile wallets, whose currently scant fee structures may not otherwise be represented in the short form. Further, requiring disclosure of additional fee types allows the short form to capture future fee types charged by new products and under new pricing models that emerge over time. Without this mechanism, the information provided to consumers in the short form disclosure may become ossified and anachronistic over time absent additional rulemakings by the Bureau to update the required elements of the short form.
The Bureau recognizes that there are some tradeoffs for consumers and for industry in providing the disclosures, but believes those disadvantages are outweighed by the benefits of these disclosures to consumers. Moreover, the Bureau believes that the changes it has made in the final rule address many of the concerns raised by industry commenters and also substantially reduce the burden on financial institutions related to providing these disclosures relative to the proposal.
One objection raised by industry commenters is that, because the additional fee types disclosures will be the only non-standardized elements of the short form, the lack of uniformity will cause consumer confusion and prevent comparison shopping. As discussed in the section-
by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) above, the Bureau had consumer tested language to explain how the incidence-based fees were selected for disclosure on the short form but found that the information did not track well with consumers. The Bureau believes that the final rule substantially reduces this problem by linking the disclosures in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) and (ix) by using a transition statement between the two (``Here are some of them:'') as discussed above, making clear that the specific additional fee types listed are examples of additional types of fees not otherwise disclosed on the short form. While the short form will not specifically explain why those two particular fee types were selected for disclosure, consumers will be able to understand that this portion of the form is variable across prepaid account programs, evaluate the specific information provided for potential applicability to their expected prepaid account use, and seek more information. The Bureau does not believe it necessary for consumers to understand the calculations behind and the specific purpose of the additional fee types to benefit from their disclosure.
Some commenters said the proposed reprint exemption would create discrepancies among short form disclosures for the same prepaid account program depending on where a consumer views the form (for example, at retail versus online). However, in
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addition to the modifications to the final rule discussed above adding an explanatory heading above the listing of additional fee types, the Bureau believes it unlikely most consumers will be comparing short form disclosures for the same prepaid account program in different mediums. Moreover, a large majority of industry commenters favored the reprint exemption, as it reduces burden, and the Bureau believes it is preferable to retain this exemption in the final rule as opposed to removing it. The Bureau does not believe that the additional fee type disclosures required by the final rule will stifle innovation, as suggested by industry commenters, particularly given the reprint exemption and the additional explanation the Bureau has provided in the supplementary information for this final rule regarding use of change-
in-terms notices pursuant to Sec. 1005.8(a) and notice of new EFT services pursuant to Sec. 1005.7(c). See, e.g., the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(4) below.
With regard to comparison shopping, the Bureau believes that having the same disclosures in the bulk of the short form, including the static fees and informational statements, will create more than sufficient consistency to facilitate consumer comparison shopping based on key fees in the marketplace, despite some variance introduced by the disclosure of two additional fee types. At the same time, the disclosure of additional fee types will ensure that consumers are made aware of significant fee types relating to each particular prepaid account program. Also, the transition statement linking the statement regarding the number of additional fee types and the disclosure of additional fee types provides sufficient information to orient consumers to these disclosures and will help dispel the consumer confusion that concerned industry commenters, particularly in light of consumer testing of explanations of the criteria for selection of additional fee types that proved ineffective.
To preserve standardization and consistency across short form disclosures, the Bureau declines to exempt prepaid accounts distributed in branches, particularly those of community banks and credit unions, and by government agencies from the requirement to disclose additional fee types. In addition to preserving standardization across short form disclosures, the Bureau is concerned that creating an individualized disclosure regime for different acquisition settings would create a patchwork regulatory regime, which is what this rule seeks to eliminate. The Bureau believes it is important to make the short form disclosure as informative as possible considering its space constraints; the disclosures regarding additional fee types will encourage consumers to review the long form for more detailed information in a way that simply providing the long form disclosure will not do.
In finalizing this provision, the Bureau attempted to maximize the usefulness of the disclosure for consumers while exacting the minimum burden on industry. As discussed above and below, the final rule incorporates many burden-reducing measures relative to the proposal, such as excluding certain fees from potential disclosure as additional fee types altogether (final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)(1) and (3)), allowing for a consolidated calculation of additional fee types to occur across all prepaid account programs that share the same fee schedule (final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)), increasing the timeframe for data collection and assessment/update from one year to 24 months (final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(D) and (E)), and incorporating a de minimis revenue threshold to exclude from potential disclosure fee types that fall below this threshold (final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)(2)). The Bureau is skeptical that this disclosure requirement will prompt financial institutions to exit the prepaid market as suggested by some commenters. Rather, the Bureau believes that the burden imposed on financial institutions by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) is manageable. Also, with regard to comments that the disclosure of additional fee types in the short form is redundant of information found in the long form disclosure, the Bureau believes these fees merit disclosure in the short form as it is the disclosure most likely to be reviewed pre-acquisition by consumers.
Each aspect of final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) is addressed in turn below, together with other specific comments from both industry and consumer groups.
Determination of Which Additional Fee Types To Disclose Pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A) requires disclosure of the two fee types that generate the highest revenue from consumers for the prepaid account program or across prepaid account programs that share the same fee schedule during the time period provided in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(D) and (E), excluding (1) fees required to be disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) through (vii) and (5); (2) any fee types that generated less than 5 percent of the total revenue from consumers for the prepaid account program or across prepaid account programs that share the same fee schedule during the relevant time period; and (3) any finance charges as described in final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4(b)(11) imposed in connection with a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in final Sec. 1026.61.
Specific aspects of this provision, and related commentary, are discussed in turn below.
Two additional fee types. Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) requires the disclosure of fee types, rather than individual fees. Requiring financial institutions to disclose additional fee types for both final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) and (ix) should further reduce burden on industry relative to the proposal.\412\ First, final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) and (ix) are coordinated such that both provisions require disclosure of additional fee types; therefore industry will use the same criteria to formulate the disclosures for both provisions thus avoiding the cost of maintaining separate rubrics.\413\ Second, organizing the disclosures around fee types rather than discrete fees simplifies the organizational process by reducing the number of distinct fee categories financial institutions must track and analyze in determining the disclosure of additional fee types. Third, in response to industry commenters' concerns about how to categorize fee types, final comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-2 lists examples of fee types and the breakdowns of discrete fee variations within fee types that a financial institution may use when determining the disclosures required by both final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) and (ix). The Bureau balanced multiple considerations in compiling this list of examples, including existing industry practices with regard to fee types, the accounting burdens associated with relatively narrower or broader definitions of fee types, and the potential benefits to both industry and consumers in using narrower definitions of fee types to communicate information about specific account features and fees. The Bureau believes the resulting list strikes an appropriate balance by capturing categories and terms employed by the prepaid industry itself that will be most useful to financial
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institutions and consumers in determining and understanding additional fee types. The Bureau is providing flexibility to financial institutions to fashion appropriate names for other fee types, including fee types for services that do not yet exist in the prepaid marketplace.
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\412\ As discussed in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A), the Bureau believes this approach addresses a number of the concerns raised by commenters regarding the proposed disclosure of the total number of additional fees.
\413\ See final comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-4.
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The Bureau does not believe the use of fee types will compromise the benefit to consumers of the disclosure required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix), as suggested by some commenters. While it is true that the additional fee types disclosed will constitute broader categories than disclosure of individual fee types, such as the disclosure of fees for bill payment generally versus a specific fee for regular or expedited delivery of a bill payment, there are benefits and detriments to either approach for both consumers and financial institutions and as discussed above, the Bureau believes the approach in the final rule strikes an appropriate balance. To allow financial institutions flexibility to disclose discrete fee variations, pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(C), financial institutions with additional fee types with two or fewer fee variations may disclose those fee variations by name and fee amount. Similarly, final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(B) permits financial institutions to disclose fee types of their choice if they have fewer than two fee types that require disclosure under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix), thereby creating opportunities for more transparent disclosure to consumers and greater flexibility and control for financial institutions, including the option of highlighting innovative and unique product features or features that financial institutions project may require disclosure by the next reassessment and update deadline.
Also in the final rule, the Bureau is requiring disclosure of two additional fee types pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A), rather than three as proposed. The Bureau has made this modification, in part, to create additional space on the short form for other disclosures required by the final rule, such as the statement associated with the alternate disclosure of a variable periodic fee pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(ii). The Bureau also believes some financial institutions will find that this modification will impose less burden on an ongoing basis with respect to recalculation and updates than the rule as proposed would have done. The Bureau does not believe that the disclosure of two additional fee types rather than three will reduce the effectiveness of the short form disclosure for consumers, especially when balanced with other measures the Bureau has taken in the final rule to inform consumers of other fee types, such as the requirement under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(vi) to generally disclose two customer service fees (for interactive voice response and live customer service) instead of the highest fee that would have been required under the proposed rule.
Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(A)-1 clarifies that a prepaid account program that has two fee types that satisfy the criteria in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A) must disclose both fees. If a prepaid account program has three or more fee types that potentially satisfy the criteria in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A), the financial institution must disclose only the two fee types that generate the highest revenue from consumers. This comment cross-references final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(B)-1 for guidance regarding the disclosure of additional fee types for a prepaid account with fewer than two fee types that satisfy the criteria in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A).
Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(A)-1 also cross-references final comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-2 for guidance on and examples of fee types. To address an industry commenter's concerns regarding categorization of fee types, comment 18(b)(2)(viii)(A)-2 provides concrete guidance on how to categorize fee types. The comment provides an explanation of the term ``fee type'' and examples of more than a dozen fee types, along with fee variations within those fee types, that a financial institution may use when determining both the number of additional fee types charged pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A) and any additional fee types to disclose pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). In response to the recommendation of one consumer group commenter, this comment provides standardized terms for many fee types, including bill payment. Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(A)-2 explains that commonly accepted or readily understandable abbreviations may be used as needed for additional fee types and fee variations disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix), and offers several example to illustrate this concept.
Highest revenue. Upon consideration of the comments and additional analysis, the Bureau has concluded that determining the disclosure of additional fee types on the basis of revenue is superior to an incidence-based system. The Bureau agrees with consumer group commenters that there may be more merit in alerting consumers to fees from which the financial institution makes the highest revenue, even if those fees impact fewer consumers, rather than lower fees incurred by consumers more frequently. Also, as raised by consumer group commenters, the rule as proposed could incent some financial institutions to reduce the cost of the most common fee types in favor of higher fees on fee types incurred less often, thus hiding potential costly charges. Moreover, all industry commenters who responded to the issue were neutral as to whether the disclosure should be based on incidence or revenue because they tracked both. To the extent that some financial institutions do not track both, the Bureau believes that it is more likely they track revenue and, regardless, that it will be simpler and more straightforward for financial institutions to calculate fee revenues rather than fee incidence.
The Bureau also believes that there is additional information conveyed in using revenue; namely that a fee type's revenue is a measure of the impact of that fee type on consumers--it is the amount, in dollars, of the cost of that feature to consumers. In contrast, an incidence-based approach could have led to disclosure of fee types that were commonly incurred but had a low impact because the fee amount was low.
Revenue from consumers. The Bureau has included specific reference in the final rule to ``revenue from consumers'' to assure clarity that the revenue required for calculation for the disclosure of additional fee types required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) is based on fee types that the financial institution may charge consumers. Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(A)-3 clarifies that the calculation excludes other revenue sources such as revenue generated from interchange fees and fees paid by entities that sponsor prepaid account programs for financial disbursements (e.g., government agencies and employers). The comment also explains that the calculation excludes third-party fees, unless they are imposed for services performed on behalf of the financial institution.
Assessing revenue within and across prepaid account programs to determine disclosure of additional fee types. Some industry commenters said the proposed requirement to calculate incidence-based fees on a program-by-program basis would pose significant cost and burden to them. They explained that some financial institutions administer hundreds or more prepaid account programs, particularly in the payroll and government benefit space, and recommended that financial institutions be permitted to aggregate data rather than analyze the data of each prepaid account program separately. The Bureau continues to believe it is crucial that the
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additional fee types disclosed to consumers in the short form reflect consumer usage and cost for a particular prepaid account program. However, the Bureau also recognizes that many payroll card account and government benefit account programs may be considered separate programs but share fee schedules and other terms. Because of the potential burden for determining the additional fee disclosures based on fee revenue data separately for programs that all share the same fee schedule, particularly in the context of payroll card accounts and government benefits accounts, the final rule permits financial institutions to make their additional fee types determination based on the fee types that generate the highest revenue from consumers for a particular prepaid account program or across prepaid account programs that share the same fee schedule during the time period provided in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(D) and (E).
Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(A)-4 explains that, if a financial institution offers more than one prepaid account program, unless the programs share the same fee schedule, the financial institution must consider the fee revenue data separately for each prepaid account program and not consolidate the fee revenue data across prepaid account programs. The comment explains that prepaid account programs are deemed to have the same fee schedules if they charge the same fee amounts, including offering the same fee waivers and fee reductions for the same features. The comment also provides examples of how to assess revenue within and across prepaid account programs to determine the disclosure of additional fee types. In addition, the comment explains that, for multiple service plans disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(6)(iii)(B)(2), a financial institution must consider revenue across all of those plans in determining the disclosure of additional fee types for that program.
The Bureau notes that, financial institutions disclosing only the default service plan for a prepaid account program offering multiple service plans pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(6)(iii)(B)(1) are not required to evaluate revenues or disclose additional fee types under Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) for service plans other than the default service plan.
Exclusions pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)(1) through (3). As clarified in final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(A)-5, once the financial institution has calculated the fee revenue data for the prepaid account program or across prepaid account programs that share the same fee schedule during the appropriate time period, it must remove from consideration the categories excluded pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)(1) through (3) before determining the fee types, if any, that generated the highest revenue.
Exclusion of fee types required to be disclosed elsewhere pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)(1). Like the proposed rule, the final rule requires financial institutions to exclude from the additional fee types required to be disclosed (and from the number of additional fee types required to be disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A)) the static fees required to be disclosed in the short form pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) through (vii). A new provision in the final rule, Sec. 1005.18(b)(5), requires the disclosure of certain information, including any purchase price or activation fee for a prepaid account, outside the short form disclosure. Because purchase price and activation fees will thus always be disclosed for prepaid accounts under the final rule, the Bureau does not believe it is necessary or appropriate for such fees to be potentially disclosed as additional fee types under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix), as was proposed, and thus has added an exclusion for those fees as well. Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(A)-5.i provides further clarification regarding the exclusion for fees required to be disclosed elsewhere, including clarification that fee types such as those for international ATM withdrawals and international ATM balance inquiries are not excluded as potential additional fee types.
De minimis exclusion pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)(2). In the final rule, the Bureau is adopting a de minimis threshold permitting exclusion from the additional fee types required to be disclosed of any fee types that generated less than 5 percent of the total revenue from consumers for the prepaid account program or across prepaid account programs that share the same fee schedule during the time period provided in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(D) and (E). Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(A)-5.ii provides two examples illustrating the de minimis exclusion; the second example also cross-references final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(B)-1. While the Bureau solicited comments on whether the final rule should establish a de minimis threshold for updating the proposed incidence-based fees, some industry commenters recommended a de minimis threshold for the disclosure of such fees in general, which is what the Bureau is adopting in this final rule.
The Bureau understands from some industry commenters that many fees that would have qualified under the proposal as additional fee types neither generate significant revenue nor are charged very frequently, though they often relate to services that certain consumers find valuable. With the de minimis threshold, disclosure of such fee types under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) would not be required, although such fee types would be counted in the total number of additional fee types disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii). Even with a de minimis exclusion, the Bureau believes that this disclosure requirement removes the potential incentive for financial institutions to restructure their fee schedules to avoid disclosure on the short form of certain fees from which they garner significant revenue. The short form disclosure likewise still remains dynamic such that it can reflect significant changes in the marketplace and in consumer use patterns over time. The Bureau believes the dynamic disclosures may also be useful to reflect the fees of certain types of prepaid accounts, such as mobile wallets, that are less likely to charge the types of fees that are represented in the static portion of the short form.
Moreover, with a de minimis threshold, this disclosure requirement will impose less burden relative to the proposal on financial institutions whose potential additional fee types fall below the de minimis threshold, as they may but are not required to disclose or update those fee types under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). The Bureau acknowledges, as pointed out by industry commenters, that some fee types may not be germane to all consumers. The Bureau believes that by applying a de minimis threshold, additional fee types that will not be germane to most consumers are not likely to be required to be disclosed. In response to the consumer group commenter that urged prohibiting any fee so small as to fall below a de minimis threshold, the Bureau states that such request is outside the scope of this rulemaking. The Bureau acknowledges the consumer group commenter's concerns regarding high fees with low incidence, but believes that the de minimis exception, in combination with the disclosure of additional fee types based on revenue, as opposed to incidence, strikes the appropriate balance for the final rule.
After determining that a de minimis exclusion from the requirement to disclose additional fee types would be appropriate, the Bureau considered
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recent studies as well as information provided by commenters to determine an appropriate threshold. A 2012 study offered statistics on the aggregate fees paid by cardholders to the prepaid issuer, using data from more than 3 million prepaid cards across 15 programs from one issuing bank.\414\ For the payroll card programs, approximately 89 percent of the fees (by value) paid by cardholders were from fees that appear to align with those required to be disclosed on the static portion of the short form under the final rule.\415\ The remaining fees ranged between 1 and 7 percent.\416\ The study's fee analysis for the various types of GPR card programs were less instructive, having been evaluated across only three general categories (ATM withdrawal fees, maintenance and origination fees, and transaction and other fees).\417\
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\414\ See 2012 FRB Philadelphia Study at 4, 11, and 26. This study used transactions covering a six-year cycle, but most occurred during the last two years of the data set (2009 and 2010). Programs included three web GPR programs, six GPR programs sold at retail, one GPR program offered in bank branches, and three payroll card programs. See id. at 11.
\415\ These fees were ATM withdrawal (54 percent), PIN POS purchase (14 percent), balance inquiry (11 percent), maintenance (10 percent). See id. at 59 fig. 5.1(B).
\416\ These fees were ATM decline (7 percent), PIN POS decline (1 percent), and other/unidentified (3 percent). See id.
\417\ In the web GPR programs, these fees were ATM withdrawal (26 percent), maintenance and origination (52 percent), and transaction and other (22 percent). See id. at 60 fig. 5.2(B). In the retail GPR programs, these fees were ATM withdrawal (17 percent), maintenance and origination (28 percent), and transaction and other (55 percent). See id. at 61 fig. 5.3(B). In the FI GPR program, these fees were ATM withdrawal (19 percent), maintenance and origination (68 percent), and transaction and other (13 percent). See id. at 62 fig. 5.4(B). The category of transaction and other fees here were calculated as the residual of all fees less origination, maintenance, and ATM withdrawal fees, which include, for example, fees for point-of-sale transactions, balance inquires, paper statements, and calls to a live customer service agent. See, e.g., id. at 60 note 2.
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A 2014 study evaluated transactions on more than 3 million GPR cards from one program manager over a one-year period in 2011-
2012.\418\ Approximately 96 percent of the fees (by value) paid by cardholders in these programs were from fees that appear to align with those required to be disclosed on the static portion of the short form or outside the short form pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(5) under the final rule.\419\ The remaining fees were 1.5 and 2.5 percent.\420\ The Bureau notes that the data used in these studies is at least four years old, while fee structures on prepaid accounts have generally been shifting to be both lower and more simplified in recent years.\421\
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\418\ See 2012 FRB Kansas City Study at 4.
\419\ These fees were signature transaction (36.7 percent), PIN transaction (19.5 percent), ATM withdrawal (15.9 percent), monthly fee (8.7 percent), account maintenance (8.5 percent), IVR balance inquiry (5.6 percent), and ATM balance inquiry (1.2 percent). See id. at 67 fig. 5.1.
\420\ These fees were decline (1.5 percent) and other (2.5 percent). See id.
\421\ See, e.g., Fed. Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Cards, Cards and More Cards: The Evolution to Prepaid Cards, Inside the Vault, at 1, 2 (Fall 2011), available at http://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/itv/articles/?id=2168 (``Competition among prepaid card issuers and increased volume have helped lower card fees and simplify card terms''); 2014 Pew Study at 2 (``Our research finds that the providers are competing for business by lowering some fees and are facing pressure from new entrants in the market'').
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The Bureau also received information from several commenters regarding fee revenue for a number of prepaid account programs. These commenters provided data mainly for GPR programs, but the Bureau received some information regarding corporate disbursement cards and non-reloadable cards sold at retail as well. Based on this information, across all of these programs except one, fee revenue from consumers amounted to 97 to 99 percent of fee revenue from fees required to be disclosed on the static portion of the short form or outside the short form pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(5) under the final rule. Of the remaining fees, fee revenue ranged from 3 percent to a fraction of 1 percent. In the one other program, 79 percent of fee revenue was from fees required to be disclosed on the static portion of the short form. Of the remaining fees, one comprised approximately 18 percent of fee revenue, while the others ranged between 1 and 2 percent each.
After considering the requests from commenters for a de minimis exclusion and the information available in studies and provided by commenters, the Bureau believes that a 5 percent threshold is appropriate and offers a clear dividing line between fee types that generate only a small amount of revenue from consumers and those that generate significant revenue and thus are most important to be disclosed to consumers prior to acquisition of a prepaid account. Based on this information, the Bureau believes that this threshold level would facilitate compliance and reduce burden, as requested by industry commenters, because a 5 percent de minimis threshold would exclude a majority of the applicable fees (other than the fees disclosed on the static portion of the short form disclosure or outside the short form disclosure pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(5)) that generate a small amount of revenue and would be less germane to consumers. At the same time, the Bureau believes that the 5 percent threshold appropriately tailors the additional fee type disclosure requirement to ensure consumers are alerted to fees that would potentially impose significant costs. In addition, the Bureau believes that the 5 percent threshold helps effectuate the intent of the dynamic portion of the short form disclosure to reflect significant changes in the marketplace and in consumer use patterns over time. The Bureau intends to monitor developments in the market in this area.
Exclusion for certain credit-related fees pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)(3). The final rule requires financial institutions to exclude from disclosure as additional fee types any finance charges as described in final Regulation Z Sec. 1026.4(b)(11) imposed in connection with a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in final Sec. 1026.61. Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(A)-5.iii clarifies that, pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii)(A)(2), such finance charges are also excluded from the number of additional fee types disclosed.
As discussed in more detail below, the Bureau has made a strategic decision to focus the bulk of the short form disclosure on usage of the prepaid account itself (i.e., the asset feature of the prepaid account). The possibility that consumers may be offered an overdraft credit feature for use in connection with the prepaid account is addressed in the short form pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(x), which requires the following statement if such a feature may be offered: ``You may be offered overdraft/credit after x days. Fees would apply.'' Consistent with this overall decision, the Bureau believes that it is appropriate to exclude any finance charges related to an overdraft credit feature that may be offered at a later date to some prepaid consumers from the disclosures regarding additional fees under both final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) and (ix). If consumers are interested in such a feature, they can look to the Regulation Z disclosures in the long form pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(4)(vii), discussed below, for more details.
The Bureau notes that the calculation for the disclosure of additional fee types does not include fees that are not imposed with respect to the prepaid account program. For example, any finance charges imposed in connection with a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card, where such finance charges are imposed on the separate credit account (not on the prepaid account) would not be included as part of the denominator
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used in calculating whether the two additional fee types that generated the highest revenue from consumers of a particular prepaid account program qualify for the de minimis exclusion in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)(2).
Disclosure of Fewer Than Two Additional Fee Types Pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(B)
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(B) provides that a financial institution that has only one additional fee type that satisfies the criteria in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A) must disclose that one additional fee type; it may, but is not required to, also disclose another additional fee type of its choice. A financial institution that has no additional fee types that satisfy the criteria in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A) is not required to make a disclosure under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix); it may, but is not required to, disclose one or two fee types of its choice. Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(B)-1 contains several examples to provide guidance on the additional fee types disclosure pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(B) for a prepaid account with fewer than two fee types that satisfy the criteria in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A). Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(B)-2 clarifies that, pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(vi), a financial institution may not disclose any finance charges as a voluntary additional fee disclosure under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(B).
The Bureau has included this provision in the final rule to clarify the disclosure requirements for a financial institution that has fewer than two additional fee types that neither exceed the de minimis threshold nor otherwise satisfy the criteria in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A), given that some financial institutions may have additional fee types that are not required to be disclosed on the short form pursuant to the de minimis exclusion in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)(2). The Bureau declines to permit disclosure of more than two additional fee types or disclosure of all fee types, as was suggested respectively by one consumer group commenter and two industry commenters, because the Bureau believes adding more information will upset the balance between providing the most important information for consumers with the brevity and clarity necessary for optimal consumer comprehension. However this final rule provision permitting voluntary disclosure of fee types when a financial institution has less than two additional fee types that satisfy the criteria of Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A) does provide flexibility for some financial institutions with regard to their disclosure of additional fee types. A financial institution that chooses to disclose fee types under this provision will be able to more fully inform consumers of the features of a particular prepaid account. Moreover, under this provision, a financial institution that is not currently required to disclose any additional fees, but anticipating that in the future one or two of its fee types may exceed the de minimis exception in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)(2) has the option to voluntarily disclose those fee types in order to avoid the future need to update its short form disclosures pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix).
Fee Variations in Additional Fee Types Required by Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(C)
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(C) provides that, if an additional fee type required to be disclosed pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A) has more than two fee variations, or when providing a short form disclosure for multiple service plans pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(6)(iii)(B)(2), the financial institution must disclose the name of the additional fee type and the highest fee amount in accordance with Sec. 1005.18(b)(3)(i). It goes on to say that, except when providing a short form disclosure for multiple service plans pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(6)(iii)(B)(2), if an additional fee type has two fee variations, the financial institution must disclose the name of the additional fee type together with the names of the two fee variations and the fee amounts in a format substantially similar to that used to disclose the two-tier fees required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(v) and (vi) and in accordance with final Sec. 1005.18(b)(7)(ii)(B)(1). Finally, it states that, if a financial institution only charges one fee under a particular fee type, the financial institution must disclose the name of the additional fee type and the fee amount; it may, but is not required to, disclose also the name of the one fee variation, if any, for which the fee amount is charged, in a format substantially similar to that used to disclose the two-tier fees required by Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(v) and (vi), except that the financial institution would disclose only the one fee variation name and fee amount instead of two.
Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(C)-1 provides examples to illustrate disclosures when a financial institution charges two or more fee variations under a particular fee type, including how to disclose two fee variations with different fee amounts, two fee variations with like fee amounts, more than two variations, and multiple service plans with two fee variations. Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(C)-2 provides an example illustrating the options for disclosing a fee type with only one fee variation.
The Bureau has included Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(C) in the final rule to create consistency in the short form disclosure by conforming the requirements for disclosure of fee variations for additional fee types with the requirements for disclosure of fee variations for the static fees disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i) through (vii). In addition, this provision will give consumers the opportunity to see more detailed information about fee variations and their respective costs as well as to allow financial institutions flexibility to disclose more details about discrete fee variations. This provision, together with final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(B) which permits financial institutions to disclose fee types of their choice if they have fewer than two fee types that are required to be disclosed under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A), creates opportunities for more transparent disclosure to consumers and greater flexibility and control for financial institutions.
Assessment and Update of Additional Fee Types Pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(D) and (E)
Many industry commenters recommended that the Bureau eliminate the proposed requirement to disclose incidence-based fees based on the burden those commenters said the disclosure would place on industry, particularly with regard to assessing and updating the additional fee types disclosure. As discussed above, however, the Bureau is finalizing the requirement to disclose additional fee types because it believes it will bring significant benefit to consumers. Moreover, the Bureau recognizes that certain industry practices already in place as well as modifications the Bureau is making in the final rule serve to ameliorate some of the burden financial institutions face in complying with final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). For example, the Bureau notes that industry commenters have confirmed that prepaid issuers and program managers already generally track and tag all fees imposed on consumers, typically analyzing both frequency and revenue, thereby collecting similar metrics in their normal course of business as those necessary for assessing and updating the disclosure of additional fee types. In addition, the Bureau has attempted to minimize burden on industry by basing the detailed list of examples of fee types and fee variations in final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(A)-2 on fee classifications
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used in the current prepaid marketplace.
The Bureau also notes that, as discussed above, the final rule permits calculation of additional fee types across prepaid account programs with like fee schedules, such that entities that have multiple programs with identical fee schedules, as may be the case particularly with payroll card account and government benefit account programs, may perform a single assessment for all of the programs sharing the same fee schedule.
The specific elements of final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(D) and (E) are discussed in turn below.
Timing of initial assessment of additional fee types disclosure pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(D). Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(D)(1) provides that, for a prepaid account program in effect as of October 1, 2017, the financial institution must disclose the additional fee types based on revenue for a 24-month period that begins no earlier than October 1, 2014. Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(D)(1)-1 explains that a prepaid account program that was in existence as of October 1, 2017 must assess its additional fee types disclosure from data collected during a consecutive 24-month period that took place between October 1, 2014 and October 1, 2017. For example, an existing prepaid account program was first offered to consumers on January 1, 2012 and provides its first short form disclosure on October 1, 2017. The earliest 24-month period from which that financial institution could calculate its first additional fee types disclosure would be from October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2016.
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(D)(2) provides that, if a financial institution does not have 24 months of fee revenue data for a particular prepaid account program from which to calculate the additional fee types disclosure in advance of October 1, 2017, the financial institution must disclose the additional fee types based on revenue it reasonably anticipates the prepaid account program will generate over the 24-month period that begins on October 1, 2017. Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(D)(2)-1 provides the example of a financial institution that begins offering to consumers a prepaid account program six months before October 1, 2017. Because the prepaid account program will not have 24 months of fee revenue data prior to October 1, 2017, the financial institution must disclose the additional fee types it reasonably anticipates the prepaid account program will generate over the 24-month period that begins on October 1, 2017. The financial institution would take into account the data it had accumulated at the time of its calculation to arrive at the reasonably anticipated additional fee types for the prepaid account program.
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(D)(3) provides that, for a prepaid account program created on or after October 1, 2017, the financial institution must disclose the additional fee types based on revenue it reasonably anticipates the prepaid account program will generate over the first 24 months of the program. The Bureau has included these provision in the final rule to set forth detailed requirements for financial institutions regarding the time frame within which and the data from which to calculate the first assessment of additional fee types required to be disclosed in the short form pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). As illustrated in the example in final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(D)(1)-1, for prepaid account programs in existence as of the October 1, 2017 effective date of the final rule, the Bureau has built in the additional flexibility of giving financial institutions up to one year, after the 24-month time period from which to draw the data used to calculate the additional fee types, for the financial institution to perform the assessment and prepare its initial short form disclosure. Similar to the proposed rule, the final rule provides flexibility for the financial institution with prepaid account programs in existence prior to the effective date with unavailable data by requiring the financial institution to disclose the additional fee types based on revenue it reasonably anticipates the prepaid account program will generate over the 24-month period beginning on October 1, 2017. Similarly, for new prepaid account programs created on or after October 1, 2017, the final rule provides flexibility for the financial institution to disclose the additional fee types based on revenue it reasonably anticipates the prepaid account will generate over the first 24 months of the program.
In response to the industry commenter recommending against the reasonableness standard under which a financial institution must project revenues for prepaid account programs in certain circumstances (in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(D)(2) and (3) as well as in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(3) discussed below), the Bureau believes that, although financial institutions will not have actual fee revenue data for such products, they nonetheless will have a reasonable expectation as to which fee types will generate the highest revenue. Moreover, the reasonableness standard is a commonly-accepted legal standard employed across diverse areas of law \422\ and the Bureau believes it is appropriate to apply here, in lieu of prescribing a complex formula upon which to base additional fee types disclosures for situations such as those set forth above when the a financial institution simply does not have 24 months of data from which to calculate additional fee types.
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\422\ For example, this standard already is employed in Regulation E in Sec. Sec. 1005.33(h)(5) and 1005.17(b)(1).
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In response to the industry commenters questioning the validity of data collected over the proposed one-year period and recommending that the Bureau expand the proposed time frame from which to calculate data, the Bureau agrees that 24 months of data, rather than the proposed one year, will improve the data set from which financial institutions calculate the additional fee types and thus is modifying the final rule as set forth above. In response to industry commenters recommending elimination of this disclosure entirely due to the burden of calculating the additional fee types, the Bureau notes that industry commenters have confirmed that prepaid issuers and program managers currently track and tag all fees imposed on consumers, typically analyzing both frequency and revenue, thereby collecting similar metrics in their normal course of business as those necessary for assessing and updating the disclosure of additional fee types and thus, the Bureau does not believe compliance with this requirement will be particularly challenging or burdensome for most financial institutions.
In addition, the Bureau expects that both the de minimis threshold and the change in the reassessment and update timeframes from one year to 24 months will reduce variation over time in the additional fee types that must be disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) for each prepaid account or across prepaid account programs that share the same fee schedule, resulting in fewer instances that financial institutions will be required to make changes to the disclosure of additional fee types on their short form disclosures.
Timing of periodic reassessment and update of additional fee types disclosure pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E). Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(1) provides a general framework for the requirements to reassess and update the additional fee types disclosures required by final
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Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). Specifically, it states that a financial institution must reassess its additional fee types disclosure periodically as described in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(2) and upon a fee schedule change as described in final Sec. 1005(b)(2)(ix)(E)(3). The financial institution must update its additional fee types disclosure if the previous disclosure no longer complies with the requirements of final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix).
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(2) sets forth the requirements for the periodic reassessment of the additional fee types disclosures required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). Specifically, it provides that a financial institution must reassess whether its previously disclosed additional fee types continue to comply with the requirements of final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) every 24 months based on revenue for the previous 24-month period. The financial institution must complete this reassessment and update its disclosures, if applicable, within three months of the end of the 24-month period, except as provided in the update printing exception in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(4).\423\ A financial institution may, but is not required to, carry out this reassessment and update, if applicable, more frequently than every 24 months, at which time a new 24-month period commences.
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\423\ Pursuant to this provision, under certain circumstances, a financial institution is not required to update the listing of additional fee types within the timeframes provided under final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E).
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Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(2)-1 provides guidance regarding the periodic assessment and, if applicable, update of the disclosure of additional fee types pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix), including examples addressing reassessment when there is no change in the additional fee types disclosed, when there has been a change in the additional fee types disclosed, and when a voluntarily-disclosed additional fee type later qualifies as an additional fee type required to be disclosed pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix). Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(2)-2 provides guidance regarding a voluntary reassessment that occurs more frequently than every 24 months, including an example illustrating the concept.
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(3) sets forth the requirements for the reassessment and update of additional fee types disclosures required by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) when there is a change in the fee schedule of a prepaid account program. Specifically, it provides that if a financial institution revises the fee schedule for a prepaid account program, it must determine whether it reasonably anticipates that the previously disclosed additional fee types will continue to comply with the requirements of final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) for the 24 months following implementation of the fee schedule change. If the financial institution reasonably anticipates that the previously disclosed additional fee types will not comply with the requirements of final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix), it must update the disclosure based on its reasonable anticipation of what those additional fee types will be at the time the fee schedule change goes into effect, except as provided in the update printing exception in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(4). In this case, the stale forms would therefore be accurate except for the fact that the disclosure of additional fee types would not reflect the expectations of the financial institution going forward for which fee types will garner the highest revenue from consumers. The Bureau is thus adopting the update printing exception in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(4) to make clear that a financial institution will not be liable for such a result.
At the same time, as discussed in more detail in the section-by-
section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b) above, the Bureau does not believe that financial institutions change the fee schedules for prepaid accounts often, and that financial institutions may need to pull and replace card packaging in some circumstances anyway.
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(3) also addresses situations in which an immediate change in terms and conditions is necessary to maintain or restore the security of an account or an EFT system as described in Sec. 1005.8(a)(2) and that change affects the prepaid account program's fee schedule. In that case, the financial institution must complete its reassessment and update its disclosures, if applicable, within three months of the date it makes the change permanent, except as provided in the update printing exception in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(4). Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(3)-1 provides guidance regarding how to handle the disclosure of additional fee types if a financial institution revises the fee schedule for a prepaid account program, including examples addressing when the financial institution reasonably anticipates that the previously disclosed additional fee types will continue to comply with final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix) and when it reasonably anticipates that they will not. The comment also clarifies that a fee schedule change resets the 24-month period for assessment; a financial institution must comply with the requirements of final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(2) at the end of the 24-month period following implementation of the fee schedule change.
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(4) provides an exception to the update requirements of final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E). Specifically, it states that, notwithstanding the requirements to update additional fee types disclosures in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E), a financial institution is not required to update the listing of additional fee types disclosed that are provided on, in, or with prepaid account packaging materials that were manufactured, printed, or otherwise produced prior to a periodic reassessment and update pursuant to final Sec. 1005.(b)(2)(ix)(E)(2) or prior to a fee schedule change pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(3). Final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(4)-1 clarifies application of the update printing exception to prepaid accounts sold in retail locations and provides an example illustrating the timing of the exception.
The Bureau agrees with industry and consumer group commenters recommending longer time periods between periodic assessments and updates (if applicable) that the change from one year to two may improve the data set from which to calculate additional fee types because, absent structural changes to the prepaid account program, revenue garnered from additional fee types above the de minimis threshold in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(A)(2) is unlikely to change in a one-year period. Moreover, the Bureau believes changes in the additional fee types disclosed will occur relatively infrequently because the Bureau understands that financial institutions typically do not revise prepaid account fees often. The Bureau also believes this modification will impose a lower ongoing burden on financial institutions with respect to recalculating and updating additional fee types disclosures in addition to smoothing variations in the additional fee types required to be disclosed.
In response to industry commenters' requests for clarification of the time period within which financial institutions must reassess and update (if applicable) the additional fee types disclosure, the final rule explicitly states that both the reassessment and the update must take place within three months of the end of the 24-month period, except as provided in the update printing exception in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(4). The Bureau declines to extend this time period, as recommended by a few industry
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commenters, as it believes a quarter of a year is sufficient time to perform these tasks, especially in conjunction with the update printing exception in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(4).
The Bureau also added additional flexibility to the final rule by expressly permitting financial institutions to carry out the required reassessment and update (if applicable) more frequently than every 24 months. As clarified in final comment 18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(2)-2, a financial institution may choose to do this, for example, to sync its assessment process for additional fee types with its financial reporting schedule or other financial analysis it performs regarding the particular prepaid account program. The comment also explains that if a financial institution chooses to reassess its additional fee types disclosure more frequently than every 24 months, it is still required to use 24 months of fee revenue data to conduct the reassessment, and provides an example illustrating this concept.
With regard to the provisions regarding fee schedule changes in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(3), as discussed above, the Bureau is using a 24-month timeframe to correspond to both the initial additional fee types calculation in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(D)(2) and (3) as well as the periodic reassessment in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(2). In response to the industry commenter recommending against the ``reasonable'' standard under which a financial institution must project revenues for prepaid account programs in certain circumstances (in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(3), as well as in final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(D)(2) and (3) discussed above), the Bureau believes that, although financial institutions will not have actual fee revenue data for such products, they nonetheless will have a reasonable expectation as to which fee types will generate the highest revenue. Moreover, as discussed earlier, the reasonableness standard is a commonly-accepted legal standard employed across diverse areas of law and the Bureau believes it is appropriate to apply here, in lieu of prescribing a complex formula upon which to base additional fee types disclosures for situations such as those set forth above when a financial institution simply does not have 24 months of data from which to calculate additional fee types.
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(3) also addresses the circumstance of a fee schedule change necessary to maintain or restore the security of any account or an EFT system as described in Sec. 1005.8(a)(2). The Bureau believes it is appropriate to include an accommodation in the final rule to address situations where, for example, a financial institution may have to cease offering a particular service for a period of time because of security concerns. The Bureau does not wish such a change due to temporary or exigent circumstances to have negative consequences for financial institutions with respect to their disclosure of additional fee types. Due to the nature of this provision in Sec. 1005.8(a)(2), the Bureau does not expect evasion risk with this accommodation because the Bureau does not foresee any circumstances where it would be appropriate for a financial institution to rely on Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(3) to increase a fee amount, add a new fee, or change an existing fee to any amount other than $0.
Similar to the proposed rule, final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ix)(E)(4) provides an update printing exception. The Bureau notes that, despite opposition to the additional fee types disclosure generally by industry commenters these same commenters supported the proposed update printing exception. As stated in the proposed rule, the Bureau recognizes that it could be more complicated and time-consuming for financial institutions to make updates to packages used to sell prepaid accounts at retail. Thus, in the final rule, the Bureau is permitting financial institutions to implement updates on packaging material whenever they are printing new stock during normal inventory cycles. With regard to the possibility raised by some commenters that disclosures for the same prepaid account program may have different additional fee types disclosures depending on the medium of the disclosure (i.e., electronic disclosures versus disclosures printed on packaging materials for prepaid accounts sold at retail), the Bureau continues to believe that this discrepancy will not significantly impact a consumer's decision regarding which prepaid account to acquire since consumers will most likely be comparing the disclosures for two distinct products, and not reviewing disclosures side-by-side for the same prepaid account found in different acquisition channels.
While there is a chance that allowing financial institutions to continue to use packaging with significantly out-of-date additional fee types disclosures in retail locations could reduce the effectiveness of the short form disclosure, the Bureau believes that imposing a cut-off date after which sale or distribution of out-of-date retail packages would be prohibited could be complex and would be an overly burdensome requirement to impose on financial institutions on an ongoing basis.
While the Bureau is finalizing an update printing exception for the additional fee types disclosure on prepaid account packaging materials, it did not propose, nor is it finalizing, any other specific update requirements with respect to disclosures generally. The Bureau notes that financial institutions generally must ensure all other aspects of pre-acquisition disclosures, whether on packaging materials, online, or provided through other means, are accurate at the time such disclosures are provided to consumers. In this final rule, as in the proposal, the Bureau does not believe that a general disclosure update requirement is necessary for other elements of the short form or long form disclosures provided before a consumer acquires a prepaid account, as a financial institution must continue to honor the fees and terms it discloses to the consumer, at least until such time as it satisfies the change-in-
terms requirements as set forth in Sec. 1005.8(a) and final Sec. 1005.18(f)(2). See the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.8(b) above for a more detailed discussion of the Bureau's expectations regarding changes in terms and the addition of new EFT services.
18(b)(2)(x) Statement Regarding Overdraft Credit Features
The Bureau's Proposal
The Bureau proposed to include in the short form disclosure a statement indicating whether a consumer might be offered certain types of credit features in connection with a prepaid account. Specifically, proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(9) would have required a statement on the short form disclosure directly below the top-line fees that credit-related fees may apply, in a form substantially similar to the clause set forth in proposed Model Form A-10(c), if, at any point, a credit plan that would be a credit card account under Regulation Z (12 CFR part 1026) may be offered in connection with the prepaid account.
Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(9) would have explained that a credit plan that would be a credit card account under Regulation Z Sec. 1026.2(a)(15)(i) could be structured either as a credit plan that could be accessed through the same device that accesses the prepaid account, or through an account number where extensions of credit are permitted to be deposited directly only into particular prepaid accounts specified by the creditor offering the plan. Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(9) further provided that if neither of these two types of
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credit plans would be offered in connection with the prepaid account at any point, a financial institution would have to disclose on the short form a statement that no overdraft or credit-related fees will be charged, in a form substantially similar to the clause set forth in proposed Model Form A-10(d). The proposed model forms showed this disclosure as ``This card may charge credit-related fees'' or ``No overdraft or credit-related fees.''
As discussed in the proposal, in the Bureau's pre-proposal consumer testing, many participants expressed a desire to avoid using any financial products that offer overdraft. Further, other research indicates that many consumers turn to prepaid cards specifically to avoid incurring any overdraft charges.\424\ The Bureau therefore believed that if a financial institution may offer a credit feature, then a consumer should be on notice of this possibility before acquiring the prepaid account. The Bureau believed that placing such notice on the short form disclosure would allow consumers to decide whether they want to acquire a prepaid account that may offer credit, or whether they would prefer an account that would not offer credit. Without such a notice, the Bureau believed that consumers may not have adequate information to decide which prepaid account is best for them. The Bureau recognized that there might be some risk of confusion from providing a relatively terse statement about credit because the Bureau also proposed in Sec. 1005.18(g) and in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.12(h) to require financial institutions to wait at least 30 days before offering prepaid account holders credit, and not all account holders may qualify for such credit features in any event. The Bureau noted, however, that additional information would be provided on the long form about credit availability and believed that the importance of alerting all consumers as to whether credit features could be offered in connection with a prepaid account warranted including a brief statement on the short from.
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\424\ See 2014 Pew Study at 1.
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Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(9)-1 would have explained that the statement required by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(9) would have to be provided on all short form disclosures, regardless of whether some consumers would be solicited to enroll in such a plan, if such a credit plan could be offered.
Comments Received
While the Bureau received many comments regarding its proposed approach to regulating overdraft and certain other credit features on prepaid accounts generally, few commenters addressed the Bureau's proposal regarding how to disclose these features in the short form and long form disclosures.\425\ With regard to the short form disclosure, two issuing banks and an industry trade association recommended eliminating the disclosure for products that could offer associated credit features, saying it would be confusing to consumers given that the proposed rules would require financial institutions to wait 30 days after registration of a prepaid account to offer credit features and to obtain separate consumer consent. Another industry trade association and a program manager recommended substituting the word ``feature'' for ``fee'' in the proposed disclosure of ``No overdraft or credit-related fees,'' suggesting this change would avoid the potentially erroneous impression that a credit feature might be offered for free.
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\425\ For an overview of the Bureau's overall approach to regulating overdraft credit features for prepaid accounts, see the Overview of the Final Rule's Amendments to Regulation Z section below. For a discussion of disclosure of overdraft and credit features in the long form disclosure, see the section-by-section analyses of Sec. 1005.18(b)(4)(iv) and (vii) below.
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Two consumer groups recommended including the disclosure in the short form only when overdraft or credit are offered and not when such features are not offered. They said that disclosure when such features are not offered would confuse consumers, as most prepaid account programs do not offer overdraft or credit. They also said the absence of the negative disclosure would offer a starker contrast to the affirmative disclosure required when such features are offered. These consumer groups also recommended more fulsome disclosure in the short form regarding offered overdraft and credit features, such as requiring disclosure of fees for transfers, loads, negative balances, and insufficient funds. These groups also recommended that this disclosure should be made more prominent, such as by requiring a larger-size font. One consumer group recommended that the disclosure distinguish between prepaid account programs that offer overdraft and those that offer credit features so that financial institutions that offer prepaid accounts with low cost lines of credit (with consumer consent) can be distinguished from those that offer overdraft. Finally, two consumer groups recommended that the Bureau require the word ``overdraft'' in the disclosure because, they said, consumers know this term and it is crucial information for them. These consumer groups also opposed using the term ``credit-related fees,'' as they believed it would be opaque and incomprehensible to consumers.
Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(9) and comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(9)-1, renumbered as Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(x) and comment 18(b)(2)(x)-1, as proposed with certain modifications as described below. As discussed below in connection with Regulation Z, the final rule makes some revisions as to the proposal's scope of coverage regarding covered overdraft and other credit features and final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(x) mirrors these revisions. The final rule also revises the proposed content of the disclosure for clarity and completeness. The Bureau also made technical modifications to the rule and final comment 18(b)(2)(x)-
1 for conformity and clarity.
Specifically, if a covered separate credit feature accessible by a hybrid prepaid-credit card as defined in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.61 may be offered at any point to a consumer in connection with the prepaid account, the final rule requires the financial institution to disclose a statement that overdraft/credit may be offered, the time period after which it may be offered, and that fees would apply, using the following clause or a substantially similar clause: ``You may be offered overdraft/credit after x days. Fees would apply.'' If no such credit feature will be offered at any point to a consumer in connection with the prepaid account, the financial institution must disclose a statement that no overdraft/credit feature is offered, using the following clause or a substantially similar clause: ``No overdraft/
credit feature.'' Comment 18(b)(2)(x)-1, adopted largely as proposed, clarifies that this statement must be provided on the short form disclosures for all prepaid accounts that may offer such a feature, regardless of whether some consumers may never be solicited or qualify to enroll in such a feature.
As discussed in the proposal, the Bureau is adopting the requirement to disclose in the short form whether an overdraft credit feature as defined by the final rule may be offered in connection with a prepaid account because it believes this is key information consumers should know to better inform their prepaid account purchase and use decisions, particularly for those
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consumers seeking to use prepaid accounts to avoid overdraft or credit-
related charges and those seeking out prepaid accounts with such features.\426\ In keeping with the overall goal of the short form disclosure to provide consumers with a snapshot of key information, the disclosure required in the final rule is designed to alert consumers to whether an overdraft credit feature may be offered to them and, if so, two other key pieces of information--that there is a waiting period, and that fees will apply.
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\426\ See ICF Report II at 25. (In the Bureau's post-proposal consumer testing, participants were nearly evenly split as to whether knowing a prepaid card offering overdraft or credit made them feel more positively or negatively toward the card.)
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The Bureau does not believe it is possible to give consumers the detailed information needed to make a decision about an overdraft credit feature on the short form, and that attempting to do so would substantially undermine the value of the form--that is, succinctly providing consumers with the most important information needed to make a decision about whether to acquire the prepaid account. Moreover, the Bureau is concerned that devoting scarce space to overdraft credit features would distract consumers from this decision-making process, resulting in less space to address the core functionalities of the prepaid account. In addition, given that some consumers may not satisfy creditors' underwriting requirements or other eligibility criteria, the Bureau believes that a limited disclosure strikes the best practicable balance between competing considerations.
Accordingly, the Bureau has made a strategic decision to limit information on the short form disclosure about overdraft credit features to this one statement, and to refer consumers to the long form for more detailed information about all fees and conditions, including information about any overdraft credit feature. The Bureau recognizes that the short form disclosure will not provide consumers with a detailed definition of the term ``overdraft/credit'' or the details about a particular overdraft credit feature, but believes that the disclosure strikes a reasonable balance given the goals of the form, its performance in testing, and its space constraints. In short, the Bureau believes that the form will give consumers the most critical information about any overdraft credit features with a strong incentive to seek additional details in the long form disclosure or elsewhere if they are interested. Relatedly, consistent with this overall decision, the Bureau believes that it is appropriate to exclude any finance charges related to an overdraft credit feature from the additional fee type disclosures required in the short form pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(viii) and (ix), as discussed above.
Participants in the Bureau's post-proposal consumer testing generally understood that an affirmative statement about the availability of overdraft or credit in a prototype short form disclosure indicated the feature was offered while a negative statement indicated it was not offered. All participants given a short form indicating a prepaid card did not offer overdraft or credit correctly understood that no such program would be offered or that a transaction would not go through if the consumer tried to make a purchase for more money than the amount loaded on the card. Conversely, all participants given a short form indicating a prepaid card offered overdraft or credit who noticed the statement correctly understood that a transaction might be allowed in some cases if they tried to make a purchase for more money than the amount loaded on the card.\427\ Thus, post-proposal testing results confirm consumer understanding of disclosures both when an overdraft credit feature is offered and when no such feature is offered--as would have been required by the proposed rule.
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\427\ See ICF Report II at 14.
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Moreover, the long form disclosure will provide additional information about overdraft credit features for consumers who are interested in such programs including, as referenced by a consumer group commenter, programs under which prepaid accounts with low lines of credit are offered. As discussed in detail below, final Sec. 1005.18(b)(4)(iv) requires that the long form disclosure contain a statement that mirrors the overdraft credit statement required in the short form by final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(x). In addition, for prepaid account programs offering an overdraft credit feature as defined by the final rule, the long form disclosure must include the actual fees consumers may incur for using that feature that are imposed in connection with the prepaid account (pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(4)(ii)),\428\ as well as the disclosures described in Regulation Z Sec. 1026.60(e)(1) (pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(4)(vii)).
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\428\ See comment 18(b)(7)(i)(B)-1 for guidance regarding disclosure of finance charges in the long form.
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The Bureau also believes that the final rule's refinements to the language and placement of the short form statement about overdraft credit features will reduce the risk of consumer confusion about the nature and timing of any credit offers. To emphasize its importance, pursuant to final Sec. 1005.18(b)(7)(ii)(B)(1), the statement about overdraft credit features must be in bold-faced type. The proposed rule would have required the statement to be located within the fee section of the short form disclosure, just below the top-line fees, to emphasize its relative importance among all the disclosures on the short form. In the final rule, the Bureau has relocated the statement to the section below the fee disclosures together with other statements required in the short form disclosure, as upon further consideration, the Bureau is concerned locating it amidst the fee disclosures could be confusing to consumers.
The Bureau's consumer testing and other considerations, such as commenters' concerns that consumers may be confused by the proposed short form's lack of information regarding availability of the feature and the Bureau's proposed 30-day waiting period, after which consumers may be solicited for or may link credit to a prepaid account, led the Bureau to require disclosure that a consumer ``may be offered overdraft/credit after x days'' (emphasis added). In response to the concern that the proposed disclosure could intimate that prepaid account programs offer overdraft or credit programs for free, the final rule requires explicit disclosure that ``fees would apply.'' Where no overdraft credit feature will be offered, the final rule requires disclosure of ``no overdraft/credit feature'' (emphasis added), replacing the proposed term ``fee.'' The Bureau's post-proposal consumer testing revealed, consistent with the Bureau's proposed rule, that the statements required in the final rule effectively provide the information that the Bureau intends to be imparted in that most participants understood that overdraft or credit may or may not be offered (as applicable), that obtaining the service is not guaranteed, that there is a 30-day waiting period, and that they may pay fees for the service.\429\
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\429\ See ICF Report II at 14 and 24-25.
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The disclosures required under the final rule use the term ``overdraft/credit'' instead of the proposed ``credit-related fees'' and ``overdraft or credit-related fees'' because the Bureau agrees with commenters that use of the term ``overdraft'' in both versions of the disclosure may be more meaningful to consumers. The Bureau is concerned that, while the term ``overdraft credit'' (without a slash) is more technically
Page 84052
accurate, it may not have particular meaning to consumers. The Bureau also believes that use of the same term in both the short form and long form disclosures will facilitate consumers' ability to comparison shop.
For all of these reasons, the Bureau believes that the refined and relatively short statement regarding whether overdraft credit features may be offered in connection with the prepaid account strikes the best balance for the short form disclosure. The Bureau therefore declines to add additional details about the terms of such overdraft credit features to the short form disclosure.
18(b)(2)(xi) Statement Regarding Registration and FDIC or NCUA Insurance
As described in detail below, the proposed rule would have required a statement in the short form disclosure communicating to consumers that a prepaid account must be registered in order for the funds to be protected. On the following line, the proposed rule would have required disclosure of a lack of FDIC or NCUSIF insurance. In the final rule, the Bureau has combined the registration and insurance disclosures and is requiring the financial institution to disclose whether or not the prepaid account program is eligible for FDIC or NCUA insurance.
The Bureau's Proposal Requiring a Statement Regarding Registration of the Prepaid Account
The Bureau proposed that a statement regarding the importance of registering the prepaid account with the financial institution be included on the short form disclosure. Specifically, proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(12) would have required a statement that communicates to a consumer that a prepaid account must be registered with a financial institution or service provider in order for the funds loaded onto the account to be protected, in a form substantially similar to the clauses set forth in proposed Model Forms A-10(a) through (d).
As discussed in part II.B above, registration typically means that a consumer provides identifying information such as name, address, date of birth, and Social Security Number or other government-issued identification number so that the financial institution can identify the cardholder and verify the cardholder's identity. The Bureau proposed to add this statement because many consumer protections set forth in the proposed rule would not take effect until a consumer registers an account. For example, under proposed Sec. 1005.18(e)(3), a consumer would not have been entitled to error resolution rights or protection from unauthorized transactions until after registering the prepaid account. The Bureau believed that this is an important protection insofar as unregistered prepaid accounts are like cash--once lost, funds may be difficult or impossible to protect or replace because the financial institution may not know who the rightful cardholder is.
The Bureau, however, recognized that in some acquisition scenarios, for example, government benefit accounts, payroll card accounts, or cards used to disburse financial aid to students, this type of statement might be less useful because consumers must register with the government agency, employer, or institution of higher education, in order to acquire the account. The Bureau therefore specifically solicited comment on whether the short form disclosure provided to consumers pre-acquisition should always include this statement regarding registering the prepaid account.
The Bureau's Proposal Requiring a Statement Regarding FDIC or NCUA Insurance
The Bureau also proposed to address pass-through deposit (and share) insurance in proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(13). Specifically, proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(13) would have required that if a prepaid account product is not set up to be eligible for FDIC deposit or NCUA share insurance, a financial institution would have to include a statement on the short form disclosure that FDIC deposit insurance or NCUA share insurance, as appropriate, does not protect funds loaded into the prepaid account, in a form substantially similar to the clause set forth in proposed Model Forms A-10(c) and (d).
As discussed in part II.B above, the FDIC, among other things, protects funds placed by depositors in insured banks and savings associations; the NCUA provides a similar role for funds placed in credit unions. As explained in the FDIC's 2008 General Counsel Opinion No. 8, the FDIC's deposit insurance coverage will ``pass through'' the custodian to the actual underlying owners of the deposits in the event of failure of an insured institution, provided certain specific criteria are met.\430\
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\430\ 73 FR 67155, 67157 (Nov. 13, 2008).
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In response to the Prepaid ANPR, many consumer advocacy group commenters suggested that the Bureau require that pass-through deposit (or share) insurance cover all funds loaded into prepaid accounts, while many industry group commenters suggested that the Bureau propose clear disclosure of whether a prepaid product carries FDIC insurance or not. The Bureau believed it is not always easy to determine or explain whether FDIC or NCUSIF pass-through deposit or share insurance would apply to a particular prepaid account. Thus, the Bureau proposed that disclosure be made regarding FDIC or NCUSIF insurance in only limited situations.
In the Bureau's Study of Prepaid Account Agreements, the Bureau found that about two thirds of all account agreements reviewed stated that cardholder funds were protected by FDIC deposit (or NCUSIF share) insurance (this includes agreements that explained insurance coverage depends on card registration, or explained that it only applies to funds held by a bank or credit union in a pooled account associated with the program). The Bureau found that only about 11 percent of agreements explicitly stated that the program was not insured.\431\
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\431\ Of the remaining agreements, about 17 percent implied that the program was FDIC or NCUSIF insured by stating that the issuer is an FDIC- or NCUA-insured institution, but that did not address FDIC or NCUSIF insurance coverage for the program. A small number of agreements, 6 percent of those reviewed, did not address FDIC or NCUA insurance coverage for the program. For the latter two categories of programs, it is possible that such programs are in fact set up to be eligible for pass-through deposit (or share) insurance, but it was not possible to tell from reviewing the program's account agreement. See Study of Prepaid Account Agreements at 27-28 and tbl.13. In addition, the Bureau has observed that some GPR card providers disclose the existence of pass-through deposit insurance coverage or that the issuing bank is an FDIC-insured institution on their retail packaging, often quite prominently. The Bureau's Study of Prepaid Account Agreements, however, did not examine pass-through insurance statements made on GPR cards' retail packaging. Likewise, the Study did not examine pass-through insurance statements made on prepaid programs' other marketing materials or on their Web sites. See id.
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In its pre-proposal consumer testing, the Bureau observed that some participants misunderstood the scope of the protections FDIC pass-
through deposit insurance actually provides for prepaid accounts. During the consumer focus groups, for example, nearly all participants said they had heard of FDIC deposit insurance, and many consumers believed the funds on their GPR cards were FDIC-insured.\432\ When consumers were asked to explain what it meant that their GPR card had FDIC deposit insurance, most made vague references to their funds being ``protected.'' Upon further probing, however, the majority of participants incorrectly thought FDIC deposit insurance would protect their funds in the event of fraudulent charges
Page 84053
or a stolen card.\433\ Very few participants understood FDIC insurance correctly in that it applies to the insolvency of the bank that holds the underlying funds and not to the funds on a prepaid card itself in the case of an unauthorized transaction on the account.
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\432\ See ICF Report I at 10.
\433\ The Bureau notes, however, that despite believing that FDIC insurance could ``protect'' funds held in a prepaid account, in its pre-proposal consumer testing no participants mentioned FDIC insurance when asked to interpret the statement ``Register your card to protect your money,'' which would have been disclosed pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(12). See ICF Report I at 5.
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In light of the results of the Bureau's Study of Prepaid Account Agreements indicating that many products meeting the proposed definition of prepaid account already provide pass-through deposit insurance coverage and consumers' misunderstandings about what protections pass-through deposit insurance actually affords, the Bureau decided not to propose any requirements related to the affirmative existence of pass-through deposit insurance. The Bureau did propose, however, that financial institutions would have to disclose a statement on the short form if a prepaid account is not set up to be eligible for FDIC (or NCUSIF) pass-through deposit (or share) insurance.
Comments Received Regarding the Statement Regarding Registration
Industry commenters, including an industry trade association, an issuing bank, a program manager, and the office of a State Attorney General generally supported the proposed statement regarding registration. The industry commenters also expressed concern, however, that the disclosure could mislead consumers because the statement implies that registration alone protects against fraud, rather than just providing a step toward FDIC insurance coverage and protections under Regulation E. The program manager recommended modifying the disclosure by combining the registration and insurance disclosures into one disclosure because, it said, registration is necessary for FDIC insurance coverage and a combined disclosure would be more accurate and less confusing to consumers. It also recommended stating that registration protects the consumer's ``rights'' rather than ``money,'' as a more accurate statement. The program manager recommended the following statement: ``Register your card to be eligible for FDIC/
NCUSIF insurance and to protect your rights.'' The trade association and issuing bank recommended the following statement: ``Register your card to protect your money.'' \434\
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\434\ The trade association and the issuing bank also expressed concern that the proposed rule would have required disclosure of the name of the financial institution, when a vendor, such as a program manager, might actually carry out registration. The Bureau notes that the proposal would have permitted the name of whatever party carried out registration to be listed here, as the proposed rule would have required a statement that communicates to a consumer that a prepaid account must register with a financial institution or servicer provider. The final rule does not require disclosure of this information, as discussed below.
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Several industry commenters, including a trade association, a program manager, and two issuing banks also recommended eliminating the registration disclosure for certain types of prepaid account programs, including non-reloadable prepaid products, payroll card accounts, and government benefit accounts. One of the issuing banks and the program manager said the statement was not relevant for non-reloadable products because there is no customer identification or account registration process for such programs and, thus, the statement would be confusing to consumers. The remaining commenters said the registration requirement was not relevant for payroll card accounts and/or government benefit accounts because registration occurs prior to card issuance and because such accounts would be required to provide error resolution and limited liability protections regardless of registration. The program manager suggested that the space could be better used to disclose other information, such as how to access full wages without fees for payroll card accounts.
Comments Received Regarding the Statement Regarding FDIC or NCUA Insurance
A number of industry commenters, including industry trade associations, issuing banks, and a credit union, and as well as several consumer groups commented on the proposed insurance disclosure (which, as discussed above, would have required disclosure only of the lack of insurance). Several industry trade associations and a credit union supported the Bureau's proposed disclosure requirement; one commenter noted that it is essential for consumers to know that they could lose their money if the financial institution were to fail. Most industry commenters, however, recommended that the Bureau require disclosure of both when pass-through deposit insurance is available and when it is not. One industry trade association and an issuing bank recommended requiring disclosure when a prepaid account program is not eligible for insurance coverage and permitting the issuer to decide whether to disclose when the program is eligible for insurance coverage. The credit union commenter recommended disclosure only when the program is eligible for insurance coverage.
Two consumer groups recommended more fulsome disclosure of insurance coverage. One recommended disclosure in the short form of the risks of uninsured deposits and, when the program is eligible for insurance coverage, the need to register for insurance to attach. The other consumer group recommended that the Bureau include a section in the long form disclosure which would provide fuller disclosure regarding the lack of insurance. (See a detailed discussion of this issue in the section-by-section analysis of Sec. 1005.18(b)(4)(iii) below.) One of the consumer groups recommended requiring providers to inform consumers that registration of the prepaid account is required for deposit insurance to attach and protect funds.
Although the Bureau had not proposed to require financial institutions affirmatively to obtain deposit or share insurance, some commenters urged such a requirement. In particular, many consumer groups, individual consumers who submitted comments as part of a comment submission campaign organized by a national consumer advocacy group, and the offices of two State Attorneys General argued that disclosures are insufficient in this instance and requested that the Bureau require that prepaid account funds be held in custodial accounts that carry deposit insurance. Several commenters requested FDIC insurance for specific accounts, such as payroll card accounts and registered prepaid accounts. A few commenters argued that virtual payment accounts that offer the same features as prepaid cards should also be FDIC insured because the non-bank entities that offer such accounts might attempt to avoid the cost of insurance and the oversight of regulators by not storing funds at a depository institution.
These commenters primarily argued that prepaid accounts increasingly serve as bank alternatives and therefore should have the same benefits as checking and savings accounts, especially because consumers expect this type of protection. Several commenters argued that accepting a consumer's core income and holding it in an uninsured account would be an unfair, deceptive or abusive act or practice; requiring FDIC insurance would not be unexpected or onerous
Page 84054
and would eliminate unscrupulous providers that do not deposit funds with legitimate financial institutions; and not requiring FDIC insurance would cause prepaid accounts to be viewed as subpar financial products.
Conversely, one industry trade association advocated against requiring pass-through insurance for prepaid accounts, arguing that such a measure would put credit unions at a competitive disadvantage because of their field of membership restrictions.
The Final Rule
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(12) and (13), combined into renumbered Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xi), with several substantial modifications as described below. First, the Bureau has combined the registration and insurance disclosures into a single line. Second, the Bureau is requiring disclosure both when a prepaid account program is eligible for FDIC or NCUA insurance coverage and when it is not. Third, the Bureau has added to the regulatory text the specific language that should be used to make this combined disclosure in five distinct circumstances. The Bureau is also adopting new comments 18(b)(2)(xi)-1 and -2 to provide additional guidance regarding this disclosure requirement. Finally, the Bureau has made technical modifications to the rule for conformity and clarity.
The Bureau continues to believe it is important that financial institutions disclose to consumers purchasing prepaid accounts both that registration and insurance coverage provide protection. Because certain protections do not attach until registration, such that unregistered prepaid accounts are akin in some ways to carrying cash, the Bureau believes it is important for consumers to be aware that they should register their accounts. As discussed below, the final rule links the act of registration with insurance coverage and other protections. The Bureau believes that, even absent a consumer's full understanding of the protections afforded by registration, linking registration to insurance coverage and other protections will help motivate consumers to register their prepaid accounts.
Similarly, the Bureau believes it is important to disclose to consumers information about insurance coverage. While the Bureau's post-proposal consumer testing confirmed that some consumers erroneously equate FDIC coverage with fraud or theft protection, a number of participants understood that the insurance protects consumers' funds in the case of bank insolvency.\435\ Regardless of their understanding of what FDIC insurance actually protects against, most participants identified insurance coverage as positive and wanted to know whether the prepaid card they were considering buying in the testing scenario offered this protection. The Bureau understands that the attachment of pass-through FDIC deposit or NCUA share insurance can be a complex matter determined by many factors, including how the financial institution has structured the program and the accuracy of its recordkeeping. The Bureau believes that, even absent a full understanding of the attachment requirements and the protections afforded by insurance coverage, disclosing whether a prepaid account program provides insurance coverage will educate consumers and a combined insurance and registration disclosure will help motivate consumers to register their prepaid accounts, when applicable.
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\435\ See ICF Report II at 15 and 26. In the first round of the Bureau's post-proposal consumer testing, two out of nine participants understood that FDIC insurance is meant to protect their money in case of a bank failure; in the second round, approximately half of the 11 participants understood this.
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The Bureau is persuaded by commenters, the results of its post-
proposal consumer testing, and information received during the interagency consultation process that the registration and insurance disclosures should be combined, and that both the existence as well as the lack of insurance eligibility should be disclosed. First, registration is a prerequisite to insurance protection; the two processes are conceptually linked and the Bureau believes that disclosing them together will help consumers appreciate this cause and effect. Also, while under the proposed rule registration would have been a prerequisite to certain Regulation E protections, the final rule expands error resolution and limited liability protections for unregistered consumers, thereby reducing the urgency to emphasize registration in its own dedicated line in the short form disclosure. See final Sec. 1005.18(e). Moreover, the additional space in the short form created by combining these disclosures has allowed the Bureau to permit the addition of other information to the form while remaining in keeping with the size constraints of existing J-hook packaging. See, e.g., final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xiv)(B) and (3)(ii). The Bureau believes that melding these two disclosures into a single line will provide more rational and efficient information to consumers.
Second, the Bureau believes that disclosure of both the existence or lack of insurance eligibility will be more beneficial to consumers than disclosing only when insurance is not available. Consistent with the position of many commenters, the Bureau found in its post-proposal consumer testing that, while participants understood the meaning of statements regarding coverage and non-coverage, when the prototype short form was silent (as it would be under the proposed rule if the prepaid account program was eligible for insurance coverage) most participants did not understand that to mean insurance was offered.\436\ The Bureau was thus concerned that the proposed model forms' silence when a program is eligible for insurance coverage would not be effective in communicating to consumers that a prepaid account program is eligible for insurance coverage.
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\436\ See ICF Report II at 15 and 25-26.
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The final rule refers to NCUA, rather than NCUSIF, insurance for credit unions. After further consideration and based on information received during the interagency consultation process, the Bureau believes the term ``NCUA'' may be more meaningful to consumers than ``NCUSIF'' and has revised the disclosures accordingly in both final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xi) and (4)(iii).
In response to concerns raised by commenters, the Bureau has tailored the final rule to take into account the existence and timing of a financial institution's consumer identification and verification process. For some types of prepaid account programs, such as payroll card accounts and government benefit accounts, financial institutions conduct customer identification and verification before the card is distributed or activated, while others, such as certain non-reloadable cards, may have no customer identification and verification process at all. As noted above, the Bureau has added to the regulatory text of the final rule specific language that financial institutions should use to make the disclosure for clarity. The tailored language required under the final rule accounts for these distinctions.
Specifically, the final rule covers five different scenarios:
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xi)(A) requires that, if a prepaid account program is set up to be eligible for FDIC deposit or NCUA share insurance, and customer identification and verification does not occur before the account is opened, the financial institution make this
Page 84055
disclosure using the following clause or a substantially similar clause: ``Register your card for FDIC insurance eligibility NCUA insurance, if eligible and other protections.''
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xi)(B) requires that, if a prepaid account program is not set up to be eligible for FDIC deposit or NCUA share insurance, and customer identification and verification does not occur before the account is opened, the financial institution make this disclosure using the following clause or a substantially similar clause: ``Not FDIC NCUA insured. Register your card for other protections.''
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xi)(C) requires that, if a prepaid account program is set up to be eligible for FDIC deposit or NCUA share insurance, and customer identification and verification occurs for all prepaid accounts within the prepaid program before the account is opened, the financial institution make this disclosure using the following clause or a substantially similar clause: ``Your funds are eligible for FDIC insurance NCUA insured, if eligible.''
Final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xi)(D) requires that, if a prepaid account program is not set up to be eligible for FDIC deposit or NCUA share insurance, and customer identification and verification occurs for all prepaid accounts within the prepaid account program before the account is opened, the financial institution make this disclosure using the following clause or a substantially similar clause: ``Your funds are not FDIC NCUA insured.''
Finally, final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xi)(E) requires that, if a prepaid account program is set up such that there is no customer identification and verification process for any prepaid accounts within the prepaid account program, the financial institution make this disclosure using the following clause or a substantially similar clause: ``Treat this card like cash. Not FDIC NCUA insured.''
The Bureau had specifically requested comment as to whether non-
banks that issue prepaid accounts could apply the proposed statement regarding FDIC or NCUA insurance to their products, or whether the Bureau should propose an alternative requirement regarding the disclosure of the availability of FDIC or NCUA insurance for non-banks that issue prepaid accounts. The Bureau did not receive any comments in response to this request. The Bureau believes that it nonetheless would be useful to provide additional guidance as to when the disclosure should refer to NCUA insurance coverage and when it should instead refer to FDIC insurance coverage. Thus, new comment 18(b)(2)(xi)-1 clarifies when to use the term ``FDIC'' and when to use ``NCUA.'' Specifically, the comment explains that if the consumer's prepaid account funds are held at a credit union, the disclosure must indicate NCUA insurance eligibility. The comment goes on to say that if the consumer's prepaid account funds are held at a financial institution other than a credit union, the disclosure must indicate FDIC insurance eligibility. As a result of requests received during the interagency consultation process, the disclosures of both FDIC and NCUA insurance pursuant to Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xi) expressly reflect eligibility in the statement, to put consumers acquiring prepaid accounts on notice that insurance protections may not attach in all cases. This includes, for example, when the consumer is not a member of the issuing credit union with respect to NCUA.
New comment 18(b)(2)(xi)-2 addresses certain aspects of customer identification and verification. Specifically, the comment cross-
references final Sec. 1005.18(e)(3) and comments 18(e)-4 and -5 for additional guidance on the timing of customer identification and verification processes, and on prepaid account programs for which there is no customer identification and verification process for any prepaid accounts within the prepaid account program.
The Bureau considered adding additional information to the registration and insurance disclosure in the short form, as requested by one commenter, such as an explanation of what protections in addition to insurance eligibility registration provides or more fulsome information about the implications of insurance coverage. However, in light of overall space constraints and the multiple goals for the short form, the Bureau ultimately decided against adding any more information to the registration/insurance disclosure. The Bureau believes this disclosure balances the most important information for consumers with the brevity and clarity necessary for optimal consumer comprehension of the short form disclosure. The Bureau is, however, requiring financial institutions to provide more detailed information about insurance coverage in the long form disclosure. See final Sec. 1005.18(b)(4)(iii).
In light of the results of the Bureau's Study of Prepaid Account Agreements indicating that many products meeting the proposed definition of prepaid account already provide pass-through deposit insurance coverage, consumers' misunderstandings about what protections pass-through deposit insurance actually affords, and the complexities inherent in ensuring pass-through insurance coverage, the Bureau is not including a requirement mandating FDIC or NCUA insurance coverage at this time.
18(b)(2)(xii) Statement Regarding CFPB Web Site
The proposed rule would have required financial institutions to disclose in proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(14) the URL of the Web site of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, in a form substantially similar to the clauses set forth in proposed Model Forms A-10(a) through (d) and (f). In the proposal, the Bureau indicated that it intended to develop resources on its Web site that would, among other things, provide basic information to consumers about prepaid accounts, the benefits and risks of using them, how to use the final rule's prepaid account disclosures, and a URL to the Bureau's Web site where they can submit a complaint about a prepaid account.
The Bureau received comments from the office of a State Attorney General, an industry trade association, and a group advocating on behalf of business interests about this portion of the proposal. The office of the State Attorney General generally supported the disclosure while the trade association and business group recommended that the Bureau eliminate the disclosure. The industry trade association suggested that eliminating the disclosure would make room in the short form for information more valuable to consumers and reduce consumer confusion. It first asserted that the disclosure would not be necessary in bank branches because Bureau contact information was included in the proposed long form, which would be provided to consumers at the same time as the short form in a bank branch. Second, it said that the Bureau's pre-proposal consumer testing suggested consumers are unlikely to access the Bureau's Web site when reviewing the short form disclosure. Third, the commenter expressed concern about consumer confusion, stating that the Bureau's pre-proposal consumer testing suggested consumers would more likely access a financial institution's Web site for additional information about a prepaid account rather than obtaining more general information from the Bureau's Web site. Finally, it argued that listing both the financial institution's Web site and the Bureau's Web site on the short form disclosure would misdirect consumers,
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because in one of the rounds of the Bureau's pre-proposal consumer testing, half of the participants stated that they would go to the Bureau's Web site to get additional information about a particular prepaid card product.
The business group opposed including a link to the Bureau's Web site in both the short form and long form disclosures. It stated that the link to the Web site in the model short form disclosure was not yet an operating Web site, and therefore the commenter said it could not comment on the wisdom of directing consumers to this particular Bureau Web page. The commenter further suggested that requiring financial institutions to disclose the Bureau's Web site URL on the short form disclosure constituted Bureau interference with the purchasing process and would instill doubt in the consumer's mind about the safety of the prepaid account. It said it believed questions about prepaid accounts should be directed to the financial institution in the first instance, not to a regulatory agency.
For the reasons set forth herein, the Bureau is adopting proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(14), renumbered as Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xii), with minor modifications. The Bureau has moved the required language for this disclosure into the regulatory text, and has modified that language to specify that the disclosed Web site URL would provide consumers with general information about prepaid accounts. Finally, the Bureau has made technical modifications to the rule for conformity and clarity. Accordingly, final Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(xii) requires that financial institutions include in the short form a statement directing the consumer to a Web site URL of the Bureau (cfpb.gov/prepaid) for general information about prepaid accounts, using the following clause or a substantially similar clause: ``For general information about prepaid accounts, visit cfpb.gov/prepaid.''
The Bureau is not persuaded by industry commenters' objections that this disclosure is unnecessary, inappropriate, or confusing. In the Bureau's post-proposal consumer testing of the short form disclosure, most participants understood that the Web site in this disclosure was administered by a government agency, not the financial institution, and that it would contain general information about prepaid accounts.\437\ The Bureau continues to believe that it is important to provide consumers with a non-commercial alternative source of information about prepaid accounts to enhance consumers' ability to learn about prepaid accounts in general in order to better inform their purchase and use decisions.
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\437\ See ICF Report II at 12 and 22.
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18(b)(2)(xiii) Statement Regarding Information on All Fees and Services
The Bureau's Proposal
Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(11) would have required disclosure of a telephone number and the unique URL of a Web site that a consumer may use to access the long form disclosure that would have been required under proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ii) in a form substantially similar to the clauses set forth in proposed Model Forms A-10(c) and (d). Proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(i)(B)(11) would have required this disclosure only when a financial institution chose not to provide a written form of the long form disclosure that would have been required by proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(2)(ii) before a consumer acquires a prepaid account at a retail store as described in proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(ii). (Proposed Model Forms A-10(a) and (b) also included this language for government benefit accounts and payroll card accounts.) The Bureau believed that using either the telephone number or the Web site, a consumer would be able to access information about the fees listed in the long form disclosure, and any conditions on the applicability of those fees. As discussed in the proposal, the Bureau believed that if consumers do not receive the long form disclosure in writing or by email before acquisition in a retail store, it is important that they are still able to access the information. The Bureau also believed it is important that the Web site URL be unique to ensure that a consumer can directly access the same type of stand-alone long form disclosure that would otherwise be provided pursuant to proposed Sec. 1005.18(b)(1)(i) in written or electronic form before a consumer acquires a prepaid account.
Proposed comment 18(b)(2)(i)(B)(11)-1 would have provided further details about the telephone number that would have been required to be include