News By Edition

Social media has been one of President Donald Trump’s favorite platforms for making policy declarations since taking office. Dodd Frank Update asked two experts why unpacking the true legal force and impact of such actions can be tricky.

The Federal Reserve’s widely anticipated decision to maintain the federal funds rate at 3.5 percent–3.75 percent on its first policy-setting meeting of the year further exposed the already apparent divide among some of its voting members. Dodd Frank Update will have expert analysis about the implications to the housing market still to come.

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments examining not only mortgage fraud allegations against Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook but the scope of President Donald Trump’s authority to remove a Fed governor “for cause.” The matter has raised broader questions about the agency’s integrity and independence.

Compliance experts at Wolters Kluwer told Dodd Frank Update the results of their latest Regulatory & Risk Management Indicator survey reveal the many ways in which professionals end up feeling conflicted about the sufficiency and sustainability of their existing processes and how they are allocating their available resources.

Class Valuation recently named Daniel Allan Busch as its chief financial officer. Dodd Frank Update sat down with Busch and talked about how he will oversee financial strategy and operations that will play a central role in Class Valuation’s expansion.

Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould described the resolution planning regime as having failed to deliver practical value and drifted beyond statutory authority since its implementation in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis during a recent speaking event.

Mortgage applications continued an upward trajectory for the second straight week as mortgage rates continued to fall in turn. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey showed a notable uptick in purchase and refinance applications for the week ending Jan. 16.

Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) questioned President Donald Trump’s sincerity in wanting to make credit cards more affordable, given his administration’s track record on measures aimed at this feat.

A mortgage loan originator has received sanctions and fines after settling with 21 state financial regulatory agencies that accused him of directing another person to take required education on his behalf and taking the credit for himself.

State regulators in California took action against crypto-lender Nexo Capital Inc. for violating various state financial laws, including lending without a valid license and failing to determine a borrowers’ ability to repay loans.

A quintet of financial trade organizations asked the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to extend the comment period for its proposed rule intended to establish a process through which banks could request agency approval to issue stablecoins through a subsidiary.

The Federal Reserve took action against a former Dallas bank employee who allegedly falsified borrower data used to originate at least $1.7 million in mortgage loans, in violation of several financial laws and regulations.

Amid concerns that the Trump administration’s investigation of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell presents a challenge to the agency’s independence, Dodd Frank Update asked First American Senior Economist Sam Williamson what such a threat could mean for the housing finance industry.

President Donald Trump demanded a one-year, 10 percent cap on credit card interest rates to help curb affordability challenges, drawing pushback from the consumer banking sector. Bipartisan legislation introduced last year in the House and Senate proposed an identical limit.

In December, Dodd Frank Update sat down with MISMO President Brian Vieaux, CMB, for his thoughts on why MISMO standards are becoming even more critical to the loan manufacturing process, as compliance demands and technology continue to evolve. We reached out to Vieaux again to get his views on the “new” appraisal reporting.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Justice announced the withdrawal of a joint statement regarding legal protections covering an individual’s immigration status under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to help mitigate confusion and alleviate resulting compliance burdens.

The National Credit Union Administration promised to continue its policy of “no regulation by enforcement” in a letter describing its “2026 Supervisory Priorities,” including details about the agency’s risk-based approach to examining credit union lending practices.

Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation to codify an $8 limit on credit card late fees. The move comes less than a year after a federal court vacated the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s discretionary final rule designed to do the same thing.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) requested $145 million to remain operational following a federal court ruling regarding the ongoing legal dispute over its funding mechanism. Dodd Frank Update asked a former CFPB senior counsel how the bureau’s continued operation may represent a catch-22 for its defenders.

Two “aggressive housing reform plans” President Donald Trump announced via social media to open 2026 would have major implications for the housing industry if implemented.

Stakeholders for Fifth Third Bancorp and Comerica Inc. voted overwhelmingly to approve a $10.9 billion all-stock merger to form the ninth-largest bank in the U.S. The deal has been scrutinized for the speed at which it was drawn up and approved.

Valuation management company Atlas VMS has introduced a short-term rental appraisal form designed to help non-QM lenders accurately evaluate short-term rental properties.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized annual inflation-based amendments to certain Truth in Lending Act exemption thresholds applicable to covered mortgage lenders, as required by the Dodd-Frank Act.

Dodd Frank Update consulted Wolters Kluwer Legal and Regulatory Analyst John Pachkowski about the implications of the recent spike in Standing Repo Facility activity. He explained its connection to recent shifts in monetary policy.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau changed its position for the third time about whether certain earned wage advance products qualify as a form of “credit” subject to Truth in Lending Act requirements with a recent advisory opinion.

Accurate Group recently announced the successful completion of its first Uniform Appraisal Dataset 3.6 appraisal, marking a significant milestone as the mortgage industry advances toward next-generation appraisal data standards.

We caught up with Jeff Lanier, head of finance and senior vice president of strategic accounts at Stewart, as he prepares to share his Q1 Economic Forecast with the October Research audience. He shared some of what he plans to cover in the webinar.

Mortgage applications slid over the last two weeks of 2025, according to seasonally adjusted data published in the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending Jan. 2.

The House Financial Services Committee introduced legislation intended to revitalize new bank formation in local communities operating under tailored regulatory regimes that support safety and sound operation.

In the waning days of 2025, a coalition of 22 state attorneys general filed a separate suit to the one previously filed by the National Treasury Employees Union challenging assertions about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding mechanism.

Miki Adams, president of CBC Mortgage Agency (Chenoa Fund), sat down with Dodd Frank Update to discuss how down payment assistance providers, like her, succeed with a business model based on cooperation.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency issued a final rule establishing housing goals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for 2026 through 2028. Industry stakeholders reacted to the agency’s decision to adopt lower lending benchmarks for low-income communities, including one reduction not included in the proposed rule.

Atlas VMS is integrating artificial intelligence-powered valuation tools into its workflow. Dodd Frank Update recently sat down with Atlas VMS CEO Erik Morin who shared with us insight as to just what this integration will allow lenders and AMCs to do regarding the overall valuation process.

The Federal Reserve published what it said will be the first of many staff manuals its examiners will use when supervising the largest and most complex banks.

With questions over state preemption laws awaiting a federal court hearing, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency published two proposals on real estate lending powers for national banks.