The following resources provide further information on how to comply with the laws and regulations that apply to businesses in the financial services industry.

On this page:

Banking Services

• Bank Regulations and Examinations
  Provides access to examination manuals and other materials including laws and regulations that govern the actions of Federal Deposit Insurance Company- (FDIC) insured institutions and resources for banking professionals including bank directors.

• Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)
  Explains how the CRA requires that each depository institution's record in helping meet the credit needs of its entire community be evaluated periodically. That record is taken into account in considering an institution's application for deposit facilities.

• Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act (EGRPRA)
  Covers how the EGRPRA requires the federal financial regulatory agencies to identify outdated, unnecessary, or unduly burdensome statutory or regulatory requirements. This site provides a place for bankers to comment on pending issues regarding regulatory matters.

• FDICconnect Business Center
  Provides access to the FDIC's secure Internet website for bankers.

• Federal Reserve Board: Application and Filing Information
  Contains general information about the types of filings required by the Federal Reserve and how they are processed. Banking organizations are generally required to notify the Federal Reserve or seek its approval before acquiring banks or companies, or engaging in new activities.

• Federal Reserve Board: Regulations and Compliance Guides
  Provides access to the full text of regulations that the Federal Reserve Board is responsible for implementing under the Federal Reserve Act.

• Quick Links to Resources for Banking Professionals
  Lists a variety of resources for banking professionals categorized by topic.

National Banks

A National Bank is one chartered by the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), an agency in the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The following resources help these banks comply with OCC regulations.

• Guide to the National Banking System
  Provides an overview of the national banking system, its regulation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).

• Activities Permissible for a National Bank
  Covers how any activity described in this document as permissible for a national bank is also permissible for an operating subsidiary of a national bank.

• Bank Assessment Process: FAQs
  Provides examples of questions frequently asked by banking industry personnel.

• Bank Director's Tool Kit
  Offers guides and handbooks to help national bank directors meet their fiduciary responsibilities.

• Comptroller's Handbook for Compliance
  Links to sections of the Comptroller's Handbook covering compliance issues, including disclosure, examination and reporting procedures.

• Corporate Applications and Documents for National Banks
  Gives sample documents to accompany the Comptroller's Licensing Manual.

Credit Unions

• Credit Union Resources
  Provides a directory of guides and resources for credit union management and volunteers.

• Guides, Manuals and Forms for Credit Unions
  Provides a comprehensive list of guides, manuals, forms and bulletins relevant to credit unions.

• NCUA Regulatory Alerts
  Contains up-to-date regulatory news from the National Credit Union Association (NCUA).

Information Security

• Consumer Reports: What Insurers Need to Know
  Covers how insurance providers using consumer credit reports to underwrite insurance policies and to screen high-risk applicants must comply with privacy regulations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

• Financial Institutions and Customer Information: Complying with the Safeguards Rule
  Explains how the Gramm-Leach-Bliley (GLB) Act requires companies defined under the law as "financial institutions" to ensure the security and confidentiality of customer data including names, addresses, and phone numbers; bank and credit card account numbers; income and credit histories; and Social Security numbers.

• Gramm-Leach Bliley Act
  Provides an overview of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which includes provisions to protect consumers' personal financial information held by financial institutions. This guide discusses three principal parts to the Act's privacy requirements: the Financial Privacy Rule, Safeguards Rule, and pretexting provisions.

International Trade

• Export-Import Bank Application Tools and Guidance
  Lists applications and transaction tools used for doing business with the Export-Import Bank.

• Export-Import Bank Products and Policies
  Lists the lending policies and products of the Export-Import Bank.

• Export-Import Bank's Guide for Filing Multi-buyer Insurance Policies
  Explains how the multi-buyer insurance policy provides valuable protection when some invoices go unpaid and you have to file an insurance claim with Ex-Im Bank. Unfortunately, some claims are denied because the insurance policyholder failed to do something required under the Policy. Avoid these mistakes by reviewing the four common reasons that multi-buyer insurance claims are not paid.

Mortgages

• Federal Housing Board Agency Actions
  Offers a directory of agency decision documents.

• Federal Housing Finance Board Guidance
  Provides guidance and interpretations of agency laws, rules, and policies

• Federal Housing Finance Board Regulations
  Supplies information about how to comment on Federal Housing Board regulations.

• Home Mortgage and Disclosure Act
  Explains the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, which requires lending institutions to report public loan data. This site provides resource to help institutions meet their reporting requirements.

Pensions

• 4010 Filing Requirements
  Summarizes and explains the requirement of certain under-funded plans to report identifying, financial and actuarial information to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).

• Exemption Procedures Under Federal Pension Law
  Provides information about the exemption provisions under Section 408(a) of ERISA. The booklet provides employers, plan administrators and employee benefit practitioners with the basic requirements and procedures needed to apply for exemptions from the prohibited transaction rules of Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

• Pension Guide for Practitioners
  Supplies resources available to PBGC practitioners such as actuaries, plan administrators, plan sponsors and other plan professionals.

• Small Business Guide to Federal Pension Insurance
  Offers a guide to help employers understand legal requirements for pension plans.

Savings & Loans

• Thrift Institution Compliance Self-Assessment Guide
  Offers guide to complying with consumer protection laws and regulations by outlining a process that a savings association should use to evaluate its compliance operations and to enhance the effectiveness of its compliance program.

• Thrift Institution Examination Handbook
  Supplies a comprehensive handbook that contains safety, soundness and compliance guidance. This handbook addresses all of the major areas of concern to examiners and supervisors during a full-scope examination of OTS-regulated savings associations.

Securities & Investments Industry

• Financial Markets: Regulations and Regulators
  Overviews how the federal government regulates financial markets.

• Laws that Govern the Security Industry
  Provides an overview of all the laws and regulations governing the securities industry.

• Regulation of Exchanges, Brokers-Dealers, Clearing Agencies and Transfer Agents
  Offers regulatory information for major securities market participants, including broker-dealers, self-regulatory organizations (such as stock exchanges, National Association of Securities Dealers, and clearing agencies), and transfer agents.

• SEC Guidance for Investment Companies
  Provides information on laws, rules, notices and guidance for investment companies including mutual funds, closed-end funds, Unit Investment Trusts, Exchange-Traded Funds, interval funds, variable insurance products, and federally registered investment advisers.