Four Democratic members of the California state legislature recently sent a letter to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) urging the agency to take action against FDIC-supervised banks that partner with non-bank lenders to originate high-cost installment loans.

Two of the letter’s authors, California Senator Monique Limon and Assemblymember Tim Grayson, were also sponsors of Assembly Bill 539, passed in 2019, which caps the annual interest rate at 36% plus the federal funds rate for consumer loans of at least $2,500 but less than $10,000 made by lenders licensed under the California Financing Law. … Continue Reading

Marketing by nonbanks of products and services offered with bank partners is coming under increasing scrutiny that focuses on the potential for consumers to be led to believe that the nonbank is a bank, or is FDIC insured.  We discuss recent state and federal regulatory and enforcement developments, including the FDIC’s proposed rule addressing false advertising, misuse of the FDIC logo, and misrepresentation of insured status, and state regulators’ and federal lawmakers’ interest in the issue, and offer takeaways for banks and nonbank partners on what these developments mean for their marketing efforts.… Continue Reading