Remittance Transfer FAQs on COVID-19

The CFPB recently issued FAQs on remittance transfer errors in light of COVID-19 and government-mandated closings.  This guidance states if a remittance transfer is not delivered to the recipient by the disclosed date of availability due to such closings, it’s not an error if it’s the result of extraordinary circumstances outside the remittance transfer provider’s control that could not have been reasonably anticipated…However, if the provider should have been able to anticipate the delay because, for example, the closings had already been announced at the time the remittance transfer was sent, it would be an error subject to the remittance transfer error resolution requirements.

In a May 12^th blog, we alerted you to the fact that the threshold to determine whether you are  subject to the remittance transfer rule will increase from 100 to 500, effective July 21, 2020.  If you originated no more than 500 remittance transfers in the previous and current calendar year, you will not be subject to the rule come July 21^st.  However, if you had been covered under the rule (because you sent more than 100 remittance transfers in the previous or current calendar year), you still need to apply the applicable requirements to those transfers where payment was made prior to July 21^st.  This would include the requirements for error resolution.

Check out our June 2020 edition of Banking on BCC for more on the Remittance Transfer Rule Changes.

Published
2020/06/09

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