Payments Pros – The Payments Law Podcast

Join Chris Willis and Josh McBeain as they dissect the CFPB's proposed overdraft rule, discussing its impact on large financial institutions, potential litigation challenges, the role of TILA, and the concept of Chevron deference. Get ready for an in-depth analysis of the regulatory landscape and what it means for consumers and the industry.

In the final episode of the Payments Pros special two-part series, Jordan Bennett, Nacha's senior director of network risk management, joins Keith and Carlin to discuss the new rules regarding fraud monitoring.Fraud Monitoring Phase 1 will become effective on March 20, 2026, and Phase 2 on June 19, 2026. These rules require all nonconsumer originators, ODFIs, third-party service providers, and third-party senders to establish and implement risk-based procedures to identify potential fraudulent transactions. The aim is to reduce the incidence of successful fraud attempts.The group discusses that the rules do not prescribe a specific method for monitoring, allowing each party to adapt according to their needs. However, inaction is not an option. Parties should conduct a risk assessment and adjust their policies accordingly.Jordan advises leveraging existing resources and ensuring contacts are prepared to respond to fraud incidents. He clarifies that these changes don't reallocate liability or establish new duties, but aim to foster teamwork in fraud prevention.

In this episode of Payments Pros, Carlin and Keith welcome back Jordan Bennett, Nacha's senior director of network risk management, for a two-part series on the newly approved rules designed to combat credit push fraud. Credit push fraud has been on the rise, and Nacha released a risk management framework to increase awareness and mitigate such frauds.The new rules, approved by Nacha's members on March 18, aim to mitigate fraud incidents such as business email compromise and efforts to exploit credit push payments. Part one of this series explores the risk management package, discussing the comprehensive set of rules and multiple rule amendments effective from October of the current year.Jordan highlights that the effective dates for some rules extend into 2026, providing ample time for preparation. The rules package was carefully crafted to reduce incidents of credit push frauds and provide financial institutions with useful tools.In addition to the rules, Nacha is also focusing on education and has released risk management guidance. The guidance is designed to help financial institutions improve their risk controls.The new rules include amendments for fraud monitoring by all parties in the ACH network, new rules around fund recovery tools, standardization of certain data fields, and changes to the Written Statement of Unauthorized Debit (WSUD) process. The rules are designed to increase awareness of fraud schemes, reduce successful fraud attempts, and improve recovery after frauds have occurred.Part two of this series will focus on fraud monitoring and what ACH Network participants can start doing now to comply with the recently passed rules. 

In this episode of Payments Pros, Carlin McCrory is joined by Nick St. John, director of regulatory compliance at America's Credit Unions, to discuss the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and related developments from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Enacted in 2021, the CTA aims to combat the use of anonymous legal entities for money laundering. It mandates that legal entities report their beneficial ownership information to FinCEN, which maintains a database accessible to law enforcement, financial institutions, and other entities that meet specific criteria.Nick explains that the CTA applies to corporations and similar entities, with exceptions like banks and credit unions. Entities must report information about the company and its beneficial owners, defined as any person with a 25% or more ownership interest or who exercises substantial control. Reporting deadlines vary based on the company's creation date.He also clarifies the difference between beneficial ownership reporting to financial institutions and the new reporting to FinCEN. Under the CTA, there is no numerical limit to the number of control persons that must be reported. Financial institutions can request this information for customer due diligence compliance requirements. Carlin and Nick conclude by discussing future developments from FinCEN, including when the information will be made available to financial institutions and changes to existing rules to align with the CTA.

In this special crossover edition of Payments Pros and The Consumer Finance Podcast, Chris Willis is joined by Josh McBeain and Glen Trudel. They discuss the recent final credit card late fee rule issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the industry's reaction to it. The rule lowers the safe harbor provision dollar amount for late fees to $8 for large credit card issuers and increases it for small issuers. The team also discusses the legal challenge filed against the rule by a collective of trade groups. They speculate on potential industry responses if the rule survives legal challenges, such as increasing APRs, creating new fees, raising minimum payments, and tightening credit.

In this episode of Payments Pros, co-hosts Keith Barnett and Carlin McCrory discuss the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) latest proposed rule. This rule aims to prohibit covered financial institutions from charging consumers nonsufficient funds (NSF) fees on transactions that are declined instantaneously or near instantaneously.The CFPB believes this rule will benefit consumers who would otherwise incur NSF fees, potentially leading their accounts to drop to zero or below zero. However, it also acknowledges that financial institutions may become less willing to open depository accounts for these consumers, potentially increasing the number of unbanked and underbanked individuals.The rule, proposed on January 24, is open for comments until March 25, and is expected to be finalized 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.

Discussing the CFPB's proposed rule on supervising tech companies in digital payments, including the classification of digital assets as funds. Examining the legal basis, potential legislative actions, and practical considerations for companies. Anticipating the final rule release and its impact on the digital asset industry.

In the second and final installment of our two-part Payments Year in Review series, Keith Barnett, Carlin McCrory, and Josh McBeain continue their discussion around the payments landscape of 2023 and their predictions for 2024.In this episode, our co-hosts discuss the CFPB and FTC's attempts to regulate negative options, the Federal Reserve's FedNow, the adoption of Money Transmission Modernization Act in several states, Nacha's proposed risk management framework for credit push fraud, and state legislation concerning Earned Wage Access.More information about 2023 regulatory developments can be found in our 2023 Payments Year in Review.

In the first installment of a two-part Payments Year in Review series, Keith Barnett, Carlin McCrory, and Josh McBeain delve into the payments landscape of 2023 and share their predictions for 2024.Our co-hosts discuss the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) proposed rule to supervise "larger participants" in the market for general-use digital consumer payment applications. They also examine the CFPB's report on complaints about payment app fraud, their statements on add-on fees and fees associated with requests for account information, as well as their efforts to reduce credit card late fees. Not to be left out of the party, they also discuss the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) proposed new rule aimed at prohibiting "junk fees." This is a can't miss episode for anyone looking to catch up on federal payments issues in 2023.More information about 2023 regulatory developments can be found in our 2023 Payments Year in Review.

In this episode of Payments Pros, Keith Barnett is joined by James Stevens to discuss the Merchant Acquirer Limited Purpose Bank Charter (MALPB) in Georgia, a unique charter that allows companies to offer merchant payment processing services without a sponsoring partner bank. Despite being enacted 12 years ago, companies have been unable to utilize it due to card networks not allowing direct participation. This could change soon, especially with Fiserv's recent application.Keith and James note that MALPB is limited to merchant activities and has specific rules regarding merchant funds. The application process is rigorous, involving a detailed review of owners, officers, and directors. The charter also requires the company to employ at least 50 Georgia residents and to engage in merchant acquiring activities within a year of receiving the charter.The Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, which regulates traditional banks in Georgia and will regulate these MALPBs, has posted some guidance and an application form. The guidance is particularly helpful, providing robust capital requirements for these charters.The conversation wraps up with Keith and James emphasizing that the charter's value hinges on the card networks' access allowance. Troutman Pepper, having played a key role in drafting the MALPB law and having a wealth of experience in securing bank charters, is ideally positioned to guide applicants. Our team has been involved in the establishment of all banks formed in the state of Georgia since 2010. James underscores the importance for applicants to seek advice from attorneys and consultants with a proven track record of successfully filing and obtaining bank charters in Georgia.