Request for Information on Consumer Financial Products and Services Offered to Servicemembers, 54998 [2011-22595]

Agencies

• BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 172 (Tuesday, September 6, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 54998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-22595]


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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 172 / Tuesday, September 6, 2011 / 
Notices

[[Page 54998]]



BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION

[Docket No. CFPB-2011-0016]


Request for Information on Consumer Financial Products and 
Services Offered to Servicemembers

AGENCY: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

ACTION: Notice and Request for Information.

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SUMMARY: Section 1013(e)(1) of the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 
2010 requires the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (``CFPB'' or 
``Bureau'') to educate and empower servicemembers and their families to 
make better informed decisions regarding consumer financial products 
and services; to coordinate with CFPB's Consume Response function to 
monitor consumer complaints by servicemembers and their families; and 
to coordinate efforts among Federal and State agencies, as appropriate, 
regarding consumer protection measures relating to consumer financial 
products and services offered to, or used by, servicemembers and their 
families. Consistent with this requirement, the CFPB Office of 
Servicemember Affairs seeks information on consumer financial products 
and services that are currently being offered to or used by 
servicemembers and their families. Among other things, the office is 
particularly interested in information on products and services (and 
associated programs and policies) that are tailored to the unique 
financial needs of servicemembers and their families. The information 
provided will help the office develop a knowledge base of consumer 
financial products and services utilized by servicemembers that will 
inform the office's planning with respect to education and outreach 
initiatives, the monitoring of consumer complaints, and other consumer 
protection measures. CFPB encourages comments from consumers, financial 
service providers, organizations, and other members of the public.

DATES: Comment Due Date: September 20, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CFPB-2011-
0016, by any of the following methods:
     https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments.
     MilitaryResponse@cfpb.gov.
     Mail or Hand Delivery/Courier in Lieu of Mail: Monica 
Jackson, Office of the Executive Secretary, Consumer Financial 
Protection Bureau, 1801 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20036.
    Instructions: The CFPB encourages the early submission of comments. 
All submissions must include the document title and docket number. 
Please note the number of the question to which you are responding at 
the top of each response. In general, all comments received will be 
posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov. In addition, 
comments will be available for public inspection and copying at 1801 L 
Street, NW., Washington DC 20036, on official business days between the 
hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time. You can make an appointment 
to inspect the documents by telephoning 202-435-7275. All comments, 
including attachments and other supporting materials, will become part 
of the public record and subject to public disclosure. Sensitive 
personal information such as account numbers or Social Security numbers 
should not be included. Comments will not be edited to remove any 
identifying or contact information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general inquiries, submission 
process questions or any additional information, please call Monica 
Jackson at 202-435-7275.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bureau seeks public comment on the 
following questions:
    1. What consumer financial products and services are currently 
offered to or utilized by servicemembers and their families?
    2. What consumer financial products and services (and associated 
programs, policies, and practices) are tailored to the unique financial 
needs of servicemembers and their families or are marketed specifically 
to servicemembers and their families? Among other things, the office is 
particularly interested in:
    a. Information on consumer financial products or services that are 
designed to address deployments, permanent-change-of-station moves, 
overseas assignments, relocations, and similar circumstances.
    b. Information on short-term lending products that are tailored to 
the needs of servicemembers and their families.
    c. Information on consumer financial products or services that are 
comparable to the Department of Defense (DoD) Savings Deposit Program.
    3. What financial education opportunities are financial service 
providers offering to servicemembers and their families, both in person 
and online?
    4. What programs, policies, accommodations, or benefits do 
financial service providers currently provide to servicemembers and 
their families that may exceed those required by statute? Among other 
things, comments could address expanded application of Servicemembers 
Civil Relief Act protections and fraud protections.
    5. What unique assistance, if any, is currently offered by 
financial service providers to servicemembers and their families who 
are distressed homeowners? Among other things, comments could address 
servicemember-specific mortgage modifications; accommodations for 
servicemembers with Permanent Change of Station Orders; and assistance 
for wounded, ill or injured servicemembers, or surviving spouses of 
deceased servicemembers.
    6. What marketing and communication strategies are currently used 
by financial service providers to inform servicemembers and their 
families of consumer financial products and services; programs or 
accommodations for servicemembers and their families; and financial 
educational opportunities? Which strategies tend to be more effective 
and which are less effective?

    Dated: August 29, 2011.
Hollister K. Petraeus,
Assistant Director, Office of Servicemember Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2011-22595 Filed 9-2-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-AM-P