Notice of Annual Adjustment of the Cap on Average Total Assets That Defines Community Financial Institutions, 6650 [2021-01267]

Download as PDF 6650 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 13 / Friday, January 22, 2021 / Notices Dated: January 15, 2021. On behalf of the Commission. Ellen L. Weintraub, Commissioner, Federal Election Commission. [FR Doc. 2021–01405 Filed 1–21–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6715–01–P FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY II. The CFI Asset Cap for 2021 [No. 2021–N–1] Notice of Annual Adjustment of the Cap on Average Total Assets That Defines Community Financial Institutions AGENCY: Federal Housing Finance Agency. Notice. ACTION: The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has adjusted the cap on average total assets that is used in determining whether a Federal Home Loan Bank (Bank) member qualifies as a ‘‘community financial institution’’ (CFI) to $1,239,000,000, based on the annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (CPI–U), as published by the Department of Labor (DOL). These changes took effect on January 1, 2021. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Hedrick, Division of Federal Home Loan Bank Regulation, (202) 649– 3319, James.Hedrick@fhfa.gov; or R. Winston Sale, Assistant General Counsel, (202) 649–3081, Winston.Sale@fhfa.gov, (not toll-free numbers), Federal Housing Finance Agency, Constitution Center, 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC 20219. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: I. Statutory and Regulatory Background The Federal Home Loan Bank Act (Bank Act) confers upon insured depository institutions that meet the statutory definition of a CFI certain advantages over non-CFI insured depository institutions in qualifying for Bank membership, and in the purposes for which they may receive long-term advances and the collateral they may pledge to secure advances.1 Section 2(10)(A) of the Bank Act and § 1263.1 of FHFA’s regulations define a CFI as any Bank member the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and that has average total assets below the statutory cap.2 The Bank Act was amended in 2008 to set the statutory cap at $1 1 See 12 U.S.C. 1424(a), 1430(a). 2 See 12 U.S.C. 1422(10)(A); 12 CFR 1263.1. VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:27 Jan 21, 2021 Jkt 253001 billion and to require FHFA to adjust the cap annually to reflect the percentage increase in the CPI–U, as published by the DOL.3 For 2020, FHFA set the CFI asset cap at $1,224,000,000, which reflected a 2.1 percent increase over 2019, based upon the increase in the CPI–U between 2019 and 2020.4 As of January 1, 2021, FHFA has increased the CFI asset cap to $1,239,000,000, which reflects a 1.2 percent increase in the unadjusted CPI– U from November 2019 to November 2020. Consistent with the practice of other Federal agencies, FHFA bases the annual adjustment to the CFI asset cap on the percentage increase in the CPI– U from November of the year prior to the preceding calendar year to November of the preceding calendar year, because the November figures represent the most recent available data as of January 1st of the current calendar year. The new CFI asset cap was obtained by applying the percentage increase in the CPI–U to the unrounded amount for the preceding year and rounding to the nearest million, as has been FHFA’s practice for all previous adjustments. In calculating the CFI asset cap, FHFA uses CPI–U data that have not been seasonally adjusted (i.e., the data have not been adjusted to remove the estimated effect of price changes that normally occur at the same time and in about the same magnitude every year). The DOL encourages use of unadjusted CPI–U data in applying ‘‘escalation’’ provisions such as that governing the CFI asset cap, because the factors that are used to seasonally adjust the data are amended annually, and seasonally adjusted data that are published earlier are subject to revision for up to five years following their original release. Unadjusted data are not routinely subject to revision, and previously published unadjusted data are only corrected when significant calculation errors are discovered. Andre D. Galeano, Deputy Director, Division of Federal Home Loan Bank Regulation, Federal Housing Finance Agency. [FR Doc. 2021–01267 Filed 1–21–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8070–01–P 3 See 12 U.S.C. 1422(10)(B); 12 CFR 1263.1 (defining the term CFI asset cap). 4 See 85 FR 3680 (Jan. 22, 2020). PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT INVESTMENT BOARD Notice of Board Meeting January 26, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. Telephonic. Dial-in (listen only) information: Number: 1–415–527– 5035, Code: 199 601 5134; or via web: https://tspmeet.webex.com/tspmeet/ onstage/g.php?MTID=e84524dda563a 8355830b6e7b51e26b53. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberly Weaver, Director, Office of External Affairs, (202) 942–1640. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DATES: ADDRESSES: Board Meeting Agenda Open Session 1. Approval of the December 21, 2020 Board Meeting Minutes 2. Monthly Reports (a) Participant Activity Report (b) Legislative Report 3. Quarterly Reports (c) Investment Policy (d) Budget Review (e) Audit Status 4. Internal Audit Update 5. Annual Expense Ratio Review 6. Multi-asset Manager Update 7. Recordkeeping Services Acquisition (RKSA) Update Closed Session 8. Information covered under 5 U.S.C. 552b (c)(9)(B). Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552b (e)(1). Dated: January 14, 2021. Dharmesh Vashee, Acting General Counsel, Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board. [FR Doc. 2021–01321 Filed 1–21–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION [OMB Control No. 9000–0001; Docket No. 2020–0053; Sequence No. 14] Submission for OMB Review; Standard Form 28, Affidavit of Individual Surety Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\22JAN1.SGM 22JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 13 (Friday, January 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 6650]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-01267]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY

[No. 2021-N-1]


Notice of Annual Adjustment of the Cap on Average Total Assets 
That Defines Community Financial Institutions

AGENCY: Federal Housing Finance Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has adjusted the cap 
on average total assets that is used in determining whether a Federal 
Home Loan Bank (Bank) member qualifies as a ``community financial 
institution'' (CFI) to $1,239,000,000, based on the annual percentage 
increase in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (CPI-U), 
as published by the Department of Labor (DOL). These changes took 
effect on January 1, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Hedrick, Division of Federal 
Home Loan Bank Regulation, (202) 649-3319, [email protected]; or 
R. Winston Sale, Assistant General Counsel, (202) 649-3081, 
[email protected], (not toll-free numbers), Federal Housing Finance 
Agency, Constitution Center, 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC 
20219.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Statutory and Regulatory Background

    The Federal Home Loan Bank Act (Bank Act) confers upon insured 
depository institutions that meet the statutory definition of a CFI 
certain advantages over non-CFI insured depository institutions in 
qualifying for Bank membership, and in the purposes for which they may 
receive long-term advances and the collateral they may pledge to secure 
advances.\1\ Section 2(10)(A) of the Bank Act and Sec.  1263.1 of 
FHFA's regulations define a CFI as any Bank member the deposits of 
which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and that 
has average total assets below the statutory cap.\2\ The Bank Act was 
amended in 2008 to set the statutory cap at $1 billion and to require 
FHFA to adjust the cap annually to reflect the percentage increase in 
the CPI-U, as published by the DOL.\3\ For 2020, FHFA set the CFI asset 
cap at $1,224,000,000, which reflected a 2.1 percent increase over 
2019, based upon the increase in the CPI-U between 2019 and 2020.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See 12 U.S.C. 1424(a), 1430(a).
    \2\ See 12 U.S.C. 1422(10)(A); 12 CFR 1263.1.
    \3\ See 12 U.S.C. 1422(10)(B); 12 CFR 1263.1 (defining the term 
CFI asset cap).
    \4\ See 85 FR 3680 (Jan. 22, 2020).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

II. The CFI Asset Cap for 2021

    As of January 1, 2021, FHFA has increased the CFI asset cap to 
$1,239,000,000, which reflects a 1.2 percent increase in the unadjusted 
CPI-U from November 2019 to November 2020. Consistent with the practice 
of other Federal agencies, FHFA bases the annual adjustment to the CFI 
asset cap on the percentage increase in the CPI-U from November of the 
year prior to the preceding calendar year to November of the preceding 
calendar year, because the November figures represent the most recent 
available data as of January 1st of the current calendar year. The new 
CFI asset cap was obtained by applying the percentage increase in the 
CPI-U to the unrounded amount for the preceding year and rounding to 
the nearest million, as has been FHFA's practice for all previous 
adjustments.
    In calculating the CFI asset cap, FHFA uses CPI-U data that have 
not been seasonally adjusted (i.e., the data have not been adjusted to 
remove the estimated effect of price changes that normally occur at the 
same time and in about the same magnitude every year). The DOL 
encourages use of unadjusted CPI-U data in applying ``escalation'' 
provisions such as that governing the CFI asset cap, because the 
factors that are used to seasonally adjust the data are amended 
annually, and seasonally adjusted data that are published earlier are 
subject to revision for up to five years following their original 
release. Unadjusted data are not routinely subject to revision, and 
previously published unadjusted data are only corrected when 
significant calculation errors are discovered.

Andre D. Galeano,
Deputy Director, Division of Federal Home Loan Bank Regulation, Federal 
Housing Finance Agency.
[FR Doc. 2021-01267 Filed 1-21-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8070-01-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.