Welcome to the Compliance Cohort. We are a group of compliance professionals working to make compliance easier. Our goal is to take complex compliance concepts and put them in simple terms that apply to the real world. We are glad you have found us and look forward to collaborating in the future.
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In this Compliance Clip (video), Adam tackles a nuanced appraisal question many lenders encounter: can a borrower request a second appraisal when the bank already has an acceptable one on file? Using a real-world scenario, Adam quickly explains the key regulatory and risk considerations, outlining practical compliance expectations, common missteps, and how institutions should approach situations like this. A transcript of this video is now available.
Our Appraisal Compliance Requirements class is currently on sale in our store. This program is designed to cover the key compliance elements related to appraisals and evaluations. Our Appraisal Compliance Requirements program includes a quick review of the appraisal requirements found in Regulation B & Regulation Z, a review of the key elements of the interagency guidance on appraisal standards focusing on the compliance elements, and a full section on appraisal bias. The last section also includes a quick discussion on fair lending and provides a list of best practices financial institutions can take to mitigate fair lending risk as it relates to appraisals and evaluations. To enroll in our Appraisal Compliance Requirements class, go to www.compliancecohort.com/appraisal-compliance-requirements.
On February 26, 2026, FinCEN issued a proposed rule that, if finalized, would sever MBaer Merchant Bank AG (MBaer’s) access to the U.S. financial system as a result of its financial support to illicit actors linked to Russia and Iran. If finalized, the proposed rule would prohibit covered U.S. financial institutions from opening or maintaining a correspondent account for, or on behalf of, MBaer.
On February 25, 2025, the OCC issued a proposed rulemaking to implement the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act. The GENIUS Act provides a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoin.
On February 24, 2026, the NCUA announced the sixth round of proposed regulatory changes associated with its Deregulation Project. The project is an ongoing review of NCUA’s regulations to ensure that regulations are focused on credit unions’ safety, soundness, and resilience.
On February 23, 2026, the Federal Reserve Board issued a proposed rule to codify the removal of reputation risk from its supervision of banks. The Board’s action follows its earlier actions regarding that removal and reiterates its policy against penalizing or prohibiting an institution from banking a customer engaged in legal activity.
On February 19, 2026, the Federal Reserve Board announced that it will hold a hybrid public outreach meeting on March 26, 2026, as part of its review of regulations under the Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act (EGRPRA). EGRPRA mandates that the Board, with public input, review its regulations every 10 years to identify outdated or unnecessarily burdensome requirements for certain supervised institutions.
The enrollment period for our three premium membership options is happening right now and will end next week. Premium memberships are a great way for compliance and risk management professionals to stay up-to-date with regulatory changes while getting many of our training programs at a bundled price. Each premium membership includes a subscription to our quarterly compliance updates, which help compliance professionals keep up on regulatory changes. Plus, each premium membership includes additional training programs, based on the level purchased. Don't miss your chance to take advantage of these options, which basically offer bundled pricing on our training programs. Don’t miss our premium membership enrollment; register at www.compliancecohort.com/premium-membership.
On February 16, 2026, Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman spoke at the American Bankers Association 2026 Conference for Community Bankers, where she talked about the significant migration of mortgage origination and servicing from banks to nonbanks and the regulatory factors that may be driving this shift. In her speech, Bowman highlighted a long-term contraction in bank participation in the mortgage market.
On February 13, 2026, FinCEN launched a new dedicated webpage to confidentially accept whistleblower tips on fraud, money laundering, and sanctions violations. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said that Treasury would provide financial rewards for eligible whistleblower tips.
