[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 228 (Monday, November 29, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 73000-73014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-29546]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 228 / Monday, November 29, 2010 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 73000]]



NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ADMINISTRATION

12 CFR Parts 701, 704, and 741

RIN 3133-AD74


Corporate Credit Unions

AGENCY: National Credit Union Administration.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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

SUMMARY: NCUA is issuing proposed amendments to its rule governing 
corporate credit unions (corporates). The amendments include internal 
control and reporting requirements for corporates similar to those 
required for banks under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The amendments require each corporate to establish 
an enterprise-wide risk management committee staffed with at least one 
risk management expert. The amendments provide for the equitable 
sharing of Temporary Corporate Credit Union Stabilization Fund (TCCUSF) 
expenses among all members of corporates, including both credit union 
and noncredit union members. The amendments increase the transparency 
of decision-making by requiring that corporates conduct all board of 
director votes as recorded votes and include the votes of individual 
directors in the meeting minutes. The amendments permit corporates to 
charge their members reasonable one-time or periodic membership fees as 
necessary to facilitate retained earnings growth. For senior corporate 
executives who are dual employees of corporate credit union service 
organizations (CUSOs), the amendments require disclosure of certain 
compensation received from the corporate CUSO. In addition, this 
proposal would amend our regulations to limit natural person credit 
unions (NPCUs) to membership in one corporate credit union at any 
particular time and provide that a natural person credit union may not 
make any investment in a corporate credit union of which the natural 
person credit union is not also a member. These proposed amendments 
will further strengthen individual corporates and the corporate system 
as a whole.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 29, 2010.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods 
(Please send comments by one method only):
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    NCUA Web site: http://www.ncua.gov/Resources/RegulationsOpinionsLaws/ProposedRegulations.aspx. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    E-mail: Address to [email protected]. Include ``[Your name] 
Comments on `Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Part 704--Corporate 
Credit Unions' '' in the e-mail subject line.
    Fax: (703) 518-6319. Use the subject line described above for e-
mail.
    Mail: Address to Mary Rupp, Secretary of the Board, National Credit 
Union Administration, 1775 Duke Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314-
3428.
    Hand Delivery/Courier: Same as mail address.
    Public Inspection: All public comments are available on the 
agency's Web site at http://www.ncua.gov/Resources/RegulationsOpinionsLaws/ProposedRegulations.aspx as submitted, except 
as may not be possible for technical reasons. Public comments will not 
be edited to remove any identifying or contact information. Paper 
copies of comments may be inspected in NCUA's law library at 1775 Duke 
Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, by appointment weekdays between 9 
a.m. and 3 p.m. To make an appointment, call (703) 518-6546 or send an 
e-mail to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jacqueline Lussier, Staff Attorney, 
Office of General Counsel; Elizabeth Wirick, Staff Attorney, Office of 
General Counsel; and Lisa Henderson, Staff Attorney, Office of General 
Counsel, at the address above or telephone (703) 518-6540; or David 
Shetler, Deputy Director, Office of Corporate Credit Unions, at the 
address above or telephone (703) 518-6640.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NCUA performs its mission of ensuring 
the safety and soundness of Federally-insured credit unions by 
examining all Federal credit unions, participating in the examination 
and supervision of Federally-insured, State-chartered credit unions in 
coordination with State regulators, and insuring Federally-insured 
credit union members' accounts. In its statutory role as the 
administrator of the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund 
(NCUSIF), NCUA insures and supervises approximately 7,500 Federally-
insured credit unions (FICUs), representing 98 percent of all credit 
unions and serving approximately 90 million members.

Corporate Credit Union System

    A corporate credit union is an organization, chartered under the 
Federal Credit Union Act (the Act) or under applicable State law as a 
credit union that receives share deposits from and provides loan and 
other services primarily to other credit unions. 12 CFR 704.2. There 
are 26 retail corporates that provide services directly to NPCUs, and 
there is one wholesale corporate, U.S. Central Bridge Federal Credit 
Union (U.S. Central Bridge), that provides services to many of the 26 
retail corporates. Fourteen retail corporates and U.S. Central Bridge 
are Federally-chartered and 12 retail corporates are State-chartered.
    Like NPCUs, corporates are member-owned cooperatives. However, at 
corporates the member-owners are primarily NPCUs. Over 95 percent of 
NPCUs belong to corporate credit unions. In addition, other entities 
that are not Federally-insured credit unions (i.e., ``non FICUs'') also 
may become members of corporates. These nonfederally-insured members 
consist of nonfederally-insured credit unions \1\ and non credit union 
entities. Non credit union entities include credit union leagues and 
trade associations, CUSOs, certain banks, and other types of 
organizations. These other organizations include, for example, credit 
union political action committees, credit union charitable and 
educational foundations, and law firms, insurance agencies, and 
mortgage

[[Page 73001]]

companies that are connected to the credit union industry.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Within the 50 states, approximately 152 state-chartered 
credit unions have private, primary share insurance and are not 
subject to NCUA regulation or oversight.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The corporate system offers a broad range of support to its 
members. The products and services provided by U.S. Central Bridge to 
retail corporates, and by retail corporates to their members, include, 
among other things: investment and deposit services, wire transfers, 
share draft processing and imaging, automated clearinghouse (ACH) 
transactions processing, automated teller machine (ATM) processing, 
bill payment services, and security safekeeping. The volume of payment 
systems-related transactions throughout the system annually runs into 
the millions and the dollar amounts associated with those transactions 
are in the billions each month. Corporates also serve as liquidity 
providers for their members. An NPCU invests excess liquidity in a 
corporate when the NPCU has lower loan demand and draws down the 
invested liquidity when loan demand increases.
    Some NPCUs depend heavily on corporates; for example, 75 percent of 
NPCUs rely on a corporate as their primary settlement agent. Corporates 
provide NPCUs with convenient and quality services and expertise, all 
at a fair price. For many NPCUs, this is a combination that makes the 
corporate system a valuable resource and, for some smaller NPCUs, an 
essential resource.
    Federally-chartered corporates are governed by Federal law and 
State-chartered corporate credit unions by State law. In addition, all 
corporates that are Federally insured, or that accept share deposits 
from NPCU members that are Federally insured, must comply with NCUA's 
part 704 corporate rule. 12 CFR 704.1, 12 U.S.C. 1766(a).
    NCUA recently made substantial revisions to part 704 (with 
conforming amendments to parts 702, 703, 709, and 747). Final Rule, 75 
FR 64786 (October 20, 2010) (September Rulemaking). The most 
significant amendments establish a new capital scheme, including risk-
based capital requirements; impose new prompt corrective action 
requirements; place various new limits on corporate investments; impose 
new asset-liability management controls; amend some corporate 
governance provisions; and limit a corporate CUSO to categories of 
services preapproved by NCUA. The preamble to the September Rulemaking 
also stated that shortly after its promulgation the Board intended to 
issue another proposal that would further amend Part 704 and related 
provisions. Id. at 64824. This current proposal is the referenced 
follow-on rulemaking.
    These proposed amendments would:
    (1) Increase the transparency of corporate credit union decision-
making by requiring corporates conduct all board of director votes as 
recorded votes and include the votes of individual directors in the 
meeting minutes;
    (2) Incorporate certain sound audit, reporting, and audit committee 
practices from the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDI Act), Part 363 of 
the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Regulations, and the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX);
    (3) Provide for the equitable sharing of TCCUSF expenses among all 
members of corporate credit unions, including both credit union and 
noncredit union members, by establishing procedures for requesting 
members not insured by the NCUSIF to make voluntary premium payments to 
the TCCUSF;
    (4) Protect against unnecessary competition between corporates by 
limiting NPCUs to membership in one corporate of the NPCU's choice at 
any one time and prohibiting an NPCU from making any investment in a 
corporate where the NPCU is not also a member;
    (5) Improve risk management at corporates by requiring corporates 
to establish enterprise-wide risk management committees staffed with at 
least one independent risk management expert;
    (6) Provide corporates with more options to grow retained earnings 
by allowing corporates to charge their members reasonable one-time or 
periodic membership fees; and
    (7) Require the disclosure of compensation received from a 
corporate CUSO by certain highly compensated corporate credit union 
executives.
    These proposals are discussed in more detail below in the section-
by-section analysis.

Section-by-Section Analysis of Proposed Amendments

Section 701.5 Membership Limited to One Corporate Credit Union

    In the recent past, some NPCUs ``rate shopped'' among corporates 
for the highest deposit rates and lowest service costs. This rate 
shopping resulted in increased competition and, in some cases, led to 
unsafe investment activities as corporates sought higher investment 
yields to subsidize share dividends and service costs.
    Proposed Sec.  701.5 seeks to prevent unhealthy competition among 
corporates by requiring Federal credit unions to make a decision to 
commit to membership in one corporate at a time. The proposal provides 
that a Federal credit union may belong to two corporates for a short 
period of time, but only when transitioning between those corporates. 
In addition, the proposal prohibits a Federal credit union from making 
any investment, including a share or deposit account, a loan, or a 
capital investment, in a corporate of which the Federal credit union is 
not a member.\2\ This will avoid unhealthy competition among corporates 
driven by rate shopping among nonmembers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ The FCU Act provisions generally authorizing such nonmember 
transactions, such as 12 U.S.C. 1757(6) and 1757(7)(C), are 
specifically subject to the regulation of the Board. 12 U.S.C. 1757 
and 1782.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Proposed Sec.  701.5 has prospective impact only. That is, credit 
unions that are currently members of two or more corporates do not have 
to relinquish memberships in any of those corporates. The Board 
believes that the members of a credit union are owners of that credit 
union, including the members of a corporate, and that ``once a member, 
always a member.''
    The Board also notes that Sec.  704.8(k) applies a 15 percent 
investment limit to investments in a corporate made by a ``member or 
nonmember credit union.'' This section does not authorize investments 
by nonmembers, and, if the Board adopts Sec.  701.5(c) as proposed, it 
is unlikely that a nonmember credit union would be able to make any 
investments in a corporate where it is not already a member.
    These same restrictions, through language added in new Sec.  
741.226 of part 741, would apply to State-chartered Federally-insured 
NPCUs as well as FCUs.
    This proposal also contains the following changes to part 704.

Section 704.2 Definitions

    The NCUA Board is proposing to add a number of new definitions to 
Sec.  704.2 to assist in complying with the proposed revisions to Sec.  
704.15 discussed below. The defined terms include: Critical accounting 
policies, Enterprise risk management, Examination of internal control, 
Family, Financial statements, Financial statement audit, Generally 
accepted auditing standards, Independent public accountant, Internal 
control, Internal control framework, Internal control over financial 
reporting, and Supervisory committee.
    The associated definitions come from a variety of sources, 
including other sections of the NCUA Rules and Regulations, auditing 
and accounting industry standards, and Securities and Exchange 
Commission (SEC) rules. The Board requests comment on the 
appropriateness of these definitions.

[[Page 73002]]

Section 704.11 Corporate Credit Union Service Organizations; Sec.  
704.19 Disclosure of Executive and Director Compensation

    The recently adopted revisions in the September Rulemaking require 
that each corporate annually prepare, and provide to its members, a 
document that discloses the compensation of certain employees. 12 CFR 
704.19(a). An employee of a corporate may also, however, be an employee 
of a corporate CUSO and receive additional compensation from the CUSO. 
The dual employee's compensation disclosure under Sec.  704.19(a) would 
be incomplete without a disclosure of both sources of compensation, 
particularly where the employee's corporate has made a loan to, or 
other investment in, that corporate CUSO and so has some control over 
the CUSO.
    The proposal amends Sec.  704.19 to clarify that for CUSOs in which 
a corporate has invested, the corporate must include compensation 
received from the CUSO in disclosures of compensation paid to the 
corporate's most highly compensated employees. To facilitate this 
disclosure, the proposal also amends Sec.  704.11(g), which lists 
certain items with which a CUSO must agree in writing before a 
corporate credit union may make a loan to or invest in the CUSO. The 
amendment to Sec.  704.11(g) requires a corporate CUSO disclose 
compensation paid to any employees that are also employees of a 
corporate credit union lending to, or investing in, the CUSO. This 
ensures that CUSOs will provide corporate credit unions the information 
necessary for the corporate to make the full disclosure required by 
Sec.  704.19.
    The proposal applies only to corporate employees. It does not amend 
or otherwise modify Sec.  704.11(f), which prohibits officials of 
corporate credit unions which have invested in or loaned to a corporate 
CUSO from receiving any compensation or other payments from the 
corporate CUSO.

Section 704.13 Board Responsibilities

    The proposal adds a new subparagraph (c)(8) to Sec.  704.13, Board 
responsibilities, to require that all board of directors votes be 
conducted by recorded votes.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ The September Rulemaking redesignated the Board 
Responsibilities section from Sec.  704.4 to Sec.  704.13.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The minutes reporting the vote must identify the board members, by 
name, who voted for or against the proposal, as well as, if applicable, 
the board members who were absent or otherwise failed to vote, and any 
board members who abstained from voting. The Board believes this 
provision is necessary so as to increase the transparency of corporate 
board actions.
    The corporate credit union system has confronted profound 
challenges during the economic crisis of the past several years. Some 
corporate credit unions made poor investment decisions, and these 
decisions caused billions of dollars of losses. Unfortunately, the role 
of individual directors in these decisions was not always clear because 
the board secretary did not always record the votes of individual 
directors in the minutes of the board meeting.
    Corporate boards are likely to continue to face crucial decisions. 
For example, the ongoing effects of the financial crisis may force some 
corporates to confront critical restructuring questions in which the 
interests of NPCUs utilizing different services of the corporate may 
diverge. In these situations, members may need to know how each 
director voted in addition to knowing the outcome of the vote.
    Also, requiring recorded votes will help to ensure that corporate 
directors comply with their obligation to recuse themselves from 
deliberating and voting on items which may involve a conflict of 
interest. Article XI, Sec.  2 of the Standard Corporate Federal Credit 
Union Bylaws prohibits corporate insiders, including directors, from 
participating ``in any manner, directly, or indirectly in the 
deliberation upon or the determination of any question affecting his/
her pecuniary interest or the pecuniary interest of any corporation, 
partnership, or association (other than the corporate credit union) in 
which he/she is directly or indirectly interested.'' If a director is 
disqualified because of a conflict, the director must withdraw from 
deliberation and determination of the issue. Id. Under the bylaw, the 
director has the obligation to identify issues that may pose a conflict 
of interest and withdraw from deliberation and determination of these 
issues. If, however, a director fails to self-identify or report a 
potential conflict, it would be difficult to determine whether or how 
the director voted on an issue without disclosure of votes on a 
director-by-director basis. The accountability and transparency that 
results from recording vote tallies by name will provide an important 
backstop to the self-policing aspect of the corporate bylaw conflict-
of-interest provision.
    NCUA's existing regulations provide some transparency to members, 
but may not be sufficient absent a specific requirement to record votes 
by name. For example, NCUA's regulations provide a process by which 
members of credit unions, including members of corporate credit unions, 
may inspect the credit union's books and records as well as minutes of 
member, board, and committee meetings. 12 CFR 701.3(a). Members seeking 
access to records must submit a petition signed by one percent of the 
credit union's members; the petition must identify particular records 
and state a purpose related to the protection of the members' financial 
interest in the credit union. 12 CFR 701.3(b). Like the current 
proposal, the rule providing for member access to records increases the 
transparency of actions and decisions of the credit union's leadership. 
If, however, the corporate credit union's records lack recorded votes 
showing how each director voted on a particular issue, members would 
not be able to get the director-by-director tally even after submitting 
a petition.
    There are multiple sources of authority for NCUA's proposed 
amendment to paragraph 704.13(c). The Act grants NCUA broad authority 
to require FICUs, including corporate credit unions, to submit 
financial data and other information as required by the NCUA Board. 12 
U.S.C. 1761, 1766, 1781, and 1789. Further, the Act authorizes the NCUA 
Board to request additional information as it may require. 12 U.S.C. 
1782(a)(2). NCUA's recommended standard procedures for corporate credit 
union examinations include a review of minutes of the board of 
directors' meetings or actions. NCUA Corporate Examination Procedures 
Sec.  301P-004 (2003). Like the review of board minutes, the proposal 
falls under NCUA's general powers to require both Federal credit unions 
and Federally-insured State-chartered credit unions to prepare and 
submit information in connection with insurance examinations.

Section 704.15 Audit and Reporting Requirements

    Both NCUA and natural person credit unions rely upon financial 
information to evaluate the condition of insured corporate credit 
unions and to determine the adequacy of regulatory capital. Accurate 
and reliable measurement of a corporate credit union's assets and 
earnings has a direct bearing on the determination of regulatory 
capital. Interested parties can place greater reliance on recognition, 
measurement, and disclosures contained in financial statements that 
have been subject to an independent audit. Independent audits help to 
identify weaknesses in internal control

[[Page 73003]]

over financial reporting and risk management at corporate credit unions 
and reinforce corrective measures, thus complementing supervisory 
efforts in contributing to the safety and soundness of corporate credit 
unions.
    NCUA currently requires that a corporate credit union's board of 
directors ensure the preparation of timely and accurate balance sheets, 
income statements, and internal risk assessments and that systems are 
audited periodically in accordance with industry standards. 12 CFR 
704.4(c). In addition, a corporate credit union's supervisory committee 
must ensure that: (1) An external audit is performed annually in 
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards; and (2) the 
audit report is submitted to the board of directors, to NCUA, and in a 
summary version, to the members. 12 CFR 704.15(a).
    To facilitate early identification of problems in financial 
management at corporate credit unions, the NCUA Board is proposing to 
amend Sec.  704.15 to add certain additional auditing, reporting, and 
supervisory committee requirements. The most significant proposed 
revisions would require a corporate credit union to:
    Ensure that its financial reports reflect all material correcting 
adjustments necessary to conform with generally accepted accounting 
principles (GAAP) that were identified by the corporate credit union's 
independent public accountant (IPA).
    Prepare an annual management report, signed by the chief executive 
officer and the chief accounting officer or chief financial officer, 
that contains: (1) A statement of management's responsibility for 
preparing financial statements, responsibility for establishing and 
maintaining an adequate internal control structure, responsibility for 
procedures for financial reporting, and responsibility for complying 
with laws and regulations relating to safety and soundness designated 
by NCUA; (2) an assessment of the corporate credit union's compliance 
with such laws and regulations; and (3) for a corporate with assets of 
at least $1 billion, an assessment of the effectiveness of the internal 
control structure and procedures over financial reporting, including 
identifying the internal control framework used to evaluate such 
internal control.
    Ensure that its IPA: (1) Reports on a timely basis to the 
supervisory committee all critical accounting policies, alternative 
accounting practices discussed with management, and written 
communications provided to management; (2) retains the working papers 
related to an audit and, if applicable, the evaluation of the corporate 
credit union's internal control over financial reporting, for seven 
years from the report release date; (3) complies with the independence 
standards and interpretations of the American Institute of Certified 
Public Accountants (AICPA); (4) has, prior to beginning any services 
for a corporate, a peer review that meets acceptable audit industry 
guidelines; (5) notifies NCUA if the IPA ceases being a corporate 
credit union's independent accountant; and (6) for a corporate with 
assets of at least $1 billion, reports separately to the supervisory 
committee on management's assertions concerning the effectiveness of 
the corporate credit union's internal control structure and procedures 
for financial reporting.
    Ensure that its supervisory committee (1) consists of members who 
are not employees of the corporate credit union; (2) supervises the 
IPA; and (3) ensures that audit engagement letters do not contain 
unsafe and unsound limitation of liability provisions.
    NCUA has based many of these proposed revisions on part 363 of the 
FDIC's Rules, 12 CFR part 363. The FDIC has provided guidance, found in 
Appendices A and B to part 363, to assist managements of banks and 
thrifts in complying with a number of part 363 requirements. The NCUA 
Board has determined not to issue similar formal guidance in 
conjunction with the proposed revisions to part 704.
    The NCUA Board also notes that part 363 only applies to banks and 
thrifts with assets of at least $500 million. In contrast, most of 
these proposed provisions to part 704 would apply to all corporate 
credit unions, even those smaller corporates with under $500 million in 
assets.\4\ The Board believes that because corporates provide services 
to NPCUs, smaller corporate credit unions may present systemic risks 
that smaller banks and thrifts do not. The Board requests comment, 
however, on whether certain of the proposed provisions should apply 
only to corporate credit unions with assets above a certain threshold. 
Commenters should specify which provisions and what the asset threshold 
or thresholds should be.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ A few provisions in proposed 704.15 would apply only to 
corporates with assets of at least $1 billion.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paragraph 704.15(a) Annual Reporting Requirements
704.15(a)(1) Audited Financial Statements
    Proposed paragraph (a)(1) restates the existing requirement that a 
corporate credit union prepare audited financial statements that 
conform with GAAP. To facilitate a more accurate picture of a corporate 
credit union's financial condition, the proposal also adds the 
requirement that the annual financial statements reflect all material 
correcting adjustments identified by the IPA as necessary to conform 
with GAAP.
704.15(a)(2) Management Report
    Proposed paragraph (a)(2) requires the management of a corporate 
prepare an annual report that contains certain enumerated elements.
    The Board is concerned that management in some corporate credit 
unions may have insufficient oversight over certain reporting, control, 
and compliance functions. The Board believes that requiring management 
to acknowledge its responsibilities in these areas will help the 
corporate credit union identify needed improvements in financial 
management. Accordingly, proposed paragraph (a)(2)(i) requires 
management reports contain a statement of management's responsibilities 
for preparing the corporate credit union's annual financial statements, 
for establishing and maintaining an adequate internal control structure 
and procedures for financial reporting, and for complying with certain 
laws and regulations relating to safety and soundness.
    The proposed rule identifies the following five safety and 
soundness areas about which the NCUA Board is concerned: affiliate 
transactions, legal lending limits, loans to insiders, restrictions on 
capital and share dividends, and regulatory reporting that meets full 
and fair disclosure. When the FDIC issued a proposed rule implementing 
new audit, reporting, and internal control requirements for certain 
banks and thrifts, see 12 CFR part 363, it identified these five areas 
as presenting the greatest risks. See 57 FR 42516, Sept. 15, 1992.\5\ 
Corporate credit unions are structured differently from banks, however, 
and the Board seeks comment on whether the five identified areas are 
appropriate. The Board also seeks comment on whether the final 
regulation should specify the laws and rules and regulations covered by

[[Page 73004]]

proposed paragraph (a)(2), such as section 107(5)(A)(iv) and (v) of the 
Federal Credit Union Act, 12 U.S.C. 1757(5)(A)(iv) and (v), governing 
loans to directors and committee members, and Sec.  704.7, governing 
corporate credit union lending.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ Ultimately, the FDIC limited its compliance concerns to laws 
and regulations concerning insider lending and dividend 
restrictions. See 58 FR 31332, June 2, 1993.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Proposed paragraph (a)(2)(ii) requires management assess and report 
on the corporate credit union's compliance with those designated safety 
and soundness laws and regulations. This assessment requirement 
reinforces the importance of management's responsibility for complying 
with the rules by requiring disclosure of instances of noncompliance. 
Management should perform its own investigation and review of 
compliance with the rules and maintain records of its assessments until 
the next NCUA examination or such later date as specified by NCUA.
    The NCUA Board has determined that corporate credit unions with $1 
billion or more in total assets present additional risks. Accordingly, 
proposed paragraph (a)(2)(iii) requires these larger corporate credit 
unions include in their management reports an assessment of the 
effectiveness of the internal control structure over financial 
reporting. Management must identify the internal control framework used 
to make its evaluation, include a statement that the evaluation 
included controls over the preparation of financial statements and 
regulatory reports, include a statement as to management's conclusion 
regarding the effectiveness of internal control over financial 
reporting, and disclose all material weaknesses identified by 
management. Management may not conclude that internal control over 
financial reporting is effective if there are any material weaknesses.
    A suitable control framework is one established by a body of 
experts following widespread opportunity for comment, including the 
broad distribution of the framework for public comment. A framework is 
suitable only when it:
     Is free from bias;
     Permits reasonably consistent qualitative and quantitative 
measurements of a corporate credit union's internal control over 
financial reporting;
     Is sufficiently complete so that those relevant factors 
that would alter a conclusion about the effectiveness of a corporate 
credit union's internal control over financial reporting are not 
omitted; and
     Is relevant to an evaluation of internal control over 
financial reporting.
    The Internal Control--Integrated Framework published by the 
Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (the 
``COSO Report'') provides a suitable and recognized framework for 
purposes of a management assessment in the United States. Other 
suitable frameworks have been published in other countries, and still 
others may be developed in the future. Such other suitable frameworks 
may be used by management and the corporate credit union's IPA in 
assessments, attestations, and audits of internal control over 
financial reporting.
704.15(a)(3) Management Report Signatures
    To ensure that management understands its ultimate responsibility 
for the corporate credit union's performance, proposed paragraph (a)(3) 
requires the chief executive officer and either the chief accounting 
officer or chief financial officer of the corporate credit union to 
sign the management report.
704.15(b)(1) Annual Audit of Financial Statements
    Proposed paragraph (b) sets forth the requirements applicable to 
the corporate's IPA. Proposed paragraph (b)(1) clarifies the existing 
requirement that a corporate credit union have its annual financial 
statements audited by an IPA in accordance with generally accepted 
auditing standards. The IPA should be registered or licensed to 
practice as a public accountant, and be in good standing, under the 
laws of the State or other political subdivision of the United States 
in which the home office of the corporate credit union is located.
704.15(b)(2) Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
    Proposed paragraph (b)(2) requires an IPA who audits a corporate 
credit union with assets of at least $1 billion attest to management's 
assertions concerning the effectiveness of the corporate credit union's 
internal control structure and procedures for financial reporting. To 
ensure that an attestation report is sufficiently informative, the 
report must:
     Identify the internal control framework that the IPA used 
to make the evaluation (which must be the same as the internal control 
framework used by management);
     Include a statement that the IPA's evaluation included 
controls over the preparation of regulatory financial statements;
     Include a clear statement as to the IPA's conclusion 
regarding the effectiveness of internal control over financial 
reporting;
     Disclose all material weaknesses identified by the IPA 
that have not been remediated;
     Conclude that internal control is ineffective if there are 
any material weaknesses; and
     Be dated by the IPA on or after the date of management's 
report on its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over 
financial reporting.
704.15(b)(3) Notice by Accountant of Termination of Services
    In the interests of safety and soundness, and to ensure that NCUA 
is aware of potential conflicts between a corporate credit union and 
its IPA, proposed paragraph (b)(3) requires an IPA to notify NCUA if 
the IPA terminates work as the corporate credit union's auditor. The 
IPA's notice of termination under (b)(3) is similar to the notice of 
termination in proposed paragraph (c)(4) that the corporate credit 
union must provide to both NCUA and the IPA. In its (b)(3) notice, the 
IPA must state whether the IPA agrees with the corporate credit union's 
assertions contained in the (c)(4) notice and whether the IPA agrees 
that the (c)(4) notice discloses all relevant reasons for the IPA's 
termination.
704.15(b)(4) Communications With Supervisory Committee
    The Board believes that communications between a corporate credit 
union's supervisory committee and its auditor are critical to proper 
oversight of the auditing function. Accordingly, proposed paragraph 
(b)(4) establishes certain communication requirements between the 
auditor and the committee. Under the proposal, an IPA must inform the 
supervisory committee on a timely basis about: (1) All critical 
accounting policies, (2) alternative accounting treatments discussed 
with management, and (3) written communications provided to management, 
such as a management letter or schedule of unadjusted differences. 
These requirements are minimum requirements--other communications 
beyond these requirements are encouraged.
704.15(b)(5) Retention of Working Papers
    Consistent with best industry practices, proposed paragraph (b)(5) 
requires an IPA to retain the working papers related to its audit of a 
corporate credit union's financial statements for at least seven years. 
If the IPA has conducted an evaluation of internal control over 
financial reporting, the IPA must also retain those working papers for 
at least seven years.

[[Page 73005]]

704.15(b)(6) Independence
    Proposed paragraph (b)(6) codifies existing industry self-
governance requirements that auditors comply with the independence 
standards of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants 
(AICPA).
704.15(b)(7) Peer Reviews
    Proposed paragraph (b)(7) codifies existing industry self-
governance requirements that auditors undergo periodic peer reviews. 
The proposal clarifies that acceptable peer reviews include those 
performed in accordance with the AICPA's Peer Review Standards and 
inspections conducted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board 
(PCAOB). This paragraph also requires a corporate credit union's IPA to 
file a copy of the peer review report, or the public portion of the 
PCAOB inspection report, with NCUA.
704.15(c)(1) Annual Reporting
    Proposed paragraph 704.15(c) sets forth various reporting, filing, 
and notice requirements. The current regulation is silent on when a 
corporate credit union must provide a copy of its annual report to 
NCUA. To ensure timely filing and provide consistent application of the 
requirement, proposed paragraph (c)(1) provides that a corporate credit 
union must file a copy of its annual report to NCUA within 180 days 
after the end of the calendar year. The report must contain the audited 
financial statements, the IPA's report on those statements, a 
management report, and, if applicable, the IPA's attestation report on 
management's assessment of internal control over financial reporting.
704.15(c)(2) Public Availability
    Proposed paragraph (c)(2) provides that NCUA will make a corporate 
credit union's annual report available for public inspection.
704.15(c)(3) IPA's Reports
    Consistent with good corporate governance, proposed paragraph 
(c)(3) requires a corporate credit union to provide NCUA with a copy of 
any management letter or report issued by its IPA. The proposal 
includes examples of the types of reports covered.
704.15(c)(4) Notice of Engagement or Change of Accountants
    In the interests of safety and soundness, and as discussed above, 
proposed paragraph (c)(4) requires a corporate to inform NCUA when the 
credit union engages an IPA or loses an IPA through dismissal or 
resignation. The corporate must include with the notice a reasonably 
detailed statement of the reasons for any dismissal or resignation. The 
corporate must send a copy of the (c)(4) notice required to the IPA 
when the notice is filed with NCUA.
704.15(c)(5) Notification of Late Filing
    Proposed paragraph (c)(5) requires the corporate provide a notice 
to NCUA of late filing of the annual report. The notice must specify 
the reasons for the inability to comply with the 180-day requirement 
and must also state the date by which the report will be filed.
704.15(c)(6) Report to Members
    Paragraph (a) of the current Sec.  704.15 requires a corporate 
credit union to submit a summary of its annual report to the 
membership. Recognizing that a corporate credit union may not have 
completed its annual report at the time of the annual meeting, proposed 
paragraph (c)(6) substitutes the word ``preliminary'' for ``summary.''
704.15(d)(1) Composition
    Proposed paragraph 704.15(d) deals with the corporate's supervisory 
committee. Proposed paragraph (d)(1) discusses the composition of the 
supervisory committee, stating that its members may not be employees of 
the corporate credit union and must be independent of the corporate 
credit union. The employment prohibition codifies Article X, Section 1, 
of the Corporate Federal Credit Union Bylaws for all corporates. The 
NCUA Board believes that in the interests of sound governance this 
prohibition should be applied to all corporates.
    The Board further believes that to avoid potential conflicts of 
interest, supervisory committee members should be independent of the 
corporate. Under the proposal, a committee member is independent if he 
or she does not have any family relationships or material business or 
professional relationships with the corporate credit union and has been 
free of such relationships for at least three years.
704.15(d)(2) Duties
    As a general matter, the supervisory committee should perform all 
the duties required of it under the corporate's bylaws as determined by 
the corporate's board of directors. Proposed paragraph (d)(2) clarifies 
that the committee is also responsible for the appointment, 
compensation, and oversight of the IPA, and for reviewing with 
management and the IPA the basis for audit reports.
    As the SEC noted when it adopted its final rule implementing a 
similar provision regarding the audit committees of public companies, 
the auditing process may be compromised if a company's outside auditors 
incorrectly view their primary responsibility as serving the company's 
management rather than the company's full board of directors or audit 
committee. See 68 FR 18787, 18796, Apr. 16, 2003. The SEC went on to 
state that auditors may view management as the ``employer'' if 
management has the power to hire, fire, and set compensation and that 
under these circumstances the auditor may not have the appropriate 
incentive to raise concerns and conduct an objective review. Id. The 
SEC concluded that one way to promote auditor independence was for the 
auditor to be hired, evaluated, and, if necessary, terminated by the 
audit committee. Id. The NCUA Board believes it is critical that 
accountants who perform audit and attestation services for corporates 
have an appropriate incentive to conduct an objective review and 
identify potential concerns. In this regard, the Board believes it is a 
sound governance practice for a corporate's supervisory committee, 
rather than its management, to be responsible for the appointment, 
compensation, and oversight of the accountant.
704.15(d)(3) IPA Engagement Letters
    In response to an observed increase in the types and frequency of 
provisions in financial institutions' external audit engagement letters 
that limit the auditors' liability, in February 2006 the Federal 
financial institution regulatory agencies, including NCUA, issued an 
Interagency Advisory on the Unsafe and Unsound Use of Limitation of 
Liability Provisions in External Audit Engagement Letters (Interagency 
Advisory).\6\ The Advisory states that such provisions may weaken the 
external auditors' objectivity, impartiality, and performance, which in 
turn may reduce the reliability of audits and consequently raise safety 
and soundness concerns. The agencies stated that a financial 
institution should not enter into any agreement that incorporates 
limitation of liability provisions with respect to audits.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ 27 FR 6847, Feb. 9, 2006.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Since a central purpose of this proposal is to increase the 
reliability of audits, proposed paragraph (d)(3)(i)(B) requires the 
supervisory committee ensure that audit engagement letters and any 
related agreements with the IPA for services to be performed under part 
704 do not contain certain limitation of liability provisions. 
Prohibited provisions include any language that

[[Page 73006]]

indemnifies the IPA against claims made by third parties; holds 
harmless or release the IPA from liability for claims or potential 
claims that might be asserted by the client corporate credit union, 
other than claims for punitive damages; or limits the remedies 
available to the client corporate credit union. Consistent with the 
Interagency Advisory, the proposal does not preclude the use of 
alternative dispute resolution agreements and jury trial waivers.
704.15(d)(4) Outside Counsel
    Proposed paragraph (d)(4) provides that the supervisory committee 
must, when deemed necessary by the committee, have access to its own 
outside counsel. All counsel retained by a corporate, regardless of who 
at the corporate retained the counsel, owe the same fiduciary duties, 
that is, to provide advice in the best interests of the membership. 
Accordingly, in most circumstances the Board expects the supervisory 
committee, when seeking legal advice, would employ the services of the 
in-house counsel or other counsel under contract to the corporate. The 
Board believes, however, that in the interest of safety and soundness 
the supervisory committee must be able to retain counsel at its 
discretion without prior permission of the board of directors or 
management, particularly when the committee perceives that the in-house 
counsel or other counsel under contract to the corporate may be unable 
to provide unbiased advice.
704.15(e) Internal Audit
    Paragraph (e) restates the internal audit requirements in the 
current paragraph (b).
704.21 Equitable Distribution of Corporate Credit Union Stabilization 
Expenses
    Some of the recent corporate investment losses were absorbed 
directly by the members of the corporates in the form of capital 
depletion. Much of these losses, however, were absorbed by the NCUSIF 
as it made capital injections and launched liquidity and share 
guarantee programs designed to stabilize the corporate system and 
protect the system from collapse. The corporate losses absorbed by the 
NCUSIF--and subsequently transferred from the NCUSIF to the TCCUSF in 
June of 2009 and 2010--will be paid by all FICUs in the form of premium 
assessments now and over the next several years. The stabilization 
actions taken by NCUA to protect the corporate system benefitted every 
member of every corporate, both FICU and non FICU.\7\ Without NCUA's 
stabilization actions, the entire corporate system would have been in 
danger of collapse. NCUA's actions protected both FICUs and non FICUs 
from potential losses in their uninsured shares and from other 
potential problems, such as interruptions in their payment systems. 
Unfortunately, however, not all corporate members have assumed their 
fair share of the expense of NCUA's corporate stabilization actions. In 
particular, non FICU members have not paid, and likely will not pay in 
the future without some encouragement, their fair share of the expenses 
associated with NCUA's stabilization actions. Accordingly, and as 
discussed below, this proposal seeks to encourage existing non FICU 
members to pay their fair share of such expenses.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ The term ``non FICU'' includes every corporate member that 
is not insured by the NCUSIF. Trade associations, CUSOs, non credit 
union cooperatives, banks, insurance companies, and privately 
insured credit unions are examples of entities that might be members 
of certain corporates and fall within the term ``non FICU.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The proposal adds a new Sec.  704.21, Equitable Distribution of 
Corporate Credit Union Stabilization Expenses, to provide for the 
equitable sharing of TCCUSF expenses among all members of corporate 
credit unions. Proposed Sec.  704.21 provides that when the NCUA Board 
assesses a TCCUSF premium on FICUs, NCUA will request existing non FICU 
members make voluntary payments to the TCCUSF. It requires that when 
the NCUA Board imposes a TCCUSF premium assessment on FICUs, a 
corporate credit union must furnish to NCUA information about all its 
non FICU members. NCUA will then request each of these non FICU members 
to make a voluntary premium payment to the TCCUSF in an amount 
calculated as a percentage of the non FICU member's previous year-end 
assets.\8\ In the event one or more of these non FICUs declines to make 
the requested payment, or makes a payment in an amount less than 
requested, the proposal requires the corporate conduct a member vote on 
whether to expel that non FICU. A paragraph-by-paragraph breakdown of 
Sec.  704.21 follows.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ See 12 U.S.C. 1772a (authority of NCUA to accept gifts for 
carrying out any of its functions under the Act); and 12 U.S.C. 
1789.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    When the Board acts to assess a premium on FICUs, paragraph (a) 
provides that each corporate credit union must prepare a list of all 
its members on the date of the assessment that are non FICUs, including 
the name and assets of each such member, with the address and contact 
information for each such member. The assets of the non FICUs will be 
determined as of the previous year-end. The corporate should collect 
information from the member to support this asset calculation, such as 
an annual financial statement. If the member will not provide this 
information to the corporate, the corporate should simply make its best 
estimate of the asset size and inform NCUA of the basis for the 
estimate.
    Paragraph (b) provides that within 14 days after the date of the 
assessment on FICUs, the corporate credit union must send the list of 
non FICU members to the NCUA Office of Corporate Credit Unions. A 
corporate that has no non FICU members must provide the Office of 
Corporate Credit Unions with a statement to that effect.
    Paragraph (c) provides that within 60 days after the date of 
assessment on FICUs, the NCUA Chief Financial Officer will request each 
non FICU to make a voluntary payment to the TCCUSF. The amount of the 
requested payment will be the entity's assets times 0.815 times the 
percentage of insured shares that each FICU was assessed. The payment 
must be received by NCUA within 60 days after the date of the Chief 
Financial Officer's request.
    NCUA determined the 0.815 factor by using the ratio of total 
aggregate FICU insured shares to aggregate FICU assets. NCUA calculated 
these ratios for year-end 2008 (ratio = 0.810) \9\ and year-end 2009 
(ratio = 0.819) \10\ and then averaged the two ratios to obtain the 
factor 0.815. Accordingly, multiplying a non FICU's assets by 0.815 
produces an amount approximating the entity's ``insured shares'' as if 
the entity were a Federally-insured credit union.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \9\ 2008: total shares $658.9 billion; total assets $813.4 
billion. http://www.ncua.gov/Resources/Reports/statistics/Yearend2008.pdf (page 1, footnote 3).
    \10\ 2009: total shares $724.8 billion; total assets $884.8 
billion. http://www.ncua.gov/Resources/Reports/statistics/Yearend2009.pdf (page 1).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Paragraph (d) provides that if NCUA does not receive a full, timely 
payment of the TCCUSF contribution requested, NCUA will notify the 
corporate credit union of the failure. Paragraph (e) requires that no 
later than 90 days after receipt of the notice from NCUA, the corporate 
must call a special meeting of its members to determine whether each 
member that failed to make the full payment should be expelled from the 
corporate credit union. For Federally-chartered corporates, the 
expulsion vote will be conducted in accordance with Sec.  118(a) of the 
Act, which provides that a member may be expelled by a two-thirds vote 
of the members present at a special meeting called for that purpose,

[[Page 73007]]

but only after an opportunity has been given to the member to be heard. 
12 U.S.C. 1764(a); see Article III, Sec.  5 of the Standard Federal 
Corporate Credit Union Bylaws. For State-chartered corporates, the 
expulsion vote will be conducted in accordance with the bylaws of the 
corporate and applicable State law.
    Paragraph (f) permits the corporate to conduct the expulsion vote 
at an annual meeting, if that would coincide with the date of any 
special meeting called under paragraph (e).
    Paragraph (g) provides that for non FICUs that belong to more than 
one corporate, NCUA will request only one voluntary payment from that 
non FICU in connection with each TCCUSF assessment. If NCUA does not 
receive full payment of the amount requested, however, NCUA will notify 
all corporates to which the non FICU belongs for purposes of conducting 
an expulsion vote.
    As should be clear from the language of proposed Sec.  704.21, NCUA 
does not ultimately make the determination of whether a non FICU should 
make a payment to the TCCUSF or the amount of the payment. The non FICU 
makes that determination. NCUA also does not make the determination of 
the adequacy of any payment. The members of the affected corporate make 
that determination when deciding whether or not to expel the non FICU 
member. It is these corporate members, and particularly the FICU 
corporate members, that have a vested financial interest in whether or 
not non FICU members are contributing equitably to cover losses in the 
corporate credit union system.
    The Board does not intend at this time to apply Sec.  704.21 
retroactively. Section 704.21 would only apply to TCCUSF assessments 
made following the effective date of any final rule.
704.22 Enterprise Risk Management
    Sound risk management is an integral part of running a corporate 
credit union, and corporates need to strengthen their enterprise risk 
management. A well-designed enterprise risk management process can help 
a corporate by providing a framework within which the board of 
directors and senior management can determine:
     Where all the corporate's risk exposures lie;
     The amount of risk the corporate has in each exposure and 
the maximum levels it is willing to accept;
     How the risk exposures are changing; and
     The appropriate risk controls to limit overall risk to 
targeted levels.
    Accordingly, this proposal adds a new Sec.  704.22, Enterprise Risk 
Management. This section requires corporates to develop and follow an 
enterprise risk management policy (paragraph (a)). The board of 
directors must establish an enterprise risk management committee that 
is responsible for overseeing the corporate's risk management practices 
and must report at least annually to the board of directors (paragraph 
(b)). The committee must include at least one independent risk 
management expert with sufficient experience in identifying, assessing, 
and managing risk exposures (paragraph (c)).
    The proposal defines independent to mean that the expert does not 
have any family relationships or any material business or professional 
relationships with the corporate that would affect his or her 
independence as a committee member, and has been free of any such 
relationships for at least three years (paragraph (d)). The risk 
management expert will have post-graduate education; an actuarial, 
accounting, economics, financial, or legal background; and at least 
five years experience in identifying, assessing, and managing risk 
exposures. The expert's experience must also be commensurate with the 
size of the corporate and the complexity of its operations. Proposed 
paragraph 704.22(e) clarifies that the risk management expert is not 
required to be a director of the corporate credit union. The board must 
hire this individual from outside the corporate.
    Proposed paragraph 704.15(a)(2)(iii) requires management of a 
corporate with assets of at least $1 billion assess the effectiveness 
of the corporate's internal control structure and procedures for 
financial reporting. Proposed paragraph 704.15(a)(3) requires the 
corporate's managers to sign the report. The Board requests comment on 
whether NCUA should add a corresponding requirement that management 
assess the effectiveness of the corporate's enterprise risk reporting 
and that the senior risk management official sign the management 
report.
704.23 Membership Fees
    This proposal adds a new Sec.  704.23, Membership Fees, permitting 
corporates the option of charging their members, as a mandatory 
requirement of membership, reasonable one-time or periodic membership 
fees. The fees must generally be proportional to the member's asset 
size, and a member must be given at least six months notice of any new 
fees, or any material change to an existing fee. Furthermore, a 
corporate can terminate the membership of any credit union that fails 
to pay the fee fully and on time.
    The September Rulemaking requires corporates to achieve certain 
minimum capital ratios, including, over time, certain minimum retained 
earnings ratios. NCUA is proposing this amendment to provide corporates 
with additional options in building up their retained earnings. Unlike 
a capital contribution, which will not flow to retained earnings, a 
membership fee flows directly to a corporate's retained earnings.
    Paragraph (a) states that a corporate may charge its members a 
membership fee. The fees may be assessed on a periodic basis or as a 
one-time fee.
    Paragraph (b) provides that the corporate must calculate the fee 
uniformly for all members and as a percentage of each member's assets. 
However, the corporate has the discretion to reduce the amount of the 
fee for members that have contributed capital to the corporate. Any 
such reduction must be proportional to the amount of the member's non-
depleted contributed capital. Calculating the fee as a percentage of 
each member's assets is fairer to smaller natural person credit unions 
than a one-size-fits-all fee. In addition, NCUA wishes to give 
corporates the flexibility to reduce the size of the fee for those 
members that are contributing more capital to the corporate.
    Paragraph (c) requires a corporate to give its members a minimum of 
six months notice of any new fee, including disclosure of its terms and 
conditions, before invoicing the fee. For a recurring fee, the 
corporate must also provide six months notice of any material change to 
the terms and condition of the fee. Corporate members should be given 
adequate time to look for alternatives to membership in the corporate 
should they find the fees too onerous. The Board believes that six 
months to find an alternative service provider should be appropriate.
    Paragraph (d) permits a corporate to terminate the membership of 
any credit union that fails to pay the fee in full within 60 days of 
the invoice date. The Board believes this is a reasonable amount of 
time, given the advance notice required by paragraph (c).

Comment Period

    The Board is putting this proposal out for a 30-day comment period 
in lieu of the standard 60-day comment period. The proposed rule is 
straightforward in its operation, and so does not require extensive 
time to consider. In addition, the Board desires, as much as possible, 
to coordinate the effective date of this

[[Page 73008]]

rulemaking with the effective dates of the September Rulemaking.

Regulatory Procedures

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act requires NCUA to prepare an analysis 
to describe any significant economic impact any proposed regulation may 
have on a substantial number of small entities (those under $10 million 
in assets). For the most part, the proposal applies only to corporate 
credit unions, all of which have assets well in excess of $10 million. 
The one provision that applies directly to natural person credit 
unions, which generally limits membership in one corporate at a time, 
will not affect many small credit unions because they generally do not 
belong to multiple corporates. Accordingly, the proposed amendments 
will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of 
small credit unions and, therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis 
is not required.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) applies to rulemakings in 
which an agency by rule creates a new paperwork burden on regulated 
entities or modifies an existing burden. 44 U.S.C. 3507(d); 5 CFR part 
1320. For purposes of the PRA, a paperwork burden may take the form of 
a reporting, recordkeeping, or disclosure requirement, each referred to 
as an information collection.
    The proposed changes to part 704 in this proposal impose new 
information collection requirements. As required by the PRA, NCUA is 
submitting a copy of this proposal to OMB for its review and approval. 
Persons interested in submitting comments with respect to the 
information collection aspects of the proposed rule should submit them 
to OMB at the address noted below.

Estimated PRA Burden

    The following discussion describes the new information collection 
requirements in the proposal:
    1. Recorded director votes.
    Proposed Sec.  704.13(c)(8) revises existing Sec.  704.13(c), Board 
responsibilities, to require corporates to conduct all board of 
directors votes by recorded vote, such that the minutes reporting the 
vote list the board members (by name) voting for or against the 
proposal, as well as, if applicable, board members who were absent or 
otherwise failed to vote, and board members who abstained from the 
vote. Proposed paragraph (c)(8) would apply to all 27 corporates. NCUA 
estimates that compliance with the requirement to record all board 
votes and to include the votes of each director by name in the minutes 
will take about one hour. Corporates are required to hold a minimum of 
twelve meetings each year. 27 corporates x 12 meetings = 324 meetings 
per year. 324 meetings x 1 hour = 324 hours.
    2. Equitable distribution of corporate credit union stabilization 
fund expenses.
    When the NCUA Board assesses a premium on FICUs for the TCCUSF in 
accordance with proposed Sec.  704.21, NCUA will ask current non FICU 
members of corporates to make voluntary contributions to the TCCUSF. 
Proposed Sec.  704.21(e) requires a corporate hold an expulsion vote if 
a non FICU member does not make the requested payment. These provisions 
would apply to all 27 corporates. NCUA estimates that the NCUA Board 
may assess a premium on FICUs for the TCCUSF about once each year for 
the next several years.
    Proposed paragraphs (a) and (b) of Sec.  704.21 state that when a 
TCCUSF premium is assessed on FICUs, a corporate must immediately 
prepare a list of all its members that are non FICUs, including the 
name and asset size of each such member as of the end of the previous 
year, and the address and contact information of each such member, and 
forward the list to NCUA. NCUA estimates that it should take each 
corporate approximately 20 hours to collect the information, prepare 
the list, and submit the list to NCUA. 27 corporates x 20 hours = 540 
hours.
    Proposed paragraph (e) of Sec.  704.21 provides that following 
receipt of a notice of non-payment from NCUA, the corporate must call a 
special meeting of its members to determine whether each non FICU 
member that failed to make the full payment to the TCCUSF should be 
expelled from membership in the corporate. The corporate must notify 
NCUA of the result of the member vote. NCUA estimates that 
approximately 27 corporates will be required to conduct a member vote 
on expulsion once each year. NCUA estimates the preparation and mailing 
of notices and ballots (if paper ballots are used), the collection of 
ballots (if paper ballots are used), and notifying NCUA of the result 
of the vote will take about 25 hours. 27 corporates x 25 hours = 675 
hours.
    3. Disclosure of dual employee compensation from corporate CUSOs.
    The amendment to Sec.  704.11 requires that each corporate CUSO 
disclose compensation of dual employees to the corporate credit unions 
that make loans to, or invest in, the CUSO. NCUA estimates that this 
requirement will apply to five or fewer CUSOs, and that making these 
disclosures will take one hour per CUSO. 5 CUSOs x 1 hour = 5 hours.
    4. Management report.
    Proposed Sec.  704.15(a)(2) requires each corporate credit union to 
prepare an annual management report that contains a statement of 
management's responsibilities for performing certain duties in the 
corporate credit union. The report must also contain an assessment of 
the corporate's compliance with certain laws and regulations. NCUA 
estimates that it should take each corporate approximately 4 hours to 
prepare its management report. 27 corporates x 4 hours = 108 hours.
    5. Large corporate credit union management report.
    Proposed Sec.  704.15(a)(2)(iii) requires a corporate credit union 
with assets of $1 billion or more to include in its management report 
an assessment by management of the effectiveness of the corporate 
credit union's internal control structure and procedures for financial 
reporting. Currently, there are 16 corporates with at least $1 billion 
in assets. NCUA estimates that it should take a corporate credit union 
approximately 8 hours to prepare its assessment. 16 corporates x 8 
hours = 128 hours.
    6. Notice of engagement or change of accountants.
    Proposed Sec.  704.15(c)(4) requires a corporate credit union to 
notify NCUA when it engages an independent public accountant or loses 
an independent public accountant through dismissal or resignation. The 
corporate credit union must include with the notice a reasonably 
detailed statement of the reasons for any dismissal or resignation. 
NCUA estimates that no more than five corporate credit unions will 
change accountants each year and that it should take a corporate credit 
union about two hours to prepare the notice and submit it to NCUA. 5 
corporates x 2 hours = 10 hours.
    7. Notification of late filing.
    Proposed Sec.  704.15(c)(5) requires a corporate credit union that 
is unable to timely file its Annual Report to submit a written notice 
to NCUA. NCUA estimates that no more than five corporate credit unions 
will need to submit such notice and that it should take about one hour 
to prepare the notice and submit it to NCUA. 5 corporates x 1 hour = 5 
hours.

B. Summary of Collection Burden

    NCUA estimates the total information collection burden represented 
by the proposal, calculated on an annual basis, as follows:

[[Page 73009]]

    Recorded director votes: 27 corporates x 12 meetings x 1 hour = 324 
hours.
    Preparation of list of non FICU members of a corporate and 
providing list to NCUA: 27 corporates x 20 hours = 540 hours.
    Conducting special meeting of a corporate's members to expel a 
member and notifying NCUA of result of vote: 27 corporates x 25 hours = 
675 hours.
    Disclosure of dual employee compensation from corporate CUSOs: 5 
CUSOs x 1 hour = 5 hours.
    Management report: 27 corporates x 4 hours = 108 hours.
    Large corporate credit union management report: 16 corporates x 8 
hours = 128 hours.
    Notice of engagement or change of accountants: 5 corporates x 2 
hours = 10 hours.
    Notification of late filing: 5 corporates x 1 hour = 5 hours.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,795 hours.
    The NCUA considers comments by the public on this proposed 
collection of information in:
    Evaluating whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the NCUA, 
including whether the information will have a practical use;
    Evaluating the accuracy of the NCUA's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    Enhancing the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and
    Minimizing the burden of collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology; e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    The Paperwork Reduction Act requires OMB to make a decision 
concerning the collection of information contained in the proposed 
regulation between 30 and 60 days after publication of this document in 
the Federal Register. Therefore, a comment to OMB is best assured of 
having its full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of 
publication. This does not affect the deadline for the public to 
comment to the NCUA on the proposed regulation.
    Comments on the proposed information collection requirements should 
be sent to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, New 
Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503; Attention: NCUA Desk 
Officer, with a copy to Mary Rupp, Secretary of the Board, National 
Credit Union Administration, 1775 Duke Street, Alexandria, Virginia 
22314-3428.

Executive Order 13132

    Executive Order 13132 encourages independent regulatory agencies to 
consider the impact of their actions on State and local interests. In 
adherence to fundamental federalism principles, NCUA, an independent 
regulatory agency as defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(5), voluntarily complies 
with the executive order.
    The proposed rule would not have substantial direct effects on the 
States, on the connection between the national government and the 
States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the 
various levels of government. NCUA has determined that this proposal 
does not constitute a policy that has federalism implications for 
purposes of the executive order.

The Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 1999--
Assessment of Federal Regulations and Policies on Families

    The NCUA has determined that this proposed rule will not affect 
family well-being within the meaning of section 654 of the Treasury and 
General Government Appropriations Act, 1999, Public Law 105-277, 112 
Stat. 2681 (1998).

List of Subjects

12 CFR Part 701

    Credit unions, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

12 CFR Part 704

    Credit unions, Corporate credit unions, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

12 CFR Part 741

    Bank deposit insurance, Credit unions, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

    By the National Credit Union Administration Board on November 
18, 2010.
Mary F. Rupp,
Secretary of the Board.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, the National Credit Union 
Administration proposes to amend 12 CFR parts 701, 704, and 741 as set 
forth below:

PART 701--ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF FEDERAL CREDIT UNIONS

    1. The authority citation for part 701 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1752(5), 1755, 1756, 1757, 1758, 1759, 
1761a, 1761b, 1766, 1767, 1782, 1784, 1786, 1787, 1789.

    2. Add a new Sec.  701.5 to read as follows:


Sec.  701.5  Membership limited to one corporate credit union.

    (a) A Federal credit union is prohibited from joining a corporate 
credit union if, after joining, the Federal credit union would be a 
member of three or more corporate credit unions.
    (b) A Federal credit union is prohibited from joining a corporate 
credit union if, after joining, the Federal credit union would be a 
member of exactly two corporate credit unions. As an exception, a 
Federal credit union may join a second corporate credit union, but only 
if the Federal credit union intends to transfer its share and deposit 
account(s) from one corporate credit union to the other corporate 
credit union and has informed the former corporate credit union of its 
intent to resign its membership no later than six months after joining 
the latter corporate credit union.
    (c) A Federal credit union is prohibited from making any 
investment, including a share or deposit account, a loan, or a capital 
investment, in a corporate credit union of which the Federal credit 
union is not also a member. This prohibition does not apply to 
investments made at a time when the Federal credit union was a member 
of the corporate.

PART 704--CORPORATE CREDIT UNIONS

    3. The authority citation for part 704 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1762, 1766(a), 1772a, 1781, 1789, and 
1795e.

    4. In Sec.  704.2, add the following new definitions:
* * * * *
    Critical accounting policies means those policies that are most 
important to the portrayal of a corporate credit union's financial 
condition and results and that require management's most difficult, 
subjective, or complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make 
estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain.
* * * * *
    Enterprise risk management means the process of addressing risk on 
an entity-wide basis. The purpose of this process is not to eliminate 
risk but, rather, to provide the knowledge the board of directors and 
management need to effectively measure, monitor, and control risk and 
to then plan

[[Page 73010]]

appropriate strategies to achieve the entity's business objectives with 
a reasonable amount of risk taking.
    Examination of internal control means an engagement of an 
independent public accountant to report directly on internal control or 
on management's assertions about internal control. An examination of 
internal control over financial reporting includes controls over the 
preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting 
principles generally accepted in the United States of America and NCUA 
regulatory reporting requirements.
* * * * *
    Family, as it relates to a particular individual, means that 
individual's spouse, parents, children, and siblings, whether by blood, 
marriage, or adoption; and any other person residing in the 
individual's home.
* * * * *
    Financial statements means the presentation of a corporate credit 
union's financial data, including accompanying notes, derived from 
accounting records of the credit union, and intended to disclose the 
credit union's economic resources or obligations at a point in time, or 
the changes therein for a period of time, in conformity with GAAP. Each 
of the following is considered to be a financial statement: A balance 
sheet or statement of financial condition; statement of income or 
statement of operations; statement of undivided earnings; statement of 
cash flows; statement of changes in members' equity; statement of 
revenue and expenses; and statement of cash receipts and disbursements.
    Financial statement audit means an audit of the financial 
statements of a credit union performed in accordance with generally 
accepted auditing standards by an independent person who is licensed by 
the appropriate State or jurisdiction. The objective of a financial 
statement audit is to express an opinion as to whether those financial 
statements of the credit union present fairly, in all material 
respects, the financial position and the results of its operations and 
its cash flows in conformity with GAAP.
    Generally accepted auditing standards (GAAS) means the standards 
approved and adopted by the American Institute of Certified Public 
Accountants which apply when an ``independent, licensed certified 
public accountant'' audits private company financial statements in the 
United States of America. Auditing standards differ from auditing 
procedures in that ``procedures'' address acts to be performed, whereas 
``standards'' measure the quality of the performance of those acts and 
the objectives to be achieved by use of the procedures undertaken. In 
addition, auditing standards address the auditor's professional 
qualifications as well as the judgment exercised in performing the 
audit and in preparing the report of the audit.
* * * * *
    Independent public accountant (IPA) means a person who is licensed 
by the appropriate State or jurisdiction to practice public accounting. 
An IPA must be able to exercise fairness toward credit union officials, 
members, creditors and others who may rely upon the report of a 
supervisory committee audit and demonstrate the impartiality necessary 
to produce dependable findings. As used in this part, IPA is synonymous 
with the terms ``auditor'' or ``accountant.'' The term IPA does not 
include a licensed person working in his or her capacity as an employee 
of an unlicensed entity and issuing an audit opinion in the unlicensed 
entity's name, e.g., a licensed league auditor or licensed retired 
examiner working for a non-licensed entity.
    Internal control means the process, established by the credit 
union's board of directors, officers and employees, designed to provide 
reasonable assurance of reliable financial reporting and safeguarding 
of assets against unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition. A 
credit union's internal control structure generally consists of five 
components: Control environment; risk assessment; control activities; 
information and communication; and monitoring. Reliable financial 
reporting refers to preparation of Call Reports that meet management's 
financial reporting objectives. Internal control over safeguarding of 
assets against unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition refers to 
prevention or timely detection of transactions involving such 
unauthorized access, use, or disposition of assets which could result 
in a loss that is material to the financial statements.
    Internal control framework means criteria such as that established 
in Internal Control--Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of 
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) or 
comparable, reasonable, and U.S. recognized criteria.
    Internal control over financial reporting means a process effected 
by those charged with governance, management, and other personnel, 
designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the preparation of 
reliable financial statements in accordance with accounting principles 
generally accepted in the United States of America. A corporate credit 
union's internal control over financial reporting includes those 
policies and procedures that:
    (1) Pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable 
detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions 
of the assets of the entity;
    (2) Provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as 
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance 
with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of 
America, and that receipts and expenditures of the entity are being 
made only in accordance with authorizations of management and those 
charged with governance; and
    (3) Provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention, or timely 
detection and correction of unauthorized acquisition, use, or 
disposition of the entity's assets that could have a material effect on 
the financial statements.
* * * * *
    Supervisory committee means, for Federally chartered corporate 
credit unions, the supervisory committee as defined in Section 111(b) 
of the Federal Credit Union Act, 12 U.S.C. 1761(b). For State chartered 
corporate credit unions, the term supervisory committee refers to the 
audit committee, or similar committee, designated by State statute or 
regulation.
* * * * *
    5. In Sec.  704.11, revise paragraphs (g)(5) and (g)(6), and add a 
new paragraph (g)(7), to read as follows:


Sec.  704.11.  Corporate Credit Union Service Organizations (Corporate 
CUSOs).

* * * * *
    (g) * * *
    (5) Will allow the auditor, board of directors, and NCUA complete 
access to its personnel, facilities, equipment, books, records, and any 
other documentation that the auditor, directors, or NCUA deem 
pertinent;
    (6) Will inform the corporate, at least quarterly, of all the 
compensation paid by the CUSO to its employees who are also employees 
of the corporate credit union; and
    (7) Will comply with all the requirements of this section.
    6. In Sec.  704.13, revise paragraphs (c)(6) and (c)(7), and add a 
new paragraph (c)(8), to read as follows:


Sec.  704.13  Board responsibilities.

* * * * *

[[Page 73011]]

    (c) * * *
    (6) Financial performance is evaluated to ensure that the 
objectives of the corporate credit union and the responsibilities of 
management are met;
    (7) Planning addresses the retention of external consultants, as 
appropriate, to review the adequacy of technical, human, and financial 
resources dedicated to support major risk areas; and
    (8) All board of directors votes are conducted by recorded vote, 
such that the minutes reporting the vote list the board members (by 
name) voting for or against the proposal, as well as, if applicable, 
board members who were absent or otherwise failed to vote and board 
members who abstained from the vote.
    7. Revise Sec.  704.15 to read as follows:


Sec.  704.15  Audit and reporting requirements.

    (a) Annual reporting requirements--(1) Audited financial 
statements. A corporate credit union must prepare annual financial 
statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles 
(GAAP), which must be audited by an independent public accountant in 
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The annual 
financial statements and regulatory reports must reflect all material 
correcting adjustments necessary to conform with GAAP that were 
identified by the corporate credit union's independent public 
accountant.
    (2) Management report. Each corporate credit union must prepare, as 
of the end of the previous calendar year, an annual management report 
that contains the following:
    (i) A statement of management's responsibilities for preparing the 
corporate credit union's annual financial statements, for establishing 
and maintaining an adequate internal control structure and procedures 
for financial reporting, and for complying with laws and regulations 
relating to safety and soundness in the following areas: Affiliate 
transactions, legal lending limits, loans to insiders, restrictions on 
capital and share dividends, and regulatory reporting that meets full 
and fair disclosure;
    (ii) An assessment by management of the corporate credit union's 
compliance with such laws and regulations during the past calendar 
year. The assessment must state management's conclusion as to whether 
the corporate credit union has complied with the designated safety and 
soundness laws and regulations during the calendar year and disclose 
any noncompliance with the laws and regulations; and
    (iii) For a corporate credit union with consolidated total assets 
of $1 billion or more as of the beginning of such calendar year, an 
assessment by management of the effectiveness of such internal control 
structure and procedures as of the end of such calendar year that must 
include the following:
    (A) A statement identifying the internal control framework used by 
management to evaluate the effectiveness of the corporate credit 
union's internal control over financial reporting;
    (B) A statement that the assessment included controls over the 
preparation of regulatory financial statements in accordance with 
regulatory reporting instructions including identification of such 
regulatory reporting instructions; and
    (C) A statement expressing management's conclusion as to whether 
the corporate credit union's internal control over financial reporting 
is effective as of the end of the previous calendar year. Management 
must disclose all material weaknesses in internal control over 
financial reporting, if any, that it has identified that have not been 
remediated prior to the calendar year-end. Management may not conclude 
that the corporate credit union's internal control over financial 
reporting is effective if there are one or more material weaknesses.
    (3) Management report signatures. The chief executive officer and 
either the chief accounting officer or chief financial officer of the 
corporate credit union must sign the management report.
    (b) Independent public accountant--(1) Annual audit of financial 
statements. Each corporate credit union must engage an independent 
public accountant to audit and report on its annual financial 
statements in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. 
The scope of the audit engagement must be sufficient to permit such 
accountant to determine and report whether the financial statements are 
presented fairly and in accordance with GAAP. A corporate credit union 
must provide its independent public accountant with a copy of its most 
recent Call Report and NCUA examination report. It must also provide 
its independent public accountant with copies of any notice that its 
capital category is being changed or reclassified and any 
correspondence from NCUA regarding compliance with this section.
    (2) Internal control over financial reporting. For each corporate 
credit union with total assets of $1 billion or more at the beginning 
of the calendar year, the independent public accountant who audits the 
corporate credit union's financial statements must examine, attest to, 
and report separately on the assertion of management concerning the 
effectiveness of the corporate credit union's internal control 
structure and procedures for financial reporting. The attestation and 
report must be made in accordance with generally accepted standards for 
attestation engagements. The accountant's report must not be dated 
prior to the date of the management report and management's assessment 
of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. 
Notwithstanding the requirements set forth in applicable professional 
standards, the accountant's report must include the following:
    (i) A statement identifying the internal control framework used by 
the independent public accountant, which must be the same as the 
internal control framework used by management, to evaluate the 
effectiveness of the corporate credit union's internal control over 
financial reporting;
    (ii) A statement that the independent public accountant's 
evaluation included controls over the preparation of regulatory 
financial statements in accordance with regulatory reporting 
instructions including identification of such regulatory reporting 
instructions; and
    (iii) A statement expressing the independent public accountant's 
conclusion as to whether the corporate credit union's internal control 
over financial reporting is effective as of the end of the previous 
calendar year. The report must disclose all material weaknesses in 
internal control over financial reporting that the independent public 
accountant has identified that have not been remediated prior to the 
calendar year-end. The independent public accountant may not conclude 
that the corporate credit union's internal control over financial 
reporting is effective if there are one or more material weaknesses.
    (3) Notice by accountant of termination of services. An independent 
public accountant performing an audit under this part who ceases to be 
the accountant for a corporate credit union must notify NCUA in writing 
of such termination within 15 days after the occurrence of such event 
and set forth in reasonable detail the reasons for such termination.
    (4) Communications with supervisory committee. In addition to the 
requirements for communications with audit committees set forth in 
applicable professional standards, the independent public accountant 
must report the

[[Page 73012]]

following on a timely basis to the supervisory committee:
    (i) All critical accounting policies and practices to be used by 
the corporate credit union;
    (ii) All alternative accounting treatments within GAAP for policies 
and practices related to material items that the independent public 
accountant has discussed with management, including the ramifications 
of the use of such alternative disclosures and treatments, and the 
treatment preferred by the independent public accountant; and
    (iii) Other written communications the independent public 
accountant has provided to management, such as a management letter or 
schedule of unadjusted differences.
    (5) Retention of working papers. The independent public accountant 
must retain the working papers related to the audit of the corporate 
credit union's financial statements and, if applicable, the evaluation 
of the corporate credit union's internal control over financial 
reporting for seven years from the report release date, unless a longer 
period of time is required by law.
    (6) Independence. The independent public accountant must comply 
with the independence standards and interpretations of the American 
Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
    (7) Peer reviews and inspection reports. (i) Prior to commencing 
any services for a corporate credit union under this section, the 
independent public accountant must have received a peer review, or be 
enrolled in a peer review program, that meets acceptable guidelines. 
Acceptable peer reviews include peer reviews performed in accordance 
with the AICPA's Peer Review Standards and inspections conducted by the 
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB).
    (ii) Within 15 days of receiving notification that the AICPA has 
accepted a peer review or the PCAOB has issued an inspection report, or 
before commencing any audit under this section, whichever is earlier, 
the independent public accountant must file a copy of the most recent 
peer review report and the public portion of the most recent PCAOB 
inspection report, if any, accompanied by any letters of comments, 
response, and acceptance, with NCUA if the report has not already been 
filed.
    (iii) Within 15 days of the PCAOB making public a previously 
nonpublic portion of an inspection report, the independent public 
accountant must file a copy of the previously nonpublic portion of the 
inspection report with NCUA.
    (c) Filing and notice requirements--(1) Annual Report. Each 
corporate credit union must, no later than 180 days after the end of 
the calendar year, file an Annual Report with NCUA consisting of the 
following documents:
    (i) The audited comparative annual financial statements;
    (ii) The independent public accountant's report on the audited 
financial statements;
    (iii) The management report; and, if applicable,
    (iv) The independent public accountant's attestation report on 
management's assessment concerning the corporate credit union's 
internal control structure and procedures for financial reporting.
    (2) Public availability. The annual report in paragraph (c)(1) of 
this section will be made available for public inspection by NCUA.
    (3) Independent public accountant's letters and reports. Each 
corporate credit union must file with NCUA a copy of any management 
letter or other report issued by its independent public accountant with 
respect to such corporate credit union and the services provided by 
such accountant pursuant to this part (except for the independent 
public accountant's reports that are included in the Annual Report) 
within 15 days after receipt by the corporate credit union. Such 
reports include, but are not limited to:
    (i) Any written communication regarding matters that are required 
to be communicated to the supervisory committee (for example, critical 
accounting policies, alternative accounting treatments discussed with 
management, and any schedule of unadjusted differences); and
    (ii) Any written communication of significant deficiencies and 
material weaknesses in internal control required by the AICPA's 
auditing standards.
    (4) Notice of engagement or change of accountants. Each corporate 
credit union that engages an independent public accountant, or that 
loses an independent public accountant through dismissal or 
resignation, must notify NCUA within 15 days after the engagement, 
dismissal, or resignation. The corporate credit union must include with 
the notice a reasonably detailed statement of the reasons for any 
dismissal or resignation. The corporate credit union must also provide 
a copy of the notice to the independent public accountant at the same 
time the notice is filed with NCUA.
    (5) Notification of late filing. A corporate credit union that is 
unable to timely file any part of its Annual Report or any other report 
or notice required by this paragraph (c) must submit a written notice 
of late filing to NCUA. The notice must disclose the corporate credit 
union's inability to timely file all or specified portions of its 
Annual Report or other report or notice and the reasons therefore in 
reasonable detail. The late filing notice must also state the date by 
which the report or notice will be filed. The written notice must be 
filed with NCUA before the deadline for filing the Annual Report or any 
other report or notice, as appropriate. NCUA may take appropriate 
enforcement action for failure to timely file any report, or notice of 
late filing, required by this section.
    (6) Report to Members. A corporate credit union must submit a 
preliminary Annual Report to the membership at the next calendar year's 
annual meeting.
    (d) Supervisory committees. (1) Composition. Each corporate credit 
union must establish a supervisory committee. The members of the 
supervisory committee must not be employees of the corporate credit 
union and must be independent of the corporate credit union. A 
committee member is independent if:
    (i) The committee member does not have any family relationships or 
any material business or professional relationships with the corporate 
credit union or its management that would affect his or her 
independence as a committee member, and
    (ii) The committee member has not had any such relationships for at 
least three years preceding his or her appointment to the committee.
    (2) Duties. In addition to any duties specified under the corporate 
credit union's bylaws and these regulations, the duties of the credit 
union's supervisory committee include the appointment, compensation, 
and oversight of the independent public accountant who performs 
services required under this section and reviewing with management and 
the independent public accountant the basis for all the reports 
prepared and issued under this section. The supervisory committee must 
submit the audited comparative annual financial statements and the 
independent public accountant's report on those statements to the 
corporate credit union's board of directors.
    (3) Independent public accountant engagement letters. (i) In 
performing its duties with respect to the appointment of the corporate 
credit union's independent public accountant, the supervisory committee 
must ensure that engagement letters and/or any related

[[Page 73013]]

agreements with the independent public accountant for services to be 
performed under this section:
    (A) Obligate the independent public accountant to comply with the 
requirements of paragraph (b) of this section (including, but not 
limited to, the notice of termination of services, communications with 
the supervisory committee, and notifications of peer reviews and 
inspection reports); and
    (B) Do not contain any limitation of liability provisions that:
    (1) Indemnify the independent public accountant against claims made 
by third parties;
    (2) Hold harmless or release the independent public accountant from 
liability for claims or potential claims that might be asserted by the 
client corporate credit union, other than claims for punitive damages; 
or
    (3) Limit the remedies available to the client corporate credit 
union.
    (ii) Engagement letters may include alternative dispute resolution 
agreements and jury trial waiver provisions provided that the letters 
do not incorporate any limitation of liability provisions set forth in 
paragraph (e)(2)(i)(B) of this section.
    (4) Outside counsel. The supervisory committee of any corporate 
credit union must, when deemed necessary by the committee, have access 
to its own outside counsel.
    (e) Internal audit. A corporate credit union with average daily 
assets in excess of $400 million for the preceding calendar year, or as 
ordered by NCUA, must employ or contract, on a full- or part-time 
basis, the services of an internal auditor. The internal auditor's 
responsibilities will, at a minimum, comply with the Standards and 
Professional Practices of Internal Auditing, as established by the 
Institute of Internal Auditors. The internal auditor will report 
directly to the chair of the corporate credit union's supervisory 
committee, who may delegate supervision of the internal auditor's daily 
activities to the chief executive officer of the corporate credit 
union. The internal auditor's reports, findings, and recommendations 
will be in writing and presented to the supervisory committee no less 
than quarterly, and will be provided upon request to the IPA and NCUA.
    8. Revise the introductory text of paragraph (a) of Sec.  704.19 to 
read as follows:


Sec.  704.19.  Disclosure of executive and director compensation.

    (a) Annual disclosure. A corporate credit union must annually 
prepare and maintain a disclosure of the dollar amount of compensation 
paid to its most highly compensated employees, including compensation 
from any corporate CUSO in which the corporate has invested or made a 
loan, in accordance with the following schedule:
* * * * *
    9. Add a new Sec.  704.21 to read as follows:


Sec.  704.21  Equitable distribution of corporate credit union 
stabilization expenses.

    When the NCUA Board acts to assess a premium on Federally-insured 
credit unions for the Temporary Corporate Credit Union Stabilization 
Fund (TCCUSF):
    (a) A corporate credit union must immediately prepare a list of all 
its non-natural person members on the date of assessment that are not 
Federally-insured credit unions (``non-FICU members''), including the 
name of each such non-FICU member, the assets of each such non-FICU 
member as of the end of the previous year, and the address and contact 
information of each such non-FICU member.
    (b) Within 14 days after the date of the assessment, the corporate 
credit union must forward the list described in paragraph (a) of this 
section to the Office of Corporate Credit Unions. A corporate credit 
union that has no non-FICU members must provide the Office of Corporate 
Credit Unions with a response indicating that it has no non-FICU 
members.
    (c) Within 60 days after the date of assessment, the NCUA Chief 
Financial Officer will request each member on the list described in 
paragraph (a) of this section to make a voluntary payment to the 
TCCUSF. The amount of the requested payment will be the member's assets 
(as of the previous year-end) times 0.815 times the percentage of 
insured shares that NCUA assessed each Federally-insured credit union. 
If the member decides to make a payment, the member must deliver the 
payment to NCUA no later than 60 days after the date of the NCUA Chief 
Financial Officer's request.
    (d) If NCUA fails to receive a full, timely payment of the amount 
requested in paragraph (c) of this section, NCUA will notify the 
corporate credit union of the failure.
    (e) No later than 90 days following receipt of the notice in 
paragraph (d) of this section, the corporate credit union must call a 
special meeting of its members to determine whether each non-FICU 
member that failed to make the full payment to the TCCUSF should be 
expelled from the corporate credit union. For a Federally-chartered 
corporate credit union, the expulsion vote will be conducted in 
accordance with section 118(a) of the Federal Credit Union Act (12 
U.S.C. 1764(a)) and the bylaws of the corporate credit union. For a 
State-chartered corporate credit union, the expulsion vote will be 
conducted in accordance with the bylaws of the corporate credit union 
and applicable State law. The corporate credit union must notify the 
Office of Corporate Credit Unions of the results of the member vote no 
later than 14 days following the date of the vote.
    (f) If the corporate credit union's annual meeting falls within the 
timeframe specified in paragraph (e) of this section, the expulsion 
vote may be conducted at the annual meeting instead of a special 
meeting.
    (g) For non-FICUs that belong to more than one corporate credit 
union, NCUA will request only one voluntary payment from that non-FICU 
in connection with each TCCUSF assessment. If NCUA fails to receive a 
full payment of the amount requested in paragraph (c) of this section, 
however, NCUA will notify all corporate credit unions to which the non-
FICU belongs for purposes of conducting an expulsion vote.
    10. Add a new Sec.  704.22 to read as follows:


Sec.  704.22  Enterprise risk management.

    (a) A corporate credit union must develop and follow an enterprise 
risk management policy.
    (b) The board of directors of a corporate credit union must 
establish an enterprise risk management committee (ERMC) responsible 
for the oversight of the enterprise-wide risk management practices of 
the corporate credit union. The ERMC must report at least annually to 
the board of directors.
    (c) The ERMC must include at least one independent risk management 
expert. The risk management expert will have post-graduate education; 
an actuarial, accounting, economics, financial, or legal background; 
and at least five years experience in identifying, assessing, and 
managing risk exposures. The risk management expert's experience must 
also be commensurate with the size of the corporate credit union and 
the complexity of its operations.
    (d) An expert is independent if:
    (1) He or she does not have any family relationships or any 
material business or professional relationships with the corporate 
credit union that would affect his or her independence as a committee 
member, and
    (2) He or she has not had any such relationships for at least three 
years

[[Page 73014]]

preceding his or her appointment to the committee.
    (e) The risk management expert is not required to be a director of 
the corporate credit union.
    11. Add a new Sec.  704.23 to read as follows:


Sec.  704.23  Membership fees.

    (a) A corporate credit union may charge its members a membership 
fee. The fee may be one-time or periodic.
    (b) The corporate credit union must calculate the fee uniformly for 
all members as a percentage of each member's assets, except that the 
corporate credit union may reduce the amount of the fee for members 
that have contributed capital to the corporate. Any reduction must be 
proportional to the amount of the member's nondepleted contributed 
capital.
    (c) The corporate credit union must give its members at least six 
months advance notice of any initial or new fee, including terms and 
conditions, before invoicing the fee. For a recurring fee, the 
corporate credit union must also give six months notice of any material 
change to the terms and conditions of the fee.
    (d) The corporate credit union may terminate the membership of any 
credit union that fails to pay the fee in full within 60 days of the 
invoice date.

PART 741--REQUIREMENTS FOR INSURANCE

    12. The authority citation for part 741 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1757, 1766(a), 1781-1790, and 1790d; 31 
U.S.C. 3717.

    13. Add a new Sec.  741.226 to read as follows:


Sec.  741.226  Membership in one corporate credit union.

    Any credit union which is insured pursuant to Title II of the Act 
must adhere to the requirements stated in Sec.  701.5 of this chapter.

[FR Doc. 2010-29546 Filed 11-26-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7535-01-P