A bill for an act
relating to commerce; requiring notices for reverse mortgage loans; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 47.58, subdivisions 1, 8, by adding subdivisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 47.58, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
For the purposes of this section, the terms defined in this
subdivision have the meanings given them.
(a) "Reverse mortgage loan" means a loan:
(1) made to a borrower wherein the committed principal amount is paid to the borrower
in equal or unequal installments over a period of months or years, interest is assessed, and
authorized closing costs are incurred as specified in the loan agreement;
(2) which is secured by a mortgage on residential property owned solely by the borrower;
and
(3) which is due upon the death of the last surviving borrower, or upon the borrower
terminating use of the property as principal residence so as to disqualify the property from
the homestead credit refund given in chapter 290A.
(b) "Lender" means any bank subject to chapter 48, credit union subject to chapter 52,
savings bank organized and operated pursuant to chapter 50, savings association subject to
chapter 51A, any residential mortgage originator subject to chapter 58, or any insurance
company as defined in section 60A.02, subdivision 4. deleted text begin"deleted text endLenderdeleted text begin" alsodeleted text end includes any federally
chartered bank supervised by the comptroller of the currency or deleted text beginfederally chartered savings
association supervised by the Federal Home Loan Bank Board ordeleted text end federally chartered credit
union supervised by the National Credit Union Administration, to the extent permitted by
federal law.
(c) "Borrower" includes any natural person holding an interest in severalty or as joint
tenant or tenant-in-common in the property securing a reverse mortgage loan.
(d) "Outstanding loan balance" means the current net amount of money owed by the
borrower to the lender whether or not that sum is suspended pursuant to the terms of the
reverse mortgage loan agreement or is immediately due and payable. The outstanding loan
balance is calculated by adding the current totals of the items described in clauses (1) to (5)
and subtracting the current totals of the item described in clause (6):
(1) The sum of all payments made by the lender which are necessary to clear the property
securing the loan of any outstanding mortgage encumbrance or mechanics or material
supplier's lien.
(2) The total disbursements made by the lender to date pursuant to the loan agreement
as formulated in accordance with subdivision 3.
(3) All taxes, assessments, insurance premiums and other similar charges paid to date
by the lender pursuant to subdivision 6, which charges were not reimbursed by the borrower
within 60 days.
(4) All actual closing costs which the borrower has deferred, if a deferral provision is
contained in the loan agreement as authorized by subdivision 7.
(5) The total accrued interest to date, as authorized by subdivision 5.
(6) All payments made by the borrower pursuant to subdivision 4.
(e) "Actual closing costs" mean reasonable charges or sums ordinarily paid at the time
of closing for the following, whether or not retained by the lender:
(1) Any insurance premiums on policies covering the mortgaged property including but
not limited to premiums for title insurance, fire and extended coverage insurance, flood
insurance, and private mortgage insurance.
(2) Abstracting, title examination and search, and examination of public records related
to the mortgaged property.
(3) The preparation and recording of any or all documents required by law or custom
for closing a reverse mortgage loan agreement.
(4) Appraisal and survey of real property securing a reverse mortgage loan.
(5) A single service charge, which service charge shall include any consideration, not
otherwise specified in this section as an "actual closing cost," paid by the borrower to the
lender for or in relation to the acquisition, making, refinancing or modification of a reverse
mortgage loan, and shall also include any consideration received by the lender for making
a commitment for a reverse mortgage loan, whether or not an actual loan follows the
commitment. The service charge shall not exceed one percent of the bona fide committed
principal amount of the reverse mortgage loan.
(6) Charges and fees necessary for or related to the transfer of real property securing a
reverse mortgage loan or the closing of a reverse mortgage loan agreement paid by the
borrower and received by any party other than the lender.
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(f) "Reverse mortgage loan servicer" or "servicer" means a person who performs servicing
for a reverse mortgage loan.
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(g) "Servicing" has the meaning given in section 58.02, subdivision 22. For purposes of
this section, servicing includes disbursing loan proceeds to a borrower and determining
whether a borrower continues to occupy the secured property as the borrower's primary
residence.
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(h) "Third-party designee" means an individual whom the borrower designates in the
reverse mortgage loan agreement to receive the communications described in subdivision
6a from a servicer.
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This section is effective August 1, 2021, and applies to reverse
mortgage loans originated on or after that date.
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Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 47.58, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:
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(a) The reverse mortgage loan
servicer must send by first-class mail copies of unanswered written communications and
all subsequent written communications from the servicer to the borrower regarding
delinquencies, defaults, and unfulfilled obligations, that may result in foreclosure under a
reverse mortgage loan agreement to a third-party designee at the address listed on the
authorization form described in subdivision 8.
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(b) The servicer may:
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(1) mail the communications required under paragraph (a) to the third-party designee at
the same time the communications are mailed to the borrower; or
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(2) communicate with the third-party designee regarding the borrower's failure to respond
to the communications described in paragraph (a) by e-mail at the e-mail address listed on
the authorization form described in subdivision 8.
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(c) The authorization form described in subdivision 8 is considered sufficient
authorization for the servicer to communicate with a third-party designee who initiates
communication with the servicer via telephone, e-mail, or United States mail.
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(d) Compliance with this subdivision may be established by recording with the county
recorder or registrar of titles, as appropriate, an affidavit, executed by a person having
knowledge of the facts, that includes the reverse mortgage document recording number and
a statement affirming compliance with the requirements under paragraph (a). The affidavit
is prima facie evidence of the facts stated in the affidavit and recordation is prima facie
evidence of compliance with this subdivision.
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(e) A borrower has a cause of action under section 582.043, subdivision 7, if the servicer
fails to comply with paragraph (a), provided that the action is taken before the redemption
period specified under section 580.23 expires. There is a rebuttable presumption that the
servicer failed to communicate with a third-party designee absent a recorded affidavit, as
described in paragraph (d).
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This section is effective August 1, 2021, and applies to reverse
mortgage loans originated on or after that date.
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Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 47.58, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:
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(a) If a reverse
mortgage loan servicer must take the actions required under subdivision 6a, paragraph (a),
and the borrower has consented on the form provided under subdivision 8, the servicer must
mail a copy of unanswered written communications and copies of subsequent written
communications from the servicer regarding delinquencies, defaults, and unfulfilled
obligations, that may result in foreclosure under a reverse mortgage loan agreement to the
independent counseling agency identified in the loan agreement.
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(b) The servicer may mail the communications described in paragraph (a) to the
independent counseling agency at the same time the communications are mailed to the
borrower and third-party designee.
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This section is effective August 1, 2021, and applies to reverse
mortgage loans originated on or after that date.
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Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 47.58, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
Prior to accepting a final and complete
application for a reverse mortgage loan or assessing any fees, a lender must:
(a) refer the prospective borrower to an independent housing counseling agency for
reverse mortgage counseling. The lender shall provide the prospective borrower with a list
of at least three independent housing counseling agencies. The lender shall positively promote
the benefits of reverse mortgage counseling to the potential borrower; and
(b) receive a certification from the applicant or the applicant's authorized representative
that the applicant has received counseling as defi