Qualified Mortgage Definition under the Truth in Lending Act (Regulation Z): General QM Loan Definition
With certain exceptions, Regulation Z requires creditors to make a reasonable, good faith determination of a consumer’s ability to repay any residential mortgage loan, and loans that meet Regulation Z’s requirements for “qualified mortgages” (QMs) obtain certain protections from liability. One category of QMs is the General QM category. For General QMs, the ratio of the consumer’s total monthly debt to total monthly income (DTI or DTI ratio) must not exceed 43 percent. This final rule amends the General QM loan definition in Regulation Z. Among other things, the final rule removes the General QM loan definition’s 43 percent DTI limit and replaces it with price-based thresholds. Another category of QMs consists of loans that are eligible for purchase or guarantee by either the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (government-sponsored enterprises or GSEs), while operating under the conservatorship or receivership of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The GSEs are currently under Federal conservatorship. In 2013, the Bureau established this category of QMs (Temporary GSE QMs) as a temporary measure that would expire no later than January 10, 2021 or when the GSEs cease to operate under conservatorship. In a final rule released on October 20, 2020, the Bureau extended the Temporary GSE QM loan definition to expire on the mandatory compliance date of final amendments to the General QM loan definition in Regulation Z (or when the GSEs cease to operate under the conservatorship of the FHFA, if that happens earlier). In this final rule, the Bureau adopts the amendments to the General QM loan definition that are referenced in that separate final rule.