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Comment for 1026.26 - Use of Annual Percentage Rate in Oral Disclosures

1. Application of rules. The restrictions of § 1026.26 apply only if the creditor chooses to respond orally to the consumer's request for credit cost information. Nothing in the regulation requires the creditor to supply rate information orally. If the creditor volunteers information (including rate information) through oral solicitations directed generally to prospective customers, as through a telephone solicitation, those communications may be advertisements subject to the rules in §§ 1026.16 and 1026.24.

26(a) Open-End Credit

1. Information that may be given. The creditor may state periodic rates in addition to the required annual percentage rate, but it need not do so. If the annual percentage rate is unknown because transaction charges, loan fees, or similar finance charges may be imposed, the creditor must give the corresponding annual percentage rate (that is, the periodic rate multiplied by the number of periods in a year, as described in §§ 1026.6(a)(1)(ii) and (b)(4)(i)(A) and 1026.7(a)(4) and (b)(4)). In such cases, the creditor may, but need not, also give the consumer information about other finance charges and other charges.

26(b) Closed-End Credit

1. Information that may be given. The creditor may state other annual or periodic rates that are applied to an unpaid balance, along with the required annual percentage rate. This rule permits disclosure of a simple interest rate, for example, but not an add-on, discount, or similar rate. If the creditor cannot give a precise annual percentage rate in its oral response because of variables in the transaction, it must give the annual percentage rate for a comparable sample transaction; in this case, other cost information may, but need not, be given. For example, the creditor may be unable to state a precise annual percentage rate for a mortgage loan without knowing the exact amount to be financed, the amount of loan fees or mortgage insurance premiums, or similar factors. In this situation, the creditor should state an annual percentage rate for a sample transaction; it may also provide information about the consumer's specific case, such as the contract interest rate, points, other finance charges, and other charges.