Friday, February 10, 2012

Q&A at the Mortgage Fraud Settlement Negotiations

"Pray tell us: what must we do,
That the Feds and the states will not sue?"
"In dollar terms: 25,200,000,202."

The Obama administration and 49 US state attorneys general have announced a $25 billion settlement of mortgage foreclosure fraud charges with the five biggest mortgage loan origination banks. The five firms - Ally Financial Inc./GMAC Mortgage, Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and Wells Fargo & Co. - will underwrite benefits to certain mortgage borrowers that are modest in their individual impact but may provide a marginal impetus to the housing and mortgage markets. The benefits include principal reduction for those at imminent risk of default; refinancing eligibility for some "underwater" borrowers; and $2,000 cash payments to some whose homes were foreclosed during the last three years. However, the largest impact of the settlement is not on homeowners but on the banks, from which a significant legal risk has been removed. Banks are not completely out of the woods yet, though; bondholders can still sue to have the mortgage originators buy their bad loans back.
Posted by Dr. Goose
Labels: , , , , ,

7 comments:

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Popular Posts

  • Student Loan Blues
    "Though college, I felt, was a sure thing, As of now, unless gold I'm unearthing, To pay off my loan, I'll have to postpon...
  • Over-Hurd at an HP Board Meeting
    "After proofing each check and gratuity,  We've determined beyond ambiguity:  Your expenses look funny,  If none of this money  ...
  • Powerball
    I'm buying a Powerball ticket (Or several, or even a thicket), In hopes I may win A billion bucks in The unlikely case that they pic...
  • Money Supply
    "I'm afraid," said Bernanke to Geithner, "The debt crisis still has lots of bite in 'er. Though it may cause some...
  • The $37 Billion Question
    Said a Harvard professor of econ, "That Google's got something unique on: They have cash by the score, Yet still borrow more; T...
  • Safe Investments?
    Said a strategist, airing his views On central bank rumors and news: "You've booked every gain And best not retain Your bonds...
  • Piqued by Oil
    The price of petroleum's slacking With all of that pumping and fracking Maintaining supply At a level so high, While demand, at...
  • Fed's Letter to Deutsche Bank
    "In reviewing your earnings per annum, We're less than impressed, and we pan 'em. The bank may have gains, But this letter ...
  • A Bad Trade
    The economy once ago sank From abuses at many a bank, Which Congress attacked In a really big act That went by the name of Dodd-Fran...
  • Consumption Be Done About It?
    The US has always depended On a rate of consumption that's splendid, By consumers for whom The means to consume  May soon have them over...