Each institution must employ the practices of this section when categorizing high-risk loans and loan-related assets. A loan must not be put into more than one performance category.

(a) Nonaccrual loans. A loan is categorized as nonaccrual if there is a known risk to the continued collection of principal or interest. Once a loan is categorized as nonaccrual, it must remain in that category until reinstated to accrual status pursuant to § 621.9. Loans placed into nonaccrual status when current are also subject to the notice and review provisions of part 617 of this chapter. A loan must be categorized as nonaccrual if one or more of the following conditions exist:

(1) The loan may or may not be past due, but the institution has determined collection of the outstanding principal and interest, plus future interest accruals, over the full term of the loan is not expected because of a documented deterioration in the financial condition of the borrower;

(2) The loan is 90 days or more past due and is not otherwise eligible for categorization under paragraph (c) of this section; or

(3) Legal action, including foreclosure or other forms of collateral conveyance, has been initiated to collect the outstanding principal and interest.

(b) Formally restructured loans (TDR). A loan is categorized as a formally restructured loan (Troubled Debt Restructure(TDR)) if the restructuring is determined to be a TDR under generally accepted accounting principles and the guidance issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

(c) Loans 90 days past due still accruing interest. A loan is categorized as 90 days past due still accruing interest when it is 90 days or more contractually past due, adequately secured, and in the process of collection. If the loan is not adequately secured, it cannot be categorized under this category unless there is evidence to suggest repayment within a reasonable time period of either the past due amount or the remaining principal and interest owed.

(d) Other property owned. Any real or personal property, other than an interest-earning asset, that has been acquired as a result of full or partial liquidation of a loan, through foreclosure, deed in lieu of foreclosure, or other legal means.

(a) When one loan to a borrower is placed in nonaccrual, an institution must immediately evaluate whether its other loans to that borrower, or related borrowers, should also be placed in nonaccrual. All loans on which a borrowing entity, or a component of a borrowing entity, is primarily obligated to the reporting institution shall be considered as one loan unless a review of all pertinent facts supports a reasonable determination that a particular loan constitutes an independent credit risk and such determination is adequately documented in the loan file.

(1) A loan shall be considered an independent credit risk if a substantial portion of the loan is guaranteed as to principal and interest by a government agency.

(2) Other loans shall be considered independent credit risks if and so long as:

(i) The primary sources of repayment are independent for each loan;

(ii) The loans are not cross-collateralized; and

(iii) The principal obligors are different person(s) and/or entity(ies). Related loans will not be considered independent credit risks if the operations of a related borrower are so financially interdependent with the borrower's operations that the economic survival of one will materially affect the economic survival of the other, determined in accordance with § 614.4359(a)(2) of this chapter.

(b) If the evaluation required by paragraph (a) of this section results in a determination that the borrower's other loans with the institution do not represent an independent credit risk, and full collection of such loans is not expected, then all of the borrower's loans must be aggregated and classified as nonaccrual. If such other loans represent an independent credit risk and are fully collectible, then they may remain in their current performance category.

(c) When an institution becomes aware that a borrower has a loan that has been classified nonaccrual by any other lender, the institution must re-evaluate the credit risk in its loan to the borrower and then determine whether an independent credit risk exists.

Each institution shall employ the following practices with respect to application of cash payments on nonaccrual loans:

(a) If the ultimate collectibility of the recorded investment, in whole or in part, is in doubt, any payment received on such loan shall be applied to reduce the recorded investment to the extent necessary to eliminate such doubt.

(b) Once the ultimate collectibility of the recorded investment is no longer in doubt, payments received in cash on such loan may qualify for recognition as interest income if all of the following characteristics are met at the time the payment is received:

(1) The loan does not have a remaining unrecovered prior chargeoff associated with it, except in cases where the prior chargeoff was taken as part of a formal restructuring of the loan;

(2) The payment received has come from a source of repayment detailed in the plan of collection;

(3) The loan, after considering the payment, is not contractually past due more than 90 days and is not expected to become 90 days past due, or a repayment pattern has been established that reasonably demonstrates future repayment capacity.

(c) The institution shall employ the following practices with respect to earned but uncollected interest income on loans, leases, contracts, and similar assets that are determined not to be fully collectible:

(1) Earned but uncollected interest income that was accrued in the current fiscal year and is determined to be uncollectible shall be reversed from interest income; and

(2) Earned but uncollected interest income that was accrued in prior fiscal years and is determined to be uncollectible shall be charged off against the allowance for credit losses.

(a) Before being reinstated to accrual status, a loan must be current on contractual payments and the borrower offered servicing in accordance with the institution's policies maintained under either § 614.4170 or part 617 of this chapter, whichever is applicable. Additional reinstatement eligibility requirements are dependent upon certain characteristics of the loan under review.

(1) A loan that was current when placed in nonaccrual status pursuant to § 621.6(a)(1) may be reinstated to accrual status if the known risks to the continued collection of principal or interest have been mitigated. If the loan was past due when placed in nonaccrual status, it may only be reinstated under either paragraph (a)(2) or (a)(3) of this section, as applicable.

(2) A loan placed in nonaccrual status when past due and not adequately secured must remain current on contractual payments for a period of sustained performance before it may be reinstated.

(3) A loan placed in nonaccrual status when past due and adequately secured must have a recent repayment pattern demonstrating future repayment capacity to make on-time payments before it may be reinstated. The repayment pattern is established in one of two ways:

(i) Sustained performance in making on-time contractual payments, or

(ii) A recent history of making on-time partial payments in amounts the same or greater than newly restructured payment amounts.

(b) Nothing in this section prevents a current loan from being reinstated to accrual status in response to a Credit Review Committee decision issued under section 4.14D(d) of the Farm Credit Act of 1971, as amended, when that decision was made in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

(a) Each institution shall:

(1) Account for, report, and disclose to shareholders, investors, boards of directors, and the Farm Credit Administration all material items with respect to performance categories and other property owned in accordance with the rules and definitions set forth in this part and any other applicable requirements;

(2) In accordance with § 620.5(g)(1)(iv)(A) of this chapter, disclose to shareholders, investors, boards of directors, and the Farm Credit Administration the nature and extent of significant potential credit risks within the loan portfolio, or other information that could adversely impact performance of the loan portfolio in the near future;

(3) Develop, adopt, and consistently apply policies and procedures governing performance categories and other property owned, which, at a minimum, conform to the definitions, rules, and standards set forth in this part and such other requirements and procedures as may be required by the Farm Credit Administration;

(4) Review the loan portfolio at least quarterly to ensure that all high-risk loans have been assigned the appropriate performance category; and

(5) Review all high-risk loans in the loan portfolio at least quarterly to determine the collectibility of accrued but uncollected income, if any.

(b) Measures taken to enhance the collectibility of a loan shall not be deemed to relieve an institution of the requirement to monitor and evaluate the loan for the purpose of determining its performance status.