Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 23, 2024

Title 12 - Banks and Banking last revised: Nov 20, 2024
§ 1277.28 - Bank capital plans.

Each Bank shall have in place a capital plan approved by the Bank's board of directors and the Director. The capital plan shall include, at a minimum, provisions addressing the following matters:

(a) Minimum investment. (1) The capital plan shall require each member, and if applicable each former member, to purchase and maintain a minimum investment in the capital stock of the Bank and prescribe the manner for calculating the minimum investment, in accordance with § 1277.22.

(2) The capital plan shall specify the amount and class (or classes) of Bank stock that an institution is required to own in order to become and remain a member of the Bank, and to obtain advances from, or to engage in other business transactions with, the Bank. If a Bank requires that the minimum investment be satisfied through the purchase of one or more combinations of Class A and Class B stock, the authorized combinations of stock shall be specified in the capital plan, which shall afford the option of satisfying the minimum investment through the purchase of any such combination of stock.

(3) The capital plan shall require the board of directors of the Bank to monitor and, as necessary, to adjust, the minimum investment to ensure that outstanding stock remains sufficient for the Bank to comply with its regulatory capital requirements. The plan shall require each member or, where required by the plan, former member, to comply promptly with any adjusted minimum investment established by the board of directors of the Bank, but may allow a reasonable time to do so and may allow a reduction in outstanding business with the Bank as an alternative to purchasing additional stock.

(b) Classes of capital stock. The capital plan shall specify the class or classes of stock (including subclasses, if any) that the Bank will issue, and shall establish the par value, rights, terms, and preferences associated with each class (or subclass) of stock. A Bank may establish preferences relating to, but not limited to, the dividend, voting, or liquidation rights for each class or subclass of Bank stock. Any voting preferences established by the Bank pursuant to § 1261.6 of this chapter shall expressly state the voting rights of each class of stock with regard to the election of Bank directors. The capital plan shall provide that the owners of the Class B stock own the retained earnings, surplus, undivided profits, and equity reserves of the Bank, but shall have no right to receive any portion of those items, except through declaration of a dividend or capital distribution approved by the board of directors or through the liquidation of the Bank.

(c) Dividends. The capital plan shall establish the manner in which the Bank will pay dividends, if any, on each class or subclass of stock, and shall provide that the Bank may not declare or pay any dividends if it is not in compliance with any regulatory capital requirement or if after paying the dividend it would not be in compliance with any regulatory capital requirement.

(d) Stock transactions. The capital plan shall establish the criteria for the issuance, redemption, repurchase, transfer, and retirement of stock issued by the Bank. The capital plan also:

(1) Shall provide that the Bank may not issue stock other than in accordance with § 1277.21;

(2) Shall provide that the stock of the Bank may be issued only to and held only by the members of that Bank, and by former members to the extent necessary to meet requirements set forth in a capital plan;

(3) Shall specify whether the stock of the Bank may be transferred, as allowed under § 1277.25, and, if such transfer is allowed, shall specify the procedures to effect such transfer, and provide that the transfer shall be undertaken only in accordance with § 1277.25;

(4) Shall specify that the stock of the Bank may be traded only among the Bank and its members, and former members;

(5) May provide for a minimum investment based on investment in Class B stock that is lower than a minimum investment based on investment in Class A stock, provided that the level of investment is sufficient for the Bank to comply with its regulatory capital requirements;

(6) Shall specify the fee, if any, to be imposed upon cancellation of a request to redeem Bank stock or upon cancellation of a request to withdraw from membership; and

(7) Shall specify the period of notice that the Bank will provide before the Bank, on its own initiative, determines to repurchase any excess Bank stock.

(e) Termination of membership. The capital plan shall address the manner in which the Bank will provide for the disposition of its capital stock that is held by institutions that terminate their membership, and the manner in which the Bank will liquidate claims against such institutions, including claims resulting from prepayment of advances prior to their stated maturity.

§ 1277.29 - Amendments to a Bank's capital plan.

(a) In general. A Bank's board of directors shall approve any amendments to the Bank's capital plan and submit such amendment to the Director for approval. No such amendment may take effect until it has been approved by the Director.

(b) Submission of amendments for approval. Any request for approval of capital plan amendments should be submitted to the Deputy Director for the Division of Federal Home Loan Bank Regulation and should include the following:

(1) The name of the Bank making the request and the name, title, and contact information of the official filing the request;

(2) The name, title and contact information of the staff member(s) whom FHFA may contact for additional information;

(3) A certification by an executive officer of the Bank with knowledge of the facts that the representations made in the request are accurate and complete. The following form of certification may be used: “I hereby certify that the statements contained in the submission are true and complete to the best of my knowledge. [Name and Title]”;

(4) A written, narrative description of the proposed amendments to the Bank's capital plan and a discussion of the Bank's reasons for the proposed changes;

(5) The amended capital plan as approved by the Bank's board of directors;

(6) A version of the Bank's capital plan showing all proposed changes to its previously approved capital plan;

(7) Resolutions of the Bank's board of directors:

(i) Approving the proposed capital plan amendments; and

(ii) Authorizing the filing of the application for approval of the amendments and concurring in substance with the supporting documentation provided;

(8) An opinion of counsel demonstrating that the proposed amendments comply with the Bank Act, FHFA regulations and any other applicable law or regulation. If the amendments would be identical in substance to provisions approved for other Banks' capital plans, a Bank's legal analysis may reference the other capital plans that contain the provisions in question;

(9) An analysis of the effect of the proposed amendments, if any, on the Bank's capital levels and the Bank's ability to meet its regulatory capital requirements;

(10) Pro forma financial statements from the end of the quarter immediately prior to the date of submission of the request for approval through at least the end of the next two years, showing the impact of the proposed changes, if any, on capital levels; and

(11) A discussion of and an explanation for changes to the Bank's strategic plan, if any, which may be related to the capital plan amendments.

(c) FHFA consideration of the amendment. The Director may approve any amendment to a Bank's capital plan as submitted or may condition approval on the Bank's compliance with certain stated conditions.

source: 80 FR 12755, Mar. 11, 2015, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 12 CFR 1277.28