Common Sense Economic Recovery Act of 2015

Common Sense Economic Recovery Act of 2015

This bill cites circumstances under which, for purposes of determining capital requirements or measuring an insured depository institution's capital, such an institution may treat a non-accrual loan as an accrual loan.

(Non-accrual [also known as non-performing or doubtful] loans are those on which interest is overdue and full collection of principal is uncertain, and so interest, if it has not been paid in over 90 days, cannot be credited to the bank's revenue account until it has actually been received.)

An insured depository institution may treat a non-accrual loan as an accrual loan if: (1) the loan is current, (2) no monthly payment has been more than 30 days delinquent during the previous 6-month period, and (3) loan payments are being made pursuant to the contract terms and all parties agree to any refinances and modifications.

A modified or restructured loan may not be treated as a non-accrual loan if the borrower demonstrates the ability to perform on such a loan: (1) over a period of 6 months; or (2) over a period of 3 consecutive payments in the case of a quarterly, semi-annual, or longer repayment schedule.

The appropriate federal banking agency is prohibitted from: (1) imposing any additional accounting requirements upon an insured depository institution with respect to a loan treated as an accrual loan under this Act if the result of such requirement would adversely impact measurement of the institution's capital, or (2) requiring an insured depository institution to treat a loan as a non-accrual loan solely because the loan collateral has reduced in value.

Any issuer of a security registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is excluded from the accounting requirements and prohibitions of this Act.

The Financial Stability Oversight Council must study how best to prevent the issuance of contradictory guidance to such institutions by federal banking agencies with respect to loan classifications and capital requirements.