81_FR_41534 81 FR 41411 - Record Retention Requirements

81 FR 41411 - Record Retention Requirements

FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 123 (June 27, 2016)

Page Range41411-41418
FR Document2016-15020

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the ``FDIC'') is adopting a final rule that implements section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the ``Dodd-Frank Act'' or the ``Act''). This statutory provision requires the promulgation of a regulation establishing schedules for the retention by the FDIC of the records of a covered financial company (i.e., a financial company for which the necessary determination has been made for the appointment of the FDIC as receiver pursuant to Title II of the Dodd-Frank Act) as well as for the records generated or maintained by the FDIC that relate to its exercise of its Title II orderly liquidation authorities as receiver with respect to such covered financial company.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 123 (Monday, June 27, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 123 (Monday, June 27, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 41411-41418]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-15020]



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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 123 / Monday, June 27, 2016 / Rules 
and Regulations

[[Page 41411]]



FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION

12 CFR Part 380

RIN 3064-AE25


Record Retention Requirements

AGENCY: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the ``FDIC'') is 
adopting a final rule that implements section 210(a)(16)(D) of the 
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the 
``Dodd-Frank Act'' or the ``Act''). This statutory provision requires 
the promulgation of a regulation establishing schedules for the 
retention by the FDIC of the records of a covered financial company 
(i.e., a financial company for which the necessary determination has 
been made for the appointment of the FDIC as receiver pursuant to Title 
II of the Dodd-Frank Act) as well as for the records generated or 
maintained by the FDIC that relate to its exercise of its Title II 
orderly liquidation authorities as receiver with respect to such 
covered financial company.

DATES: This final rule is effective on July 27, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Legal Division: Elizabeth Falloon, 
(703) 562-6148; Joanne W. Rose, (703) 562-2175. Division of Resolutions 
and Receiverships: Teresa Franks, (571) 858-8226; James Horgan, (917) 
320-2501; Manuel Ramilo, (571) 858-8227. Office of Complex Financial 
Institutions: Charlton R. Templeton, (202) 898-6774. Federal Deposit 
Insurance Corporation, 550 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20429.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Policy Objectives
II. Background
III. Comments to the Proposed Rule
    A. Retention Periods
    B. Reasonably Accessible
    C. Bridge or Subsidiary Records
IV. The Final Rule
    A. General
    B. Section-by-Section Analysis
    1. Scope and Definitions
    2. Inherited Records
    3. Transfer of Records
    4. Receivership Records
    5. Limits of Effect of Determinations With Respect to Records
    6. Duplicate and Transitory Materials
    7. Records of Affiliate; Supervisory Materials
    8. Policies and Procedures
V. Expected Effects of the Final Rule
VI. Alternatives Considered
VII. Regulatory Analysis and Procedure
    A. Regulatory Flexibility Act
    B. Paperwork Reduction Act
    C. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act
    D. Plain Language
    E. The Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act of 
1999

I. Policy Objectives

    In enacting Title II \1\ of the Dodd-Frank Act (``Title II''), 
Congress provided for the appointment of the FDIC as receiver for a 
financial company \2\ in order to conduct an orderly liquidation of the 
financial company if, among other things, resolution of the financial 
company under bankruptcy (or other applicable insolvency regime) would 
have serious adverse effects on U.S. financial stability. Title II 
confers upon the FDIC as the appointed receiver for a financial company 
(after appointment of the receiver, the company is referred to as a 
covered financial company) \3\ certain powers and authorities to 
effectuate an orderly liquidation of the covered financial company in a 
manner that is consistent with the statutory objectives. As part of 
this statutory undertaking, Congress foresaw the necessity for the FDIC 
and the public at large to have access to the records that would 
document the actions of the financial company prior to the FDIC's 
appointment as receiver and the records of the FDIC itself, in its 
receivership role. This regulation implements that statutory mandate in 
a manner promoting consistency and transparency in the maintenance of 
these records.
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    \1\ Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 
2010, Public Law 111-203, 124 Stat. 1376 (2010) and codified at 12 
U.S.C. 5301 et seq. Title II of the Dodd-Frank Act is codified at 12 
U.S.C. 5381-5394.
    \2\ See 12 U.S.C. 5381(a)(11) (defining financial company) and 
the regulations promulgated thereunder.
    \3\ A ``covered financial company'' is a financial company 
(other than an insured depository institution) for which the 
necessary determinations have been made for the appointment of the 
FDIC as receiver. 12 U.S.C. 5381(a)(8).
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II. Background

    Upon appointment of the FDIC as receiver for a financial company, 
the FDIC succeeds to all rights, titles, powers and privileges of the 
financial company, including title to the books and records of the 
financial company.\4\ In addition, the FDIC necessarily will generate 
its own records in connection with its appointment as receiver and in 
connection with exercising the authorities conferred upon it by Title 
II.
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    \4\ 12 U.S.C. 5390(a)(1)(A).
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    Section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Dodd-Frank Act \5\ requires the FDIC 
to prescribe such regulations and establish such retention schedules as 
are necessary to maintain two categories of records: The records of a 
financial company that were in existence at the time the FDIC is 
appointed as its receiver, as well as the records generated by the FDIC 
in connection with its appointment as receiver and in connection with 
its exercise of its orderly liquidation authorities. Section 
210(a)(16)(D) of the Act provides guidance as to the types of records 
that must be retained. Specifically, section 210(a)(16)(D)(i) of the 
Act requires that the FDIC prescribe the regulations and establish 
schedules for retention of these records with due regard for the 
avoidance of duplicative record retention and for the evidentiary needs 
of the FDIC as receiver and for the public. Once such regulations and 
retention schedules are prescribed, section 210(a)(16)(D)(ii) prohibits 
the destruction of records to the extent that they must be retained in 
accordance with the promulgated regulations and retention schedules.
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    \5\ 12 U.S.C. 5390(a)(16)(D).
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    Section 210(a)(16)(D)(iii) of the Act, entitled ``Records 
Defined,'' describes the forms of documentary material addressed in the 
regulation and statute, specifying that any document, book, paper, map, 
photograph, microfiche, microfilm, computer or electronically-created 
record is included. In addition, that section specifies that records 
inherited from the failed company are

[[Page 41412]]

those that were generated or maintained by the covered financial 
company in the course of and necessary to its transaction of business.
    On October 21, 2014, the Board of Directors of the FDIC approved a 
notice of proposed rulemaking entitled ``Record Retention 
Requirements,'' promulgated pursuant to section 210(a)(16)(D) of the 
Dodd-Frank Act. The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register 
on October 24, 2014 with a 60-day comment period that ended on December 
23, 2014.\6\ In keeping with the statutory mandate, the proposed rule 
established retention schedules for both records inherited by the FDIC 
as receiver from the covered financial company and records created by 
the FDIC as receiver for the covered financial company. The retention 
schedule for records inherited from the covered financial company was 
modeled after the treatment of records of a failed insured depository 
institution pursuant to a regulation entitled ``Records of Failed 
Depository Institutions'' \7\ (the ``FDIA records rule''). The FDIA 
records rule addresses the retention of records of failed insured 
depository institutions pursuant to section 11(d)(15)(D) \8\ of the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Act.
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    \6\ 79 FR 63585 (October 24, 2014).
    \7\ 12 CFR 360.11, 78 FR 54373 (September 4, 2013).
    \8\ 12 U.S.C. 1821(d)(15)(D).
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    Generally, the proposed rule required that records inherited from a 
covered financial company that were created less than ten years before 
the appointment of the FDIC as receiver be retained for not less than 6 
years following the date of the appointment of the receiver. Under the 
proposed rule, records created by the FDIC in connection with the 
exercise of its orderly liquidation authority as receiver for a covered 
financial company were required to be maintained at least six years 
following the termination of the receivership, regardless of when they 
were created.

III. Comments to the Proposed Rule

    Two comment letters were submitted in response to the proposed 
rule, both from individuals.

A. Retention Periods

    Both commenters stated that the retention periods in the proposed 
rule were too short, and one of the commenters suggested that all 
records be kept indefinitely for ``analytical purposes.'' The 
requirement in section 210(a)(16)(D)(i) of the Dodd-Frank Act that 
retention schedules be established suggests that Congress expected that 
the FDIC would exercise its discretion to identify some appropriate 
period of time as a minimum period of time to retain records. \9\ The 
periods identified in the proposed rule were based upon the experience 
of the FDIC as receiver for insured depository institutions. Thus, as 
noted in the preamble to the proposed rule, the FDIC prescribed minimum 
retention periods in the proposed rule, recognizing that the FDIC may, 
as it has in the past with regard to the records of failed insured 
depository institutions, retain certain records for longer periods of 
time or even indefinitely for analytical, historical, or other 
purposes. The proposed rule expressly provided for the establishment of 
policies that are consistent with the minimum schedules established in 
the proposed rule. With the changes more fully discussed below, the 
FDIC believes that the minimum retention periods provided in the final 
rule properly fulfill the intent of section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act 
and comport with prudent record retention principles.
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    \9\ Section 210(a)(16)(D)(ii) of the Act provides that unless 
otherwise required by applicable Federal law or court order, the 
FDIC may not, at any time, destroy any records that it is required 
to retain under Section 210(a)(16)(D)(i) of the Act and the 
regulations promulgated thereunder.
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B. Reasonably Accessible

    One of the commenters objected to the use of the phrase 
``reasonably accessible'' in the definition of ``documentary 
material,'' which forms the basis for the types of materials that 
constitute a record for purposes of the proposed rule. The commenter 
suggested that if a party in litigation is willing to pay for the 
recovery of electronically-stored information, such a record should be 
made available. Unfortunately, this suggestion does not reflect the 
reality of record storage and accessibility.
    A large component of record storage expense is the cost of 
maintaining legacy systems that house records, as well as the cost of 
retrieving and identifying possible relevant information from those 
systems and sources. To comply with the commenter's suggestion, all 
records systems, no matter how out-of-date or incompatible with the 
FDIC's systems, would have to be indefinitely maintained as accessible, 
together with the technological and staffing capacity to use these 
systems to retrieve obsolete records. This indefinite maintenance would 
be attempted on the remote chance that one record, or a portion 
thereof, stored on a legacy system would be requested by a litigant. 
The cost to indefinitely maintain an entire legacy system that could 
house an arguably relevant document would be impossible to calculate 
and to bill to a litigant. The ``reasonably accessible'' discovery 
standard requires maintenance of these systems where it is reasonable 
and practicable to do so. (See discussion on the ``reasonably 
accessible'' discovery standard used in the definition of documentary 
material in the section-by-section analysis.) Accordingly, the term 
``reasonably accessible'' is included in the definition of 
``documentary material'' in the final rule.

C. Bridge or Subsidiary Records

    One of the commenters objected to the exclusion from records of 
documentary material generated or maintained by a bridge financial 
company or a subsidiary or affiliate of a covered financial company. 
This exclusion was included in paragraph (d)(3)(ii) of the proposed 
rule. As required by the statute, the proposed rule addresses only the 
records of a covered financial company and the records of the FDIC as 
receiver of such covered financial company. Retention of the records of 
any other legal entity, including a covered financial company's 
subsidiaries or affiliates, is beyond the scope of the requirements of 
the statute. Although bridge financial company records and subsidiary 
records are not expressly subject to the proposed rule, records 
generated by the FDIC receiver in its oversight of a bridge financial 
company, or records sent to the FDIC receiver by the bridge's 
management and maintained by the FDIC in the course of such oversight 
would be subject to the applicable minimum retention requirements of 
the proposed rule. Accordingly, no change was made to the final rule in 
this respect and the exclusion is found in paragraph (e)(2)(ii) of the 
final rule.

IV. The Final Rule

A. General

    In response to the comment letters and pursuant to internal agency 
consideration, the FDIC made certain changes to the final rule. These 
changes are discussed below.
    The proposed rule has been revised to eliminate the set retention 
period for records created by the FDIC in connection with its 
appointment as receiver for a covered financial company and in 
connection with its exercise of its Title II responsibilities. The 
proposed rule provided for a retention period for these records of not 
less than six years after the date of the termination of the related 
receivership.

[[Page 41413]]

The change in the final rule requires the FDIC to retain these records 
indefinitely to the extent that there is a present or reasonably 
foreseeable future evidentiary or historical need for them on the part 
of the FDIC or the public, but in no event less than six years from the 
termination of the related receivership. This is in keeping with the 
suggestions of the commenters who objected to the imposition of 
specific retention periods, and is consistent with the statutory 
emphasis on the ``expected evidentiary needs of the Corporation \10\ . 
. . and the public'' as required by section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act. 
In addition, the paragraph clarifies that in the case of receivership 
records that are subject to a litigation hold, \11\ a Congressional 
subpoena, or that relate to an investigation by Congress, the United 
States Government Accountability Office, or the FDIC's inspector 
general, such records will be retained pursuant to the conditions of 
the hold, subpoena, or investigation.
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    \10\ The Dodd-Frank Act uses the term ``Corporation'' to refer 
to the FDIC.
    \11\ A litigation hold (also known as a ``preservation order'', 
a ``legal hold'' or a ``hold order'') is a stipulation requiring a 
party to preserve all data that may relate to a legal action 
involving that party. When in place, it requires that parties 
preserve records when they learn of pending or imminent litigation, 
or when litigation is reasonably anticipated. This requirement 
ensures that documentary material will be available for the 
litigation's discovery process.
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    Two definitions have been added and appear in the final rule: 
``Inherited records'' in paragraph (b)(2) and ``receivership records'' 
in paragraph (b)(3). Although the proposed rule separately addressed 
these two kinds of records, the wording used to describe these records 
(``records of a covered financial company for which the Corporation is 
appointed receiver'' and ``records of the Corporation as receiver for a 
covered financial company'') was unnecessarily repetitive. The use of 
the defined terms, which are both accurate and descriptive, results in 
more succinct language in the final rule.
    Inherited records may be transferred to a third-party transferee in 
connection with a transfer, acquisition, or sale of a covered financial 
company's assets and liabilities. Paragraph (b)(4) of the proposed rule 
has been slightly expanded in the final rule (and is now paragraph 
(c)(3) of the final rule). The final rule requires that in order for 
the transfer of inherited records to satisfy the record retention 
requirements of the final rule and section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act, 
the transferee must agree not only to maintain the inherited records 
for at least six years from the date of appointment of the FDIC as 
receiver for the covered financial company, as provided in the proposed 
rule, but must also agree that, prior to the destruction of any such 
inherited records, it will provide the FDIC with notice and the 
opportunity to cause the return of such inherited records to the FDIC.

B. Section-by-Section Analysis

1. Scope and Definitions
    Paragraph (a) sets forth the scope of the final rule. It makes 
clear that the final rule applies to the two categories of records 
addressed by section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act, i.e., those records of a 
financial company that are inherited by the FDIC upon its appointment 
as receiver for the covered financial company and those records 
generated by the FDIC in connection with its appointment as receiver 
and the exercise of its orderly liquidation authorities.
    Paragraph (b) provides definitions for terms used in the final rule 
that are not otherwise defined in the Dodd-Frank Act. Part 380 of title 
12 of the Code of Federal Regulations concerns the FDIC's orderly 
liquidation authorities conferred by Title II of the Dodd-Frank Act. 
Section 380.1 contains the definition of the term covered financial 
company which is defined as a financial company for which the necessary 
determinations have been made for the FDIC to be appointed receiver and 
the term financial company.\12\ Thus it is unnecessary to include 
definitions of the terms covered financial company and financial 
company in the final rule.
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    \12\ 12 U.S.C. 5381(a)(11).
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    Paragraph (b) sets forth three definitions. The first is that of 
documentary material. This definition follows closely the text of 
section 210(a)(16)(D)(iii) of the Act and describes the universe of 
forms and formats in which materials subject to the final rule may 
appear, including books, paper, maps, photographs, microfiche, 
microfilm, or writing regardless of physical form or characteristics 
and includes any computer or electronically-created data or file. The 
definition of documentary material included in the final rule is 
slightly different from the definition included in the proposed rule to 
make it clearer that the term documentary material covers material 
regardless of the physical form or characteristics of the material and 
includes any computer or electronically-created data or file.
    The definition of documentary material clarifies that only 
documentary material that is reasonably accessible is included in the 
scope of the final rule. This reflects the policy behind Federal Rule 
of Civil Procedure 26(b)(2)(B), which provides that a party from whom 
discovery is sought need not provide electronically-stored information 
from sources that are not reasonably accessible because of undue cost 
or burden. For example, a party may be excused from restoring 
electronically-stored information from aging back-up tapes in order to 
produce it in response to a discovery request. Thus, the use of the 
phrase ``reasonably accessible'' would align the concept of material 
subject to the final rule with the discovery standard and would protect 
the FDIC as receiver from incurring inordinate expenses associated with 
restoring or maintaining the legacy system of a covered financial 
company in order to extract documentary material from those systems 
that is not otherwise needed by the FDIC to carry out its receivership 
functions.
    Two definitions have been added and appear in the final rule in 
paragraphs (b)(2) and (b)(3): Inherited records and receivership 
records. Although the proposed rule separately addressed these two 
kinds of records, they were described rather than defined (``records of 
a covered financial company for which the Corporation is appointed 
receiver'' and ``records or the Corporation as receiver for a covered 
financial company''). The final rule uses defined terms for conciseness 
and clarity, as discussed above.
2. Inherited Records
    Paragraph (b)(2) of the final rule defines, and addresses the 
retention schedule for, inherited records. Under the final rule the 
term inherited record means documentary material of a covered financial 
company that existed on the date of the appointment of the FDIC as 
receiver for such financial company and was generated or maintained by 
the covered financial company in the course of, and necessary to, the 
transaction of its business. The final rule provides additional 
guidance with respect to determining whether documentary material was 
generated or maintained by the covered financial company in the course 
of, and necessary to, the transaction of its business and therefore 
constitutes an inherited record that is subject to the retention 
requirements of the final rule. The final rule sets forth three factors 
which the FDIC will consider in determining whether documentary 
material, as defined in paragraph (b)(1), was generated or maintained 
by the covered financial company in the course of, and necessary to, 
the transaction of its business.

[[Page 41414]]

    The first factor is whether the documentary material was generated 
or maintained in accordance with the covered financial company's own 
practices and procedures (including the document retention policies of 
the covered financial company) or pursuant to standards established by 
the covered financial company's regulators. In general, a company's own 
policies and procedures will reflect the significance of its records to 
its business and regulatory requirements and the importance of 
documentary material generated or maintained by the company. Thus, the 
FDIC will consider whether documentary material was created or 
maintained in accordance with the covered financial company's own 
practices and procedures (including its document retention policies) 
when determining whether specific documentary material is an inherited 
record for the purposes of section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act and the 
final rule. Likewise, the FDIC will consider whether documentary 
material was generated or maintained pursuant to standards imposed by 
the covered financial company's regulators when determining whether 
specific documentary material is an inherited record for the purposes 
of section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act and the final rule.
    The second factor is whether the documentary material is necessary 
for the FDIC to carry out its obligations as receiver for the covered 
financial company. This inquiry would permit the classification of 
documentary material as an inherited record if it is necessary for the 
FDIC to maintain such documentary material in order to carry out its 
functions as receiver for the covered financial company, for example, 
where the documentary material is necessary in order for the FDIC to 
(i) transfer the covered financial company's assets or liabilities, 
(ii) assume or repudiate the covered financial company's contracts, 
(iii) determine claims against the receivership of the covered 
financial company, or (iv) collect obligations owed to the covered 
financial company.
    The third factor is whether there is a present or reasonably 
foreseeable evidentiary need for such documentary material by the FDIC 
as receiver for the covered financial company or the public. The 
wording of this factor closely follows the wording of section 
210(a)(16)(D)(i)(II) of the Dodd-Frank Act. That section emphasizes 
that the FDIC must retain documentary materials that have evidentiary 
value to the FDIC as receiver and to the public. The final rule 
reflects this statutory direction and makes it clear that in making any 
determination of future evidentiary value a ``reasonably foreseeable'' 
standard should be applied.
    Paragraph (c)(1) of the final rule establishes the record retention 
schedule for inherited records. The time period included in the final 
rule is modeled on the time period contained in the FDIA statutory 
provision and the FDIA records rule.\13\ Under the final rule, the FDIC 
shall retain any inherited record of a covered financial company that 
was created fewer than ten years before the date of the appointment of 
the FDIC as receiver for the covered financial company for a period of 
no less than six years from the date of such appointment, provided 
however that an inherited record shall be retained indefinitely so long 
as it is (i) subject to a litigation hold imposed by the FDIC, (ii) 
subject to a Congressional subpoena or relates to an ongoing 
investigation by Congress, the United States Government Accountability 
Office, or the FDIC's Inspector General, or (iii) an inherited record 
that the FDIC has determined is necessary for a present or reasonably 
foreseeable evidentiary need of the FDIC or the public. Therefore, 
similar to the FDIA final rule, paragraph (c)(1) of the final rule 
expressly provides that the FDIC will maintain inherited records 
subject to a litigation hold imposed by the FDIC in order to ensure 
retention of documentary material that is relevant to ongoing 
litigation matters. The final rule goes farther than the FDIA records 
rule, however, by expressly requiring the indefinite maintenance of 
inherited records subject to a Congressional subpoena or that relate to 
an ongoing investigation by Congress, the United States Government 
Accountability Office, or the FDIC's Office of Inspector General; or 
that otherwise have been deemed by the FDIC as necessary for a present 
or reasonably foreseeable evidentiary need of the FDIC or the public.
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    \13\ The FDIC has been required to retain records inherited from 
failed insured depository institutions for a minimum of six years 
since the enactment of the FDIA provision which was added to the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Act by section 212(a) of the Financial 
Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) in 1989 
(Pub. L. 101-73).
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    Paragraph (c)(2) provides a non-exclusive list of examples of 
material that would constitute inherited records to provide additional 
guidance and clarity with respect to the sorts of documentary material 
that are subject to the retention requirements of the final rule. 
Included examples are correspondence; tax forms; accounting forms and 
related work papers; internal audits; inventories; board of directors 
or committee meeting minutes; personnel files and employee benefits 
information; general ledger and financial reports; financial data; 
litigation files; loan documents including records relating to 
intercompany debt; contracts and agreements to which the covered 
financial company was a party; customer accounts and transactions; 
qualified financial contracts and related information; and reports or 
other records of subsidiaries or affiliates of the covered financial 
company that were provided to the covered financial company.
3. Transfer of Records
    Paragraph (c)(3) of the final rule addresses the transfer of 
inherited records to a third party (including a bridge financial 
company) that acquires assets or liabilities of the covered financial 
company from the FDIC as receiver for the covered financial company. In 
a resolution of a covered financial company, the FDIC may transfer 
inherited records to the custody of a third party, including a bridge 
financial company, in connection with the transfer, acquisition, or 
sale of assets or liabilities of the covered financial company to such 
third party. Paragraph (c)(3) of the final rule provides that such a 
transfer will satisfy the records retention obligations under paragraph 
(c)(1) and section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act so long as the transferee 
agrees, in writing, that it will maintain the inherited records for at 
least six years from the date of the appointment of the FDIC as 
receiver for the covered financial company unless otherwise notified in 
writing by the FDIC. In addition, the third party must agree that prior 
to the destruction of any such inherited records it will provide the 
FDIC with notice and the opportunity to cause return of such inherited 
records to the FDIC as receiver. The final rule differs from the 
proposed rule in that it adds the language emphasizing that prior to 
the destruction of any transferred records such transferee will be 
required to give the FDIC the opportunity to cause the return of such 
records to the FDIC as receiver.
4. Receivership Records
    In fulfilling its duties and responsibilities as receiver for a 
covered financial company pursuant to Title II of the Dodd-Frank Act, 
the FDIC itself would generate, receive, and maintain documentary 
material in connection with and after its appointment as receiver, 
records that would be separate and apart from the inherited records. 
Section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act

[[Page 41415]]

specifically requires that the FDIC develop policies to maintain the 
documents and records of the FDIC generated in exercising its 
authorities under Title II to assure that receivership records would be 
available for review following the exercise of the extraordinary 
authority granted to the FDIC under Title II. Paragraph (b)(3) sets 
forth the definition of receivership records. Receivership records are 
defined to include documentary material that is generated or maintained 
by the FDIC in accordance with the policies and procedures of the FDIC 
(including the document retention policies of the FDIC) that relates to 
the FDIC's appointment as receiver for a covered financial company or 
the exercise of its authorities as receiver for the covered financial 
company under Title II. Receivership records would include documentary 
material generated or maintained by the FDIC as receiver with respect 
to its appointment under section 202 of the Dodd-Frank Act,\14\ as well 
as documentary material generated or maintained by the FDIC as receiver 
for a covered financial company in connection with the exercise of its 
orderly liquidation authorities. This definition makes it clear that 
only documentary material that is related to the duties and functions 
of the FDIC as receiver and the exercise of its orderly liquidation 
authorities is subject to the retention requirements of section 
210(a)(16)(d) of the Dodd-Frank Act.
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    \14\ 12 U.S.C. 5382.
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    To be a receivership record the documentary material must be 
generated or maintained in accordance with policies and procedures of 
the FDIC, including the record retention policies and procedures of the 
FDIC. The FDIC will look to its internal procedures and guidance for 
generating and maintaining all of its own records, including corporate 
and bank receivership records, and use them as a guideline to determine 
whether documentary material generated or maintained as receiver for a 
covered financial company comport with these procedures and, thus, 
constitute receivership records under the final rule. Like private 
companies and other governmental organizations, the FDIC has 
established protocols for the efficient and effective generation and 
maintenance of files, records, and non-record documentary materials. 
These protocols reflect the importance of these materials and their 
relevance to the work of the FDIC.
    Paragraph (d)(1) of the final rule sets forth the retention 
requirements for the receivership records described in paragraph 
(b)(3). The final rule clarifies that receivership records are likely 
to be valuable and consequential, given the significance of an orderly 
liquidation under Title II. Thus, the final rule emphasizes that 
receivership records, those records generated and maintained by the 
FDIC as it conducts a receivership, shall be retained indefinitely for 
as long as there is a present or reasonably foreseeable future 
evidentiary or historical need for them. In addition, the final rule 
sets a minimum retention standard during which, in effect, evidentiary 
need is conclusively presumed. That minimum period is a six-year 
minimum retention period for all receivership records measured from the 
termination of the receivership. In the case of a three-year 
receivership,\15\ that would establish a minimum retention period of 
nine years.
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    \15\ See 12 U.S.C. 5382(d) (providing for a three-year initial 
time limit on receivership authority, subject to extensions as 
provided in that section).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Receivership records that are subject to a litigation hold by the 
FDIC or are subject to a Congressional subpoena or relate to an ongoing 
investigation by Congress, the United States Government Accountability 
Office or the FDIC's Office of Inspector General will be retained 
pursuant to the conditions of such subpoena, hold, or investigation 
under paragraph (d)(1) of the final rule.
    Paragraph (d)(2) makes it clear that receivership records are those 
that are generated or maintained by the FDIC as receiver in connection 
with a Title II orderly liquidation and do not include the inherited 
records generated or maintained by the financial company which are 
addressed in paragraph (c) of the final rule.
    Paragraph (d)(3) of the final rule sets forth a non-exclusive list 
of examples of receivership records in order to provide additional 
guidance and clarity with respect to the types of documentary material 
that are subject to the retention requirements of the final rule. 
Included examples are: Correspondence; tax forms; accounting forms and 
related work papers; inventories; contracts and other information 
relating to the management and disposition of the assets of the covered 
financial company; documentary material relating to the appointment of 
the FDIC as receiver; administrative records and other information 
relating to administrative proceedings; pleadings and similar documents 
in civil litigation, criminal restitution, forfeiture litigation, and 
all other litigation matters in which the FDIC as receiver is a party; 
the charter and formation documents of a bridge financial company; 
contracts, other documents and information relating to the role of the 
FDIC as receiver in overseeing the operations of the bridge financial 
company; reports or other records of the bridge financial company and 
its subsidiaries or affiliates that were provided to the FDIC as 
receiver; and documentary material relating to the administration, 
determination, and payment of claims by the FDIC as receiver.
5. Limits of Effect of Determinations With Respect to Records
    Paragraph (e) of the final rule applies to any documentary material 
that falls within the scope of the retention requirements of the final 
rule as that scope is described in paragraphs (c) and (d). Paragraph 
(e)(1) of the final rule makes clear that the FDIC's designation of 
documentary material as inherited records or receivership records 
pursuant to paragraph (c) or (d) is solely for the purpose of 
identifying documentary material subject to the retention requirements 
of section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act and the final rule has no effect on 
whether the documentary material is discoverable or admissible in any 
court, tribunal, or other adjudicative proceeding, nor on whether such 
material is subject to release under the Freedom of Information 
Act,\16\ the Privacy Act of 1974,\17\ or other law or court order. 
Thus, whether specific documentary material is an inherited record or a 
receivership record pursuant to the final rule does not alter its 
status under evidentiary rules such as the Federal Rules of Evidence 
(``FRE''). For example, FRE 803(1) provides that ``records of regularly 
conducted activity'' (business record) are not excluded from evidence 
by the rule against hearsay, regardless of whether the declarant is 
available as a witness. If certain documentary material meets the 
requirements of a business record pursuant to FRE 803(1), then whether 
or not the FDIC determines that specific documentary material 
constitutes an inherited record or a receivership record pursuant to 
the final rule will not affect the determination of whether the 
documentary material is a business record under FRE 803(1). In 
addition, whether specific material is or is not designated as an 
inherited record or a receivership record for purposes of section 
210(a)(16)(D) of the Act and the final rule does not determine whether 
it is subject to a litigation hold or a request

[[Page 41416]]

under the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act, or any other 
law.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \16\ 5 U.S.C. 552.
    \17\ 5 U.S.C. 552a.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Paragraph (e)(1) also clarifies that any designation made by the 
FDIC under the final rule will not prevent full compliance with any 
applicable legal or regulatory requirement or court order that 
establishes particular requirements with respect to certain records, 
such as a requirement that specific records be preserved, maintained, 
destroyed, or kept under seal.
6. Duplicate and Transitory Materials
    Paragraph (e)(2) of the final rule lists three categories of 
documentary material that are excluded from the definition of inherited 
records and receivership records and thus will not be subject to the 
retention requirements of section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act and the 
final rule. The first category includes duplicate copies, as required 
by the mandate in section 210(a)(16)(D)(I) of the Act to accord due 
regard to the avoidance of duplicative record retention. Also in the 
first category is documentary material such as reference materials, 
drafts of documents that are superseded by later drafts or revisions, 
documentary material provided to the FDIC by other parties in concluded 
litigation for which all appeals have expired, transitory information 
including routine system messages or system-generated log files, notes 
and other material of a personal nature, or other documentary material 
not routinely maintained under the standard record retention policies 
and procedures of the FDIC. The term ``transitory information'' or 
``transitory record'' is commonly used in record retention systems to 
describe records of temporary usefulness required only for a limited 
period of time for the completion of an action by an employee or 
official and that are not essential to the fulfillment of statutory 
obligations or the documentation of government or business 
functions.\18\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \18\ For example, the Texas Administrative Code, title 13, 
Chapter 6, Section 6.91 (2005) provides that transitory information 
are records of temporary usefulness that are not an integral part of 
a records series of an agency, that are not regularly filed within 
an agency's recordkeeping system, and that are required only for a 
limited period of time for the completion of an action by an 
official or employee of the agency or in the preparation of an on-
going records series. According to the Texas Administrative Code, 
transitory records are not essential to the fulfillment of statutory 
obligations or to the documentation of agency functions. The 
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Bulletin 2013-02 
(August 29, 2013), Guidance on a New Approach to Managing Email 
Records provides that agencies must determine whether end users may 
delete non-record, transitory, or personal email from their 
accounts. The Sedona Conference Commentary on Information Governance 
(December 2013) refers to the defensible deletion of transitory, 
non-substantive or non-record content. A World Health Organisation 
publication refers to the need to differentiate between records of 
substantive, fixed-term and transitory value. Deserno, Ineke and 
Kynaston, Donna, A Records Management Program that Works for 
Archives, The Information Management Journal, May/June 2005.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. Records of Affiliate; Supervisory Materials
    The second category of exclusions from the final rule encompasses 
documentary material generated or maintained by a bridge financial 
company \19\ or by a subsidiary or affiliate of a covered financial 
company. The exclusion of this documentary material emphasizes the 
separate legal status of the covered financial company and its 
subsidiaries and of the FDIC as receiver and any bridge financial 
company the FDIC may organize for the purpose of resolving a covered 
financial company. The final rule addresses only inherited records and 
receivership records. Information provided to the FDIC in connection 
with the formation or oversight of the bridge financial company or by a 
covered financial company's subsidiaries or affiliates would be within 
the scope of the regulation; however, documentary material generated or 
maintained by a bridge financial company or a covered financial 
company's subsidiaries or affiliates in the ordinary course of business 
that is not provided to the FDIC would fall outside the scope of the 
retention requirements of this final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \19\ This term is defined in 12 U.S.C. 5381(a)(3) and 12 CFR 
380.1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The third category of exclusions from the scope of the final rule 
and section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act is non-publicly available 
supervisory information and operating or condition reports that were 
prepared by, on behalf of, or at the requirement of any agency 
responsible for the supervision or regulation of the covered financial 
company or its subsidiaries. This is consistent with the federal common 
law bank examination privilege, many state statutes, and the FDIC's 
long-standing policy that reports of examination or other confidential 
supervisory correspondence or information prepared by FDIC examiners or 
for the use of the FDIC and other regulatory agencies with respect to a 
financial company or an insured depository institution or other 
regulated subsidiary of a financial company belong exclusively to such 
regulators and not to the institution, even though institutions may 
retain copies.
8. Policies and Procedures
    Paragraph (f) of the final rule provides that the FDIC may 
establish policies and procedures with respect to the retention of 
inherited records and receivership records that are consistent with the 
final rule. It is expected that these policies and procedures will 
address specific matters related to the capture, processing, and 
storage of inherited records such as collecting computer hard drives, 
email databases, and backup and disaster recovery tapes, as well as 
establishing standard policies with respect to the retention of 
receivership records by the FDIC in its own files, information systems, 
and databases.

V. Expected Effects of the Final Rule

    Immediately following the FDIC's appointment as receiver of a 
covered financial company pursuant to Title II of the Dodd-Frank Act, 
the FDIC's retention determinations and collections must begin with 
respect to both the records of the covered financial company and the 
FDIC's own records. The final rule will provide transparency and 
consistency with respect to these determinations and will ensure that 
records of a financial company that fails in a manner that would 
present systemic risk (absent the exercise of the Title II orderly 
liquidation authority), as well as the records generated in connection 
with the orderly liquidation of that financial company under Title II 
of the Dodd-Frank Act, will be available for as long as there is a 
reasonably foreseeable evidentiary need for such records. At the same 
time, the application of the factors described in the final rule will 
appropriately limit the costs of the maintenance of documentary 
material that is not covered by the statute.

VI. Alternatives Considered

    The FDIC considered a range of alternatives from requiring 
permanent retention of all documentary material to providing for clear 
dates upon which records could be destroyed. The permanent retention of 
all documentary material is impractical, if not impossible. The FDIC 
deemed it important to include a broad definition of documentary 
material that could be considered inherited records or receivership 
record for the purpose of the final rule in light of the rapidly 
changing nature, forms, and format of data. At the same time, this 
explosion of data and changes in form and media make it important to 
differentiate between meaningful data and irrelevant information. In 
addition, as formats change the difficulty and expense of retrieving 
useful information becomes more complex. Accordingly, the FDIC 
identified factors that could be used to

[[Page 41417]]

determine what documentary material comprised meaningful records that 
should be retained. At the same time, a hard-and-fast date for 
destruction is inappropriate where it is possible that some documentary 
material may have evidentiary significance longer than a specified time 
period. Accordingly, the final rule adopts a flexible determination 
that takes into account the nature of the records and their likely 
evidentiary value.

VII. Regulatory Analysis and Procedure

A. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., 
requires that each Federal agency either certify that a rule will not 
have any significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities or prepare an initial regulatory flexibility analysis of the 
rule and publish the analysis for comment. For purposes of the RFA 
analysis or certification, financial institutions with total assets of 
$550 million or less are considered to be ``small entities.'' The FDIC 
hereby certifies pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 605(b) that the final rule, if 
adopted, will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
number of small entities. The final rule refines the definition of the 
term ``records'' under section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Dodd-Frank Act and 
establishes retention schedules that the FDIC must use in connection 
with its retention of inherited records and receivership. Accordingly, 
the final rule affects only the internal operations of the FDIC and 
there will be no significant economic impact on a substantial number of 
small entities as a result of this final rule.

B. Paperwork Reduction Act

    No new collections of information within the meaning of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq., are contained in the 
final rule as it addresses only the FDIC's obligation to maintain 
certain records.

C. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    The Office of Management and Budget has determined that the final 
rule is not a major rule within the meaning of the Small Business 
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA), which provides 
for agencies to report rules to Congress and for Congress to review 
such rules.\20\ As required by SBREFA, the FDIC will file the 
appropriate reports with Congress and the Government Accountability 
Office so that the final rule may be reviewed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \20\ Public Law 104-121, 110 Stat. 857.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

D. Plain Language

    Section 722 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (Pub. L. 106-102, 113 
Stat. 1338, 1471), requires the Federal banking agencies to use plain 
language in all proposed and final rules published after January 1, 
2000. The FDIC has presented the final rule in a simple and 
straightforward manner.

E. The Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 1999--
Assessment of Federal Regulations and Policies on Families

    The FDIC has determined that the final rule will not affect family 
well-being within the meaning of section 654 of the Treasury and 
General Government Appropriations Act, enacted as part of the Omnibus 
Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1999.\21\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \21\ Public Law 105-277, 112 Stat. 2681.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 380

    Financial companies, Holding companies, Insurance companies, 
Records and records retention.

Authority and Issuance

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Federal Deposit 
Insurance Corporation amends 12 CFR part 380 as follows:

PART 380--ORDERLY LIQUIDATION AUTHORITY

0
1. The authority citation for part 380 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority:  12 U.S.C. 5389; 12 U.S.C. 5390(s)(3); 12 U.S.C. 
5390(b)(1)(C); 12 U.S.C. 5390(a)(7)(D); 12 U.S.C. 5381(b); 12 U.S.C. 
5390(r); 12 U.S.C. 5390(a)(16)(D).


0
2. Add Sec.  380.14 to read as follows:


Sec.  380.14  Record retention requirements.

    (a) Scope. 12 U.S.C. 5390(a)(16)(D) requires that the Corporation 
establish retention schedules for the maintenance of certain documents 
and records of a covered financial company for which the Corporation 
has been appointed receiver and certain documents and records generated 
by the Corporation as receiver for a covered financial company in 
connection with the exercise of its authorities under Title II of the 
Dodd-Frank Act, 12 U.S.C. 5381 through 5397. This section addresses 
retention of those two categories of documents and records.
    (b) Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following 
terms shall have the following meanings:
    (1) Documentary material. The term documentary material means any 
reasonably accessible document, book, paper, map, photograph, 
microfiche, microfilm, or writing regardless of physical form or 
characteristics and includes any computer or electronically-created 
data or file.
    (2) Inherited record. The term inherited record means documentary 
material of a covered financial company, provided that such documentary 
material existed on the date of the appointment of the Corporation as 
receiver for such covered financial company and was generated or 
maintained by the covered financial company in the course of, and 
necessary to, the transaction of its business. The determination of 
whether documentary material was generated or maintained by the covered 
financial company in the course of, and necessary to, the transaction 
of its business shall be based on an analysis of the following factors;
    (i) Whether such documentary material was generated or maintained 
in accordance with the covered financial company's own practices and 
procedures (including the document retention policies of the covered 
financial company) or pursuant to standards established by the covered 
financial company's regulators;
    (ii) Whether such documentary material is necessary for the 
Corporation to carry out its obligations as receiver for the covered 
financial company; and
    (iii) Whether there is a present or reasonably foreseeable 
evidentiary need for such documentary material by the Corporation as 
receiver for the covered financial company or the public.
    (3) Receivership record. The term receivership record means 
documentary material generated or maintained by the Corporation in 
accordance with the policies and procedures of the Corporation 
(including the document retention policies of the Corporation) that 
relates to the Corporation's appointment as receiver for a covered 
financial company or the exercise of its authorities as receiver for 
the covered financial company under 12 U.S.C. 5381 through 5397.
    (c) Inherited records.--(1) Retention schedule for inherited 
records. The Corporation shall retain any inherited record of a covered 
financial company that was created fewer than ten years before the date 
of the appointment of the Corporation as receiver for the covered 
financial company for a period of no less than six years from the date 
of such appointment, provided however that an inherited record shall be 
retained indefinitely so long as it is:
    (i) Subject to a litigation hold imposed by the Corporation;

[[Page 41418]]

    (ii) Subject to a Congressional subpoena or relates to an ongoing 
investigation by Congress, the United States Government Accountability 
Office, or the Corporation's Inspector General; or
    (iii) An inherited record that the Corporation has determined is 
necessary for a present or reasonably foreseeable future evidentiary 
need of the Corporation or the public.
    (2) Examples. Examples of inherited records include, without 
limitation: Correspondence; tax forms, accounting forms, and related 
work papers; internal audits; inventories; board of directors or 
committee meeting minutes; personnel files and employee benefits 
information; general ledger and financial reports; financial data; 
litigation files; loan documents including records relating to 
intercompany debt; contracts and agreements to which the covered 
financial company was a party; customer accounts and transactions; 
qualified financial contracts and related information; and reports or 
other records of subsidiaries or affiliates of the covered financial 
company that were provided to the covered financial company.
    (3) Transfer of an inherited record to an acquirer of assets or 
liabilities of a covered financial company. If the Corporation 
transfers an inherited record of a covered financial company to a third 
party (including a bridge financial company) in connection with the 
acquisition of assets or liabilities of the covered financial company 
by such third party, the record retention requirements of 12 U.S.C. 
5390(a)(16)(D) and paragraph (c)(1) of this section shall be satisfied 
if the third party agrees, in writing, that:
    (i) It will maintain the inherited record for at least six years 
from the date of the appointment of the Corporation as receiver for the 
covered financial company unless otherwise notified in writing by the 
Corporation; and
    (ii) Prior to destruction of such inherited record it will provide 
the Corporation with notice and the opportunity to cause the inherited 
record to be returned to the Corporation.
    (d) Receivership records--(1) Retention schedule for receivership 
records. (i) A receivership record shall be retained indefinitely to 
the extent that there is a present or reasonably foreseeable future 
evidentiary or historical need for such receivership record.
    (ii) A receivership record that is subject to a litigation hold 
imposed by the Corporation, is subject to a Congressional subpoena, or 
relates to an ongoing investigation by Congress, the United States 
Government Accountability Office, or the Corporation's Office of 
Inspector General shall be retained pursuant to the conditions of such 
hold, subpoena, or investigation.
    (iii) In no event shall a receivership record be retained by the 
Corporation for a period of less than six years following the 
termination of the receivership to which it relates.
    (2) Not included in receivership records. Receivership records do 
not include inherited records.
    (3) Examples. Examples of receivership records include, without 
limitation: Correspondence; tax forms, accounting forms and related 
work papers; inventories; contracts and other information relating to 
the management and disposition of the assets of the covered financial 
company; documentary material relating to the appointment of the 
Corporation as receiver; administrative records and other information 
relating to administrative proceedings; pleadings and similar documents 
in civil litigation, criminal restitution, forfeiture litigation, and 
all other litigation matters in which the Corporation as receiver is a 
party; the charter and formation documents of a bridge financial 
company; contracts, other documents, and information relating to the 
role of the Corporation as receiver in overseeing the operations of the 
bridge financial company; reports or other records of the bridge 
financial company and its subsidiaries or affiliates that were provided 
to the Corporation as receiver; and documentary material relating to 
the administration, determination, and payment of claims by the 
Corporation as receiver.
    (e) General provisions. With respect to any documentary material 
described in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, the following 
applies:
    (1) Impact on discoverability, admissibility, or release; 
compliance with court orders. The Corporation's determination that 
documentary material must be maintained pursuant to 12 U.S.C. 
5390(a)(16)(D) and this section shall not bear on the discoverability 
or admissibility of such documentary material in any court, tribunal, 
or other adjudicative proceeding nor on whether such documentary 
material is subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 
U.S.C. 552, the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, or any other law. 
The Corporation shall comply with any applicable court order concerning 
mandatory retention or destruction of any documentary material subject 
to this section.
    (2) Exclusions. Documentary material is not an inherited record nor 
a receivership record and is not subject to the record retention 
requirements of section 12 U.S.C. 5390(a)(16)(D) and this section if it 
is:
    (i) A duplicate copy of retained documentary material, reference 
material, a draft of a document that is superseded by later drafts or 
revisions, documentary material provided to the Corporation by other 
parties in concluded litigation for which all appeals have expired, 
transitory information including routine system messages and system-
generated log files, notes and other material of a personal nature, or 
other documentary material not routinely maintained under the standard 
record retention policies and procedures of the Corporation;
    (ii) Documentary material generated or maintained by a bridge 
financial company, or by a subsidiary or affiliate of a covered 
financial company, that was not provided to the covered financial 
company or to the Corporation as receiver; or
    (iii) Non-publicly available confidential supervisory information 
or operating or condition reports prepared by, on behalf of, or at the 
requirement of any agency responsible for the regulation or supervision 
of financial companies or their subsidiaries.
    (f) Policies and procedures. The Corporation may establish policies 
and procedures with respect to the retention of inherited records and 
receivership records that are consistent with this section.

    Dated at Washington, DC, this 21st day of June, 2016.

    By order of the Board of Directors.

    Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Robert E. Feldman,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-15020 Filed 6-24-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6714-01-P



                                                                                                                                                                                             41411

                                           Rules and Regulations                                                                                           Federal Register
                                                                                                                                                           Vol. 81, No. 123

                                                                                                                                                           Monday, June 27, 2016



                                           This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER                      A. Retention Periods                                  company prior to the FDIC’s
                                           contains regulatory documents having general              B. Reasonably Accessible                              appointment as receiver and the records
                                           applicability and legal effect, most of which             C. Bridge or Subsidiary Records                       of the FDIC itself, in its receivership
                                           are keyed to and codified in the Code of                IV. The Final Rule                                      role. This regulation implements that
                                           Federal Regulations, which is published under             A. General
                                                                                                     B. Section-by-Section Analysis
                                                                                                                                                           statutory mandate in a manner
                                           50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
                                                                                                     1. Scope and Definitions                              promoting consistency and transparency
                                           The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by                2. Inherited Records                                  in the maintenance of these records.
                                           the Superintendent of Documents. Prices of                3. Transfer of Records                                II. Background
                                           new books are listed in the first FEDERAL                 4. Receivership Records
                                           REGISTER issue of each week.                              5. Limits of Effect of Determinations With               Upon appointment of the FDIC as
                                                                                                        Respect to Records                                 receiver for a financial company, the
                                                                                                     6. Duplicate and Transitory Materials                 FDIC succeeds to all rights, titles,
                                           FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE                                 7. Records of Affiliate; Supervisory                  powers and privileges of the financial
                                           CORPORATION                                                  Materials                                          company, including title to the books
                                                                                                     8. Policies and Procedures                            and records of the financial company.4
                                           12 CFR Part 380                                         V. Expected Effects of the Final Rule                   In addition, the FDIC necessarily will
                                                                                                   VI. Alternatives Considered
                                           RIN 3064–AE25                                           VII. Regulatory Analysis and Procedure
                                                                                                                                                           generate its own records in connection
                                                                                                     A. Regulatory Flexibility Act                         with its appointment as receiver and in
                                           Record Retention Requirements                             B. Paperwork Reduction Act                            connection with exercising the
                                                                                                     C. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement              authorities conferred upon it by Title II.
                                           AGENCY:  Federal Deposit Insurance                           Fairness Act                                          Section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Dodd-
                                           Corporation.                                              D. Plain Language                                     Frank Act 5 requires the FDIC to
                                           ACTION: Final rule.                                       E. The Treasury and General Government                prescribe such regulations and establish
                                                                                                        Appropriations Act of 1999                         such retention schedules as are
                                           SUMMARY:   The Federal Deposit
                                                                                                   I. Policy Objectives                                    necessary to maintain two categories of
                                           Insurance Corporation (the ‘‘FDIC’’) is
                                                                                                                                                           records: The records of a financial
                                           adopting a final rule that implements                      In enacting Title II 1 of the Dodd-                  company that were in existence at the
                                           section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Dodd-Frank                 Frank Act (‘‘Title II’’), Congress                      time the FDIC is appointed as its
                                           Wall Street Reform and Consumer                         provided for the appointment of the                     receiver, as well as the records
                                           Protection Act of 2010 (the ‘‘Dodd-Frank                FDIC as receiver for a financial                        generated by the FDIC in connection
                                           Act’’ or the ‘‘Act’’). This statutory                   company 2 in order to conduct an                        with its appointment as receiver and in
                                           provision requires the promulgation of a                orderly liquidation of the financial                    connection with its exercise of its
                                           regulation establishing schedules for the               company if, among other things,                         orderly liquidation authorities. Section
                                           retention by the FDIC of the records of                 resolution of the financial company                     210(a)(16)(D) of the Act provides
                                           a covered financial company (i.e., a                    under bankruptcy (or other applicable                   guidance as to the types of records that
                                           financial company for which the                         insolvency regime) would have serious                   must be retained. Specifically, section
                                           necessary determination has been made                   adverse effects on U.S. financial                       210(a)(16)(D)(i) of the Act requires that
                                           for the appointment of the FDIC as                      stability. Title II confers upon the FDIC               the FDIC prescribe the regulations and
                                           receiver pursuant to Title II of the Dodd-              as the appointed receiver for a financial               establish schedules for retention of
                                           Frank Act) as well as for the records                   company (after appointment of the                       these records with due regard for the
                                           generated or maintained by the FDIC                     receiver, the company is referred to as                 avoidance of duplicative record
                                           that relate to its exercise of its Title II             a covered financial company) 3 certain                  retention and for the evidentiary needs
                                           orderly liquidation authorities as                      powers and authorities to effectuate an                 of the FDIC as receiver and for the
                                           receiver with respect to such covered                   orderly liquidation of the covered                      public. Once such regulations and
                                           financial company.                                      financial company in a manner that is                   retention schedules are prescribed,
                                           DATES: This final rule is effective on July             consistent with the statutory objectives.               section 210(a)(16)(D)(ii) prohibits the
                                           27, 2016.                                               As part of this statutory undertaking,                  destruction of records to the extent that
                                           FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                        Congress foresaw the necessity for the                  they must be retained in accordance
                                           Legal Division: Elizabeth Falloon, (703)                FDIC and the public at large to have                    with the promulgated regulations and
                                           562–6148; Joanne W. Rose, (703) 562–                    access to the records that would                        retention schedules.
                                           2175. Division of Resolutions and                       document the actions of the financial                      Section 210(a)(16)(D)(iii) of the Act,
                                           Receiverships: Teresa Franks, (571)                                                                             entitled ‘‘Records Defined,’’ describes
                                           858–8226; James Horgan, (917) 320–                        1 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer          the forms of documentary material
                                           2501; Manuel Ramilo, (571) 858–8227.                    Protection Act of 2010, Public Law 111–203, 124         addressed in the regulation and statute,
                                                                                                   Stat. 1376 (2010) and codified at 12 U.S.C. 5301 et
                                           Office of Complex Financial                             seq. Title II of the Dodd-Frank Act is codified at 12
                                                                                                                                                           specifying that any document, book,
                                           Institutions: Charlton R. Templeton,                    U.S.C. 5381–5394.                                       paper, map, photograph, microfiche,
                                           (202) 898–6774. Federal Deposit                           2 See 12 U.S.C. 5381(a)(11) (defining financial       microfilm, computer or electronically-
Lhorne on DSK30JT082PROD with RULES




                                           Insurance Corporation, 550 17th Street                  company) and the regulations promulgated                created record is included. In addition,
                                           NW., Washington, DC 20429.                              thereunder.                                             that section specifies that records
                                                                                                     3 A ‘‘covered financial company’’ is a financial
                                           SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                              company (other than an insured depository
                                                                                                                                                           inherited from the failed company are
                                           I. Policy Objectives                                    institution) for which the necessary determinations
                                           II. Background                                          have been made for the appointment of the FDIC           4 12   U.S.C. 5390(a)(1)(A).
                                           III. Comments to the Proposed Rule                      as receiver. 12 U.S.C. 5381(a)(8).                       5 12   U.S.C. 5390(a)(16)(D).



                                      VerDate Sep<11>2014   15:06 Jun 24, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00001   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\27JNR1.SGM     27JNR1


                                           41412                 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 123 / Monday, June 27, 2016 / Rules and Regulations

                                           those that were generated or maintained                   suggests that Congress expected that the                 indefinitely maintain an entire legacy
                                           by the covered financial company in the                   FDIC would exercise its discretion to                    system that could house an arguably
                                           course of and necessary to its                            identify some appropriate period of time                 relevant document would be impossible
                                           transaction of business.                                  as a minimum period of time to retain                    to calculate and to bill to a litigant. The
                                              On October 21, 2014, the Board of                      records. 9 The periods identified in the                 ‘‘reasonably accessible’’ discovery
                                           Directors of the FDIC approved a notice                   proposed rule were based upon the                        standard requires maintenance of these
                                           of proposed rulemaking entitled                           experience of the FDIC as receiver for                   systems where it is reasonable and
                                           ‘‘Record Retention Requirements,’’                        insured depository institutions. Thus, as                practicable to do so. (See discussion on
                                           promulgated pursuant to section                           noted in the preamble to the proposed                    the ‘‘reasonably accessible’’ discovery
                                           210(a)(16)(D) of the Dodd-Frank Act.                      rule, the FDIC prescribed minimum                        standard used in the definition of
                                           The proposed rule was published in the                    retention periods in the proposed rule,                  documentary material in the section-by-
                                           Federal Register on October 24, 2014                      recognizing that the FDIC may, as it has                 section analysis.) Accordingly, the term
                                           with a 60-day comment period that                         in the past with regard to the records of                ‘‘reasonably accessible’’ is included in
                                           ended on December 23, 2014.6 In                           failed insured depository institutions,                  the definition of ‘‘documentary
                                           keeping with the statutory mandate, the                   retain certain records for longer periods                material’’ in the final rule.
                                           proposed rule established retention                       of time or even indefinitely for
                                                                                                     analytical, historical, or other purposes.               C. Bridge or Subsidiary Records
                                           schedules for both records inherited by
                                           the FDIC as receiver from the covered                     The proposed rule expressly provided                        One of the commenters objected to the
                                           financial company and records created                     for the establishment of policies that are               exclusion from records of documentary
                                           by the FDIC as receiver for the covered                   consistent with the minimum schedules                    material generated or maintained by a
                                           financial company. The retention                          established in the proposed rule. With                   bridge financial company or a
                                           schedule for records inherited from the                   the changes more fully discussed below,                  subsidiary or affiliate of a covered
                                           covered financial company was                             the FDIC believes that the minimum                       financial company. This exclusion was
                                           modeled after the treatment of records                    retention periods provided in the final                  included in paragraph (d)(3)(ii) of the
                                           of a failed insured depository institution                rule properly fulfill the intent of section              proposed rule. As required by the
                                           pursuant to a regulation entitled                         210(a)(16)(D) of the Act and comport                     statute, the proposed rule addresses
                                           ‘‘Records of Failed Depository                            with prudent record retention                            only the records of a covered financial
                                           Institutions’’ 7 (the ‘‘FDIA records                      principles.                                              company and the records of the FDIC as
                                           rule’’). The FDIA records rule addresses                  B. Reasonably Accessible                                 receiver of such covered financial
                                           the retention of records of failed insured                                                                         company. Retention of the records of
                                           depository institutions pursuant to                          One of the commenters objected to the                 any other legal entity, including a
                                           section 11(d)(15)(D) 8 of the Federal                     use of the phrase ‘‘reasonably                           covered financial company’s
                                           Deposit Insurance Act.                                    accessible’’ in the definition of                        subsidiaries or affiliates, is beyond the
                                              Generally, the proposed rule required                  ‘‘documentary material,’’ which forms                    scope of the requirements of the statute.
                                           that records inherited from a covered                     the basis for the types of materials that                Although bridge financial company
                                           financial company that were created                       constitute a record for purposes of the                  records and subsidiary records are not
                                           less than ten years before the                            proposed rule. The commenter                             expressly subject to the proposed rule,
                                                                                                     suggested that if a party in litigation is               records generated by the FDIC receiver
                                           appointment of the FDIC as receiver be
                                                                                                     willing to pay for the recovery of                       in its oversight of a bridge financial
                                           retained for not less than 6 years
                                                                                                     electronically-stored information, such a                company, or records sent to the FDIC
                                           following the date of the appointment of
                                                                                                     record should be made available.                         receiver by the bridge’s management
                                           the receiver. Under the proposed rule,
                                                                                                     Unfortunately, this suggestion does not                  and maintained by the FDIC in the
                                           records created by the FDIC in
                                                                                                     reflect the reality of record storage and                course of such oversight would be
                                           connection with the exercise of its
                                                                                                     accessibility.
                                           orderly liquidation authority as receiver                                                                          subject to the applicable minimum
                                                                                                        A large component of record storage
                                           for a covered financial company were                                                                               retention requirements of the proposed
                                                                                                     expense is the cost of maintaining
                                           required to be maintained at least six                    legacy systems that house records, as                    rule. Accordingly, no change was made
                                           years following the termination of the                    well as the cost of retrieving and                       to the final rule in this respect and the
                                           receivership, regardless of when they                     identifying possible relevant                            exclusion is found in paragraph (e)(2)(ii)
                                           were created.                                             information from those systems and                       of the final rule.
                                           III. Comments to the Proposed Rule                        sources. To comply with the                              IV. The Final Rule
                                                                                                     commenter’s suggestion, all records
                                              Two comment letters were submitted                                                                              A. General
                                                                                                     systems, no matter how out-of-date or
                                           in response to the proposed rule, both                                                                                In response to the comment letters
                                                                                                     incompatible with the FDIC’s systems,
                                           from individuals.                                                                                                  and pursuant to internal agency
                                                                                                     would have to be indefinitely
                                           A. Retention Periods                                      maintained as accessible, together with                  consideration, the FDIC made certain
                                             Both commenters stated that the                         the technological and staffing capacity                  changes to the final rule. These changes
                                           retention periods in the proposed rule                    to use these systems to retrieve obsolete                are discussed below.
                                                                                                     records. This indefinite maintenance                        The proposed rule has been revised to
                                           were too short, and one of the
                                                                                                     would be attempted on the remote                         eliminate the set retention period for
                                           commenters suggested that all records
                                                                                                     chance that one record, or a portion                     records created by the FDIC in
                                           be kept indefinitely for ‘‘analytical
                                                                                                     thereof, stored on a legacy system would                 connection with its appointment as
                                           purposes.’’ The requirement in section
                                                                                                     be requested by a litigant. The cost to                  receiver for a covered financial
                                           210(a)(16)(D)(i) of the Dodd-Frank Act
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                                                                                                                                                              company and in connection with its
                                           that retention schedules be established                     9 Section 210(a)(16)(D)(ii) of the Act provides that   exercise of its Title II responsibilities.
                                                                                                     unless otherwise required by applicable Federal law      The proposed rule provided for a
                                             6 79   FR 63585 (October 24, 2014).                     or court order, the FDIC may not, at any time,
                                             7 12   CFR 360.11, 78 FR 54373 (September 4,            destroy any records that it is required to retain
                                                                                                                                                              retention period for these records of not
                                           2013).                                                    under Section 210(a)(16)(D)(i) of the Act and the        less than six years after the date of the
                                             8 12 U.S.C. 1821(d)(15)(D).                             regulations promulgated thereunder.                      termination of the related receivership.


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                                                                Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 123 / Monday, June 27, 2016 / Rules and Regulations                                            41413

                                           The change in the final rule requires the                 the covered financial company, as                        This reflects the policy behind Federal
                                           FDIC to retain these records indefinitely                 provided in the proposed rule, but must                  Rule of Civil Procedure 26(b)(2)(B),
                                           to the extent that there is a present or                  also agree that, prior to the destruction                which provides that a party from whom
                                           reasonably foreseeable future                             of any such inherited records, it will                   discovery is sought need not provide
                                           evidentiary or historical need for them                   provide the FDIC with notice and the                     electronically-stored information from
                                           on the part of the FDIC or the public,                    opportunity to cause the return of such                  sources that are not reasonably
                                           but in no event less than six years from                  inherited records to the FDIC.                           accessible because of undue cost or
                                           the termination of the related                                                                                     burden. For example, a party may be
                                           receivership. This is in keeping with the                 B. Section-by-Section Analysis                           excused from restoring electronically-
                                           suggestions of the commenters who                         1. Scope and Definitions                                 stored information from aging back-up
                                           objected to the imposition of specific                                                                             tapes in order to produce it in response
                                                                                                        Paragraph (a) sets forth the scope of
                                           retention periods, and is consistent with                                                                          to a discovery request. Thus, the use of
                                                                                                     the final rule. It makes clear that the
                                           the statutory emphasis on the ‘‘expected                                                                           the phrase ‘‘reasonably accessible’’
                                                                                                     final rule applies to the two categories
                                           evidentiary needs of the Corporation 10                                                                            would align the concept of material
                                                                                                     of records addressed by section
                                           . . . and the public’’ as required by                                                                              subject to the final rule with the
                                                                                                     210(a)(16)(D) of the Act, i.e., those
                                           section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act. In                                                                               discovery standard and would protect
                                                                                                     records of a financial company that are
                                           addition, the paragraph clarifies that in                                                                          the FDIC as receiver from incurring
                                                                                                     inherited by the FDIC upon its
                                           the case of receivership records that are                                                                          inordinate expenses associated with
                                                                                                     appointment as receiver for the covered
                                           subject to a litigation hold, 11 a                                                                                 restoring or maintaining the legacy
                                                                                                     financial company and those records                      system of a covered financial company
                                           Congressional subpoena, or that relate to
                                           an investigation by Congress, the United                  generated by the FDIC in connection                      in order to extract documentary material
                                           States Government Accountability                          with its appointment as receiver and the                 from those systems that is not otherwise
                                           Office, or the FDIC’s inspector general,                  exercise of its orderly liquidation                      needed by the FDIC to carry out its
                                           such records will be retained pursuant                    authorities.                                             receivership functions.
                                           to the conditions of the hold, subpoena,                     Paragraph (b) provides definitions for                   Two definitions have been added and
                                           or investigation.                                         terms used in the final rule that are not                appear in the final rule in paragraphs
                                              Two definitions have been added and                    otherwise defined in the Dodd-Frank                      (b)(2) and (b)(3): Inherited records and
                                           appear in the final rule: ‘‘Inherited                     Act. Part 380 of title 12 of the Code of                 receivership records. Although the
                                           records’’ in paragraph (b)(2) and                         Federal Regulations concerns the FDIC’s                  proposed rule separately addressed
                                           ‘‘receivership records’’ in paragraph                     orderly liquidation authorities conferred                these two kinds of records, they were
                                           (b)(3). Although the proposed rule                        by Title II of the Dodd-Frank Act.                       described rather than defined (‘‘records
                                           separately addressed these two kinds of                   Section 380.1 contains the definition of                 of a covered financial company for
                                           records, the wording used to describe                     the term covered financial company                       which the Corporation is appointed
                                           these records (‘‘records of a covered                     which is defined as a financial company                  receiver’’ and ‘‘records or the
                                           financial company for which the                           for which the necessary determinations                   Corporation as receiver for a covered
                                           Corporation is appointed receiver’’ and                   have been made for the FDIC to be                        financial company’’). The final rule uses
                                           ‘‘records of the Corporation as receiver                  appointed receiver and the term                          defined terms for conciseness and
                                           for a covered financial company’’) was                    financial company.12 Thus it is                          clarity, as discussed above.
                                           unnecessarily repetitive. The use of the                  unnecessary to include definitions of
                                                                                                     the terms covered financial company                      2. Inherited Records
                                           defined terms, which are both accurate
                                           and descriptive, results in more succinct                 and financial company in the final rule.                    Paragraph (b)(2) of the final rule
                                           language in the final rule.                                  Paragraph (b) sets forth three                        defines, and addresses the retention
                                              Inherited records may be transferred                   definitions. The first is that of                        schedule for, inherited records. Under
                                           to a third-party transferee in connection                 documentary material. This definition                    the final rule the term inherited record
                                           with a transfer, acquisition, or sale of a                follows closely the text of section                      means documentary material of a
                                           covered financial company’s assets and                    210(a)(16)(D)(iii) of the Act and                        covered financial company that existed
                                           liabilities. Paragraph (b)(4) of the                      describes the universe of forms and                      on the date of the appointment of the
                                           proposed rule has been slightly                           formats in which materials subject to                    FDIC as receiver for such financial
                                           expanded in the final rule (and is now                    the final rule may appear, including                     company and was generated or
                                           paragraph (c)(3) of the final rule). The                  books, paper, maps, photographs,                         maintained by the covered financial
                                           final rule requires that in order for the                 microfiche, microfilm, or writing                        company in the course of, and necessary
                                           transfer of inherited records to satisfy                  regardless of physical form or                           to, the transaction of its business. The
                                           the record retention requirements of the                  characteristics and includes any                         final rule provides additional guidance
                                           final rule and section 210(a)(16)(D) of                   computer or electronically-created data                  with respect to determining whether
                                           the Act, the transferee must agree not                    or file. The definition of documentary                   documentary material was generated or
                                           only to maintain the inherited records                    material included in the final rule is                   maintained by the covered financial
                                           for at least six years from the date of                   slightly different from the definition                   company in the course of, and necessary
                                           appointment of the FDIC as receiver for                   included in the proposed rule to make                    to, the transaction of its business and
                                                                                                     it clearer that the term documentary                     therefore constitutes an inherited record
                                              10 The Dodd-Frank Act uses the term                    material covers material regardless of                   that is subject to the retention
                                           ‘‘Corporation’’ to refer to the FDIC.                     the physical form or characteristics of                  requirements of the final rule. The final
                                              11 A litigation hold (also known as a
                                                                                                     the material and includes any computer                   rule sets forth three factors which the
                                           ‘‘preservation order’’, a ‘‘legal hold’’ or a ‘‘hold
                                                                                                     or electronically-created data or file.                  FDIC will consider in determining
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                                           order’’) is a stipulation requiring a party to preserve
                                           all data that may relate to a legal action involving         The definition of documentary                         whether documentary material, as
                                           that party. When in place, it requires that parties       material clarifies that only documentary                 defined in paragraph (b)(1), was
                                           preserve records when they learn of pending or            material that is reasonably accessible is                generated or maintained by the covered
                                           imminent litigation, or when litigation is reasonably
                                           anticipated. This requirement ensures that                included in the scope of the final rule.                 financial company in the course of, and
                                           documentary material will be available for the                                                                     necessary to, the transaction of its
                                           litigation’s discovery process.                            12 12   U.S.C. 5381(a)(11).                             business.


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                                           41414               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 123 / Monday, June 27, 2016 / Rules and Regulations

                                              The first factor is whether the                      makes it clear that in making any                      audits; inventories; board of directors or
                                           documentary material was generated or                   determination of future evidentiary                    committee meeting minutes; personnel
                                           maintained in accordance with the                       value a ‘‘reasonably foreseeable’’                     files and employee benefits information;
                                           covered financial company’s own                         standard should be applied.                            general ledger and financial reports;
                                           practices and procedures (including the                    Paragraph (c)(1) of the final rule                  financial data; litigation files; loan
                                           document retention policies of the                      establishes the record retention                       documents including records relating to
                                           covered financial company) or pursuant                  schedule for inherited records. The time               intercompany debt; contracts and
                                           to standards established by the covered                 period included in the final rule is                   agreements to which the covered
                                           financial company’s regulators. In                      modeled on the time period contained                   financial company was a party;
                                           general, a company’s own policies and                   in the FDIA statutory provision and the                customer accounts and transactions;
                                           procedures will reflect the significance                FDIA records rule.13 Under the final                   qualified financial contracts and related
                                           of its records to its business and                      rule, the FDIC shall retain any inherited              information; and reports or other
                                           regulatory requirements and the                         record of a covered financial company                  records of subsidiaries or affiliates of the
                                           importance of documentary material                      that was created fewer than ten years                  covered financial company that were
                                           generated or maintained by the                          before the date of the appointment of                  provided to the covered financial
                                           company. Thus, the FDIC will consider                   the FDIC as receiver for the covered                   company.
                                           whether documentary material was                        financial company for a period of no
                                                                                                   less than six years from the date of such              3. Transfer of Records
                                           created or maintained in accordance
                                           with the covered financial company’s                    appointment, provided however that an                     Paragraph (c)(3) of the final rule
                                           own practices and procedures                            inherited record shall be retained                     addresses the transfer of inherited
                                           (including its document retention                       indefinitely so long as it is (i) subject to           records to a third party (including a
                                           policies) when determining whether                      a litigation hold imposed by the FDIC,                 bridge financial company) that acquires
                                           specific documentary material is an                     (ii) subject to a Congressional subpoena               assets or liabilities of the covered
                                           inherited record for the purposes of                    or relates to an ongoing investigation by              financial company from the FDIC as
                                           section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act and the                Congress, the United States Government                 receiver for the covered financial
                                           final rule. Likewise, the FDIC will                     Accountability Office, or the FDIC’s                   company. In a resolution of a covered
                                           consider whether documentary material                   Inspector General, or (iii) an inherited               financial company, the FDIC may
                                           was generated or maintained pursuant                    record that the FDIC has determined is                 transfer inherited records to the custody
                                           to standards imposed by the covered                     necessary for a present or reasonably                  of a third party, including a bridge
                                           financial company’s regulators when                     foreseeable evidentiary need of the FDIC               financial company, in connection with
                                           determining whether specific                            or the public. Therefore, similar to the               the transfer, acquisition, or sale of assets
                                           documentary material is an inherited                    FDIA final rule, paragraph (c)(1) of the               or liabilities of the covered financial
                                           record for the purposes of section                      final rule expressly provides that the                 company to such third party. Paragraph
                                           210(a)(16)(D) of the Act and the final                  FDIC will maintain inherited records                   (c)(3) of the final rule provides that such
                                           rule.                                                   subject to a litigation hold imposed by                a transfer will satisfy the records
                                              The second factor is whether the                     the FDIC in order to ensure retention of               retention obligations under paragraph
                                           documentary material is necessary for                   documentary material that is relevant to               (c)(1) and section 210(a)(16)(D) of the
                                           the FDIC to carry out its obligations as                ongoing litigation matters. The final rule             Act so long as the transferee agrees, in
                                           receiver for the covered financial                      goes farther than the FDIA records rule,               writing, that it will maintain the
                                           company. This inquiry would permit                      however, by expressly requiring the                    inherited records for at least six years
                                           the classification of documentary                       indefinite maintenance of inherited                    from the date of the appointment of the
                                           material as an inherited record if it is                records subject to a Congressional                     FDIC as receiver for the covered
                                           necessary for the FDIC to maintain such                 subpoena or that relate to an ongoing                  financial company unless otherwise
                                           documentary material in order to carry                  investigation by Congress, the United                  notified in writing by the FDIC. In
                                           out its functions as receiver for the                   States Government Accountability                       addition, the third party must agree that
                                           covered financial company, for                          Office, or the FDIC’s Office of Inspector              prior to the destruction of any such
                                           example, where the documentary                          General; or that otherwise have been                   inherited records it will provide the
                                           material is necessary in order for the                  deemed by the FDIC as necessary for a                  FDIC with notice and the opportunity to
                                           FDIC to (i) transfer the covered financial              present or reasonably foreseeable                      cause return of such inherited records to
                                           company’s assets or liabilities, (ii)                   evidentiary need of the FDIC or the                    the FDIC as receiver. The final rule
                                           assume or repudiate the covered                         public.                                                differs from the proposed rule in that it
                                           financial company’s contracts, (iii)                       Paragraph (c)(2) provides a non-                    adds the language emphasizing that
                                           determine claims against the                            exclusive list of examples of material                 prior to the destruction of any
                                           receivership of the covered financial                   that would constitute inherited records                transferred records such transferee will
                                           company, or (iv) collect obligations                    to provide additional guidance and                     be required to give the FDIC the
                                           owed to the covered financial company.                  clarity with respect to the sorts of                   opportunity to cause the return of such
                                              The third factor is whether there is a               documentary material that are subject to               records to the FDIC as receiver.
                                           present or reasonably foreseeable                       the retention requirements of the final
                                           evidentiary need for such documentary                                                                          4. Receivership Records
                                                                                                   rule. Included examples are
                                           material by the FDIC as receiver for the                                                                          In fulfilling its duties and
                                                                                                   correspondence; tax forms; accounting
                                           covered financial company or the                                                                               responsibilities as receiver for a covered
                                                                                                   forms and related work papers; internal
                                           public. The wording of this factor                                                                             financial company pursuant to Title II of
                                           closely follows the wording of section                                                                         the Dodd-Frank Act, the FDIC itself
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                                                                                                     13 The FDIC has been required to retain records
                                           210(a)(16)(D)(i)(II) of the Dodd-Frank                  inherited from failed insured depository               would generate, receive, and maintain
                                           Act. That section emphasizes that the                   institutions for a minimum of six years since the      documentary material in connection
                                           FDIC must retain documentary materials                  enactment of the FDIA provision which was added        with and after its appointment as
                                                                                                   to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act by section
                                           that have evidentiary value to the FDIC                 212(a) of the Financial Institutions Reform,
                                                                                                                                                          receiver, records that would be separate
                                           as receiver and to the public. The final                Recovery, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) in 1989         and apart from the inherited records.
                                           rule reflects this statutory direction and              (Pub. L. 101–73).                                      Section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act


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                                                                    Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 123 / Monday, June 27, 2016 / Rules and Regulations                                         41415

                                           specifically requires that the FDIC                       paragraph (b)(3). The final rule clarifies             financial company; contracts, other
                                           develop policies to maintain the                          that receivership records are likely to be             documents and information relating to
                                           documents and records of the FDIC                         valuable and consequential, given the                  the role of the FDIC as receiver in
                                           generated in exercising its authorities                   significance of an orderly liquidation                 overseeing the operations of the bridge
                                           under Title II to assure that receivership                under Title II. Thus, the final rule                   financial company; reports or other
                                           records would be available for review                     emphasizes that receivership records,                  records of the bridge financial company
                                           following the exercise of the                             those records generated and maintained                 and its subsidiaries or affiliates that
                                           extraordinary authority granted to the                    by the FDIC as it conducts a                           were provided to the FDIC as receiver;
                                           FDIC under Title II. Paragraph (b)(3) sets                receivership, shall be retained                        and documentary material relating to
                                           forth the definition of receivership                      indefinitely for as long as there is a                 the administration, determination, and
                                           records. Receivership records are                         present or reasonably foreseeable future               payment of claims by the FDIC as
                                           defined to include documentary                            evidentiary or historical need for them.               receiver.
                                           material that is generated or maintained                  In addition, the final rule sets a
                                           by the FDIC in accordance with the                        minimum retention standard during                      5. Limits of Effect of Determinations
                                           policies and procedures of the FDIC                       which, in effect, evidentiary need is                  With Respect to Records
                                           (including the document retention                         conclusively presumed. That minimum
                                           policies of the FDIC) that relates to the                 period is a six-year minimum retention                    Paragraph (e) of the final rule applies
                                           FDIC’s appointment as receiver for a                      period for all receivership records                    to any documentary material that falls
                                           covered financial company or the                          measured from the termination of the                   within the scope of the retention
                                           exercise of its authorities as receiver for               receivership. In the case of a three-year              requirements of the final rule as that
                                           the covered financial company under                       receivership,15 that would establish a                 scope is described in paragraphs (c) and
                                           Title II. Receivership records would                      minimum retention period of nine                       (d). Paragraph (e)(1) of the final rule
                                           include documentary material generated                    years.                                                 makes clear that the FDIC’s designation
                                           or maintained by the FDIC as receiver                       Receivership records that are subject                of documentary material as inherited
                                           with respect to its appointment under                     to a litigation hold by the FDIC or are                records or receivership records pursuant
                                           section 202 of the Dodd-Frank Act,14 as                   subject to a Congressional subpoena or                 to paragraph (c) or (d) is solely for the
                                           well as documentary material generated                    relate to an ongoing investigation by                  purpose of identifying documentary
                                           or maintained by the FDIC as receiver                     Congress, the United States Government                 material subject to the retention
                                           for a covered financial company in                        Accountability Office or the FDIC’s                    requirements of section 210(a)(16)(D) of
                                           connection with the exercise of its                       Office of Inspector General will be                    the Act and the final rule has no effect
                                           orderly liquidation authorities. This                     retained pursuant to the conditions of                 on whether the documentary material is
                                           definition makes it clear that only                       such subpoena, hold, or investigation                  discoverable or admissible in any court,
                                           documentary material that is related to                   under paragraph (d)(1) of the final rule.              tribunal, or other adjudicative
                                           the duties and functions of the FDIC as                     Paragraph (d)(2) makes it clear that                 proceeding, nor on whether such
                                           receiver and the exercise of its orderly                  receivership records are those that are                material is subject to release under the
                                           liquidation authorities is subject to the                 generated or maintained by the FDIC as                 Freedom of Information Act,16 the
                                           retention requirements of section                         receiver in connection with a Title II                 Privacy Act of 1974,17 or other law or
                                           210(a)(16)(d) of the Dodd-Frank Act.                      orderly liquidation and do not include                 court order. Thus, whether specific
                                              To be a receivership record the                        the inherited records generated or                     documentary material is an inherited
                                           documentary material must be                              maintained by the financial company                    record or a receivership record pursuant
                                           generated or maintained in accordance                     which are addressed in paragraph (c) of                to the final rule does not alter its status
                                           with policies and procedures of the                       the final rule.                                        under evidentiary rules such as the
                                           FDIC, including the record retention                        Paragraph (d)(3) of the final rule sets              Federal Rules of Evidence (‘‘FRE’’). For
                                           policies and procedures of the FDIC.                      forth a non-exclusive list of examples of              example, FRE 803(1) provides that
                                           The FDIC will look to its internal                        receivership records in order to provide               ‘‘records of regularly conducted
                                           procedures and guidance for generating                    additional guidance and clarity with                   activity’’ (business record) are not
                                           and maintaining all of its own records,                   respect to the types of documentary
                                           including corporate and bank                                                                                     excluded from evidence by the rule
                                                                                                     material that are subject to the retention             against hearsay, regardless of whether
                                           receivership records, and use them as a                   requirements of the final rule. Included
                                           guideline to determine whether                                                                                   the declarant is available as a witness.
                                                                                                     examples are: Correspondence; tax                      If certain documentary material meets
                                           documentary material generated or                         forms; accounting forms and related
                                           maintained as receiver for a covered                                                                             the requirements of a business record
                                                                                                     work papers; inventories; contracts and                pursuant to FRE 803(1), then whether or
                                           financial company comport with these                      other information relating to the
                                           procedures and, thus, constitute                                                                                 not the FDIC determines that specific
                                                                                                     management and disposition of the                      documentary material constitutes an
                                           receivership records under the final                      assets of the covered financial company;
                                           rule. Like private companies and other                                                                           inherited record or a receivership record
                                                                                                     documentary material relating to the
                                           governmental organizations, the FDIC                                                                             pursuant to the final rule will not affect
                                                                                                     appointment of the FDIC as receiver;
                                           has established protocols for the                                                                                the determination of whether the
                                                                                                     administrative records and other
                                           efficient and effective generation and                                                                           documentary material is a business
                                                                                                     information relating to administrative
                                           maintenance of files, records, and non-                                                                          record under FRE 803(1). In addition,
                                                                                                     proceedings; pleadings and similar
                                           record documentary materials. These                                                                              whether specific material is or is not
                                                                                                     documents in civil litigation, criminal
                                           protocols reflect the importance of these                                                                        designated as an inherited record or a
                                                                                                     restitution, forfeiture litigation, and all
                                           materials and their relevance to the                                                                             receivership record for purposes of
                                                                                                     other litigation matters in which the
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                                           work of the FDIC.                                                                                                section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act and the
                                                                                                     FDIC as receiver is a party; the charter
                                              Paragraph (d)(1) of the final rule sets                                                                       final rule does not determine whether it
                                                                                                     and formation documents of a bridge
                                           forth the retention requirements for the                                                                         is subject to a litigation hold or a request
                                           receivership records described in                           15 See 12 U.S.C. 5382(d) (providing for a three-
                                                                                                                                                             16 5   U.S.C. 552.
                                                                                                     year initial time limit on receivership authority,
                                             14 12   U.S.C. 5382.                                    subject to extensions as provided in that section).     17 5   U.S.C. 552a.



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                                           41416               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 123 / Monday, June 27, 2016 / Rules and Regulations

                                           under the Freedom of Information Act,                    7. Records of Affiliate; Supervisory                    procedures with respect to the retention
                                           the Privacy Act, or any other law.                       Materials                                               of inherited records and receivership
                                              Paragraph (e)(1) also clarifies that any                 The second category of exclusions                    records that are consistent with the final
                                           designation made by the FDIC under the                   from the final rule encompasses                         rule. It is expected that these policies
                                           final rule will not prevent full                         documentary material generated or                       and procedures will address specific
                                           compliance with any applicable legal or                  maintained by a bridge financial                        matters related to the capture,
                                           regulatory requirement or court order                    company 19 or by a subsidiary or affiliate              processing, and storage of inherited
                                           that establishes particular requirements                 of a covered financial company. The                     records such as collecting computer
                                           with respect to certain records, such as                 exclusion of this documentary material                  hard drives, email databases, and
                                           a requirement that specific records be                   emphasizes the separate legal status of                 backup and disaster recovery tapes, as
                                           preserved, maintained, destroyed, or                     the covered financial company and its                   well as establishing standard policies
                                           kept under seal.                                         subsidiaries and of the FDIC as receiver                with respect to the retention of
                                           6. Duplicate and Transitory Materials                    and any bridge financial company the                    receivership records by the FDIC in its
                                                                                                    FDIC may organize for the purpose of                    own files, information systems, and
                                              Paragraph (e)(2) of the final rule lists                                                                      databases.
                                           three categories of documentary                          resolving a covered financial company.
                                           material that are excluded from the                      The final rule addresses only inherited                 V. Expected Effects of the Final Rule
                                           definition of inherited records and                      records and receivership records.                          Immediately following the FDIC’s
                                           receivership records and thus will not                   Information provided to the FDIC in                     appointment as receiver of a covered
                                           be subject to the retention requirements                 connection with the formation or                        financial company pursuant to Title II of
                                           of section 210(a)(16)(D) of the Act and                  oversight of the bridge financial                       the Dodd-Frank Act, the FDIC’s
                                           the final rule. The first category                       company or by a covered financial                       retention determinations and collections
                                           includes duplicate copies, as required                   company’s subsidiaries or affiliates                    must begin with respect to both the
                                           by the mandate in section                                would be within the scope of the                        records of the covered financial
                                           210(a)(16)(D)(I) of the Act to accord due                regulation; however, documentary                        company and the FDIC’s own records.
                                           regard to the avoidance of duplicative                   material generated or maintained by a                   The final rule will provide transparency
                                           record retention. Also in the first                      bridge financial company or a covered                   and consistency with respect to these
                                           category is documentary material such                    financial company’s subsidiaries or                     determinations and will ensure that
                                           as reference materials, drafts of                        affiliates in the ordinary course of                    records of a financial company that fails
                                           documents that are superseded by later                   business that is not provided to the                    in a manner that would present
                                           drafts or revisions, documentary                         FDIC would fall outside the scope of the                systemic risk (absent the exercise of the
                                           material provided to the FDIC by other                   retention requirements of this final rule.              Title II orderly liquidation authority), as
                                           parties in concluded litigation for which                   The third category of exclusions from                well as the records generated in
                                           all appeals have expired, transitory                     the scope of the final rule and section                 connection with the orderly liquidation
                                           information including routine system                     210(a)(16)(D) of the Act is non-publicly                of that financial company under Title II
                                           messages or system-generated log files,                  available supervisory information and                   of the Dodd-Frank Act, will be available
                                           notes and other material of a personal                   operating or condition reports that were                for as long as there is a reasonably
                                           nature, or other documentary material                    prepared by, on behalf of, or at the                    foreseeable evidentiary need for such
                                           not routinely maintained under the                       requirement of any agency responsible                   records. At the same time, the
                                           standard record retention policies and                   for the supervision or regulation of the                application of the factors described in
                                           procedures of the FDIC. The term                         covered financial company or its                        the final rule will appropriately limit
                                           ‘‘transitory information’’ or ‘‘transitory               subsidiaries. This is consistent with the               the costs of the maintenance of
                                           record’’ is commonly used in record                      federal common law bank examination                     documentary material that is not
                                           retention systems to describe records of                 privilege, many state statutes, and the                 covered by the statute.
                                           temporary usefulness required only for                   FDIC’s long-standing policy that reports
                                           a limited period of time for the                         of examination or other confidential                    VI. Alternatives Considered
                                           completion of an action by an employee                   supervisory correspondence or                              The FDIC considered a range of
                                           or official and that are not essential to                information prepared by FDIC                            alternatives from requiring permanent
                                           the fulfillment of statutory obligations                 examiners or for the use of the FDIC and                retention of all documentary material to
                                           or the documentation of government or                    other regulatory agencies with respect to               providing for clear dates upon which
                                           business functions.18                                    a financial company or an insured                       records could be destroyed. The
                                                                                                    depository institution or other regulated               permanent retention of all documentary
                                              18 For example, the Texas Administrative Code,        subsidiary of a financial company                       material is impractical, if not
                                           title 13, Chapter 6, Section 6.91 (2005) provides that   belong exclusively to such regulators                   impossible. The FDIC deemed it
                                           transitory information are records of temporary
                                           usefulness that are not an integral part of a records
                                                                                                    and not to the institution, even though                 important to include a broad definition
                                           series of an agency, that are not regularly filed        institutions may retain copies.                         of documentary material that could be
                                           within an agency’s recordkeeping system, and that
                                                                                                    8. Policies and Procedures                              considered inherited records or
                                           are required only for a limited period of time for                                                               receivership record for the purpose of
                                           the completion of an action by an official or               Paragraph (f) of the final rule provides
                                           employee of the agency or in the preparation of an
                                                                                                                                                            the final rule in light of the rapidly
                                           on-going records series. According to the Texas
                                                                                                    that the FDIC may establish policies and                changing nature, forms, and format of
                                           Administrative Code, transitory records are not                                                                  data. At the same time, this explosion of
                                           essential to the fulfillment of statutory obligations    the defensible deletion of transitory, non-             data and changes in form and media
                                           or to the documentation of agency functions. The         substantive or non-record content. A World Health
                                                                                                    Organisation publication refers to the need to          make it important to differentiate
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                                           National Archives and Records Administration
                                           (NARA) Bulletin 2013–02 (August 29, 2013),               differentiate between records of substantive, fixed-    between meaningful data and irrelevant
                                           Guidance on a New Approach to Managing Email             term and transitory value. Deserno, Ineke and           information. In addition, as formats
                                           Records provides that agencies must determine            Kynaston, Donna, A Records Management Program           change the difficulty and expense of
                                           whether end users may delete non-record,                 that Works for Archives, The Information
                                           transitory, or personal email from their accounts.       Management Journal, May/June 2005.                      retrieving useful information becomes
                                           The Sedona Conference Commentary on                        19 This term is defined in 12 U.S.C. 5381(a)(3) and   more complex. Accordingly, the FDIC
                                           Information Governance (December 2013) refers to         12 CFR 380.1.                                           identified factors that could be used to


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                                                                 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 123 / Monday, June 27, 2016 / Rules and Regulations                                              41417

                                           determine what documentary material                       D. Plain Language                                         reasonably accessible document, book,
                                           comprised meaningful records that                           Section 722 of the Gramm-Leach-                         paper, map, photograph, microfiche,
                                           should be retained. At the same time, a                   Bliley Act (Pub. L. 106–102, 113 Stat.                    microfilm, or writing regardless of
                                           hard-and-fast date for destruction is                     1338, 1471), requires the Federal                         physical form or characteristics and
                                           inappropriate where it is possible that                   banking agencies to use plain language                    includes any computer or electronically-
                                           some documentary material may have                        in all proposed and final rules                           created data or file.
                                           evidentiary significance longer than a                    published after January 1, 2000. The                         (2) Inherited record. The term
                                           specified time period. Accordingly, the                   FDIC has presented the final rule in a                    inherited record means documentary
                                           final rule adopts a flexible                              simple and straightforward manner.                        material of a covered financial
                                           determination that takes into account                                                                               company, provided that such
                                           the nature of the records and their likely                E. The Treasury and General                               documentary material existed on the
                                           evidentiary value.                                        Government Appropriations Act, 1999—                      date of the appointment of the
                                                                                                     Assessment of Federal Regulations and                     Corporation as receiver for such covered
                                           VII. Regulatory Analysis and Procedure                    Policies on Families                                      financial company and was generated or
                                           A. Regulatory Flexibility Act                                The FDIC has determined that the                       maintained by the covered financial
                                              The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA),                  final rule will not affect family well-                   company in the course of, and necessary
                                           5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., requires that each                 being within the meaning of section 654                   to, the transaction of its business. The
                                           Federal agency either certify that a rule                 of the Treasury and General                               determination of whether documentary
                                           will not have any significant economic                    Government Appropriations Act,                            material was generated or maintained by
                                           impact on a substantial number of small                   enacted as part of the Omnibus                            the covered financial company in the
                                           entities or prepare an initial regulatory                 Consolidated and Emergency                                course of, and necessary to, the
                                           flexibility analysis of the rule and                      Supplemental Appropriations Act of                        transaction of its business shall be based
                                           publish the analysis for comment. For                     1999.21                                                   on an analysis of the following factors;
                                           purposes of the RFA analysis or                                                                                        (i) Whether such documentary
                                                                                                     List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 380                       material was generated or maintained in
                                           certification, financial institutions with
                                           total assets of $550 million or less are                    Financial companies, Holding                            accordance with the covered financial
                                           considered to be ‘‘small entities.’’ The                  companies, Insurance companies,                           company’s own practices and
                                           FDIC hereby certifies pursuant to 5                       Records and records retention.                            procedures (including the document
                                           U.S.C. 605(b) that the final rule, if                     Authority and Issuance                                    retention policies of the covered
                                           adopted, will not have a significant                                                                                financial company) or pursuant to
                                                                                                       For the reasons set forth in the                        standards established by the covered
                                           economic impact on a substantial                          preamble, the Federal Deposit Insurance
                                           number of small entities. The final rule                                                                            financial company’s regulators;
                                                                                                     Corporation amends 12 CFR part 380 as                        (ii) Whether such documentary
                                           refines the definition of the term                        follows:
                                           ‘‘records’’ under section 210(a)(16)(D) of                                                                          material is necessary for the Corporation
                                           the Dodd-Frank Act and establishes                                                                                  to carry out its obligations as receiver
                                                                                                     PART 380—ORDERLY LIQUIDATION
                                           retention schedules that the FDIC must                                                                              for the covered financial company; and
                                                                                                     AUTHORITY
                                           use in connection with its retention of                                                                                (iii) Whether there is a present or
                                           inherited records and receivership.                       ■  1. The authority citation for part 380                 reasonably foreseeable evidentiary need
                                           Accordingly, the final rule affects only                  is revised to read as follows:                            for such documentary material by the
                                           the internal operations of the FDIC and                                                                             Corporation as receiver for the covered
                                                                                                       Authority: 12 U.S.C. 5389; 12 U.S.C.
                                           there will be no significant economic                     5390(s)(3); 12 U.S.C. 5390(b)(1)(C); 12 U.S.C.
                                                                                                                                                               financial company or the public.
                                           impact on a substantial number of small                   5390(a)(7)(D); 12 U.S.C. 5381(b); 12 U.S.C.                  (3) Receivership record. The term
                                           entities as a result of this final rule.                  5390(r); 12 U.S.C. 5390(a)(16)(D).                        receivership record means documentary
                                                                                                                                                               material generated or maintained by the
                                           B. Paperwork Reduction Act                                ■   2. Add § 380.14 to read as follows:
                                                                                                                                                               Corporation in accordance with the
                                             No new collections of information                       § 380.14        Record retention requirements.            policies and procedures of the
                                           within the meaning of the Paperwork                         (a) Scope. 12 U.S.C. 5390(a)(16)(D)                     Corporation (including the document
                                           Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.,                   requires that the Corporation establish                   retention policies of the Corporation)
                                           are contained in the final rule as it                     retention schedules for the maintenance                   that relates to the Corporation’s
                                           addresses only the FDIC’s obligation to                   of certain documents and records of a                     appointment as receiver for a covered
                                           maintain certain records.                                 covered financial company for which                       financial company or the exercise of its
                                                                                                     the Corporation has been appointed                        authorities as receiver for the covered
                                           C. Small Business Regulatory                                                                                        financial company under 12 U.S.C. 5381
                                           Enforcement Fairness Act                                  receiver and certain documents and
                                                                                                     records generated by the Corporation as                   through 5397.
                                             The Office of Management and Budget                     receiver for a covered financial                             (c) Inherited records.—(1) Retention
                                           has determined that the final rule is not                 company in connection with the                            schedule for inherited records. The
                                           a major rule within the meaning of the                    exercise of its authorities under Title II                Corporation shall retain any inherited
                                           Small Business Regulatory Enforcement                     of the Dodd-Frank Act, 12 U.S.C. 5381                     record of a covered financial company
                                           Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA), which                      through 5397. This section addresses                      that was created fewer than ten years
                                           provides for agencies to report rules to                  retention of those two categories of                      before the date of the appointment of
                                           Congress and for Congress to review                       documents and records.                                    the Corporation as receiver for the
                                           such rules.20 As required by SBREFA,                        (b) Definitions. For the purposes of                    covered financial company for a period
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                                           the FDIC will file the appropriate                        this section, the following terms shall                   of no less than six years from the date
                                           reports with Congress and the                             have the following meanings:                              of such appointment, provided however
                                           Government Accountability Office so                         (1) Documentary material. The term                      that an inherited record shall be
                                           that the final rule may be reviewed.                      documentary material means any                            retained indefinitely so long as it is:
                                                                                                                                                                  (i) Subject to a litigation hold imposed
                                             20 Public   Law 104–121, 110 Stat. 857.                     21 Public   Law 105–277, 112 Stat. 2681.              by the Corporation;


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                                           41418               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 123 / Monday, June 27, 2016 / Rules and Regulations

                                              (ii) Subject to a Congressional                      United States Government                                  (2) Exclusions. Documentary material
                                           subpoena or relates to an ongoing                       Accountability Office, or the                          is not an inherited record nor a
                                           investigation by Congress, the United                   Corporation’s Office of Inspector                      receivership record and is not subject to
                                           States Government Accountability                        General shall be retained pursuant to                  the record retention requirements of
                                           Office, or the Corporation’s Inspector                  the conditions of such hold, subpoena,                 section 12 U.S.C. 5390(a)(16)(D) and this
                                           General; or                                             or investigation.                                      section if it is:
                                              (iii) An inherited record that the                      (iii) In no event shall a receivership                 (i) A duplicate copy of retained
                                           Corporation has determined is necessary                 record be retained by the Corporation                  documentary material, reference
                                           for a present or reasonably foreseeable                 for a period of less than six years                    material, a draft of a document that is
                                           future evidentiary need of the                          following the termination of the                       superseded by later drafts or revisions,
                                           Corporation or the public.                              receivership to which it relates.                      documentary material provided to the
                                              (2) Examples. Examples of inherited                     (2) Not included in receivership                    Corporation by other parties in
                                           records include, without limitation:                    records. Receivership records do not                   concluded litigation for which all
                                           Correspondence; tax forms, accounting                   include inherited records.                             appeals have expired, transitory
                                           forms, and related work papers; internal                   (3) Examples. Examples of                           information including routine system
                                           audits; inventories; board of directors or              receivership records include, without                  messages and system-generated log files,
                                           committee meeting minutes; personnel                    limitation: Correspondence; tax forms,                 notes and other material of a personal
                                           files and employee benefits information;                accounting forms and related work                      nature, or other documentary material
                                           general ledger and financial reports;                   papers; inventories; contracts and other               not routinely maintained under the
                                           financial data; litigation files; loan                  information relating to the management                 standard record retention policies and
                                           documents including records relating to                 and disposition of the assets of the                   procedures of the Corporation;
                                           intercompany debt; contracts and                        covered financial company;                                (ii) Documentary material generated
                                           agreements to which the covered                         documentary material relating to the                   or maintained by a bridge financial
                                           financial company was a party;                          appointment of the Corporation as                      company, or by a subsidiary or affiliate
                                           customer accounts and transactions;                     receiver; administrative records and                   of a covered financial company, that
                                           qualified financial contracts and related               other information relating to                          was not provided to the covered
                                           information; and reports or other                       administrative proceedings; pleadings                  financial company or to the Corporation
                                           records of subsidiaries or affiliates of the            and similar documents in civil                         as receiver; or
                                           covered financial company that were                     litigation, criminal restitution, forfeiture              (iii) Non-publicly available
                                           provided to the covered financial                       litigation, and all other litigation matters           confidential supervisory information or
                                           company.                                                in which the Corporation as receiver is                operating or condition reports prepared
                                              (3) Transfer of an inherited record to               a party; the charter and formation                     by, on behalf of, or at the requirement
                                           an acquirer of assets or liabilities of a               documents of a bridge financial                        of any agency responsible for the
                                           covered financial company. If the                       company; contracts, other documents,                   regulation or supervision of financial
                                           Corporation transfers an inherited                      and information relating to the role of                companies or their subsidiaries.
                                           record of a covered financial company                   the Corporation as receiver in                            (f) Policies and procedures. The
                                           to a third party (including a bridge                    overseeing the operations of the bridge                Corporation may establish policies and
                                           financial company) in connection with                   financial company; reports or other                    procedures with respect to the retention
                                           the acquisition of assets or liabilities of             records of the bridge financial company                of inherited records and receivership
                                           the covered financial company by such                   and its subsidiaries or affiliates that                records that are consistent with this
                                           third party, the record retention                       were provided to the Corporation as                    section.
                                           requirements of 12 U.S.C. 5390(a)(16)(D)                receiver; and documentary material
                                                                                                                                                            Dated at Washington, DC, this 21st day of
                                           and paragraph (c)(1) of this section shall              relating to the administration,                        June, 2016.
                                           be satisfied if the third party agrees, in              determination, and payment of claims
                                                                                                                                                            By order of the Board of Directors.
                                           writing, that:                                          by the Corporation as receiver.
                                                                                                      (e) General provisions. With respect to               Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
                                              (i) It will maintain the inherited
                                           record for at least six years from the date             any documentary material described in                  Robert E. Feldman,
                                           of the appointment of the Corporation as                paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section,                Executive Secretary.
                                           receiver for the covered financial                      the following applies:                                 [FR Doc. 2016–15020 Filed 6–24–16; 8:45 am]
                                           company unless otherwise notified in                       (1) Impact on discoverability,                      BILLING CODE 6714–01–P
                                           writing by the Corporation; and                         admissibility, or release; compliance
                                              (ii) Prior to destruction of such                    with court orders. The Corporation’s
                                           inherited record it will provide the                    determination that documentary                         BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL
                                           Corporation with notice and the                         material must be maintained pursuant                   PROTECTION
                                           opportunity to cause the inherited                      to 12 U.S.C. 5390(a)(16)(D) and this
                                           record to be returned to the Corporation.               section shall not bear on the                          12 CFR Parts 1026
                                              (d) Receivership records—(1)                         discoverability or admissibility of such
                                           Retention schedule for receivership                     documentary material in any court,                     Truth in Lending (Regulation Z) Annual
                                           records. (i) A receivership record shall                tribunal, or other adjudicative                        Threshold Adjustments (CARD Act,
                                           be retained indefinitely to the extent                  proceeding nor on whether such                         HOEPA and ATR/QM)
                                           that there is a present or reasonably                   documentary material is subject to                     AGENCY:  Bureau of Consumer Financial
                                           foreseeable future evidentiary or                       release under the Freedom of                           Protection.
                                           historical need for such receivership                   Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, the                     ACTION: Final rule; official
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                                           record.                                                 Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, or                 interpretation.
                                              (ii) A receivership record that is                   any other law. The Corporation shall
                                           subject to a litigation hold imposed by                 comply with any applicable court order                 SUMMARY:    The Bureau of Consumer
                                           the Corporation, is subject to a                        concerning mandatory retention or                      Financial Protection (Bureau) is issuing
                                           Congressional subpoena, or relates to an                destruction of any documentary                         this final rule amending the regulatory
                                           ongoing investigation by Congress, the                  material subject to this section.                      text and official interpretations for


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Document Created: 2016-06-25 02:07:28
Document Modified: 2016-06-25 02:07:28
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionFinal rule.
DatesThis final rule is effective on July 27, 2016.
ContactLegal Division: Elizabeth Falloon, (703) 562-6148; Joanne W. Rose, (703) 562-2175. Division of Resolutions and Receiverships: Teresa Franks, (571) 858-8226; James Horgan, (917) 320-2501; Manuel Ramilo, (571) 858-8227. Office of Complex Financial Institutions: Charlton R. Templeton, (202) 898-6774. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, 550 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20429.
FR Citation81 FR 41411 
RIN Number3064-AE25
CFR AssociatedFinancial Companies; Holding Companies; Insurance Companies and Records and Records Retention

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