U.S. Code of Federal Regulations

Regulations most recently checked for updates: Oct 11, 2024

§ 1951.1 - Purpose.

This subpart sets forth the policies and procedures to use in servicingaccounts. This subpart also applies to Rural Rental Housing Loan (RRH), Rural Cooperative Housing Loan (RCH), Labor Housing Loan (LH), Rural Housing Site Loan (RHS), and Site Option Loan (SO) accounts not covered under the Predetermined Amortization Schedule System (PASS). Loans on PASS will be administered under 7 CFR part 3560, subpart I. Cases involving unauthorized assistance will be serviced under Subparts L and N of this part. Cases involving graduation of borrowers to other sources of credit will be serviced under Subpart F of this part. This subpart does not apply to Water and Waste Programs of the Rural Utilities Service, Watershed loans, or Resource Conservation and Development loans, which are serviced under part 1782 of this title. In addition, this subpart is inapplicable to Farm Service Agency, Farm Loan Programs.

[52 FR 26134, July 13, 1987, as amended at 69 FR 69105, Nov. 26, 2004; 72 FR 55017, Sept. 28, 2007; 72 FR 64122, Nov. 15, 2007]

§ 1951.2 - Policy.

Borrowers are expected to pay their debts to the Agency in accordance with their agreements and ability to pay. They will be encouraged to pay ahead of schedule, consistent with sound financial management. When borrowers have acted in good faith and have exercised due diligence in an effort to pay their indebtedness but cannot pay on schedule because of circumstances beyond their control, servicing actions will be consistent with the best interests of the borrower and the Government. It is the policy of this agency to service borrower loan account without regard to race, color, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, age, physical or mental handicap (borrower must possess the capacity to enter into a legal contract for services).

§ 1951.3 - Authorities and responsibilities.

County Supervisors and District Directors are responsible for servicing all Agency accounts serviced by the County and District Offices as prescribed by this subpart under the general guidance and supervision of District Directors and State Office personnel. Full use will be made of the County Office Management System in account servicing. For the purposes of this Subpart, all references to “County Supervisor” shall be construed to mean “District Director” for all loans serviced by the District Office.

§§ 1951.4-1951.6 - §[Reserved]

§ 1951.7 - Accounts of borrowers.

(a) Accounts of active borrowers. The foundation for proper and timely debt payment is sound farm and home planning or budgeting, including plans for debt payment, supplemented by effective followup management assistance. Account servicing, therefore, must begin with initial planning and must be an integral part of analysis and subsequent planning, as well as follow-up management assistance.

(b) Accounts of collection-only borrowers. (1) Collection-only borrowers are expected to pay debts to the Agency in accordance with their ability to pay. Efforts to collect such debts, including use of collection letters and account servicing visits, must be coordinated with other program activities. If these borrowers are unable to pay in full, appropriate debt settlement policies should be promptly applied.

(2) Envelopes addressed to collection-only borrowers will bear the legend “DO NOT FORWARD.” When an envelope is returned indicating the borrower has moved, appropriate steps will be taken to determine the borrower's correct address.

(3) Regular County Office employees are generally expected to service the collection-only caseload when it is of moderate size. State Directors may assign additional employees to County Offices having large collection-only caseloads when necessary to service such cases to a prompt conclusion. State Directors may inform the National Office of the need for employing special collection personnel in urban areas having large collection-only caseloads when employees are not available to assign to such areas.

(4) The following actions will be taken in servicing accounts owed by collection-only borrowers:

(i) District Directors will review, yearly, all collection-only cases in each County Office with the County Supervisor as early in each fiscal year as possible. They will jointly agree on the actions to take and will complete Form RD 451-27, “Review of Collection-Only Accounts.”

(ii) District Directors will establish with County Supervisors a systematic plan for collecting the accounts or initiating appropriate debt settlement actions during the year.

(iii) County Supervisors will include in their monthly calendars plans for servicing these accounts.

(iv) On visits to County Offices, District Directors will review the progress being made by County Supervisors to insure that goals will be reached.

(v) For collection-only accounts in District Offices, the State Director will review the accounts as required in paragraphs (b)(4)(i) through (b)(4)(iv) of this section and the District Director will service the account.

(c) Notifying borrowers of payments. County Supervisors will notify borrowers of the dates and amounts of payments that have been agreed on for all types of accounts. Form RD, “Reminder of Payment to be Made,” or similar form approved by the State Director, will be used. The form will not contain any language indicating that an account is delinquent. These notices will be timed to reach borrowers immediately before the receipt of the income from which the payments should be made or before the installment due date on the note, as appropriate, and may include other pertinent information such as a reference to agreements reached during the year and sources of income from which the payment was planned. Such notices need not be sent when frequent payments are scheduled and the borrower customarily makes the payments when due.

(d) Subsequent servicing. (1) When a Farmer Program borrower fails to make a payment as agreed, the County Supervisor will notify the borrower in accordance with subpart S of part 1951 of this chapter.

(2) When a borrower other than a Farmer Program borrower fails to make a payment as agreed, the County Supervisor will contact the borrower to discuss the reasons why the payment was not made and to develop specific plans, for making the payment. Form RD, “Notice of Payment Due,” may be used to notify borrowers who make payments directly to the Finance Office that their payment has not been received. Form RD 450-13, “Request for Assignment of Income From Trust Property,” may be used when other methods of loan collection fail and debt repayment is possible from trust income. In the event the borrower refuses to make the payment when income is available, or if it is determined that income will not be available to make the payment within a reasonable length of time and will not be available to make future payments, action will be taken to protect the Government's interest in accordance with applicable regulations. Followup actions of subsequent servicing will be noted on appropriate Management System Cards.

(e) Maintaining records of accounts in County Offices. Records of the accounts of Agency borrowers will be maintained in the County Office as provided in RD Instruction 1905-A (available in any Agency office).

(f) Inquiry for Multiple Family Housing (MFH) loans. Inquiry for all RRH, RCH, LH, RHS and SO loans and grants will be made through field terminals using procedures in the “MFH Users Procedures” manual or by contacting the MFH Unit in the Finance Office.

(g) Inquiry for other than Multiple Family Housing (MFH) loans. Inquiry for these loan programs will be made through field terminals using procedures in the “Automated Discrepancy Processing System (ADPS)” manuals.

(h) Loan Summary Statements. Upon request of a borrower, Rural Development issues a loan summary statement that shows the account activity for each loan made or insured under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act. The field office will post on the bulletin board a notice informing the borrower of the availability of the loan summary statement. See Exhibit A for a sample of the required notice.

(1) The loan summary statement period is from January 1 through December 31. The Finance Office forwards a copy of Form RD 1951-9, “Annual Statement of Loan Account,” to field offices to be retained in borrower files as a permanent record of borrower activity for the year.

(2) Quarterly Forms RD 1951-9 are retained in the Finance Office on microfiche. These quarterly statements reflect cumulative data from the beginning of the current year through the end of the most recent quarter. If a borrower requests a loan summary statement with data through the most recent quarter, county supervisors may request copies of these quarterly or annual statements by sending Form RD 1951-57, “Request for Loan Summary Statement,” to the Finance Office.

(3) When a loan summary statement is requested by the borrower, the field office will copy the applicable annual or quarterly Forms RD 1951-9. A copy(ies) of Form RD 1951-9 and a copy of the promissory note showing borrower installments will constitute the loan summary statement provided to the borrower.

[50 FR 45764, Nov. 1, 1985, as amended at 52 FR 11457, Apr. 9, 1987; 53 FR 35716, Sept. 14, 1988; 54 FR 10269, Mar. 13, 1989]

§ 1951.8 - Types of payments.

(a) Regular payments. Regular payments are all payments other than extra payments and refunds. Usually, regular payments are derived from farm income, as defined § 1962.4 of subpart A of part 1962 of this chapter. Regular payments also include payments derived from sources such as Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service payments (other than those referred to in paragraph (b) of this section), off-farm income, inheritances, life insurance, mineral royalties and income from mineral leases (see § 1965.17 (c) of subpart A of part 1965 of this chapter), including income from leases or bonuses. Regular payments in the case of a Section 502 RH loan to an applicant involved in a mutual self-help project will include loan funds advanced for the payment of any part of the first and second installments. All payments to the lock box facility(s) by direct payment borrowers are considered regular payments.

(b) Extra payments. Extra payments are payments derived from:

(1) Sale of chattels other than chattels which will be sold to produce farm income or real estate security, including rental or lease of real estate security of a depreciating or depleting nature.

(2) Refinancing of the real estate debt.

(3) Cash proceeds of real property insurance as provided in subpart A of part 1806 of this chapter (RD Instruction 426.1).

(4) A sale of real estate not mortgaged to the Government, pursuant to a condition of loan approval.

(5) Agricultural Conservation Program payments as provided in subpart A of part 1941 of this chapter.

(6) Transactions of a similar nature which reduce the value of security other than chattels which will be sold to produce farm income.

(c) Refunds. Refunds are payments derived from the return of unused loan or grant funds, except that the term “refunds” as used in Form 1940-17, “Promissory Note,” will be construed to mean the return of funds advanced for capital goods, when a loan is made for operating purposes.

[50 FR 45764, Nov. 1, 1985, as amended at 51 FR 4137, Feb. 3, 1986; 53 FR 35717, Sept. 14, 1988; 58 FR 52646, Oct. 12, 1993]

§ 1951.9 - Distribution of payments when a borrower owes more than one type of Agency loan.

“Distribution” means dividing a payment into parts according to the rules set out in this section. This section only applies after the County Supervisor determines the amount of proceeds that will be released for other purposes in accordance with the annual plan (Form RD 431-2, “Farm and Home Plan”) and Form RD 1962-1, “Agreement for the Use of Proceeds/Release of Chattel Security.”

(a) Distribution of regular payments. (1) When a borrower owes more than one type of Agency loan, regular payments received from each crop year's income will be distributed in accordance with the following priorities:

(i) First, to an amount equal to any advances made by RD for the crop year's living and operating expenses. If no advances were made, distribute the payment according to paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section. If the amount of the payment was greater than the amount of any advances, the excess should be distributed according to paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section.

(ii) Second, to Agency loans in proportion to the approximate amounts due on each for the year. In determining the amounts due for the year, deduct an amount equal to any advances for the year's living and operating expenses. If the amount of the payment exceeds the amount of any advances plus the amount due on each loan for the year, the excess should be distributed according to paragraph (a)(1)(iii) of this section.

(iii) Third, to Agency loans in proportion to the delinquencies existing on each. If the amount of the payment exceeds the amount of any advances plus the amount due on each loan for the year plus any delinquencies, the excess should be distributed according to paragraph (a)(1)(iv) of this section.

(iv) Fourth, as advance payments on Agency loans. In making such distribution consider the principal balance outstanding on each loan, the security position of the liens securing each loan, the borrower's request, and related circumstances.

(2) When the County Supervisor determines it is reasonable to expect that the income which will be available for payment on Agency debts will be sufficient to pay the installments scheduled for the year under the first and second priorities, collections may be distributed so as to avoid unnecessary delinquencies, and regular payments derived from rental or lease of real estate security after approval of foreclosure or voluntary conveyance will be distributed to the real estate lien of the highest priority.

(3) Payments will be distributed differently than the priorities provided in this section if accounts are out of balance or a different distribution is needed to protect the government's interest.

(4) Any income received from the sale of softwood timber on marginal land converted to the production of softwood timber must be applied on the ST loan(s).

(b) Distribution of extra payments. Extra payments will be distributed first to the Agency loan having highest priority of lien on the security from which the payment was derived. When the payment is in excess of the unpaid balance of the Rural Development lien having the highest priority, the balance of such payment will be distributed to the Rural Development loan having the next highest priority.

(c) Application of payments. After the decision is reached as to the amount of each payment that is to be distributed to the different loan types, application of the payment will be governed by §§ 1951.10 or 1951.11 of this subpart as appropriate.

[50 FR 45764, Nov. 1, 1985, as amended at 52 FR 26134, July 13, 1987; 53 FR 35717, Sept. 14, 1988]

§ 1951.10 - Application of payments on production type loan accounts.

Employees receiving payments on OL, EO, SW codes “24,” EM for subtitle B purposes, EE operating-type, and other production-type loan accounts will select, in accordance with the provisions of this section, the account(s) to which such payment will be applied. All payments on OL and EM loans approved on or before December 31, 1971, will be credited first to any administrative costs, then to noncapitalized interest, then to the amount of accrued deferred interest, and then to principal. All payments on all other loans including OL and EM loans approved after December 31, 1971, will be credited first to any administrative costs, then to noncapitalized interest, then to the amount of accrued deferred interest, then to interest accrued to the date of the payment and then to principal, in accordance with the terms of the note. This section only applies after the County Supervisor determines the amount of proceeds that will be released for other purposes in accordance with the annual plan (Form RD 431-2) and Form RD 1962-1.

(a) Rules for selection of accounts. The following rules will govern the selection of accounts and installments to which payments will be applied. As used in this section, “recoverable costs” are those which the loan agreement documents say the borrower is primarily responsible for paying and which the government can charge to the borrower's account.

(1) Payments from farm income or from assignments of income will be applied first to accounts with small balances, including recoverable costs, to remove such accounts from the records. Any balance will be applied on debts secured by the lien in the following order:

(i) To amounts due or falling due on loans made in connection with the current year's operations, except:

(A) When funds loaned for the purchase of capital goods were used to meet the current year's operating expenses, payments will be applied first to the final unpaid installments to the extent of the loan funds so used. These payments will be treated as extra payments.

(B) When installments on loans previously made fall due before the installment on the loan for the current year's operations or when such loans are delinquent and it is anticipated that sufficient income will be received to meet the installment on the current year's operations when due, collections may be applied first to installments on loans made in previous years.

(ii) To accounts having the oldest delinquencies, or if no delinquencies, to the oldest unpaid account, except that the amount available for payment on OL and EM loan accounts will be prorated between the two accounts on the basis of:

(A) The delinquent amount owed on each, or

(B) The total amount owed on each if there are no delinquencies.

(2) Non-farm income and payments derived from the sale of real estate security, will be applied to the earliest account secured by the earliest lien covering such security. The amount to be applied to principal will be applied to the final unpaid installment(s).

(3) On partial refunds of loan advances, the amount to be applied to the principal will be applied to the final unpaid installment on the note which evidences such advance; however, a refund of an advance for current farm and home expenses repayable within the year may be applied to the principal on the first unpaid installment on such note as a regular payment.

(4) Total refunds of loan advances will be applied to the notes which evidence such advances.

(5) In applying payments from sources other than those in paragraphs (a)(2), (3), and (4) of this section the borrower has the right to select the loan account or accounts on which such payments will be applied. In the absence of the borrower's selection, such payments generally will be applied in the following order:

(i) To accounts with small balances, including recoverable costs.

(ii) To accounts with the oldest unsecured note(s).

(iii) To accounts with the oldest delinquencies.

(iv) To accounts with the oldest secured note or notes.

(6) Employees receiving collections are authorized to make exceptions to paragraphs (a)(1), (2), and (6) of this section when it is necessary to apply a part of a payment to delinquent accounts to prevent the Federal Statute of Limitations from being asserted as a defense in suits on Agency claims.

(b) Payments in full. Errors of a significant amount in computation or collection will be called to the attention of the collection official by the Finance Office. The borrower's note will not be returned until the balance on the loan account is paid in full. Claims by or on behalf of the borrowers that the amounts owed have been computed incorrectly will be referred to the Finance Office.

[50 FR 45764, Nov. 1, 1985, as amended at 53 FR 35717, Sept. 14, 1988; 54 FR 46844, Nov. 8, 1989; 57 FR 18680, Apr. 30, 1992]

§ 1951.11 - Application of payments on real estate accounts.

(a) Regular payments. If a borrower owes more than one type of real estate loan, or has received initial and subsequent real estate loans on which separate accounts are maintained, payments on such accounts should be applied so as to maintain the note accounts approximately in balance at the end of the year with respect to installments due on the notes, other charges, and delinquencies.

(b) Refunds and extra payments. (1) Refunds will be applied to the note representing the loan from which the advance was made.

(2) Extra payments will be applied to the note secured by the earliest mortgage on the property from which the extra payment was obtained.

(3) Funds remaining from an RH grant or a combination loan and grant, after completion of development, will be refunded. If the borrower received a combination loan and grant, the remaining funds up to the amount of the grant are considered to be grant funds.

(c) County Office actions. (1) The collecting official will complete Form RD 451-1, “Acknowledgment of Cash Payment,” in accordance with the FMI when cash or money orders are received as a payment.

(2) The collection official will complete Form RD, “Schedule of Remittances,” in accordance with the FMI.

(d) Finance Office handling. (1) Regular payment will be handled as follows.

(i) Payments will be applied first to satisfy any administrative costs such as a charge for an uncollectible check. (The amounts of any such charges are available from any Rural Development office.)

(ii) Amounts paid on direct loan accounts will be credited to the borrower's account as of the date of Form RD 451-2 or for direct payments the date payment is received in the Finance Office, and will be applied first to a portion of any interest which accrues during the deferral period, second to interest accrued to the date received and third to principal, in accordance with the terms of the note.

(iii) Amounts paid on insured loan accounts will be credited to the borrower's account as of the date of Form RD 451-2 or for direct payments the date payment is received in the Finance Office, and will be applied in the following order:

(A) Advances from the insurance funds as shown on the latest Form RD 389-404, “Analysis of Accounts Maturing.” (If the collection is intended for final payment of the loan, or to pay the insurance account in connection with an assumption agreement, the collection will be applied first to the interest accrued on the advance to the date of the payment.)

(B) Principal advanced from the insurance fund.

(C) Unamortized costs.

(D) Amount due for amortized costs for taxes and insurance.

(E) Unpaid loan insurance charges, including the current year's charge, when applicable.

(F) First to a portion of any interest which accrues during the deferral period, second to accrued interest to the date of the payment on the note account and then to the principal balance of the note account in accordance with the terms of the note.

(2) Extra payments and refunds will be credited to the borrower's note account as of the date of Form RD 451-2 and will be applied first to a portion of any interest which accrues during the deferral period, second to interest accrued to the date of the receipt and third to principal in accordance with the terms of the note. The amount to be applied to principal will be applied to the final unpaid installment(s). Extra payments and refunds will not affect the schedule status of a borrower except indirectly in connection with the amortization of a direct loan.

(3) The Finance Office will remit final payments promptly to lenders. Other collections (regular, extra, and refunds) applied to a borrower's insured note will be accumulated until the annual installment due date, and will be remitted along with any advances from the insurance fund to the lender within 30 days after the installment due date. All payments to a lender will be credited first to interest to the date of the Treasury check and then to principal. Since the application of a payment to a borrower's account with the Government and the Government's account with a lender is of a different effective date, the balance owed by a borrower to the government and by the Government to a lender ordinarily will not be the same.

[50 FR 45764, Nov. 1, 1985, as amended at 54 FR 46845, Nov. 8, 1989]

§ 1951.12 - Changes in the application of loan payments.

(a) Authority to change payments. County Supervisors and Assistant County Supervisors are hereby authorized to approve requests for changes in the application of payments between loan accounts when payments have been applied in error and such requests conform to the policies expressed in this Subpart. However, no change will be made if the payment applied in error resulted in the payment in full of any Agency loan and the canceled note or notes have been returned to the borrower.

(b) Form RD 1951-7, “Request for Change in Application.” Requests for changes in application of payments will be made on Form RD 1951-7. For requests which County Supervisors or Assistant County Supervisors are authorized to approve, the County Supervisor or Assistant County Supervisor will sign the original of Form RD 1951-7 and forward it to the Finance Office. The Finance Office will send Form RD 451-26 to the County Office when the change is made on Finance Office records.

(c) Changes by the Finance Office in application of remittances. (1) When reapplication of collection is made by the Finance Office Form RD 451-8, “Journal Voucher for Loan Account Adjustments,” will be prepared. Form RD 451-26 will be forwarded to the County Office to show the reapplication.

(2) When necessary, the Finance Office will correct Form RD 451-2 as prepared by the County Office.

[50 FR 45764, Nov. 1, 1985, as amended at 54 FR 18883, May 3, 1989]

§ 1951.13 - Overpayments and refunds.

(a) The Finance Office will mail any overpayment refund check to the County Supervisor, who will verify that the refund is due before delivering the check.

(b) Borrower requests for overpayment refunds must be in writing. Borrowers will be discouraged from requesting refunds when the County Office records show that a refund is not due, however, the County Supervisor will forward any request to the Finance Office. Finance Office computations will control in determining the amount of any refund.

(c) Underpayments or overpayments of less than $10 will not be collected or refunded (except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section) since the expense of processing the action would be more than the amount involved.

§ 1951.14 - Recoverable and nonrecoverable cost charges.

(a) The County Supervisor will:

(1) Prepare vouchers for recoverable and nonrecoverable cost charges according to the applicable instruction for the type of advance being made. (“Recoverable costs” is defined in § 1951.10(a) of this subpart).

(2) If a recoverable cost, show on the voucher the fund code to which the advance is to be charged.

(3) If the cost item relates to security for more than one type of account, show the code for the loan secured by the earliest promissory note (if lien secures more than one note).

(b) The Finance Office will forward Form RD 451-26, to the County Office when the recoverable cost charge is processed.

§ 1951.15 - Return of paid-in-full or satisfied notes to borrower.

(a) Notes not held in County Office. When the original of the note is not held in the County Office the County Supervisor will request the Finance Office to acquire and forward the note to the County Office.

(b) Return of notes after collection. When a note (or loan-type account) evidencing an OL, EM, EE, EO, special livestock (SL), SW loan coded “24”, or other production-type loan has been satisfied by payment in full, the County Supervisor will examine the borrower's records in the County Office and determine that the account has been satisfied before delivering the note to the borrower (See § 1962.27 of subpart A of part 1962 on the satisfaction of chattel security instruments). The note(s) will be returned to the borrower immediately except that:

(1) When the final payment is made in a form other than currency and coin, Treasury check, cashier's check, certified check, Postal or bank money order, bank draft, or a check issued by a responsible lending institution or a responsible title insurance or title and trust company, the note or notes will not be surrendered until 30 days after the date of final payment, and

(2) When notes are needed in making marginal releases or satisfactions or security instruments, the notes will be held until the instruments are satisfied.

(c) Surrender of notes to effect collection. (1) County Supervisors are authorized to surrender notes to borrowers when final payment of the amount due is made in the form of currency and coin, Treasury check, cashier's check, certified check, Postal or bank money order, bank draft, or a check issued by a responsible lending institution or a responsible title insurance or title trust company.

(2) The amount due on the note(s) to be surrendered will be confirmed with the Finance Office. County Supervisors will request the original note(s) from the Finance Office if it is not in the County Office.

(d) Return of notes reduced to judgment. Notes which have been reduced to judgment are a part of the court records and ordinarily cannot be withdrawn and returned to the borrower even after satisfaction of the judgment. Therefore, no effort will be made to obtain and return such notes except on the written request of the judgment debtor or debtor's attorney. Such requests will be referred to the Office of the General Counsel (OGC).

(e) Debt settlement case. See subparts B or C of part 1956 of this chapter for the handling of notes in debt settlement cases.

(f) Lost notes. (1) All promissory notes dated on or after 11-1-73 are held in the County Office. A few notes (with the exception of OL notes) are still held by investors. If a note dated prior to 11-1-73 cannot be located in the County Office and it is needed for servicing the case, the County Supervisor will write a memorandum to the Finance Office explaining why the note is needed. The request should give the name and case number of the borrower, date and original amount of the loan, type of loan and loan code.

(2) If a promissory note is lost in the County Office and it is needed for servicing a case, the State Director may authorize the County Supervisor to execute an appropriate affidavit regarding the lost note. The form of such an affidavit will be provided by OGC.

[50 FR 45764, Nov. 1, 1985, as amended at 51 FR 45432, Dec. 18, 1986; 53 FR 13100, Apr. 21, 1988; 56 FR 10147, Mar. 11, 1991]

§ 1951.16 - Other servicing actions on real estate type loan accounts.

(a) Installment on note and other charges—(1) Direct loan accounts. For a borrower with a direct loan, the term “installation on note and other charges,” as used in this Subpart, will be the sum of the following:

(i) Annual installment for the year as provided in the promissory note(s).

(ii) Any recoverable cost charges paid for the borrower during the year. (“Recoverable costs” is defined in § 1951.10(a) of this Subpart.)

(2) Insured loan accounts. “Loan insurance charge” means a separate insurance charge applying to FO and SW insured loans evidenced by promissory note forms bearing a form date before January 8, 1959. For all insured loans evidenced by note forms bearing a form date of January 8, 1959, or later, the insurance charge is called “annual charge” and is included in the interest position of the annual installment in the note. For a borrower with an insured loan, the term “Installment on note and other charge” means the sum of the following:

(i) Annual installment for the year as provided in the promissory note.

(ii) Amounts owed the Agricultural Credit Insurance Fund. These amounts are covered by the general term “Insurance Account” and consist of the following:

(A) Unpaid loan insurance charges from prior years.

(B) Loan insurance charge for the current year. The loan insurance charge is computed on the basis of the amount of the unpaid principal obligation as of the installment due date and is due and payable on or before the next installment due date.

(C) Any unpaid balance on advances from the insurance fund, including any recoverable cost charges paid for the borrower during the year.

(D) Any accrued interest on advances from the insurance fund.

(iii) The amounts owned on the insurance account must be paid by regular payments each year whether or not the note account is ahead of schedule.

(b) Schedule status. For direct and insured loans, a borrower will be on schedule when the sum of regular payments through the last preceding due date of the note equals the sum of installments on the note and other charges due through the same date. Such a borrower will be ahead of schedule or behind schedule when the sum of such regular payments is larger or smaller, respectively, than the sum of such installments on the note and other charges.

(c) Real estate payments. A borrower may make regular payments ahead of schedule at any time and use them later to forego payments or to supplement the amount available during any year for payment on the annual installment on the note and other charges. Refunds and extra payments will not be used in this way.

§§ 1951.17-1951.24 - §[Reserved]

§ 1951.25 - Review of limited resource FO, OL, and SW loans.

(a) Frequency of reviews. OL, FO, and SW loans will be reviewed each year at the time the analysis is conducted in accordance with subpart B of part 1924 of this chapter and any time a servicing action such as consolidation, rescheduling, reamortization or deferral is taken. The interest rate may not be changed more often than quarterly.

(b) Method of review. (1) Each loan will be considered on its own merit.

(2) The County Supervisor should consider:

(i) The borrower's income and repayment record during the preceding years;

(ii) The projections shown on the most recent Farm and Home Plan or other similar plan or operation acceptable to RD, in light of the previous year's projected figures and actual figures; (See subpart B of part 1924 of this chapter)

(iii) Whether improved production practices have been or need to be implemented;

(iv) The borrower's progress as a farmer; and

(v) All other factors which the County Supervisor believes should be considered.

(3) The Farm and Home Plan projections for the coming year must show that the “balance available to pay debts” exceeds the amount needed to pay debts by at least 10 percent before an increase in interest rate is put into effect. Borrowers that continually purchase unplanned items without the County Supervisor's approval will have the interest rate on their loans increased to the current rate for that loan type. Borrowers that fail to provide the County Supervisor with the information needed to conduct the analysis required in subpart B of part 1924 of this chapter will have their interest rate on their loan increased to the current rate for the OL, FO, or SW loan as applicable. The rate may increase in increments of whole numbers to the current regular interest rate for borrowers. In the borrower's case file, the County Supervisor must document the unplanned purchases and the failure to provide information in a timely manner. The County Supervisor must write the borrower a letter which sets out the facts documented in the case file and advises the borrower that the interest rate will be increased unless the unplanned purchases cease or unless the borrower provides information in a timely manner. Whenever it appears that the borrower has a substantial increase in income and repayment ability or ceases farming, either the interest rate may be increased to the current rate for FO, OL or SW loans, as applicable, or the borrower will be graduated from the program as provided in subpart F of this part.

(4) The County Office will be responsible for scheduling and completing the reviews.

(5) Borrowers who have received a deferral under Subpart S of this part will not have the interest rate increased on their limited resource loans during the deferral period.

(c) Processing. (1) If, after the review, the interest rate is to remain the same, no further action needs to be taken.

(2) When the interest rate is increased to the current rate, the loan will be recorded as a regular loan and will no longer be considered a limited resource loan. The borrower must be notified in writing at least 30 days prior to the date of the change. Exhibit B of this subpart may be used as a guide. The effective date of the change in interest rate will be the effective date on Exhibit B. The borrower must be informed of the following for each loan:

(i) The authorization for the change,

(ii) Reason for change (repayment ability, etc.),

(iii) The effective date and rate of the increase in interest,

(iv) Amount of the new installments and dates due,

(v) Right to appeal.

(3) It is not necessary to obtain a new promissory note for this change in interest rate.

[50 FR 45764, Nov. 1, 1985, as amended at 53 FR 35717, Sept. 14, 1988; 56 FR 3395, Jan. 30, 1991; 58 FR 15074, Mar. 19, 1993]

§§ 1951.26-1951.49 - §[Reserved]

§ 1951.50 - OMB control number.

The collection of information requirements in Subpart A of part 1951 have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget and assigned OMB control number 0575-0075.

[52 FR 26137, July 13, 1987]

Appendix - Exhibit A to Subpart A of Part 1951—Notice to Agency Borrowers

Agency borrowers with community program loan types made under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act may request a loan summary statement which shows the calendar year account activity for each loan. Interested borrowers may request these statements through their local Rural Development office.

[80 FR 9891, Feb. 24, 2015]

Appendix - Exhibit B to Subpart A of Part 1951—Notice of Change in Interest Rate

(insert date) Notice of Change in Interest Rate

(insert borrower's address)

Re: □ □

Fund code

□ □

Loan number

□ □

Kind code

Dear (insert borrower's name and case number): Your promissory note dated ______, for the original amount of ______ dollars ($______) provides for a change in interest rate for a limited resource loan in accordance with the Farmers Home Administration or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 regulations.

Effective (insert date) the interest rate on this loan will be ____ percent ( %) on the unpaid principal balance. Your installment due January 1, 19 , will be ______ dollars ($______). This change in interest rate is for the reason indicated below.

□ Increase in repayment ability as per Farm and Home Plan dated ______.

□ (insert reason if other than above for increase in interest rate).

You may appeal this action by writing to (hearing officer), (address), within 30 calendar days of the date of this letter, giving the reason why you believe this matter should be decided differently. This time may be extended if you cannot notify the hearing officer within 30 days for reasons beyond your control.

[56 FR 3396, Jan. 30, 1991]