Moving to the New URLA

August 19, 2020

A redesigned version of the Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA), also known as the Fannie Mae form 1003 or the Freddie Mac form 65, is replacing the 2009 version of the URLA effective March 1, 2021. In addition, a new corresponding MISMO v3.4 dataset a.k.a. the Uniform Loan Application Dataset (ULAD) is also being introduced in conjunction with this newly designed URLA. The URLA is required for lenders to originate loans eligible for sale on the secondary market and to satisfy the safe harbor requirements of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA).

The redesigned 2020 URLA makes it easier for lenders to collect information required by the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) and to incorporate additional application information identified under the URLA/ULAD initiative. The output form has a similar look and feel to the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure forms implemented in 2015 and was designed to provide a better experience for borrowers by providing clear instructions in language that is easy to understand.

Our goal is to ensure that our customers and our software are ready for the upcoming changes. While we cannot advise you on how to manage compliance in your own organization, we can help ensure that you have the tools and resources you need to be ready when the revised regulation takes effect.

Starting with the 20.1 August 2020 Service Pack release, URLA 2020 loan submissions are being supported on Encompass Developer Connect. Loan submissions to GSE-specific AUS production environments using the new URLA 2020 output forms are currently scheduled for January 1, 2021, with a mandatory usage date of March 1, 2021.

New APIs are being leveraged for the integrations between Encompass and the GSE’s applications including DU, DO, EarlyCheck and LPA. These APIs are used for both loans subject to the new URLA as well as loans still using the old URLA after release of the new APIs.

• ULAD is the data set released by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to support the new URLA
• The URLA has migrated to a dynamic data structure – which has resulted in new repeatable segments to capture items previously limited to 1-2 static entries on the form (Other Income, Other Assets, Other Liabilities, Gifts and Grants)
• The ULAD is in MISMO 3.4 format and retires the usage of the static DU 3.2 file for loans originated on the new URLA

Managing URLA Version

Instance Level##

You can use this API to retrieve the instance level settings to indicate the default URLA Version indicator for all new loans created in the instance.

GET /v3/settings/policies/urla

{ 
"urla2020Indicator" : true, // URLA2020 flag 
"urla2020EffectiveDate": "string", (date) // Indicates the date that URLA 2020 will be enabled, if urla2020Indicator is set to true
}

Identifying the URLA Version of a Loan##

Field ID 1825/ loan.print2003Application attribute in the loan object can be used to identify whether a loan file was created with the new URLA (2020) or existing URLA (2009).

Behavior of Field ID 1825 (print2003Application) Based on URLA 2020 Effective Date Settings:

I. Create loan API:

Based on the urla2020EffectiveDate configured in the Settings:

• If the date is in the past, all loans created will be URLA 2020 loans. (Field ID 1825/ loan.print2003Application = 2020)
• If the date is set to a future date, URLA 2020 will be enabled as of that date, but currently, URLA 2009 is in use by default. (Field ID 1825/ loan.print2003Application = 2009)

You can explicitly create an URLA 2009 or URLA 2020 loan by passing this as part of the Create Loan API Request payload:

{ 
 “print2003Application” : “string” // “2009”| “2020” 
}

II. API to switch the URLA Version of the loan
PATCH /v3/loans/{loanId}/urlaVersion

{ 
 	"print2003Application" :  “2020”
}

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NOTE:

We only guarantee the accurate conversion of data and calculations if the URLA version of the loan is being upgraded -  from URLA 2009 to 2020. We do not guarantee the accuracy of the loan if it is downgraded - from URLA 2020 to 2009. We recommend using this API as the "URLA Switch" API since the impact of switching this on the loan is extensive, and we handle those changes effectively in this API. However, this is not recommended. We advice that the URLA version on the loan must not be changed after it has been created.

Testing Without an Encompass Test Instance

If you do not have an Encompass test instance and will be testing in your Production environment, we recommended creating an URLA 2020 loan that can be accessed by users testing the application.

To Set Up a Test Loan

1. In Encompass, set up a loan folder for tracking the URLA 2020 test applications. Make sure the users have access to this loan Folder. For more information on how to set up a loan folder, see the Loan Folder Setup Encompass online help topic.

2. Through Developer Connect API (V1 or V3), explicitly create a new URLA 2020 loan, by passing this in the V1/ V3 Create Loan API payload:
   {
   “print2003Application” : “2020”
   }

3. You can now manage that loan using V1 or V3 APIs that are available on Developer Connect.

Import/Export MISMO 3.4 Loan File

Importing a MISMO 3.4 file to Create a new loan is a two-step process:

1. The V3 Converter API converts a MISMO 3.4 file to create a loan object
2. The V3 Create Loan API can be used to create the loan using the loan Object returned in Step 1.

Importing a MISMO 3.4 File to update an existing loan

The V3 Importer API imports a MISMO 3.4 file to update an existing loan.

Exporting a loan to a MISMO 3.4 file##

This will be available in a future release.

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NOTE:

For more information, see DU/LPA MISMO 3.4 ULAD Mapping Guide.
(You need to log into the ICE Mortgage Technology Resource Center to access this mapping guide.)

Best Practices

At this time, URLA 2020 is available for testing purposes only. We recommend testing URLA 2020 workflows on your dedicated Encompass test instance. If you do not have an Encompass test instance, see the information in Testing without an Encompass Test Instance, above. If you are not sure if you have an Encompass test instance, contact your ICE Mortgage Technology Relationship Manager.

Persona Controls##

• Limit access to test population and review the persona controls to plan for who will have access to URLA 2020.
• Start in your test environment.

Loan Application Version / Toggle##

• Toggling from URLA 2020 to URLA 2009 will not migrate or overwrite old data structures.
• Toggling from URLA 2009 to 2020 will overwrite 2020 fields. Multiple changes and toggles can delete data based on interaction between the two formats.
• Use parallel loan files for parallel testing rather than toggle.

Operational Issues to Consider When Converting Loans to URLA 2020

Eventually your company will select a date when using the URLA 2020 version is mandatory for new loans. All loans created on or after the implementation date use the URLA 2020 format. Existing loans will retain the URLA 2009 form format after the conversion date unless your company decides to convert those loans.

Issues to consider before migrating URLA 2009 loan applications to the URLA 2020 form:##

• Review your URLA 2009 loan application workflows to understand the impact of the new and changed options for verifications and other URLA 2020 form fields. Determine how this will affect your company’s business rules and integrations.
• Review the use of Other for existing loan entries that do not match new options in the URLA 2020 verification input forms.
• Some VODs may become VOOAs
• Documenting REOs
• Other assets
• MISMO 3.4 import

API Changes and Enhancements

Impacted (Existing) APIs: v1##

The following v1 APIs now support the URLA 2020 updates:

Loan Management

• Create Loan
• Update Loan
• Get Loan

Loan Borrower Pairs

• Create Borrower Pair
• Update Borrower Pair
• Get Borrower Pair
• Move Borrower Pair

Loan: Schema

• Get Loan Schema
• Get Field Schema
• Path Generator
• Contract Generator

Loan: Pipeline

• Get Canonical Names
• View Pipeline

New APIs: v3##

The following v3 APIs are impacted by the URLA 2020 updates:

Loan Management

• Create Loan
• Update Loan
• Get Loan
• Switch URLA Version of the loan

Loan: Schema

• Get Loan Schema
• Get Field Schema

Loan: Pipeline

• Query Pipeline
• Get Canonical Fields

Loan: MISMO 3.4 Support##

• Convert a MISMO 3.4 File to V3 Loan Object to Create Loan
• Import a MISMO 3.4 File to Update an existing Loan

New Collections and Fields

Verification Input Forms Used to Populate Content Dynamically##

To accommodate the areas that now allow multiple entries, new and existing verification input forms are being used to add records for employment and income, other income, assets, liabilities, real estate owned, existing mortgages, and gifts and grants that are dynamically added when generating the URLA 2020 output forms. As many as 99 entries can now be created and dynamically generated for inclusion on the URLA 2020 output form. A series of pop-up windows enable easy access to the verification records from the URLA 2020 input forms. The way some verification records are categorized has changed with the URLA 2020 version of the forms, and some URLA 2009 entries will be listed under different categories on the URLA 2020 forms. Detailed instructions on how to use these verification forms is provided later in this guide. As in previous versions of the loan application, the system will support capture of several individual entries for each section on the URLA input forms. The verifications can be used both to view all associated records and to add more records as needed.

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NOTE:

Review your custom forms, reports, and business rules based on the new URLA 2020 verification-based workflow.

Five new verification input forms enable data entry for multiple assets and liabilities that will be populated to the new dynamically generated output form. Pop-up windows for the verification input forms are accessible via buttons on the URLA input forms for easy data entry:

• Verification of Additional Loans (VOAL) – Encompass supports multiple other mortgage loan records through a new Verification of Additional Loans (VOAL) input form. Each VOAL record can indicate whether the borrower, co-borrower, or both are on the additional loan, source of the loan, and additional information about the nature of the additional loan (e.g., closed end or HELOC, lien position, monthly payment etc.). These records should be leveraged to capture additional financing that is being closed concurrently with the loan but that is not already linked through use of the Piggyback Loans tool.
• Verification of Gifts and Grants (VOGG) – Encompass supports multiple other gifts and grants records through a new Verification of Gifts and Grants (VOGG) feature. Each VOGG record indicates whether the borrower, co-borrower, or both receive the gift or grant, source of the gift or grant, and additional information about the nature of the gift or grant (e.g., deposited or not).
• Verification of Other Assets (VOOA) – Encompass now supports multiple other (non-depository) asset records per borrower through a new Verification of Other Assets (VOOA) input form. Each VOOA record indicates whether the borrower, co-borrower, or both hold the asset, and a description, source, and amount for the asset.
• Verification of Other Income (VOOI) – Multiple other sources of income are supported through a new Verification of Other Income (VOOI) input form. Each verification record can specify which borrower receives the income, the source of the income, and the monthly amount.
• Verification of Other Liability (VOOL) – Encompass now supports multiple other liability and expense records per borrower through a new Verification of Other Liabilities (VOOL) input forms. These include items not covered under the Verification of Liabilities records, for example alimony, child support, separate maintenance, and job-related expenses. Each VOOL record indicates the source, description, and amount, and whether the borrower, co-borrower, or both hold the liability.

Additionally, existing verification input forms in Encompass have been updated to adjust for the URLA data requirements. The updated versions of the verification forms display additional data points for loans that are using URLA 2020 forms, while retaining existing views for loans using the URLA 2009 forms.

• Verification of Employment (VOE) – All borrower employment income is now captured via Verification of Employment (VOE) entries. Military entitlements, which were previously captured as Other Income, are now recorded in Verification of Employment entries and are included in the gross income for the verification. Check boxes now enable disclosure of a borrower relationship to parties within the transaction or an ownership share in a business if they are self-employed or a business owner.
• Verification of Residence (VOR) – Encompass continues to support multiple housing records via Verification of Residence (VOR) entries. New component address fields have been added to record a borrower’s street address, unit type, and unit number. Additionally, new fields have been added to record the amount of monthly rent paid by the borrower when applicable.
• Verification of Deposit (VOD) – Encompass continues to support multiple asset account records for deposited accounts for the borrower, co-borrower, or both through the existing Verification of Deposit (VOD) input form. Non-depository assets are recorded in the new Verification of Other Assets (VOOA) form.
• Verification of Liabilities (VOL) – Encompass continues to support multiple records of liabilities per borrower through the existing Verification of Liabilities (VOL) feature. This includes liabilities from the credit report (for example credit cards, other debts, and leases) except for mortgages and HELOCs.
• Verification of Mortgage (VOM) – Encompass continues to support multiple Real Estate Owned records per borrower through the existing Verification of Mortgage (VOM) feature. New fields indicate when the REO does not have associated mortgage liabilities. A new Link Liabilities feature can be used to associate each Mortgage Liability to the specific REO for the liability. A VOM entry can now be uniquely associated to a borrower or co-borrower.

Mapping of URLA 2020 Fields to the Loan Object

A mapping guide with the json path for all the fields in V1 and V3 will be available soon for your reference when building your URLA 2020 applications.

Contact

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