Input the volume and time spent on activities within your AML compliance program and get a rough estimate of how many individuals are needed to ensure adequate coverage for all duties.
Regulatory expectations around BSA/AML/OFAC compliance programs continue to increase with no relief in sight. Smaller institutions are not exempt from these pressures, contrary to what some senior management may believe, yet financial institutions are searching for new and more efficient ways to identify and report suspicious behavior. FinCEN’s requirements for a healthy culture of compliance provide valuable talking points when discussing AML automation with your leadership and board. This whitepaper is intended to assist BSA compliance professionals at smaller, less complex institutions make a case for automation by highlighting FinCEN’s opinion on what makes a healthy culture of compliance, enforcement actions against other community financial institutions, and the inefficiencies and deficiencies of a manual monitoring program.
In this guide, you will learn:
- Key factors to maintaining AML compliance
- Shortcomings of manual BSA/AML programs
- How auditors treat small community financial institutions
- How to start automating your BSA/AML program
When it comes to transitioning to the current expected credit loss (CECL) model, some financial institutions are seeking a partner to aid with this regulatory change. Process outsourcing can help banks and credit unions focus on growth and investment in their communities. While there are many benefits to outsourcing the CECL calculation, it’s crucial to properly evaluate the right partner for your institution. This guide provides important factors and best practices when considering a process outsourcing partner for CECL.
Download to learn:
- Risk and business considerations when evaluating a vendor
- Factors to help determine the defensibility a vendor can provide
- How to evaluate the engagement pattern with a potential partner
Now that CECL calculations are complete or nearing completion, what’s next? It is considered best practice to conduct model validations or have alternate controls to address the model validation control risks. Model validation identifies the weaknesses and limitations of a model for consideration as the model outputs are utilized. This guide covers the four core elements of an effective CECL model validation.
Download to learn:
- Who should perform model validations
- What model inputs will be examined
- How calculations of the model are examined
- Components of the outcomes analysis
A 7-Step Guide to Vendor Selection
Software, and the automation it provides, can allow financial institutions to scale and manage risk more efficiently, yet the process of buying new software is infrequent for many banks and credit unions.
This guide presents seven steps for evaluating software options and vendors, including many of the components of regulatory guidance on third-party relationships.
See specific guides for:
Best practices to build and update your policies
A loan policy is a critical part of lending that ensures the bank or credit union operates within its prescribed risk tolerances. In today’s competitive and fast-changing lending landscape, an up-to-date loan policy may be more important than ever to properly reflect the institution’s particular needs and goals while allowing some flexibility to remain effective.
Although each institution’s process will differ slightly, the best practices outlined in this loan policy guide will enable your financial institution to understand and build an effective loan policy.
Check out other loan policy resources:
- Webinar – Fortify Your Loan Policy to Effectively Manage Credit Risk
- Blog – Create and Maintain an Effective Loan Policy
Over the next few years, financial statements provided by customers could include stimulus proceeds that overstate their ability to make their loan payments. While stimulus programs were intended to keep business viable during the pandemic, some industry segments thrived and could use the funds received to reduce debt or bolster their cash position.
Understanding how to dissect the financial statements that you receive will be critical when assigning credit risk going forward. Below is quick guide to help you determine how to include some of the different stimulus programs that were offered during the pandemic.
Check out other credit analysis resources:
- Commercial Credit Analysis Checklist: Common Missteps and How to Avoid
- On-Demand Webinar: Taking the Stimulus Out of Credit Analysis
While providing financial services to cannabis-related businesses (CRBs) can be risky, it can also be advantageous. There is a substantial need for financial services by the cannabis industry, and there is a significant opportunity for banks and credit unions who choose to work with CRBs. It requires financial institutions to understand the industry’s nuances, closely monitor ongoing guidance and regulation changes, adequately safeguard the institution, and train staff accordingly. Even if cannabis is not legal in the financial institution’s state, customers in neighboring states still pose a risk. As more states continue legalizing cannabis, the onus is on financial institutions to complete thorough due diligence and know the members that cross state lines for services.
Ultimately, it is at the discretion of each financial institution on how they want to handle banking these businesses, knowing the state and federal laws. Understand the risks and learn how to stay compliant while banking CRBs.
Download this whitepaper to learn:
- Distinctions between the terms cannabis, marijuana, and hemp
- Six key areas related to CRBs to consider in your risk assessments
- How to stay compliant, should your financial institution decide to engage in relationships with CRBs
Providing financial services to cannabis-related businesses can feel like navigating through a haze of constantly changing regulations. View on our-demand webinar, Navigating Regulatory Haze: Banking Cannabis-Related Businesses and Managing Risk for additional insight on how to manage regulatory compliance and maintain a risk-based program.
The ag economy has changed drastically during COVID. Many ag borrowers bolstered their financial position, benefiting from stimulus programs, higher commodity prices, and stronger-than expected yields. What should ag lenders expect ahead? What are top-of-mind concerns for ag producers and ag lenders?
Download to learn:
- The greatest overall concern facing ag lenders
- How loan demand is expected to progress
- Specific areas to keep an eye on as a financial institution
Check out other ag lender resources:
Learn how to navigate mergers/acquisitions and AML compliance.
Mergers and acquisitions (M & A) are alive and well in the financial services industry. With institution consolidations on the rise, it’s essential to conduct proper due diligence. A compliant Anti-Money Laundering (AML) program can determine the success of a merger or acquisition. When two financial institutions come together, each AML and fraud compliance function will need to be consolidated. Integrating programs creates challenges for Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) Officers responsible for developing an integration plan while ensuring ongoing compliance with existing day-to-day tasks. In this whitepaper, discover why a compliant BSA/AML program is important in the consolidation of institutions. Understanding the mission-critical analysis, best practices, and risks of BSA/AML compliance – no matter what side of the transaction you are on – can determine the success of the transaction and assist in avoiding penalties.
Download this whitepaper to learn:
- The current outlook on financial institution M & A for 2022
- Critical steps to consider when developing a consolidation plan and making decisions around how to build your combined AML compliance team
- How compliance professionals are positioned to protect and prepare the institution for any potential risk the consolidation brings
If M&A seems daunting, or if you are short-staffed, Abrigo Advisory Services can help. Learn more about how we can assist during this transition.