OCC Bulletin 2019-13 | March 15, 2019

Recovery Planning: Updated Comptroller's Handbook Booklet and Rescissions

To

Chief Executive Officers of All National Banks, Federal Savings Associations, and Federal Branches and Agencies of Foreign Banking Organizations; Department and Division Heads; All Examining Personnel; and Other Interested Parties

Summary

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) issued today the "Recovery Planning" booklet of the Comptroller's Handbook. The booklet explains effective recovery planning pursuant to 12 CFR 30, appendix E, "OCC Guidelines Establishing Standards for Recovery Planning by Certain Large Insured National Banks, Insured Federal Savings Associations, and Insured Federal Branches." This updated booklet replaces a similarly titled booklet issued in April 2018.

Updates are summarized in the "Table of Updates Since Publication" in the back of the booklet. Refer to the "Foreword" booklet of the Comptroller's Handbook for more information regarding the OCC's process for updating booklets.

Rescissions

With the issuance of this booklet, the following documents are rescinded:

Version 1.0 of the "Recovery Planning" booklet issued on April 26, 2018.
OCC Bulletin 2018-9, "Recovery Planning: New Comptroller's Handbook Booklet."

Note for Community Banks

The "Recovery Planning" booklet only applies to covered banks. A covered bank means any bank with average total consolidated assets

equal to or greater than $250 billion;
less than $250 billion if the bank was previously a covered bank, unless the OCC determines otherwise; or
less than $250 billion if the OCC determines that the bank is highly complex or otherwise presents a heightened risk as to warrant the application of the recovery planning guidelines pursuant to paragraph 1.C.1.a of 12 CFR 30, appendix E.

Highlights

This booklet provides

questions and answers, examples, and other examiner guidance related to 12 CFR 30, appendix E.
examination procedures for examiners.

The updates to the booklet incorporate revisions to the enforceable guidelines relating to recovery planning standards for covered national banks, federal savings associations, and federal branches,¹ which

increase the average total consolidated assets threshold for applying the guidelines to banks from $50 billion to $250 billion.
decrease from 18 months to 12 months the time within which a bank should comply with the guidelines after the bank first becomes subject to the guidelines.

The OCC amended its enforceable guidelines relating to recovery planning standards on December 27, 2018, to limit the application of the guidelines to the largest, most complex banks and thereby provide regulatory burden relief to smaller, less complex banks.

Further Information

Contact Judi McCormick, Governance and Operational Risk Policy analyst, at (202) 649-6550.

Grovetta N. Gardineer
Senior Deputy Comptroller for Bank Supervision Policy