Definition of "Truth-in-savings act"

Act passed by Congress in 1991, the purpose of which is to make it easier for consumers to compare deposit accounts among savings institutions (SI). Some of the act's more important provisions include: SI must pay interest on the full amount of a depositor's balance; SI must use a standardized formula for computing the annual percentage yield (APY). The APY is based on the interest rate and the method of compounding that interest; SI must disclose all fees imposed on checking, savings, money market, or Super NOW accounts as well as any other terms or restrictions. These disclosures are required before the account is opened, before automatic renewals, or upon the request of the savings customer. The savings institution must inform current savings account customers of the availability of the disclosures and include these disclosures with the savings customer's regular account statement; and SI must be in compliance with standardized rules concerning their promotional activities for advertising. All solicitations (whether in print, TV, radio, etc.) for savings deposits must state in a clear and conspicuous manner: annual percentage yield; period of time that the yield is in effect; minimum account balance required to earn the yield; minimum time period required to earn the yield; minimum amount required to open the account; interest penalty is required for early withdrawals; and the fact that fees may result in the reduction of the Annual Percentage Yield.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

The space created between the total death benefit and the cash value of a universal life insurance policy. An automatic increase in the death benefit results when the cash value approaches ...

Utilization of life insurance to make annual gifts into a trust in order to produce the largest tax-free death benefit possible to the trust beneficiaries. ...

Policy that pays a specified sum not related in any way to the extent of the loss. The term applies to a life insurance policy rather than to a contract of indemnity because the former does ...

Assembly of people formed only for obtaining group insurance. Such a group is uninsurable and violates underwriting principles concerning group insurance. ...

Subrogation clauses are used in both the real estate and insurance industries to follow lawful claims against a third party that damaged the property of the insured. If we encounter a ...

Specified limit on the dollar amount of coverage for a given loss. ...

Ratio commonly used by the property and casualty insurance industry as a measure of financial strength or to indicate to what degree a particular insurance company is leveraged. A low ratio ...

Provides the same coverage as a comprehensive personal liability insurance policy, plus coverage to exposures that are peculiar to farms, such as farm business operations, farm employees ...

Same as term Debit Insurance: life insurance on which a premium is collected on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis, usually at the home of a policyholder. The face value of the policy is ...

Popular Insurance Questions