If a bank increases the principal balance of a loan due to attorney fees or delinquent taxes (paid by the bank) that are charged back to the loan, does that trigger a MIRE event (due to the principal balance being increased)? Thanks!

No

A good thread to read through on something similar:

https://www.bankersonline.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2053646/Re:_Force_Placing_insurance

Thanks NSF!

Is it a triggering event then when premiums for hazard (fire & wind) insurance purchased by the bank are added to the loan balance?

It shouldn't be, but the FDIC has the opinion that it is. This is something we have discussed at length here. If you search "MIRE" and/or "Force Placed" you should be able to find the discussion. I wrote letters to the FDIC that went up to the D.C. level on this. I copied them to the BOL discussion as well as updated the responses I received. Last, our company has written 2 position papers on this topic for our monthly newsletter and I posted them to the BOL discussion. The ABA also released an opinion in April 2016 on this issue.

Find and read that previous BOL discussion and then let us know if you have any follow up questions.