FHFA mandates use of supplemental information form

The Federal Housing Finance Agency has announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) will require lenders to use the Supplemental Consumer Information Form (SCIF) as part of the application process for loans that will be sold to the Enterprises. The purpose of the SCIF is to collect information about the borrower's language preference, if any, and on any homebuyer education or housing counseling the borrower received, so lenders can better understand borrower needs during the home buying process.

Specifically, the Enterprises will require lenders to present the SCIF questions to borrowers and to report any data collected from the SCIF to the Enterprise purchasing the loan. Lenders will be required to adopt these changes and reporting requirements for loans with application dates on or after March 1, 2023. Response by borrowers to the preferred language question in the SCIF will remain voluntary.

The SCIF will be available on FHFA's Mortgage Translations page later this summer.