International Remittances

Transparency and fair pricing are key pillars of a state financial services market that works for customers and businesses — we are working to ensure that those pillars are consistently and fairly applied when Texans wire money abroad. Texas Appleseed is a leader in advocating for the public’s right to know the true cost of wiring money — and is a catalyst for reforming remittance laws at the state and federal level.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Adopts Final Rules Ensuring Transparency in International Remittance Transactions. In October of 2013, the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau adopted final rules to create fair and consistent practices in the international remittances market. The protections were informed in part by the 2003 Texas remittance transparency law and by market research conducted by Texas Appleseed, in partnership with our national Appleseed office and other Appleseed centers around the country. The new rules include required pricing and exchange rate disclosures, disclosure of when the funds will be available for pick-up, a right to rescind, and a new complaints resolution process.
  • International Remittance Standards Signed into Law as Part of Dodd-Frank Reforms. In 2010, the US Congress passed into law new basic standards for international remittances under the Dodd-Frank financial reform. The new law directs the newly formed Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to adopt rules ensuring fairness and transparency in international remittance markets. Texas and national Appleseed research informed the new legal standards for international remittances.
  • Texas Adopts Remittance Transparency Law. In 2003, Texas was among the first states to adopt basic transparency standards for international remittances. The law includes disclosures of the transaction pricing and a right to rescind the transaction within a designated time-period. Texas Appleseed provided key research and data that informed the policies included in this law.

OUR IMPACT

  • U.S. families who send money oversees are now protected with remittance rules, assuring they know the true cost of sending the money and have full disclosures.

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STORIES OF OUR WORK

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