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12 C.F.R. § 712.4   What must an FCU and a CUSO do to maintain separate corporate identities?

Title 12 - Banks and Banking

Title 12: Banks and Banking
PART 712—CREDIT UNION SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS (CUSOs)

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§ 712.4   What must an FCU and a CUSO do to maintain separate corporate identities?

(a) Corporate separateness. An FCU and a CUSO must be operated in a manner that demonstrates to the public the separate corporate existence of the FCU and the CUSO. Good business practices dictate that each must operate so that:

(1) Its respective business transactions, accounts, and records are not intermingled;

(2) Each observes the formalities of its separate corporate procedures;

(3) Each is adequately financed as a separate unit in the light of normal obligations reasonably foreseeable in a business of its size and character;

(4) Each is held out to the public as a separate enterprise;

(5) The FCU does not dominate the CUSO to the extent that the CUSO is treated as a department of the FCU; and

(6) Unless the FCU has guaranteed a loan obtained by the CUSO, all borrowings by the CUSO indicate that the FCU is not liable.

(b) Legal opinion. Prior to an FCU investing in a CUSO, the FCU must obtain written legal advice as to whether the CUSO is established in a manner that will limit potential exposure of the FCU to no more than the loss of funds invested in, or lent to, the CUSO. In addition, if a CUSO in which an FCU has an investment plans to change its structure under §712.3(a), an FCU must also obtain prior, written legal advice that the CUSO will remain established in a manner that will limit potential exposure of the FCU to no more than the loss of funds invested in, or loaned to, the CUSO. The legal advice must address factors that have led courts to “pierce the corporate veil” such as inadequate capitalization, lack of separate corporate identity, common boards of directors and employees, control of one entity over another, and lack of separate books and records. The legal advice may be provided by independent legal counsel of the investing FCU or the CUSO.

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