Fed Seeks Finance Data Tweaks: Comment by March
Published Date: 1/12/2026
Notice
Summary
The Federal Reserve wants to keep collecting info from finance companies for three more years but with some updates. If you’re a finance company or lender, this affects you because the survey might change a bit. You’ve got until March 13, 2026, to share your thoughts—no cost changes, just a chance to improve how data’s gathered!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Three-Year Extension of FR 3033 Surveys
The Federal Reserve will extend the Census of Finance Companies (FR 3033p) and the Survey of Finance Companies (FR 3033s) for three years. The FR 3033s will be sent in April 2026 to a stratified random sample of 3,000 finance companies to collect information as of December 31, 2025; the overall collection lists 8,800 total estimated respondents.
Survey Simplification — Items Removed
The Board proposes a net removal of seven items from the FR 3033s (including consolidation of multiple real estate loan items into one Real Estate Loans question). The notice lists a total estimated change in burden of (244) and total estimated annual burden hours of 3,512.
New Questions on Online Lending and Securitization
The revised FR 3033s will add questions asking whether a company extends loans and leases in only one state (11.A), whether 50% or more of loans and leases are made online (11.B), whether the company securitized loans in 2025 (12), and whether the company is interested in joining the FR 2248 reporting panel (13). These additions would take effect for the April 2026 survey.
Terminology and Item Rewording Changes
The FR 3033s revisions rename and reword several items for clarity — for example, changing references from 'capital leases' to 'finance leases', renaming item 7.C to 'Notes, Bonds, Debentures, and Non-Recourse Debt', renaming 7.D to 'Debt Due to Affiliates', and changing marketing wording to 'Marketing Cost (e.g., Advertising and Publicity)'. These edits are effective for the April 2026 survey.
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Key Dates
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