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FED ER A L R ESER VE BANK O F NEW YORK Circular No. 8126 June 2. 1977 REGULATION B — EQ UAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITY Notice Regarding Credit History for Married Persons To A ll M em b er Banks, an d O th ers Concerned, in th e Secon d F ederal R eserve D istrict: Following is the text o f a statem ent issued May 31, 1977 by the Board o f Governors o f the Federal Reserve System: The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System noted today that a provision of Regulation B — Equal Credit Opportunity — regarding the credit histories of married persons becomes effective June 1. In general, the Regulation gives married persons the right to have credit information about them reported in the names of both the wife and the husband if both use or are responsible for the account. This is meant to assure that individual credit histories will be available to all married persons. Previously, most credit accounts have been kept only in the name of the husband and thus only the husband developed a credit history. Under the Regulation most open-end credit billing statements (such as credit card billings) mailed during June, July, August and September will contain a notice called “Credit History for Married Persons.” Married consumers who wish to have individual credit histories must sign and mail the notice back once to each creditor who sends such a notice. Either spouse’s signature is sufficient, and both are not required. Printed on the reverse side is the text o f the notice entitled “ Credit History for Married Persons,” which is to be mailed or delivered by creditors to their married custom ers before October 1, 1977. Banks and other creditors are expected to reproduce their own supplies of the notice. Q uestions regarding this m atter may be directed to our Consum er Affairs Division (Tel. No. 212-791-5919). Pa u l A . V o l c k e r . P r e s id e n t. (Over) CREDIT HISTORY FOR MARRIED PERSONS The Federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits credit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age (provided that a person has the capacity to enter into a binding contract); because all or part of a person’s income derives from any public assistance program; or because a person in good faith has exercised any right under the Federal Consumer Credit Protection Act. Regulations under the Act give married persons the right to have credit information included in credit reports in the name of both the wife and the husband if both use or are responsible for the account. This right was created, in part, to insure that credit histories will be available to women who become divorced or widowed. If your account with us is one that both husband and wife signed for or is an account that is being used by one of you who did not sign, then you are entitled to have us report credit information relating to the account in both your names. If you choose to have credit information concerning your account with us reported in both your names, please fill in and sign the statement below and return it to us. Federal regulations provide that signing your name below will not change or increase your or your spouse’s legal liability on the account. Your signature will only request that credit information be reported in both your names. If you do not complete and return the form below, we will continue to report your credit history in the same way that we do now. When you furnish credit information on this account, please report all information concerning it in both our names. Account number Print or type name Print or type name Signature o f either spouse
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