Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

We are party to various types of legal actions and proceedings, including actions brought on behalf of various classes of claimants. We also are subject to regulatory examinations, inquiries and investigations, and other information gathering requests. In some of the matters, indeterminate amounts are sought. Modern pleading practice in the U.S. permits considerable variation in the assertion of monetary damages or other relief. Jurisdictions may permit claimants not to specify the monetary damages sought or may permit claimants to state only that the amount sought is sufficient to invoke the jurisdiction of the trial court. This variability in pleadings, together with our and our counsel’s actual experience in litigating or settling claims, leads us to conclude that the monetary relief that may be sought by plaintiffs bears little relevance to the merits or disposition value of claims.

We have substantial and valid defenses to the claims in the proceedings described below and intend to defend these matters vigorously. However, legal actions and proceedings of all types are subject to many uncertain factors that generally cannot be predicted with assurance. Accordingly, the outcome of any given matter and the amount or range of potential loss at particular points in time is frequently difficult to ascertain. Uncertainties can include how fact finders will evaluate documentary evidence and the credibility and effectiveness of witness testimony, and how courts will apply the law. Disposition valuations are also subject to the uncertainty of how opposing parties and their counsel may view the evidence and applicable law.

On a quarterly basis, we review relevant information about all pending legal actions and proceedings for the purpose of evaluating and revising our contingencies, accruals and disclosures. We establish an accrual only for matters when a loss is probable and we can reasonably estimate the amount of such loss. We are often unable to estimate the possible losses or ranges of losses, particularly for proceedings that are in their early stages of development, where plaintiffs seek indeterminate or unspecified damages, where there may be novel or unsettled legal questions relevant to the proceedings, or where settlement negotiations have not occurred or progressed. Given the uncertainties involved in any action or proceeding, regardless of whether we have established an accrual, the ultimate resolution of certain of these matters may be material to our operating results for a particular period, depending on, among other factors, the size of the loss or liability imposed and the level of our net income or loss for that period.

In addition to the matters specifically described below, we are involved in a number of legal and regulatory proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business that we do not expect will have a material impact on our business or financial condition. We have also advanced fees and expenses of certain current and former officers and directors in connection with various legal proceedings pursuant to our bylaws and indemnification agreements.

Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreements Litigation

A consolidated putative class action (“In re Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement Class Action Litigations”) and two non-class action lawsuits, Arrowood Indemnity Company v. Fannie Mae and Fairholme Funds v. FHFA, filed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac shareholders against us, FHFA as our conservator, and Freddie Mac are pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The lawsuits challenge the August 2012 amendment to each company’s senior preferred stock purchase agreement with Treasury.

Plaintiffs filed amended complaints in all three lawsuits on November 1, 2017 alleging that the net worth sweep dividend provisions of the senior preferred stock that were implemented pursuant to the August 2012 amendments nullified certain of the shareholders’ rights, particularly the right to receive dividends. Plaintiffs seek unspecified damages, equitable and injunctive relief, and costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees. Plaintiffs in the class action seek to represent several classes of preferred and/or common shareholders of Fannie Mae and/or Freddie Mac who held stock as of the public announcement of the August 2012 amendments. On September 28, 2018, the court dismissed all of the plaintiffs’ claims except for their claims for breach of an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

Given the stage of these lawsuits, the substantial and novel legal questions that remain, and our substantial defenses, we are currently unable to estimate the reasonably possible loss or range of loss arising from this litigation.

Unconditional Purchase and Lease Commitments

We have unconditional commitments related to the purchase of loans and mortgage-related securities. These include both on- and off-balance sheet commitments. A portion of these have been recorded as derivatives in our consolidated balance sheets.

We lease certain premises and equipment under agreements that expire at various dates through August 31, 2037. Some of these leases provide for payment by the lessee of property taxes, insurance premiums, cost of maintenance and other costs. Rental expenses for operating leases were $94 million, $95 million and $100 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

The following table summarizes by remaining maturity, non-cancelable future commitments related to loan and mortgage purchases, operating leases and other agreements.


	As of December 31, 2020
	Loans and Mortgage-Related Securities(1)		Operating Leases(2)		Other(3)
	(Dollars in millions)
2021	$	189,259	$	55	$	130
2022	—		66		83
2023	—		79		85
2024	—		81		5
2025	—		82		—
Thereafter	—		876		—
Total	$	189,259	$	1,239	$	303

(1)Primarily includes mortgage commitment derivatives.

(2)Includes amounts related to office buildings and equipment leases.

(3)Includes purchase commitments for certain telecommunications services, computer software and services, and other agreements and commitments.