Mortgage Banking

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2021

Mortgage Banking [Abstract]

Mortgage Banking

Note 4 – Mortgage Banking

Mortgage Servicing Rights

The activity in the mortgage servicing rights (MSR) is detailed in the table below for the periods presented ($ in thousands):

	Six Months Ended June 30,
	2021			2020
Balance at beginning of period	$	66,464		$	79,394
Origination of servicing assets		15,201			12,396
Change in fair value:
Due to market changes		9,231			(27,158	)
Due to run-off		(10,132	)		(6,821	)
Balance at end of period	$	80,764		$	57,811

Trustmark determines the fair value of the MSR using a valuation model administered by a third party that calculates the present value of estimated future net servicing income.  Trustmark considers the conditional prepayment rate (CPR), which is an estimated loan prepayment rate that uses historical prepayment rates for previous loans similar to the loans being evaluated, and the discount rate in determining the fair value of the MSR. An increase in either the CPR or discount rate assumption will result in a decrease in the fair value of the MSR, while a decrease in either assumption will result in an increase in the fair value of the MSR.  At June 30, 2021, the fair value of the MSR included an assumed average prepayment speed of 12 CPR and an average discount rate of 9.54% compared to an assumed average prepayment speed of 17 CPR and an average discount rate of 9.58% at June 30, 2020.

Mortgage Loans Serviced/Sold

During the first six months of 2021 and 2020, Trustmark sold $1.289 billion and $1.103 billion, respectively, of residential mortgage loans.  Gains on these sales were recorded as noninterest income in mortgage banking, net and totaled $34.2 million for the first six months of 2021 compared to $48.4 million for the first six months of 2020. 

The table below details the mortgage loans sold and serviced for others at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020 ($ in thousands):

	June 30, 2021		December 31, 2020
Federal National Mortgage Association	$	4,718,042	$	4,629,670
Government National Mortgage Association		3,077,238		2,960,760
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation		43,040		50,459
Other		14,773		16,201
Total mortgage loans sold and serviced for others	$	7,853,093	$	7,657,090

Trustmark is subject to losses in its loan servicing portfolio due to loan foreclosures.  Trustmark has obligations to either repurchase the outstanding principal balance of a loan or make the purchaser whole for the economic benefits of a loan if it is determined that the loan sold was in violation of representations or warranties made by Trustmark at the time of the sale, herein referred to as mortgage loan servicing putback expenses.  Such representations and warranties typically include those made regarding loans that had missing or insufficient file documentation, loans that do not meet investor guidelines, loans in which the appraisal does not support the value and/or loans obtained through fraud by the borrowers or other third parties.  Generally, putback requests may be made until the loan is paid in full.  However, mortgage loans delivered to Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC) on or after January 1, 2013 are subject to the Lending and Selling Representations and Warranties Framework, which provides certain instances in which FNMA and FHLMC will not exercise their remedies, including a putback request, for breaches of certain selling representations and warranties, such as payment history and quality control review.

When a putback request is received, Trustmark evaluates the request and takes appropriate actions based on the nature of the request.  Trustmark is required by FNMA and FHLMC to provide a response to putback requests within 60 days of the date of receipt.  The total mortgage loan servicing putback expenses are included in other expense.  At both June 30, 2021 and 2020, Trustmark had a reserve for mortgage loan servicing putback expenses of $500 thousand.

There is inherent uncertainty in reasonably estimating the requirement for reserves against potential future mortgage loan servicing putback expenses.  Future putback expenses are dependent on many subjective factors, including the review procedures of the purchasers and the potential refinance activity on loans sold with servicing released and the subsequent consequences under the representations and warranties.  Trustmark believes that it has appropriately reserved for potential mortgage loan servicing putback requests.