source:
  type: guide
  id: usda-hb-3555-4.4
  authority: USDA SFH Guaranteed Loan Program Technical Handbook HB-1-3555 ¶4.4 —
    Collect Loan Payments And Ensure Payment Of Taxes And Insurance
  description: USDA SFH Guaranteed Loan Program Technical Handbook HB-1-3555 ¶4.4
    — Collect Loan Payments And Ensure Payment Of Taxes And Insurance.
  coverage_tier: operative
obligations:
- id: usda-hb-3555-4.4-full
  canonical_id: usda-hb-3555-4.4-full
  section: USDA SFH Guaranteed Loan Program Technical Handbook HB-1-3555 ¶4.4 — Collect
    Loan Payments And Ensure Payment Of Taxes And Insurance
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - usda
  - usda-handbook
  - corpus-expansion
  - tier-operative
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: USDA SFH Guaranteed Loan Program Technical Handbook HB-1-3555 ¶4.4
      — Collect Loan Payments And Ensure Payment Of Taxes And Insurance
    source_class: usda-handbook
    source_url: https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/hb-1-3555_consolidated.pdf
    snapshot_id: 0466acd1ea2d17a4
    fetched_at: '2026-05-25T14:10:13Z'
    content_hash: sha256:22ac6f998ff72578e318fca138ebe80fb18ae2fc701eb5936172f1842679a13a
    paragraph_quote: 4.4 COLLECT LOAN PAYMENTS AND ENSURE PAYMENT OF TAXES AND INSURANCE
      The servicing lender, or their representative, must collect the borrower’s monthly
      payment and apply the funds to the borrower’s account in accordance with the
      terms of the promissory note and mortgage. The servicing lender must maintain
      first lien position and ensure that real estate taxes and hazard insurance premiums
      are paid when they are due. If tax and insurance funds are collected from the
      borrower, they must be held in escrow in accordance with the Consumer Financial
      Protection Bureau (CFPB) regulations. A lender that is not able to hold funds
      in escrow must have a plan that ensures that taxes and insurance are paid, as
      described in Attachment 4-A. HB-1-3555 (03-09-16) SPECIAL PN 4-3 Revised (08-05-25)
      PN 649 Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly
      authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use,
      or rely on any guidance that is not available through their guidance portal,
      except to establish historical facts
  judgment: false
