Finance of America Companies (FOA) Risk Analysis

FAR is an approved non-supervised FHA mortgagee and an approved Ginnie Mae issuer. In connection with these approvals, FAR is subject to compliance with each of the FHA's and Ginnie Mae's respective regulations, guides, handbooks, mortgagee letters, and all participants' memoranda. For example, as a Ginnie Mae issuer, FAR must meet certain minimum capital requirements, including, but not limited to, Ginnie Mae's requirement that non-depository institutions hold equity capital in the amount of at least 6% of total assets. Ginnie Mae has provided a waiver to FAR in connection with its equity capital requirements, which is necessary in large part due to the consolidation of the HMBS and other non-recourse transactions onto FAR's balance sheet. Any failure by FAR to maintain the Ginnie Mae equity capital waiver or any loss of FAR's status as an approved non-supervised FHA mortgagee or an approved Ginnie Mae issuer, could have a material adverse effect on our overall business and our financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. See "-Risks Related to Laws and Regulations-There may be material changes to the laws, regulations, rules, or practices applicable to the FHA, HUD, or Ginnie Mae that could materially adversely affect the reverse mortgage industry as a whole, including our business."

Under the Investment Company Act, an investment company is required to register with the SEC and is subject to extensive restrictive and potentially adverse regulations relating to, among other things, operating methods, management, capital structure, dividends, and transactions with affiliates. We expect that one or more of our subsidiaries will qualify for an exclusion from registration as an investment company under the Investment Company Act pursuant to Section 3(c)(5)(C) of the Investment Company Act, which is available for entities that do not issue redeemable securities, face-amount certificates of the installment type, or periodic payment plan certificates and are primarily engaged in the business of "purchasing or otherwise acquiring mortgages and other liens on and interests in real estate." We believe that we conduct our operations so that neither we nor any of our subsidiaries are required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. We are organized as a holding company and conduct our businesses primarily through our majority and wholly-owned subsidiaries. We conduct our operations so that we and our subsidiaries do not come within the definition of an investment company. In order to continue to do so, however, we and each of our subsidiaries must either operate so as to fall outside the definition of an investment company under the Investment Company Act or satisfy its own exclusion under the Investment Company Act. For example, to avoid being defined as an investment company, an entity may limit its ownership or holdings of investment securities to less than 40% of its total assets. In order to satisfy an exclusion from being defined as an investment company, other entities, among other things, maintain at least 55% of their assets in certain qualifying real estate assets (the "55% Requirement") and also maintain an additional 25% of their assets in such qualifying real estate assets or certain other types of real estate-related assets (the "25% Requirement"). Rapid changes in the values of assets we own, however, can disrupt prior efforts to conduct our business to meet these requirements and in turn, we may have to make investment decisions that we otherwise would not make absent the Investment Company Act considerations. If we or one of our subsidiaries fell within the definition of an investment company under the Investment Company Act and failed to qualify for an exclusion or exemption, including, for example, if it was required to and failed to meet the 55% Requirement or the 25% Requirement, it could, among other things, be required either (i) to change the manner in which it conducts operations to avoid being required to register as an investment company or (ii) to register as an investment company, either of which could adversely affect us by, among other things, requiring us to dispose of certain assets or to change the structure of our business in ways that we may not believe to be in our best interests. Legislative or regulatory changes relating to the Investment Company Act or which affect our efforts to qualify for exclusions or exemptions, including our ability to comply with the 55% Requirement and the 25% Requirement, could also result in these adverse effects on us. To the extent that we or any of our subsidiaries rely on Section 3(c)(5)(C) of the Investment Company Act, we expect to rely on guidance published by the SEC staff or on our analyses of such guidance to determine which assets are qualifying real estate assets for purposes of the 55% Requirement and real estate related assets for purposes of the 25% Requirement. However, the SEC's guidance was issued in accordance with factual situations that may be different from the factual situations we face, and much of the guidance was issued more than 25 years ago. No assurance can be given that the SEC staff will concur with our classification of our assets. In addition, the SEC staff may, in the future, issue further guidance that may require us to re-classify our assets for purposes of qualifying for an exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act. If we are required to re-classify our assets, we may no longer be in compliance with the exclusion from the definition of an "investment company" provided by Section 3(c)(5)(C) of the Investment Company Act. To the extent that the SEC staff publishes new or different guidance with respect to any assets we have determined to be qualifying real estate assets, we may be required to adjust our strategy accordingly. In addition, we may be limited in our ability to make certain investments, and these limitations could result in a subsidiary holding assets we might wish to sell or selling assets we might wish to hold. As a consequence of our seeking to avoid registration under the Investment Company Act on an ongoing basis, we and/or our subsidiaries may be restricted from making certain investments or may structure investments in a manner that would be less advantageous to us than would be the case in the absence of such requirements. In particular, a change in the value of any of our assets could negatively affect our ability to avoid registration under the Investment Company Act and cause the need for a restructuring of our investment portfolio. For example, these restrictions may limit our and our subsidiaries' ability to invest directly in mortgage-backed securities that represent less than the entire ownership in a pool of senior loans, debt and equity tranches of securitizations and certain asset-backed securities, non-controlling equity interests in real estate companies, or in assets not related to real estate. In addition, seeking to avoid registration under the Investment Company Act may cause us and/or our subsidiaries to acquire or hold additional assets that we might not otherwise have acquired or held or dispose of investments that we and/or our subsidiaries might not have otherwise disposed of, which could result in higher costs or lower proceeds to us than we would have paid or received if we were not seeking to comply with such requirements. Thus, avoiding registration under the Investment Company Act may hinder our ability to operate solely on the basis of maximizing profits. There can be no assurance that we and our subsidiaries will be able to successfully avoid operating as an unregistered investment company. If it were established that we were an unregistered investment company, there would be a risk that we would be subject to monetary penalties and injunctive relief in an action brought by the SEC, that we would be unable to enforce contracts with third parties, that third parties could seek to obtain rescission of transactions undertaken during the period it was established that we were an unregistered investment company, and that we would be subject to limitations on corporate leverage that would have an adverse impact on our investment returns. If we were required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we would become subject to substantial regulation with respect to our capital structure (including our ability to use borrowings), management, operations, transactions with affiliated persons (as defined in the Investment Company Act), and portfolio composition, including disclosure requirements and restrictions with respect to diversification and industry concentration and other matters. Compliance with the Investment Company Act would, accordingly, limit our ability to make certain investments and require us to significantly restructure our business plan, which could materially adversely affect our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders. For additional information, see "Business-Investment Company Act Considerations."

Due to the heavily regulated nature of the financial services industry, we are required to comply with a wide array of U.S. federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations that regulate, among other things, the manner in which we conduct our loan origination and servicing business and the fees that we may charge, how we compensate our loan officers, and the collection, use, retention, protection, disclosure, transfer, and other processing of personal information. Governmental authorities and various U.S. federal and state agencies have broad oversight and supervisory and enforcement authority over our business. From time to time, we may also receive requests (including requests in the form of subpoenas and civil investigative demands) from federal, state, and local agencies for records, documents, and information relating to our servicing and lending activities. Ginnie Mae, the United States Department of the Treasury, various investors, securitization trustees, and others also subject us to periodic reviews and audits. These laws, regulations, and oversight can significantly affect the way that we do business, restrict the scope of our existing business, limit our ability to expand our product offerings or to pursue acquisitions, or make our costs to service or originate loans higher, which could impact our financial results. Failure to comply with applicable laws and regulatory requirements may result in, among other things, revocation of or inability to renew required licenses or registrations, loss of approval status, termination of contracts without compensation, administrative enforcement actions and fines, private lawsuits, including those styled as class actions, cease and desist orders, and civil and criminal liability. We must comply with a large number of federal, state, and local consumer protection laws including, among others, TILA, as amended, together with its implementing regulations (Regulation Z), the FDCPA, RESPA, as amended, together with its implementing regulations (Regulation X), ECOA, as amended, together with its implementing regulations (Regulation B), FCRA, as amended, together with its implementing regulations (Regulation V), the Fair Housing Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, as amended, GLBA, together with its implementing regulations (Regulation P), the Mortgage Advertising Practices Rules (Regulation N), the Electronic Funds Transfer Act, as amended, together with its implementing regulations (Regulation E), the Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act, as amended, HMDA, together with its implementing regulations (Regulation C), the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act, as amended, the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Dodd-Frank Act, as amended, together with its implementing regulations, U.S. federal and state laws prohibiting unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices, and state foreclosure laws. We are also subject to the regulatory, supervisory, and examination authority of the CFPB, which has oversight of federal and state non-depository lending and servicing institutions, including reverse mortgage loan originators and loan servicers. The CFPB has rulemaking authority with respect to many of the federal consumer protection laws applicable to mortgage lenders and servicers, including TILA, Section 8 of RESPA, HMDA, ECOA, FCRA, GLBA, and the FDCPA. Antidiscrimination statutes, such as the Fair Housing Act and ECOA, prohibit creditors from discriminating against loan applicants and borrowers based on certain characteristics, such as race, religion, and national origin. Various federal regulatory agencies and departments, including the DOJ and the CFPB, take the position that these laws apply not only to intentional discrimination, but also to neutral practices that have a disparate impact on a group that shares a characteristic that a creditor may not consider in making credit decisions (i.e., creditor or servicing practices that have a disproportionate negative effect on a protected class of individuals). This interpretation may increase the risk of an allegation of noncompliance. These statutes apply to loan origination, servicing practices, marketing, the amount and nature of fees that may be charged for transactions and incentives, such as rebates, use of credit reports, safeguarding of non-public, personally identifiable information about our clients, foreclosure and claims handling, investment of and interest payments on escrow balances and escrow payment features, and required disclosures and notices to clients. RESPA, among other things, prohibits the payment of fees or other things of value in exchange for referrals of real estate settlement services, which would include residential mortgage loans. However, RESPA expressly permits the payment of reasonable value for? non-referral services and facilities actually performed and provided. When a lender seeks to rely on this exception, it must be prepared to demonstrate that the services or facilities for which compensation is paid are separate and distinct from any referral and the amount paid is reasonable. If the amount paid exceeds the reasonable value, the excess could be attributable to the referral. The Company, like many originating lenders, uses "marketing services agreements" with sources of potential loan referrals, such as organizations that serve financial professionals. A "marketing services agreement" is an agreement under which a lender compensates a service provider for performing actual marketing services directed to the general public. The Company also has relationships with lead providers and digital consumer review websites and marketing providers, some of which may be considered "digital marketing review platforms" under the CFPB's February 2023 Advisory Opinion titled "Digital Mortgage Comparison-Shopping Platforms and Related Payments to Operators." The Company also has relationships with third-party mortgage brokers that place loans with the Company. Further, the Company previously engaged in "desk rental" agreements, which provide for the lease of office space, furniture, and equipment and use of common areas and other services, like utilities, internet, and shared receptionist and janitorial services. In connection with the wind down of FAM, the Company no longer has any desk rental agreements, but could still be subject to an allegation of a RESPA violation related to these past practices. From a RESPA perspective, the analysis focuses on whether the general marketing services are separate and distinct from any referrals that may occur, whether the services actually are being performed or provided, and whether the amounts paid by the lender do not exceed the fair market value for such services. While the Company has controls in place to ensure that its relationships with referral sources comply with RESPA regulations, there can be no assurance that the CFPB or any other governmental entity with authority to enforce RESPA, or a court, will share this view. If the CFPB or a court determined that the Company's existing program was not in compliance with RESPA regulations, or otherwise asserted a new basis for non-compliance with any similar regulations, it could have a detrimental effect on our reverse mortgage lending business, financial condition, and results of operations. The scope of the laws and regulations and the intensity of the supervision to which our business is subject have increased over time, in response to the financial crisis in 2008 and other factors such as technological and market changes, and may continue to increase in the future. The Trump administration may implement changes to reduce the scale of CFPB enforcement efforts and regulatory oversight at the federal level, however, the extent of such changes and their impact on current regulatory processes is uncertain, and states may respond to such changes by enhancing their regulatory oversight efforts. Regulators continue to be active in the reverse mortgage space, including due to the perceived susceptibility of older borrowers to be influenced by deceptive or misleading marketing activities. Regulators have also focused on appraisal practices because reverse mortgages are largely dependent on collateral valuation. Additionally, as we develop and/or utilize new technologies and digital capabilities, we may become subject to additional and new laws relating to such activities. New applicable laws will likely continue to go into effect. Further, the U.S. federal, state, and local laws and regulations that we are subject to are amended from time to time. While we have processes and systems in place to identify and interpret such new or amended laws and regulations and to implement them, we may not identify every application of law, regulation, or ordinance, interpret them accurately, train our employees effectively with respect to these laws and regulations, or supervise our service providers and vendors, including outside foreclosure counsel, adequately with respect to their compliance with these laws and regulations. The complexity and continuously changing nature of these legal requirements increases our exposure to the risk of noncompliance. These changes also result in an increase in our regulatory compliance burden and associated costs and place restrictions on our origination and servicing operations. The laws and regulations applicable to us are subject to administrative or judicial interpretation, but some laws and regulations may not yet have been interpreted or may be clarified infrequently. Ambiguities in applicable laws and regulations may leave uncertainty with respect to permitted or restricted conduct and may make compliance with laws, and risk assessment decisions with respect to compliance with laws, difficult and uncertain. In addition, ambiguities make it difficult, in certain circumstances, to determine if, and how, compliance violations may be cured. The adoption by industry participants of different interpretations of these statutes and regulations has added uncertainty and complexity to compliance. We may fail to comply with applicable statutes and regulations even if acting in good faith due to a lack of clarity regarding the interpretation of such statutes and regulations, which may, and at times does, lead to regulatory investigations, governmental enforcement actions, or private causes of action with respect to our compliance. Regulatory enforcement and fines have increased across the banking and financial services sector. Regulatory authorities and private plaintiffs may allege that we failed to comply with applicable laws, rules, and regulations where we believe we have complied. We have been, and expect to continue to be, subject to regulatory enforcement actions and private causes of action from time to time with respect to our compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Allegations may relate to past conduct and/or past business operations, such as the prior activity of acquired entities, and certain legislative actions and judicial decisions can give rise to the initiation of lawsuits against us for activities we conducted in the past. Furthermore, provisions in our loan product documentation, including but not limited to the mortgage and promissory notes we use in loan originations, could be challenged in and construed as unenforceable by a court. To resolve issues raised in examinations, investigations, or other governmental actions, we may be required to take various corrective actions, including changing certain business practices, making refunds, or taking other actions that could be financially or competitively detrimental to us. Even unproven allegations that our activities have not complied or do not comply with all applicable laws and regulations may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. See "-We are subject to legal proceedings, federal or state governmental examinations, and enforcement investigations from time to time. Some of these matters are highly complex and slow to develop, and results are difficult to predict or estimate." Our failure to comply with applicable U.S. federal, state, and local consumer protection and data privacy and information security laws could lead to: - reduced payments by clients;- modification of the original terms of loans;- permanent forgiveness of debt owed to us;- delays in the foreclosure process;- increased servicing advance obligations;- loss of our licenses and approvals to engage in our servicing and lending business;- damage to our reputation in the industry and with consumers;- governmental investigations and enforcement actions;- administrative fines and penalties and litigation;- civil and criminal liability, including class action lawsuits;- diminished ability to finance loans that we originate or purchase, requirements to finance such loans at reduced advance rates compared to other financed loans or to remove financed loans from financing facilities;- diminished ability to sell or securitize loans that we originate or purchase, requirements to sell such loans at a discount compared to other loans or to repurchase or address indemnification claims from purchasers of such loans or in connection with securitizations of such loans;- inability to raise capital; and - inability to execute on our business strategy.

Because we are not a depository institution, we do not benefit from a federal exemption to state mortgage banking, loan servicing, or debt collection licensing and regulatory requirements. We must comply with state licensing requirements and varying compliance requirements in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and we are sensitive to regulatory changes that may increase our costs through stricter licensing laws, disclosure laws, or increased fees or that may impose conditions to licensing that we or our personnel are unable to meet. In addition, if we enter new markets, we may be required to comply with new laws, regulations, and licensing requirements. Future state legislation and changes in existing regulation may significantly increase our compliance costs or reduce the amount of ancillary revenues, including late fees that we may charge to borrowers. This could make our business cost-prohibitive in the affected state or states and could materially affect our business. Further, we are subject to periodic examinations by state regulators, which can result in refunds to borrowers of certain fees earned by us, and we may be required to pay substantial penalties imposed by state regulators due to compliance errors. In the past we have been subject to inquiries from, and in certain instances have entered into settlement agreements with, state regulators that had the power to revoke our license or make our continued licensure subject to compliance with a consent order. For example, in 2019, we entered into a settlement agreement with the California Department of Business Oversight relating to findings in supervisory examinations concerning per diem interest charges and escrow trust reconciliations. As part of the settlement, we agreed to pay a penalty and to undertake certain remedial actions and procedures. States may enhance their regulatory oversight efforts in the future, particularly if the scale of CFPB enforcement efforts and regulatory oversight at the federal level is reduced due to changes implemented by the Trump administration. We and our licensed Subservicers are required to comply with applicable jurisdictional licensing requirements and laws. Licensed entities are required to renew their licenses, typically on an annual basis, and to do so they must satisfy the license requirements of each jurisdiction, which generally include financial requirements such as providing audited financial statements or satisfying minimum net worth requirements and non-financial requirements such as satisfactorily completing examinations as to the licensee's compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Further, we and our licensed Subservicers are subject to periodic examination by state regulatory authorities and we may be subject to various reporting and other requirements to maintain licenses. Most state licensing laws require that before a "change of control" can occur, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, or initial public offering, applicable state banking departments must approve the change. Most of these "change of control" statutes require that, if there is an acquisition, merger, or initial public offering, the acquiring company or companies being merged or going public must notify the state regulatory agency and receive agency approval before the acquisition, merger, or initial public offering is finalized. Applicable state mortgage- or loan-related laws may also impose requirements as to the form and content of contracts and other documentation, licensing of our employees and employee hiring background checks, licensing of independent contractors with which we contract, restrictions on certain practices, disclosure and record-keeping requirements, and enforcement of borrowers' rights. These licensing and other requirements may impact our ability to operate our business and impose compliance costs that may adversely affect our financial performance. We believe that we and our Subservicers maintain all material licenses and permits required for our current operations and are in substantial compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, and ordinances. However, we and our Subservicers may not be able to maintain all requisite licenses and permits. Further, states may adopt additional, or revise existing, rules and regulations, including the states that currently do not provide extensive regulation of our business, and in such event we may not be able to obtain or maintain all requisite licenses and permits that become required or comply with all new applicable laws, rules, regulations, and ordinances. Our or a Subservicer's failure to satisfy licensing and other regulatory requirements could result in a default under our servicing or other agreements or result in state regulators requiring us to pay substantial penalties or issue borrower refunds or restitution, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Recent events may require us to obtain state licenses for trusts that we form for purposes of securitization and other financing transactions, which were previously not required to obtain state licenses. In 2024, the Maryland Appellate Court in Estate of H. Gregory Brown v. Carrie M. Ward, et al., No. 1009, (App. Ct. Sept. Term 2023) ruled that a statutory trust that held a defaulted home equity line of credit must be licensed as both an installment lender and a mortgage lender under Maryland law prior to proceeding to foreclosure on the home equity line of credit. On January 10, 2025, the Maryland Office of Financial Regulation (the "OFR") issued emergency regulations that apply the decision in Brown to all secondary market assignees of Maryland consumer-purpose mortgage loans, and specifically require "passive trusts" that acquire or take assignment of Maryland mortgage loans that are serviced by others to be licensed. While the emergency regulations became effective immediately, OFR indicated that enforcement would be suspended until April 10, 2025. The emergency regulations will expire on June 16, 2025, and the OFR has submitted the same provisions as the proposed, permanent regulations for public comment. Other state courts and regulators could issue and enforce similar rulings or regulations in the future. If we are required to obtain state licenses for trusts that we form for purposes of securitization and other financing transactions, it would increase our compliance costs and risks associated with satisfying state licensing and operational requirements described in the above paragraphs.

FOA Equity is, and it is anticipated that FOA Equity will continue to be, treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As such, FOA Equity will generally not be subject to any entity-level U.S. federal income tax. Instead, taxable income or loss will be allocated to holders of Class A LLC Units, including the Company. Accordingly, we will be required to pay income taxes on our allocable share of any net taxable income (offset by any allowable prior period taxable losses) of FOA Equity. Our allocable share of FOA Equity's net taxable income or loss will increase over time as the FOA Equity unitholders exchange their Class A LLC Units for shares of the Company's Class A Common Stock. In addition, additional tax liability may be imputed for adjustments to a partnership's tax return to the partnership itself in certain circumstances, absent an election to the contrary. FOA Equity may be subject to material additional tax liabilities pursuant to this legislation and related guidance if, for example, its calculations of taxable income are incorrect. Any such additional tax liabilities would be allocated to holders of Class A LLC Units, including the Company.

The Company entered into the Tax Receivable Agreements with the TRA Parties. The Tax Receivable Agreements generally provide for the payment by the Company to the TRA Parties of 85% of the cash tax benefits, if any, that the Company is deemed to realize (calculated using certain simplifying assumptions) as a result of (i) tax basis adjustments as a result of sales and exchanges of Class A LLC Units and certain distributions with respect to Class A LLC Units, (ii) the Company's utilization of certain tax attributes attributable to Blackstone Tactical Opportunities Associates – NQ L.L.C., a Delaware limited partnership, shareholders, and (iii) certain other tax benefits related to entering into the Tax Receivable Agreements, including tax benefits attributable to making payments under the Tax Receivable Agreements. The Company will generally retain the benefit of the remaining 15% of these cash tax benefits. Estimating the amount of payments that may be made under the Tax Receivable Agreements is by its nature imprecise, insofar as the calculation of amounts payable depends on a variety of factors. The anticipated tax basis adjustments, as well as the amount and timing of any payments under the Tax Receivable Agreements, will vary depending upon a number of factors, including the timing of exchanges, the price of shares of the Company's Class A Common Stock at the time of the exchanges, the extent to which such exchanges are taxable, the amount of tax attributes, changes in tax rates, and the amount and timing of the Company's income. As a result of the size of the anticipated tax basis adjustment of the tangible and intangible assets of FOA Equity and the Company's possible utilization of certain tax attributes, the payments that the Company may make under the Tax Receivable Agreements are expected to be substantial.

The Tax Receivable Agreements provide that if the Company exercises its right to terminate the Tax Receivable Agreements or if a change in control of the Company or a material breach of the Company's obligations under either Tax Receivable Agreement occurs, all obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreements will be accelerated. The amount due and payable in those circumstances is determined based on certain assumptions, including an assumption that any Class A LLC Units that have not been exchanged are deemed exchanged for the market value of Class A Common Stock at the time of the termination or the change of control and an assumption that the Company would have sufficient taxable income to fully utilize all potential future tax benefits that are subject to the Tax Receivable Agreements. As a result of these assumptions, the Company would be required to make a cash payment equal to the present value of the anticipated future tax benefits that are the subject of the Tax Receivable Agreements. This could in turn result in (i) the Company being required to make cash payments to the TRA Parties that are greater than the specified percentage of the actual benefits the Company ultimately realizes in respect of the tax benefits that are subject to the Tax Receivable Agreements, and (ii) the Company being required to make payments in respect of tax benefits significantly in advance of the actual realization, if any, of such tax benefits. In these situations, the Company's obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreements could have a substantial negative impact on its liquidity and could have the effect of delaying, deferring, or preventing certain mergers, asset sales, other forms of business combination, or other changes of control due to the additional transaction costs a potential acquirer may attribute to satisfying such obligations. The Company may need to incur additional debt to finance payments under the Tax Receivable Agreements to the extent its cash resources are insufficient to meet its obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreements as a result of timing discrepancies or otherwise. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to finance its obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreements.