Best Practices
Put Your Policies & Procedures in Writing

Keeping You in the Game

Implementing ALTA's best practices can help title professionals meet market demands by ensuring regulatory compliance, protecting funds and information, and capturing a larger market share to keep you in the game.

ALTA Best Practices 4.0 Framework
ALTA Best Practices 4.0 Framework: Assessment Procedures


Lender Requirements

Lenders are vetting settlement agents in a wide variety of ways. Make sure your practice meets Best Practices standards and is prepared to address the lenders' requirements.
 

Suggested Actions for Fund Members:

  1. Review your practice and volume with specific lenders.
  2. Review lender requirements with the Bank Requirement Chart and consider setting up Google Alerts for lender updates.
  3. Decide on the level of requirements appropriate for your practice per the Lender Requirement Scale.
  4. If 3rd party certification is needed, ensure AT LEAST 90-day lead time for the review period and 6-8 months to complete.

Lender Requirement Complexity Scale

Find out how difficult it is to obtain different Lender Best Practice requirements - Download

LOW

COMPLEXITY

HIGH

1

Old Republic Authorized Agent Letter

2

Settlement Agent Self-Certification

3

Copy of Best Practices Manual

4

Settlement Agent Self-Certification
with ALTA Certification package

5

Lender-Specific Requirements
E.g. questionnaire, financial statements, business license, E&O, review AfBAs

6

Secure Insight/SSI Vendors Compliance Group

7

3rd-Party Certification


The 7 Pillars of ALTA's Best Practices

1st ALTA Pillar Icon
2nd ALTA Pillar Icon
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Get the materials, documents and other resources that will assist you in implementing ALTA's Best Practices for your agency. 


Webinars

Video – 10 Years After: A Refreshed Look at Best Practices - Purchase Now

This two and one-half hour, intermediate-level program reviews the background and basic information behind ALTAs seven Pillars, taking special note of the most recent changes ALTA has made to the seven pillars.


Video – Protecting NPI – Pillar 3 - Purchase Now

This webinar examines the American Land Title Association’s (ALTA) Best Practices Pillar 3: Privacy and Information Security.


Video – Record Retention and Disposal: Put It in Writing - Purchase Now

Learn the parameters of information security and their applicability to practitioners, rules on confidentiality, safeguarding information, and proper disposal.


On-Demand Training Library Webinars

Video – Building the Pillars of ALTA’s Best Practices Workshop I - Watch Now

Are Lenders asking you for a copy of your Best Practices Policies and Procedures Manual? If so, it’s time to attend Building the Pillars of ALTA’s Best Practices – Workshop I.The workshop is designed to give you a jump-start on the creation and...


Video – Building the Pillars of ALTA’s Best Practices Workshop II - Watch Now

This workshop continues the Fund’s examination of ALTA’s Best Practices, detailing Florida-specific requirements for:Pillar 2 - Escrow / Trust AccountingPillar 4 - Recording & Pricing ProceduresPillar 5 - Title Policy ProceduresAs with Workshop I...


Video – Introduction to ALTA’s Best Practices - Watch Now

As the real estate market continues to recover and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau creates new rules related to real estate closings, the landscape in which title insurance agents conduct business continues to evolve. The American Land Title Association...


Questions

Send us your questions and we will get back to you as soon as we can. 

Email: legaled@thefund.com


News & Updates

ALTA Best Practices - 4.0 Framework: Assessment Procedures

ALTA Best Practices - 4.0 Framework: Assessment Procedures
01/30/2024

Utilize these ALTA Best Practices Assessment Procedures to determine Company’s compliance with the ALTA Best...

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ALTA Best Practices - 4.0 Framework

ALTA Best Practices - 4.0 Framework
01/30/2024

The ALTA Best Practices Framework has been developed to assist title agencies, and title insurers to optimize their...

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Regulatory Compliance Corner
12/04/2023

By Robert Rohan, Fund Regulatory Compliance Counsel

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Building the Pillars of ALTA’s Best Practices Workshop I
06/30/2023

Get a jump-start on the creation and documentation of your personalized Best Practices Policies and Procedures Manual.

Read More »


Authorized Agent Program Available Through Old Republic

Authorized Agent Program Available Through Old Republic
10/26/2022

The Fund, through Old Republic, is pleased to announce the availability of our Authorized Agent Program. ...

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Building the Pillars of ALTA’s Best Practices Workshop II
01/31/2022

As with Workshop I, this course reviews examples of Best Practices procedures and allows you to draft your own...

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Introduction to ALTA’s Best Practices
09/09/2018

As the real estate market continues to recover and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau creates new rules related...

Read More »


Lender Requirements for Settlement Agents

Lender Requirements for Settlement Agents
06/13/2016

Download the Lender Requirements Scale for Settlement Agents, Best Practices Lender Requirements Chart & Recommended...

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ALTA Best Practices Quick Guide

ALTA Best Practices Quick Guide
09/09/2015

A collection of questions and answers to help kickstart creating your Best Practices manual.

Read More »


Introduction to Email Encryption
07/30/2015

By Linda N. Monaco, Fund Legal Education Attorney A common misconception about emails is that they...

Read More »

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