2025 Session Last amended: 1997 session

§ 53.05 — Powers, Limitation

Plain-Language Summary

This section lists acts an industrial loan and thrift company may not do. It cannot carry demand banking accounts, misuse the words "savings," "bank," or "banking," or operate as a savings bank, and it cannot have outstanding certificates of indebtedness, savings accounts, and savings deposits totaling more than 30 times its capital stock and surplus. It also cannot accept trusts or act as a guardian or administrator (with limited exceptions), and generally cannot lend more than 20 percent of its capital stock and surplus to one borrower, though some companies are exempt if the loan does not exceed $100,000 of principal. Other limits cover where it deposits funds, changes to allocated capital, accepting blank instruments, and issuing cashier's checks.

Practical Notes
These limits cap how much a company can borrow from the public relative to its own capital and how much it can lend to a single borrower, protecting depositors and keeping the company sound. Reducing or withdrawing capital stock and surplus requires prior written approval from the commissioner of commerce.