J_PR PASS-01 — Puerto Rico provider market access and consumer fees
Component result: PARTIAL, with material authorization and fee-amount HOLDS. The research establishes distinct Puerto Rico pathways for financial intermediation, credit rectification, and monetary services. It does not establish that a generic debt-settlement business may operate merely because it avoids custody, uses an independent account, forms a corporation, employs lawyers, or adopts a nonprofit label.
Actual source-check date: October 27, 2026, America/Los_Angeles. The session clock confirmed October 27 at 19:30 UTC, also October 27 in Los Angeles. This report covers only the assigned provider-access/consumer-fee component. It does not accept the Puerto Rico parent dossier, A066, operations, or publication.
The principal unresolved documents are the complete operative bodies of OCIF Regulations 8348, 9698, and 9393. Official copies were located, but their bodies were not readable through the available public retrieval tool. Consequently, the conclusions below distinguish a statutory licensing trigger from a fully authenticated, currently usable authorization and fee schedule.
“HOLD” describes an unresolved research conclusion. It does not authorize a provider to retain consumer funds or suspend an otherwise applicable refund deadline.
How to read the registers
The tables under Questions 1–6 constitute the continuous atomic claim register, J_PR-P1-C001 onward, organized by the assigned questions. The complete source register follows the calculations.
- H-text: high confidence in the identified text actually read; this does not certify that every later amendment or judicial development has been exhausted.
- M-application: a reasoned application of that text to the described hypothetical model.
- HOLD: missing operative text, currentness evidence, or necessary transaction facts prevent the stated conclusion.
- Source references such as S001 mean J_PR-P1-S001 in the full source table.
1. Business-model classification
The important Puerto Rico distinction is functional. Intermediación financiera addresses paid financial planning and advice; rectificación de crédito addresses corrective work on credit information. A debt-management arrangement can also create a separate monetary-services question through its payment functions.
| Claim ID |
Model |
Precise classification and legal trigger |
Exceptions, applicability, and confidence |
Source and pinpoint |
| J_PR-P1-C001 |
For-profit financial advice accompanying principal-reduction negotiation |
Paid individualized financial advice or planning falls within Law 214’s financial-adviser/planner definition. OCIF’s generic category guidance expressly includes debt-reduction plans under financial intermediation. |
License-gated where those functions occur. H-text/M-application. This establishes a relevant pathway, not approval of every settlement program. |
S001, Arts. 2(f), 2(j), 3(a); S008, financial-intermediation category. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C002 |
Bare principal-reduction negotiator, with no separately described advice |
The precise regulatory treatment of an agent whose sole undertaking is negotiating principal remains HOLD because Regulation 8348’s operative classifications were not readable. |
No categorical permission or categorical prohibition is established for this narrower formulation. “Negotiation only” is not an authenticated exclusion. |
S001, Arts. 2–4; S002, unread regulatory body. |
| J_PR-P1-C003 |
Noncustodial service; consumer pays creditors directly |
Avoiding custody does not remove the paid-advice trigger identified in C001. |
M-application. It can remove some factual predicates for transmission, but it is not a demonstrated financial-intermediation exemption. |
S001, Arts. 2(f), 2(j); S008. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C004 |
Independent consumer dedicated account |
Account independence is a conditional federal safeguard; it does not itself establish Puerto Rico authorization for the negotiator or account administrator. |
H-text/M-application. Actual ownership, control, affiliations, payment instructions, compensation, and withdrawal rights remain necessary facts. |
S026, §310.4(a)(5)(ii); S021, §§1.2–2.1. ecfr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C005 |
Custodial DMP, creditor distribution, or counseling with payment administration |
Advice and receipt/distribution of payments require separate analyses under Laws 214 and 136. Neither a DMP label nor compliance with a federal earning trigger proves territorial custody authority. |
HOLD on the complete authorization combination. Regulation 9393 is also unread. |
S001, Arts. 2–4; S021, §§1.2, 1.3, 2.1; S022. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C006 |
General information or public budgeting education |
A genuinely general informational activity without the compensated, individualized services identified above has a different coverage argument. |
Conditional/M-application. No comprehensive software, publishing, or educational safe harbor was authenticated from Regulation 8348. |
S001, Art. 2(f), (j); S002. bvirtualogp.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C007 |
Paid individualized budget counseling, including third-party-funded service |
Charging through a sponsor or another agreed third party does not necessarily make the service uncompensated: Law 214 expressly contemplates third-party compensation. |
H-text/M-application. Actual services and compensation arrangements govern. |
S001, Art. 2(j). bvirtualogp.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C008 |
Compensated sales and referrals |
For the Law 214 branch, direct or indirect compensation for referring cases is expressly prohibited. |
H-text; scope conditional. The boundary between ordinary advertising and compensated case referral requires the actual arrangement. A generic “marketing fee” label does not answer it. |
S001, Art. 10(14), concluding participation clause. bvirtualogp.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C009 |
Credit-improvement representations and corrective services |
Law 153 addresses advertised, compensated affirmative action/advice to correct or alter incorrect credit information. Federal CROA can independently reach express or implied promises to improve an individual’s credit record, history, or rating. |
H-text/M-application. Debt negotiation and credit rectification are not interchangeable categories. Marketing promises can add a federal issue even when the service is called settlement or software. |
S011, Art. 2(a), (p); S029, 15 USC §1679a(3). bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
2. Issuers, exclusions, territorial reach, and independent financial-service questions
Issuing authority and exceptions
| Claim ID |
Precise assertion |
Exceptions/applicability |
Confidence |
Source and pinpoint |
| J_PR-P1-C010 |
The Law 214 license is issued by the Comisionado de Instituciones Financieras, through OCIF; the statute also delegates rulemaking. |
A corporate registration, association membership, or private certification is not this license. |
H-text |
S001, Arts. 2(d), 2(e), 4, 15. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C011 |
The Law 153 text read assigns credit-rectifier licensing, supervision, and enforcement to DACO, with departmental rulemaking authority. |
A possible later transfer must be resolved through enacted text, not a proposal or website label. See C075. |
H-text; currentness partial |
S011, Arts. 3, 5, 31. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C012 |
Law 153 expressly excludes financial-intermediation businesses certified as such by OCIF and regulated under Law 214. |
This is a conditioned exclusion. Merely asserting that one is an intermediary does not satisfy it. It also does not remove applicable federal law. |
H-text |
S011, Art. 4, final paragraph. bvirtualogp.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C013 |
Law 214’s professional exclusion requires financial services to be merely incidental to the professional practice. |
The listed professions include lawyers, accountants, economists, engineers, and teachers. A core debt-service business is not shown excluded by a professional title alone. |
H-text/M-application |
S001, Art. 3(b). bvirtualogp.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C014 |
Law 153 separately excludes lawyers or accountants providing the service incidentally to their business. |
This is not an association-wide or attorney-brand exemption. Federal conditions must be analyzed independently. |
H-text |
S011, Art. 4. bvirtualogp.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C015 |
No blanket local nonprofit exclusion was established. Law 214 names particular organizations rather than all nonprofits. |
Named exclusions include SER de Puerto Rico and the identified housing/human-development trust. Federal tax-exempt status is a separate inquiry. |
H-text; no universal negative claimed |
S001, Art. 3(b); S011, Art. 4. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C016 |
Institutional exclusions depend on authorized activities and the statutory capacity in which the actor acts. |
Law 214’s excluded actors may not convert the institutional activity into personal commission/service-charge income. “Own creditor” is not a universal exemption for every unlicensed business. |
H-text |
S001, Arts. 3(b)–(c), 4; S011, Art. 4. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C017 |
Law 273 expressly excludes qualifying international financial entities created under that law from Laws 214 and 136. |
This requires the special statutory institution and authorized operations; foreign incorporation alone is insufficient. No actual EFI status was investigated. |
H-text; applicability unestablished |
S025, Arts. 2(k), 3–4, 27. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C018 |
Law 136 separately regulates fee-based monetary services, including receiving payment instructions/transfers for a beneficiary; its fee concept includes indirect or disguised compensation. |
A bundled DMP charge can therefore require analysis even without a separately named transmission fee. Applicable institutional exclusions remain conditional. |
H-text/M-application |
S021, §§1.2(i), (p), (w)–(x), 1.3, 2.1. bvirtualogp.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C019 |
A consumer-retained negotiator is not automatically a creditor-side collection agency. Law 143 defines collecting another’s accounts/debts as a distinct activity. |
Direct payment to the creditor can still fall within collection-agency language in its own context; it does not convert the consumer’s adviser into a collector. |
H-text/M-application |
S024, Arts. 2(b), 3. bvirtualogp.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C020 |
Business or mixed-purpose debt does not automatically escape Laws 214 or 136, whose relevant person/service definitions are broader than an individual household-debt formulation. |
Law 153 and CROA concern individual credit-related services; their separate definitions must be applied rather than treating every defined “consumer credit transaction” term as a universal coverage condition. CFPA has its own primarily-personal-purpose test. |
M-application |
S001, Art. 2; S021, §1.2; S011, Art. 2; S029, §1679a; S038, §5481(5). bvirtualogp.pr.gov+3 |
| J_PR-P1-C021 |
Secured status is not an authenticated general exclusion from Puerto Rico financial-advice regulation. |
Residential-mortgage brokering is expressly excepted from Law 214’s cited broker definition. The TSR debt-relief definition separately concerns unsecured debt. Mortgage and other sector regimes remain deferred. |
H-text/M-application |
S001, Art. 2(g), (j); S026, §310.2(o). bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C022 |
The local licensing texts contemplate an authorized Puerto Rico office and entity documentation; Law 214’s office cannot be a residence and requires the applicable use permit. |
Foreign-entity authority, a resident agent, and incorporation documents are application components, not substitutes for financial-service permission. |
H-text |
S001, Arts. 2(l), 6; S003–S004; S011, Arts. 7, 10. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+3 |
| J_PR-P1-C023 |
Phone, internet, or remote delivery does not establish an exemption. |
Law 153 expressly mentions internet/social media; Law 214 includes telephone and similar media. The exact territorial reach to an entirely offshore operator remains HOLD pending complete regulatory text and facts. |
H-text/M-application |
S001, Art. 2(j); S011, Art. 2(a); S002. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
The $10,000 exception for a natural-person lender’s annual lending/financing volume in Law 214 is not a minimum consumer-debt threshold for a settlement provider. A consumer with a smaller balance does not obtain a provider-licensing exclusion through that provision. S001, Art. 4. bvirtualogp.pr.gov
3. Public generic applications, documents, government charges, and renewal
The public materials establish genuine generic application pathways. They do not authenticate a specialized “Puerto Rico debt-settlement license” simply because a generic form contains a license-type field.
All amounts in this section are provider-to-government charges, required capital, or security—not permitted consumer fees.
| Claim ID |
Public process finding |
Required documents, amounts, or period |
Limitation/confidence |
Source and pinpoint |
| J_PR-P1-C024 |
OCIF publishes initial financial-intermediation instructions and a sworn blank application. |
The ordinary stated initial charges are $500 investigation + $1,000 annual license per office. The statute reduces the annual license charge to $500 if issued after June 30. |
H-text. The generic instruction’s $1,500 payment line must be read with the statutory timing provision. |
S001, Arts. 5, 6(a)(4); S003, p.1. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C025 |
Further investigation expense is not an assumed flat surcharge. |
Art. 6(a)(4) permits a required cost deposit and contains a $2,000-per-office ceiling in that clause. Examination charges are separately $100 per day/fraction per examiner, plus specified travel costs. |
H-text. Do not automatically add $2,000 to every application or treat it as a consumer charge. |
S001, Arts. 6(a)(4), 8. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C026 |
Financial-intermediation authorization requires financial resources/security. |
$10,000 liquid capital per authorized office; statutory security $10,000–$200,000, dependent on statutory considerations and Commissioner determination. |
H-text. Full security claims, eligible instruments, and replenishment mechanics remain outside this component. |
S001, Art. 6; S003, checklist. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C027 |
The initial OCIF packet requires substantive business and fitness material. |
Financial statements; incorporation/authority documents; resident agent and corporate authorization; specified intermediary type and work plan; histories, photograph, criminal/credit reports; tax certifications; security; commercial-office evidence/lease. |
H-text for the checklist. Its education/experience wording refers to the mortgage market; application of that legacy wording to a pure negotiation model remains unresolved. |
S003, complete two-page instructions; S004, complete blank. docs.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C028 |
Investigation-fee refund treatment must distinguish procedural outcomes. |
The initial sheet’s broad nonrefundability note must be reconciled with the statute’s separate treatment of a returned application and denial after investigation. |
H-text; do not turn the sheet into an unconditional “nothing is refundable” rule. |
S001, Art. 6(c)(2), (5); S003. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C029 |
October 2026 OCIF renewal instructions confirm an annual financial-intermediation cycle. |
Expiry December 31; application by December 1. Per-office renewal: $1,000 below $5 million business volume; $1,875 at or above it. Instructions state a $500 late administrative fine. |
H-text. “Business volume” is not assumed to equal enrolled consumer debt. No actual deadline calendar was calculated. |
S005, Spanish pp.1–2; S001, Art. 7. docs.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C030 |
The current renewal packet contains revised supporting-document requirements. |
Bond continuation; financials—audited at the stated $1 million volume threshold, compiled below; three recent bank statements; new-officer/director histories and certifications; tax certification/payment plan; applicable good standing; regulatory debts and abandoned-property compliance. |
H-text. The sheet’s capital wording does not erase the statute’s per-office requirement. Its no-PR-operations exception concerns a specified tax certificate, not a license exemption. |
S005, pp.1–2 / indices 0–1. docs.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C031 |
The 2026 renewal sheet treats FIRE reporting currentness as a future renewal criterion. |
That criterion starts in 2028; the sheet excuses regulated entities from that criterion for the 2027 renewal. |
H-text. This is not a blanket waiver of reporting duties. |
S005, reporting paragraph; S034, reporting circular. docs.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C032 |
The current renewal submission method is only partly resolved. |
NMLS-registered licenses must renew/pay through NMLS. The bilingual instructions give different Spanish and English submission email addresses. The linked October 2026 XLSX blank was not readable. |
HOLD on the conflicting email destination and unread workbook fields. No account was opened or submission made. |
S005, pp.2, 4; S007. docs.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C033 |
DACO’s credit-rectifier statute/rule specify government license charges and renewal. |
$500 investigation + $1,000 annual license, with the stated post-June-30 $500 annual-license provision; $1,000 renewal per office; calendar-year expiry and December 1 renewal filing. |
H-text in the texts read; post-compilation issuer/currentness gap remains. Late filing is sanctionable, but no universal fixed late-fine amount is asserted here. |
S011, Arts. 7–10; S016, §§2.3, 2.7. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+2 |
| J_PR-P1-C034 |
The DACO generic process requires identity, organizational, financial, qualification, and tax documentation. |
Regulation 8531 includes sworn application information, relevant histories/certifications, CPA financial material, qualification evidence, tax/merchant information, and entity/agent/ownership documents. |
H-text for the selected regulatory provisions. No actual person’s record was searched. |
S016, §2.2, printed pp.6–9 / indices 5–8. docs.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C035 |
DACO’s October 2026 V3.00 blank is an authenticated current public form, but its referenced attachment is missing from the retrieved file. |
Three pages were read. Page 2 requires an attached Hoja de Cotejo, which is not among those three pages. |
PARTIAL/HOLD on the current complete checklist. The older V2 URL returned 404. |
S017, pp.1–3 / indices 0–2. docs.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C036 |
Credit-rectifier security and inspection amounts are distinct from consumer fees. |
$10,000 liquid capital per office, $30,000–$100,000 bond, and $100 per inspector per day/fraction. Regulation 8531 contains volume tiers. |
H-text. No interpolation across printed tier gaps or consumer fee allowance is inferred. Detailed bond recovery remains deferred. |
S011, Arts. 11–12; S016, §§3.1–3.2. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C037 |
Law 136 and the generic monetary-services renewal sheet establish a separate government-fee framework. |
Statutory initial investigation $2,500, with additional actual investigation expense; annual office license $2,500, agent $100, with specified post-June-30 half-year amounts. |
H-text for those sources. Complete current reconciliation with unread Regulations 9393/9698 remains HOLD. |
S021, §3.3; S023, renewal instructions. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C038 |
Monetary-services capital/security requirements are materially different from financial-intermediation requirements. |
Statutory capital $500,000, liquid assets $100,000; bond $500,000 plus $10,000 for additional offices/agents, subject to the Commissioner’s authority. |
H-text; not proof that a particular DMP must or can use this license. |
S021, §§3.2, 3.4; S023. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C039 |
A generic monetary-services renewal form/instruction sheet was fully readable. |
Revision July 23, 2024; December 1 renewal; financial/security material, changes, compliance attestations, and evidence of FinCEN registration. |
H-text for instructions. No FinCEN or other entity registry was searched. Full new-application requirements remain partial. |
S023, complete two pages. docs.pr.gov |
4. Consumer fee amounts, earning, cancellation, and credits
The research establishes important timing and performance restrictions. It does not authenticate a current Puerto Rico percentage or dollar ceiling for every settlement/DMP fee category.
A prohibition on collecting before performance is not a finding that the ultimate fee cap is zero. Conversely, satisfying a federal performance condition does not establish that the agreed amount is lawful locally.
| Claim ID |
Precise assertion |
Exceptions/applicability |
Confidence |
Source and pinpoint |
| J_PR-P1-C040 |
Law 214 prohibits requesting, receiving, or charging advance commissions/service charges, in whole or part, for future services. |
Applies within the statute’s scope; the exact permissible service-completion unit for a settlement portfolio remains unresolved. |
H-text; application conditional |
S001, Art. 10(1). bvirtualogp.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C041 |
A current numerical Puerto Rico settlement/DMP consumer-fee schedule was not established. |
Setup, monthly, per-debt, savings-based, minimum, and aggregate limits all remain HOLD; Regulation 8348’s body is missing. No CPI or model-act formula is imported. |
HOLD |
S001–S002; documented retrieval bounds below. |
| J_PR-P1-C042 |
Law 214 prohibits improper withholding of money/documents and authorizes restitution of money unlawfully charged. |
These provisions do not establish a universal cancellation period or refund clock for every intermediary contract. That broader question remains open. |
H-text; timing HOLD |
S001, Arts. 10(6), 13(4). bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C043 |
The credit-rectification branch requires free initial orientation. |
A later label such as consultation or onboarding cannot be assumed to create a chargeable substitute for the required free orientation. |
H-text/M-application |
S011, Art. 14; S016, §3.4(A). docs.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C044 |
Credit-rectification compensation is tied to completed corrective results, with no advance partial or total charge. |
Law 153 defines completed services through substantial improvement from correcting inaccurate information; merely sending letters does not establish that result. Unperformed corrective items cannot be billed at expiration. |
H-text/M-application |
S011, Arts. 2(p), 15(g)–(h), 17; S016, §§3.5, 3.7. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C045 |
The credit-rectifier contract provisions limit the service period to six months and address a further agreed six-month period without advance payment. |
Post-signing orientation is included rather than separately charged; unagreed additional charges are prohibited. These are the fee-relevant intersections, not a complete contract review. |
H-text |
S011, Arts. 15, 17; S016, §§3.5, 3.7. docs.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C046 |
The territorial credit-rectifier cancellation right is seven calendar days, without penalty or obligation, using the stated written mailing/delivery method by midnight of the seventh day. |
This is distinct from CROA’s three-business-day right and the TSR account-return clock. No actual calendar deadline is calculated. |
H-text |
S011, Art. 15(k); S016, §3.5. docs.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C047 |
No current numerical credit-rectifier consumer-fee cap or official adjustment formula was authenticated in the provisions read. |
HOLD, not “unlimited.” A contract total, a license fee, a bond amount, or the six-month service term does not supply a consumer-price ceiling. |
HOLD |
S011, Arts. 14–17; S016, §§3.4–3.7; currentness gaps below. |
5. Actual federal jurisdiction and earning conditions
Territorial and entity gateways
| Claim ID |
Precise assertion |
Exceptions/applicability |
Confidence |
Source and pinpoint |
| J_PR-P1-C048 |
Puerto Rico is expressly included in “State” in the Telemarketing Act and the TSR. |
This is textual territorial coverage, not an assumption that Puerto Rico is a state for every law. |
H-text |
S027, 15 USC §6106(3); S026, §310.2(ff). uscode.house.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C049 |
The TSR telemarketing gateway requires the defined telephone plan/program/campaign involving more than one interstate call. |
Purely online activity is not automatically a qualifying campaign; one consumer’s own call count is not the entire campaign test. |
H-text/M-application |
S027, §6106(4); S026, §310.2(ii). uscode.house.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C050 |
The current TSR exceptions must be applied to the actual transaction. |
Bona fide face-to-face and genuinely unsolicited-call provisions are conditional. Advertising/direct-mail inbound exemptions carve out covered debt relief/credit repair. Business solicitation has its own exception and retained anti-misrepresentation provisions. |
H-text; facts absent |
S026, §310.6. ecfr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C051 |
FTC enforcement jurisdiction retains statutory institutional and organizational limits. |
Bona fide nonprofit status and specified regulated institutions require their own analysis. A brand or tax label alone does not settle every FTCAct condition; SEC/CFTC provisions also have specific statutory treatment. |
H-text; applicability conditional |
S027, §§6102(d)–(e), 6105(a); S028, §§44–45. uscode.house.gov+3 |
| J_PR-P1-C052 |
The Telemarketing Act separately gives CFPB enforcement authority for covered consumer financial products/services, subject to the stated CFPA limits. |
Therefore an FTC institutional exclusion is not a demonstrated exemption from every federal enforcement route. CFPA expressly includes Puerto Rico and identifies consumer debt counseling/management/settlement. |
H-text |
S027, §6105(d); S038, §5481(5), (15)(A)(viii), (27). uscode.house.gov+2 |
| J_PR-P1-C053 |
The TSR debt-relief definition concerns alteration of debt/payment terms owed to an unsecured creditor or debt collector. |
Secured-debt assistance is not cleared by this exclusion; other territorial/federal regimes remain open. Routine creditor/collector concessions do not necessarily involve inducing purchase of a service. |
H-text |
S026, §310.2(o); S031, discussion at 75 FR 48465–68. ecfr.gov+1 |
Fee earning, allocation, accounts, and credit repair
| Claim ID |
Precise assertion |
Exceptions/applicability |
Confidence |
Source and pinpoint |
| J_PR-P1-C054 |
TSR debt-relief fees require an actual renegotiated/settled/altered debt under a valid agreement executed by the customer and at least one payment pursuant to that agreement. |
A deposit, proposed offer, unsigned arrangement, or provider promise does not establish both conditions. Clause C must also be satisfied. |
H-text |
S026, §310.4(a)(5)(i)(A)–(C). ecfr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C055 |
Under the proportional method, the individual fee bears the same ratio to the total contract fee as that debt’s enrollment balance bears to all enrolled debt. |
Enrollment-time balances control; previously collected lawful fees must be credited against the same allocation. |
H-text/M-application |
S026, §310.4(a)(5)(i)(C)(1); S031, 75 FR 48490. ecfr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C056 |
Under the savings method, the same percentage applies across individual debts, using enrollment debt minus the amount actually paid to satisfy it. |
Do not switch methods between debts or substitute a later inflated balance. This allocation rule supplies no Puerto Rico permission for a particular percentage. |
H-text/M-application |
S026, §310.4(a)(5)(i)(C)(2); S031, 75 FR 48490. ecfr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C057 |
A genuine installment settlement can satisfy the first-payment condition, but a required lump sum cannot be artificially divided to accelerate the fee. |
The creditor agreement’s actual payment terms control. |
H-text |
S031, 75 FR 48489, n.432 / PDF index 31. govinfo.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C058 |
A qualifying dedicated account requires an insured institution, consumer ownership including interest, an independent administrator, and the specified prohibition on referral compensation. |
“Dedicated” or “independent” in the account name proves none of these facts. |
H-text |
S026, §310.4(a)(5)(ii)(A)–(D). ecfr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C059 |
The consumer must be able to withdraw without penalty and receive all account funds, except fees earned under all of (i)(A)–(C), within seven business days of the request. |
Initiating a transfer is insufficient. An unresolved debt, mere deposit, or unmet local entitlement cannot be used to justify the hypothetical deductions below. |
H-text |
S026, §310.4(a)(5)(ii)(E). ecfr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C060 |
The final-rule explanation treats a genuine DMP renegotiating all creditors together differently from sequential debt settlements. |
Its discussion requires binding creditor arrangements/customer agreement and the first payment for distribution; it does not authorize pre-enrollment setup charges or override Puerto Rico law. |
H-text; exact model conditional |
S031, 75 FR 48489, n.431 / index 31. govinfo.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C061 |
Telemarketed credit-improvement services have a separate TSR advance-fee restriction. |
Both the promised performance period must expire and a consumer report demonstrating results must be provided; that report must issue more than six months after the results were achieved. Debt-settlement first payment does not replace this rule. |
H-text |
S026, §310.4(a)(2). ecfr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C062 |
CROA’s Puerto Rico analysis rests on its own interstate-commerce/mails trigger together with the general territorial application rule in 48 USC §734. |
CROA’s definition section does not itself contain an express Puerto Rico “State” definition. Section 734’s locally-inapplicable qualification and the older available edition are disclosed. |
H-text/M-application; currentness partial |
S029, §1679a(3); S030, §734. uscode.house.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C063 |
CROA reaches compensated express/implied credit-improvement services and related advice/assistance for individuals. |
Actual representations and consideration matter; an ordinary settlement service is not automatically covered merely because settlement might incidentally affect credit. |
H-text/M-application |
S029, §1679a(1), (3). uscode.house.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C064 |
CROA has express exclusions for qualifying §501(c)(3) organizations, specified institutions, and a defined creditor restructuring debt owed to itself. |
No blanket attorney exemption appears in that list. An affiliated seller’s or nonprofit-branded service must actually satisfy the statutory exclusion. |
H-text |
S029, §1679a(3)(B). uscode.house.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C065 |
CROA prohibits charging or receiving payment before the agreed service is fully performed. |
A territorial license or an agreement to pay in advance does not negate this condition when CROA applies. |
H-text |
S029, §1679b(b). uscode.house.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C066 |
CROA requires the signed written contract and expiration of its three-business-day period before services; it also supplies the three-business-day cancellation right. |
This federal period is distinct from Puerto Rico’s seven-calendar-day credit-rectifier right. No actual holiday/business-day calculation is supplied. |
H-text |
S029, §§1679d(a), 1679e(a)–(c). uscode.house.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C067 |
CFPA’s practice-of-law limitation contains express qualifications and savings provisions. |
It does not categorically shelter financial products outside/incidental-to the protected attorney-client practice or eliminate other preserved statutory authority. |
H-text; facts absent |
S038, §5517(e)(1)–(3). uscode.house.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C068 |
A credit-counseling organization invoking federal §501(c)(3)/(4) tax-exempt status faces §501(q) conditions, including reasonable fees, inability-to-pay waivers, and restrictions on percentage fees and referral compensation. |
This is a condition of the claimed federal status, not an assumption that every Puerto Rico nonprofit has it. No permission under the “State law” percentage-fee exception is established here. |
H-text; applicability conditional |
S039, §501(q)(1)(A)–(C), (F), (4). uscode.house.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C069 |
Federal compliance does not displace applicable territorial requirements or establish a territorial fee entitlement. |
CROA preserves noninconsistent law; Law 153 expressly preserves other applicable law, including federal law. |
H-text |
S029, §1679j; S011, Art. 26. uscode.house.gov+1 |
No CFPB guidance was relied upon. The CFPB points above rest on enacted statutory provisions, so no withdrawn-guidance document is being used to support them.
6. Spanish authority, amendment chains, and currentness
| Claim ID |
Precise assertion |
Status and limits |
Confidence/source |
| J_PR-P1-C070 |
The principal local-law readings were Spanish texts supplied by Puerto Rico government sources. |
OGP expressly warns that its compilations are not official compilations. Their revision dates are not proof that no later law exists. |
H-text. S001, S011, S021; compiler notices. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C071 |
Law 214’s compilation identifies amendments 92-1996, 125-2000, 153-2000, 391-2004, 248-2010, 60-2012, and 179-2012. |
Law 153-2000 in this chain must not be confused with credit-rectifier Law 153-2013. The original 248-2010 PDF was unreadable. |
H-text for compilation chain; original-amendment closure partial. S001, S015. bvirtualogp.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C072 |
Law 153-2013’s compilation incorporates Laws 93, 115, and 170 of 2014. |
The current compiled definition was used; historical debt-management wording was not substituted for it. The three original amendment PDF bodies remained unread. |
H-text for compilation; original-amendment closure partial. S011–S014. bvirtualogp.pr.gov+1 |
| J_PR-P1-C073 |
Regulations 8348, 9698, and 9393 were located in official sources but not substantively readable. |
Their complete operative classifications, fees, exceptions, amendments, and effectivity are HOLD. Indexed fragments and announcements were not treated as complete final-rule proof. |
Retrieval fact. S002, S009, S022. |
| J_PR-P1-C074 |
Regulation 8531’s readable final-form text includes approval/signature dates and a filing-plus-30-days effectiveness clause. |
The filing/effective-date blanks in the retrieved text were not cured by a clear filing stamp. Historical inventories support its listing, not a complete 2026 amendment audit. Twelve trailing PDF pages were unreadable. |
H-text; precise effectivity/currentness partial. S016, S018–S019. docs.pr.gov+2 |
| J_PR-P1-C075 |
A 2026 proposal to transfer credit-rectifier oversight appeared in official search results. |
No enacted transfer law, effective transition provision, or complete implementing text was authenticated. It is not applied as law; later-currentness of the issuer remains open. |
HOLD. S033, discovery only; S017 supplies the actual October 2026 DACO blank. |
| J_PR-P1-C076 |
Regulation 9788’s readable text includes a repeal list that names Regulation 6535. |
Its filing-plus-30-days clause was read; the exact filing stamp was not conclusively resolved. Neither old 6535 nor its relationship to 5721 is used to supply a current fee schedule. |
H-text for text; exact effectivity partial. S010, Arts. 4, 6. docs.pr.gov |
| J_PR-P1-C077 |
The English renewal instructions are agency-issued bilingual administrative instructions, not an authenticated English translation of the statutes. |
The Spanish/English address discrepancy is preserved. FIRE’s Spanish-controls clause is specific to that circular and is not generalized to all bilingual documents. |
H-text. S005, S034. docs.pr.gov+1 |
The federal sources also have edition limits: the current eCFR display was updated through October 23, 2026; the principal OLRC pages identified legislation through October 15, while the working CROA pages identified October 7. The successful §734 source was the 2024 U.S. Code edition. Access on October 27 does not silently advance those edition boundaries.
7. Worked models
All figures below are hypothetical USD amounts. Monetary results are rounded to two decimal places; the examples have no fractional-cent residuals.
These examples do not assume an actual consumer, provider, settlement rate, lawful Puerto Rico fee percentage, or authorization. Except where expressly testing a different branch, assume a for-profit provider and a qualifying TSR campaign. Every fee calculation remains conditional on applicable local authority, lawful pricing, the actual contract, and completed performance.
Model 1 — For-profit, noncustodial principal negotiation
Inputs
| Input |
Hypothetical value |
| Enrollment debt |
$8,000.00 |
| Creditor-agreed dollar amount satisfying the debt |
$5,900.00 |
| Consumer payment method |
Direct to creditor |
| Assumed contract fee for the single debt |
$400.00 |
| Previously paid fee |
$0.00 |
Operations and results
- Gross debt reduction:
$8,000.00 − $5,900.00 = $2,100.00.
- Before the executed qualifying agreement and required payment: federal debt-relief fee collection is $0.00.
- Once those predicates and the applicable allocation condition are satisfied, the single-debt contractual allocation is:
$400.00 × ($8,000.00 ÷ $8,000.00) = $400.00.
- Conditional difference after that assumed fee:
$2,100.00 − $400.00 = $1,700.00, before any other costs.
Legal predicate and HOLD: direct creditor payment does not resolve Law 214 coverage. The $400 is an arithmetic input, not an authenticated Puerto Rico permitted charge. Complete authorization and fee quantum remain held. S001–S002, S008, S026 §310.4(a)(5).
Model 2 — Custodial DMP with all creditors bound at inception
Assume, solely for this example, that all creditor modifications are binding, the consumer has executed the arrangement, and the first scheduled creditor payment is actually made. This is not an account that merely accumulates money for future negotiations.
| Input |
Hypothetical value |
| Debt A / Debt B |
$3,000.00 / $5,000.00 |
| Total enrollment debt |
$8,000.00 |
| First creditor payment |
$300.00: $100.00 to A; $200.00 to B |
| Assumed setup charge |
$40.00 |
| Assumed monthly servicing charge |
$20.00 |
| Initial consumer deposit |
$360.00 |
Operations
- Before the binding plan/qualifying first payment, the assumed setup charge is not earned merely by depositing $360.00.
- After $300.00 goes to creditors and the hypothesized setup service is lawfully complete:
$360.00 − $300.00 − $40.00 = $20.00 consumer balance.
- The remaining $20.00 is not earned simply because the contract calls it a monthly charge. If the relevant monthly service later becomes fully performed and the charge is otherwise lawful:
$20.00 − $20.00 = $0.00.
- Eleven future monthly charges would be 11 × $20.00 = $220.00, but that calculation supplies no present entitlement.
Conservation:
$360.00 = $300.00 creditor payments + $40.00 conditionally earned setup + $20.00 consumer funds pending performance.
Legal predicate and HOLD: the simultaneous-DMP discussion in the 2010 final rule is relevant; it does not supply Puerto Rico custody permission or a $40/$20 schedule. Laws 214 and 136, Regulations 8348/9393, and the prohibition on advance future-service fees remain separate gates. S001–S002, S021–S022, S031 at 75 FR 48489 n.431.
Model 3 — Partial settlements, previous fee, same portfolio and contract
Use one proportional total-contract-fee method throughout.
Inputs: enrolled balances A = $4,000.00; B = $6,000.00; C = $10,000.00. Total = $20,000.00. Hypothetical total contract fee = $3,000.00.
Assume A and B each satisfy all required agreement/payment/performance conditions. C remains unresolved. A previously incurred a conditionally lawful $250.00 fee, already paid.
| Debt |
Enrollment fraction |
Arithmetic allocation of $3,000 |
Currently eligible under assumed federal predicates |
Prior fee paid |
Additional conditional amount |
| A |
$4,000 ÷ $20,000 = 0.20 |
$600.00 |
$600.00 |
$250.00 |
$350.00 |
| B |
$6,000 ÷ $20,000 = 0.30 |
$900.00 |
$900.00 |
$0.00 |
$900.00 |
| C |
$10,000 ÷ $20,000 = 0.50 |
$1,500.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
| Total |
1.00 |
$3,000.00 |
$1,500.00 |
$250.00 |
$1,250.00 |
The $1,500.00 allocated to C is unearned, not available because deposits happen to be sufficient. A’s prior $250.00 is preserved and credited; it is not collected again.
Legal predicate and HOLD: the calculation implements the federal proportional method. It does not establish that Puerto Rico permits a $3,000 fee, that the service-completion unit may be divided this way locally, or that this provider is authorized. S026 §310.4(a)(5)(i)(C)(1); S031 at 75 FR 48490; local holds in S001–S002.
Model 4 — Cancellation, pending consumer funds, and previous fees
Continue the same hypothetical portfolio and proportional method from Model 3.
Inputs
| Item |
Amount |
| Total consumer deposits |
$10,000.00 |
| Completed creditor payments: A $2,700 + B $4,200 |
$6,900.00 |
| Previously paid, conditionally lawful fee |
$250.00 |
| Account balance before cancellation deduction |
$2,850.00 |
| Included pending reservation for unresolved C |
$400.00 |
| Additional conditionally earned A/B fees from Model 3 |
$1,250.00 |
The $400 reservation is assumed unexecuted, revocable, and still consumer-owned. It is already included in $2,850; it must not be added twice.
Conditional refund calculation
$10,000−$6,900−$250=$2,850$10{,}000-$6{,}900-$250=$2{,}850$10,000−$6,900−$250=$2,850$2,850−$1,250=$1,600$2{,}850-$1{,}250=\boxed{$1{,}600}$2,850−$1,250=$1,600Conservation
$10,000=$6,900+$250+$1,250+$1,600$10{,}000=$6{,}900+$250+$1{,}250+$1{,}600$10,000=$6,900+$250+$1,250+$1,600Failure branches
- If the additional $1,250 has not satisfied every applicable earning and local-entitlement condition, it cannot be deducted on this example’s authority. With no further established deduction, the account return is $2,850.00.
- If all $1,500 of the conditional A/B fee had already been paid, the account would contain $1,600.00; the additional deduction is $0.00, not another $1,250.
- If the previous $250 was also unearned, its recovery is a separate issue outside the present account balance. A no-lawful-fee scenario conserves funds as $10,000 = $6,900 creditor payments + $3,100 total consumer return.
Clock: let the consumer’s request occur at abstract time T. Where the TSR account provision applies, the consumer must receive the required funds within seven business days of T. No specific date, holiday calendar, or transfer-processing assumption is supplied. Research uncertainty does not toll this clock. S026 §310.4(a)(5)(ii)(E).
Model 5 — Separate savings-based contract, not a method switch
This is a different counterfactual contract, using one hypothetical 15% savings fee for every debt. It is not substituted for selected debts in Model 3.
| Debt |
Enrollment amount |
Amount actually paid to satisfy |
Savings base |
Operation |
Conditional fee |
| A |
$4,000.00 |
$2,700.00 |
$1,300.00 |
$1,300 × 0.15 |
$195.00 |
| B |
$6,000.00 |
$4,200.00 |
$1,800.00 |
$1,800 × 0.15 |
$270.00 |
| C |
$10,000.00 |
Unresolved |
No completed savings base |
No earning predicate |
$0.00 |
| Total |
|
|
|
$195 + $270 |
$465.00 |
If A’s balance later grew to $4,600, using $4,600 − $2,700 would incorrectly produce a $1,900 base and a $285 fee. The stipulated enrollment base remains $4,000.
Legal predicate and HOLD: 15% is a numerical assumption, not Puerto Rico law or an approved rate. All performance conditions and the local fee-amount hold remain. S026 §310.4(a)(5)(i)(C)(2).
Additional short failure branches
| Branch |
Why the proposed shortcut fails |
| Lower debt—$800 balance |
The natural-person lender’s $10,000 annual-volume exception is not a small-debt settlement-provider exemption. S001, Art. 4. |
| Mixed personal/business debts |
Classification must follow each relevant statute and the actual service/campaign. Underlying business debt alone does not establish the TSR business-call exception or remove individual credit-repair coverage. S026 §310.6; S029 §1679a; S038 §5481(5). |
| Remote provider |
The 2026 tax-certificate exception for an entity without Puerto Rico operations does not waive the license requirement or establish that serving Puerto Rico consumers is “no operations.” S005. |
| Attorney-owned firm |
Core commercial debt services are not shown “merely incidental” by ownership or association membership. Federal rules require separate analysis. S001 Art. 3; S011 Art. 4; S038 §5517(e). |
| Nonprofit name |
A name proves neither a local exclusion nor qualifying federal tax-exempt status. S001 Art. 3; S029 §1679a(3)(B); S039 §501(q). |
| Software or DIY label |
Personalized paid advice, arrangement of services, or credit-improvement promises can remain relevant despite automation. Actual functions, representations, and compensation are needed. S001 Art. 2; S029 §1679a. |
| “Setup completed” after enrollment only |
Enrollment or deposit alone does not establish the TSR settlement/payment predicates or completion under the local future-service prohibition. S001 Art. 10(1); S026 §310.4(a)(5). |
| Small payment toward a required lump sum |
Artificially splitting a lump-sum requirement does not create the genuine installment-settlement trigger. S031, n.432. |
| Credit-repair letters sent |
Sending letters does not by itself prove completed corrective results, CROA full performance, or the TSR credit-repair report condition. S011 Art. 2(p); S029 §1679b(b); S026 §310.4(a)(2). |
8. Complete visible source register
Every entry below was checked on 2026-10-27, America/Los_Angeles. “Fresh/reused” means freshly retrieved in this pass and then consulted again within this same pass—not inherited findings or independent corroboration.
Pagination: p. is printed page; i. is zero-based PDF index. HTML has no PDF pagination. Multiple URLs/sections within one row are one grouped source usage, not independent corroboration.
Puerto Rico statutes, rules, and generic process materials
| Source ID |
Full literal HTTPS URL; title and issuer |
Authority, version, status, and legal trigger |
Actual read bounds / pinpoint / limits |
Check date |
| J_PR-P1-S001 |
https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/leyesreferencia/PDF/214-1995.pdf — Ley para Reglamentar el Negocio de Intermediación Financiera, Legislature; OGP compilation |
Spanish. Law 214, Oct.14,1995; compilation rev. Dec.28,2020. Licensing, exclusions, fees, advance-payment/referral restrictions. Compiler says compilation is not official. |
Fresh selected, reused. Arts.2–10,13,15,18 and amendment/disclaimer material. Definitions/exclusions pp.2–4/i.1–3; application/security pp.4–7/i.3–6; prohibitions pp.9–10/i.8–9. Complete material clauses read; later-amendment closure incomplete. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S002 |
https://docs.pr.gov/files/OCIF/LEYES-REGLAMENTOS-CARTAS-CIRCULARES/Reglamentos/Regl.%208348%20Intermediaci%C3%B3n%20Financiera.pdf — Reglamento 8348, Intermediación Financiera, OCIF. Mirror: https://transicion2016.pr.gov/Agencias/075/Informe%20de%20Reglamento%20y%20Normas/Regl.%208348%20Intermediaci%C3%B3n%20Financiera.pdf. Failed State copy: https://app.estado.gobierno.pr/ReglamentosOnLine/Reglamentos/8348.pdf |
Spanish regulatory document. Intended classification/fee/operational authority. Complete adoption, effectivity, and amendments not authenticated. |
Failed substantive read. Official PDFs reported 14 pages but zero extracted lines. Screenshot attempts supplied no inspectable image content. Search fragments are discovery only; no operative clause inferred. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S003 |
https://docs.pr.gov/files/OCIF/LICENCIA-REGLAMENTACION/Formularios-Solicitar-Licencias/Intermediacion-Financiera/Instrucciones%20para%20%20Intermediaci%C3%B3n%20Financiera.pdf — Instrucciones para Intermediación Financiera, OCIF |
Spanish generic initial checklist. No internal revision date authenticated; catalogue posting is not effectivity. |
Fresh whole read, 2 pages/i.0–1. Documents, $1,500 ordinary payment line, capital, security, qualifications and office evidence. Mortgage-experience wording and refund note require reconciliation. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S004 |
https://docs.pr.gov/files/OCIF/LICENCIA-REGLAMENTACION/Formularios-Solicitar-Licencias/Intermediacion-Financiera/solicitud%20de%20licencias.pdf — Solicitud de Licencias, OCIF |
Spanish generic sworn blank; no specialized settlement authorization established by its type field. |
Fresh whole read, 5 pages/i.0–4. Office/entity/agent/ownership/history/notarial fields. No entries or submission. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S005 |
https://docs.pr.gov/files/OCIF/LICENCIA-REGLAMENTACION/Formularios-Solicitar-Licencias/Intermediacion-Financiera/IF%20Instrucciones%20Renovaci%C3%B3n%20en%20Espa%C3%B1ol%20-%20Instructions%20English%20Rev.%2010-2026.pdf — IF Renewal Instructions, Rev.10-2026, OCIF |
Agency-issued Spanish/English administrative instructions; current public version retrieved. Renewal charges, documents, methods and future FIRE criterion. |
Fresh whole read, 4 pages. Spanish pp.1–2/i.0–1; English pp.3–4/i.2–3. Conflicting submission addresses preserved. Not a statutory translation. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S006 |
https://docs.pr.gov/files/OCIF/LICENCIA-REGLAMENTACION/Formularios-Solicitar-Licencias/Intermediacion-Financiera/Intermediaci%C3%B3n%20Financiera%20Instrucciones%20de%20Renovaci%C3%B3n%20en%20Espa%C3%B1ol%20-%20Rev.%2010-2025.pdf — Renewal Instructions, Rev.10-2025, OCIF |
Spanish historical administrative version; not substituted for October2026 packet. |
Fresh whole read, 3 pages/i.0–2. Earlier organization-chart/seal/reporting language not automatically carried forward. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S007 |
https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/64fa27bcf2ba4798f793e18e/6ad67682636f474d381a437c_Solicitud%20de%20Renovaci%C3%B3n%20de%20Licencias%20-%20License%20Renewal%20Application%20-%20Rev.%2010-2026.xlsx — License Renewal Application, Rev.10-2026, linked by OCIF |
Generic bilingual blank workbook; official link provenance established, workbook content not authenticated. |
Failed read: unsupported/non-retryable opening error. No workbook cells or sheets claimed read. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S008 |
https://www.ocif.pr.gov/querellas — Generic regulated-category guidance, OCIF |
Spanish agency guidance; category identification only, not a provider’s status or fee permission. |
Fresh text read. Relevant lines37–42 identify financial intermediation including debt-reduction plans. No complaint or record query. HTML/no PDF page. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S009 |
https://docs.pr.gov/files/OCIF/LEYES-REGLAMENTOS-CARTAS-CIRCULARES/Reglamentos/Reglamento%20N%C3%BAm.%209698%20-%20Reglamento%20para%20la%20Expedici%C3%B3n%20y%20Renovaci%C3%B3n%20de%20Licencias,%20Franquicias%20y%20Permisos.pdf — Reglamento 9698, OCIF |
Spanish issuance/renewal regulation. Posted in 2025; complete final body/effectivity not authenticated. |
Failed substantive read: 9 pages, only URL-level text. Announcements were discovery, not operative-status proof. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S010 |
https://docs.pr.gov/files/OCIF/LEYES-REGLAMENTOS-CARTAS-CIRCULARES/Reglamentos/Regl.%209788%20Reglamento%20para%20Derogar%20Reglamentaci%C3%B3n.pdf — Reglamento 9788 para Derogar Reglamentación, OCIF |
Spanish final-form repeal text, 2026. Exact stamped filing date unresolved. |
Fresh complete extracted text, 5 pages. Art.4 repeal list p.4/i.3; Art.6 filing-plus-30-days clause. No inference that all other regulations are current merely because absent from list. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S011 |
https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/leyesreferencia/PDF/153-2013.pdf — Ley de Agencias Rectificadoras de Crédito, Legislature; OGP |
Spanish Law153, Dec.15,2013; compilation rev.Apr.15,2024; amendments93/115/170-2014. Compiler authority limitation applies. |
Fresh selected, reused. Definitions/exclusions pp.2–4/i.1–3; licensing Arts.6–12; complete fee-related Arts.14–17; Arts.26–31,35 and disclaimer. Contract pp.11–12/i.10–11; prohibitions pp.13–14/i.12–13. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S012 |
https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/leyesreferencia/PDF/2/0093-2014.pdf — Law93-2014 original enactment PDF, Legislature/OGP |
Spanish original amendment source; relationship identified in S011 compilation. |
Failed body read: 2 pages, no extracted text. Not used as a freshly read original amendment. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S013 |
https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/leyesreferencia/PDF/2/0115-2014.pdf — Law115-2014 original enactment PDF, Legislature/OGP |
Spanish amendment source. |
Failed body read: 3 pages, no extracted text. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S014 |
https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/leyesreferencia/PDF/2/0170-2014.pdf — Law170-2014 original enactment PDF, Legislature/OGP |
Spanish amendment source. |
Failed body read: 8 pages, no extracted text. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S015 |
https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/leyesreferencia/PDF/2/0248-2010.pdf — Law248-2010 original enactment PDF, Legislature/OGP |
Spanish amendment source listed in Law214 chain. |
Failed body read: 16 pages, no extracted text. Compilation—not this unread body—supports the stated chain. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S016 |
https://docs.pr.gov/files/DACO/Reglamentos/8531.pdf — Reglamento para Regular y Expedir Licencias a las Agencias Rectificadoras de Crédito, DACO |
Spanish Regulation8531. Approval/signature October2014; Rule8 uses filing-plus-30-days. Exact filing/effective stamp unresolved. |
Fresh selected, reused. §§1.1–2.7,3.1–3.2, relevant3.4, complete3.5–3.7, Rules5–8. Fee clauses pp.22–26/i.21–25; effectivity p.32/i.31. PDF has44 pages; trailing i.32–43 unread. A later find retry failed despite prior successful extraction. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S017 |
https://docs.pr.gov/files/DACO/Licencias/Solicitud%20Rectificadora%20Credito%20V3.00%20OCT%202026.pdf — Solicitud Rectificadora Crédito V3.00 OCT2026, DACO |
Spanish current generic blank, internal V3.0/2026 and October2026 filename. |
Fresh whole read, 3 pages/i.0–2. Referenced checklist missing. Failed older version: https://www.daco.pr.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Solicitud-Rectificadora-Credito-v2.pdf (404). |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S018 |
https://transicion2016.pr.gov/Agencias/069/Informe%20de%20Reglamento%20y%20Normas/Informe%20Reglamentos%20Vigentes%20DACO.pdf — 2016 DACO regulation inventory |
Spanish historical official inventory; status evidence limited to its period. |
Fresh selected, 4-page document; Regulation8531 row p.1/i.0. “31/oct/2014” in comments is not treated as an unambiguous filing/effective stamp. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S019 |
https://transicion2024.pr.gov/Agencias/069/Informe%20de%20Reglamento%20y%20Normas/Informe%20de%20Reglamentos%20Vigentes%202024.pdf — 2024 DACO regulation inventory |
Spanish official historical inventory; not a 2026 exhaustive certification. |
Fresh selected, 5 pages; Regulation8531 row p.4/i.3. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S020 |
https://transicion2024.pr.gov/Agencias/075/Informe%20de%20Reglamento%20y%20Normas/13.%20Reglamentos/0.%20Anejo%2013%20Informe%20Reglamentos%20Vigentes.pdf — 2024 OCIF regulation inventory |
Spanish official inventory candidate. |
Failed body read: 3 pages, zero extracted lines. No currentness conclusion drawn from its contents. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S021 |
https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/leyesreferencia/PDF/136-2010.pdf — Ley para Regular los Negocios de Servicios Monetarios, Legislature/OGP |
Spanish Law136-2010; compilation rev.Dec.23,2020; lists amendments136/196-2014,160-2015,301-2018. |
Fresh selected, reused. §§1.2–1.3,2.1; relevant2.2–2.5;3.2–3.4. Definitions pp.2–4/i.1–3; fees/security pp.8–9/i.7–8. Full custody/remedies not reviewed. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S022 |
https://docs.pr.gov/files/OCIF/LEYES-REGLAMENTOS-CARTAS-CIRCULARES/Reglamentos/Regl.%209393%20Reglamento%20de%20Servicios%20Monetarios.pdf — Reglamento9393 de Servicios Monetarios, OCIF |
Spanish monetary-services regulation; operative completeness/currentness unresolved. |
Failed body read: 25 pages, zero extracted lines. Search excerpts not used as complete rule text. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S023 |
https://docs.pr.gov/files/OCIF/LICENCIA-REGLAMENTACION/Formularios-Solicitar-Licencias/Transferencia-Monetarias/New%20Renewal%20Application%20and%20Instructions%20For%20MSB%20Licenses%20-%20Rev%2007-23-24.pdf — MSB Renewal Application and Instructions, OCIF |
Agency-issued English blank/instructions; rev.July23,2024. Later catalogue posting does not change internal version. |
Fresh whole read, 2 pages/i.0–1. Fees, finances, security, compliance attachments and December1 renewal. No registry activity. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S024 |
https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/leyesreferencia/PDF/143-1968.pdf — Collection-agency law, Legislature/OGP |
Spanish Law143-1968; compilation rev.June4,2026, includes Law98 of June2,2026. Used only for actor boundary. |
Fresh selected, first statutory portions; reliance confined to Arts.2–3, pp.1–2/i.0–1. No collector dossier or provider-status investigation. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S025 |
https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/leyesreferencia/PDF/Transacciones/273-2012/273-2012.pdf — International financial-entity law, Legislature/OGP |
Spanish Law273-2012; compilation rev.Dec.11,2024; includes154-2014 and44-2024. Special institutional exception only. |
Fresh selected. Arts.2(k),3, relevant4,27; Art.27 p.35/i.34. Full authorized-activities regime and actual institution status not reviewed. |
2026-10-27 |
Federal authorities and remaining provenance sources
| Source ID |
Full literal HTTPS URL; title and issuer |
Authority/version/status/trigger |
Actual read bounds and jurisdiction limits |
Check date |
| J_PR-P1-S026 |
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-310 — Telemarketing Sales Rule, FTC/eCFR |
English current regulatory display, Title16 updated Oct.23,2026; eCFR is an authoritative but unofficial edition. |
Fresh selected, reused. Relevant §310.2 definitions; §310.3(a)(1)(viii),(b); complete material §310.4(a)(2),(5); relevant §310.6 exceptions. HTML/no PDF pagination. Campaign/entity predicates remain conditional. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S027 |
https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-124/t15/s6102/; https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-124/t15/s6105/; https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-124/t15/s6106/ — Telemarketing Act, Congress/OLRC |
English statutory text, pages through PublicLaw119-124, Oct.15,2026. One grouped statutory usage. |
Fresh operative readings. §6102(a)–(e), §6105 including(d), §6106 definitions. FTC/CFPB and SEC/CFTC boundaries; explicit Puerto Rico inclusion. HTML. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S028 |
https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-124/t15/s44/; https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-124/t15/s45/. Historical duplicate: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title15/html/USCODE-2024-title15-chap2-subchapI-sec44.htm — FTC Act, Congress/OLRC/GPO |
English current OLRC through Oct.15,2026; 2024 duplicate is historical, not independent corroboration. |
Fresh selected. §44 commerce/corporation definitions and §45(a)(2) institutional limits. No conclusion that FTC exclusions eliminate all federal authority. HTML. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S029 |
https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-120/t15/s1679a/; https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-120/t15/s1679b/; https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-120/t15/s1679d/; https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-120/t15/s1679e/; https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-120/t15/s1679h/; https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-120/t15/s1679j/. Earlier compilation: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title15/html/USCODE-2024-title15-chap41-subchapII-A.htm — CROA, Congress/OLRC/GPO |
English. Working OLRC pages through PublicLaw119-120, Oct.7,2026; older chapter cross-read, not separate corroboration. |
Fresh complete relevant section readings. Definitions/exclusions, prohibited payment, contract, cancellation, enforcement, state-law savings. No invented Puerto Rico definition in §1679a. HTML. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S030 |
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title48/html/USCODE-2024-title48-chap4-subchapI-sec734.htm — 48 USC734, Congress/GPO |
English 2024 U.S.Code edition; general federal-law application to Puerto Rico, with qualifications. |
Fresh core provision read completely. Newer OLRC routes failed/returned disabled errors; no workaround attempted. Current-edition closure held. Not used to assume universal internal-revenue applicability. HTML. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S031 |
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2010/08/10/2010-19412/telemarketing-sales-rule; official PDF https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2010-08-10/pdf/2010-19412.pdf — 2010 TSR final rule, FTC/Federal Register |
English final rule, Aug.10,2010, 75 FR48458–48523. Debt-relief fee provisions effective Oct.27,2010; historical rulemaking explanation checked against current rule. |
Fresh selected, reused, not all66 pages. Jurisdiction/scope pp.48465–68/i.7–10; earning/allocation/accounts pp.48489–91/i.31–33; complete nn.431–432. No other-state fee example imported. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S032 |
https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/debt-relief-services-telemarketing-sales-rule-guide-business — Debt Relief Services and the TSR: Guide for Business, FTC staff |
English 2010 staff guidance; not binding Commission text and not a Puerto Rico authorization. |
Fresh selected, relevant fee/allocation/account explanations. Historical record-retention language not used as current law. HTML. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S033 |
https://www.senado.pr.gov/document_vault/medidas_legislativas/ps1303-26.pdf — P. del S.1303, Puerto Rico Senate |
Spanish legislative proposal discovered in search. Not established enacted law. |
Search-only discovery; body unread. No enactment, effective transfer, or implementation conclusion. It identifies a bounded currentness question only. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S034 |
https://docs.pr.gov/files/OCIF/AVISOS-PUBLICOS/CIF-CC-2026-01%20-%20FIRE%20System-Espa%C3%B1ol.pdf; English counterpart https://docs.pr.gov/files/OCIF/AVISOS-PUBLICOS/CFI-CC-2026-01%20-%20FIRE%20System-English.pdf — FIRE circular, OCIF |
Spanish agency circular dated Sept.28,2026; English agency counterpart. Reporting, not license issuance or consumer fees. |
Spanish fresh selected: front §§I–II, reporting/license paragraph, §§XX–XXI;11 pages. Spanish-controls/effectivity clauses read. English body not substantively read. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S035 |
https://ocif.pr.gov/leyes-reglamentos-y-cartas-circulares — Law/regulation catalogue, OCIF |
Spanish official link catalogue. Discovery/provenance only. |
Fresh text read. Posting dates not treated as adoption/effectivity or proof of any provider’s status. HTML. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S036 |
https://www.ocif.pr.gov/reportes-proveedores?4248c5e4_page=2&e819f5ba_page=2; https://www.ocif.pr.gov/reportes-proveedores?184977c3_page=5&4248c5e4_page=6&e819f5ba_page=4 — Generic forms catalogue pages, OCIF |
Official provenance of current renewal instruction/workbook links; no actual provider records used. |
Fresh selected link rows, including October2026 materials. Catalogue dates are publication metadata only. HTML. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S037 |
https://www.daco.pr.gov/recursos?342e6971_page=4 — Resources catalogue, DACO |
Spanish official provenance of Regulation8531 link. |
Fresh selected. October2026 upload/listing is not its adoption date or an exhaustive currentness certificate. HTML. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S038 |
https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-124/t12/s5481/; https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-124/t12/s5517/ — CFPA definitions and limitations, Congress/OLRC |
English statute through PublicLaw119-124, Oct.15,2026; no CFPB guidance used. |
Fresh selected. §5481(4)–(6),(15),(19),(26)–(29); complete §5517(e), with nearby limits read selectively. Puerto Rico, consumer purpose, debt services, service providers, attorney limits. HTML. |
2026-10-27 |
| J_PR-P1-S039 |
https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-124/t26/s501/ — Federal tax-exempt credit-counseling conditions, Congress/OLRC |
English statute through PublicLaw119-124, Oct.15,2026. Conditional federal-status issue, not local nonprofit authorization. |
Fresh complete §501(q) and relevant(c)(3) material; no IRS entity lookup. Reasonable fees, waivers, percentage/referral restrictions and definitions. HTML. |
2026-10-27 |
9. Read/failure log and source limits
| Read or retrieval event |
Actual outcome |
Effect on conclusions |
| Spanish compiled Laws214,153,136 |
Material operative clauses and necessary definitions/exclusions freshly read; selected provisions revisited. |
Supports the textual findings, subject to compilation dates and original-amendment/currentness gaps. |
| Regulation8348 |
Official main copy and historical mirror yielded no body text; State copy inaccessible; screenshot calls did not expose inspectable images. |
No invented fee schedule, subtype permission, cancellation rule, or final effective date. |
| Regulations9698 and9393 |
Official documents located, bodies unreadable. |
Current licensing/renewal and transmission conclusions remain partial. |
| Regulation8531 |
Substantial operative main text successfully read; trailing12 pages not readable; later find retry failed. |
Earlier successful readings remain usable, but whole-file completion is not claimed. |
| Regulation8531 alternatives |
Legacy URL https://www.daco.pr.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/8531.pdf failed; State URL https://app.estado.gobierno.pr/ReglamentosOnLine/Reglamentos/8531.pdf inaccessible. |
Filing/effectivity gap was not cured. |
| Original amendments93/115/170-2014 and248-2010 |
PDFs found, no readable bodies. |
Amendment chains attributed to the compilations, not fresh readings of originals. |
| October2026 OCIF renewal instructions |
Complete four-page bilingual reading. |
Replaces reliance on older renewal instructions for the current generic packet; discrepancy preserved. |
| October2026 renewal XLSX |
Opening failed; no cells read. |
Blank-workbook contents remain unverified. |
| October2026 DACO form |
All three pages read; referenced checklist absent. |
Current public blank established; complete application checklist not established. |
| Currentness searches |
Official catalogues and generic resources reviewed; a transfer proposal surfaced. |
No proposition that search silence proves no later law, rule, or case. |
| Federal sources |
Current displayed TSR and specified code sections read; final-rule passages and DMP footnotes read directly. |
No borrowed case quotation or complaint allegation substituted for controlling text. |
| §734 newer routes |
Retrieval failed; successful2024 GPO body used with edition limitation. |
Territorial analysis is expressly qualified by that currentness gap. |
| Incidental search hits |
Some generic searches returned roster/enforcement snippets; those records were not opened or used. |
No provider/person/license/entity/case-status conclusion. |
| Opinions |
No published opinion was needed to supply the controlling textual propositions used here. |
No claim of comprehensive case-law review, later-history validation, or an absence of relevant opinions. |
No actual provider, individual, license, entity, account, borrower, property, case record, or docket was queried by identifier. No forms were filled, filings made, contacts initiated, record requests submitted, accounts changed, or security workarounds attempted.
10. Granular component coverage and bounded next actions
These are research gaps, not requests to contact an agency or investigate a provider.
| Component |
Coverage |
Exact missing evidence or limiting fact |
Next bounded public-evidence action |
| Paid financial advice/debt-reduction category |
Answered at statutory/category level |
Complete regulatory subtype treatment still missing |
Read authenticated complete Regulation8348 and applicable final amendments. |
| Bare principal-negotiation-only model |
Unresolved/HOLD |
Operative classification of that narrower service |
Same bounded rule-body retrieval; no provider-status query. |
| Noncustodial direct-payment model |
Partial |
Exact service/representation facts and rule-specific exclusions |
Apply complete rule to a hypothetical service description. |
| Independent dedicated account |
Partial |
Ownership, affiliation, compensation and payment-control facts; territorial administrator authority |
Complete generic monetary-services rules and public category instructions. |
| Custodial DMP/distribution |
Partial/HOLD |
Interaction of214/136 and operative8348/9393 permissions |
Read both final bodies and generic licensing classifications. |
| General information/education |
Partial |
Complete educational/software boundary in applicable rules |
Read regulatory exclusions; distinguish individualized paid services. |
| Credit rectification |
Substantially answered; currentness partial |
Later enacted oversight-transfer text, if any; unread trailing rule pages |
Public enacted-law/final-rule check only. |
| Paid case referrals |
Answered for Law214 text |
Ordinary-advertising versus referral arrangement facts |
Apply Art.10(14) to a concrete hypothetical compensation structure. |
| Attorney exceptions |
Answered conditionally |
Whether services are actually incidental; protected attorney-client practice facts |
No status lookup needed; legal-function analysis when facts exist. |
| Nonprofit exceptions |
Answered conditionally |
Actual statutory/federal-status predicates not supplied |
Continue generic statutory analysis only; no IRS/provider lookup. |
| Institutional/self-creditor exceptions |
Partial |
Exact authorized institution and activity; specialized regime limits |
Read necessary public institutional provisions if that branch becomes material. |
| Consumer/business/mixed purpose |
Partial |
Actual purpose, customer, credit file and campaign facts |
Apply each statute’s distinct elements; do not use one universal consumer test. |
| Secured/unsecured |
Answered for TSR boundary; otherwise partial |
Sector-specific authorization and fee rules |
Preserve mortgage/vehicle/other sector research for its assigned component. |
| Resident/remote/foreign provider |
Partial/HOLD |
Complete territorial-reach rules; exact operations |
Read8348/9698 and applicable generic remote-office provisions. |
| Initial OCIF application |
Partial |
Regulation9698; settlement-specific qualification treatment |
Read complete final rule and a current generic category checklist. |
| OCIF renewal |
Substantially answered |
Unread current XLSX; bilingual destination conflict |
Retrieve readable public workbook/instructions clarification; no contact. |
| DACO application |
Partial |
Missing V3.00 Hoja de Cotejo |
Locate its public attachment or a complete official blank packet. |
| Monetary-services application/renewal |
Partial |
Complete current9393/9698 and new-license checklist |
Public final-rule and blank-form retrieval only. |
| Settlement/DMP setup cap |
HOLD |
Applicable current numerical rule, if any |
Read8348 fee provisions and any final adjustment instrument. |
| Monthly/per-debt/savings/aggregate caps |
HOLD |
Same; no authenticated formula or adjustment notice |
Do not import CPI, uniform-act, or another jurisdiction’s values. |
| Credit-rectifier numerical cap |
HOLD |
Complete current fee authority/adjustments, if any |
Complete current-law/rule reconciliation. |
| Local earning restrictions |
Answered textually |
Application to the particular service-completion unit |
Reconcile the contract model with the final regulatory text. |
| Local ordinary-intermediary cancellation/refund clock |
Unresolved |
Complete8348 clauses and other directly applicable authority |
Read the missing body; do not substitute the credit-rectifier or TSR clock. |
| TSR earning/allocation/account return |
Answered conditionally |
Actual campaign, entity, contract and account facts |
Apply established tests; no calendar deadline without a defined calendar. |
| CROA territorial and service gateway |
Substantially answered; edition gap |
Newer authenticated734 edition and actual representations |
Public code/current-law check; no assumed universal state treatment. |
| Cases and later history |
Deferred |
Comprehensive published-opinion review not performed |
Conduct only if a material textual ambiguity requires it; no docket queries. |
Parent dimensions preserved for later work
| Remaining parent dimension |
Status in this pass |
| Complete agreements, disclosures, authority, electronic delivery, signatures, and cancellation mechanics |
Deferred, except fee-earning and cancellation intersections expressly addressed above. |
| Funds, trust, processors, transmission operations, custody, security instruments, and bond claims |
Gateway only; complete funds-flow and recovery analysis remains open. |
| Civil and criminal remedies, damages, limitations, enforcement, and defenses |
Deferred; isolated restitution references do not complete this dimension. |
| Collector/original-creditor licensing, validation, collection conduct, and reporting |
Deferred; only actor boundaries were addressed. |
| Limitation, accrual, revival, and judgment clocks |
Deferred in full. |
| Service, venue, answer, default, evidence, arbitration, judgment interest, renewal, and satisfaction |
Deferred in full. |
| Wage, bank, property, and benefit exemptions |
Deferred in full. |
| Mortgage, vehicle, rent, medical, student, tax, utility, support, government, agricultural, and business sectors |
Deferred, except the necessary secured/unsecured and purpose gateways. |
| Legal aid, identity theft, military protections, and older-adult protections |
Deferred in full. |
| Municipal/local, tribal, federal-territorial, country, contract, source, and currentness gaps |
Preserved, with only the necessary territorial/federal gateways addressed here. |
11. Self-check and component disposition
Actually read: the material Spanish statutory definitions and exclusions, the identified licensing and fee clauses, substantial operative portions of Regulation8531, complete current OCIF renewal instructions, the current DACO blank, the specified federal statutes/rule clauses, and the relevant final-rule DMP/allocation discussion.
Not claimed read: Regulations8348/9698/9393 in full; the original amendment bodies identified above; the trailing12 pages of8531; the current renewal workbook; the missing DACO checklist; the body or enactment status of the transfer proposal; comprehensive published case law or later case history.
The report contains 77 numbered claim entries, a visible 39-entry source register, five worked models, failure branches, and a granular coverage register. Repeated sections of one source are grouped as one usage. This is a self-check, not independent review. No model switch or unseen UI/model provenance is claimed; no subagents, local deliverable files, or other chats were used.
Disposition: retain the Puerto Rico provider-access/consumer-fee component as PARTIAL WITH MATERIAL HOLDS, particularly for the complete settlement/DMP authorization path and numerical consumer-fee limits. The established performance and refund restrictions remain usable conditional legal findings; they do not supply the missing local permission or rate.
END J_PR PASS-01.