Gov't agency proposes simpler mortgage forms

WASHINGTON — The government is proposing rules to simplify getting a home mortgage.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Monday unveiled redesigned forms that mortgage borrowers would get after applying for a loan but before closing on the house. The forms would be available three days before closing.

The proposal aims to prevent costly surprises and help people understand the true cost of a loan. It also increases protections for consumers who take out higher-cost mortgages.

The changes were required by Congress under the financial overhaul law passed in 2010. That law created the consumer agency in part to protect consumers from mortgage loans that were unaffordable or included hidden fees and other traps.

Monday's proposal is the bureau's first that would change how people get mortgages.