Under RESPA, a 'thing of value' is defined as which of the following?

• A. ANY BENEFIT
• B. A monetary gift only
• C. A real property interest only
• D. Anything that is not a loan fee

Answer: (A)

Under RESPA, a thing of value is broad: any benefit offered or received in connection with settlement services, not limited to money. This broad scope is to prevent kickbacks by covering both monetary and nonmonetary items that could influence a consumer’s choice of providers. So the best answer is that a thing of value means any benefit. The other options are too narrow: limiting it to monetary gifts excludes noncash benefits; restricting it to a real property interest only covers one specific type; and saying it’s anything not a loan fee misstates the standard and could miss other forms of value tied to referrals.