695-B - Definitions.

§  695-b.  Definitions.  As  used in this article, the following terms  shall have the following meanings:    1. "Account" or "family tuition  account"  shall  mean  an  individual  savings  account  established  in accordance with the provisions of this  article.    2. "Account owner" shall mean a  person  who  enters  into  a  tuition  savings  agreement pursuant to the provisions of this article, including  a person who enters into such an agreement as a fiduciary  or  agent  on  behalf   of  a  trust,  estate,  partnership,  association,  company  or  corporation. The account owner may also be the designated beneficiary of  the account.    3. "Designated beneficiary" shall mean, with respect to an account  or  accounts,  the  individual  designated  as  the  individual whose higher  education expenses are expected to be paid from the account or accounts.    4. "Financial organization" shall mean an organization  authorized  to  do  business  in  the  state  of New York and (a) which is an authorized  fiduciary to act as a trustee pursuant to the provisions of  an  act  of  congress  entitled  "Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974" as  such provisions may be amended  from  time  to  time,  or  an  insurance  company;   and   (b)(i)  is  licensed  or  chartered  by  the  insurance  department, (ii) is licensed or chartered  by  the  banking  department,  (iii)  is  chartered  by  an  agency  of the federal government, (iv) is  subject to  the  jurisdiction  and  regulation  of  the  securities  and  exchange  commission  of  the  federal  government,  or (v) is any other  entity otherwise authorized to act in this state as a  trustee  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of an act of congress entitled "Employee Retirement  Income Security Act of 1974" as such provisions may be amended from time  to time.    5. "Eligible educational institution" shall mean  any  institution  of  higher  education  defined  as  an  eligible  educational institution in  section 529(e)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.    6. "Member of family" shall mean a family member as defined in section  529 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.    7. "Program" shall mean the New  York  state  college  choice  tuition  savings program established pursuant to this article.    8.  "Qualified  higher  education  expenses"  shall mean any qualified  higher education expense included in section 529 of the Internal Revenue  Code of 1986, as amended.    9. "Qualified withdrawal" shall mean a withdrawal from an  account  to  pay   the   qualified   higher  education  expenses  of  the  designated  beneficiary of the account at an eligible educational institution.    10. "Nonqualified withdrawal" shall mean a withdrawal from an  account  but shall not mean:    a. a qualified withdrawal;    b.  a  withdrawal made as the result of the death or disability of the  designated beneficiary of an account; or    c. a withdrawal made on the account of a scholarship.    11. "Corporation" shall mean  the  New  York  state  higher  education  services corporation.    12. "Comptroller" shall mean the comptroller of the state of New York.    13.  "Management  contract"  shall  mean  the contract executed by the  comptroller and a financial organization selected to act as a depository  and manager of the program.    14. "Tuition savings agreement" shall mean an  agreement  between  the  comptroller or a financial organization and the account owner.    15.  "Program manager" shall mean a financial organization selected by  the comptroller to act as a depository and manager of the program.