Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 28 - EDUCATION
Part VI - Student Financial Assistance-Higher Education Savings
Chapter 3 - Education Savings Account
Section VI-313 - Substitution, Assignment, and Transfer
Universal Citation: LA Admin Code VI-313
Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
A. Substitute Beneficiary. The beneficiary of an ESA may be changed to a substitute beneficiary provided the account owner completes a beneficiary substitution form and the following requirements are met:
1. the substitute beneficiary is a
member of the family as defined under §107;
2. the substitute beneficiary meets the
citizen/resident alien requirements of
§301 F, and, if the account owner is a
nonresident of the state of Louisiana, the substitute beneficiary meets the
applicable residency requirements (see
§301 G);
3. if the substitute beneficiary is not a
member of the family of the previous beneficiary:
a. and the account owner is a natural person
classified under
§303. A 1-5, the account
must be refunded to the account owner and a new account must be
opened;
b. and the account owner is
a legal entity classified under
§303. A.4 or 5, a new
account shall be opened in the name of the new beneficiary; and
i. these transfers may be treated as refunds
under federal and state tax laws in which case the account owner will be
subject to any associated tax consequences; and
ii. the EEs and interest thereon for an
account whose owner is classified under
§303. A.4 will not be
transferred to the new beneficiary; however, the new account will be eligible
for EEs for the year the new account is opened;
c. and the account owner is classified under
§303. A 6, a new account
shall be opened in the name of the new beneficiary only if the beneficiary
meets all the requirements of
§303. A 6; and
i. these transfers may be treated as refunds
under federal and state tax laws in which case the account owner will be
subject to any associated tax consequences; and
ii. the EEs and interest thereon will not be
transferred to the new beneficiary; however, the new account will be eligible
for EEs for the year the new account is opened;
iii. the provisions of
§301. A.2 shall apply to
account owners classified in accordance with
§305. A.5
B. Substitution/Transfer of Account Ownership. The ownership of an ESA is transferable only with the written approval of the LATTA and only as follows.
1. The account owner who is a natural person,
other than a natural person classified as an account owner under
§303. A 6, may designate
a person who will become the substitute account owner in the event of the
original account owner's death. Eligibility for EEs will be based on the
substitute account owner's classification at the time of the original account
owner's death.
2. In the event of
the death of an account owner who is a natural person, other than a natural
person classified as an account owner under
§303. A 6, who has not
named a substitute account owner, the account shall be terminated and the
account shall be refunded to the beneficiary, if designated to receive the
refund by the account owner, or the account owner's estate.
3. An account owner who is a legal entity
classified under
§303. A.4 may indicate in
the owners agreement that the account shall be transferred to the beneficiary
of the account upon his 18th birthday, or upon his
enrollment in an eligible postsecondary institution full time, whichever is
later. If the account owner transfers the account in accordance with this
section, disbursements may only be made for payment of the qualified higher
education expenses of the beneficiary.
4. In the event of the dissolution of an
account owner who is a legal entity classified as an account owner under
§303. A.4 or 5, the
beneficiary shall become the substitute account owner. If the account owner who
is a legal entity classified as an account owner under
§303. A.4 is dissolved,
the beneficiary designated to receive the refund has died, and there is no
substitute beneficiary named, the refund shall be made to the beneficiary's
estate.
5. In the event of the
death or dissolution of an other person classified as an account owner under
§303. A 6, the
beneficiary shall become the substitute account owner, provided that all the
rights and restrictions provided in law and these rules regarding account
owners classified under
§303. A 6, including, but
not limited to, use of the funds, refunds, terminations, designation of
beneficiary, etc., shall be applicable to the beneficiary that becomes the
owner of an account established under
§303. A.6 If an account
owner classified under
§303. A.6 dies or is
dissolved and the beneficiary has died or failed to enroll in an eligible
educational institution by age 25, and no substitute beneficiary has been
designated by the account owner, the LATTA shall designate a new beneficiary
who must meet the requirements of
§301. A.4 and
§303. A.6
C. Assignment of Account Ownership. Ownership of an ESA cannot be assigned.
D. Changes to the Owner's Agreement
1. The account owner may request changes to
the owner's agreement.
2. Changes
must be requested in writing and be signed by the account owner.
3. Changes, if accepted, will take effect as
of the date the notice is received by the LATTA.
4. The LATTA shall not be liable for acting
upon inaccurate or invalid data which was submitted by the account
owner.
5. The account owner will be
notified by the LATTA in writing of any changes affecting the owner's agreement
which result from changes in applicable federal and state statutes and
rules.
AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:3091-3099.2.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Louisiana may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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