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2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2320 FILED ON: 1/20/2023 |
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3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1787 |
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4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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7 | 7 | | Julian Cyr |
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8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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12 | 12 | | An Act relative to first time homebuyer and rental savings accounts. |
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13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Julian CyrCape and Islands 1 of 12 |
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16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2320 FILED ON: 1/20/2023 |
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17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1787 |
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18 | 18 | | By Mr. Cyr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1787) of Julian Cyr for legislation |
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19 | 19 | | relative to first time homebuyer and rental savings accounts. Revenue. |
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20 | 20 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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21 | 21 | | _______________ |
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22 | 22 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
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23 | 23 | | (2023-2024) |
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24 | 24 | | _______________ |
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25 | 25 | | An Act relative to first time homebuyer and rental savings accounts. |
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26 | 26 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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27 | 27 | | of the same, as follows: |
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28 | 28 | | 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 62 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, |
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29 | 29 | | 2is hereby amended by inserting after section 5D the following new section:- |
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30 | 30 | | 3 Section 5E. (a) For the purposes of this section, unless the context clearly requires |
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31 | 31 | | 4otherwise, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:- |
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32 | 32 | | 5 “Account holder” means an individual who establishes, individually or jointly with one |
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33 | 33 | | 6or more other individuals, a rental savings account. |
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34 | 34 | | 7 “Allowable costs” means fee paid for accessing a rental that will be a permanent |
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35 | 35 | | 8residence limited to the first and last month's rent, a security deposit equal to one month's rent |
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36 | 36 | | 9and money for the purchase and installation costs for a lock and key. |
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37 | 37 | | 10 “Eligible costs” means fees paid for accessing a rental that will be a permanent residence |
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38 | 38 | | 11limited to the first and last month's rent, a security deposit equal to one month's rent and money |
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39 | 39 | | 12for the purchase and installation costs for a lock and key. 2 of 12 |
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40 | 40 | | 13 “Financial institution” means any bank, trust company, savings institution, industrial loan |
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41 | 41 | | 14association, consumer finance company, credit union, or any benefit association, insurance |
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42 | 42 | | 15company, safe deposit company, money market mutual fund, or similar entity authorized to do |
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43 | 43 | | 16business in Massachusetts. |
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44 | 44 | | 17 “Qualified Beneficiary” means anyone seeking to rent a permanent residence. |
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45 | 45 | | 18 (b) Beginning January 1, 2023, any individual may open an account with a financial |
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46 | 46 | | 19institution and designate the account, in its entirety, as a rental savings account to be used to pay |
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47 | 47 | | 20or reimburse a qualified beneficiary’s eligible costs for the costs of renting a permanent |
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48 | 48 | | 21residence in Massachusetts. |
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49 | 49 | | 22 (c) An account holder must designate no later than April 15 of the year following the tax |
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50 | 50 | | 23year during which the account is established, a resident as the qualified beneficiary of the rental |
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51 | 51 | | 24savings account. The account holder may designate himself or herself as the qualified |
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52 | 52 | | 25beneficiary and may change the designated qualified beneficiary at any time, but there may not |
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53 | 53 | | 26be more than one qualified beneficiary at any one time. |
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54 | 54 | | 27 (d) An individual may jointly own a rental savings account with another person if the |
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55 | 55 | | 28joint account holders file a joint income tax return. |
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56 | 56 | | 29 (e) An individual may be the account holder of more than one rental savings account. |
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57 | 57 | | 30However, an account holder cannot have multiple accounts that designate the same qualified |
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58 | 58 | | 31beneficiary. |
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59 | 59 | | 32 (f) An individual may be designated as the qualified beneficiary on more than one rental |
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60 | 60 | | 33savings account. 3 of 12 |
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61 | 61 | | 34 (g) Only cash and marketable securities may be contributed to a rental savings account. |
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62 | 62 | | 35Subject to the limitations of this section, persons other than the account holder may contribute |
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63 | 63 | | 36funds to a rental savings account. There is no limitation on the amount of contributions that may |
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64 | 64 | | 37be made to or retained in a rental savings account. |
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65 | 65 | | 38 (h) The funds held in a rental savings account shall not be used to pay expenses of |
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66 | 66 | | 39administering the account, except that a service fee may be deducted from the account by a |
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67 | 67 | | 40financial institution in which the account is held; |
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68 | 68 | | 41 (i) The account holder shall submit the following to the department of revenue: |
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69 | 69 | | 42 (1) detailed information regarding the rental savings account, including a list of |
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70 | 70 | | 43transactions for the account during the tax year and the Form 1099 issued by the financial |
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71 | 71 | | 44institution for such account with the account holder’s Massachusetts income tax return on forms |
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72 | 72 | | 45prepared by the department of revenue; and |
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73 | 73 | | 46 (2) a detailed account of the eligible costs toward which the account funds were applied, |
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74 | 74 | | 47if there was a withdrawal from the account, and a statement of the amount of funds remaining in |
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75 | 75 | | 48the account, if any. |
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76 | 76 | | 49 (j) Under this section and section 5D of this chapter, a financial institution shall not be |
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77 | 77 | | 50required to: |
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78 | 78 | | 51 (1) Designate an account as a rental savings account, or designate the qualified |
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79 | 79 | | 52beneficiaries of an account, in the financial institution’s account contracts or systems or in any |
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80 | 80 | | 53other way; |
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81 | 81 | | 54 (2) Track the use of funds withdrawn from a rental savings account; 4 of 12 |
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82 | 82 | | 55 (3) Allocate funds in a rental savings account among joint account holders or multiple |
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83 | 83 | | 56qualified beneficiaries; or |
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84 | 84 | | 57 (4) Report any information to the Department of Revenue or any other governmental |
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85 | 85 | | 58agency that is not otherwise required by law. |
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86 | 86 | | 59 (k) A financial institution is not responsible or liable for: |
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87 | 87 | | 60 (1) Determining or ensuring that an account satisfies the requirements to be a rental |
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88 | 88 | | 61savings account; |
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89 | 89 | | 62 (2) Determining or ensuring that funds in a rental savings account are used for eligible |
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90 | 90 | | 63costs; or |
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91 | 91 | | 64 (3) Reporting or remitting taxes or penalties related to the use of a rental savings account. |
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92 | 92 | | 65 (l) Except as otherwise provided in this section and subject to the limitations under this |
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93 | 93 | | 66subsection, there shall be deducted from taxable income of an account holder, for Massachusetts |
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94 | 94 | | 67income tax purposes: |
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95 | 95 | | 68 (1) the amount contributed to a first-time home buyer savings account during each tax |
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96 | 96 | | 69year, not to exceed $15,000 for an account holder who files an individual tax return or $30,000 |
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97 | 97 | | 70for joint account holders who file a joint tax return. |
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98 | 98 | | 71 (2) the amount of earnings, including interest and other income on the principal, from the |
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99 | 99 | | 72rental savings account during the tax year. |
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100 | 100 | | 73 (m) An account holder may claim the deduction and exclusion under subsection (k): |
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101 | 101 | | 74 (1) For a period not to exceed 15 years; 5 of 12 |
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102 | 102 | | 75 (2) For an aggregate total amount of principal and earnings, not to exceed $50,000 during |
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103 | 103 | | 76that 15-year period; and |
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104 | 104 | | 77 (3) Only if the principal and earnings of the account remain in the account until a |
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105 | 105 | | 78withdrawal is made for eligible costs related to the securing a rental intended as a permanent |
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106 | 106 | | 79residence. |
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107 | 107 | | 80 (n) Any funds in a rental savings account not expended on eligible costs by December 31 |
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108 | 108 | | 81of the last year of the 15-year period under Subsection 7(2)(a) of this Chapter shall thereafter be |
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109 | 109 | | 82included in the account holder’s taxable income. |
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110 | 110 | | 83 (o) A person other than the account holder who deposits funds in a rental savings account |
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111 | 111 | | 84shall not be entitled to the deduction and exclusion provided for under this Chapter. |
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112 | 112 | | 85 (p) The deduction and exclusion from taxable income provided for by this Section shall |
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113 | 113 | | 86apply to any alternative bases for calculating taxable income for Massachusetts income tax |
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114 | 114 | | 87purposes. |
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115 | 115 | | 88 (q) Except as otherwise authorized in this of this section, if the account holder withdraws |
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116 | 116 | | 89any funds from a rental savings account for a purpose other than eligible costs for the securing a |
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117 | 117 | | 90rental property to be used as a permanent residence |
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118 | 118 | | 91 (1) Those funds shall be included in the account holder’s taxable income; and |
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119 | 119 | | 92 (2) The account holder shall pay a penalty to the Department of Revenue equal to the tax |
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120 | 120 | | 93that would have been collected had the withdrawn funds been subject to income tax. Such |
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121 | 121 | | 94penalty shall not apply to funds withdrawn from an account that were: |
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122 | 122 | | 95 (i) Withdrawn by reason of the account holder’s death or disability; 6 of 12 |
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123 | 123 | | 96 (ii) A disbursement of assets of the account pursuant to a filing for protection under the |
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124 | 124 | | 97United States Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.; or |
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125 | 125 | | 98 (iii) A transfer of the funds from a rental savings account to a new rental savings account |
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126 | 126 | | 99held by a different financial institution or the same financial institution. |
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127 | 127 | | 100 (r) The Department of Revenue shall prepare forms for: |
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128 | 128 | | 101 (1) The designation of an account with a financial institution to serve as a first-time home |
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129 | 129 | | 102buyer savings account; |
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130 | 130 | | 103 (2) The designation of a qualified beneficiary of a rental savings account; and |
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131 | 131 | | 104 (3) For an account holder to annually submit to the Department of Revenue detailed |
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132 | 132 | | 105information regarding the rental savings account, including but not limited to a list of |
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133 | 133 | | 106transactions for the account during the tax year, and identifying any supporting documentation |
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134 | 134 | | 107that is required to be maintained by the account holder. |
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135 | 135 | | 108 SECTION 2. Said Chapter 62 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after |
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136 | 136 | | 109section 5E the following new section:- |
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137 | 137 | | 110 Section 5F. (a) For the purposes of this section, unless the context clearly requires |
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138 | 138 | | 111otherwise, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:- |
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139 | 139 | | 112 “Account holder” means an individual who establishes, individually or jointly with one |
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140 | 140 | | 113or more other individuals, a first-time homebuyer savings account. |
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141 | 141 | | 114 “Allowable closing costs” means a disbursement listed on a settlement statement for the |
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142 | 142 | | 115purchase of a single-family residence in Massachusetts by a qualified beneficiary. 7 of 12 |
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143 | 143 | | 116 “Eligible costs” means the down payment and allowable closing costs for the purchase of |
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144 | 144 | | 117a single-family residence in Massachusetts by a qualified beneficiary. |
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145 | 145 | | 118 “Financial institution” means any bank, trust company, savings institution, industrial loan |
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146 | 146 | | 119association, consumer finance company, credit union, or any benefit association, insurance |
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147 | 147 | | 120company, safe deposit company, money market mutual fund, or similar entity authorized to do |
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148 | 148 | | 121business in Massachusetts. |
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149 | 149 | | 122 “First-Time Homebuyer” means an individual who resides in Massachusetts and has not |
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150 | 150 | | 123owned or purchased, either individually or jointly, a single-family residence during a period of |
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151 | 151 | | 124three (3) years prior to the date of the purchase of a single-family residence. |
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152 | 152 | | 125 “First-Time Home Buyer Savings Account” or “account” means an account with a |
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153 | 153 | | 126financial institution that an account holder designates as a first-time home buyer savings account |
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154 | 154 | | 127on the account holder’s Massachusetts income tax return for tax year 2017 or any tax year |
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155 | 155 | | 128thereafter, pursuant to this Chapter for the purpose of paying or reimbursing eligible costs for the |
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156 | 156 | | 129purchase of a single-family residence in Massachusetts by a qualified beneficiary. |
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157 | 157 | | 130 “Qualified Beneficiary” means a first-time home buyer who is designated as the qualified |
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158 | 158 | | 131beneficiary of an account designated by the account holder as a first-time home buyer savings |
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159 | 159 | | 132account. |
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160 | 160 | | 133 “Settlement Statement” means the statement of receipts and disbursements for a |
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161 | 161 | | 134transaction related to real estate, including a statement prescribed under the Real Estate |
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162 | 162 | | 135Settlement Procedures Act of 1974, 12 U.S.C. 2601 et seq., as amended, and regulations |
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163 | 163 | | 136thereunder. 8 of 12 |
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164 | 164 | | 137 “Single-Family Residence” means a single-family residence owned and occupied by a |
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165 | 165 | | 138qualified beneficiary as the qualified beneficiary’s principal residence, which may include a |
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166 | 166 | | 139manufactured home, trailer, mobile home, condominium unit, or cooperative. |
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167 | 167 | | 140 (b) Beginning January 1, 2023, any individual may open an account with a financial |
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168 | 168 | | 141institution and designate the account, in its entirety, as a first-time home buyer savings account |
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169 | 169 | | 142to be used to pay or reimburse a qualified beneficiary’s eligible costs for the purchase of a |
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170 | 170 | | 143single-family residence in Massachusetts. |
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171 | 171 | | 144 (c) An account holder must designate no later than April 15 of the year following the tax |
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172 | 172 | | 145year during which the account is established, a first-time home buyer as the qualified beneficiary |
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173 | 173 | | 146of the first-time home buyer savings account. The account holder may designate himself or |
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174 | 174 | | 147herself as the qualified beneficiary and may change the designated qualified beneficiary at any |
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175 | 175 | | 148time, but there may not be more than one qualified beneficiary at any one time. |
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176 | 176 | | 149 (d) An individual may jointly own a first-time home buyer savings account with another |
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177 | 177 | | 150person if the joint account holders file a joint income tax return. |
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178 | 178 | | 151 (e) An individual may be the account holder of more than one first-time home buyer |
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179 | 179 | | 152savings account. However, an account holder cannot have multiple accounts that designate the |
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180 | 180 | | 153same qualified beneficiary. |
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181 | 181 | | 154 (f) An individual may be designated as the qualified beneficiary on more than one first- |
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182 | 182 | | 155time home buyer savings account. |
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183 | 183 | | 156 (g) Only cash and marketable securities may be contributed to a first-time home buyer |
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184 | 184 | | 157savings account. Subject to the limitations of this section, persons other than the account holder 9 of 12 |
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185 | 185 | | 158may contribute funds to a first-time home buyer savings account. There is no limitation on the |
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186 | 186 | | 159amount of contributions that may be made to or retained in a first-time home buyer savings |
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187 | 187 | | 160account. |
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188 | 188 | | 161 (h) The funds held in a first-time home buyer savings account shall not be used to pay |
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189 | 189 | | 162expenses of administering the account, except that a service fee may be deducted from the |
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190 | 190 | | 163account by a financial institution in which the account is held; |
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191 | 191 | | 164 (i) The account holder shall submit the following to the department of revenue: |
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192 | 192 | | 165 (1) detailed information regarding the first-time home buyer savings account, including a |
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193 | 193 | | 166list of transactions for the account during the tax year and the Form 1099 issued by the financial |
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194 | 194 | | 167institution for such account with the account holder’s Massachusetts income tax return on forms |
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195 | 195 | | 168prepared by the department of revenue; and |
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196 | 196 | | 169 (2) a detailed account of the eligible costs toward which the account funds were applied, |
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197 | 197 | | 170if there was a withdrawal from the account, and a statement of the amount of funds remaining in |
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198 | 198 | | 171the account, if any. |
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199 | 199 | | 172 (j) Under this section and section 5D of this chapter, a financial institution shall not be |
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200 | 200 | | 173required to: |
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201 | 201 | | 174 (1) Designate an account as a first-time home buyer savings account, or designate the |
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202 | 202 | | 175qualified beneficiaries of an account, in the financial institution’s account contracts or systems or |
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203 | 203 | | 176in any other way; |
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204 | 204 | | 177 (2) Track the use of funds withdrawn from a first-time home buyer savings account; 10 of 12 |
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205 | 205 | | 178 (3) Allocate funds in a first-time home buyer savings account among joint account |
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206 | 206 | | 179holders or multiple qualified beneficiaries; or |
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207 | 207 | | 180 (4) Report any information to the Department of Revenue or any other governmental |
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208 | 208 | | 181agency that is not otherwise required by law. |
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209 | 209 | | 182 (k)A financial institution is not responsible or liable for: |
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210 | 210 | | 183 (1) Determining or ensuring that an account satisfies the requirements to be a first-time |
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211 | 211 | | 184home buyer savings account; |
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212 | 212 | | 185 (2) Determining or ensuring that funds in a first-time home buyer savings account are |
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213 | 213 | | 186used for eligible costs; or |
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214 | 214 | | 187 (3) Reporting or remitting taxes or penalties related to the use of a first-time home buyer |
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215 | 215 | | 188savings account. |
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216 | 216 | | 189 (l) Except as otherwise provided in this section and subject to the limitations under this |
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217 | 217 | | 190subsection, there shall be deducted from taxable income of an account holder, for Massachusetts |
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218 | 218 | | 191income tax purposes: |
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219 | 219 | | 192 (1) the amount contributed to a first-time home buyer savings account during each tax |
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220 | 220 | | 193year, not to exceed $25,000 for an account holder who files an individual tax return or $50,000 |
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221 | 221 | | 194for joint account holders who file a joint tax return. |
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222 | 222 | | 195 (2) the amount of earnings, including interest and other income on the principal, from the |
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223 | 223 | | 196first-time home buyer savings account during the tax year. |
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224 | 224 | | 197 (m) An account holder may claim the deduction and exclusion under subsection (k): 11 of 12 |
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225 | 225 | | 198 (1) For a period not to exceed 15 years; |
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226 | 226 | | 199 (2) For an aggregate total amount of principal and earnings, not to exceed $250,000 |
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227 | 227 | | 200during that 15-year period; and |
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228 | 228 | | 201 (3) Only if the principal and earnings of the account remain in the account until a |
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229 | 229 | | 202withdrawal is made for eligible costs related to the purchase of a single-family residence by a |
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230 | 230 | | 203qualified beneficiary, except as otherwise provided in this section. |
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231 | 231 | | 204 (n) Any funds in a first-time home buyer savings account not expended on eligible costs |
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232 | 232 | | 205by December 31 of the last year of the 15-year period under Subsection 7(2)(a) of this Chapter |
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233 | 233 | | 206shall thereafter be included in the account holder’s taxable income. |
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234 | 234 | | 207 (o) A person other than the account holder who deposits funds in a first-time home buyer |
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235 | 235 | | 208savings account shall not be entitled to the deduction and exclusion provided for under this |
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236 | 236 | | 209Chapter. |
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237 | 237 | | 210 (p) The deduction and exclusion from taxable income provided for by this Section shall |
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238 | 238 | | 211apply to any alternative bases for calculating taxable income for Massachusetts income tax |
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239 | 239 | | 212purposes. |
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240 | 240 | | 213 (q) Except as otherwise authorized in this of this section, if the account holder withdraws |
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241 | 241 | | 214any funds from a first-time home buyer savings account for a purpose other than eligible costs |
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242 | 242 | | 215for the purchase of a single-family residence: |
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243 | 243 | | 216 (1) Those funds shall be included in the account holder’s taxable income; and 12 of 12 |
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244 | 244 | | 217 (2) The account holder shall pay a penalty to the Department of Revenue equal to the tax |
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245 | 245 | | 218that would have been collected had the withdrawn funds been subject to income tax. Such |
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246 | 246 | | 219penalty shall not apply to funds withdrawn from an account that were: |
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247 | 247 | | 220 (i) Withdrawn by reason of the account holder’s death or disability; |
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248 | 248 | | 221 (ii) A disbursement of assets of the account pursuant to a filing for protection under the |
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249 | 249 | | 222United States Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.; or |
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250 | 250 | | 223 (iii) A transfer of the funds from a first-time home buyer savings account to a new first- |
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251 | 251 | | 224time home buyer savings account held by a different financial institution or the same financial |
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252 | 252 | | 225institution. |
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253 | 253 | | 226 (r) The Department of Revenue shall prepare forms for: |
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254 | 254 | | 227 (1) The designation of an account with a financial institution to serve as a first-time home |
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255 | 255 | | 228buyer savings account; |
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256 | 256 | | 229 (2) The designation of a qualified beneficiary of a first-time home buyer savings account; |
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257 | 257 | | 230and |
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258 | 258 | | 231 (3) For an account holder to annually submit to the Department of Revenue detailed |
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259 | 259 | | 232information regarding the first-time home buyer savings account, including but not limited to a |
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260 | 260 | | 233list of transactions for the account during the tax year, and identifying any supporting |
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261 | 261 | | 234documentation that is required to be maintained by the account holder. |
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