Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S1787 Compare Versions

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22 SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2320 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
33 SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1787
44 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
55 _________________
66 PRESENTED BY:
77 Julian Cyr
88 _________________
99 To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
1010 Court assembled:
1111 The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
1212 An Act relative to first time homebuyer and rental savings accounts.
1313 _______________
1414 PETITION OF:
1515 NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Julian CyrCape and Islands 1 of 12
1616 SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2320 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
1717 SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1787
1818 By Mr. Cyr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1787) of Julian Cyr for legislation
1919 relative to first time homebuyer and rental savings accounts. Revenue.
2020 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
2121 _______________
2222 In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
2323 (2023-2024)
2424 _______________
2525 An Act relative to first time homebuyer and rental savings accounts.
2626 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
2727 of the same, as follows:
2828 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 62 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition,
2929 2is hereby amended by inserting after section 5D the following new section:-
3030 3 Section 5E. (a) For the purposes of this section, unless the context clearly requires
3131 4otherwise, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:-
3232 5 “Account holder” means an individual who establishes, individually or jointly with one
3333 6or more other individuals, a rental savings account.
3434 7 “Allowable costs” means fee paid for accessing a rental that will be a permanent
3535 8residence limited to the first and last month's rent, a security deposit equal to one month's rent
3636 9and money for the purchase and installation costs for a lock and key.
3737 10 “Eligible costs” means fees paid for accessing a rental that will be a permanent residence
3838 11limited to the first and last month's rent, a security deposit equal to one month's rent and money
3939 12for the purchase and installation costs for a lock and key. 2 of 12
4040 13 “Financial institution” means any bank, trust company, savings institution, industrial loan
4141 14association, consumer finance company, credit union, or any benefit association, insurance
4242 15company, safe deposit company, money market mutual fund, or similar entity authorized to do
4343 16business in Massachusetts.
4444 17 “Qualified Beneficiary” means anyone seeking to rent a permanent residence.
4545 18 (b) Beginning January 1, 2023, any individual may open an account with a financial
4646 19institution and designate the account, in its entirety, as a rental savings account to be used to pay
4747 20or reimburse a qualified beneficiary’s eligible costs for the costs of renting a permanent
4848 21residence in Massachusetts.
4949 22 (c) An account holder must designate no later than April 15 of the year following the tax
5050 23year during which the account is established, a resident as the qualified beneficiary of the rental
5151 24savings account. The account holder may designate himself or herself as the qualified
5252 25beneficiary and may change the designated qualified beneficiary at any time, but there may not
5353 26be more than one qualified beneficiary at any one time.
5454 27 (d) An individual may jointly own a rental savings account with another person if the
5555 28joint account holders file a joint income tax return.
5656 29 (e) An individual may be the account holder of more than one rental savings account.
5757 30However, an account holder cannot have multiple accounts that designate the same qualified
5858 31beneficiary.
5959 32 (f) An individual may be designated as the qualified beneficiary on more than one rental
6060 33savings account. 3 of 12
6161 34 (g) Only cash and marketable securities may be contributed to a rental savings account.
6262 35Subject to the limitations of this section, persons other than the account holder may contribute
6363 36funds to a rental savings account. There is no limitation on the amount of contributions that may
6464 37be made to or retained in a rental savings account.
6565 38 (h) The funds held in a rental savings account shall not be used to pay expenses of
6666 39administering the account, except that a service fee may be deducted from the account by a
6767 40financial institution in which the account is held;
6868 41 (i) The account holder shall submit the following to the department of revenue:
6969 42 (1) detailed information regarding the rental savings account, including a list of
7070 43transactions for the account during the tax year and the Form 1099 issued by the financial
7171 44institution for such account with the account holder’s Massachusetts income tax return on forms
7272 45prepared by the department of revenue; and
7373 46 (2) a detailed account of the eligible costs toward which the account funds were applied,
7474 47if there was a withdrawal from the account, and a statement of the amount of funds remaining in
7575 48the account, if any.
7676 49 (j) Under this section and section 5D of this chapter, a financial institution shall not be
7777 50required to:
7878 51 (1) Designate an account as a rental savings account, or designate the qualified
7979 52beneficiaries of an account, in the financial institution’s account contracts or systems or in any
8080 53other way;
8181 54 (2) Track the use of funds withdrawn from a rental savings account; 4 of 12
8282 55 (3) Allocate funds in a rental savings account among joint account holders or multiple
8383 56qualified beneficiaries; or
8484 57 (4) Report any information to the Department of Revenue or any other governmental
8585 58agency that is not otherwise required by law.
8686 59 (k) A financial institution is not responsible or liable for:
8787 60 (1) Determining or ensuring that an account satisfies the requirements to be a rental
8888 61savings account;
8989 62 (2) Determining or ensuring that funds in a rental savings account are used for eligible
9090 63costs; or
9191 64 (3) Reporting or remitting taxes or penalties related to the use of a rental savings account.
9292 65 (l) Except as otherwise provided in this section and subject to the limitations under this
9393 66subsection, there shall be deducted from taxable income of an account holder, for Massachusetts
9494 67income tax purposes:
9595 68 (1) the amount contributed to a first-time home buyer savings account during each tax
9696 69year, not to exceed $15,000 for an account holder who files an individual tax return or $30,000
9797 70for joint account holders who file a joint tax return.
9898 71 (2) the amount of earnings, including interest and other income on the principal, from the
9999 72rental savings account during the tax year.
100100 73 (m) An account holder may claim the deduction and exclusion under subsection (k):
101101 74 (1) For a period not to exceed 15 years; 5 of 12
102102 75 (2) For an aggregate total amount of principal and earnings, not to exceed $50,000 during
103103 76that 15-year period; and
104104 77 (3) Only if the principal and earnings of the account remain in the account until a
105105 78withdrawal is made for eligible costs related to the securing a rental intended as a permanent
106106 79residence.
107107 80 (n) Any funds in a rental savings account not expended on eligible costs by December 31
108108 81of the last year of the 15-year period under Subsection 7(2)(a) of this Chapter shall thereafter be
109109 82included in the account holder’s taxable income.
110110 83 (o) A person other than the account holder who deposits funds in a rental savings account
111111 84shall not be entitled to the deduction and exclusion provided for under this Chapter.
112112 85 (p) The deduction and exclusion from taxable income provided for by this Section shall
113113 86apply to any alternative bases for calculating taxable income for Massachusetts income tax
114114 87purposes.
115115 88 (q) Except as otherwise authorized in this of this section, if the account holder withdraws
116116 89any funds from a rental savings account for a purpose other than eligible costs for the securing a
117117 90rental property to be used as a permanent residence
118118 91 (1) Those funds shall be included in the account holder’s taxable income; and
119119 92 (2) The account holder shall pay a penalty to the Department of Revenue equal to the tax
120120 93that would have been collected had the withdrawn funds been subject to income tax. Such
121121 94penalty shall not apply to funds withdrawn from an account that were:
122122 95 (i) Withdrawn by reason of the account holder’s death or disability; 6 of 12
123123 96 (ii) A disbursement of assets of the account pursuant to a filing for protection under the
124124 97United States Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.; or
125125 98 (iii) A transfer of the funds from a rental savings account to a new rental savings account
126126 99held by a different financial institution or the same financial institution.
127127 100 (r) The Department of Revenue shall prepare forms for:
128128 101 (1) The designation of an account with a financial institution to serve as a first-time home
129129 102buyer savings account;
130130 103 (2) The designation of a qualified beneficiary of a rental savings account; and
131131 104 (3) For an account holder to annually submit to the Department of Revenue detailed
132132 105information regarding the rental savings account, including but not limited to a list of
133133 106transactions for the account during the tax year, and identifying any supporting documentation
134134 107that is required to be maintained by the account holder.
135135 108 SECTION 2. Said Chapter 62 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
136136 109section 5E the following new section:-
137137 110 Section 5F. (a) For the purposes of this section, unless the context clearly requires
138138 111otherwise, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:-
139139 112 “Account holder” means an individual who establishes, individually or jointly with one
140140 113or more other individuals, a first-time homebuyer savings account.
141141 114 “Allowable closing costs” means a disbursement listed on a settlement statement for the
142142 115purchase of a single-family residence in Massachusetts by a qualified beneficiary. 7 of 12
143143 116 “Eligible costs” means the down payment and allowable closing costs for the purchase of
144144 117a single-family residence in Massachusetts by a qualified beneficiary.
145145 118 “Financial institution” means any bank, trust company, savings institution, industrial loan
146146 119association, consumer finance company, credit union, or any benefit association, insurance
147147 120company, safe deposit company, money market mutual fund, or similar entity authorized to do
148148 121business in Massachusetts.
149149 122 “First-Time Homebuyer” means an individual who resides in Massachusetts and has not
150150 123owned or purchased, either individually or jointly, a single-family residence during a period of
151151 124three (3) years prior to the date of the purchase of a single-family residence.
152152 125 “First-Time Home Buyer Savings Account” or “account” means an account with a
153153 126financial institution that an account holder designates as a first-time home buyer savings account
154154 127on the account holder’s Massachusetts income tax return for tax year 2017 or any tax year
155155 128thereafter, pursuant to this Chapter for the purpose of paying or reimbursing eligible costs for the
156156 129purchase of a single-family residence in Massachusetts by a qualified beneficiary.
157157 130 “Qualified Beneficiary” means a first-time home buyer who is designated as the qualified
158158 131beneficiary of an account designated by the account holder as a first-time home buyer savings
159159 132account.
160160 133 “Settlement Statement” means the statement of receipts and disbursements for a
161161 134transaction related to real estate, including a statement prescribed under the Real Estate
162162 135Settlement Procedures Act of 1974, 12 U.S.C. 2601 et seq., as amended, and regulations
163163 136thereunder. 8 of 12
164164 137 “Single-Family Residence” means a single-family residence owned and occupied by a
165165 138qualified beneficiary as the qualified beneficiary’s principal residence, which may include a
166166 139manufactured home, trailer, mobile home, condominium unit, or cooperative.
167167 140 (b) Beginning January 1, 2023, any individual may open an account with a financial
168168 141institution and designate the account, in its entirety, as a first-time home buyer savings account
169169 142to be used to pay or reimburse a qualified beneficiary’s eligible costs for the purchase of a
170170 143single-family residence in Massachusetts.
171171 144 (c) An account holder must designate no later than April 15 of the year following the tax
172172 145year during which the account is established, a first-time home buyer as the qualified beneficiary
173173 146of the first-time home buyer savings account. The account holder may designate himself or
174174 147herself as the qualified beneficiary and may change the designated qualified beneficiary at any
175175 148time, but there may not be more than one qualified beneficiary at any one time.
176176 149 (d) An individual may jointly own a first-time home buyer savings account with another
177177 150person if the joint account holders file a joint income tax return.
178178 151 (e) An individual may be the account holder of more than one first-time home buyer
179179 152savings account. However, an account holder cannot have multiple accounts that designate the
180180 153same qualified beneficiary.
181181 154 (f) An individual may be designated as the qualified beneficiary on more than one first-
182182 155time home buyer savings account.
183183 156 (g) Only cash and marketable securities may be contributed to a first-time home buyer
184184 157savings account. Subject to the limitations of this section, persons other than the account holder 9 of 12
185185 158may contribute funds to a first-time home buyer savings account. There is no limitation on the
186186 159amount of contributions that may be made to or retained in a first-time home buyer savings
187187 160account.
188188 161 (h) The funds held in a first-time home buyer savings account shall not be used to pay
189189 162expenses of administering the account, except that a service fee may be deducted from the
190190 163account by a financial institution in which the account is held;
191191 164 (i) The account holder shall submit the following to the department of revenue:
192192 165 (1) detailed information regarding the first-time home buyer savings account, including a
193193 166list of transactions for the account during the tax year and the Form 1099 issued by the financial
194194 167institution for such account with the account holder’s Massachusetts income tax return on forms
195195 168prepared by the department of revenue; and
196196 169 (2) a detailed account of the eligible costs toward which the account funds were applied,
197197 170if there was a withdrawal from the account, and a statement of the amount of funds remaining in
198198 171the account, if any.
199199 172 (j) Under this section and section 5D of this chapter, a financial institution shall not be
200200 173required to:
201201 174 (1) Designate an account as a first-time home buyer savings account, or designate the
202202 175qualified beneficiaries of an account, in the financial institution’s account contracts or systems or
203203 176in any other way;
204204 177 (2) Track the use of funds withdrawn from a first-time home buyer savings account; 10 of 12
205205 178 (3) Allocate funds in a first-time home buyer savings account among joint account
206206 179holders or multiple qualified beneficiaries; or
207207 180 (4) Report any information to the Department of Revenue or any other governmental
208208 181agency that is not otherwise required by law.
209209 182 (k)A financial institution is not responsible or liable for:
210210 183 (1) Determining or ensuring that an account satisfies the requirements to be a first-time
211211 184home buyer savings account;
212212 185 (2) Determining or ensuring that funds in a first-time home buyer savings account are
213213 186used for eligible costs; or
214214 187 (3) Reporting or remitting taxes or penalties related to the use of a first-time home buyer
215215 188savings account.
216216 189 (l) Except as otherwise provided in this section and subject to the limitations under this
217217 190subsection, there shall be deducted from taxable income of an account holder, for Massachusetts
218218 191income tax purposes:
219219 192 (1) the amount contributed to a first-time home buyer savings account during each tax
220220 193year, not to exceed $25,000 for an account holder who files an individual tax return or $50,000
221221 194for joint account holders who file a joint tax return.
222222 195 (2) the amount of earnings, including interest and other income on the principal, from the
223223 196first-time home buyer savings account during the tax year.
224224 197 (m) An account holder may claim the deduction and exclusion under subsection (k): 11 of 12
225225 198 (1) For a period not to exceed 15 years;
226226 199 (2) For an aggregate total amount of principal and earnings, not to exceed $250,000
227227 200during that 15-year period; and
228228 201 (3) Only if the principal and earnings of the account remain in the account until a
229229 202withdrawal is made for eligible costs related to the purchase of a single-family residence by a
230230 203qualified beneficiary, except as otherwise provided in this section.
231231 204 (n) Any funds in a first-time home buyer savings account not expended on eligible costs
232232 205by December 31 of the last year of the 15-year period under Subsection 7(2)(a) of this Chapter
233233 206shall thereafter be included in the account holder’s taxable income.
234234 207 (o) A person other than the account holder who deposits funds in a first-time home buyer
235235 208savings account shall not be entitled to the deduction and exclusion provided for under this
236236 209Chapter.
237237 210 (p) The deduction and exclusion from taxable income provided for by this Section shall
238238 211apply to any alternative bases for calculating taxable income for Massachusetts income tax
239239 212purposes.
240240 213 (q) Except as otherwise authorized in this of this section, if the account holder withdraws
241241 214any funds from a first-time home buyer savings account for a purpose other than eligible costs
242242 215for the purchase of a single-family residence:
243243 216 (1) Those funds shall be included in the account holder’s taxable income; and 12 of 12
244244 217 (2) The account holder shall pay a penalty to the Department of Revenue equal to the tax
245245 218that would have been collected had the withdrawn funds been subject to income tax. Such
246246 219penalty shall not apply to funds withdrawn from an account that were:
247247 220 (i) Withdrawn by reason of the account holder’s death or disability;
248248 221 (ii) A disbursement of assets of the account pursuant to a filing for protection under the
249249 222United States Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.; or
250250 223 (iii) A transfer of the funds from a first-time home buyer savings account to a new first-
251251 224time home buyer savings account held by a different financial institution or the same financial
252252 225institution.
253253 226 (r) The Department of Revenue shall prepare forms for:
254254 227 (1) The designation of an account with a financial institution to serve as a first-time home
255255 228buyer savings account;
256256 229 (2) The designation of a qualified beneficiary of a first-time home buyer savings account;
257257 230and
258258 231 (3) For an account holder to annually submit to the Department of Revenue detailed
259259 232information regarding the first-time home buyer savings account, including but not limited to a
260260 233list of transactions for the account during the tax year, and identifying any supporting
261261 234documentation that is required to be maintained by the account holder.