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<section article="gcl" article_name="Commercial Law" number="14-3801" title_number="14" title_name="Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions" subtitle_number="38" subtitle_name="Refund Anticipation Loans and Checks">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>“Consumer” means an individual who, individually or in conjunction with another individual, is solicited for, applies for, or receives a refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>“Creditor” means a person who makes a refund anticipation loan or who takes an assignment of a refund anticipation loan.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Facilitator” means a person who, individually or in conjunction or cooperation with another person:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Processes, receives, or accepts an application or agreement for a refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Services or collects on a refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Facilitates the making of a refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Facilitator” does not include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A bank, savings and loan association, or credit union;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>An affiliate or subsidiary of a bank, savings and loan association, or credit union that, in connection with refund anticipation loans or refund anticipation checks, acts solely as a servicer for the financial institution with which it is affiliated or of which it is a subsidiary; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A person who acts solely as an intermediary and does not deal with the public in the making of a refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>“Refund anticipation check” means a check, stored value card, or other payment mechanism:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>That represents the proceeds of a consumer’s tax refund;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>That was issued by a depository institution or other person that received a direct deposit of the consumer’s tax refund; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>For which the consumer has paid a fee or other consideration.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Refund anticipation loan” means a loan arranged to be paid directly or indirectly from the proceeds of a consumer’s tax refund.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Refund anticipation loan” includes a sale, assignment, or purchase of a consumer’s tax refund at a discount or for a fee, whether or not the consumer is required to repay the buyer or assignee if the Internal Revenue Service denies or reduces the consumer’s tax refund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Refund anticipation loan fee” means any charge, fee, or other consideration charged or imposed directly or indirectly for the making of or in connection with a refund anticipation loan.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Refund anticipation loan fee” includes a charge, fee, or other consideration for a deposit account that is used for receipt of a consumer’s tax refund to repay the amount owed on a refund anticipation loan.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
