371 - Definitions.

§ 371. Definitions. For the purposes of this article:    (a) "Facilitator" means a person who individually or in conjunction or  cooperation   with  another  person:  (i)  solicits  the  execution  of,  processes, receives, or accepts an application or agreement for a refund  anticipation loan or refund anticipation check; (ii) serves or  collects  upon  a  refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check; or (iii)  in any other manner that facilitates the making of a refund anticipation  loan or refund anticipation check. This term excludes any employees of a  facilitator who  provide  only  clerical  or  other  comparable  support  services to such facilitator.    (b)   "Tax  preparer"  or  "preparer"  means  a  person,  partnership,  corporation or other business entity, that in exchange for consideration  advises or assists or offers to advise or assist in the  preparation  of  income tax returns for another.    (c)  "Refund  anticipation check" means a check, stored value card, or  other payment mechanism: (i) representing the proceeds of a tax  refund;  (ii)  which  was issued by a depository institution or other person that  received a direct deposit of the tax refund or tax  credits;  and  (iii)  for  which  a  fee or other consideration has been paid for such payment  mechanism.    (d) "Refund anticipation loan" means a loan that is secured by or that  the creditor arranges to be  repaid  directly  or  indirectly  from  the  proceeds  of  an income tax refund or tax credits. A refund anticipation  loan also includes any sale, assignment, or purchase of tax refund at  a  discount  or  for  a  fee,  whether  or not the amount is required to be  repaid to the buyer or assignee if the internal revenue service  or  the  department denies or reduces the amount of the tax refund.    (e) "Department" means the department of taxation and finance.