Chapter 224

224.48(12) (12) Additional duties and powers.

224.48(12)(a) (a) The department shall do all of the following:

224.48(12)(a)1. 1. Annually publish a list of the institutions of higher education located in this state and the number of tuition units necessary to pay for one year of full-time attendance as a resident undergraduate at each institution.

224.48(12)(a)2. 2. Actively promote the program under this section.

224.48(12)(a)3. 3. Promulgate rules to implement and administer this section.

224.48(12)(b) (b) The department may do any of the following:

224.48(12)(b)1. 1. Contract with any person for the management and operation of the program or any part of the program under this section.

224.48(12)(b)2. 2. Keep personal and financial information pertaining to a purchaser of tuition units or a beneficiary of tuition units closed to the public.

224.48(13) (13) Program termination. If the department determines that the program under this section is financially infeasible, the department shall discontinue entering into contracts under sub. (3) and discontinue selling tuition units under sub. (4).

224.48 History History: 1995 a. 403; 1997 a. 27, 158; 1999 a. 9 ss. 52 to 62; Stats. 1999 s. 14.63; 1999 a. 44; 2001 a. 7, 16; 2011 a. 32 s. 75; Stats. 2011 s. 16.64; 2017 a. 59 s. 148, 1704; Stats. 2017 s. 224.48.

224.50 224.50 College savings program.

224.50(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

224.50(1)(a) (a) “Account owner” means a person who establishes a college savings account under this section.

224.50(1)(b) (b) “Board” means the college savings program board.

224.50(1)(c) (c) “Department” means the department of financial institutions.

224.50(2) (2) Duties of the board. The board shall do all of the following:

224.50(2)(a) (a) Except as provided in s. 224.51, establish and administer a college savings program that allows an individual, trust, legal guardian, or entity described under 26 USC 529 (e) (1) (C) to establish a college savings account for the purposes set forth in 26 USC 529.

224.50(2)(b) (b) Ensure that the college savings program meets the requirements of a qualified state tuition plan under 26 USC 529.

224.50(2)(c) (c) Establish investment guidelines for contributions to college savings accounts and pay distributions to beneficiaries and eligible educational institutions.

224.50(2)(d) (d) Provide to each account owner, and to persons who are interested in establishing a college savings account, information about current and estimated future higher education costs, levels of participation in the college savings program that will help achieve educational funding objectives and availability of and access to financial aid.

224.50(2)(e) (e) Promulgate rules to implement and administer this section, including rules that determine whether a withdrawal from a college savings account is a qualified or nonqualified withdrawal, as defined under 26 USC 529, and that impose more than a de minimis penalty, as defined under 26 USC 529, for nonqualified withdrawals.

224.50(2)(f) (f) Seek rulings and guidance from the U.S. department of the treasury, the internal revenue service and the securities and exchange commission to ensure the proper implementation and administration of the college savings program.

224.50(2)(g) (g) Ensure that if the department changes vendors, the balances of college savings accounts are promptly transferred into investment instruments as similar to the original investment instruments as possible.

224.50(2)(h) (h) Keep personal and financial information pertaining to an account owner or a beneficiary closed to the public, except that the board may release to the appropriate state agency information necessary in determining a beneficiary’s eligibility for state financial aid for higher education.

224.50(2)(i) (i) Before December 31 of each year, beginning in 2015, ensure that the account balance limitation under sub. (3) (bm) is increased for the subsequent year. The annual increase shall be equal to a percentage that is not less than the most recently published national average tuition and fees percentage increase at private, nonprofit 4-year institutions, as determined by the College Board, or such other nationally reputable entity, and shall be subject to the requirements under 26 USC 529 that pertain to the prohibition on excess contributions.

224.50(3) (3) Account owners; beneficiaries; contributions; termination of savings accounts.

224.50(3)(a) (a) An account owner may do all of the following:

224.50(3)(a)1. 1. Contribute to a college savings account or authorize any other person to contribute to the account.

224.50(3)(a)2. 2. Select a beneficiary of a college savings account.

224.50(3)(a)3. 3. Change the beneficiary of a college savings account to a family member, as defined under 26 USC 529, of the previous beneficiary.

224.50(3)(a)4. 4. Transfer all or a portion of a college savings account to another college savings account whose beneficiary is a member of the family.

224.50(3)(a)5. 5. Designate a person other than the beneficiary as a person to whom funds may be paid from a college savings account.

224.50(3)(a)6. 6. Receive distributions from a college savings account if no other person is designated.

224.50(3)(b) (b) An individual may be the beneficiary of more than one college savings account, and an account owner may be the beneficiary of a college savings account that the account owner has established.

224.50(3)(bm) (bm) Beginning on August 1, 2015, no contribution may be made to an account if the contribution would cause the account balance of a beneficiary’s account, or the combined balance of all accounts of a beneficiary, to exceed $425,000. This contribution limitation applies to all accounts that are established on and after that date, and to all accounts that are in existence on that date that have not yet reached the balance limit specified in this paragraph, subject to the annual increase described in sub. (2) (i).

224.50(3)(c) (c) The board shall establish a minimum initial contribution to a college savings account that may be waived if the account owner agrees to contribute to a college savings account through a payroll deduction or automatic deposit plan. The board shall ensure that any such plan permits the adjustment of scheduled deposits because of a change in the account owner’s economic circumstances or a beneficiary’s educational plans.

224.50(3)(d) (d) An account owner under this section may terminate his or her college savings account if any of the following occurs:

224.50(3)(d)1. 1. The beneficiary dies or is permanently disabled.

224.50(3)(d)2. 2. The beneficiary graduates from high school but is unable to gain admission to an institution of higher education after a good faith effort.

224.50(3)(d)3. 3. The beneficiary attended an institution of higher education but involuntarily failed to complete the program in which he or she was enrolled.

224.50(3)(d)4. 4. The beneficiary is at least 18 years old and one of the following applies:

224.50(3)(d)4.a. a. The beneficiary has not graduated from high school.

224.50(3)(d)4.b. b. The beneficiary has decided not to attend an institution of higher education.

224.50(3)(d)4.c. c. The beneficiary attended an institution of higher education but voluntarily withdrew without completing the program in which he or she was enrolled.

224.50(3)(d)5. 5. Other circumstances determined by the board to be grounds for termination.

224.50(3)(e) (e) The board may terminate a college savings account if any portion of the college savings account balance remains unused 10 years after the anticipated academic year of the beneficiary’s initial enrollment in an eligible educational institution.

224.50(4) (4) Contracts with professionals. The board may enter into a contract for the services of accountants, attorneys, consultants and other professionals to assist in the administration and evaluation of the college savings program.

224.50(5) (5) Report. Annually, the board shall submit a report to the governor, and to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3), on the performance of the college savings program, including any recommended changes to the program.

224.50(6) (6) Construction. Nothing in this section guarantees an individual’s admission to, retention by or graduation from any institution of higher education; a rate of interest or return on a college savings account; or the payment of principal, interest or return on a college savings account.

224.50(7) (7) Exemption from garnishment, lien, levy, attachment and execution; security for loan.

224.50(7)(a) (a) An account established under this section is not subject to garnishment, lien, levy, attachment, execution or other process of law.

224.50(7)(b) (b) No interest in a college savings account may be pledged as security for a loan.

224.50(8) (8) Financial aid calculations. The balance of a college savings account shall not be included in the calculation of a beneficiary’s eligibility for state financial aid for higher education if the beneficiary notifies the higher educational aids board and the eligible educational institution that the beneficiary is planning to attend that he or she is a beneficiary of a college savings account and if the account owner agrees to release to the higher educational aids board and the eligible educational institution information necessary for the calculation under this subsection.

224.50 History History: 1999 a. 44; 2001 a. 7, 38; 2011 a. 32 s. 76; Stats. 2011 s. 16.641; 2013 a. 227; 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 59 ss. 149, 1705; Stats. 2017 s. 224.50; 2017 a. 231; 2023 a. 148.

224.50 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DFI-CSP 1, Wis. adm. code.

224.51 224.51 College savings program vendor.

224.51(1g) (1g) In this section, “department” means the department of financial institutions.

224.51(1m) (1m) The department shall determine the factors to be considered in selecting a vendor of the program under s. 224.50, which shall include:

224.51(1m)(a) (a) The person’s ability to satisfy record-keeping and reporting requirements.

224.51(1m)(b) (b) The fees, if any, that the person proposes to charge account owners.

224.51(1m)(c) (c) The person’s plan for promoting the college savings program and the investment that the person is willing to make to promote the program.

224.51(1m)(d) (d) The minimum initial contribution or minimum contributions that the person will require.

224.51(1m)(e) (e) The ability and willingness of the person to accept electronic contributions.

224.51(1m)(f) (f) The ability of the person to augment the college savings program with additional, beneficial services related to the program.

224.51(2) (2) The department shall solicit competitive sealed proposals under s. 16.75 (2m) from nongovernmental persons to serve as vendor of the college savings program. The department shall select the vendor based upon factors determined by the department under sub. (1m).

224.51(3) (3) The contract between the department and the vendor shall ensure all of the following:

224.51(3)(a) (a) That the vendor reimburses the state for all administrative costs that the state incurs for the college savings program.

224.51(3)(b) (b) That a firm of certified public accountants selected by the vendor annually audits the college savings program and provides a copy of the audit to the college savings program board.

224.51(3)(c) (c) That each account owner receives a quarterly statement that identifies the contributions to the college savings account during the preceding quarter, the total contributions to and the value of the college savings account through the end of the preceding quarter and any distributions made during the preceding quarter.

224.51(3)(d) (d) That the vendor communicate to the beneficiary and account owner the requirements of s. 224.50 (8).

224.51 History History: 1999 a. 44; 2001 a. 38 s. 12; 2011 a. 32; 2017 a. 59 ss. 114 to 117, 1706; Stats. 2017 s. 224.51.

224.52 224.52 Repayment to the general fund.

224.52(1) (1) The secretary of administration shall transfer from the tuition trust fund, the college savings program trust fund, the college savings program bank deposit trust fund, or the college savings program credit union deposit trust fund to the general fund an amount equal to the amount expended from the appropriations under s. 20.505 (9) (a), 1995 stats., s. 20.585 (2) (a), 2001 stats., and s. 20.585 (2) (am), 2001 stats., when the secretary of administration determines, after consultation with the secretary of financial institutions, that funds in those trust funds are sufficient to make the transfer. The secretary of administration may make the transfer in installments.

224.52(2) (2) Annually, by June 1, the secretary of financial institutions, after consultation with the secretary of administration, shall submit a report to the joint committee on finance on the amount available for repayment under sub. (1), the amount repaid under sub. (1), and the outstanding balance under sub. (1).

224.52 History History: 2001 a. 16; 2003 a. 33; 2005 a. 478; 2011 a. 32 s. 77; Stats. 2011 s. 16.642; 2017 a. 59 s. 150; Stats. 2017 s. 224.52.

224.55 224.55 Support accounts for individuals with disabilities.

224.55(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

224.55(1)(a) (a) “ABLE account” means an account established under an ABLE program.

224.55(1)(b) (b) “ABLE program” means a qualified ABLE program under section 529A of the Internal Revenue Code.

224.55(2) (2) Department to establish ABLE program.

224.55(2)(a) (a) Implementation directly or by agreement. The department shall implement and administer an ABLE program, either directly or by entering into a formal or informal agreement with another state, or with an entity representing an alliance of states, to establish an ABLE program or otherwise administer ABLE program services for the residents of this state.

224.55(2)(b) (b) Review of other states’ partnership programs. The department shall review section 529A ABLE state partnership programs offered by other states and, no later than August 1, 2025, determine whether, as the best option for Wisconsin residents, the department will implement the ABLE program under par. (a) directly or by entering into an agreement.

224.55(2)(c) (c) Agreement terms. An agreement under par. (a) may require the party contracting with the department, in addition to providing any other services, to do any of the following:

224.55(2)(c)1. 1. Develop and implement an ABLE program in accordance with all requirements under section 529A of the Internal Revenue Code, and modify this ABLE program as necessary for participants in the ABLE program to qualify for the federal income tax benefits or treatment provided under section 529A of the Internal Revenue Code and rules adopted under section 529A.

224.55(2)(c)2. 2. Engage the services of vendors on a contractual basis for rendering professional and technical assistance and advice in developing marketing plans and promotional materials to publicize the ABLE program.

224.55(2)(c)3. 3. Work with organizations with expertise in supporting people with disabilities and their families in administering the agreement and ensuring accessibility of the ABLE program for people with disabilities.

224.55(2)(c)4. 4. Take any other action necessary to implement and administer the ABLE program.

224.55(2)(d) (d) Information about ABLE accounts. The department shall include on its website information concerning ABLE accounts, including current information on each state that offers ABLE accounts, information on how residents of this state may participate in those ABLE accounts, and links to resources to provide information about ABLE accounts in those states. The department shall also provide such information in written materials it prepares about ABLE accounts. The department shall provide a link, on its website, to the website of the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection to facilitate the filing of complaints related to ABLE accounts.

224.55(3) (3) Confidentiality. The department shall keep confidential any personal and financial information maintained by the department relating to an ABLE account.