§ 77-1403. Account owner; designated beneficiary; death of designated beneficiary; transfer or distribution of account balances; notice regarding potential tax consequences; state claim or recovery; when prohibited.
AI-assisted research summary: Sets account ownership and beneficiary rules, allows some post-death transfers or distributions, requires tax-consequence notice, and bars state recovery or claims in specified circumstances.
(1) Unless otherwise permitted under section 529A, the owner of an account shall be the designated beneficiary of the account, except that if the designated beneficiary of the account is a minor or has a custodian or other fiduciary appointed for the purposes of managing such beneficiary's financial affairs, a custodian or fiduciary for such designated beneficiary may serve as the account owner if such form of ownership is permitted or not prohibited under section 529A. (2) Unless otherwise permitted under section 529A, the designated beneficiary of an account shall be a resident of the state or of a contracting state. The State Treasurer shall determine residency of Nebraska residents for such purpose in such manner as may be required or permissible under section 529A or, in the absence of any guidance under section 529A, by such other means as the State Treasurer shall consider advisable for purposes of satisfying the requirements of section 529A. (3) To the extent permitted by federal law, upon the death of a designated beneficiary of an account, the owner of the account or the personal representative of the designated beneficiary may have the balance of the account transferred to another account under the program specified by the owner of the account, the designated beneficiary, or the estate of the designated beneficiary. If the balance of the account on the date of death is less than or equal to five thousand dollars, the owner of the account or the personal representative of the designated beneficiary may also have the balance of the account distributed to an individual or individuals specified by the designated beneficiary, the owner of the account, or the personal representative of the designated beneficiary. (4) At the time an account is established under the program and prior to any transfer or distribution pursuant to subsection (3) of this section, the State Treasurer shall notify the owner of the account, the designated beneficiary, and the estate of the designated beneficiary, if applicable, of the potential tax consequences of transferring or distributing funds pursuant to subsection (3) of this section. (5) Upon the death of a designated beneficiary and after the Department of Health and Human Services has received approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the United States Department of Health and Human Services: (a) The state shall not seek recovery of any amount remaining in the account of the designated beneficiary, or any amount distributed from the account of the designated beneficiary upon the death of the designated beneficiary, for any amount of medical assistance received by the designated beneficiary or his or her spouse or dependent under the medical assistance program pursuant to the Medical Assistance Act after the establishment of the account; and (b) The state shall not file a claim for the payment under subdivision (f) of section 529A of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended. History: Laws 2015, LB591, § 3; Laws 2020, LB705, § 1; Laws 2023, LB727, § 48; Laws 2026, LB1240, § 1.