31 C.F.R. § 208.2

Current through October 31, 2024

Section 208.2 - Definitions

The following definitions apply to this part:

Agency means any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government, or a corporation owned or controlled by the Government of the United States.

Authorized payment agent means any individual or entity that is appointed or otherwise selected as a representative payee or fiduciary, under regulations of the Social Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Railroad Retirement Board, or other agency making Federal payments, to act on behalf of an individual entitled to a Federal payment.

Direct Express® card means the prepaid debit card issued to recipients of Federal benefits by a Financial Agent pursuant to requirements established by Treasury.

Disbursement means, in the context of payments delivered to Treasury-sponsored accounts, the performance of the following duties by a Financial Agent acting as agent of the United States:

(1) The establishment of an account for the recipient that meets the requirements of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the National Credit Union Administration Board for deposit or share insurance;

(2) The maintenance of such an account;

(3) The receipt of Federal payments through the Automated Clearing House system or other electronic means and crediting of Federal payments to the account; and

(4) The provision of recipient access to funds in the account on the terms specified by Treasury.

Electronic benefits transfer (EBT) means the provision of Federal benefit, wage, salary, and retirement payments electronically, through disbursement by a financial institution acting as a Financial Agent. For purposes of this part and Public Law 104-208 , EBT includes, but is not limited to, disbursement through a Treasury-sponsored account or a Federal/State EBT program.

Electronic funds transfer means any transfer of funds, other than a transaction originated by cash, check, or similar paper instrument that is initiated through an electronic terminal, telephone, computer, or magnetic tape, for the purpose of ordering, instructing, or authorizing a financial institution to debit or credit an account. The term includes, but is not limited to, Automated Clearing House transfers, Fedwire transfers, and transfers made at automated teller machines and point-of-sale terminals. For purposes of this part only, the term electronic funds transfer includes a credit card transaction.

Federal payment means any payment made by an agency. The term includes, but is not limited to:

(1) Federal wage, salary, and retirement payments;

(2) Vendor and expense reimbursement payments;

(3) Benefit payments;

(4) Miscellaneous payments including, but not limited to: Interagency payments; grants; loans; fees; principal, interest, and other payments related to U.S. marketable and nonmarketable securities; overpayment reimbursements; and payments under Federal insurance or guarantee programs for loans; and

(5) Payments under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C.).

Federal/State EBT program means any program that provides access to Federal benefit, wage, salary, and retirement payments and to State-administered benefits through a single delivery system and in which Treasury designates a Financial Agent to disburse the Federal payments.

Federally-insured financial institution means any financial institution, the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under 12 U.S.C. Chapter 16 or, in the case of a credit union, the member accounts of which are insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund under 12 U.S.C. Chapter 14, Subchapter II.

Financial Agent means a financial institution that has been designated by Treasury as a Financial Agent for the provision of electronic funds transfer or EBT services under any provision of Federal law, including 12 U.S.C. 90 , 265 , 266 , 1767 , and 1789a , and 31 U.S.C. 3122 and 3303 , as amended by the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 1997, Section 664, Public Law 104-208.

Financial institution means:

(1) Any insured bank as defined in section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813 ) or any bank which is eligible to make application to become an insured bank under section 5 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 1815 );

(2) Any mutual savings bank as defined in section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813 ) or any bank which is eligible to make application to become an insured bank under section 5 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 1815 );

(3) Any savings bank as defined in section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813 ) or any bank which is eligible to make application to become an insured bank under section 5 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 1815 );

(4) Any insured credit union as defined in section 101 of the Federal Credit Union Act (12 U.S.C. 1752 ) or any credit union which is eligible to make application to become an insured credit union under section 201 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 1781 );

(5) Any savings association as defined in section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813 ) which is an insured depository institution (as defined in such Act) (12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq.) or is eligible to apply to become an insured depository institution under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq.); and

(6) Any agency or branch of a foreign bank as defined in section 1(b) of the International Banking Act, as amended (12 U.S.C. 3101 ).

Individual means a natural person.

Recipient means an individual, corporation, or other public or private entity that is authorized to receive a Federal payment from an agency.

Secretary means Secretary of the Treasury.

Treasury means the United States Department of the Treasury.

Treasury-sponsored account means a Direct Express card account, a U.S. Debit Card account, or another account established pursuant to § 208.5 or § 208.11 .

U.S. Debit Card means the prepaid debit card issued to recipients of certain Federal payments by a Financial Agent pursuant to requirements established by Treasury.

31 C.F.R. §208.2

85 FR 25291 , 6/1/2020