"Catastrophe Savings Account" defined; exemptions allowed; contributable amount; attachment and garnishment

(A)(1) An individual taxpayer is allowed a deduction from the tax imposed pursuant to Section 12-6-510 for amounts contributed to a Catastrophe Savings Account in accordance with subsection (B)(3); and

(2) all interest income earned by the Catastrophe Savings Account is exempt from the tax imposed pursuant to Section 12-6-510 as provided in this article.
(B)(1) As used in this article, "Catastrophe Savings Account" means a regular savings account or money market account established by an insurance policyholder for residential property in this State to cover an insurance deductible under an insurance policy for the taxpayer's legal residence property that covers hurricane, rising floodwaters, or other catastrophic windstorm event damage or by an individual to cover self-insured losses for the taxpayer's legal residence from a hurricane, rising floodwaters, or other catastrophic windstorm event. The account must be labeled as a Catastrophe Savings Account in order to qualify as a Catastrophe Savings Account as defined in this article. A taxpayer shall establish only one Catastrophe Savings Account and shall specify that the purpose of the account is to cover the amount of insurance deductibles and other uninsured portions of risks of loss from hurricane, rising floodwater, or other catastrophic windstorm event.

(2) A Catastrophe Savings Account is not subject to attachment, levy, garnishment, or legal process in this State.

(3) The total amount that may be contributed to a Catastrophe Savings Account must not exceed:

# (a)

in the case of an individual whose qualified deductible is less than or equal to one thousand dollars, two thousand dollars;

# (b)

in the case of an individual whose qualified deductible is greater than one thousand dollars, the amount equal to the lesser of fifteen thousand dollars or twice the amount of the taxpayer's qualified deductible; or

# (c)

in the case of a self-insured individual who chooses not to obtain insurance on his legal residence, two hundred fifty thousand dollars, but shall not exceed the value of the individual taxpayer's legal residence.

(4) If a taxpayer contributes in excess of the limits provided in item (3), the taxpayer shall withdraw the amount of the excess contributions and include that amount in South Carolina income for purposes of Section 12-6-510 in the year of withdrawal.

Last amended: 2007 Act No. 78, SECTION 2, eff June 11, 2007, applicable to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2006.

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