Unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context, the following words and phrases as hereinafter used in this chapter shall have the following meanings:

(1) "Debt adjuster," which includes any person known as a debt pooler, debt manager, debt consolidator, debt prorater, or credit counselor, is any person engaging in or holding himself or herself out as engaging in the business of debt adjusting for compensation. The term shall not include:

(a) Attorneys-at-law, escrow agents, accountants, broker-dealers in securities, or investment advisors in securities, while performing services solely incidental to the practice of their professions;

(b) Any person, partnership, association, or corporation doing business under and as permitted by any law of this state or of the United States relating to banks, consumer finance businesses, consumer loan companies, trust companies, mutual savings banks, savings and loan associations, building and loan associations, credit unions, crop credit associations, development credit corporations, industrial development corporations, title insurance companies, insurance companies, or third-party account administrators;

(c) Persons who, as employees on a regular salary or wage of an employer not engaged in the business of debt adjusting, perform credit services for their employer;

(d) Public officers while acting in their official capacities and persons acting under court order;

(e) Any person while performing services incidental to the dissolution, winding up or liquidation of a partnership, corporation, or other business enterprise;

(f) Nonprofit organizations dealing exclusively with debts owing from commercial enterprises to business creditors;

(g) Nonprofit organizations engaged in debt adjusting and which do not assess against the debtor a service charge in excess of fifteen dollars per month.

(2) "Debt adjusting" means the managing, counseling, settling, adjusting, prorating, or liquidating of the indebtedness of a debtor, or receiving funds for the purpose of distributing said funds among creditors in payment or partial payment of obligations of a debtor.

(3) "Debt adjusting agency" is any partnership, corporation, or association engaging in or holding itself out as engaging in the business of debt adjusting.

(4) "Fair share" means the creditor contributions paid to nonprofit debt adjusters by the creditors whose consumers receive debt adjusting services from the nonprofit debt adjusters and pay down their debt accordingly. "Fair share" does not include grants received by nonprofit debt adjusters for services unrelated to debt adjusting.

(5) "Financial institution" means any person doing business under the laws of any state or the United States relating to commercial banks, bank holding companies, savings banks, savings and loan associations, trust companies, or credit unions.

(6) "Third-party account administrator" means an independent entity that holds or administers a dedicated bank account for fees and payments to creditors, debt collectors, debt adjusters, or debt adjusting agencies in connection with the renegotiation, settlement, reduction, or other alteration of the terms of payment or other terms of a debt.

Information—Report—2012 c 56: See note following RCW 19.230.350.

Part headings not law—1999 c 151: "Part headings used in this act are not any part of the law." [ 1999 c 151 s 2401.]

Effective date—1999 c 151: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 1999." [ 1999 c 151 s 2402.]

Effective date—1979 c 156: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect June 30, 1979." [ 1979 c 156 s 14.]

Severability—1979 c 156: "If any provision of this act, or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act, or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1979 c 156 s 13.]