New York Consolidated Laws, General Business Law - GBS § 455. Definitions

1. Budget planning, as used in this article, means the making of a contract between a person or entity engaged in the business of budget planning with a particular debtor whereby (i) the debtor agrees to pay a sum or sums of money in any manner or form and the person or entity engaged in the business of budget planning distributes, or supervises, coordinates or controls the distribution of, or has a contractual relationship with another person or entity that distributes, or supervises, coordinates or controls such distribution of, the same among certain specified creditors in accordance with a plan agreed upon and (ii) the debtor agrees to pay to such person or entity, or such other person or entity that distributes, or supervises, coordinates or controls such distribution of, a sum or sums of money, any valuable consideration for such services or for any other services rendered in connection therewith.  For the purposes of this article, a person or entity shall be considered as engaged in the business of budget planning in New York, and subject to this article and the licensing and other requirements of article twelve-C of the banking law, if such person or entity solicits budget planning business within this state and, in connection with such solicitation, enters into a contract for budget planning with an individual then resident in this state.

2. Person, as used in this article, shall not include a person admitted to practice law in this state.

3. Entity, as used in this article, shall not include a firm, partnership, professional corporation, or other organization, all of the members or principals of which are admitted to practice law in this state.

4. Person or entity as used in this article shall not include a charitable corporation as defined in paragraph (a) of section one hundred two (Definitions) of the not-for-profit corporation law of this state, or an entity incorporated in another state and having a similar not-for-profit status, licensed by the superintendent, to engage in the business of budget planning as defined in this section.

5. Any attorney licensed to practice law in this state who is engaged in budget planning shall (a) negotiate directly with creditors on behalf of the client;  (b) ensure that all moneys received from the client are deposited in the attorney's account maintained for client funds;  (c) pay creditors from such account;  and (d) offer budget planning services through the same legal entity that the attorney uses to practice law.