1. A participant may elect to contribute all or part of a refund of personal income tax to an account that has been established under sections 166.400 to 166.456 by direct deposit to the financial institution managing the account. The amount elected to be contributed by the participant shall be at least twenty-five dollars and shall be as a contribution only for the tax year in which the refund is issued. The election to contribute may not be changed or revoked.

2. The election shall be made on a form prescribed by the department of revenue and filed with the taxpayer’s tax return for the tax year or at such other time and in such other manner as the department may prescribe. The department of revenue shall prescribe the maximum number of accounts to which a taxpayer may elect to contribute a portion of the refund. Notwithstanding the limit prescribed by the department, a parent or legal guardian shall be permitted to contribute a portion of his or her refund to accounts held by each of his or her children.

3. The election to contribute all or a portion of a refund shall be void, and no portion of the refund may be contributed to an account if the taxpayer’s refund is offset to pay amounts owed by the taxpayer.