The purposes of this article are to:

(1) Provide a program of savings trust agreements to apply distributions toward qualified higher education expenses at eligible educational institutions, as defined in Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code or other applicable federal law;

(2) Provide for the creation of the Georgia Higher Education Savings Plan, as an instrumentality of the State of Georgia, to assist qualified students in financing costs of attending institutions of higher education;

(3) Encourage timely financial planning for higher education by the creation of savings trust accounts;

(4) Provide a savings program for those persons who wish to save to meet postsecondary educational needs, including postgraduate educational needs; and

(5) Attract students to institutions of higher education within the state.