529 qualified expenses

Qualified Education Expenses

What can you use your 529 investments for?

Earnings on my529 investments are tax-free when spent on qualified education expenses.

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Tuition and mandatory fees.

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Books, supplies and required equipment.

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Room and board for students enrolled at least half-time. (Cost incurred for room and board cannot exceed the allowance for room and board included in the cost of attendance as determined by the eligible educational institution, or, if greater, the invoice amount a student living in housing owned or operated by the eligible educational institution is charged for room and board.)

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Computers, peripheral equipment, educational software and internet access.

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Costs for registered apprenticeships, including fees, books, supplies and equipment required for participation. (To qualify, apprenticeship programs must be registered under Section 1 of the National Apprenticeship Act.)

K-12 Tuition Payments

K-12 expenses at public, private or religious schools. my529 funds can be used for:

  • Tuition.
  • Curriculum and curricular materials.
  • Books or other instructional materials.
  • Online educational materials.
  • Tuition for tutoring or educational classes outside of the home, including at a tutoring facility. The tutor cannot be related to the student and must qualify as one of the following:
    • A licensed teacher,
    • A current or former teacher at an eligible educational institution, or
    • A subject matter expert in the relevant subject.
  • Fees for a nationally standardized achievement test, an Advanced Placement examination, or any college admissions/entrance exam (e.g., SAT, ACT, etc.).
  • Fees for dual enrollment in an institution of higher education.
  • Educational therapies for students with disabilities provided by a licensed or accredited practitioner or provider, including occupational, behavioral, physical and speech-language therapies.

(Withdrawals for K-12 tuition expenses cannot exceed a combined total of $10,000 per beneficiary per calendar year from all 529 accounts held for the beneficiary.)

Qualified education loan payments

Payments on qualified education loans for the beneficiary or a sibling of the beneficiary. (Withdrawals for loan repayments are limited to a total of $10,000 from all 529 accounts.)

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Qualified postsecondary credentialing expenses if the beneficiary is enrolled in a recognized postsecondary credential program. To qualify, credential programs must be one of the following:

  • Authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
  • A military credential.
  • Approved by the federal or state government.
  • Aligned with other approved postsecondary credential organizations.

Expenses include tuition, fees, books, supplies and equipment required for participation, as well as fees for testing or continuing education if required to obtain or maintain the credential.