You can call your plan administrator, make a request online, or submit a withdrawal request form. The plan can send withdrawals by check to the account owner, the beneficiary, or the school. You can transfer the money to yourself or the beneficiary electronically and then make payment to the school.

How do I use my 529 to pay for college?

Some 529 plans allow account owners to make electronic payments directly to the college. This avoids a multi-step process where the account owner must deposit the money to their bank account and then mail a check to the college or do an ACH transfer from their bank account to the college.

How can I withdraw money from my 529 without penalty?

Here are five ways someone can use 529 plan money without a penalty if the beneficiary doesn’t go to college:

1. Change the beneficiary to a family member.
2. Make themselves the beneficiary.
3. Use the funds for apprenticeships.
4. Pay off student loan debt.
5. Put the funds toward K-12 education.

How do I withdraw 529 funds?

How to report a taxable 529 plan distribution on federal income tax returns

1. Divide the AQEE by the total 529 plan distribution (Form 1099-Q, Box 1)
2. Multiply the answer by the earnings portion of the total distribution (Form 1099-Q, Box 2).
3. Subtract this amount from the total distributed earnings.

What happens if you can use 529 money for college?

If assets in a 529 are used for something other than qualified education expenses, you’ll have to pay both federal income taxes and a 10% penalty on the earnings. (An interesting side note is that if the beneficiary gets a full scholarship to college, the penalty for taking the cash is waived.)

Can I use my child’s 529 for myself?

Regardless of your age, you can set up a Section 529 plan for yourself to fund educational expenses now or in the future. You can use the money in a 529 plan to upgrade your skills by just taking a few classes at a qualified college or trade school, or working towards a degree or advanced certificate.

When should I transfer my 529 to cash?

A key point to understand: You must request a cash withdrawal from a 529 plan during the same calendar year as you make the payment. If the timing is off, you risk owing tax because it will be considered a nonqualified withdrawal.

Can I buy a car with 529 funds?

Transportation and travel costs That means you cannot use a 529 plan to buy or rent a car, maintain a vehicle or pay for any other travel cost. If you do use a 529 distribution to pay for this type of expense, those distributions are considered non-qualified.

Can I withdraw 529 contributions tax-free?

529 withdrawals are tax-free to the extent your child (or other account beneficiary) incurs qualified education expenses (QHEE) during the year. If you withdraw more than the QHEE, the excess is a non-qualified distribution. The principal portion of your 529 withdrawal is not subject to tax or penalty.

How much can you withdraw from 529 for college?

Up to $10,000 annually per student, in aggregate from all 529 plans, can be withdrawn free from federal tax if used for tuition expenses at a public, private or religious elementary, middle, or high school.

What documentation do I needed for 529 withdrawal?

In each year you take withdrawals from a 529, the plan administrator should issue a Form 1099-Q, which reports the total distribution taken from the account in a given year, the portion of the distribution that came from earnings in the account, and the portion of the distribution that represents the original

Can 529 be used for rent?

Can he use the 529 plan to pay for his portion of the rent, food and utilities? Yes, but not necessarily the full cost. As long as your son is enrolled at least half-time in a degree program, room and board qualify as eligible expenses to be covered by tax-free withdrawals from the 529 plan.

How do I claim 529 contributions on my taxes?

Unlike an IRA, contributions to a 529 plan are not deductible and therefore do not have to be reported on federal income tax returns. What’s more, the investment earnings in your account are not reportable until the year they are withdrawn.

Can a parent withdraw money from a 529 plan?

529 plan account owners can withdraw any amount from their 529 plan, but only qualified distributions will be tax-free. The earnings portion of any non-qualified distributions must be reported on the account owner’s or the beneficiary’s federal income tax return and is subject to income tax and a 10% penalty.

Can 529 be used for graduate school?

A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged education savings plan. Originally, it was designed to cover only postsecondary education costs, but now you can also use it for K-12 education and apprenticeship programs. You can also use a 529 plan for graduate school.

Can you use 529 money to buy a house?

Mortgage Payments Do Not Qualify as Room and Board Even if the student were to buy the home, they still can’t use 529 plan money to make the mortgage payments. A mortgage payment is a payment on a loan and not a payment of housing costs. As such, it is not a qualified higher education expense.