Congress Adds More Uses for College Savings Plans (Sec 529 Plans)
Congress originally created the Qualified State Tuition Plan, often referred to as the Sec 529 Plan, as a tax-beneficial incentive for parents, grandparents, and others to save money for an individual’s future college tuition and fees. There is no federal tax deduction for making contributions, but taxes on the earnings within a plan are not only tax-deferred while they are held in the account, they are tax-free when withdrawn to pay for qualified education expenses. Thus, the real tax benefit of these plans is the earnings within the plan accumulating tax-deferred and then being tax-free when withdrawn if used for college tuition and related qualified expenses.
Since originating these plans, Congress has continued to modify the purpose of the plans by allowing plan funds to be used for more than just college tuition and fees. Over the years, they have allowed plan funds to be spent on additional expenses, including books, supplies, equipment, reasonable room and board, and computer technology.
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A frequently asked question is, “How might I save for a child’s college education?” The answer depends on how much the education is expected to cost and how much time is left until the child heads off to college or university.
There are actually two higher-education tax credits. The American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) provides up to $2,500 worth of credit for each student, 40% of which is refundable. The credit is equal to 100% of the first $2,000 of college tuition and qualified expenses and 25% of the next $2,000. The AOTC only applies to the first 4 years of post-secondary education.
Figuring out how to pay for your child’s trade school or college education can be challenging, and the earlier you create your plan and begin executing it, the greater your chances are of having the needed money set aside to pay for it. The government provides a variety of tax incentives to help defray the cost of education. Some require long-term planning to provide the most benefit, while others provide current tax deductions or credits. The benefits generally apply to both vocational schools and colleges.
Recent tax regulations have acknowledged the fact that computers, peripheral equipment, certain types of nonentertainment software, Internet access and related services are essential for postsecondary education. Thus, when those items are used primarily by a beneficiary of a qualified state tuition (Sec 529) plan, the cost of the items can be reimbursed from the plan’s funds, tax-free.