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 ...
If you took a 529 savings plan withdrawal last year, you will receive IRS Form 1099-Q. It reports all the payments that have been made from the 529 savings plan, regardless of how they were spent.
This means keeping detailed records that include account statements with tuition and room and board; receipts for computer equipment, accessories, software, and internet; syllabi documenting course requirements (e.g., lab fees); canceled checks and records showing withdrawals for all other qualified education expenses.
If an investor opened a tax-deferred 529 account with an initial investment of $2,500 and contributed $100 every month for 18 years, the account could be worth over $6,300 more than with similar contributions into a taxable account.
Unlike an IRA, contributions to a 529 plan are not deductible and 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 What's more, the investment earnings in your account are not reportable until the year they are withdrawn. 529 plans save taxpayers billions of dollars on their income taxes.
Opening a 529 can be completed in (as little as) these four steps: Select a plan. You'll have to choose between a savings plan or a prepaid plan. Choose a beneficiary. This will likely be your child — but remember, you can change the beneficiary at any time without penalty. Open the account. Build your portfolio.
Thanks to a recent legislative update and the new “529 grandparent loophole,” grandparents who own a 529 account can make significant contributions to their grandchild's education savings without necessarily affecting the grandchild's eligibility for federal student aid.
529 recordkeeping This is why it's important to keep good records (receipts and supporting documentation) that reconcile the total withdrawals that the 1099-Q reports to the IRS with the total that was spent on qualified educational expenses.
Transportation, cell phone plans, and student loans aren't eligible. Up to $10,000 can be used for private school tuition. Nonqualified expenses trigger a 10% tax penalty on earnings.
529 qualified expenses College tuition and fees. Vocational and trade school tuition and fees. Elementary or secondary school tuition. Student loans. Off-campus housing. Food and meal plans. Books and supplies. Computers.