Money from a 529 account must be used for qualified education expenses to avoid taxes and penalties. But in addition to college expenses, you can also spend up to $10,000 per year on tuition and other qualifying expenses for elementary, middle, and high school—private, public, or religious. K-12 qualified expenses in addition to tuition include: Curriculum and curricular materials, books or other instructional materials, online educational materials, tuition for tutoring or classes outside of the home (if the tutor is not related to the student, is licensed as a teacher in any state or has taught at an eligible educational institution or is a subject matter expert in the relevant subject), fees for a nationally standardized achievement test, advanced placement exam, or college admission exam, fees for dual enrollment in an institution of higher education, and educational therapies for students with disabilities provided by a licensed provider, including occupational, behavioral, physical, and speech-language therapies.
It's important to know that the $10,000 annual limit is per beneficiary, not per account—the money can come from multiple 529 accounts. Any amount over that $10,000 limit will be subject to income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax.
Find out more by reading Viewpoints: 529s for K–12 tuitions: Does it work for you?
529 distributions for qualified education expenses are generally federal income tax free. 529 assets may be used to pay for (i) qualified higher education expenses, (ii) qualified expenses for registered apprenticeship programs, (iii) up to $10,000 per taxable year per beneficiary for tuition expenses ($20,000 for expenses beginning in taxable years after December 31, 2025) in connection with enrollment at a public, private, and religious elementary and secondary educational institution. Although such assets may come from multiple 529 accounts, the $10,000 qualified withdrawal ($20,000 beginning in taxable years after December 31, 2025) limit will be aggregated on a per beneficiary basis. The IRS has not provided guidance to date on the methodology of allocating the $10,000 annual maximum ($20,000 beginning in taxable years after December 31, 2025) among withdrawals from different 529 accounts, (iv) amounts paid as principal or interest on any qualified education loan of a 529 plan designated beneficiary or a sibling of the designated beneficiary. The amount treated as a qualified expense is subject to a lifetime limit of $10,000 per individual. Although the assets may come from multiple 529 accounts, the $10,000 withdrawal limit for qualified educational loans payments will be aggregated on a per individual basis. The IRS has not provided guidance to date on the methodology of allocating the $10,000 annual maximum among withdrawals from different 529 accounts, and (v) tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for the enrollment or attendance in a recognized postsecondary credential program as defined under Section 529 of the Code and identified by the Secretary of the Treasury as being such a reputable program. Any earnings on distributions not used for qualified higher educational expenses or that exceed distribution limits may be taxed as ordinary income and may be subject to a 10% federal tax penalty. Some states do not conform with federal tax law. Please check with your home state to determine if it recognizes the expanded 529 benefits afforded under federal tax law, including distributions for elementary and secondary education expenses, apprenticeship programs, postsecondary credentialing programs, and student loan repayments. You may want to consult with a tax professional before investing or making distributions.
