Smart Saving for College—Better Buy Degrees

College Savings Plan Comparison Chart1

 

  529 College
Savings
Plan		 529 Prepaid
Tuition
Plan		 Education
Savings
Account		 Custodial
Accounts		 Savings
Bonds
Ownership/
Control		 Contributor Contributor Contributor Custodian until child reaches age of majority Contributor
Investment
Choices		 Typically, plans provide several investment options. None No restrictions No restrictions Savings bonds
Age
Limits		 None Plan may set age or grade limits. Except for special needs children, no contributions can be made after a child reaches age 18, and withdrawals must be made before beneficiary reaches age 30. Minor child Owner must be at least 24 before the bond's issue date (not purchase date).
Expenses
Covered
Besides
Tuition
and Fees		 Qualified education expenses for post-secondary education With a few exceptions, only tuition and mandatory fees for post-secondary education are covered. Qualified elementary and secondary education expenses or qualified higher education expenses No restrictions on types of expenses Tuition and mandatory fees for post-secondary education and contributions to 529s and ESAs
Contribution
Limit		 Varies from plan to plan. Majority of plans permit total contributions in excess of $200,000 per beneficiary. Fixed by terms of contract you purchase Contributor: $2,000 per beneficiary per year

Beneficiary: $2,000, does not matter how many ESAs are set up.		 No limit No limit
Federal
Tax
Advantages		 Earnings grow tax-deferred and are tax-free if used for qualified education expenses. Earnings grow tax-deferred and are tax-free if used for qualified education expenses. Earnings grow tax-deferred and are tax-free if used for qualified education expenses. $950 in earnings are tax-free. Interest grows tax-deferred and is tax-free if used for qualified education expenses.
State
Tax
Advantages		 Varies from state to state, but some states provide tax deduction for contributions, tax-free earnings growth and tax-free withdrawals for qualified education expenses. Varies from state to state, but some states provide tax deduction for contributions, tax-free earnings growth and tax-free withdrawals for qualified education expenses. None None Interest is usually tax-exempt from state and local taxes.
Income
Phase-Out		 None None Single filers:
$95,000 – $110,000

Joint filers:
$190,000 – $220,000		 None Single Filers:
$70,100 – $85,100

Joint Filers:
$105,100 – $135,100
Penalties
for
Non-Qualified
Withdrawals		 Earnings are taxed as ordinary income and may be subject to 10-percent penalty. Earnings are taxed as ordinary income and may be subject to 10-percent penalty. Withdrawals that exceed the beneficiary's education expenses for the year may be taxable. None Interest earned is taxed as income.

 

1 Filing information as of 2010. See IRS Publication 970 for 2011 updates.

 

 

 

 

  • prev
    Series EE and I Savings Bonds
  • next
    Glossary of College Savings Terms