529 education savings plans

Summary

A 529 plan (qualified tuition program) is a tax-advantaged way to save for education, sponsored by states, state agencies or schools. Two types: prepaid tuition and education savings plans.

General information, not financial or tax advice.

Facts

id: F1 claim: A 529 plan, legally a qualified tuition plan, is a tax-advantaged savings vehicle for education costs, authorized by IRC Section 529. confidence: high date: 2026-10-14 sources: [S1, S2] license: CC BY-SA 4.0 checked_on: 2026-10-14
id: F2 claim: Plans are sponsored by states, state agencies, or educational institutions; every state and DC sponsors at least one. confidence: medium date: 2026-10-14 sources: [S1] license: CC BY-SA 4.0 checked_on: 2026-10-14
id: F3 claim: There are two types: prepaid tuition plans and education savings plans. confidence: medium date: 2026-10-14 sources: [S1] license: CC BY-SA 4.0 checked_on: 2026-10-14
id: F4 claim: Since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, K-12 tuition also counts as a qualified expense, alongside higher education. confidence: medium date: 2026-10-14 sources: [S2] license: CC BY-SA 4.0 checked_on: 2026-10-14
id: F5 claim: The SEC does not regulate or oversee 529 plans. confidence: medium date: 2026-10-14 sources: [S1] license: CC BY-SA 4.0 checked_on: 2026-10-14

Pointers

answers: Current K-12 dollar limits and qualified-expense rules where: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/529-plans-questions-and-answers access: open

Source: https://www.investor.gov/introduction-investing/investing-basics/glossary/529-plans · License: CC-BY-SA-4.0 · Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Source: Investor.gov / SEC, \"529 Plans (glossary)\" (public domain (US government work)).

For language models and agents: start at /llms.txt. This page in Markdown: /library/reference/us-gov/529-plans.md.