Thinking about your child’s future and taking steps to help them reach their education and career dreams are important decisions. There are many options when deciding how to save for a child’s education. Parents can choose anything from a good old-fashioned savings account to savings bonds or mutual funds. However, many financial experts recommend parents consider 529 plans.
When you begin researching, there are many things to consider,
For parents with very small children, thinking about dropping them off at college for their freshman year may seem very far away. Thinking about saving money for college may seem even farther in the distance. Yet, young parents today know first-hand how expensive college has become — because they’re probably still paying off student loans from their own educations!
While you may not think you have the money to start a college savings plan right now,
Plenty of people will tell you about the importance of college. They’ll tell you about how college graduates earn more during their lifetimes. They’ll tell you about how the value of college extends far beyond the academic experience. What they may not tell you is how you’re supposed to pay for it.
Of course, there are all kinds of financial aid available like grants and scholarships, but the most surefire and effective way to find money for college is to save it yourself.
Picture this. Your student is getting ready to go off to college for the first time. For years, you have contributed to their education savings plan, helping to make their dream of higher education a reality. As you prepare to send in the first payment from your 529 account, you want to ensure that your student is attending an eligible institution so it counts as a qualified withdrawal.
You might be unsure what this is referring to,
Opening an education savings account, such as an NC 529, while your child is young has all sorts of benefits. One benefit is that it allows the account to build until it’s needed for education. Earnings grow tax-free if the beneficiary uses the money for “qualified education expenses.” That term may sound confusing, but it’s intentionally broad. This is because the fund can pay for many school-related costs, …
There is so much to think about when you send your child off to college. You thought ahead when you decided to open a 529 Plan. But before you start taking money out and writing checks to the school, you have some homework to do. Here are some things you need to know about 529 Plan withdrawals.
What are Qualified Expenses?
The money grows tax-free when used for qualified education expenses.
