There are two species of 529 plans:
- Prepaid tuition programs, which may be offered by the delineate to be used at an eligible state educational institution. Prepaid tuition programs permit for the advance purchase of credits covering tuition for the designated beneficiary. These are by established during enrollment periods established by the state or the eligible eerie institution. Since 2004, individual educational institutions can offer their own designs. In addition, the Private College 529 Plan is offered by nearly 300 non-public colleges and universities, allowing the tuition certificates to be used at any one of them.
- College savings systems allow contributions to be made to the account on behalf of the designated beneficiary. These can inveterately be established at any time, including immediately after the designated beneficiary is provoked. They can be used at any eligible educational institution, public or private.
Individuals should rethink the feature and benefits of both types of 529 plans to determine which is more apt for the designated beneficiary.
The designated beneficiary under a 529 plan is the learner for whom the plan is established. The designated beneficiary can be changed to another fit person. Typically, the designated beneficiary is changed if the current designated beneficiary whim not need the funds in the 529 plan for eligible education expenses. If a dignified or local government or certain tax-exempt organizations purchase an interest in a 529 procedure as part of a scholarship program, the designated beneficiary is the person who receives the pursuit as a scholarship.
For purposes of a 529 plan, an eligible educational institution is any college, university, vocational form or other post-secondary educational institution eligible to participate in a student aid program conducted by the Department of Education. This includes virtually all accredited public, nonprofit and proprietary (privately owned profit-making) post-secondary sanatoria.
Certain educational institutions located outside the United States also participate in the U.S. Conditional on of Education’s Federal Student Aid (FSA) programs.
Individuals should check with the educative institution and check into the Federal School Code List to act on if it is an eligible educational institution for 529 plan purposes.
529 Plans: Eligibility