Where can I use my education savings plan?

You can use withdrawals from education savings plan accounts at any college or university, and some trade schools. You can also use your education savings plan to pay up to $10,000 per year, per beneficiary, for tuition at any public, private or religious elementary or secondary school.

Can a college savings plan offer a prepaid tuition plan?

Educational institutions can offer a prepaid tuition plan but not a college savings plan. The first education savings plan was a prepaid tuition plan: the Michigan Education Trust (MET) was created in 1986. More than a decade later, Section 529 was added to the Internal Revenue Code, authorizing tax-free status for qualified tuition programs.

How does a college savings plan work?

College savings plan. This plan works similarly to a Roth IRA or Roth 401 (k) that you use to save for retirement. You invest after-tax dollars into a variety of options, such as mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. The value of your investment will increase or decrease based on the performance of your investments.