While we are providing general information about Ohio’s 529 plans, please consult the Plan Description or Disclosure Booklet and Participation Agreement for more detailed information and facts about the plan.
A 529 plan is a savings plan that encourages education savings for qualified higher education expenses – college, vocational, or other post-secondary learning.
Unlike a traditional savings account or bank account, your money grows tax-deferred in a 529 account. Qualified distributions made down the road, when the beneficiary is of college age, are federal tax and state tax free. 529 plans are a great way for parents and families to start early saving for college.
In addition to the tax benefits, funds in a 529 college savings program can see a lot more growth. Funds you in a 529 college savings plan have an average annual rate of return of 6% compared to 0.49% interest in traditional savings accounts. (0.49% is the average rate for high-yield savings accounts, most savings accounts pay even less.)
And with any 529 account, you can allow other family members and loved ones to access it (via a link) so they can make gift contributions for your child. (In lieu of toys, please make 529 contributions.)
Different states have different state plans with different investment options and different benefits. You can enroll in any state’s 529 plan that accepts non-resident enrollment. 529 plan funds can be applied to in-state schools or out of state schools, public or private institutions. Additionally, 529 plans can be linked to the Upromise rewards service. Earn an extra $25 bonus when you connect a 529 account to your Upromise profile.
Ohio offers two 529 college savings plans: CollegeAdvantage and the BlackRock CollegeAdvantage Advisor 529 Plan.
Ohio’s 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage, is available to residents of any state. The plan offers an age-based option, a college enrollment-based option, 5 risk-based options using Vanguard funds, 13 static investment options using Vanguard and DFA funds, and 2 types of FDIC-insured deposit accounts through Fifth Third Bank. The Ohio Tuition Trust Authority, an office within the Ohio Department of Higher Education, is the program manager and state agency.
The BlackRock CollegeAdvantage Advisor 529 plan is advisor-sold plan. It features BlackRock funds in its age-based and asset-allocation options along with individual-fund options from iShares and a variety of mutual fund families. BlackRock Advisors, LLC is the program manager. The Ohio Tuition Trust Authority, an office within the Ohio Department of Higher Education, is the state agency of record.
Ohio does still operates a prepaid tuition/guaranteed savings plan (Guaranteed Savings Fund) for Ohio residents, but the plan was closed to new enrollments in 2003.
You can find out more information at CollegeAdvantage Ohio’s website collegeadvantage.com.
What are the tax benefits of a 529 plan in the state of Ohio?
Funds you invest in your Ohio 529 plan grow tax-deferred. And funds that the student eventually withdraws from the plan towards qualified educational costs are free from federal taxes.
A common misconception is that these 529 plan assets will disqualify your child from financial aid. On the contrary, 529 plan funds are treated more favorably in the financial aid formula than other savings in your child’s name through a custodial account such as an UTMA/UGMA. This is because assets in a child’s 529 plan belong to the parent not child, and FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) gives preferential tax treatment to assets belonging to a student’s parent versus the student.
If your child is an Einstein or football star, and manages to score a free ride to school, you can still repurpose those funds. You can take out an amount equal to the scholarship fund amount from the 529 plan without incurring the 10% penalty tax fee you’d normally have to pay on funds not going to qualified education costs. (You would have to pay regular ordinary income taxes on earnings, but there would be no penalty. Alternatively, you can leave the funds in a 529 plan to be used at a later date by this beneficiary or a direct relative of the original beneficiary.)
And for many, a 529 plan can be used to transfer wealth. Contributing to a 529 plan lets grandparents or other contributors reduce the size of their taxable estate while helping them fund a grandchild’s or family member’s education. It’s even possible to make five years worth of contributions in a single year, up to $75,000 (or $150,000 for married couples) and still get the gift tax exclusion.
Is a 529 plan tax deductible in Ohio?
Yes, Ohio taxpayers can claim a state tax deduction of up to $2,000 a year as a single filer or $4,000 a year if filing jointly. These deductions have unlimited carryforward.
For more information about how 529 plan contributions may impact your Ohio taxable income, consult a qualified investments or tax professional.
What happens to an Ohio 529 Plan if not used?
There is no time in which the funds within an Ohio 529 plan need to be withdrawn. Unused funds can remain in the account and continue to grow tax-deferred.The account owner may also choose to change the beneficiary, without penalty, to an individual with a social security number who is a member of the original beneficiary’s family and a U.S. citizen. This is not limited to immediate family members; funds can be transferred to cousins, nieces, nephews, and other close relatives.
The account owner can close the account if not used, but funds in the account will be subject to federal and state income tax as well as a 10% penalty on the account earnings.
In the event of permanent disability, fund withdrawals may be made without tax penalty.
And as outlined earlier in this article, 529 plans allow the account owner to withdraw the amount a beneficiary receives in scholarships without incurring the 10% penalty.
Can an Ohio 529 Plan lose money?
Yes, a 529 plan is an investment plan with different types of investment options. The investment options offer different levels of market risk. Speak with a qualified financial advisor about different investment portfolio options.
Ohio, like many other states, does not offer Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured 529 college savings plan. Mutual funds, stocks, and bonds are similarly not FDIC insured.
Ohio does offer an FDIC insured option when you invest in the CollegeAdvantage direct-sold 529 plan.
Do I need a Ohio 529 Plan for every child?
You don’t need an Ohio 529 plan for each child but you may find it easier to administer if you do. You can only have one named beneficiary on an Ohio 529 plan. The risk and mix of equities to fixed income of certain investment options is determined by the age of the beneficiary. For this reason, you may want to have a different 529 plan for each child.
You may be interested to know that multiple people can open accounts for the same beneficiary.
Can Ohio 529 plan be used to pay off student loans, apprenticeships, and K-12 private schools?
Ohio 529 plans can be used to pay tuition at K-12 private schools and to pay student loans up to $10,000 annually. 529 plans can also be used to pay for registered apprenticeship programs.
How do financial aid and scholarships affect an Ohio 529 plan?
A 529 plan can affect financial aid, but the impact is dependent on the account owner and their tax situation, not the beneficiary.
If the account is held by the parent or guardian of the student, funds within are considered parental assets. The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculation for parent assets is a maximum of only 5.64% versus 20% for the students assets.However, if the 529 plan is held by a grandparent or extended family member, while the assets are not taken into account for the FAFSA EFC, distributions from these accounts qualify as student income, which is assessed at 50%.
529 accounts do not affect merit-based scholarships. Other scholarships may depend based on the school.
Start saving towards a Ohio 529 plan
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529 Plan Basics by State
Check out these College Savings: 529 Plan Basics by State
Western 529 Plans
- Alaska 529 Plan
- California 529 Plan
- Colorado 529 Plan
- Hawaii 529 Plan
- Idaho 529 Plan
- Montana 529 Plan
- Nevada 529 Plan
- Oregon 529 Plan
- Washington 529 Plan
- Utah 529 Plan
Southwest 529 Plans
Midwest 259 Plans
Northeast 529 Plans
- Connecticut 529 Plan
- Delaware 529 Plan
- Maine 529 Plan
- Maryland 529 Plan
- Massachusetts 529 Plan
- New Hampshire 529 Plan
- New Jersey 529 Plan
- New York 529 Plan
- Pennsylvania 529 Plan
- Rhode Island 529 Plan
- Vermont 529 Plan
- Washington DC 529 Plan
Southeast 529 Plans
- Alabama 529 Plan
- Arkansas 529 Plan
- Florida 529 Plan
- Georgia 529 Plan
- Kentucky 529 Plan
- Louisiana 529 Plan
- Mississippi 529 Plan
- North Carolina 529 Plan
- South Carolina 529 Plan
- Tennessee 529 Plan
- West Virginia 529 Plan
- Virginia 529 Plan
Other Plans
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- Delaware 529 Plan Basics
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