Housing expenses and 529

[Anonymous]

DD goes to NVCC but wants to rent an apartment with friends instead of living at home. Can she pay rent out of her 529?

[Anonymous]

Generally yes.

https://www.savingforcollege.com/article/using-your-529-plan-to-pay-for-room-and-board

"It is also possible to use a 529 plan for off-campus housing up to a maximum of your school’s cost of attendance. When paying out of your 529 for off-campus housing, you’ll usually need to pay your expenses yourself and then arrange for reimbursement. However, some plans allow you to arrange for a check to be sent directly to your landlord.

Also, remember that a 529 plan allows you to use qualified expenses for off-campus housing on more than just rent. You can also pay for groceries and utilities, which are always up to the cap of the cost of attendance. Make sure you keep a record of all your purchases and keep receipts for everything you want to count as a 529 disbursement"

[Anonymous]

Up to the amount NVCC gives as estimated cost of attendance.

See this page https://www.nvcc.edu/admissions/tuition/cost.html

for 2025-26 you can reimburse up to $6722 from your 529 for food/housing

[Anonymous]

We are paying for the WiFi out of the 529 too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Up to the amount NVCC gives as estimated cost of attendance.

See this page https://www.nvcc.edu/admissions/tuition/cost.html

for 2025-26 you can reimburse up to $6722 from your 529 for food/housing

That's for one semester. For the full school year it's $13,444, plus $2,626 for "Personal", which I am sure you can count basic necessities, and $2,842 for transportation and $1,800 for "Books and Supplies", so really I'd call it $20k you can take out of the 529 for your kids' living/non-tuition education expenses if they don't live at home.

Yes keep records, etc.

[Anonymous]

Yes, but keep records and it can’t be higher than the school’s estimated costs of attendance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are paying for the WiFi out of the 529 too.

Weird. Why wouldn’t you just roll any extra into a Roth IRA for kid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are paying for the WiFi out of the 529 too.

Weird. Why wouldn’t you just roll any extra into a Roth IRA for kid?

529 has $300,000 in it, WiFi is $60/mo, and DC can’t afford internet otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are paying for the WiFi out of the 529 too.

Weird. Why wouldn’t you just roll any extra into a Roth IRA for kid?

529 has $300,000 in it, WiFi is $60/mo, and DC can’t afford internet otherwise.

Are you sure WiFi is qualified expense?

[Anonymous]

I haven’t bothered keeping records. I don’t believe if you are at or below the cost of attendance they are going to go through your grocery receipts!