If a withdrawal was made payable to an account owner, a 1099-Q will be mailed to the account owner and is available online at Virginia529.com. Simply log in to your account, locate the “View My Account” tab, and select “Tax Information (1099-Q Form)” from the dropdown menu.
If a withdrawal was made directly to the student beneficiary, to a K-12 school or eligible educational institution, the student will receive the Form 1099-Q in the mail. Students can log in to their Virginia529 account to review a digital copy or create a login ID if they do not already have account access. It's important to note that the account owner will not be able to view this document.
Reporting 1099-Q Amounts on Your Tax Return
Virginia529 is required to report withdrawals to the IRS with Form 1099-Q. Qualified education expenses include tuition, fees, books, computers and related technology, and some room and board costs for students attending an eligible college or university.
Families can also take a tax-free withdrawal to pay for tuition expenses at private, public and religious elementary and high schools. This amount is limited to $10,000 per year, per student.
The SECURE Act of 2019 expanded the definition of qualified 529 plan expenses to include costs of apprenticeship programs and qualified student loan repayments. Qualified distributions for student loan repayments have a lifetime limit of $10,000 per beneficiary and each of their siblings.
529 withdrawals spent on other purchases, such as transportation costs or health insurance coverage are generally considered non-qualified.
If the withdrawal(s) taken on your account did not exceed the total amount of 2021 qualified higher education expenses incurred, you should not need to report the withdrawal(s) on your tax return. If, however, the withdrawal(s) exceeded your total qualified higher education expenses, consult a tax professional for more information as you may have income tax consequences.
Reporting Contributions on Your Tax Return
If you’ve simply been contributing to an existing 529 account you may not have to report anything on your federal income tax return. Contributions to a 529 plan are not deductible and therefore do not have to be reported on federal income tax returns. What’s more, the investment earnings in your account are not reportable until the year they are withdrawn.
As for state income tax filings, Virginia529 account owners who are Virginia taxpayers may deduct contributions up to $4,000 per account per year with an unlimited carryforward to future tax years, subject to certain restrictions.
Those account owners who are Virginia taxpayers age 70 and above may deduct the entire amount contributed to their Virginia529 account in one year. In addition, contributions to Virginia529 accounts are treated as a completed gift by the account owner to the student beneficiary. This means contributions up to $16,000 a year, or up to $32,000 if married, may be gift tax free. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the specific tax consequences of contributions.
If you’re expecting a tax refund check this year, consider transforming it into a contribution toward your Vigrinia529 account.