10 Qualified 529 Expenses

10 Qualified 529 Expenses

From Women & Wealth by Regina Hess

March 4, 2026 · 17 min

About this episode

Regina Hess discusses 10 qualified expenses for tax-free 529 withdrawals to help listeners navigate education funding effectively.

A 529 can be a game-changer for paying for education, but only if you use it the right way. In this episode, Regina breaks down 10 expenses that typically qualify for tax-free 529 withdrawals, so you can avoid surprise taxes and penalties when the college bills start hitting. She covers the obvious stuff like tuition, but also the categories that trip people up most, like room and board for off-campus living, groceries, academic fees, and technology. Regina also gets into newer, often-missed uses for 529 funds, including trade programs, K–12 tuition, student loan repayment, and the rules around rolling leftover 529 money into a Roth IRA. If you've ever wondered what a 529 really covers, this is your clean, practical guide to spending it confidently. Episode Highlights: 0:00 - Intro 0:35 - Episode open, 529 overview 2:32 - Tuition 3:27 - College alternatives 4:30 - Living on/off campus 7:11 - Groceries 8:40 - Academic fees 9:35 - Computers, software and internet access 10:15 - Books and supplies 10:31 - Tuition for K-12 12:00 - Student loan repayment 12:52 - Roth IRA conversion 15:34 - Wrap-up and action item ABOUT REGINA MCCANN HESS Regina is the author of Super Woman Wealth: How…

People in this episode

Host: Regina Hess

Topics covered

  • 529 plans
  • education funding
  • tax-free withdrawals
  • college expenses
  • financial planning
  • women's financial empowerment

Keywords

  • 529 expenses
  • tax-free withdrawals
  • tuition
  • room and board
  • student loans
  • Roth IRA
  • financial education

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Schwab TV, Yahoo Finance, Forbes.com, NTD Television, CBS 3 Philadelphia, Fox 29 Philadelphia, King 5 Seattle

Books & works: Super Woman Wealth: How to Become Your Own Financial Hero

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