One
way to save for a child’s (or grandchild’s education) is to set up a Coverdell
education savings accounts (ESA). Although
for federal tax purposes there is no upfront deduction for contributions made
to a Coverdell ESA, the earnings on the contributions build tax-free. Moreover,
there is no tax when the funds in the account are distributed,
to the extent the amounts distributed don't exceed the child's qualified
education expenses such as tuition, fees, books and room. On could think of this account as an
“education IRA.” A Coverdell ESA can be used to pay elementary and secondary,
as well as higher education expenses.
The
aggregate contributions from all contributors that can be made to any one
child's Coverdell ESA is limited to $2,000 per year.
The maximum dollar amount that any individual can contribute is phased out
(reduced) if the contributor's adjusted gross income (with certain
modifications) exceeds $95,000 (exceeds $190,000 in the case of joint return
filers). However, a parent or other person whose contribution may be limited by
the phaseout rule can give the money to a Coverdell
ESA as custodian for the child in the child’s name thus avoiding the phaseout. Corporations
and other entities can also make contributions to Coverdell ESAs,
regardless of the corporation's or entity's income.
Contributions
that exceed $2,000 in total for any child for a year are subject to a 6%
penalty tax until the excess (plus earnings on it) are withdrawn. Contributions
to a child's Coverdell ESA can be made until the child reaches age 18
(exempting special needs beneficiary). The beneficiary needn't be one’s own
child.
Distributions
or withdrawals from a Coverdell ESA during a year that exceed the child's
qualified education expenses for that year are includible in the child's income
(to the extent of the earnings portion of the distribution) and are also
subject to an additional 10% tax.
A
Coverdell ESA must be a trust or custodial account, designated as a Coverdell
ESA and set up for the purpose of paying qualified education expenses. The
Coverdell ESA trustee or custodian generally must be a bank. A Coverdell ESA
trust can be set up so that the grantor, or a parent or guardian of the
designated beneficiary, has the power to direct the investment of amounts in
the Coverdell ESA.
Please
note that a taxpayer will be allowed to claim a Hope or a Lifetime Learning
credit for a tax year and exclude from gross income amounts distributed from a
Coverdell ESA for the same student, as long as the distribution isn't used for
the same educational expenses for which a credit was claimed.
Tax-free
transfers or rollovers of account balances from one Coverdell ESA benefiting
one beneficiary to another account benefiting another beneficiary (as well as redesignations of the named beneficiary) are allowed, if
the new beneficiary hasn't reached 30, and is a member of the family of the old
beneficiary (age limit doesn't apply to a beneficiary with special needs).
Our
firm is always open for questions regarding this subject. Please give us a call.