Education IRA

An Educational IRA, also known as a Coverdell Education Savings Account, is a tax-advantaged account for education costs. Unlike 529 plans, it covers K-12 expenses and higher education costs. It offers more flexibility in investment options but has lower contribution limits. While contributions are not tax-deductible, earnings grow tax-free. Withdrawals for qualified expenses remain untaxed. Before choosing an education IRA, it is important to consider its benefits, as well as how it compares to a 529 plan.

Terry Turner, writer and researcher for RetireGuide
  • Written by
    Terry Turner

    Terry Turner

    Senior Financial Writer and Financial Wellness Facilitator

    Terry Turner has more than 35 years of journalism experience, including covering benefits, spending and congressional action on federal programs such as Social Security and Medicare. He is a Certified Financial Wellness Facilitator through the National Wellness Institute and the Foundation for Financial Wellness and a member of the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE®).

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    Matt Mauney
    Matt Mauney, Senior Editor for RetireGuide

    Matt Mauney

    Financial Editor

    Matt Mauney is an award-winning journalist, editor, writer and content strategist with more than 15 years of professional experience working for nationally recognized newspapers and digital brands. He has contributed content for ChicagoTribune.com, LATimes.com, The Hill and the American Cancer Society, and he was part of the Orlando Sentinel digital staff that was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2017.

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  • Reviewed By
    Ebony J. Howard, CPA
    Ebony J. Howard, CPA

    Ebony J. Howard, CPA

    Credentialed Tax Expert at Intuit

    Ebony J. Howard is a certified public accountant and freelance consultant with a background in accounting, personal finance, and income tax planning and preparation.  She specializes in analyzing financial information in the health care, banking and real estate sectors.

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  • Published: January 11, 2021
  • Updated: March 21, 2025
  • 4 min read time
  • This page features 8 Cited Research Articles
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APA Turner, T. (2025, March 21). Education IRA. RetireGuide.com. Retrieved April 21, 2025, from https://www.retireguide.com/retirement-planning/investing/accounts/ira/education/

MLA Turner, Terry. "Education IRA." RetireGuide.com, 21 Mar 2025, https://www.retireguide.com/retirement-planning/investing/accounts/ira/education/.

Chicago Turner, Terry. "Education IRA." RetireGuide.com. Last modified March 21, 2025. https://www.retireguide.com/retirement-planning/investing/accounts/ira/education/.

What Is a Coverdell Education Savings Account?

A Coverdell Education Savings Account, also known as an education IRA or a Coverdell ESA, is a savings account with tax advantages that helps parents save for their children’s educational expenses.

Education IRAs are unique individual retirement accounts that allow you to save for steep college expenses while your kids are still young. The money you invest into an IRA is allowed to grow over the years through compound interest, maximizing the amount of money on hand when your children need it.

Advantages of an Education IRA
  • You do not have to pay a gift tax on contributions to the account.
  • There are no taxes on your account’s earnings.
  • Withdrawals from your account are tax-free if used for education expenses.
  • You can contribute to an education IRA and 529 plan at the same time, although some contribution limits apply.

The contributions you make into an education IRA are not tax deductible. You have to pay income tax on the money before you invest, but the interest the account earns over time is not taxed, and you do not have to pay taxes on money you withdraw for qualified education purposes.

Qualified Tax-Free Education Expenses for Education IRAs
  • Basic room and board costs (does not apply if enrolled less than half-time)
  • Books
  • Fees
  • School equipment
  • School supplies
  • Tuition

Education IRAs were originally designed to help parents save for their children’s college educations, but since 2002, Coverdell ESAs have allowed you to spend some of the money in the account on certain K-12 education expenses.

Education IRA Contribution Limits and Regulations

You are allowed to contribute up to $2,000 per year per child to an education IRA, but you must make the contributions before the due date for your or your business’ tax return.

There are no limitations to the number of education IRAs that can be set up for the same child. Relatives, corporations and trusts can also contribute to separate education IRAs for the same child. However, the total contributions from all sources cannot exceed $2,000 in a single year.

It is the total contribution, not the individual accounts, that are limited.

Rules for Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (Education IRAs)
  • The gross annual income limits are $110,000 for individuals and $220,000 for married couples to participate in a Coverdell ESA.
  • Colleges and universities will use savings in an education IRA to determine financial aid.
  • Each child is limited to $2,000 in total contributions to their education IRA each year.
  • You can distribute the funds in the Coverdell ESA if the child does not go to college, but taxes may apply.
  • You may be charged a maintenance fee for each education IRA.
  • Tax-free withdrawals can be made from an education IRA to cover higher education costs.
  • Withdrawals may be subject to penalties if they do not cover educational expenses.
  • Penalties may also occur if the student is not enrolled in an eligible institution.
  • Contributions cannot be made after the beneficiary turns 18.
  • All remaining money in the account must be withdrawn by the time the beneficiary turns 30 to avoid taxes and penalties — unless he or she is a special needs beneficiary.
  • In certain cases, transfers to the beneficiary’s family members may be allowed, such as transferring left-over money to a sibling’s education IRA.

Differences Between an Education IRA and a 529 Plan

A 529 plan is another way to save money for future education costs while benefiting from a tax break. The tax breaks for a 529 plan are similar to those of an education IRA. Both delay your tax payments while the account gathers interest, and the proceeds can be withdrawn tax-free to pay for education expenses.

However, there are some key differences.

Comparison of 529 Plans and Education IRAs
Income Limits
While education IRAs limit your income, you can open and keep a 529 plan even if you make more than the $110,000 individual or $220,000 married couple limits on Coverdell ESAs.
Primary and Secondary School Costs
If you use your 529 plan to pay for elementary and secondary education only, you can only spend savings on tuition. An education IRA will let you pay for expenses, too.
Dual Contributions
You can contribute to an education IRA and to a 529 plan for the same child in the same year — up to a point. The combined contributions cannot be more than the annual gift tax exclusion amount.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia sponsor 529 plans. These plans may be a prepaid tuition plan that lets parents pay for credits that can be used at participating colleges or universities — usually public, in-state schools – or they may be education savings plans that let you save for qualified education expenses in the future.

Writer Lena Borrelli contributed to this article.

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Last Modified: March 21, 2025
Terry Turner, writer and researcher for RetireGuide
Terry Turner Senior Financial Writer and Financial Wellness Facilitator
  • Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE®) member
  • Holds six Health Literacy certificates from the CDC
  • Emmy® Award winner
Edited By
Matt Mauney, Senior Editor for RetireGuide
Matt Mauney Financial Editor
Financially Reviewed By
Ebony J. Howard, CPA
Ebony J. Howard, CPA Credentialed Tax Expert at Intuit

8 Cited Research Articles

  1. Internal Revenue Service. (2020, October 14). Topic No. 310 Coverdell Education Savings Accounts. Retrieved from https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc310
  2. Internal Revenue Service. (2020, January 17). Tax Benefits for Education. Retrieved from https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p970.pdf
  3. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (2018, May 29). An Introduction to 529 Plans. Retrieved from https://www.sec.gov/reportspubs/investor-publications/investorpubsintro529htm.html
  4. U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). Did You Know that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Provides Tax Benefits for Education? Retrieved from https://studentaid.gov/resources/tax-benefits
  5. Internal Revenue Service. (2003). https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/at-03-38.pdf. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/at-03-38.pdf
  6. Western & Southern. (2024, December 19). College Saving: What to Know for Your Kid's Future. https://www.westernsouthern.com/investments/college-savings.
  7. Internal Revenue Service. (2024, December 11). Retirement topics - Exceptions to tax on early distributions | Internal Revenue Service. https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-exceptions-to-tax-on-early-distributions
  8. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (n.d.) 529 Plans | Investor.gov. https://www.investor.gov/introduction-investing/investing-basics/glossary/529-plans