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Posted by Esther N. Phahla, CPA, A Professional Corporation

Usage of Education Savings Bonds to Pay for College

Usage of Education Savings Bonds to Pay for College

People have been talking about education savings bonds a lot since a long time. It can be at the age of your grandparents, that’s how old they are. They work until now for the people who have to pay for their college by their own. 

Some students take help from the loans, whereas, others are able to use the education savings bonds. They work as the best contribution for getting off the burden of fee from your head so that you are able to complete your education in the best way. 

Know the Savings Bonds

The bonds help you in paying the fee for the college. Even if your children are little now, you can get the savings bonds. You can keep them safe and use them when it is needed at their time. 

The value of the education savings bonds do not decrease, neither it expires. They are mostly known as the savings bonds federal which get issued by the main treasury. It is not necessary that you take it when it is the time of your child to attend college but you can keep them years earlier with you. 

The money within the bonds is not lost and that is the biggest benefit of it. You are not able to spend it like cash but they stay safe with you. It can be turned into cash when you need it. The education savings bonds can be only used for the purpose which it is for. 

Such as if you want to use the bonds sometime later for your own purchase of a house, then you won’t be able to redeem it. You will have to show the proof at the time of child attending the college in order to redeem it. It will help you in paying off the fee instantly rather than depending on the loan. 

How to Use the Savings Bonds

You can use the education savings bonds where you are able to exempt taxes as well. When the bonds are redeemed to pay the cash for the university level, you are able to do without taxes charged on it.

But for that, there is a condition for it. The condition is that you have to make the payment for the college in cash first and then by showing the proof, the tax exemption will be given to you. 

You have to get the exemption of the taxes within the same year when you get the cash for the college out of the savings bond. The age of the person who gets the bonds redeemed should be above 24 years when they get redeemed or when the purchase it. Suppose that you purchase the bonds as a parent so you need to be above the age of 24. 

You can purchase the bonds at your own name or your spouse. The child which is dependent on you cannot be given the bond on his/her name. You have to show the proof that you are married and get through other requirements. The programs which you aim to proceed with and the schools if you would like to mention it. 

As the trend changes in a jiff nowadays, so it is likely that until the time your child grows up, there will be a lot of changes. There are some of the formalities which you have to fill out in order to receive the bonds. 

Help of Professional 

If you are not sure how to get the education savings bonds, then there is always an accountant available for you. They are aware of all the information which you can from them. The information is based on facts so you can surely trust their opinions. 

Changing to 529 Plan

If you want to turn the bonds into the scheme of 529 Plan then that is also possible, you have to sell the bonds first then you will be able to change to the plan 529. The money gets deposited in the account which you can only use when it is the time of paying for the college. So it is upon your choice which option you would like to avail. 


Esther N. Phahla, CPA, A Professional Corporation
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