The Parent 529 Playbook: How to Pull Money the Right Way (and What to Do with Leftovers)

If you’re paying college bills with a 529, this is your 4-minute, no-nonsense guide. You’ll learn exactly when to take distributions, what actually qualifies, how to keep an audit-proof paper trail, and smart moves for leftover funds (yes, including the Roth IRA path). No fluff. No “my kid needed the laptop for Netflix.”

What you’ll learn

• Timing rules: Match the 529 distribution to the expense in the same calendar year

• Qualified expenses: Tuition, required fees, on-campus room & board, school-billed meal plans, required books/software

• Off-campus housing: Eligible up to the school’s published allowance

• Two clean payment paths: 529 → school (simplest) or reimburse yourself (with prompt, documented receipts)

• Paper trail that won’t crack under audit: Bills, confirmations, housing docs, receipts, 1098-T, and a simple spreadsheet log

• Leftovers: Change beneficiaries, use for grad/trade programs, scholarship exception, and the 529 → Roth IRA strategy (within rules)

• Pro tip: Coordinate grandparent-owned 529s to avoid financial-aid landmines