Iowa Education Savings Plan Contribution

College Savings Iowa or Iowa Advisor 529 Education Savings Plans

If you or your spouse participate in the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan (Iowa Educational Savings Plan Trust) or the Iowa Advisor 529 Plan, each may deduct an amount contributed not to exceed $3,474per beneficiary. This deduction is only available for contributions to Iowa 529 plans.

You must be the "participant" in the Iowa 529 plan in order to deduct your contributions. If you are not the "participant" in the Iowa 529 plan, you may not deduct your contributions to that plan.

Example:

Adam and Tara have 2 children; Charlie and Ruth.  Adam opens two 529 accounts – one for Charlie and one for Ruth.  Tara also opens two 529 accounts for both Charlie and Ruth. Both Adam and Tara can take up to $3,474 per child’s account.  Adam and Tara each are eligible for a deduction of up to $6,948. Adam and Tara’s total potential deduction amount is $13,896.

Only contributions to these two Iowa 529 plans qualify for a deduction on the Iowa return; however, a rollover from another state's 529 plan to one of the Iowa plans qualifies toward the deduction for Iowa income tax.

Be sure you have properly shown these contributions as a deduction for one of these plans.  Most computer software programs will ask for this information and correctly indicate the appropriate reason for the deduction.

Individuals making a contribution on or before the Iowa income tax return filing deadline, excluding extensions, can elect to have that contribution treated as though it was made on the last day of the preceding calendar year, which allows them to claim the income tax deduction for the most recently completed tax year.