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Can you use a 529 plan for homeschool?

The statute never says the word homeschool. Here is what it does say, and what to ask before you withdraw anything.

26 U.S.C. 529(c)(7) lets a 529 plan pay certain K-12 costs, up to $20,000 a year per child, but only expenses in connection with enrollment or attendance at a public, private or religious school. Homeschool isn't named. It may qualify where your state treats a homeschool as a private school; check with a tax adviser first.

Checked October 29, 2026.

By Peabody editors.

This is a plain-words summary, not legal or tax advice. Rules change: check the current law and the program's own pages, and ask a tax adviser about your family before you count on any money.

What can a 529 plan pay for at the K-12 level?

Section 529(c)(7) adds K-12 costs "in connection with enrollment or attendance at" an elementary or secondary public, private or religious school. The list:

  • tuition;
  • curriculum and curricular materials;
  • books or other instructional materials;
  • online educational materials;
  • tuition for tutoring or educational classes outside of the home, only if the tutor or instructor is not related to the student and meets a qualification test;
  • fees for standardized tests, advanced placement exams and college admission exams;
  • fees for dual enrollment in a college;
  • educational therapies for students with disabilities from a licensed or accredited provider.

The longer list applies to distributions after 4 July 2025. The limit is $20,000 per beneficiary per year for taxable years beginning after 31 December 2025 (it was $10,000).

Does that include homeschool?

The statute never uses the word. Every item is tied to a school, so the question is whether your state treats a homeschool as a private school. In some states it does (Texas, for example, and Kentucky's statute counts a homeschool as a private school); in others, a homeschool has its own law. Our reading, which is not tax advice: it may qualify where your state treats a homeschool as a private school. Check with a tax adviser. Check your state's page for how it classifies a homeschool.

Can I pay myself to tutor my child?

No. The tutoring item requires classes outside of the home and a tutor who is not related to the student. A parent cannot count their own teaching.

What if I take money out and it doesn't qualify?

A withdrawal that isn't for a qualified expense can have tax consequences. We haven't checked the exact amounts for this page, so ask your plan or a tax adviser before you withdraw, and keep receipts either way.

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