October 20, 2025

Starting in 2024, you can move leftover money from a 529 college savings plan into a Roth IRA. It’s a new rule under the SECURE 2.0 Act. But there are limits and conditions. The 529 must be at least 15 years old, the beneficiary needs earned income, and only up to $35,000 can be rolled over over time.
You might have opened a 529 plan years ago to save for college. Maybe your child didn’t use all of it. Or maybe you funded more than needed. Until recently, the leftover money often sat untouched or faced taxes and penalties if withdrawn.
Now there’s another option. Thanks to the SECURE 2.0 Act, you can roll over unused 529 funds into a Roth IRA. This new rule lets you turn education savings into retirement savings. It’s a smart way to keep your money working instead of letting it sit.
But the IRS made the process very specific. The 529 must meet certain conditions. The beneficiary must qualify. And the transfer must follow the right steps to avoid taxes.
This guide walks you through everything you need to know – the rules, limits, and key details of the 529 to Roth IRA rollover.
A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings account that helps you pay for education. The money in it can be used for qualified expenses such as tuition, books, or housing at eligible schools. Every state manages its own 529 program, and you can choose any plan that fits your goals.
In 2024, a new rule under the SECURE 2.0 Act changed how families can use unused 529 funds. You can now roll over money from a 529 plan into a Roth IRA if you meet certain conditions. This update gives families a way to turn education savings into long-term retirement savings.
Here’s why this matters: many 529 accounts end up with leftover balances. Some children win scholarships, attend lower-cost schools, or skip college altogether. Before 2024, the only way to use that money for something else was to take a non-qualified withdrawal and pay taxes plus a penalty on the earnings.
Now, instead of paying those extra costs, you can keep the funds growing in a Roth IRA. That makes this rule especially useful for families who’ve been saving for years and don’t want to lose the tax benefits.
Think of it as a financial bridge. The money that once helped with education can now support retirement. It’s a way to preserve the value of your savings and shift it toward future goals.
This option helps parents who funded college plans that went unused, grandparents who contributed to family education funds, and beneficiaries who may not need the money for school. If you fit one of these groups, the rollover can keep your savings active without starting from zero in a new account.
The SECURE 2.0 change also supports long-term planning. You can now use one pool of money for two major life stages — education and retirement — while staying within the IRS rules for tax advantages.
If you have unused 529 funds and want to know whether a rollover fits your financial plan, book a consultation with us. We’ll help you understand how the 529 to Roth IRA rollover works, what rules apply to your account, and how it can support your long-term goals.
Yes, you can, but it’s not as simple as transferring money between two accounts. The 529 to Roth IRA rollover follows a strict set of IRS rules. Each condition must be met before any transfer takes place.
A 529 plan is meant for education savings, while a Roth IRA is built for retirement. These are two different tools with different tax purposes. The SECURE 2.0 Act now connects them under specific guidelines so that your money can continue to grow tax-advantaged, even if it’s no longer needed for school.
To qualify, both the account and the beneficiary must meet certain requirements. The 529 account must be at least 15 years old. The beneficiary must have earned income that matches or exceeds the amount being rolled over. And the funds being transferred can’t include contributions or earnings made in the last five years. These restrictions make sure the rollover stays compliant with the tax code.
Here’s a scenario that shows how it works. Suppose you opened a 529 plan 18 years ago for your child. Over time, the account grew to $40,000. Your child received a full scholarship, leaving the funds untouched. In the past, withdrawing that balance would have triggered income tax and a penalty on the earnings portion. Under SECURE 2.0, you now have another path. If your child has a part-time job and earns $12,000 this year, up to the annual Roth IRA contribution limit can be rolled from the 529 into their Roth IRA, keeping the funds growing for retirement.
The process requires attention to details. You’ll need to confirm the account’s age, check the beneficiary’s income, and coordinate the transfer through your 529 plan administrator. Once approved, the money moves directly into the Roth IRA under the beneficiary’s name.
This new rule can be a strong part of long-term financial planning. It helps ensure that education savings don’t go to waste and that your family’s money continues to work toward future goals.
Here’s how the 529 to Roth IRA rollover works under SECURE 2.0. Each rule matters. Miss one and the transfer may not qualify.
Quick checklist
What counts as “eligible” funds
Ownership and beneficiary nuances
Coordination with annual limits
State program administration
Compliance reminders
Example
You opened a 529 in 2008 for your child. The account now holds $25,000. No contributions were made after 2019. Your child is the beneficiary and works part-time, earning $12,000 this year.
This is the standard, compliant path for a 529 to Roth IRA rollover under current law.
The 15-year rule for 529 to Roth IRA rollovers is the foundation of this new law. It sets the timeline that determines when your account becomes eligible for transfer.
To qualify, the 529 plan must have been open for at least 15 years. The countdown starts from the date the account was first established, not from when contributions began. If you changed the beneficiary, the 15-year clock resets based on the new beneficiary’s designation date.
The rule exists to keep the rollover true to its purpose. Congress wanted to prevent families from using 529 plans as short-term backdoors into Roth IRAs. That is why the IRS also excludes any contributions made within the last five years and the earnings tied to those contributions from being rolled over. Those amounts stay in the 529 until they age past the five-year mark.
Suppose you opened a 529 plan in 2007 to save for your child’s education. Over the years, you stopped contributing after 2020 because they received a scholarship. In 2025, the account would meet the 15-year requirement and the five-year exclusion period. You could then roll over an amount equal to or below the annual Roth IRA contribution limit, assuming the beneficiary has earned income for the year.
This rule makes timing important. Families considering a 529 to Roth IRA rollover should confirm the account’s open date, contribution history, and beneficiary record before requesting any transfer. Small errors in these details can delay the process or cause part of the rollover to be rejected.
If you are unsure about your eligibility or how the five-year exclusion affects your contributions, book a consultation with us. We will review your account history, confirm timing, and help you plan the right year to start your rollover.
Only the 529 plan’s beneficiary can receive the rollover. That person must also have earned income.
If you’re the account owner but your child is the beneficiary, the money can only go to your child’s Roth IRA—not yours.
If you change the beneficiary to someone else, the 15-year clock resets. Suppose you switch the beneficiary from one child to another. The waiting period starts again from the date the new beneficiary was added.
The IRS sets two limits that guide every 529 to Roth IRA rollover. These limits control how much you can move each year and how much can be transferred in total for each beneficiary.
The annual contribution limit applies to any rollover from a 529 plan. For 2025, that limit is $7,000 for most taxpayers under age 50. This means your rollover amount cannot exceed what the IRS allows for Roth IRA contributions in a single tax year.
If the beneficiary contributes to their Roth IRA with other funds, the total from both sources cannot go beyond that yearly cap. For example, if they contribute $2,000 in earned income directly to their Roth IRA, only $5,000 remains available for a 529 plan rollover to Roth IRA that year.
This rule keeps the rollover aligned with standard retirement contribution limits, even though the source of the funds is a 529 account.
The lifetime rollover limit for each beneficiary is $35,000. You can reach that total over several years, as long as you follow the annual cap. The IRS designed this to allow flexibility but still prevent families from transferring large education balances all at once.
Here’s how it plays out in real life. Suppose your child has $30,000 in unused 529 savings. You can roll over $7,000 this year, another $7,000 next year, and keep going until you hit the lifetime rollover cap of $35,000. Each transfer stays subject to the annual limit and requires the beneficiary to have earned income for that year.
If the account has more than $35,000 in leftover funds, the remaining balance can stay in the 529 for future education use or be reassigned to another beneficiary. But no further 529 to Roth IRA rollover can be made once the lifetime cap is reached.
The earned income requirement still applies to each year’s rollover. If the beneficiary earns less than the annual contribution limit, the rollover is limited to that earned amount. For instance, if they earn $6,000 in 2025, the 529 to Roth IRA rules restrict the rollover to $6,000 that year.
High-income phaseouts for regular Roth IRA contributions do not affect these transfers. The SECURE 2.0 Act allows rollovers regardless of income level, as long as the other eligibility rules are met.
These limits keep the process fair and structured. They balance flexibility with compliance, ensuring that 529 accounts continue serving their original purpose while giving families a path to convert leftover funds into long-term savings.
If you are planning a 529 to Roth IRA rollover, tracking the annual and lifetime limits is key. The timing of each transfer, the beneficiary’s income, and the total available balance all need to work together.
To make sure your rollover stays compliant and efficient, book a consultation with us. We will help you calculate how much you can transfer each year and plan a strategy that fits your overall retirement and education goals.
The process of transferring funds from a 529 plan into a Roth IRA involves careful coordination. Each step must meet IRS rules so the move stays tax-free and compliant.
Helpful tips
Example
You opened a 529 plan in 2009 that now holds $28,000. No contributions were made after 2019. The beneficiary earns $9,500 this year from part-time work. After confirming eligibility, you contact your plan provider and ask them to send funds directly to the Roth IRA custodian. The transfer uses part of the annual contribution space for this year. You document the transaction and plan additional rollovers in future years until the lifetime limit is met.
If you follow the rules, the transfer is tax free. Money that moves from a 529 into a Roth IRA by direct rollover keeps its tax advantages.
When it stays tax free
When taxes or penalties can apply
Reporting checklist
Coordination with other Roth contributions
Florida note
Example
You manage a 529 that has been open since 2008. No contributions were made after 2019. The beneficiary earns 8,000 dollars this year. You request a trustee to trustee transfer to the beneficiary’s Roth IRA for the available annual space, staying within the earned income amount. You save the 1099 Q, the 5498, and statements showing the account open date and contribution history.
Taxes on rollovers can get tricky fast. A small mistake can turn a tax-free move into a taxable mess. Talk with our team to help make sure your transfer is handled correctly from the start. We’ll walk you through the process, check your eligibility, and help keep every dollar where it belongs — growing for retirement.
If you have money left after hitting the $35,000 limit, you still have options.
You can:
Suppose you reach the rollover cap but still have $10,000 left. You could transfer it to a grandchild’s account or save it for graduate school.
If you live in Florida and have a 529 plan, you have two options: the Florida 529 Savings Plan and the Florida Prepaid Plan. Both follow the same federal rules set by the SECURE 2.0 Act. That means you can move unused education funds into a Roth IRA if your account and beneficiary meet all IRS requirements.
How Florida plans work
Both can benefit from the 529 plan rollover to Roth IRA rule if the funds are eligible. The difference lies mainly in how each program tracks contributions and earnings.
Federal rules still apply
The IRS doesn’t treat Florida any differently when it comes to rollovers. The same 15-year account age rule, five-year contribution restriction, earned income requirement, and lifetime cap of 35,000 dollars all apply. You must also make sure the Roth IRA belongs to the same beneficiary as the 529 account.
Tax impact in Florida
Florida doesn’t impose a state income tax, which simplifies things. If you complete a compliant rollover, there’s no state-level tax due. The transfer remains tax free as long as it follows federal guidelines.
Still, you’ll need to report the transaction for federal purposes using Form 1099 Q from the plan and Form 5498 from the Roth IRA custodian. Keeping copies of your plan statements, contribution records, and confirmation letters helps verify compliance if the IRS requests documentation later.
Coordination with the program administrator
Every 529 plan has its own process for handling rollovers. Contact the Florida Prepaid College Board or your Savings Plan administrator to confirm their specific steps. Some plans require a written request, while others allow online rollover forms.
Be ready to provide:
You’ve been contributing to the Florida 529 Savings Plan since 2008, and your child recently finished college with 15,000 dollars left in the account. You confirm that the plan has met the 15-year age rule and that your child earned 9,000 dollars this year from work. You then contact the Florida plan administrator to request a direct rollover to your child’s Roth IRA for the allowable annual amount. The transfer goes directly between institutions, and you keep copies of the confirmation and forms for your tax records.
If you want to make sure your Florida account qualifies and the transfer process runs smoothly, reach out to our team. We’ll review your plan, help you confirm eligibility, and coordinate with your program so your rollover meets both state and federal requirements.
Misreading the rule leads to rejected transfers and tax surprises. Here are the slips we see most often, with clear fixes you can use right away.
“I can move the whole balance”
“Timing doesn’t matter”
“Any recent money can go”
“Anyone in the family can receive it”
“Income phaseouts block this move”
“The annual Roth limit doesn’t apply”
“I’ll take a check and redeposit it”
Fast self-check
This rule may sound simple, but the details can get complex fast. A financial advisor helps make sure every step follows IRS requirements so you avoid unexpected taxes or penalties.
What an advisor actually does
Why this matters
The 529-to-Roth transfer involves multiple moving parts — account age, income limits, annual caps, and documentation. A simple oversight, like using the wrong Roth IRA owner or moving funds too early, can trigger taxes. A fiduciary advisor works through those details with you and keeps each step compliant.
Real-world example
Say you have a 529 opened in 2010, now worth 40,000 dollars. Your child earns 8,000 dollars this year and already contributed 1,000 dollars to their Roth IRA. An advisor can calculate the exact rollover amount for this year, confirm the five-year exclusion window, and plan future transfers to reach the lifetime $35,000 dollar limit without missing any rules.
Working with a professional gives you clarity. Instead of guessing, you get a clear plan that turns unused education savings into long-term retirement value. If you’re ready to explore your options, schedule time with our team. We’ll help you review your 529, check timing, and make sure every part of your transfer meets IRS guidelines.
What is Form 1099-Q?
 Form 1099-Q is issued by your 529 plan provider. It reports the total amount of distributions made from the account during the year. When you complete a rollover, the form shows that money left the 529 plan. If coded correctly as a direct transfer, it won’t be treated as taxable income. Keep this form with your tax records to confirm that the transaction was handled properly.
What is Form 5498?
 Form 5498 comes from your Roth IRA custodian. It reports contributions, rollovers, and conversions made into the account. When a 529 transfer reaches the Roth IRA, this form confirms that it was deposited as a qualified rollover. It helps match the information on Form 1099-Q so your tax reporting stays consistent.
What is the Florida Prepaid Plan?
 The Florida Prepaid Plan lets families pay for future college tuition and fees at today’s prices. Instead of investing in mutual funds or market-based options, you lock in a contract that covers specific costs at participating schools. It’s separate from the investment-style 529 Savings Plan and is backed by the State of Florida.
What’s the difference between the Florida 529 Savings Plan and the Florida Prepaid Plan?
The Florida 529 Savings Plan is investment-based. You choose how contributions are allocated among portfolios, and the account grows based on market performance. The Florida Prepaid Plan is more predictable — it locks in tuition costs but doesn’t offer the same investment growth potential.
Both plans qualify for rollovers under SECURE 2.0 if they meet federal requirements. The difference lies in how funds are managed and documented before the transfer.
Can a Florida Prepaid Plan be rolled into a Roth IRA?
Only if the funds were first converted to a qualified 529 Savings Plan. The Prepaid Plan itself doesn’t hold liquid assets that can move directly to a Roth IRA. You would need to contact the Florida Prepaid College Board to request a transfer of the contract’s value into a 529 Savings Plan before starting a rollover.
How do I know if my 529 is eligible for a rollover?
Check the account’s open date, contribution history, and beneficiary designation. The account must be at least 15 years old, and contributions from the last five years can’t be included. You’ll also need to verify that the beneficiary has earned income for the year.
Do I need to report anything to the IRS if the rollover is tax-free?
Yes. Even though it’s tax-free, you still report the forms associated with the transfer — Form 1099-Q from the 529 plan and Form 5498 from the Roth IRA. These forms confirm that the funds were moved correctly under SECURE 2.0.
What if I changed the beneficiary recently?
The 15-year clock resets based on the new beneficiary. The new person must meet the same rules for account age, income, and eligibility before any rollover can occur.
Can grandparents fund a 529 and roll it into a grandchild’s Roth IRA?
Yes, as long as the grandchild is the designated beneficiary and meets the earned income requirement. The rollover must go directly into the grandchild’s Roth IRA.
The 529 to Roth IRA rollover gives families more control over their savings. It’s a practical way to turn leftover college funds into retirement money. But each step must follow the IRS rules carefully.
If you want to know whether your account qualifies, it’s worth discussing it with a financial advisor who understands both education and retirement planning.
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