Texas 529 plans offer the standard federal and state tax benefits, but do not offer any special state income tax benefits on contributions to the Texas College Savings Plan or Lonestar 529 Plan. Texas does not have a personal state income tax.
Like most 529 plans, the Texas 529 plans have state tax benefits that mirror the federal tax benefits:
Contributions are eligible for the annual gift tax exclusion of $19,000 ($38,000 for a couple giving jointly)
Contributions beyond the annual gift tax exclusion are eligible for 5-year gift tax averaging, permitting lump sum contributions of up to $95,000 ($190,000 for a couple giving jointly) without incurring gift taxes
Earnings accumulate on a tax-deferred basis
Qualified distributions for K-12 tuition and qualified higher education expenses are entirely tax-free
The earnings portion of a non-qualified distribution is taxed at the beneficiary’s rate and is subject to a 10% federal tax penalty
Contributions to the Texas 529 plans are not tax-deductible on state income tax returns. Texas is one of nine states that do not have a state income tax and therefore do not offer a tax deduction or tax credit based on contributions to the state’s 529 plan.
Mark Kantrowitz is a nationally-recognized expert on student financial aid, scholarships and student loans. His mission is to deliver practical information, advice and tools to students and their families so they can make informed decisions about planning and paying for college.
Mark writes extensively about student financial aid policy. He has testified before Congress and federal/state agencies about student aid on several occasions.
Mark has been quoted in more than 10,000 newspaper and magazine articles. He has written for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Reuters, Huffington Post, U.S. News & World Report, Money Magazine, Bottom Line/Personal, Forbes, Newsweek and Time Magazine. He was named a Money Hero by Money Magazine. He is the author of five bestselling books about scholarships and financial aid, including How to Appeal for More College Financial Aid, Twisdoms about Paying for College, Filing the FAFSA and Secrets to Winning a Scholarship.
Mark serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Student Financial Aid and the editorial advisory board of Bottom Line/Personal (a Boardroom, Inc. publication). He is also a member of the board of trustees of the Center for Excellence in Education. Mark previously served as a member of the board of directors of the National Scholarship Providers Association.
Mark is currently Publisher of PrivateStudentLoans.guru, a web site that provides students with smart borrowing tips about private student loans. Mark has served previously as publisher of the Cappex.com, Edvisors, Fastweb and FinAid web sites. He has previously been employed at Just Research, the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Bitstream Inc. and the Planning Research Corporation.
Mark is President of Cerebly, Inc. (formerly MK Consulting, Inc.), a consulting firm focused on computer science, artificial intelligence, and statistical and policy analysis.
Mark is ABD on a PhD in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). He has Bachelor of Science degrees in mathematics and philosophy from MIT and a Master of Science degree in computer science from CMU. He is also an alumnus of the Research Science Institute program established by Admiral H. G. Rickover.
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