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Returning Member
posted Feb 21, 2026 9:30:33 PM

Can anyone help me understand why simple 529 plan fund transfer to another 529 plan program turns out taxable income?

I transfer the whole amount from Washington state GET to 529 plan in 60 days. This is direct trustee to trustee transfer, but TurboTax shows taxable income. 'Trustee-to-trustee transfer' option checked, but changed my taxable income. Why is it?

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1 Replies
Alumni
Feb 22, 2026 5:23:36 AM

There is a fix underway to the 1099-Q section of TurboTax (TT). The fix is expected by Feb 27.  I don't know, for sure, if this issue is being addressed.

 

Try going thru the interview again (or delete the 1099-Q and start over). It worked correctly, on my desktop (download) Deluxe, but not the first time.  What I noted my second time through was that I got a screen asking whether all or part of the distribution was transferred. 

 

You can just not report the 1099-Q, at all. 

The 1099-Q is  only an informational document. The numbers on it are not required to be entered onto your (or your student's) tax return. The interview is complicated and it's easy to make mistakes. Avoid it if you can and you probably can. 

You can just not report the 1099-Q, at all, if your student-beneficiary has sufficient educational expenses, including a roll over, to cover the distribution. When the box 1 amount on form 1099-Q is fully covered by expenses (or roll over amount), TurboTax will enter nothing about the 1099-Q on the actual tax forms. But, it will prepare a 1099-Q worksheet for your records (you don’t need it). You would still have to do the math to see if there were enough expenses left over for you to claim the tuition credit. You also cannot count expenses that were paid by tax free scholarships.

References:

  1. On form 1099-Q, instructions to the recipient reads: "Nontaxable distributions from CESAs and QTPs are not required to be reported on your income tax return. You must determine the taxability of any distribution." 
  2. IRS Pub 970 states: “Generally, distributions are tax free if they aren't more than the beneficiary's AQEE for the year. Don't report tax-free distributions (including qualifying rollovers) on your tax return”.
  3. "IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education states: If the entire 1099-Q went to qualified expenses, room and board, tuition, etc; then, you do not need to enter the form."