Q. Can we use 1/2 of fair rent value as a room and board expense against money withdrawn from an ESA. Say, up to the amount of cost of attendance (COA) estimate for off-campus housing?
A. Yes, but technically no. You have to add up your (and her) actual costs, food, mortgage interest (but not principal payments), utilities, insurance, real estate tax. It *always* works out to using the school's COA.
