Dear Liz: You said 529 accounts could not be used for groceries. I searched on the internet and found that students can use 529 money to purchase meals off campus and buy groceries. Which is correct?
Answer: The original letter writer’s child lived on campus, so the amount the family can withdraw tax free from the 529 account is limited to what they spent on a campus meal plan. Grocery runs and restaurant meals aren’t covered.
Once the child moves off campus, the family can use the college’s official “cost of attendance” figures to determine the maximum they can withdraw tax free to pay for food. The child should keep all receipts as proof to back up the withdrawal.
Please be careful about assuming that the results of any internet search are reliable, especially if artificial intelligence is involved in creating — or inventing — the answer. Tax law can be particularly tricky to interpret, which is why I rely on tax experts such as Mark Luscombe, principal analyst for Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting, who helped with the original answer.