529 Contribution Limits for 2025: Max Contribution by State
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The contribution limits for 529 plans generally aren't discussed often, for good reason: They don’t exist at the federal level and, at the state level, they're typically so high that many families won't contribute enough to meet them.
That's because, unlike retirement accounts like IRAs or 401(k)s, the IRS doesn't set specific contribution limits for 529 college savings plans. Instead, the agency simply notes that the amount contributed to a 529 (also called a qualified tuition program, or QTP) can't be more than what's needed to pay for qualified education expenses. States do set maximum limits, which range from $235,000 to $575,000.
529 contribution limits by state
State-sponsored 529 plans have maximum contribution limits that range from $235,000 to $597,000. Those limits tend to apply per beneficiary, meaning they restrict the total amount that can be contributed to all accounts intended for the same student. But 529 plan rules may vary. Read your plan’s contribution limit documentation for specifics.
529 contributions and taxes
One thing to keep in mind: While 529 plans provide tax-free investment growth and withdrawals, there could be other tax implications when you contribute to an account.
Most states that offer tax breaks for 529 contributions have annual limits on how much you can deduct, which could influence the amount you decide to set aside for future education expenses in a given year.
Meanwhile, 529 contributions may trigger gift tax consequences if you earmark more than the gift tax exclusion ($19,000 for 2025) for any one beneficiary in a tax year. This exclusion is an individual one, meaning a married couple giving jointly could gift up to $38,000 to one beneficiary in 2025.
The vast majority of people do not need to worry about this, as they are unlikely to hit the lifetime exclusion, which is currently $13.61 million. However, if you exceed the annual exclusion, you may need to file a gift tax return.
» MORE: How to gift 529 contributions
Superfunding 529s
One strategy for those who want to contribute more than the annual exclusion is known as superfunding: You can front-load a 529 by making up to five years' worth of contributions at one time, then treat the contribution as if it were made over five years.
This means you could put $95,000 into a 529 account for one beneficiary today — five times the current $19,000 annual gift tax exclusion. The IRS allows you to do this for each beneficiary if you're contributing to 529s for multiple people.
The benefit of this strategy, if you have the money available, is that you'll give your contributions longer to grow and earn investment income.
