Call Us At 866-574-3542 if you would like to do any of the above by phone, or have account questions.
Call Us At 866-574-3542 if you would like to do any of the above by phone, or have account questions.
Log in to your account to:
Make a Contribution
Making contributions to a SMART529 account is easy, whether it's to your own account or the account of a family member or friend.
| If you're the account owner: You have several options for contributing to your own account |
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|---|---|
| Online | Log in to SMART529 Online. |
| By phone | Call Customer Service (1-866-574-3542). Be ready with your bank account information (bank routing number and your account number and type) and contribution amount. |
| Automatically on a regular schedule | With SMART529's Automatic Investment Program, you can have regular contributions transferred from your bank account automatically. You don't have to remember! |
| By mail | Mail a contribution slip to us with your contribution amount. These are sent with your account statement. Complete the coupon, noting the beneficiary account number on your Statement of Account. Mail the completed coupon and your check to the address provided on the coupon. |
| If you're contributing to someone else's account: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Online | Contribute by mail using our gift contribution slip and gift receipts. Send the completed contribution slip in with your check and present the gift receipt to the account beneficiary. Be sure to obtain the SMART529 account number from the account owner to ensure that your gift is applied to the proper account. | |
Request a Distribution
Only the account owner can withdraw money from the account. Each distribution from your account will consist of a portion of your contributions and a portion of your account's earnings. Distributions will be paid by check and we will send a confirmation of the distribution. For each distribution, you must send the completed and signed College Savings Distribution Request Form to us.
When taking money out of your SMART529 College Savings Plan, please read the information regarding the two types of distributions: qualified distributions and non-qualified distributions.
IRS Form 1099-Q
For each distribution, SMART529 will send a Form 1099-Q reporting the earnings portion of any distribution to the designated beneficiary if the distribution was made to the designated beneficiary or to an eligible educational institution for the benefit of the designated beneficiary. Otherwise, the account owner will receive the Form 1099-Q. Check with your tax professional about filing this information on your tax returns. We also provide the information on Form 1099-Q to the Internal Revenue Service.
Financial Aid
Financial aid may be available even if you are invested in SMART529. The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) has issued a student guide about financial aid and how it may be affected by investments in 529 Plans. In most cases, if the account owner is the parent of the designated beneficiary, the SMART529 WV Direct account will be considered an asset of the parent when computing the designated beneficiary's financial aid needs. If the account owner is the designated beneficiary, the SMART529 account is considered an asset of the designated beneficiary. The potential impact on financial aid can vary depending on the owner of the 529 account, whether it be a parent, dependent student, grandparent, or someone else. You should consult with the USDOE Office of Postsecondary Education or the financial aid office of a college, university, trade school or adult vocational program for more information.