# Roth IRA and Qualified Educational Expenses

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roth-ira-and-qualified-educational-expenses/368948>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 16, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roth-ira-and-qualified-educational-expenses/368948 "2006-08-16T14:22:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roth-ira-and-qualified-educational-expenses/368948/1 "2006-08-16T14:22:54Z")

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Can I get a Roth in my name but use the funds to help pay the educational expenses for my children 8-10 years in the future, or do the educational expenses have to be my own?

I talked to the financial guy at my bank and he wasn’t sure.

He recommended a state 529 plan instead.

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**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roth-ira-and-qualified-educational-expenses/368948/2 "2006-08-16T14:47:44Z")

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Yes, you can. [http://www.irs.gov/publications/p970/ch09.html](http://www.irs.gov/publications/p970/ch09.html). You might get hit for the 10% if any of that money put towards education is not the principal.