Vehicle that is available to anyone in the United States as a means for savings in a tax-exempt fashion for college, graduate, or professional schools or other eligible accredited business, trade, occupational, or technical schools domiciled in the United States. Under the plan, there is a deferral of federal taxes on earnings of the account until the funds are distributed for education expenses by the beneficiary of the account. The account earnings are not subject to New York state taxes either. Upon withdrawal by the beneficiary, the earnings distribution is federally taxed at the beneficiary's tax rate and not subject to New York state tax provided the distribution is used for the above-approved education expenses. Any distributions not used for the approved education expenses are taxed at the regular federal and state income tax rate, and a 10% withdrawal penalty on the earnings must be paid.
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