If you can afford to pay everything out of pocket up front it’s pretty easy to just do the distribution once to cover everything (I know that’s a big if for some people though). One thing to keep in mind is that the distribution needs to happen in the same calendar year as the expenses. Not an issue for fall, but when spring tuition comes due, I wait until early January to pay it to give myself some breathing room for requesting the distribution. If your 529 pays the school directly that may not matter.
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I commend you all for planning what to buy in advance. Mentally I am getting there. The fact that her college is under a 3 hour drive away makes planning somewhat easier. I was recovering from what I felt was PTSD (not joking or making light of it) from the admissions process, and now I get weepy at the thought of D21 leaving. She has been so sweet, giving advice like a friend and helping around the house a lot!
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Another way to reduce the load: Check to see if the school has a program for selling past students’ things at the start of the year. On my older child’s move-in day, we were able to buy a used fridge, storage containers, a drying rack, even books for a required first-year seminar. We saw lots of bedding, rugs, dishes, lamps…
These programs are a win-win, as they reduce waste when graduating students move out. The money taken in is used to maintain the program (storage of collected items over summer, etc). The programs are usually student-run, but the school’s student services office should be able to help you find info.
You can’t guarantee you’ll find a specific item, unfortunately. But it’s a great, inexpensive source for nonessential items and things you could pick up later if you didn’t find them there.
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My son isn’t coming home for fall break, so he will probably have to take whatever winter clothes he will have by then with him.
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I don’t know if I’m one of the “guys” you’re referring to but I felt like it was nice – I just expressed befuddlement about something I don’t understand because it hasn’t been a part of my experience. I hope that sharing our approach would reassure parents who are a little more laid back that they really don’t need to panic.
What I DO understand is parents who overworry and try to latch onto any project that seems within their control. Shopping, packing, planning for a dorm move isn’t my choice of obsession this year but believe me, I have plenty of others!
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The only watch out is hotels are understaffed this year and the hotels near campus will likely be overwhelmed with packages arriving at similar times for families, along with space management. That’s just something to plan for this year since companies are on recovery mode post pandemic.
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D21’s school has this. We’ll get the basics for her, but are hoping she can get things like rugs and miscellaneous items from the swap time.
I like a paper trail so I always have the 529 money sent to us first. For one of my kids because she is an independent, the 529 check comes to her in her name, for the others it comes to me.
Also, throughout the year, I keep track of the amount of $ I spend on books and other qualified expenses, and this year rent up to the COA to be reimbursed by the 529 and then distribute that out at certain points in time as well.
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Thank you! I just went straight to google maps (wanted to find the nearest store), never checked their store locator. I just went on their website right now and voilà, just had to enter school name and it shows you the closest store to your school. This wasn’t there last I checked, but yes, looks like Clybourn is the nearest store. SR, many thanks! 
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When you say “distribute” do you mean that you get the amount for rent out in advance? We’re not looking forward to the stress of having to submit for reimbursement every month.
No, I just take the money out when I feel like it. So for instance, last year I had to pay my daughter’s sorority in 5 housing payments from July - November. Instead of taking the money from the 529 after I made each payment, I just waited until I was reimbursing myself for books or some other thing and paid myself back then for the housing. I did have to make sure it was below the COA for housing from the school because you can only use up to that amount from a 529. But, since the 529 is invested in mutual funds, I want to control when I take the money out because if the market is at a downturn, I’m not going to take it out right at that time and may watch it closely and then wait to reimburse myself. Or, vice versa, may just take the money out sooner. I keep a ledger to keep track of the 529 expenses (actually all expenses) and what’s 529 related and isn’t and when they’re reimbursed.
But ultimately, there’s no one to submit for reimbursement every month since I control the 529 and I just login to my account and click to send me a check or whatever the method of payment is going to be.
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“Distribution” is the term they use for pulling an amount of money out of the 529 account. If you have an off campus rent situation, you may only use the 529 for up to the amount the university states as ‘cost of attendance’ as far as room and board (as srparent mentioned). I just take the stated yearly amount, cut it in half, and get that amount out each semester. Obviously you will have the lease and maybe other receipts as evidence, but that’s only an issue if you get audited someday. If your kid is in a dorm, you can take out the amount to cover room & board as it is charged to you by the school.
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Thanks so much! COA is $25K (most expensive dorm in the US!), so that’s great to hear.
Thanks! Yes, I knew what distribution means… I was asking how sr was using it since we’ve never used it for apartment rent.
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For apartment, I will probably just distribute one large amount equivalent to the COA for housing and dining for the semester since the apartments at both schools are higher than the Room and Board.
We also always add the annual max to the 529’s every year since we get a state tax deduction, so the money comes out but we put some back in as well. I have one who already applied to grad school so that will add one more year. She also keeps contemplating law school a few years later, so that’s in the back of my mind too. Of course, I decided to check out the cost of law school and holy cow! I thought undergrad was a lot. Law school is like $100k/year! Who can afford that?
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Samsonite Tote-a-Ton for the win! The tempurpedic XL topper takes up the length of the samsonite bag boxes you see here. Swimming in space and probably only 1/2 full. I’ll probably put winter jacket in this bag to keep it light (22lbs now) to make it easier for me to get from baggage claim to the rental car.
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I’m telling you! Six of those babies and ship a few small things and done! Love the tote a tons.
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Is this the 32.5 inch one?
Yes. That’s the bag. My girlfriend said she uses the LL Bean or Lands End (sorry, can’t recall) with the wheels and also really like that. They travel from Denver to the UW and to UNC for their kids so I’m sure those are also great reco’s.
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I just bought a bunch of the IKEA Frakta bags at IKEA for $4.98/each. Why are they so much more on Amazon? I also bought the large shopping ones that were $.98/each. I was like what?? Don’t know if that was a special or error or what but I said whatever and bought a bunch since we’re driving my son and this way can just throw the stuff in those bags if we don’t use the zip ones.
Also for those with girls especially who have tons of clothes, best advice ever was to put the clothes on hangers before moving in, then use the plastic garbage bag trick. Meaning, sort them by type - so my daughter has a lot of business clothes so those were all sorted together and then the garbage bag went around them as if it was a garment bag, tied at the top, and then laid down in her duffel (or suitcase later years or box we shipped) and then bam when we moved her in we literally just hung the bag right up and removed the plastic. Made for the clothes being more compact also.
My son not sure what we’ll do because he doesn’t hang anything other than dress clothes and sweatshirts/jackets but it may be easier just to stick a bunch of the heavy duty command strip hooks up for the jackets, baseball hats, and sweatshirts.
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