529 Plan Contribution Limits
There is no federal annual contribution limit for 529 college-savings plans. Instead, two other limits matter: the annual gift-tax exclusion — $19,000 per person ($38,000 for a married couple) in 2026 — and each state’s aggregate limit, the lifetime maximum a single beneficiary’s accounts can hold, which ranges from $235,000 to $621,411.
You can contribute more than $19,000 in a year; you just have to file IRS Form 709 to report it. And a special “superfunding” rule lets you front-load up to five years of gifts — $95,000 (single) or $190,000 (married) — into one year without gift tax.
Annual 529 contribution limit
The practical “annual limit” for a 529 is the gift-tax exclusion, which the IRS indexes for inflation. Contribute up to this amount per beneficiary and there is nothing to file. Go above it and you file Form 709 — but you still owe no tax until your lifetime gifts exceed the multi-million-dollar estate exemption.
| Situation | Amount (2026) | Filing |
|---|---|---|
| Annual gift exclusion — single | $19,000 | None |
| Annual gift exclusion — married couple | $38,000 | None |
| Superfunding — single (5 years) | $95,000 | Form 709 |
| Superfunding — married couple (5 years) | $190,000 | Form 709 |
529 aggregate contribution limits by state
Each state sets an aggregate limit — the total all accounts for one beneficiary may hold. Once the balance reaches the cap, no new contributions are allowed (though the account can keep growing through investment returns). Wyoming has no state-sponsored plan, so residents use another state’s.
| State | Aggregate limit |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $475,000 |
| Alaska | $550,000 |
| Arizona | $590,000 |
| Arkansas | $500,000 |
| California | $529,000 |
| Colorado | $500,000 |
| Connecticut | $550,000 |
| Delaware | $500,000 |
| District of Columbia | $500,000 |
| Florida | $500,000 |
| Georgia | $235,000 |
| Hawaii | $305,000 |
| Idaho | $500,000 |
| Illinois | $500,000 |
| Indiana | $450,000 |
| Iowa | $505,000 |
| Kansas | $501,000 |
| Kentucky | $450,000 |
| Louisiana | $500,000 |
| Maine | $545,000 |
| Maryland | $500,000 |
| Massachusetts | $500,000 |
| Michigan | $500,000 |
| Minnesota | $525,000 |
| Mississippi | $400,000 |
| Missouri | $550,000 |
| Montana | $396,000 |
| Nebraska | $500,000 |
| Nevada | $500,000 |
| New Hampshire | $621,411 |
| New Jersey | $305,000 |
| New Mexico | $500,000 |
| New York | $520,000 |
| North Carolina | $550,000 |
| North Dakota | $269,000 |
| Ohio | $541,000 |
| Oklahoma | $450,000 |
| Oregon | $400,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $511,758 |
| Rhode Island | $520,000 |
| South Carolina | $575,000 |
| South Dakota | $350,000 |
| Tennessee | $500,000 |
| Texas | $500,000 |
| Utah | $574,000 |
| Vermont | $550,000 |
| Virginia | $550,000 |
| Washington | $500,000 |
| West Virginia | $550,000 |
| Wisconsin | $589,650 |
| Wyoming | No state plan |
Superfunding: five years at once
The superfunding (or “5-year gift-tax averaging”) rule lets you drop up to five years of annual exclusions into a 529 in a single year — $95,000 solo or $190,000 as a couple in 2026 — and treat it as if spread evenly over five years for gift-tax purposes. It is a popular way for grandparents to move money out of their estate while giving the investments the maximum time to compound.
The trade-off: you must file Form 709 to make the election, and you cannot make additional exclusion gifts to that same beneficiary for the five years without dipping into your lifetime exemption. Use the calculators below to project how a 529 balance grows over an 18-year horizon.
Is there a limit on how much I can contribute to a 529 per year?
There is no federal annual limit. But contributions above the gift-tax exclusion — $19,000 per person or $38,000 per married couple in 2026 — require filing IRS Form 709, though no tax is due until your lifetime gifts exceed the multi-million-dollar estate exemption.
What is the maximum you can put in a 529 plan?
The lifetime cap is set by each state’s aggregate limit, the most all accounts for one beneficiary can hold. Limits range from $235,000 in Georgia to $621,411 in New Hampshire. Once you hit the cap you cannot add more, but the balance can keep growing through returns.
What is 529 superfunding?
Superfunding lets you contribute up to five years of the annual gift exclusion at once — $95,000 (single) or $190,000 (married) in 2026 — without gift tax, by filing Form 709 to elect 5-year averaging. It maximizes the time your money has to compound.
Can I contribute to 529 plans in more than one state?
Yes. Aggregate limits are per state, so opening accounts in multiple states can raise the total, though most families never approach a single state’s cap. You may also open an out-of-state plan if it has lower fees or better investments than your own state’s.