Maximizing the Benefits of 529 Plans for Private School Tuition

Cristina Wiebelt-Smith

For families invested in providing a quality Catholic education, the cost of tuition is often a significant consideration. Fortunately, a powerful financial tool can make these expenses more manageable while offering tax benefits: the 529 plan.

What is a 529 Plan?

A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to encourage saving for future education expenses. While traditionally associated with college savings, federal tax laws now allow families to use 529 plans to pay for up to $10,000 per year per student in tuition for K-12 private schools, including Catholic elementary and high schools.

How Does it Work for Missouri residents?

Missouri families enjoy additional benefits when contributing to a 529 plan. Contributions to any 529 plan are tax-deductible on state income taxes—up to $8,000 per year for individuals or $16,000 for married couples filing jointly.

For example, if a married couple contributes $10,000 to a MOST 529 plan and uses $8,000 of that to pay for private school tuition, they will still receive a $10,000 deduction on their Missouri state taxes. It’s a simple yet impactful way to save on taxes while supporting your child’s Catholic education.

Contribution Limits

Although Missouri offers state tax deductions for contributions up to $8,000 (or $16,000 for married couples), you can contribute much more to a 529 plan. The lifetime contribution limit for a Missouri 529 plan is $550,000 per beneficiary. While you may not need to save that much for K-12 tuition, these plans are an excellent long-term savings vehicle if you plan to fund both private school and college expenses.

Benefits of Using a 529 Plan for K-12 Tuition

1. Tax-Free Growth: Any earnings in a 529 plan grow tax-free, meaning you won’t pay federal or state taxes on investment gains while the money is in the 529 plan. You also won't pay taxes when you take distributions to pay for qualified educational expenses, which includes K-12 tuition.

2. State Tax Deduction: Contributions reduce your Missouri taxable income, providing immediate tax savings.

3. Flexibility: Funds can be used for tuition at private elementary schools, high schools, and colleges, giving families the flexibility to plan for their child’s entire educational journey. Funds can also be transferred to another family member if one child doesn't need the money. 

4. 
   

How to Get Started

If you’re new to 529 plans, opening an account is straightforward. You can visit Missouri’s MOST 529 website to create an account and set up automatic contributions. Even small, consistent contributions can add up over time and make a big difference in covering tuition costs.

Once you have a 529 plan, you can deposit the amount of your child's tuition in it to get the tax deduction. If you’ve already paid some of the tuition, you can reimburse yourself. If not, you can use it to pay the school. You can put the money in at any time during the year and reimburse yourself at any time.  

By leveraging the benefits of a 529 plan, our families can reduce the financial burden of tuition while ensuring their children receive the values-based education that Catholic schools provide.

For more information about using a 529 plan for Catholic school tuition, consult your financial advisor or CPA. For general questions, I'm happy to help as well. 

Cristina Wiebelt-Smith, CPA & Wealth Advisor 816-259-5060 cristina@gertsema.net

2025 SJCA March For Life

SJCA Middle School and High School Students marched with our local pastors and Bishop Johnston.

SJCA held a powerful March for Life on January 24th, bringing together middle and high school students in a unified stand for the sanctity of life. Libby Owens from the St. Joseph Pregnancy Resource Clinic delivered an inspiring presentation, highlighting the vital services PRC provides and emphasizing the importance of caring for all babies—both seen and unseen. Bishop Johnston joined the march, offering words of encouragement and underscoring the significance of participating in this national movement. Following the program, students marched in solidarity around Bishop LeBlond and along Frederick Avenue, making a visible statement of their commitment to life.

SJCA Campuses Consecrated

On May 13, the date that Mary appeared to three children in Fatima, Portugal in 1917, the St. Joseph Catholic Academy (SJCA) consecrated its five campuses to Mary. Miraculous medals were buried at each of the four corners of their grounds, including the three elementary schools, Bishop LeBlond High School and St. Gianna Early Childcare Center. As the medals were placed in the ground, those gathered recited the Hail Mary. 

“We’re asking Mary’s help to guide the Academy,” said Natalie Newville, SJCA President. “We want her to help us make the right decisions in all we do.” 

On the morning of the 13th, the consecration ceremonies at each campus began with St. Maximilian Kolbe’s Prayer of Consecration to Mary, and students, principals, teachers, priests, parents, grandparents and parishioners prayed the rosary together. 

“Consecrating ourselves and our campus to Mary means that we can ask Mary’s intercession first,” St. Francis Xavier Principal Darin Pollard told students. “We are praying that we will all draw closer to God through Mary’s intercession.”

The idea of consecrating the Catholic campuses came about after SJCA’s Prayer Breakfast in January. The keynote speaker, Dr. Stephen Minnis, president of Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas and LeBlond and St. Francis Xavier alumnus, told the audience that they consecrated the Benedictine campus to Mary for the first time 15 years ago, and have re-consecrated every five years since. Dr. Minnis said he believes that one of the main keys for the college’s success in the ensuing years has been the consecration. 

St. Francis Xavier student Tenley Woolery, who helped bury the medals, said she liked that Mary will “watch over and protect us.”

Mrs. Newville noted that campus consecrations are not very common, so several events took place beforehand to ensure that the students would understand its importance. First, every SJCA student received a miraculous medal, all donated by a school family. The medal depicts Mary standing on a globe with her hands outstretched and the following prayer: “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” 

The miraculous medal’s history relates to a Marian apparition in 1830, when Mary appeared to St. Catherine Labouré in Paris and requested that she create the medal. Both St. Kolbe and St. Teresa of Calcutta are considered the foremost advocates for the medal, as St. Teresa distributed thousands and thousands of the medals throughout her life. Fr. Stephen Hansen, pastor of Cathedral of St.Joseph, said he became aware of the practice of burying medals through St. Teresa’s actions. He said there is a story that she would enter a town and bury a miraculous medal where she wanted to build a convent.  

In addition to the miraculous medal distribution, a novena was also prayed by students, families and the Catholic community on the nine school days before May 13. “We all prayed the same prayer leading up to the very special moment,” Mrs. Newville said. 

She added that the campus consecrations were the start of what will be a greater Marian focus in the coming school year, including saying the rosary more, students learning more Marian prayers and celebrating Marian feast days. 

Father Hansen believes the greater Marian focus on all campuses is important.  “All graces come from God, but God chose Jesus to come to us through Mary, and He invites us to come to Jesus through Mary.”