5498-ESA

Coverdell ESA Contribution Information

Agency
IRS
Revision
Rev. December 2026
Fillable fields
43
Pages
3
Official source
IRS form page
Checked
October 21, 2026
Fill 5498-ESA online
Page 1 of form 5498-ESA

Form 5498-ESA: Coverdell ESA Contribution Information

Form 5498-ESA, Coverdell ESA Contribution Information, is an information return that reports contributions and rollover contributions to a Coverdell education savings account (ESA). The IRS page says to file it for each person for whom you maintained any Coverdell ESA, and Copy B says the form is furnished by the trustee or issuer of the account. The beneficiary receives a copy; the beneficiary does not file it.

The form has two amount boxes: box 1 for Coverdell ESA contributions and box 2 for rollover contributions. The instructions say no return is required if no reportable contributions were made for the calendar year. Distributions from a Coverdell ESA go on Form 1099-Q instead.

The instructions say the form and its instructions moved from an annual revision to continuous use, and that the December 2026 revision is used to file 2026 information in early 2027 and later years until a superseding revision is issued. You can fill out the PDF free in your browser on this page and download it without an account.

Top of page 1 of Form 5498-ESA: Coverdell ESA Contribution Information, as printed by IRS

What's on Form 5498-ESA

Trustee or issuer boxes

The trustee's or issuer's name, street address, room or suite number, city, state or province, country, ZIP or foreign postal code, and TIN. This revision splits the address into separate boxes.

Beneficiary boxes

The beneficiary's TIN, name, street address, apartment number, city, state or province, country and ZIP or foreign postal code.

Account number

An account or other unique number the trustee or issuer assigned to distinguish the account.

Box 1: Coverdell ESA contributions

Contributions made for the calendar year and through April 15 of the following year that are designated for the calendar year.

Box 2: rollover contributions

Rollovers received during the calendar year, including a military death gratuity and a trustee-to-trustee transfer.

Calendar year and copies

A For calendar year space, VOID and CORRECTED boxes, Copy A for the IRS and Copy B for the beneficiary with the Instructions for Beneficiary.

How to fill out Form 5498-ESA

  1. 1

    Trustee and beneficiary

    Enter the trustee's or issuer's name, address and TIN, then the beneficiary's TIN, name and address in the separate boxes. For a country code list, the instructions point to IRS.gov/CountryCodes.

  2. 2

    Calendar year

    Enter the 4-digit calendar year for which the form is being filed in the For calendar year space.

  3. 3

    Account number

    The instructions say it is required if the filer has multiple accounts for a recipient with more than one Form 5498-ESA, and the IRS encourages one on every form.

  4. 4

    Box 1

    Enter contributions made for the calendar year and through April 15 of the following year designated for that year. Do not include rollovers. For contributions made January 1 to April 15, the instructions say to obtain the participant's year designation.

  5. 5

    Box 2

    Enter rollover contributions received during the calendar year, including a military death gratuity and a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer from another Coverdell ESA.

  6. 6

    Copies A and B

    File Copy A with the IRS, electronically or, if qualified, on paper with Form 1096. Furnish Copy B or a statement to the beneficiary.

Why fill Form 5498-ESA on indox

You get the real form, filled in a browser tab, with nothing standing between you and the finished PDF.

  • Fill the form right in your browser, no software to install
  • Free to fill and free to download, with no account
  • The official blank straight from the IRS, not a copy someone retyped
  • Works on a phone, tablet or computer

Statements, e-filing and copies

Statement to the beneficiary

The instructions say a filer of Form 5498-ESA furnishes a statement to the beneficiary (participant) by April 30 of the year following the calendar year for which the form is filed.

Paper filing

The instructions say the form is in an online fillable format. A filer qualified to file on paper sends the black-and-white Copy A with a Form 1096 printed from the IRS website.

E-filing

The instructions say the e-file threshold was lowered to 10, counted across all information returns, for returns required to be filed on or after January 1, 2024. IRIS is the IRS online portal for e-filing information returns.

Truncated TINs

The beneficiary's TIN may be truncated on payee statements but not on documents filed with the IRS. The trustee's or issuer's TIN may not be truncated on any form.

Due dates and penalties

The instructions point to Pub. 1099, General Instructions for Certain Information Returns, for who files, when and where to file, corrections and penalties.

Related forms

Who files Form 5498-ESA?

  • Coverdell ESA trustees and issuers

    The instructions say to file Form 5498-ESA for each person for whom the filer maintained any Coverdell ESA during the calendar year shown on the form.

  • Only when contributions were made

    The instructions say that if no reportable contributions, including rollovers, were made for the calendar year, no return is required.

  • Beneficiaries

    The designated beneficiary receives Copy B. Copy B says the form reports contributions and rollover contributions made for the beneficiary and that the information is being furnished to the IRS.

  • Total distribution, no contributions

    The instructions say that if a total distribution was made from an account during the year and no contributions were made for that year, the filer generally does not need to file.

  • Not for distributions

    Distributions from any Coverdell ESA are reported on Form 1099-Q, Payments From Qualified Education Programs, not on Form 5498-ESA.

The trustee or issuer that maintains the Coverdell ESA completes and files the form. The beneficiary gets Copy B and keeps it for their records.

Official sources and the blank

Do it all with indox

View all 99 tools

Questions about Form 5498-ESA

Why did I receive Form 5498-ESA?

Copy B says it is furnished by the trustee or issuer of your Coverdell ESA and reports contributions and rollover contributions made for you for the calendar year shown.

Can I deduct the amount in box 1?

No. Copy B says box 1 shows contributions made on your behalf and not to deduct these amounts on your income tax return.

What if contributions went over $2,000?

Copy B says that if total contributions to all Coverdell ESAs for the calendar year exceeded $2,000, the excess plus earnings is to be withdrawn by May 31 of the following year, or an additional tax may be owed.

Is a rollover in box 2 taxable?

Copy B says an amount rolled over from one Coverdell ESA to another for the named beneficiary, or a family member under age 30 (except a beneficiary with special needs), is generally not taxable.

Do I file Form 5498-ESA with my tax return?

No. The trustee or issuer files Copy A with the IRS. Copy B is marked for the beneficiary to keep for their records.

Which revision is used for which year?

The instructions say to use the December 2026 revision to file 2026 information in early 2027 and for later years until a superseding revision is issued, but not for prior years.

Why does my form show only part of my SSN?

Copy B says the form may show only the last four digits of your TIN for your protection, but the issuer has reported your complete TIN to the IRS.