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HR 1739 99th Congress House Taxation College costs Communications and Broadcasting Copyright Educational finance Government trust funds Higher education Imports Income tax Licenses Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights Radio broadcasting Savings accounts Scholarships Tax deductions Tax exclusion Television Vocational and technical education

A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to provide for the establishment of, and the deduction of contributions to, education savings accounts.

Introduced: March 26, 1985 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 99th Congress ended
It never became law before the 99th Congress (1985–1986) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 26, 1985
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means.
Mar 26, 1985
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual taxpayer an income tax deduction for contributions to a savings account established to pay the educational expenses (tuition, supplies, meals, and lodging) of the taxpayer or the taxpayer's dependent child at an institution of higher education or a vocational school. Limits the amount of such deduction to $2,000 (adjusted for inflation) for each account per calendar year. Provides that no account may have more than one beneficiary and that no individual may be a beneficiary of more than one account.

Requires the trustee of an education savings account to transfer five percent of the amount of any contribution to the trust to a State educational fund which is established by State law, the assets of which are used to provide scholarship assistance to individuals attending educational institutions within the State.

Permits a tax exclusion for income accumulated in such education savings accounts as long as such amounts are used exclusively for educational expenses. Sets forth penalties for the use of account funds for other than educational purposes.

Requires that the trustee of an education savings account file reports with the Secretary of the Treasury on the maintenance of the account. Imposes penalties for not filing required reports.

Extends the deduction for contributions to an education savings account to taxpayers who do not otherwise itemize deductions.

Includes in the gross income of account beneficiaries over a ten-year period beginning at age 25 an amount equal to ten percent of the amounts paid or used on their behalf for educational expenses.

What's happening now March 26, 1985

Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1739: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to provide for the establishment of, and the deduction of contributions to, education savings accounts.. 99th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/99-HR-1739/
MLA
"H.R. 1739: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to provide for the establishment of, and the deduction of contributions to, education savings accounts.." 99th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/99-HR-1739/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1739, 99th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/99-HR-1739/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1739: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to provide for the establishment of, and the deduction of contributions to, education savings accounts.](https://openamerica.io/bill/99-HR-1739/)
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