STAR Act of 2020

Student Aid and Tax Advantaged Accounts Reform Act of 2020 or the STAR Act of 2020. This bill permits annual tax and penalty-free withdrawals of up to $5,250 from 401(k) plans for higher education expenses and penalty-free withdrawals from individual retirement accounts (IRAs) for student loan expenses of taxpayers, spouses, children, and grandchildren. The bill also excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, distributions up to $5,250 from employer-sponsored student loan and tuition payment plans. It repeals the limitation on the deduction of interest on student loans and increases from $15,000 to $25,000 (adjusted for inflation) the maximum contribution amounts for certain tax-preferred retirement plans. The bill allows employees an election to treat contributions to a 401(k) plan as Roth contributions (thus exempting withdrawals from such plans from tax at retirement).