Some of the benefits of having a Roth IRA is, that you can withdrawal money for college from your Roth IRA if you have to. While you can withdrawal your investment to fund college education expenses, there are a few limitations that you must consider beforehand. You can withdrawal your contributions tax-free from a Roth IRA at anytime, but you must pay taxes on your earnings if you withdraw them before you reach 59 1/2 years-old and use the money to fund education expenses.
There is no 10% early withdrawal penalty if it is used for qualified education expenses. Qualified education expenses are tuition, fees, books, supplies, equipment, and room and board (in most cases), and you can use the funds for educational expenses for yourself, your spouse, your children or your grandchildren.