It’s Graduation Season Again
By Paul Paeglis Executive Director, Ohio Tuition Trust Authority/CollegeAdvantage 529 June 8, 2015 Graduation season is the time of year when families and friends come together to celebrate accomplishments of […]
2015
Yearly Archives
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529 Plan Advantages & Benefits
529 plans are designed to encourage early and consistent savings by offering an easy, affordable and convenient way for families to save for college. While the tax advantages are one […]
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what is a 529 Plan?
529 Basics
A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged investment plan designed to encourage saving for the future higher education expenses of a designated beneficiary (typically one’s child or grandchild). The plans are named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code and are administered by state agencies and organizations.
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Cousin’s Legacy Lives on Through Investments in Children’s Futures
By Ryan Betz
Associate Director of Marketing & Communications with Washington State’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program
June 1, 2015Fifteen years ago my cousin Michael passed away after a tragic airline accident. He was only 30 years old and had a bright future ahead of him. Over the years following my cousin’s death, my aunt and uncle searched for ways to honor Michael’s life. One of the ways they chose to recognize Michael’s contributions to the world was by establishing a 529 college savings account for both my daughter and my son. My aunt and uncle believed education was the one way Michael’s legacy could be carried on by giving my children the opportunity to follow their dreams and aspirations through a college education.
My aunt and uncle’s choice to celebrate Michael’s life through a 529 plan contribution was not based on maximizing investment returns in order to make a lot of money; it was a much deeper and meaningful decision. They simply wanted to ensure all the amazing experiences that were afforded to Michael because of his education were passed along to the next generation of our family. In fact, I remember Michael’s college graduation pretty vividly since it was the first I had ever attended. I recall thinking at the time, how cool it was that he achieved such a high level of education. That memory was left engraved in my mind and was something I circled back to when I needed a little motivation with my own studies.
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It’s 5/29, Are you Saving for College?
Patricia Roberts
Managing Director, AllianceBernstein L.P. & Chair, College Savings Plans Network Corporate Affiliates Committee
May 26, 2015Across the country as the clock strikes 5:29 a.m. and p.m. each day, if you’re listening to the radio, you may hear a Public Service Announcement that begins by posing a timely and important question: “It’s 5:29, are you saving for college?” In an informative and encouraging manner, the PSA, playing on hundreds of stations across the country, seeks to educate listeners about what 529 college savings plans are and how these plans can play a valuable role in helping families prepare for higher education expenses. -
National Conference Takeaway: Innovation Will Drive Savings Success
Betty Lochner
CSPN Chair and Director of Washington’s GET Program
May 20, 2015Michelangelo once said “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” To me this quote defines my experience last week at CSPN’s annual conference. As 529 professionals we were inspired to continue to discover, share and create new ways to enhance the services and benefits of our college savings plans for American families.
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Our First Teachers: Moms and Education
A Mother’s Day Reflection
Patricia Roberts
Managing Director, AllianceBernstein L.P. and
Chair, College Savings Plans Network Corporate Affiliates
May 8, 2015As I shared in a post at this time last year, the topic of education always seems to surface when I speak with adult children of all ages about the admiration they have for their mothers. I am reminded of all that we learn from our very first teachers and am inspired by the critical role women play in both the education and the educational pursuits of those they love.
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Get your savings in full swing this spring
Lucas Minor
GET Marketing & Communications Manager
May 4, 2015I always welcome the start of baseball season, as it’s a great reminder that good things are in store for the months ahead. It’s a chance for renewed optimism as we cheer on the home team (Go Mariners!) and hope that maybe ‘this’ will finally be their year. And accordingly, Mother Nature is showing signs of bright life: the sun starts showing itself again, flowers are in bloom and everything is turning green again! But what do baseball and the change in seasons have to do with college savings?
Just as the start of the season involves a steep learning curve for a team, getting your college savings started is not always easy right out of the gate. You’ll experience some growing pains and it will take time to get a consistent game plan established. Despite these early road bumps, remember that this time of year is also the perfect opportunity for a fresh start – a chance to try out a new approach. If you stay committed and keep working hard, saving will continue to come more naturally, and your college savings plan will begin to blossom.
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Statement from College Savings Plans Network on Senate Finance Committee Passage of College Savings Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 30, 2015) – Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee considered S. 335, the companion bill to H.R. 529, which was passed with a bipartisan vote by the House of Representatives in February. Introduced by Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Bob Casey (D-PA), the Senate Finance Committee voted unanimously in favor of the bill 26-0.
The legislation will make 529 plans more flexible by making computers an eligible education expense; allowing the redeposit of college refunds without negative tax implications in certain circumstances and updating outdated accounting rules.
Betty Lochner, chair of the College Savings Plans Network (CSPN)—the nation’s leading objective source of information about Section 529 College Savings Plans and Prepaid Tuition Plans—issued the following statement:
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College Decision Day
Mary G. Morris
CEO, Virginia529 College Savings Plan
April 27, 2015As college acceptance day approaches for high school seniors, I have been reading Frank Bruni’s new book, Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be, about the “college admissions mania” and thinking about the admissions process.
Soon-to-be high school graduates – this is for you. If college is not in your immediate future, stay open to opportunities in the future and know that learning takes many shapes and forms throughout our lives.
For those heading straight to some form of higher education – congratulations! As you consider your options this month, remember that where you go does not define you now and it will not control your future.
