By: Chris Scott, Manager of 529 Plans and Financial Education at the Arkansas State Treasurer’s Office

June 10, 2025

Fatherhood has taught me a lot – how to make dinner while helping with homework, how to deliver a dad joke under pressure, and how to mediate arguments about absolutely nothing like it’s a global peace summit. But more than anything, it’s taught me the value of showing up today while building for tomorrow.

Raising two kids around age 10, I spend a lot of time thinking about who they’re becoming and how different they are. My daughter is a creative visionary with zero regard for clean surfaces. She dreams of being an artist, a musician, and a doctor – all at once. That’s probably three degrees – and hopefully, a lot of scholarships, but her imagination is boundless.

My son? Just as bold. He wants to be both a professional gamer and a soccer star – a career that somehow combines footwork and Fortnite. Last year, he wanted to be a chef in a restaurant… on the moon. His career goals may be all over the place (and off-planet), but his curiosity is constant. He’s also fascinated by math theories that go way over my head.

Together, the three of us form a trio full of energy, dreams, and chaos. Their ambitions shift month to month, but my role doesn’t: to support them, believe in them, and help open doors to whatever future they choose.

And I’ve been thinking more about the pace of change lately. I’m closer to 40 than not, and part of the last generation to grow up without the internet in every pocket. I remember beepers and floppy disks. Then came dial-up, flip phones, smartphones, and now AI. My kids won’t know a world without Wi-Fi, and I have no idea what the world will look like when they’re adults. But I do know they’ll need options. They’ll need opportunities. And that’s something I can plan for.

That’s why I’m grateful for 529 plans – not just as a savings tool, but as a foundation for possibility. I’ve worked in the 529 space for nearly as long as I’ve been a dad. In that time, I’ve watched both my kids and these plans evolve in ways I couldn’t have predicted. My daughter’s gone from finger-painting the TV to composing her own songs. My son has gone from aspiring moon chef to the kind of kid who quizzes his orthodontist on algebra. 529s have grown too – covering apprenticeships, allowing rollovers to Roth IRAs, and keeping up with how education and the workforce keep changing. Neither my kids nor 529 plans are done changing, either.

Every contribution to their 529 accounts is an investment in their dreams – whether those dreams involve paintbrushes, stethoscopes, soccer balls, or space helmets. I’m not just saving for higher education. I’m saving for possibility.

This Father’s Day, I’m celebrating more than being a dad – I’m celebrating the chance to shape a brighter future where money doesn’t limit their potential, and where their wildest dreams have a real shot.

A 529 plan isn’t just a smart financial tool – it’s a powerful way to say: “I believe in you.”

About the author:

Chris Scott serves as the Manager of 529 Plans and Financial Education at the Arkansas State Treasurer’s Office, where he has been with the Arkansas Brighter Future 529 program since 2017. He also played a key role in launching the Arkansas ABLE plan in 2018, expanding savings opportunities for individuals with disabilities. With nearly a decade of experience spanning data analysis, relationship management, government relations, project management, marketing, strategic partnerships, and outreach, Chris is known as a trusted problem-solver and advocate in the 529 and ABLE space.