By: Betty Lochner CSPN Chair & Director of Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) Program July 2, 2015 Last month we ran a special promotion through Facebook in order to bring […]
By Rachel Biar Assistant State Treasurer for the Nebraska 529 College Savings Program June 29, 2015 Growing up, I couldn’t wait for summer break. Warmer temperatures, more time outdoors, water […]
By Paul Curley, CFA
Director of College Savings Research, Strategic Insight
June 22, 2015
As a society, we seem to focus quite a bit on trends. While not all trends are great, there are a few that can help your children excel in some pretty incredible ways.
First, the world is becoming more digital. Just look around you, most people have multiple devices. While some have multiple devices to divide work and personal emails, others have wearable devices for more technical purposes such as keeping pace during a marathon. Is it that these devices are so ingrained in our culture that we do not even notice them, or is it that we have become more detached than ever before? For example, the late spring season marks the beginning for many things including college graduation and baseball. In Boston where I grew up, the trains this time of year would be flooded with people going to a Red Sox game and the air would be electric from the overall excitement for the game, but now interaction through technology devices is typically higher than face-to-face communication. Further, the expansion of robo advisors shows a push by technology into the financial service industry and replaces what has typically been completed by meeting in person with a financial planner.
By: Hon. Michael L. Fitzgerald
State Treasurer, State of Iowa
June 15, 2015
Just because your kids are on summer break doesn’t mean their college savings has to be as well. For many, summers are filled with carpooling to baseball games, backyard BBQs and trips to the pool. Let your kids enjoy their time away from the classroom while continuing to bolster their college savings.
• If you haven’t done so already, consider using an automatic investment plan (AIP). Saving with AIP allows you to set up automatic contributions on a regular basis by connecting your financial institution account to your 529 plan. This allows you to make saving a part of your routine without taking time out of your day each month. If you already use AIP, consider increasing the amount you contribute. Even a few extra dollars a month could mean big savings when it comes time to write that first college check. You and your kids may be taking a break this summer, but your account will not!
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 […]
By Ryan Betz
Associate Director of Marketing & Communications with Washington State’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program
June 1, 2015
Fifteen 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.
Betty Lochner
CSPN Chair and Director of Washington’s GET Program
May 20, 2015
Michelangelo 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.
A Mother’s Day Reflection
Patricia Roberts
Managing Director, AllianceBernstein L.P. and
Chair, College Savings Plans Network Corporate Affiliates
May 8, 2015
As 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.
Lucas Minor
GET Marketing & Communications Manager
May 4, 2015
I 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.
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: