Author Archives

  • Saving for College is Easier than Diet & Exercise

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    Betty Lochner
    Chair of the College Savings Plans Network and Director of Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program

    January 5, 2015

    The new-year is upon us and that means many of us have set resolutions like finding time to exercise more, eat well or accomplish a long-established goal.

    While I see the merit in making resolutions, I’ve never been one to make too many of them. There is one life-changing resolution I did make 15 years ago when I was hired as the Director of the GET program. Believe it or not, my husband and I had not started saving for our children’s college education and I knew if we did not start now we were never going to make it happen. We started small and kept adding to the effort over the years and I am proud to say that both of my kids graduated debt-free! My son recently completed his MBA at the University of Washington and is now a project manager at Microsoft and my daughter followed in her father’s footsteps and is a first grade teacher.

  • This holiday, I wish you Peace

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    LaKesha Page
    Director of College Savings, TNStars College Savings 529 Program
    State of Tennessee Treasury Department
    December 22, 2014

    While the holiday season adds to my already full to-do list, the festivities of the holiday are truly enhancements to my family’s busy lives filled with work, school, extra- curricular activities, club meetings, church and social affairs.

  • ABLE Act Heads to President for Approval and Signature into Law

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    Betty Lochner
    Chair of the College Savings Plans Network & Director of Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) Program.
    December 18, 2014<

    The US Senate has passed the ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) Act of 2014 after this same legislation recently advanced through the US House of Representatives ( see Wall Street Journal article).  Now the legislation goes to the President for his approval and is expected to be signed into law before the end of 2014. If written into law, the changes become effective for investors in 2015.

    ABLE is proposed federal legislation that would allow families and individuals to save through a Federal tax-advantaged account for future qualified expenses associated with the care of a person with a disability.  Qualified expenses are those related to the individual’s disability, including health, education, housing, transportation, training, assistive technology, and personal support.

  • Give the Gift of Education

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    Buffy Kuiper,
    Senior Program Specialist
    Education Trust of Alaska 

    The holidays are fast approaching and the town is hustling and bustling with people frantically trying to find the best gifts and deals. With all the “this deal’s for you” noise, how can college savings plans across the country promote the idea of making a gift to a loved one’s college savings account?

    Do all of our friends have college savings plans? Sadly, most don’t. Would the promise of a contribution incentivize a family to open an account? Maybe, maybe not. Is this what parents want and prefer? How can one incorporate the idea of making a child’s college dream a reality this holiday season? It’s not about the amount; it’s about taking action and setting an expectation while changing the mindset from “if” to “when I go to college…” Who wouldn’t want a child to have a bright future?

  • The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

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    By Sandra Houston
    Director of College Illinois! Prepaid Tuition Program
    December 1, 2014

    My family and I have created special holiday traditions and memories that will last a lifetime. One of my favorite traditions is working on crafts with the children in the family. I still treasure the lopsided snowflakes, tissue paper wreaths and handmade gifts. Amidst the glitter, glue, crayons and giggles, wonderful memories were made. Although my nephew is now in graduate school, the Christmas ornament he made when he was seven years old is still proudly displayed on our Christmas tree each year –much to my nephew’s embarrassment.

  • Thanksgiving: A Great Time to Recognize the Education Pilgrims in Our Lives!

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    By Ryan Betz
    Associate Director of Marketing & Communications
    Washington’s GET Program
    Nov. 24, 2014

    Ryan Betz
    Ryan Betz, left, with his father.

    On May 9, 1998, I was the first person in my family to graduate from college. This was not a fluke, it was an intentional goal set by my parents the day I was born. Neither my mom nor my dad had the opportunity to pursue a degree.

    My mom is a self-taught computer programmer who became independent at the age of 16 and worked full-time while finishing high school. My dad is the son of a farmer from Iowa who was captured while building runways in Japan during WWII. He was held as a prisoner of war for close to six years. Because my grandfather’s health was not the best after the war, my dad also worked through high school to support his family and when he graduated, college was not an option.

  • Prepaid Conference Hits the Jackpot!

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    By Betsy Hagen
    Associate Director for GET Operations
    Nov. 20, 2014
    Betty Lochner, center, with CSPN Prepaid Co-chairs, Sheila Salehian, left, and Robin Lott, right, at the Prepaid conference.
    I just got back from Vegas and the best part is that the old adage, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” doesn’t apply to this situation. I’m excited to tell you all about the very first Prepaid Tuition Conference!

  • Inspiration and Education as Holiday Gifts: Why Not?

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    By Patricia Roberts
    Managing Director
    AllianceBernstein Investments
    Nov. 17, 2014

    College Board

    I recently returned inspired in so many ways from the College Board 2014 Forum.  I was particularly moved by the FirstGen Student Panel moderated by John Quiñones of ABC News. Like John, these amazing students were the first in their families to attend college. They spoke of their challenging and courageous journeys to and through higher education and the positive impact college is having on them and on those whose lives they touch. The combination of John’s own powerful story and theirs presented a valuable reminder of the vital role that education plays in opening doors and the many rewards that perseverance brings.

  • Veterans Day: The Everyday Hero

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    Veterans Day

    By Mary Anne Busse
    Managing Director, Great Disclosure LLC
    Nov. 11, 2014

    With the celebration of Veterans Day this November 11, I think of the countless thousands who fought and died for our freedom – from the bloody battles of the Revolutionary War and the Civil War to the War on Terror today, one thing remains the same – the unwavering courage and strength of those who fought bravely and selflessly for the freedom of so many.