Author Archives

  • National Association of State Treasurers Conference Provides Opportunity to Celebrate & Advocate

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    By Betty Lochner
    Chair of the College Savings Plans Network and Director of Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) Program
    April 1, 2015

    I read a blog recently that said the world is changed by your example, not by your opinion. This quote epitomizes my last week where I joined CSPN affiliate and state members in Washington D.C. for the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST) legislative conference.

    This year there were two sessions at the conference entirely devoted to 529 college savings plans. The first session included a panel of key congressional aids that have been involved in legislation surrounding enhancements to 529 plans, including the new ABLE legislation.

  • Make your tax refund work for you this year

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    By: Hon. Michael L. Fitzgerald
    State Treasurer, State of Iowa
    March 30, 2015

    When it comes to our children, we all want the best for them and their futures. Watching them grow and develop, we observe them exploring with their imaginations and discovering the endless possibilities for success in life. Graduating with a college degree is a huge achievement, and one way to help set them up for that success is to save for their higher education. However, much like the April 15 deadline for taxes, the time to start saving for your children’s college education is over before you know it, which is why I encourage you to take your 2014 refund and invest it in your children’s future.

  • Reaching your dreams takes a lot more than a little bit ‘o luck

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    Lucas Minor
    GET Marketing & Communications Manager
    March 16, 2015

    CSPN_Luck_Quote 3.12.15

    Many symbols associated with St. Patrick’s Day signify luck. Shamrocks, horseshoes and the color green are often revered as tokens that promise bounties of good fortune. However, while there definitely are times where the cards seem to be more in our favor than usual, good fortune typically takes more than luck alone. In fact, the things we attribute to luck are usually direct results of the efforts we make. As Thomas Jefferson is credited with saying, “I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”

  • I’m Not Worried About Paying for College; My Child’s Going to Get a Scholarship

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    Jim Peterson
    Marketing Manager, Michigan Education Trust (MET)
    March 9, 2015

    During the course of any conversation I have concerning saving for college with a 529 plan, parents will inevitably ask, “What happens if my son/daughter gets a scholarship?” I understand the question; it’s a valid one. Parents are considering investing their hard-earned money and they’re looking at all the possible outcomes that may affect their investment. Those are important questions to ask.

    But, if you’re a parent that’s putting off saving for your child’s education because you believe your child will attend college on an athletic scholarship, let me share a word of caution – the thousands of dollars you spend in supporting your student athlete will, most likely, not translate into college dollars.

  • Statement from College Savings Plans Network on Passage of H.R. 529

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    WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 25, 2015) – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 529, legislation introduced by Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) and Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI) that would 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.

  • Join Us in Asking Congress to Pass H.R. 529

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    Betty Lochner
    Chair of the College Savings Plans Network and Director of Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) Program
    February 19, 2015

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    This is a very exciting time in the College Savings world as legislation to enhance 529 savings plans has legs in Congress. In fact, H.R. 529 will likely be taken up for vote in the U.S. House of Representatives sometime next week and we want to do everything in our power to ensure that it is passed. We have mobilized our members representing 49 states with 529 Savings Plans to advocate with their Representatives to pass this proposed legislation.

  • Presidents’ Day Reflections

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    Lucas Minor
    GET Marketing & Communications Manager
    February 16, 2015

    GeorgeWA-Quote 2.16.15

    Whenever Presidents’ Day rolls around, it rekindles many fond memories from U.S. history classes in elementary and high school. Iconic events come to mind such as George Washington crossing the Delaware, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the framing of the Constitution and President Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address. I was always awed by these great leaders, and the impacts they made, not only in creating, growing and preserving a young nation, but in setting a precedent that representative democracies do work and can thrive. However, as I reflect on these larger-than-life images that many of us hold of our forefathers, I try to remember that despite all of the reverence we project onto them, many saw themselves simply as stewards of democracy and the public’s will.

    To that end, our nation’s leaders have (generally) fought to preserve the foundations of the Constitution and made policy decisions intended to serve the best interest of the people. While our 44 Presidents have certainly held widely varying views on the best approaches to this noble purpose, something most could agree on is the importance of education. It’s hard to disagree with the idea that the dissemination of knowledge is the cornerstone for a thriving economy, an increasingly just political system, and the overall advancement of society.

  • Legislation to Enhance 529 College Savings Plans

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    Betty Lochner
    Chair of the College Savings Plans Network (CSPN) and Director of Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) Program
    February 4, 2015
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    Last week Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) and Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI) introduced H.R.529, legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would make 529 plans more flexible and remove some of the obstacles participants face while saving for college.