By David Lawhorn, Program Administrator
Kentucky Education Savings Plan Trust (KESPT)
Kentucky Affordable Prepaid Tuition (KAPT)
July 7, 2014
I have worked at a state agency for 14 years administering our state’s 529 college savings plan, and this is a question I get all the time: Why should I save for college? I usually try to answer this basic question by pointing out the below reasons on why it’s important to save for college:
By Luke Minor, Marketing & Communications Manager
Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program
June 30, 2014
As much as those of us in the 529 world wish otherwise, starting a college savings plan is not always an easy decision for families to make. The benefits of saving for college may seem obvious, and most of us know that we “should be doing it,” but connecting these thoughts to action is not always easy. To help provide a little encouragement, we’ve planned a little pep talk to help you take your college savings game to the next level. To guide our discussion, we’ll look at a few inspirational quotes from some of the most outstanding leaders in sports history. So, let’s get our game faces on and go win one for your kids!
By Stuart Ritter, CFP®
T. Rowe Price Senior Financial Planner
If you’re like 28% of American parents, you find yourself losing sleep over the thought of saving for college. This is according to a recent survey we at T. Rowe Price conducted that aimed to understand the basic financial knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of parents and their kids ages eight to 14.
By Kathleen McGrath
Director, PA 529 College Savings Program
June 9, 2014
My “baby” just graduated from college. The last of three. It is bittersweet. Bitter in that she is all grown-up – I can’t deny it anymore. Sweet, in that there are no more college bills to pay!
By Robin Lott
Executive Director, Michigan Education Trust
June 2, 2014
Summer is finally here and it’s graduation time once again! Families are busy preparing to honor students and to celebrate many facets of milestone graduates. Pre-school children are being recognized for graduating to kindergarten. Elementary and middle school students are graduating to the next level and high school seniors are on their way to college. Many families are also thinking, “Wow, where did the time go?” Now is a good time to conduct a mid-year review of your college savings strategy. Gifts into your 529 prepaid or investment plan can further reduce future college debt.
By Ryan Betz
Associate Director of Marketing & Communications
Washington Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program
May 19, 2014
I return from an incredible week in Orlando attending the National Association of State Treasurers’ Treasury Management Training Symposium totally inspired by the talented professionals that lead our industry in helping American families save for their children’s college education. This event reminded me of the magnitude of our responsibility and opportunity to have a life-changing impact on millions of families for generations to come.
By Joan Marshall, executive director, College Savings Plans of Maryland
April 4, 2014
I’m excited about a new bill that was introduced last week in the House of Representatives (HR 4333) because it is designed to help those who are currently investing in 529 plans and encourage even more families to save for college with these great tax-advantaged, convenient and affordable plans. The main enhancements this bill would provide for college savers include:
By Paul Paeglis Executive Director, Ohio Tuition Trust Authority March 31, 2014 According to a recent survey by the financial services firm Edward Jones, only 8% of respondents said they […]
By Betty Lochner, Chair, College Savings Plans Network March 11, 2014 Today, the College Savings Plans Network published its 2013 Year-End 529 Report, which features aggregated data from the 103 savings […]
By Sheila Salehian
Senior Deputy Treasurer, Office of
Nevada State Treasurer
Kate Marshall
March 3, 2014
Contributing to a prepaid tuition plan and a traditional 529 college savings plan simultaneously….really?
If you’re like most parents, the thought of paying for your children’s college education sends you to the mall shopping for gourmet chocolates or other ‘comfort food’. You’re not alone. According to a recent survey, only 50% of families with children under the age of 18 have actually started to save for their children’s higher education needs.* However, these families have realized that even if they cannot save for the entirety of their child’s college education cost, they are still better off borrowing less… essentially ‘paying themselves’ with tax free interest earnings when paying for qualified higher education expenses. Paying significantly more in the future for what you can’t afford to pay for today is a scary feeling.
January 28, 2014
Recently, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama issued a call to action, requesting colleges and universities, foundations, businesses, non-profits, government officials, other leaders and individuals to make commitments to help assure that college becomes a reality for more young people. The objective is to help an increased number of students afford college and graduate with the skills they need to succeed. The call to action along with some of the commitments made in response to it can be viewed here:
By: Betty Lochner, Director of Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program & CSPN Chair
January 20, 2014
With the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday upon us, I have been thinking about what it means to be a passionate leader and what an important role education plays in influencing our growth as individuals and a society. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”