CSPN News

  • Reducing Your Out of Pocket College Costs

    By Steve Dombrower, CFA
    Vice President, College Savings Plans
    OppenheimerFunds, Inc., Program Manager for Numerous 529 Plans
    March 7, 2013

    In my January 4th posting titled “You Can Afford College”, I talked about how with a little knowledge, planning, and the right tools, paying for college can be within reach. Specifically, we explored how savings is only one of several sources of funding you will use when the time comes to send your loved one off to college. In this entry, we will discuss how saving today can potentially reduce your overall out of pocket college costs.

  • Put Your Refund to Good Use this Spring

    By Hon. Michael L. Fitzgerald
    State Treasurer, State of Iowa
    March 1, 2013

    Still trying to figure out the best way to spend your tax refund this year? Instead of splurging it on something that will be gone before you know it, why not invest it in something that will last a lifetime, such as a loved one’s 529 college savings account. While their college years may seem a long ways off for some, the time to save for those higher education expenses is now. By starting early, saving a little at a time and making smart investment choices, families can make their 529 plans work for them and get the most out of these precious years.

  • Time is Money

    By Lauren Shipley
    Public Relations and Marketing Manager College Savings Plans of Maryland
    February 20, 2013

    That age old saying, “time is money,” really is true—especially when it comes to saving for college. The projected costs of tuition can be shocking; but while some figures may seem unattainable, every dollar saved today could be a dollar less borrowed later. Each family has its own unique situations and goals when it comes to saving for a child’s future college education. Each State has a 529 plan that can help, regardless of how little or how much you can afford. Many offer initial monthly contribution amounts around $25 – for many families that is just one less pizza night a month.

  • Valentine’s Day is the single busiest day for florists.

    By Betty Lochner
    Director, Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET)
    February 12, 2013

    valentine

    What if it were the single busiest day for 529 plans nationwide? What an amazing statement that would make. 529 plans make it so easy to share. While most plans are opened by parents, all it takes for grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends to contribute to an existing account is the child’s name and account number.

  • CSPN Executive Board

    January 11, 2013
    In case you ever wondered about the leadership behind the College Savings Plans Network, here’s your opportunity to see who they are and how long they have served.The CSPN Executive Board meets monthly to conduct business on behalf of the membership.

  • You Can Afford College!!

    By Steve Dombrower, CFA<
    Vice President, College Savings Plans
    OppenheimerFunds, Inc., Program Manager for Numerous 529 Plans
    January 4, 2013

    I’ll bet “You Can Afford College” is something you don’t hear very often. More likely than not what you’ve heard about paying for your child’s higher education includes things like continuously rising tuition inflation and adjectives like astronomical or impossible. Perhaps you’ve seen or have been presented with six figure numbers in terms of what you need to save making you feel like you just won’t be able to get there.

  • Give the Gift of College this Holiday Season:

    By Hon. Michael L. Fitzgerald
    State Treasurer, State of Iowa
    December 30, 2012

    The New Year is just around the corner, which means it is a great time to start thinking about saving for your child’s future education. Rather than having friends and family purchase toys that will soon be forgotten or broken, invite them to give one of the most meaningful gifts a child may ever receive – help toward paying for a college education.

  • Thoughts on Participation in 529 Plans

    By Mary Morris
    Virginia529
    December 18, 2012

    Last week, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report about participation in 529 plans across the country. We appreciate the focus on 529 plans and attempts by the GAO to understand the industry by talking to 529 sponsors and partners. The Report contains some interesting findings and food for thought. But, there also are data points in the Report that merit additional context and attention.

  • Holiday Savings?

    By Mary Anne Busse
    Managing Director, Great Disclosure LLC
    December 7, 2012

    During this season of spend, spend, spend, why don’t you focus on a crazy alternative – save, save, save? I know this is advice I could benefit from. Sometimes the focus on my daughter this time of year turns to obsession and I feel like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Jingle All the Way, desperate to get this year’s hottest toy. My 4 year old changes her letter to Santa every day. So, why do I race from store to store to get that thing she says she desperately needs when she’ll forget about it tomorrow?

  • THE STATE OF FINANCIAL AID

    (Part 2 in a Series on the College Board’s 2012 Trends in College Pricing & Trends in Student Aid)
    By Joan Marshall
    Executive Director, College Savings Plans of Maryland
    November 9, 2012

    I am often asked by parents about whether their college savings will reduce their children’s future financial aid. My initial response is that – with student loan debt today surpassing credit card debt – it is generally in a family’s best interests to save whatever amount they can afford for college in order to reduce or maybe even eliminate the need to take on burdensome levels of future student loan debt.

  • Trends in College Pricing

    (Part 1 in a Series on the College Board’s 2012)
    By Mary Anne Busse
    Managing Director, Great Disclosure LLC
    November 2, 2012

    The College Board recently came out with its 2012 Trends in College Pricing and it’s chock full of great information – some good news and some not so good news. According to the report, published prices for tuition and fees at public four-year colleges and universities increased 4.8%, the smallest since 2000‑01. For prospective college students, that’s great news! Unfortunately, the report also found that “the growth in published prices at public four-year institutions has been higher over the past decade (averaging 5.2% per year beyond inflation) than over either of the two preceding decades.”1