By: South Carolina State Treasurer Curtis Loftis, Administrator of Future Scholar College Savings Plan January 19, 2021 All parents want their kids to grow up to be financially independent and able to afford the important things in life without getting buried under mountains of debt. You can set your child on the right path by teaching […]
By Michael Roberts, Principal, Head of Retail Marketing, The Vanguard Group January 12, 2021 I can speak from experience about assumptions because I lived with a powerful one right from the start. My parents both assumed that my siblings and I would go to college—no ifs or buts. Embedded in that assumption was an interesting […]
By Hon. Michael L. Fitzgerald, State Treasurer, State of Iowa January 5, 2021 Many people are ready to close the calendar on 2020 and focus on 2021, and I don’t blame them. To say 2020 has been a tough year may be an understatement, but the New Year gives us the opportunity to learn from […]
By Amanda Muir, Principal and head of Education Savings Group at Vanguard December 29, 2020 Vanguard recently released its economic forecast for 2021. In short, predictions trend upward with expectations for a gradual, yet perhaps uneven, recovery based largely on the success of the COVID-19 vaccines that are on the way. But as the head […]
By Jamie Dushin, Accounting Manager, Achieve Montana December 22, 2020 The holiday season might not seem like the right time to focus on your taxes. Actually, the end of the year is the perfect time to think about them; especially all the tax benefits that go along with opening and contributing to a 529 account […]
By Lori Mattson, Associate Program Analyst, ScholarShare Investment Board December 15, 2020 There is a certain perspective we have this time of year, maybe a bit more reflective, a bit more grateful, and even a bit more generous. The holidays bring out traditions for most of us, typically centered around gatherings and gifts. Even though […]
By Ashley Durham, Senior Writer, my529 December 2, 2020 This year, simplify holiday shopping for your family and friends by inviting them to contribute to your beneficiary’s 529 account. In the long term, a gift is an investment for your beneficiary’s future education and career. Even better, loved ones can contribute without leaving the […]
By Garianne Dashiell, former consultant, ScholarShare529 College Savings Program November 25, 2020 A commemorative Scarlett O’Hara edition Barbie®, the screeching animatronic gorilla from Sharper Image and a 34-volume edition of Encyclopædia Britannica are among the more memorable gifts my children received in their formative years. Now that they are grown, I am spared the heartbreak […]
By Patricia Roberts, Chief Operating Officer, Gift of College November 17, 2020 With year-end holidays in sight, the creation of shopping and wish lists will soon follow. Before heading into gifting mode, I’d love to pause for a moment to reflect on the unexpected gifts so many of us have already received during this trying year. […]
By Meredith Barnhart, Director of Integrated Communications, MEFA November 10, 2020 It’s Veterans Day, and in honor of those men and women who have served, we’re highlighting education benefits available to military veterans and their families. Opportunities range from financial assistance to counseling services to helpful videos, all provided to help military members and their families […]
By Troy Montigney, Vice President of Relationship Management, Ascensus Government Savings November 3, 2020 My family is living proof of the multigenerational potential of 529 college savings plans. As more and more plans around the country celebrate 25th and 30th anniversaries, I often find myself reflecting on the transformative nature of 529s This is […]
By Lauren Shipley, Product Owner, 529 Products at The Vanguard Group October 27, 2020 With Halloween approaching, it is fitting to talk about scary things and fears. For many people, big financial goals can be scary and hard to quantify, and the uncertainty can lead to taking no action. One specific scary topic, and a hard […]