Section 529 College Savings Plans, Comparisons & Resources

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MY STATE'S 529 PLAN

Go directly to your state's 529 plan by clicking on the name below. Always consider your home state 529 plan as it may offer tax benefits or other attractive features specifically for state residents.

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RESOURCES
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529 RESOURCES

Why Save for College?
What is a 529 Plan?
Common 529 Questions
529 Plan Advantages
College Cost Calculator

Compare 529s by Feature
Compare 529s by State

COLLEGE SAVING NEWS

Get a 529 Plan Boost From Your State
Those who contribute to 529 college savings plans can take advantage of matching grants.
Tax-Savvy Ways to Tap Your 529 Plan for College
Planning to use money in a 529 college savings plan, consider tax and financial aid issues before taking a 529 withdrawal.
4 Steps for Choosing Age-Based 529 Plans
Some college savings accounts adjust allocations based on the age of the child who will use the money.

529 MEDIA RESOURCES

2012 Mid-Year Report Release
Total investment by American families in 529 plans has reached a record level of $179.02 billion.
2012 Mid-Year 529 Report
2012 Mid-Year 529 Report Infographic

More 529 Media Resources

5 Things You May Not Know About Prepaid Tuition Plans

(Part 2 in a blog series focusing on prepaid tuition plans)

By Betty Lochner
Director, Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET)

October 15, 2012

Last week, we introduced you to Prepaid Tuition Plans and gave you some Fun Prepaid Facts. For the next two weeks, we’ll take a closer look at some unique feature of prepaid plans. If your state offers a prepaid tuition plan*, make sure you check out the special features that are offered. If you consider an analogy to retirement plans, Prepaid plans are designed to be a “defined benefit”, as opposed to 529 savings or investment plans which are more like “defined contribution” plans. The defined benefit of a Prepaid plan (which varies by state) may prove to be better or worse than a similar investment in a 529 savings plan, depending upon investment performance and tuition increases during that time.

With a Prepaid tuition plan, you generally know ahead of time what your payout value will be, rather than worrying about the ups and downs of investment markets.

Many states offer an income tax deduction or credit based on your contributions into a 529 plan. View All

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