March 2014

Monthly Archives

  • Financial Literacy & Consumer Focused Legislation Highlight Treasurers’ Conference

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    By Betty Lochner, Chair of College Savings Plans Network
    March 24, 2014

    Capitol in the springtime

    There are two things I really enjoy in life. One is visiting our nation’s capital. The other is watching Saturday Night Live. For years, I have been a lucky person because it seems like these two things always seem to find each other in funny satire political skits. Whether it’s Will Ferrell impersonating President George W. Bush or Jay Pharoah taking on the persona of President Barack Obama, you never have to look too hard to find humor in American politics.

  • Create Your Own Pot O’ Gold this St. Patrick’s Day

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    By Iowa State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald
    March 17, 2014

    Fitzgerald and Grandson

    As State Treasurer of Iowa and administrator of College Savings Iowa, I frequently have the opportunity to talk to grandparents about saving for their grandchildren’s future education costs. As a grandparent, you want to help prepare the next generation to succeed. One way to accomplish this is to start saving for those future costs. Since I am still in my first year as a grandparent, this has never been more of a reality as it is now.

  • Saving for College — Two Plans are Better Than One!

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    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?

    collegemoney

    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.