By Cassandra Sherrill
Marketing Coordinator, Georgia’s Path2College 529 Plan
September 2, 2014
Time to kick-off your shoes, pop open a cool drink and enjoy the last days of that summer fun in the sun! That’s right – it is Labor Day! This landmark weekend not only marks back-to-school season but also the beginning of College Savings Month.
By Lisa Groen
Senior Writer, Utah Educational Savings Plan (UESP)
August 28, 2014
Andres, a junior at University of Nebraska Omaha, played soccer from the time he could walk, eventually earning his way onto a soccer club’s premier team. His father shuttled him to and from games around their home state of Utah, and to summer tournaments in California, Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada.
By Ryan Betz
Associate Director, Marketing & Communications
Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program
Aug. 18, 2014
Right now, thousands of recent high school graduates across our state are gearing up to leave for college in just a few short weeks. The questions that come with leaving for college can be a bit unnerving so I thought I would share some advice and tips for surviving the first year and making the most of your time on campus.
By Bonnie Carroll
Marketing Director, Education Trust of Alaska
August 11, 2014
What would you do if your newborn tried to make this deal with you? Would you be able to find the time and funds to open a college savings account? I’m pretty sure even the most cash poor, sleep deprived parent would manage to open a 529 account if it meant a good night’s sleep. Many parents post pone saving because they feel they can’t find the time and they don’t have the funds. But the truth is, it doesn’t take much of either to get started and infancy is the best time to begin.
By Joan Marshall
Executive Director, College Savings Plans of Maryland
August 4, 2014
In running two 529 plans for our state, this time of year is always busy, yet rewarding, as we help thousands of account holders pay for qualified expenses on their beneficiaries’ college bills for the fall semester. In our office, we directly manage our 529 prepaid tuition program, so I really enjoy seeing the checks that we produce on a daily basis for thousands of students who are getting ready for college life in Maryland or across the country, many of them for the first time.
This spring, we talked to hundreds of college-bound seniors and their families about getting ready to pay for college. So many families have found that they didn’t receive as much financial aid as they had been hoping for, and many are now wishing that they had started saving sooner and saved more. And many of those families who do have savings set aside are uncertain about how and when to use their savings for college costs.
By Terry Crockett
Marketing Analyst, Virginia529 College Savings Plan
July 28, 2014
Finding the right college savings plan can often be tricky. Does your state offer tax advantages to residents? What about a prepaid tuition plan? We won’t even get started on advisor sold plans vs. direct sold plans. Let’s face it–the average consumer just doesn’t have the industry knowledge to make a well informed decision when opening a 529 account.
By Patricia Roberts, Managing Director
AllianceBernstein L.P.
July 21, 2014
The welcomed and relaxed pace of summer provides a unique opportunity for us to catch our breath and address issues (big and small) that have been pushed to the side during the hustle and bustle of the school year. Even more importantly, with a bit less on our collective plates, the summer season also presents the opportunity to connect in meaningful ways with our families and particularly, with the children in our lives.
By Dan Payne, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program
July 14, 2014
Summer’s finally here, and today in the northwest, it actually feels like it. As I’m writing, the forecast for the day is a scorching 92 degrees… in Washington State! With more than a handful of beautiful days behind us already, this summer seems to be shaping up nicely.
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: