CSPN News

  • Give the Gift of Education

    Buffy Kuiper,
    Senior Program Specialist
    Education Trust of Alaska 

    The holidays are fast approaching and the town is hustling and bustling with people frantically trying to find the best gifts and deals. With all the “this deal’s for you” noise, how can college savings plans across the country promote the idea of making a gift to a loved one’s college savings account?

    Do all of our friends have college savings plans? Sadly, most don’t. Would the promise of a contribution incentivize a family to open an account? Maybe, maybe not. Is this what parents want and prefer? How can one incorporate the idea of making a child’s college dream a reality this holiday season? It’s not about the amount; it’s about taking action and setting an expectation while changing the mindset from “if” to “when I go to college…” Who wouldn’t want a child to have a bright future?

  • The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

    By Sandra Houston
    Director of College Illinois! Prepaid Tuition Program
    December 1, 2014

    My family and I have created special holiday traditions and memories that will last a lifetime. One of my favorite traditions is working on crafts with the children in the family. I still treasure the lopsided snowflakes, tissue paper wreaths and handmade gifts. Amidst the glitter, glue, crayons and giggles, wonderful memories were made. Although my nephew is now in graduate school, the Christmas ornament he made when he was seven years old is still proudly displayed on our Christmas tree each year –much to my nephew’s embarrassment.

  • Thanksgiving: A Great Time to Recognize the Education Pilgrims in Our Lives!

    By Ryan Betz
    Associate Director of Marketing & Communications
    Washington’s GET Program
    Nov. 24, 2014

    Ryan Betz
    Ryan Betz, left, with his father.

    On May 9, 1998, I was the first person in my family to graduate from college. This was not a fluke, it was an intentional goal set by my parents the day I was born. Neither my mom nor my dad had the opportunity to pursue a degree.

    My mom is a self-taught computer programmer who became independent at the age of 16 and worked full-time while finishing high school. My dad is the son of a farmer from Iowa who was captured while building runways in Japan during WWII. He was held as a prisoner of war for close to six years. Because my grandfather’s health was not the best after the war, my dad also worked through high school to support his family and when he graduated, college was not an option.

  • Prepaid Conference Hits the Jackpot!

    By Betsy Hagen
    Associate Director for GET Operations
    Nov. 20, 2014
    Betty Lochner, center, with CSPN Prepaid Co-chairs, Sheila Salehian, left, and Robin Lott, right, at the Prepaid conference.
    I just got back from Vegas and the best part is that the old adage, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” doesn’t apply to this situation. I’m excited to tell you all about the very first Prepaid Tuition Conference!

  • Inspiration and Education as Holiday Gifts: Why Not?

    By Patricia Roberts
    Managing Director
    AllianceBernstein Investments
    Nov. 17, 2014

    College Board

    I recently returned inspired in so many ways from the College Board 2014 Forum.  I was particularly moved by the FirstGen Student Panel moderated by John Quiñones of ABC News. Like John, these amazing students were the first in their families to attend college. They spoke of their challenging and courageous journeys to and through higher education and the positive impact college is having on them and on those whose lives they touch. The combination of John’s own powerful story and theirs presented a valuable reminder of the vital role that education plays in opening doors and the many rewards that perseverance brings.

  • Veterans Day: The Everyday Hero

    Veterans Day

    By Mary Anne Busse
    Managing Director, Great Disclosure LLC
    Nov. 11, 2014

    With the celebration of Veterans Day this November 11, I think of the countless thousands who fought and died for our freedom – from the bloody battles of the Revolutionary War and the Civil War to the War on Terror today, one thing remains the same – the unwavering courage and strength of those who fought bravely and selflessly for the freedom of so many.

  • Prepare for the Inaugural CSPN 529 Prepaid Conference

    By Paul Curley, CFA
    Director of College Savings Research, Strategic Insight
    November 10, 2014

    On November 14, the inaugural CSPN Prepaid Tuition Conference 2014 will be held at the Innevation Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Leveraging the technology within the space, Live Stream of the event will also be available.

  • Who You Gonna Call? 529 Myth Busters

    By Ashley Murdie
    Communications and Financial Literacy Director
    Kansas State Treasurer’s Office
    October 27, 2014

    Halloween is just around the corner, and while the fear of things that creep and crawl through the night may spook others, it’s 529 myths that truly have me worried. All too often, I’ve heard the same myths regarding 529 plans used as reasons by parents for not opening an account.

    It costs too much to start a 529 account.

    My child will have to attend an in-state school.

    I’ll lose the money if my child doesn’t go to college

    Knowing that these 529 myths and others still continue to deter families from using such a valuable resource is alarming, which is why I’ve made it a personal goal of mine to squash these pesky things. I’ve compiled a list of menacing myths below that I plan to debunk in hopes that parents no longer fear the use of 529 accounts in their efforts to save for their child’s education.

  • Lower Prices: Florida Prepaid Plan

    By Kevin Thompson
    Executive Director, Florida Prepaid College Board
    October 20, 2014

    Pumpkins

    Halloween is looming, and families across the country are investing in new costumes for their young superheroes, princesses and vampires. As scary as the tab for those Halloween costumes and trick-or-treat candy can be, it’s not nearly as jarring as the price tag might be on their college education.

  • Fall: A Season of Change

    By Jodi Golden
    Executive Director, Indiana Education Savings Authority<
    October 13, 2014

    Couple in the Fall

    As many families across the country are entering their children’s fall break from school, it’s a great time to reflect on the first few weeks of school. While you’re enjoying the leaf piles and making s’mores around the campfire, take time to ask your kids about areas in school they are enjoying, subjects they may need an extra boost in, and the goals they have set for themselves when they return.

  • Take the Scare Out of Paying For College: Saving vs. Borrowing Can Have a Fiendish Impact!

    By Lauren Shipley
    Public relations and marketing manager, College Savings Plans of Maryland
    October 6, 2014

    Pumpkins
    I hear one frightening theme as I travel in October: “I have been meaning to start a 529 plan for a while.”  I believe many families understand the need to save for college, but often misunderstand the true benefit of saving.

    It may sound bewitching, but each family has the power to cut their child’s future college costs in half. The power lies in saving now versus borrowing later.  To cover $25,000 in college costs, a family could put away $92 a month into a 529 plan for 15 years—a total investment of $17,000.

    1. A family choosing to borrow the $25,000 instead would have to repay roughly $35,000 (or approximately $300 a month over the next ten years)

    2. Their total debt would be double the amount spent by the family who saved. Ghoulish, right?!

  • And That’s a Wrap to College Savings Month!

    By Betty Lochner
    Chair of the College Savings Plans Network and director of Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program
    September 25, 2014
    Charlie Davenport

    Well it’s been another eventful and all-together successful College Savings Month!

    In case you missed it, throughout the month of September, eight-year-old CSPN correspondent Charlie Davenport was busy investigating the inner-workings of the 529 world in a four-part series titled “College Savings Uncovered.”