By Kathleen McGrath
Director, PA 529 College Savings Program
June 9, 2014
My “baby” just graduated from college. The last of three. It is bittersweet. Bitter in that she is all grown-up – I can’t deny it anymore. Sweet, in that there are no more college bills to pay!
By Robin Lott
Executive Director, Michigan Education Trust
June 2, 2014
Summer is finally here and it’s graduation time once again! Families are busy preparing to honor students and to celebrate many facets of milestone graduates. Pre-school children are being recognized for graduating to kindergarten. Elementary and middle school students are graduating to the next level and high school seniors are on their way to college. Many families are also thinking, “Wow, where did the time go?” Now is a good time to conduct a mid-year review of your college savings strategy. Gifts into your 529 prepaid or investment plan can further reduce future college debt.
By Patricia Roberts
Managing Director, AllianceBernstein Investments
May 26, 2014
Thursday, May 29, marks 529 College Savings Day, a day to raise awareness about the value of planning ahead for college expenses with 529 plans. This year, 529 plans across the U.S. are celebrating 529 Day in a variety of informative and creative ways.
By Joan Marshall
Executive Director, College Savings Plans of MarylandMay 22, 2014
A couple of months ago in this space, we talked about the benefits of HR 4333, a relatively new bill in Congress that would add several new features to 529 plans to make them easier to use and more flexible, including expanding the number of investment changes from one to four times per year; adding computers as a qualified higher education expense, etc.
By Ryan Betz
Associate Director of Marketing & Communications
Washington Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program
May 19, 2014
I return from an incredible week in Orlando attending the National Association of State Treasurers’ Treasury Management Training Symposium totally inspired by the talented professionals that lead our industry in helping American families save for their children’s college education. This event reminded me of the magnitude of our responsibility and opportunity to have a life-changing impact on millions of families for generations to come.
By Patricia Roberts
Managing Director, AllianceBernstein
May 11, 2014
When I speak with adult children of all ages about the admiration they have for their mothers, the topic of education always seems to surface. I am regularly reminded of and inspired by the critical role women play in the educational pursuits of those they love.
At last week’s amazing CFED Children’s Savings Conference in Washington, D.C. in the opening plenary, Paula Sammons, program officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, spoke in an incredibly moving way of her mother. An immigrant from Japan finding herself divorced with three small children, Paula’s mom was determined to provide the best life she could for her family. Paula shared her discovery as a teen that her mother had been making weekly bank deposits of $1-2 a week for each of her children and thereby creating a small but valuable nest egg for college. She remarked, “I am so grateful to my mother for the incredible sacrifices and commitment she had to our future and our dreams all those years, and to all the other parents who are doing the same for their children, even when they have so little.” The nods of affirmation and the roaring applause Paula received from the hundreds of attendees was clearly not just for her, but for her mother as well, and the countless others like her around the globe and the children they inspire.
By Mary G. Morris,
CEO, Virginia529
May 5, 2014
After deciding on a 529 plan for their college savings, one of the first questions asked by many families is “savings plan or prepaid tuition plan?” (For a basic overview of the two, read “What is a 529 Plan?” on this website.) While savings programs are relatively straightforward, prepaid tuition programs suffer from many misconceptions, perpetuated by people who don’t fully understand their benefits.
The 13 prepaid tuition programs available in the U.S. offer customers a hedge against future tuition inflation that can’t be realized through savings programs.
By Lisa S. Cleveland
Director of Communications, National Association of State Treasurers
April 28, 2014
We’ve all heard the adage, “Unless you’re the lead dog, the scenery never changes.” Unfortunately, the United States may no longer claim to be the lead dog when it comes to the percentage of its population with a college degree.
By Ryan Betz, Associate Director of Marketing & Communications, Washington Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program
April 8, 2014
Since I was a young boy, I was told by my parents that college would be a part of my future. It was an opportunity my parents never had and they knew how important a college education was to my future success as a person and as a professional. At an early age, my parents began saving for my higher education and they told me about the funds that were set aside to help with tuition, books and other costs. I got a part time job in high school and the dollars I earned were also set aside to help pay for school.
By Joan Marshall, executive director, College Savings Plans of Maryland
April 4, 2014
I’m excited about a new bill that was introduced last week in the House of Representatives (HR 4333) because it is designed to help those who are currently investing in 529 plans and encourage even more families to save for college with these great tax-advantaged, convenient and affordable plans. The main enhancements this bill would provide for college savers include:
By Paul Paeglis Executive Director, Ohio Tuition Trust Authority March 31, 2014 According to a recent survey by the financial services firm Edward Jones, only 8% of respondents said they […]
By Betty Lochner, Chair of College Savings Plans Network
March 24, 2014
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.