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Kentucky Education Savings Plan Trust
Kentucky
Similar to other TIAA-managed 529 savings programs, this one features an age-based option, two 100% equity options, a balanced option, a fixed income option, and a guaranteed option.
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General
Did you know?
Residents are not limited to investing in their own State's plan. Another state may offer a plan that performs better and has lower fees. If there is no tax break offered for in-state investors... shop around!
Also, the plan chosen does not affect which state the student enrolls in. An investor can live in NY, invest in a plan from NV and send a student to college in FL.
Program type:
Savings
How to enroll:
Enroll directly with the program.
Initial year of operation:
1990
State agency(ies):
Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority
Program manager:
TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc.
Program distributor:
TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC
Manager contract term:
Premium subscription required for this data.
Eligibility
State residency requirements:
None
Who can be a participant/owner in the program?
U.S. citizens and resident aliens at least 18 years old, UGMA/UTMA custodians, and legal entities
Significant time or age restrictions imposed by the program:
None
Contributions
Maximum contributions:
Accepts contributions until all account balances in Kentucky's 529 plans for the same beneficiary reach $235,000.
Minimum contributions:
$25, or $15 per pay period via payroll deduction
Investment Options
Age-based investment options:
The Managed Allocation Option contains six portfolios of underlying mutual funds. Contributions are placed into the portfolio corresponding to the beneficiary’s age and later reassigned to more conservative portfolios as the beneficiary approaches college age.
Static investment options:
Two 100% equity options (one using actively managed funds and the other using mostly index funds), a balanced option, a fixed income option, and the Guaranteed Option
Underlying investments:
TIAA-CREF institutional mutual funds; the Guaranteed Option is invested in a funding agreement with TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company that guarantees principal and, until January 2010, a minimum 3% annual rate of interest (actual rate is declared annually).
Underlying fund allocations:
Premium subscription required for this data.
Investment performance link:
Premium subscription required for this data.
Portfolio Fees & Performance Lookup
Premium subscription required for this data.
Fees & Expenses
Enrollment or application fee:
None
Account maintenance fee:
None
Program management fees:
0.65% manager fee for the Managed Allocation option includes underlying fund expenses; 0.47% manager fee for the Equity Index, Balanced, and Fixed Income options, and 0.37% fee for the Active Equity Option, do not include underlying fund expenses. No fee for the Guaranteed Option.
Expenses of the underlying investments:
Managed Allocation Option: included in the program management fee.
100% equity options: 0.11% - 0.54%
Balanced Option: 0.27%
Fixed Income Option: 0.19%
Total asset-based expense ratio:
0.58% - 0.91%; none for Guaranteed Option
Taxes and other Benefits
Program match on contributions:
None
State tax deduction or credit for contributions:
None
State tax treatment of qualified distributions:
Kentucky law exempts qualified distributions from a Kentucky 529 plan (via specific exclusion) and from non-Kentucky 529 plans (via conformity to the federal tax exclusion).
State tax treatment of rollovers:
Kentucky follows federal tax-free treatment.
Does the sponsoring state exclude the value of an account for state financial aid purposes?
Yes
Does participation in the program provide beneficiaries with any advantages in qualifying for resident tuition status at state institutions?
Yes, beneficiaries with eight years of program participation and $2,400 in total contributions who move out-of-state remain eligible for resident tuition rates at Kentucky public institutions
Does the program have a formal agreement with a rewards program or outside scholarship program?
No
Statutory protection of an account from creditors:
Premium subscription required for this data.
Distributions & Terminations
To whom are distributions made payable:
Eligible educational institution or account owner, as directed by the account owner.
Account Changes
Policy regarding participant/owner changes:
Accepts requests to transfer account ownership.
Documents, Access & Reporting
Does participant have online password-protected access to account?
Yes
Can the complete enrollment process including funding be done online?
Yes
Documents and other services accessible or downloadable on the program's public Web site:
Premium subscription required for this data.
Contact
Telephone:
1-877-598-7878
Web site:
Plan News
- Kentucky 529 reduces fees, adds new option (11/17/2009)
- Kentucky 529 to stay with TIAA-CREF (05/26/2009)
- Kentucky to change fee structure, add options (08/19/2008)
- Kentucky 529 adds FutureTrust rewards program (04/24/2006)
- Kentucky removes 1% penalty on non-qualified withdrawals (01/09/2004)
State News
- Kentucky issues RFP for 529 program manager (01/20/2009)
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