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Compare 529 Plans by Features
Plan
Enrollment period
Are program benefits backed by the full faith and credit of the state?
Are program benefits collateralized or guaranteed in any other way?
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No, but principal and interest are FDIC-insured up to $100,000 per depositor
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No
Yes, Investments in Stable Value Plus are protected with a guarantee to the program by the Travelers Insurance Company.
Florida
Prepaid Plan Open Enrollment is from February 1 -- April 30. With a 529 Prepaid Plan for every budget, you can lock in the future cost of tuition and most fees for less. Plans can be used in-state or out, work great with scholarships and financial aid, and you can cancel anytime for a full refund.
Open Enrollment: February 1st through April 30th.
Yes
No
College Illinois! has a defined enrollment period. Program enrollment for 2023-24 is currently on hold pending continuing discussions with policymakers to help define proposals that will strengthen College Illinois! and efforts to move those proposals forward in the legislative process.
No
College Illinois! funds are backed by the moral obligation of the state, which requires the Governor to request state funding from the General Assembly in any year the program lacks sufficient funds to pay its contractual obligations.
Closed to new enrollments as of June 1, 2023
No
Yes, the legislature is required to consider, but not necessarily approve, an appropriation to cover any shortfall, repayable within two years.
Michigan
The Enrollment Period to purchase MET contracts is December 1, 2021 - September 30, 2022.
No
No
September 1 through May 31. Enrollment for newborns is open throughout the year.
Yes
No
NJBEST 529 College Savings Plan
New Jersey
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No, but the state has a "moral obligation" to ensure that no one loses money in the Division of Investment portfolios
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Open year-round
N/A, not a state-sponsored program. However, each participating institution makes a binding commitment to accept Tuition Certificates in payment of tuition and mandatory fees. Payments received by the program are pooled in a qualified trust fund with investments managed by Alta Trust Company.
Yes, Tuition Certificates are guaranteed by all member institutions for tuition and mandatory fees, as described above.
Pennsylvania 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan
Pennsylvania
Open year-round. Price change each year on September 1.
No
No
September 1 thru February 28 (July 31 for newborns.) First payment is due on the following May 1.
No
Under Texas law the public colleges in Texas must accept less than full tuition and fees if the fund's investment return fails to keep pace with tuition and fee increases.
Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET)
Washington
Nov 1 - May 31 Annually. Units can be purchased at the annual unit price through June 25 each year.
Yes
No
West Virginia
Closed to new enrollment.
No
Yes, a prepaid tuition escrow account exists to guarantee payment of prepaid tuition contracts; up to $1,000,000 annually is transferred to the escrow account from the state's unclaimed property fund if an unfunded liability exists in the program's trust fund.