COLLEGE SAVINGS 101
Joseph Hurley, Savingforcollege.com

Joe Hurley is founder of Savingforcollege.com, an independent source of information and education on 529 plans and other college savings topics. He is author of the books The Best Way to Save for College – A Complete Guide to 529 Plans and Savingforcollege.com's Family Guide to College Savings, and editor of 529 Pro Update, a bi-weekly newsletter for professionals.
Joe has had several articles published in professional journals, is frequently quoted by the popular press on the topic of 529 plans, and has appeared at hearings in Washington D.C. to present comments on the Treasury Department's proposed regulations under IRC section 529. He was one of nine individuals named by Financial Planning magazine as 2005's "Movers and Shakers."
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Top 529 College Savings Plans
One-year rankings are based on a plan's average investment returns over the last 12 months.
State | Plan Name | |
---|---|---|
1 | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania 529 Investment Plan |
2 | Louisiana | START Saving Program |
3 | Ohio | Ohio's 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage |
Three-year rankings are based on a plan's average annual investment returns over the last three years.
State | Plan Name | |
---|---|---|
1 | West Virginia | SMART529 WV Direct College Savings Plan |
2 | Ohio | Ohio's 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage |
3 | Delaware | Delaware College Investment Plan |
Five-year rankings are based on a plan's average annual investment returns over the last five years
State | Plan Name | |
---|---|---|
1 | Ohio | Ohio's 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage |
2 | New York | New York's 529 College Savings Program -- Direct Plan |
3 | South Carolina | Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan (Direct-sold) |
10-year rankings are based on a plan's average annual investment returns over the last ten years.
State | Plan Name | |
---|---|---|
1 | Ohio | Ohio's 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage |
2 | South Carolina | Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan (Direct-sold) |
3 | New York | New York's 529 College Savings Program -- Direct Plan |