The team of Ascensus College Savings and The Vanguard Group manages the Arkansas Brighter Future Direct Plan, featuring target enrollment portfolio and static portfolio options utilizing Vanguard mutual funds, and an FDIC-insured savings option. Accounts can be linked to the Upromise rewards service.
- Program typeSavings
- Inception1999, but substantially changed in February 2005
- State agencyThe Arkansas 529 Plan Review Committee, composed of the Director of the Department of Higher Education, the Executive Director of the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System, and the Arkansas State Treasurer
- Tax deduction
- Program ManagerAscensus College Savings, with The Vanguard Group as investment manager
- Program distributorAscensus College Savings
Ratings & Rankings
Our overall rating for AR residents
This is an excellent program with many benefits for the participant and positive investment attributes. If it has any significant weaknesses then it also has some particularly good things to recommend it.
Our overall rating for non-residents
This is an excellent program with many benefits for the participant and positive investment attributes. If it has any significant weaknesses then it also has some particularly good things to recommend it.
SAVING FOR COLLEGE’S 5-Cap Ratings provides an evaluation and comparison of 529 plans, utilizing a formula that examines dozens of factors grouped into the following categories.
Eligibility
State residency requirements:
Who can be a participant/owner in the program?
Significant time or age restrictions imposed by the program:
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Plan
Our Rating
Fee Score
Performance
Contributions
Maximum contributions:
Minimum contributions:
Does the program offer an e-gifting platform for receiving gift contributions?
Investment Options
Age-based/Enrollment Year investment options:
View more age-based investment optionsStatic investment options:
View more static investment optionsUnderlying investments:
View a full list of this plan’s investment optionsUnderlying fund allocations:
Portfolio Fees & Performance Lookup
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Fees & Expenses
Enrollment or application fee:
Account maintenance fee:
Program management fees:
Expenses of the underlying investments:
Total asset-based expense ratio:
Taxes and other Benefits
- Tax deduction for single filers$5,000/yr
- Tax deduction for joint filers$10,000/yr
Example
Married filing jointly residents contributing $100/month can expect an additional $0 a year in tax savings.
Program match on contributions:
State tax deduction or credit for contributions:
State tax recapture provisions:
State definition of qualified expenses
State tax treatment of qualified distributions:
State tax treatment of rollovers:
Does the sponsoring state exclude the value of an account for state financial aid purposes?
Does participation in the program provide beneficiaries with any advantages in qualifying for resident tuition status at state institutions?
Is there a rewards program or outside scholarship program that works with this program?
Upromise Helps Families Save for College
Statutory protection of an account from creditors:
Distributions & Terminations
To whom are distributions made payable:
Account Changes
Policy regarding participant/owner changes:
Documents, Access & Reporting
Does participant have online password-protected access to account?
Can the complete enrollment process including funding be done online?
Documents and other services accessible or downloadable on the program's public Web site:
Contact
Website:
Telephone:
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