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Bright Directions Advisor-Guided 529 College Savings Program logo

Bright Directions Advisor-Guided 529 College Savings Program

The Illinois Bright Directions Advisor-Guided 529 College Savings Program, sold through brokers and fee-based financial advisors, features an extensive multi-manager platform offering a large number of age-based, static multi-fund, and individual-fund options. In November 2017, the Bright Start Advisor-Sold College Savings Program combined with the Illinois Bright Directions Advisor-Guided 529 College Savings Program. Investments in Bright Start Advisor-Sold College Savings Program accounts were automatically transitioned to the corresponding Bright Directions portfolios. To find a financial advisor in your area, use the Directory of Financial Professionals.

Our Ratingx

4.5 of 5

Fee Scorex

4 of 5

Performancex

3.5 of 5
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  • Program typeSavings
  • Inception2005
  • State agency
    Illinois State Treasurer
  • Tax deduction
    Tax deduction for single filers $10,000/yr
    Tax deduction for joint filers $20,000/yr
  • Program Manager
    Union Bank & Trust Company of Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Program distributor
    Northern Trust Securities, Inc.
  • Manager contract termUNLOCK PRO
Plan Details
Investment Options

Investors in Bright Directions Advisor-Guided 529 College Savings Program can select from the following investment options. Click on a portfolio name for more information.

Use the form below to filter through the investment options in this plan

Child age


Max Expense Ratio:2.5%

Age Based Investment Options

Sometimes referred to as the enrollment-based option, this is an investment approach where your asset allocation is programmed to change over time. Accounts for young beneficiaries are invested aggressively and accounts for beneficiaries with college right around the corner are invested much more conservatively. In some 529 plans, the age-based option operates by automatically transferring your investment from one static portfolio to another at certain points in time. Others utilize lifecycle funds or employ lifecycle-type tactics within the portfolio containing your investment so that it is not necessary to transfer your investment between portfolios.

PortfolioE.R% Equity1YR PerformanceRank
Conservative
Age-Based Conservative: 0-2 years old0.86%80%8.81%14 of 24
Age-Based Conservative: 3-5 years old0.84%70%7.46%5 of 21
Age-Based Conservative: 6-8 years old0.81%60%7.46%3 of 24
Age-Based Conservative: 9-10 years old0.84%50%5.5%11 of 24
Age-Based Conservative: 19 years and older0.74%0%1.06%15 of 33
Age-Based Conservative: 11-12 years old0.85%40%4.89%17 of 32
Age-Based Conservative: 13-14 years old0.83%30%3.66%8 of 26
Age-Based Conservative: 15-16 years old0.8%20%2.81%6 of 33
Age-Based Conservative: 17-18 years old0.75%10%2.21%2 of 33
Moderate
Age-Based Moderate: 0-2 years old0.85%90%10.18%1 of 24
Age-Based Moderate: 3-5 years old0.86%80%8.81%13 of 24
Age-Based Moderate: 6-8 years old0.84%70%7.46%6 of 20
Age-Based Moderate: 9-10 years old0.81%60%6.41%6 of 24
Age-Based Moderate: 11-12 years old0.84%50%5.5%5 of 32
Age-Based Moderate: 13-14 years old0.85%40%4.89%16 of 32
Age-Based Moderate: 15-16 years old0.83%30%3.66%5 of 26
Age-Based Moderate: 17-18 years old0.8%20%2.81%5 of 33
Age-Based Moderate: 19 years and older0.75%10%2.21%1 of 33
Aggressive
Age-Based Aggressive: 0-2 years old0.85%100%11.55%3 of 16
Age-Based Aggressive: 3-5 years old0.85%90%10.18%2 of 24
Age-Based Aggressive: 19 years and older0.8%20%2.81%7 of 33
Age-Based Aggressive: 6-8 years old0.86%80%8.81%6 of 16
Age-Based Aggressive: 9-10 years old0.84%70%7.46%5 of 20
Age-Based Aggressive: 11-12 years old0.81%60%6.41%7 of 20
Age-Based Aggressive: 13-14 years old0.84%50%5.5%4 of 32
Age-Based Aggressive: 15-16 years old0.85%40%4.89%2 of 26
Age-Based Aggressive: 17-18 years old0.83%30%3.66%6 of 26

Static Investment Options

This refers to an investment option that is not programmed to change over time. The individual fund portfolio and multi-fund portfolio described below are static options. So are many portfolios that do not use mutual funds, such as stable-value options, guaranteed options, CD options, etc.

PortfolioE.R% Equity1YR PerformanceRank
Fund 1000.85%100%11.62%126 of 308
Fund 800.86%80%8.82%5 of 34
Fund 600.81%60%6.41%8 of 37
Fund 400.85%40%4.91%3 of 19
Fund 200.8%20%2.83%3 of 33
Fund 100.75%10%2.23%7 of 33
Fixed Income0.74%0%1.01%18 of 33

Individual Investment Options

Sometimes called a single-fund option, this is a portfolio invested in a single mutual fund. Often the name of the 529 portfolio is very similar to the name of the underlying mutual fund. A large number of broker-sold 529s offer an extensive line-up of individual fund options, while a smaller number of direct-sold 529s offer them.

PortfolioE.R% Equity1YR PerformanceRank
Northern Small Cap Value Strategy1.02%100%N/AN/A
T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Strategy0.8%100%N/AN/A
Principal Global Real Estate Securities 529 Portfolio1.31%100%N/AN/A
PIMCO Short-Term 529 Portfolio0.96%0%2.09%1 of 24
T. Rowe Price Balanced 529 Portfolio0.89%60%7.22%5 of 37
T. Rowe Price Real Estate 529 Portfolio1.04%100%2.79%282 of 308
Calvert Equity 529 Portfolio1.15%100%23.1%52 of 308
American Century Value 529 Portfolio1.21%100%9.70%232 of 308
T. Rowe Price Equity Income 529 Portfolio0.97%100%9.21%193 of 308
American Century Equity Growth 529 Portfolio0.90%100%17.91%78 of 308
Northern Funds Stock Index 529 Portfolio0.45%100%17.77%98 of 308
American Century Growth 529 Portfolio1.21%100%26.77%35 of 308
T. Rowe Price Extended Equity Market Index 529 Portfolio0.77%100%15.14%73 of 308
Ariel 529 Portfolio1.15%100%15.26%134 of 308
Northern Funds Small Cap Index 529 Portfolio0.58%100%14.81%66 of 308
Northern Funds International Equity Index 529 Portfolio0.68%100%2.65%256 of 308
Sit Dividend Growth 529 Portfolio1.13%100%13.65%165 of 308
T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth 529 Portfolio0.98%100%28.97%3 of 308
Delaware Small Cap Core 529 Portfolio1.42%100%14.87%64 of 308
Northern Funds Small Cap Value 529 Portfolio1.44%100%6.49%171 of 308
Oppenheimer International Growth 529 Portfolio1.13%100%-1.72%246 of 308
BlackRock Inflation Protected Bond 529 Portfolio0.81%0%-0.4%27 of 98
William Blair Mid Cap Growth 529 Portfolio1.48%100%27.13%29 of 308
Northern Funds Bond Index 529 Portfolio0.58%0%-1.83%77 of 98
Templeton International Bond 529 Portfolio1.21%0%-2.22%98 of 98
Dodge & Cox International Stock 529 Portfolio1.07%100%-5.04%305 of 308
MFS Value 529 Portfolio1.04%100%6.76%276 of 308
DFA International Small Company 529 Portfolio0.96%100%1.03%196 of 308
Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF 529 Portfolio0.25%0%-0.67%20 of 24
Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF 529 Portfolio0.22%0%-1.55%71 of 98
Vanguard REIT ETF 529 Portfolio0.3%100%1.95%291 of 308
Vanguard Global ex-U.S. Real Estate ETF 529 Portfolio0.33%100%-0.15%218 of 308
Vanguard Mega Cap Value ETF 529 Portfolio0.25%100%14.35%169 of 308
Vanguard Mega Cap ETF 529 Portfolio0.25%100%18.95%88 of 308
Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF 529 Portfolio0.25%100%24.46%40 of 308
Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF 529 Portfolio0.25%100%9.62%183 of 308
Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF 529 Portfolio0.24%100%13.73%133 of 308
Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF 529 Portfolio0.25%100%18.31%85 of 308
Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF 529 Portfolio0.25%100%11.09%131 of 308
Vanguard Small-Cap ETF 529 Portfolio0.24%100%16.88%69 of 308
Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF 529 Portfolio0.25%100%23.99%34 of 308
Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF 529 Portfolio0.25%100%3.09%229 of 308
Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF 529 Portfolio0.31%100%-2.7%234 of 308
American Century Short Duration Inflation Protection Bond 529 Portfolio0.8%0%0.2%3 of 24
Causeway Emerging Markets 529 Portfolio1.60%100%-2.7%242 of 308
MainStay Total Return Bond 529 Portfolio1.03%0%-1.88%79 of 98
Baird Short-Term Bond 529 Portfolio0.73%0%N/A11 of 24
Harbor Small Cap Growth Opportunities 529 Portfolio1.32%100%26.14%56 of 308
Invesco Government & Agency Portfolio0.31%0%1.27%10 of 26

Use the form below to filter through the investment options in this plan

Child age


Max Expense Ratio:2.5%