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Home → 529 Plans → Illinois → Bright Start Direct-Sold College Savings Program → Investment options

Bright Start Direct-Sold College Savings Program

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Union Bank & Trust Company succeeded Oppenheimer Funds, Inc. as program manager of the Bright Start College Savings Program in July 2017. The Illinois direct-sold Plan features three age-based options using either a multi-firm or index-based strategy, three target portfolios, three index target portfolios, individual fund portfolios from a number of fund families and an FDIC-insured option.

Fee Score

4.5 / 5

Performance

4 / 5
  • Program type
    Savings
  • Inception
    2000, but substantially changed in July 2007 and again in July 2017.
  • State agency
    Illinois State Treasurer
  • Tax deduction
  • Program Manager
    Union Bank & Trust Company
  • Program distributor
    Union Bank & Trust Company

Investment Options

Investors in Bright Start Direct-Sold College Savings Program can select from the following investment options. Click on a portfolio name for more information.

Age Based Investment Optionsaccordion open icon

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
Multi-Firm Aggressive Age Based 0-2 Years Portfolio0.41%100%6.52%43 of 55
Multi-Firm Aggressive Age Based 3-5 Years Portfolio0.4%90%5.62%25 of 35
Multi-Firm Aggressive Age Based 6-8 Years Portfolio0.39%80%4.8%36 of 53
Multi-Firm Aggressive Age Based 9-10 Years Portfolio0.4%70%3.98%79 of 92
Multi-Firm Aggressive Age Based 11-12 Years Portfolio0.39%60%3%29 of 46
Multi-Firm Aggressive Age Based 13-14 Years Portfolio0.39%50%2.34%94 of 120
Multi-Firm Aggressive Age Based 15-16 Years Portfolio0.37%40%1.6%69 of 78
Multi-Firm Aggressive Age Based 17-18 Years Portfolio0.34%30%0.63%41 of 78
Multi-Firm Aggressive Age Based 19 and over Years Portfolio0.32%20%0.25%73 of 122
Index Aggressive Age Based 0-2 Years Portfolio0.11%100%7.39%26 of 55
Index Aggressive Age Based 3-5 Years Portfolio0.11%90%6.65%15 of 35
Index Aggressive Age Based 6-8 Years Portfolio0.11%80%5.53%16 of 53
Index Aggressive Age Based 9-10 Years Portfolio0.12%70%4.45%55 of 92
Index Aggressive Age Based 11-12 Years Portfolio0.12%60%3.5%14 of 46
Index Aggressive Age Based 13-14 Years Portfolio0.12%50%2.48%64 of 120
Index Aggressive Age Based 15-16 Years Portfolio0.12%40%1.82%56 of 78
Index Aggressive Age Based 17-18 Years Portfolio0.11%30%0.71%22 of 78
Index Aggressive Age Based 19 and over Years Portfolio0.11%20%0.16%59 of 122
Multi-Firm Moderate Age Based 0-2 Years Portfolio0.4%90%5.62%24 of 35
Multi-Firm Moderate Age Based 3-5 Years Portfolio0.39%80%4.8%63 of 72
Multi-Firm Moderate Age Based 6-8 Years Portfolio0.4%70%3.98%78 of 92
Multi-Firm Moderate Age Based 9-10 Years Portfolio0.39%60%3%32 of 92
Multi-Firm Moderate Age Based 11-12 Years Portfolio0.39%50%2.34%93 of 120
Multi-Firm Moderate Age Based 13-14 Years Portfolio0.37%40%1.6%48 of 120
Multi-Firm Moderate Age Based 15-16 Years Portfolio0.34%30%0.63%40 of 78
Multi-Firm Moderate Age Based 17-18 Years Portfolio0.32%20%0.25%72 of 122
Multi-Firm Moderate Age Based 19 and over Years Portfolio0.27%10%-0.43%16 of 122
Index Moderate Age Based 0-2 Years Portfolio0.11%90%6.65%14 of 35
Index Moderate Age Based 3-5 Years Portfolio0.11%80%5.53%50 of 72
Index Moderate Age Based 6-8 Years Portfolio0.12%70%4.45%54 of 92
Index Moderate Age Based 9-10 Years Portfolio0.12%60%3.5%16 of 92
Index Moderate Age Based 11-12 Years Portfolio0.12%50%2.48%63 of 120
Index Moderate Age Based 13-14 Years Portfolio0.12%40%1.82%29 of 120
Index Moderate Age Based 15-16 Years Portfolio0.11%30%0.71%21 of 78
Index Moderate Age Based 17-18 Years Portfolio0.12%20%0.16%58 of 122
Index Moderate Age Based 19 and over Years Portfolio0.11%10%-0.52%7 of 122
Multi-Firm Conservative Age Based 0-2 Years Portfolio0.39%80%4.8%62 of 72
Multi-Firm Conservative Age Based 3-5 Years Portfolio0.4%70%3.98%46 of 72
Multi-Firm Conservative Age Based 6-8 Years Portfolio0.39%60%3%31 of 92
Multi-Firm Conservative Age Based 9-10 Years Portfolio0.39%50%2.34%53 of 70
Multi-Firm Conservative Age Based 11-12 Years Portfolio0.37%40%1.6%47 of 120
Multi-Firm Conservative Age Based 13-14 Years Portfolio0.34%30%0.63%62 of 78
Multi-Firm Conservative Age Based 15-16 Years Portfolio0.32%20%0.25%71 of 122
Multi-Firm Conservative Age Based 17-18 Years Portfolio0.27%10%-0.43%15 of 122
Multi-Firm Conservative Age Based 19 and over Years Portfolio0.2%0%-0.74%29 of 80
Index Conservative Age Based 0-2 Years Portfolio0.11%80%5.53%49 of 72
Index Conservative Age Based 3-5 Years Portfolio0.12%70%4.45%31 of 72
Index Conservative Age Based 6-8 Years Portfolio0.12%60%3.5%15 of 92
Index Conservative Age Based 9-10 Years Portfolio0.12%50%2.48%30 of 70
Index Conservative Age Based 11-12 Years Portfolio0.12%40%1.82%28 of 120
Index Conservative Age Based 13-14 Years Portfolio0.11%30%0.71%45 of 78
Index Conservative Age Based 15-16 Years Portfolio0.11%20%0.16%57 of 122
Index Conservative Age Based 17-18 Years Portfolio0.11%10%-0.52%6 of 122
Index Conservative Age Based 19 and over Years Portfolio0.12%0%-0.83%34 of 80
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Individual Investment Optionsaccordion close icon
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