General Information

Pennsylvania 529 Investment Plan logo

Pennsylvania 529 Investment Plan

Pennsylvania's 529 Investment Plan is available to residents of any state, and offers 15 Vanguard investment options, including a socially responsible equity portfolio. Pennsylvania residents may enjoy a state tax deduction for contributions to the plan.

Our Ratingx

4.5 of 5

Fee Scorex

4 of 5

Performancex

5 of 5

  • Program typeSavings
  • Inception2002, but substantially changed in November 2006
  • State agency
    Pennsylvania Treasury Department
  • Tax deduction
  • Program Manager
    Pennsylvania Treasury Department, with Ascensus College Savings as record-keeper and servicing agent, and Vanguard as investment manager.
  • Program distributor
    Pennsylvania Treasury Department
Plan Details
Investment Options

Investors in Pennsylvania 529 Investment Plan 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.x% Equity1YR PerformanceRank
Conservative
Conservative: Age 4 or younger (Blended Growth Portfolio)0.23%62.5%4.4%N/A
Conservative: Age 5-6 (Moderate Growth Portfolio)0.23%50%5.06%54 of 70
Conservative: Age 7-8 (Disciplined Growth Portfolio)0.23%37.5%5.59%N/A
Conservative: Age 9-10 (Conservative Growth Portfolio)0.23%25%6.14%8 of 70
Conservative: 11 - 12 (Conservative Portfolio)0.23%12.5%6.76%N/A
Conservative: 13-14 (Blended Income Portfolio)0.24%0%5%N/A
Conservative: 15-16 (Moderate Income Portfolio)0.25%0%4.1%N/A
Conservative: 17-18 (Balanced Income Portfolio)0.27%0%3.28%N/A
Conservative: 19 and older (Interest Accumulation Portfolio)0.27%0%2.3%6 of 80
Moderate
Moderate: Age 4 or younger (Aggressive Portfolio)0.23%100%2.93%N/A
Moderate: Age 5-6 (Growth Portfolio)0.23%75%3.63%24 of 53
Moderate: Age 7-8 (Blended Growth Portfolio)0.23%62.5%4.4%N/A
Moderate: Age 9-10 (Moderate Growth Portfolio)0.23%50%5.06%55 of 70
Moderate: 11 - 12 (Disciplined Growth Portfolio)0.23%37.5%5.59%N/A
Moderate: 13-14 (Conservative Growth Portfolio)0.23%25%6.14%54 of 78
Moderate: 15-16 (Conservative Portfolio)0.23%12.5%6.76%N/A
Moderate: 17-18 (Blended Income Portfolio)0.24%0%5%N/A
Moderate: 19 and older (Blended Income Portfolio)0.24%0%5%N/A
Aggressive
Aggressive: Age 4 or younger (Aggressive Growth Portfolio)0.24%100%2%34 of 55
Aggressive: Age 5-6 (Aggressive Portfolio)0.23%87.5%2.93%N/A
Aggressive: Age 7-8 (Aggressive Portfolio)0.23%87.5%2.93%N/A
Aggressive: Age 9-10 (Growth Portfolio)0.23%75%3.63%25 of 53
Aggressive: 11 - 12 (Blended Growth Portfolio)0.23%62.5%4.4%N/A
Aggressive: 13-14 (Moderate Growth Portfolio)0.23%50%5.06%95 of 120
Aggressive: 15-16 (Disciplined Growth Portfolio)0.23%37.5%5.59%N/A
Aggressive: 17-18 (Conservative Growth Portfolio)0.23%25%6.14%29 of 78
Aggressive: 19 and older (Conservative Portfolio)0.23%12.5%6.76%N/A

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.x% Equity1YR PerformanceRank
Conservative Income Portfolio0.24%0%4.88%41 of 70
Growth Portfolio0.23%75%3.63%30 of 50
Aggressive Growth Portfolio0.24%100%2%134 of 235
Moderate Growth Portfolio0.23%50%5.06%17 of 52
Conservative Growth Portfolio0.23%25%6.14%17 of 39
Income Portfolio0.23%20%6.37%69 of 70

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.x% Equity1YR PerformanceRank
Total International Bond Index Portfolio0.27%0%3.79%N/A
Real Estate Index Portfolio0.32%100%-6.89%N/A
Total Stock Market Index Portfolio0.21%100%6.3%49 of 235
Social Index Portfolio0.32%100%11.04%14 of 235
Interest Accumulation Portfolio0.27%0%2.3%13 of 68
Total International Stock Index Portfolio0.27%100%-4.26%216 of 235
Total Bond Market Index Portfolio0.23%0%8.72%29 of 70
Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Portfolio0.24%0%3.18%11 of 18

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

Child age


Max Expense Ratio:2.5%