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Congresswoman Debbie Lesko introduced a proposal to help families save for college and pay student loan debt.

California has one 529 college savings plan, ScholarShare 529, which is a highly rated 529 plan with low fees, a variety of investment options, strong historical performance and a matching grant program for residents. There are no specific benefits offered to California residents who use ScholarShare 529.

The Tuition and Fees Deduction allows eligible taxpayers to deduct up to $4,000 from taxable income to help cover higher education costs for themselves, a spouse and dependent children. The Tuition and Fees Deduction expired at the end of 2016 but was renewed for the 2017 tax year.

The student debt crisis isn’t restricted to the United States. Graduates in other Western countries also struggle with the cost of their college educations. While student loan systems differ substantially between nations, the situations in other countries provide useful contrast to the state of student debt in America.