Top ten direct-sold 529 plans*

http://www.savingforcollege.com/articles/top-ten-direct-sold-529-plans-827

*One-year performance rankings as of 06/30/15

The highly anticipated Savingforcollege.com direct-sold 529 plan rankings are here!

529 plans are generally made up of mutual funds with varying investment options. Each quarter, after analyzing data from thousands of underlying investment portfolios, Savingforcollege.com determines the overall top performing 529 plans. The following slideshow features our most recent top ten list of the plans that can be purchased directly through the plan manager (without having to go through a financial advisor). The lower the "percentile" the better the ranking.

Remember that you can open a 529 plan from almost any state, regardless of where you live!

Click here to see the direct-sold rankings for 3-, 5-, and 10-year performance.

Click here to see rankings that include plans sold through brokers and fee-based financial planners.

10. Ohio: Ohio CollegeAdvantage 529 Savings Plan

• Percentile rank: 33.36
• Available to U.S. citizens and resident aliens, UGMA/UTMA custodians, trusts, and 501(c)(3) organizations.
• Learn more
• Plan Details

9. Colorado: Direct Portfolio College Savings Plan

• Percentile rank: 33.16
• Available to U.S. citizens or resident aliens, trusts, 501(c)(3) organizations, and local governments.
• Program managers: Ascensus Broker Dealer Services, Inc. and The Vanguard Group, Inc.
• Learn more
• Plan Details

8. West Virginia: SMART529 WV Direct College Savings Plan

• Percentile rank: 32.19
• Available to U.S. citizens and resident aliens at least 18 years old, UGMA/UTMA custodians, and legal entities, however the account owner or designated beneficiary must have a West Virginia mailing address or be a West Virginia resident on active duty in the U.S. armed forces.
• Program manager: Hartford Life Insurance Company
• Learn more

7. California: The ScholarShare College Savings Plan

• Percentile rank: 30.45
• Available to U.S. citizens and resident aliens at least 18 years old, emancipated minors, UGMA/UTMA custodians, and legal entities.
• Program manager: TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc. (TFI)
• Learn more
• Plan Details

6. Louisiana: START Saving Program

• Percentile rank: 29.71
• Available to U.S. citizens and resident aliens at least 18 years old, UGMA/UTMA custodians, and legal entities, however the account owner or beneficiary must be a Louisiana resident at the time of program enrollment.
• Program manager: Louisiana State Treasurer
• Learn more

5. South Carolina: Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan (Direct-Sold)

• Percentile rank: 28.66
• Available to U.S. citizens and resident aliens and UGMA/UTMA custodians. The Treasurer and Program Manager may permit other persons and legal entities to open accounts, however the account owner or beneficiary must be a resident of South Carolina, or an employee of the State of South Carolina, at the time of program enrollment.
• Program manager: Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc.
• Learn more
• Enroll Now

4. Tennessee: TNStars College Savings 529 Program

• Percentile rank: 27.28
• Available to U.S. citizens and legal residents at least 18 years old, UGMA/UTMA custodians, and legal entities.
• Program manager: State of Tennessee Treasury Department
• Learn more

3. Maine: NextGen College Investing Plan – Client Direct Series

• Percentile rank: 25.64
• Available to U.S. citizens and resident aliens at least 18 years old, UGMA/UTMA custodians, and legal entities.
• Program manager: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
• Learn more
• Plan Details

2. New York: New York’s 529 College Savings Program –Direct Plan

• Percentile rank: 23.22
• Available to U.S. citizens and resident aliens including minors, UGMA/UTMA custodians, and legal entities.
• Program manager: Ascensus College Savings
• Learn more
• Enroll Now

1. District of Columbia: DC 529 College Savings Program (Direct-sold)

• Percentile rank: 12.66
• Available to U.S. citizens and resident aliens of legal age, UGMA/UTMA custodians, and legal entities, however the account owner must be a District of Columbia resident at the time of enrollment or work for a firm with over 300 employees that has payroll deduction for the DC College Savings Plan.
• Program manager: Calvert Investment Management, Inc.
• Learn more