529 PLANS
Compare by Features
| Plan | Are program benefits collateralized or guaranteed in any other way? |
|
Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (PACT) Program Alabama |
No |
|
Florida Prepaid College Plan Florida |
No |
|
College Illinois! 529 Prepaid Tuition Program Illinois |
College Illinois! funds are backed by the moral obligation of the state, which requires the Governor to request state funding from the General Assembly in any year the program lacks sufficient funds to pay its contractual obligations. |
|
Kentucky's Affordable Prepaid Tuition (KAPT) Kentucky |
Yes, 75% of the state abandoned property fund is available to cover any unfunded liability. |
|
Maryland 529 -- Prepaid College Trust Maryland |
Yes, the legislature is required to consider, but not necessarily approve, an appropriation to cover any shortfall, repayable within two years. |
|
U.Plan Massachusetts |
No |
|
Michigan Education Trust Michigan |
No |
|
Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (MPACT) Program Mississippi |
No |
|
Nevada Prepaid Tuition Program Nevada |
No |
|
CollegeAdvantage Guaranteed 529 Savings Plan Ohio |
No |
|
Private College 529 Plan Other |
No |
|
Pennsylvania 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan Pennsylvania |
No |
|
South Carolina Tuition Prepayment Program South Carolina |
Yes, the state legislature is required to consider, but not necessarily approve, an appropriation to return all payments plus 4% interest in the event the program is canceled. |
|
Tennessee's BEST Prepaid College Tuition Plan Tennessee |
No |
|
Texas Guaranteed Tuition Plan Texas |
No |
|
Texas Tuition Promise Fund Texas |
Under Texas law the public colleges in Texas must accept less than full tuition and fees if the fund's investment return fails to keep pace with tuition and fee increases. |
|
Prepaid529 Virginia |
Yes, state legislation currently provides a financial guarantee in each year's state budget to cover Prepaid529's contractual obligations in the event of a funding shortfall. This provision can only be changed by the Virginia General Assembly, subject to the Governor's veto, and the General Assembly's ability to override a veto. |
|
Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) Washington |
No |
|
SMART529 Prepaid Tuition Plan West Virginia |
Yes, a prepaid tuition escrow account exists to guarantee payment of prepaid tuition contracts; up to $1,000,000 annually is transferred to the escrow account from the state's unclaimed property fund if an unfunded liability exists in the program's trust fund. |
Top 529 College Savings Plans
One-year rankings are based on a plan's average investment returns over the last 12 months.
| State | Plan Name | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | CollegeAccess 529 (Direct-sold) |
| 2 | Nevada | The Vanguard 529 Savings Plan |
| 3 | California | ScholarShare 529 |
Three-year rankings are based on a plan's average annual investment returns over the last three years.
| State | Plan Name | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | Ohio CollegeAdvantage Direct 529 Savings Plan |
| 2 | California | ScholarShare 529 |
| 3 | West Virginia | SMART529 WV Direct College Savings Plan |
Five-year rankings are based on a plan's average annual investment returns over the last five years
| State | Plan Name | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | Ohio CollegeAdvantage Direct 529 Savings Plan |
| 2 | New York | New York's 529 College Savings Program -- Direct Plan |
| 3 | California | ScholarShare 529 |
10-year rankings are based on a plan's average annual investment returns over the last ten years.
| State | Plan Name | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania 529 Investment Plan |
| 2 | Nevada | USAA 529 College Savings Plan |
| 3 | New York | New York's 529 College Savings Program -- Direct Plan |
