COLLEGE SAVINGS 101
Coverdell ESA providers
We have assembled this list of low-cost Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (ESA).
| ESA Sponsor | Custodian | Account Fee | Minimum Contribution | Account Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Funds | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services | None | $250 | Mutual Fund |
| Charles Schwab & Co. | Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. | None | $1,000 or $0 with a $100 per month automatic contribution | Discount Brokerage |
| Cook & Bynum Fund | U.S. Bank, NA | None | $1,000 | Mutual Fund |
| E*Trade | E*Trade Clearing LLC | None if electing online statements | None | Discount Brokerage |
| Firstrade | Apex Clearing Corporation | None | None | Discount Brokerage |
| Gabelli Funds | State Street Bank and Trust Company | None | $250 or $0 with a $100 per month automatic contribution | Mutual Funds |
| Oakmark Funds | State Street Bank and Trust Company | $5 installation and $7/year | $500 per fund | Mutual Funds |
| Saturna Capital | Saturna Trust Company | None | $100 initial contribution | Mutual Funds |
| Scottrade | Scottrade, Inc. | None | $500 | Discount Brokerage |
| TD Ameritrade | TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. | None | $0 | Discount Brokerage |
| TIAA-CREF | State Street Bank and Trust Company | None | $2,000 | Mutual Funds |
| Thrivent Mutual Funds | Thrivent Trust | $15, waived | $1,000 or $0 with a $50 per month automatic contribution | Mutual Fund |
| TradeKing | Apex Clearing Corporation | None if electing online statements | None | Discount Brokerage |
To be included on this list, the annual maintenance cost charged by the ESA must be $10 or less. We also prefer, but do not require as a condition of being on this list, that the ESA have low minimum contribution requirements. If you know of an ESA that belongs on this list, please send us an email with the name of the ESA sponsor and a hyperlink to the application. Please note that ESAs sold through brokers are not included on this list. If you are working with a financial adviser, you should be receiving your recommendation through that adviser.
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 |
