COMMUNITY
Polls
How confusing are 529 plans? (2008-06-04)
They are much too confusing. | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
They're fairly confusing. It takes a significant effort to understand them. | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
A little confusing, but easily manageable. | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
They're a piece of cake. | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Other or "don't know." | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
You have already voted.
Open Polls
- Which of the following do you use most to get and share information about saving for college? (2018-07-11)
- Do you think states should allow tax deductions for 529 plan contributions when the funds are used to pay for K-12 tuition? (2018-03-07)
- Do "free tuition" programs such as the one introduced in New York discourage families from saving for higher education? (2017-06-06)
Closed Polls
- Should the federal government intervene to address mounting student debt? (2016-08-31)
- How did you first hear about 529 Plans? (2016-05-16)
- Do you think that allowing tax-free rollovers of unused 529 plan funds into a Roth IRA would be a good idea? (2015-02-25)
- Is your investment approach to college savings similar to your approach to retirement savings? (2013-08-19)
- Which approach would best encourage more Americans to save for college with 529 plans? (2013-05-23)
- Should the federal tax treatment of 529 plans be changed? (2013-02-20)
- Is a 4-yr college degree worth it, assuming it costs $100K including loans? (2012-07-30)
- How many investment changes should you be allowed each year in your 529 plan? (2012-02-20)
- Which factor is MOST important to you when choosing a 529 plan? (2011-07-20)
- Should states subsidize the cost of running a 529 plan to keep participant expenses low? (2011-06-14)
- Which is better: a 529 plan with just a few investment options (all performing well), or a lot of options (some not performing well)? (2011-02-24)
- Would you choose to use your own state's 529 plan "out of loyalty" even if its expenses were slightly higher than a competing plan? (2010-12-27)
- Should a state step in and pledge taxpayer moneys to satisfy the promises of the state's prepaid tuition plan? (2010-04-12)
- Do you think states should be giving state tax deductions for 529-plan contributions? (2009-12-21)
- Would you consider donating any leftover funds in your 529 account to a charitable scholarship program? (2009-06-11)
- If you had already been saving for college, has the recession (stock market, job situation, etc.) caused you to slow down your saving? (2009-02-11)
- If you had 1 year or less before your child started college, which of the following would be your preferred allocation among asset classes in your 529 savings account? (2008-11-10)
- How confusing are 529 plans? (2008-06-04)
- How concerned are you that saving for college will impact your child's future financial aid eligibility? (2008-04-11)
- How would a prolonged drop in the stock market affect your use of 529 savings plans? (2008-02-05)
- Should the federal government do more to rein in college tuition inflation? (2007-11-19)
- What is your investment objective in saving for college? (2007-09-13)
- Would you postpone your retirement by two years if it meant your child attending the college of choice without taking on more debt? (2007-07-31)
- Regarding the use of taxable investments (e.g. mutual funds) for college savings, in which direction do you think future tax rates will go? (2007-06-21)
- Is it appropriate for colleges to receive referral fees from student loan companies? (2007-04-23)
- Do you use your home-state 529 plan or an out-of-state 529 plan? (2007-03-01)
- Would you require that your child pay or borrow at least part of his/her college education even if you had the money to pay for all of it? (2007-01-23)
- Would you be willing to make your child the owner of your 529 account to improve his or her future financial aid eligibility? (2006-12-18)
- If you had just one young child, and were not intending to have more, would you still consider using a 529 plan? (2006-11-07)
- How would you feel if the IRS prohibited 529 owner transfers prior to death or incapacity? (2006-09-18)
- How many investment options should a state offer in its 529 plan? (2006-08-03)
- Would the attachment of a "rewards" program influence your selection of a 529 plan? (2006-06-05)
- How do you allocate your savings between retirement plans and college savings plans? (2006-04-10)
- How likely is it that you will attend college or graduate school classes, on campus or online, at any time in the future? (2006-02-18)
- Should the states be removed from the 529 plan business? (2005-12-09)
- Which would you choose - 529 or ESA - if you had $2,000 to save for college? (2005-10-23)
- Is the 2010 "sunset" of the 529 tax exclusion affecting your use of 529 plans? (2005-09-13)
- Should states be required to open up their 529 deductions to out-of-state 529 plans? (2005-07-24)
- What is the fairest way to treat 529 assets for financial aid purposes? (2005-06-29)
Financial Professionals
Pro Dashboard
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 | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania 529 Investment Plan |
2 | Louisiana | START Saving Program |
3 | Ohio | Ohio's 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage |
Three-year rankings are based on a plan's average annual investment returns over the last three years.
State | Plan Name | |
---|---|---|
1 | West Virginia | SMART529 WV Direct College Savings Plan |
2 | Ohio | Ohio's 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage |
3 | Delaware | Delaware College Investment 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's 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage |
2 | New York | New York's 529 College Savings Program -- Direct Plan |
3 | South Carolina | Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan (Direct-sold) |
10-year rankings are based on a plan's average annual investment returns over the last ten years.
State | Plan Name | |
---|---|---|
1 | Ohio | Ohio's 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage |
2 | South Carolina | Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan (Direct-sold) |
3 | New York | New York's 529 College Savings Program -- Direct Plan |