Why Use our 529 Plan Comparison Tool?

Unbiased: We're completely independent. That means we don't get paid anything from our recommendations.

Comprehensive: We've analyzed all 2,695 investment options across all 50 state-sponsored 529 plans to give you the best results.

Personalized: We promise to find the best plans for you based on your child's age, state of residence, college investment amount, college program and other investment preferences.

How we rank 529 plans for you?

Lowest Fees: Fees vary widely among 529 plans. While some funds will charge as little as 0.06%, there are many that will charge over 1.3%. The difference in savings could mean thousands of dollars going towards your college fund rather than an intermediary.

Maximize Tax Benefits: Some states will offer residents tax deductions or credits if you invest in your state plan.

Performance: Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. Returns are hard to predict, but taxes and fees are a certainty. And they add up to thousands of dollars. Even so, we'll help you the best performers.

How to pick 529 plans and investments?

Select low cost funds and maximize tax incentives: Keeping investment costs and taxes low is crucial to reaching your college savings goal. Every dollar you pay toward fees/commissions and the tax collector, is a dollar that disappears from your net returns.

Consider carefully the cost of advice: Advisor-sold 529 plans cost significantly more than direct-sold plans. The commission often comes straight out of your contributions.

Do not over-rate past fund performance: Studies have clearly shown that most investment managers performance return to the mean, that is, they can't consistently produce above-average results year after year. So focus on numbers you can control: fees, taxes.