[podcast] Getting Started With a 529 Plan - Step 1 Finding the Best Plan

Happy College Savings Month! As kids across the U.S. get back into the school routine, many states and financial institutions have been actively promoting the benefits of Section 529 college savings plans. With perks like tax-free earnings growth, flexibility of ownership and professional money management, itï ¿ ½s no wonder the popularity of these savings vehicles is on the rise. In fact, according to ï ¿ ½Sallie Maeï ¿ ½s How America Saves for College 2014ï ¿ ½, the amount families saved for college was up 30% from last year and 29% of those who save for college are using a 529 plan. 529 accounts are relatively simple to set up, but with over 100+ different options available, even the most savvy investors are sometimes left wondering where to begin. In this new podcast series, Joe Hurley, Founder of Savingforcollege.com, and I discuss the steps to take when setting up a new 529 college savings account. Weï ¿ ½ll start this week by discussing how to find the best plan to suit your familyï ¿ ½s needs. After you listen, we suggest exploring the rest of Savingforcollege.com to find out about your stateï ¿ ½s plan, compare different options and take advantage of our college savings tools and calculators. Check our list of College Savings Month events to see if your state is currently offering any incentives for opening an account. Transcript Listen to the next podcast episode in this series! Happy College Savings Month! As kids across the U.S. get back into the school routine, many states and financial institutions have been actively promoting the benefits of Section 529 college savings plans. With perks like tax-free earnings growth, flexibility of ownership and professional money management, itï ¿ ½s no wonder the popularity of these savings vehicles is on the rise. In fact, according to ï ¿ ½Sallie Maeï ¿ ½s How America Saves for College 2014ï ¿ ½, the amount families saved for college was up 30% from last year and 29% of those who save for college are using a 529 plan. 529 accounts are relatively simple to set up, but with over 100+ different options available, even the most savvy investors are sometimes left wondering where to begin. In this new podcast series, Joe Hurley, Founder of Savingforcollege.com, and I discuss the steps to take when setting up a new 529 college savings account. Weï ¿ ½ll start this week by discussing how to find the best plan to suit your familyï ¿ ½s needs. After you listen, we suggest exploring the rest of Savingforcollege.com to find out about your stateï ¿ ½s plan, compare different options and take advantage of our college savings tools and calculators. Check our list of College Savings Month events to see if your state is currently offering any incentives for opening an account. Transcript Listen to the next podcast episode in this series!