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Sabela Consulting Group

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Aug 27 2019

Latest 529 fee study

The latest 529 fee study from Savingforcollege.com compares the lowest and highest 10-year expense totals for all direct-sold 529 savings plans.

Minimizing fees and costs is one of the main goals when it comes to investing. It is no different with 529 plans. Despite the initial tax advantages, your state’s plan may not always be the best choice. Learn more about our college planning tips and services here, College Planning.

The table below summarizes the latest 529 fee study from Savingforcollege.com, sorted by State.

State Direct-sold 529 plan name Lowest cost option 2nd lowest option 2nd highest option Highest cost option Annual account fee Comments
AlabamaCollegeCounts 529 Fund$344$369$1,052$1,100$0 
AlaskaT. Rowe Price College Savings Plan$443$542$859$871$0 
AlaskaUniversity of Alaska College Savings Plan$356$443$859$871$0 
ArizonaFidelity Arizona College Savings Plan$141$154$1,327$1,369$0 
ArkansasGIFT College Investing Plan$859$859$859$859$20LOWER figures ($659) apply to Arkansas residents eligible for account fee waiver.
CaliforniaThe ScholarShare College Savings Plan$103$116$703$715$0 
ColoradoDirect Portfolio College Savings Plan$627$627$627$627$20LOWER figures ($431) apply to Colorado residents and other accounts eligible for account fee waiver.
ConnecticutConnecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET)$230$243$861$1,392$0 
DelawareDelaware College Investment Plan$141$154$1,327$1,370$0 
District of Columbia†DC College Savings Plan$541$553$1,003$1,063$15LOWER figures (ranging from $492 to $1,015) apply to DC residents who pay a $10 annual maintenance fee.
FloridaFlorida 529 Savings Plan$0$492$905$928$0 
GeorgiaPath2College 529 Plan$230$243$356$394$0 
HawaiiHawaii’s College Savings Program$932$944$980$1,016$20LOWER figures (ranging from $737 to $822) apply to Hawaii residents, eligible for account fee waiver.
IdahoIdaho College Savings Program (IDeal)$811$811$811$811$20LOWER figures ($616) apply to Idaho residents eligible for account fee waiver.
IllinoisBright Start Direct-Sold College Savings Program$128$141$800$1,029$0 
IndianaCollegeChoice 529 Direct Savings Plan$428$453$896$1,170$20LOWER figures (ranging from $255 to $978) apply to Indiana residents and other accounts eligible for account fee waiver.
IowaCollege Savings Iowa$255$255$255$255$0 
KansasLearning Quest 529 Education Savings Program (Direct-sold)$293$306$955$1,002$0 
KansasSchwab 529 College Savings Plan$481$555$955$1,002$0 
KentuckyKY Saves 529$570$592$1,011$1,054$0 
Louisiana†START Saving Program$0$52$167$389$0Zero-cost option is the fixed income fund managed by the state treasurer.
MaineNextGen College Investing Plan – Client Direct Series$236$332$758$810$0
MarylandMaryland 529 – Maryland Senator Edward J. Kasemeyer College Investment Plan$331$443$859$871$0 
MassachusettsU.Fund College Investing Plan$141$154$1,327$1,371$0 
MichiganMichigan Education Savings Program$154$167$255$306$0 
MinnesotaMinnesota College Savings Plan$221$259$359$397$0 
MississippiMississippi Affordable College Savings (MACS) Program$798$810$894$906$20Figures would be HIGHER for accounts subject to the $20 annual document delivery fee (account owners who do not opt for electronic delivery).
MissouriMOST – Missouri’s 529 Savings Plan (Direct-sold)$293$318$628$714$0 
MontanaAchieve Montana$1,227$1,232$1,257$1,268$25LOWER figures (ranging from $987 to $1,028) apply to Montana residents and other accounts eligible for account fee waiver.
NebraskaNebraska Education Savings Trust – Direct College Savings Plan$368$381$1,025$1,523$0 
NebraskaTD Ameritrade 529 College Savings Plan$604$616$1,248$1,735$0 
NevadaThe Vanguard 529 Savings Plan$192$249$542$555$0 
NevadaSSGA Upromise 529 Plan$553$615$992$1,287$20LOWER figures (ranging from $356 to $1,096) apply to Nevada residents eligible for account fee waiver, or account owners invested in the Savings Portfolio.
NevadaUSAA 529 College Savings Plan$665$738$1,213$1,294$0Figures shown do not include the $10 annual low-balance fee applicable to non-residents accounts with a balance under $1,000.
New HampshireUNIQUE College Investing Plan$141$154$1,327$1,370$0 
New Jersey†NJBEST 529 College Savings Plan$179$443$1,014$1,075$0 
New MexicoThe Education Plan’s College Savings Program$192$205$593$630$0 
New YorkNew York’s 529 College Savings Program – Direct Plan$166$166$166$166$0 
North CarolinaNational College Savings Program$393$418$431$493$18Figures would be HIGHER for accounts subject to the $18 annual document delivery fee (account owners who do not opt for electronic delivery).
North DakotaCollege SAVE$884$884$884$884$20Figures would be LOWER ($689) for North Dakota residents eligible for account fee waiver.
OhioOhio’s 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage$217$236$542$677$0 
OklahomaOklahoma College Savings Plan$444$469$825$969$0 
OregonOregon College Savings Plan$331$340$763$890$0 
PennsylvaniaPennsylvania 529 Investment Plan $288$307$352$414$10Figures would be HIGHER for accounts subject to the $10 annual document delivery fee (account owners who do not opt for electronic delivery).
Rhode IslandCollegeBound Saver (Direct-sold, Alternative NR)$366$372$750$1,059$0LOWER figures (ranging from $45 to $750) apply to Rhode Island residents eligible for program management fee waiver.
South Carolina†Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan (Direct-sold)$26$64$255$306$0 
South Dakota†CollegeAccess 529 (Direct-sold)$579$591$1,084$1,236$0 
TennesseeTNStars College Savings 529 Program$462$462$462$462$0Figures reflect current subsidy limiting total annual asset-based fee to 0.35% per portfolio; substantial changes to investment options and fee structure as of 8/15/19
TexasTexas College Savings Plan$51$738$1,150$1,211$0 
Utahmy529$0$192$250$729$0Zero cost Public Treasurers’ Investment Fund option is only available to Utah residents.
VermontVermont Higher Education Investment Plan$505$505$505$505$10Figures would be HIGHER for accounts subject to the $10 annual document delivery fee (account owners who do not opt for electronic delivery).
VirginiaInvest529$155$168$693$923$0Published figures do not include the one-time $50 application fee (if application is not submitted online.)
WashingtonDream Ahead College Investment Plan$699$702$780$852$35 
West VirginiaSMART529 Select$964$1,014$1,077$1,084$25Figures would be LOWER for West Virginia residents and for high-balance and auto-contribution accounts eligible for account fee waiver.
West Virginia†SMART529 WV Direct College Savings Plan$147$151$250$280$0 
WisconsinEdvest$179$192$481$518$0 

† This direct-sold plan is open only to state residents.

Explanations and notes about the study: https://www.savingforcollege.com/529_fee_study/fee_study.php.

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Written by Dejan · Categorized: College Planning

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