Tax-advantaged state-sponsored education savings accounts. Contributions grow tax-free, withdrawals are tax-free when used for qualified education expenses (tuition, fees, room & board, books). Most states offer a tax deduction for contributions to that state's plan.

What if my kid doesn't go to college?

Options: (1) transfer to another family member; (2) hold for grad school later; (3) under SECURE 2.0, roll up to $35K (lifetime) into a Roth IRA for the beneficiary, after the account is 15+ years old; (4) withdraw non-qualified (pay tax + 10% penalty on earnings).

How much should I save monthly?

There's no one number — it depends on whether you're targeting in-state public ($25-30K/year today), out-of-state public ($45K/year), or private ($65K+/year). The calculator works backward from your target so you can see what monthly figure hits the goal.

College Savings (529) Calculator

Project a 529 college savings plan. See whether your monthly contributions actually meet projected tuition + room & board at college age, factoring in tuition inflation.

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