Issue 248:
– News & Research
– ABLE Act Column
– 529 Conference 2021

529 Dash, Required Reading for Your 529 Education: The goal of the 529 Dash is to help institutions and financial professionals who help families and employers in the college financial planning process by creating and sharing industry relevant news, product training, and best practices, while also building awareness and understanding of the importance of 529 plans and ABLE accounts.

Please Read, Engage and Share.

Paul Curley, CFA
Director of 529 & ABLE Research
ISS Market Intelligence
paul.curley@issmarketintelligence.com
Twitter: @PaulCurleyBC

Here is what you need to know from stories, research and data released this week:

• CNBC, “Savvy mom leveraged 529 savings plans to give her son a debt-free college education.” Editor’s Take: Thank you Sharon Epperson for sourcing Paul Curley and ISS Market Intelligence in your article and video leading up to 529 Day 2021, and thank you Patricia Roberts for increasing awareness and understanding of 529 plans and education financial planning. Read, watch and share.
• MEFA Podcast, “All you need to know about 529 accounts.” Editor’s Take: Thank you MEFA, Jonathan Hughes and Julie Shields-Rutyna for the opportunity to be a special guest on the MEFA Podcast. Please view, like and share.
• Smart Women Smart Money, “529 Day: Putting higher education in a child’s vision.” Editor’s Take: The article includes a number of important perspectives and talking points around 529 plans, education financial planning and 529 Day. Thank you Sara Wall for quoting Paul Curley and ISS Market Intelligence, and read the article to learn more about several important state initiatives.
• Edward Jones, “As student loans and college costs grow, 529 plan awareness still lingers, Edward Jones finds.” Editor’s Take: Edward Jones released its 10th annual 529 Awareness Survey, noting that 36% of Americans can correctly recognize a 529 plan as an education savings tool. Also, thank you Edward Jones for sourcing ISS Market Intelligence in the press release. Read, learn and share to help get the message out about 529 awareness.
• Federal Reserve Bank of New York, “Credit card balances see largest quarterly decline in series’ history, driven by paydowns among borrowed and constrained consumption opportunities.” Editor’s Take: Student loans climbed $29 billion in 1Q 2021 to $1.58 trillion by the end of the quarter. 
• Boston College Center for Retirement Research, “Working from home: the Next Inequality.” Editor’s Take: While historical research has shown that more education generally leads to higher income and lower unemployment levels on average, this article focuses on higher levels of income also leading to more work-life balance, flexibility and safety as indicated by a higher percentage working from home during the pandemic. Therefore, product providers and distributors have new bullet points and story boards to discuss in response to the commonly asked question by parents of why save for education, and why a 529 plan.
• 529 Insiders, “Target Market Analysis 2021: Trend of Parents Using 529s in 2021 vs 2017-2019.” Editor’s Take: What percentage of parents save for education with 529s in 2021, and how does that compare to pre-COVID levels in 2017, 2018, and 2019?
• 529 Insiders, “1Q 2021 529 Market Sizing Highlights.” Editor’s Take: What was the 529 market sizing as of 1Q 2021?

ABLE accounts are tax-advantaged investment vehicles for certain individuals with disabilities and their families. 
News, Research, Data & Resources:

• IL ABLE, “IL ABLE for Guardians” Webinar. Editor’s Take: On June 23rd at 6pm EST, IL ABLE will host a webinar for guardians of a person or estate on a dedicated ABLE webinar for this audience. Register today. In the meantime, check out this IL ABLE article here on 8 summertime activities that you can do with your IL ABLE account.
• Ability360, “Christopher Rodriguez named President and CEO at Ability360 after national search to succeed Phil Pangrazio.” Editor’s Take: Congrats Chris, and best of luck in your new role in Arizona that starts today on June 1st. Keep in touch Chris, as your presentation at ABLE Summit 2016 feels like yesterday. Read the article, follow the organization on social media, and learn more about how Ability360 empowers people with disabilities so that they may lead independent lifestyles in the community.
• 529 Insiders, “1Q 2021 ABLE Market Sizing Highlights.” Editor’s Take: What was ABLE market sizing as of 1Q 2021?

Why & What: The 529 Conference is a highly interactive and educational industry gathering where you’ll learn from and network with the entire 529 and ABLE ecosystem to ensure product training, insight and networking across the 529 and ABLE community.

When: November 2-4, 2021

• 529 Essentials: November 2
• 529 Conference: November 3 and 4
• ABLE Summit: November 4

Where: Ritz-Carlton, Orlando, Florida

Updates: Registration opening soon.

702 King Farm Boulevard, Suite 400, Rockville, MD 20850  |  +1 212-217-6884  |  issgovernance.com