529 Dash, Required Reading for Your 529 Education: 
The goal of the 529 Dash e-newsletter is to help institutions, financial professionals, employers, and families in the education financial planning process by creating and sharing industry relevant news, product training, market data 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
Executive Director
ISS Market Intelligence
paul.curley@issmarketintelligence.com

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

• Federal Reserve Bank of New York, “Household debt balances grow modestly; Early delinquencies level out for non-housing debts.” Editor’s Take: Student loans grew by $11 billion in the fourth quarter and $49 billion in 2025 to a reported total of $1.664 trillion as of the end of 2025. 16.19% of the $1.664 trillion is flowing into serious delinquency as of the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to 7% of credit card loans, 3% of auto loan debt and 5% of other types of loans. Furthermore, over one million student loan borrowers are over 120 days delinquent. 529s provide a potential opportunity to mitigate or reduce reliance on student loans if used as part of an overall education financial planning strategy over the long-term, and have a look at this recent report to get a second of the size and scale of the issue that 529s are seeking to resolve and/or mitigate. In the meantime, have the education financial planning conversation today.
• The Backpack Bulletin, “In the chair with Brandon Goeke, COO at Florida Prepaid.” Editor’s Take: Thank you Callum Bedos and Brandon Goeke for your time and insight in this interview style article. As the industry grows, so does the ability for providers to leverage its new scale to implement ease of use enhancements. Learn more about the trend from a state agency and fintech perspective. Read, learn and growth. In the meantime, thank you Brandon and Callum for presenting at 529 Conference 2025 (Panel Photo 1, Panel Photo 2), and see you in Nashville at 529 Conference 2026 this fall!
• J.P. Morgan Asset Management, “College Planning Essentials.” Editor’s Take: Thank you J.P. Morgan for creating and sharing this 45-slide guide on the education financial planning landscape. There are many power story boards here, and so have a look and bookmark for future reference. Read, bookmark and share.
• 529 Insiders, “4Q 2025 529 & ABLE market sizing highlights.” Editor’s Take: Click the link to learn more about 529 and ABLE market sizing as of December 31, 2025.

529 Conference 2026:

• Dates: September 23–25, 2026
• Location: JW Marriott Nashville
• Website: Link
• Register: Registration now open here
• Event Updates: 
  • Thank you Columbia Threadneedle Investments for the Event Bag & Lanyards sponsorship