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:

• Columbia Threadneedle Investments, “529 Assist.” Editor’s Take: With March Madness under way across the nation, families are focused on college. Therefore financial professionals have an opportunity to open or “tipoff” the education financial planning conversation with their clients. Checkout the attached men’s and women’s brackets with the cost of tuition and fees of each school in the downloadable links, and thank you Columbia Threadneedle Investments for leading this discussion. While families are unable to control the outcome of their brackets, they do have an opportunity to create and execute a plan to save and pay for education. Have the discussion today!
• Embark Savings (YouTube), “Oregon 529 tax benefits: Everything you need to know.” Editor’s Take: In March, Embark Savings released a new educational video on 529s and their plan. Congrats on the launch, thank you for raising awareness and understanding of savings for education, and looking forward to more videos getting released through your YouTube channel. 
• ISS Market Intelligence 529 Day Webinar, “529 Day 2026: Top Trends in 529 Plans.” Editor’s Take: Hosted by Paul Curley, CFA, Executive Director at ISS Market Intelligence, and Trisha Good, Executive Director of Ohio’s 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage, ISS MI’s 529 Day 2026 webinar provides key themes and updates on education financial planning, developments impacting the 529 landscape, and more. Register here for the webinar on May 29, 2026 at 12pm EST.
• 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.

• Dates: September 23–25, 2026
• Location: JW Marriott Nashville
• Hotel Room: Book in room block here
• Event Website: Link
• Registration: Now open here
• Event Updates: 
  • Thank you Invesco for your support of the event as Starbucks Gift Card sponsor
  • Thank you New York Life for your support of the event as Welcome Reception sponsor
  • Stacey MacPhetres, Senior Director, Education Finance, College Coach, has been confirmed as co-presenter of the “The College Finance Landscape and Why 529’s are Essential to Paying for College” 529 Essentials Seminar session.
  • Jonathan Hughes, Associate Director of College Planning and Content Creation and host of the MEFA Podcast, MEFA, Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority, has been confirmed as co-presenter of the “The College Finance Landscape and Why 529’s are Essential to Paying for College” 529 Essentials Seminar session.

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