– News
– Research
– Data
– Events
– ABLE Act Column
– Presentations
– Quote of the Week

529 Dash, Required Reading for Your 529 Education: The goal of the 529 Dash is to address the specific needs and concerns of advisers, accountants and estate planners who sell and service families and institutions in the college financial planning process by providing industry relevant news, product training and best practices. Building upon the product training and trends will be our editorial insight, market data and research. Also, the 529 Dash will provide opportunities for you to learn from and network with your peers based on real life case studies and forums such as the Strategic Insight 529 Dash LinkedIn Group. By reviewing these success stories on college financial planning from your peers of advisers, accountants and estate planners, the barriers to supporting your clients and building your book of business will be reduced.

Please Read, Engage and Share.

Paul Curley, CFA
Editor-in-Chief of 529 Dash
Director of College Savings Research
paul.curley@strategic-i.com
Twitter: @PaulCurleyBC
LinkedIn: Strategic Insight 529 Dash LinkedIn Group

Here is what you need to know from stories released this week.

– Nerd’s Eye View by Michael Kitces, “Grandparent 529 plans and gifting appreciated assets while qualifying For FAFSA financial aid”
– Raymond James, “A 529 Plan Primer”
– CNBC, “3 tricks to crush college planning and save big.” Editor’s Take: In addition to this article, CNBC came out with another newer article that highlights the growth of student loan debt to $1.4 trillion and your can read it here.
– Forbes, “Retirement and educational savings tax planning tips to lower taxes in 2017”
– NPR, “Strategies for when you’re starting out saddled with student debt”
– Invite Education, “529s Make College Savings Easy: My College Corner 07.” Editor’s Take: Thank you for sourcing Strategic Insight in the video.

Last Week’s Most Read Article:
– The Simple Dollar, “How to Choose the Right 529 Plan to Save for College” by Matt Becker, a fee-only financial planner.

Here is what you need to know from data and research released this week.

– 60% of college students graduate with student loan debt, and 11.8% default.
– 52% of those that are worried about defaulting on any type of loan are between the ages of 21 and 34.
– 47% of new college graduates return to live at home with parents.
– 4.45% will be the student loan interest rate for newly issued student loans starting in July 2017, compared to 6% for graduate school unsubsidized loans and 7% for direct PLUS loans.

Here is the latest market data by Strategic Insight that can be used by the media and other organizations, and contact Strategic Insight for more information and commentary on its proprietary data, research, events and digital publications.

March 2017 Quarterly 529 Market Sizing Data
– 13.3 million accounts invested $289 billion in assets in 529 savings and prepaid plans 
– 12.2 million accounts invested $266 billion in assets in 529 savings plans 
– 1.1 million accounts invested $23 billion in assets in 529 prepaid plans
– 7,286 accounts invested $25.5 million in assets in ABLE (529A) accounts

When: September 11-13, 2017
Where: JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes
Overview: The 529 Conference is a highly interactive and educational industry gathering where you’ll meet and network with the entire 529 ecosystem. Using a 360-degree perspective, the conference drills down into the most significant trends and challenges facing the industry today and includes critical conversation and debate surrounding the latest legislative developments, product innovations, investment options, distribution strategies, marketing initiatives, consumer trends, regulatory announcements and much more.

Optional sessions are available in conjunction with the 529 Conference to offer attendees additional education and training. The pre-conference ‘Essentials Seminar’ provides an understanding of the granular details of 529 plans in a constantly evolving market, and the post-conference ‘ABLE Session’ provides insight and networking into successfully implementing ABLE accounts.

529 Conference Agenda Updates:
– Hon. Michael Frerichs, Treasurer, Illinois State Treasury, has been confirmed as a panelist of the “Building Momentum from the State and Product Provider’s Perspective” session.
– Registration for the event is now open.

This section will cover this week’s top legislative updates, product developments, news and resources relating to ABLE accounts, which are tax-advantaged savings accounts for certain individuals with disabilities and their families. After-tax contributions grow tax deferred, and distributions from the accounts are tax exempt when used for qualified expenses.

News, Research & Resources:

– Investment News, “Fidelity launches savings plan for disabled children.” Editor’s Take: Thank you Liz Skinner for quoting Strategic Insight’s data and commentary in the article, and there was also an article by Forbes and a press release as well.
– Debt Free Geek, “Why I don’t save for my daughter’s college education.” Editor’s Take: The story provides a story about the importance of the ABLE Financial Planning Act (S. 816/HR 1897), which allows assets to rollover from 529 to ABLE accounts.
– 529 Insiders, “List of Open Programs.” Editor’s Take: The list has been updated to reflect the launch of the Attainable Savings Plan by Fidelity.
– 529 Insiders, “Editor’s Letter: ABLE Act Update, 2017 NDSS Buddy Walk® on Washington and How to Justify Your Fee as an Adviser.” Editor’s Take: Provides a short overview of the recently proposed “ABLE 2.0” legislation.
Product Training Primer:
– 529 Insiders, “529 Essentials: 529 Plans & ABLE Accounts.”
Data: 
– Strategic Insight: 7,286 accounts invested $25.5 million in assets in ABLE (529A) accounts as of March 31, 2017.
Events:

– Strategic Insight ABLE Summit 2017 on September 13, 2017 at the JW Marriott, Orlando Grande Lakes

Please contact Paul Curley at paul.curley@strategic-i.com if you are seeking a speaker for an upcoming event.

“In order for me to do my job of holistic financial planning with tuition costs that are so high and the staggering levels of student loans debt, I need to integrate college financial planning as a part of every client discussion.”
– Mark Struthers, CFP, CFA, Founder of Sona Financial

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