529 Dash, Required Reading for Your 529 Education: 
The 529 Dash e‑newsletter helps institutions, financial professionals, employers, and families navigate education financial planning by sharing timely industry news, product insights, market data, and best practices while promoting awareness 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:

• Boston College Center for Retirement Research, “Two simple 401(k) lessons for new college grads.” Editor’s Take: Like retirement planning, success in education financial planning comes down to consistency and growth over time. By gradually increasing your automatic savings rate and investing those contributions in a 529 plan, you can build meaningful progress toward your goal. Start today, set up automatic contributions to your 529 and let the saving habit do the hard work for you and your family over time.
• Fidelity, “How a 529 can fit into your education savings strategy.” Editor’s Take: On May 27 at 2 PM ET, Fidelity will host a webinar covering investment options, contribution strategies, qualified expenses, and more. Thank you to Ally Donnelly, Cory Latham, and Gina Gillespie for continuing to raise awareness and deepen understanding of 529 plans and education financial planning. Register today to attend, learn and grow.
• 529 Insiders, “1Q 2026 529 & ABLE market sizing highlights.” Editor’s Take: Net inflows increased from 1Q 2024 to 1Q 2025 and again to 1Q 2026, reflecting strengthening demand for education savings. This trend suggests that more families are successfully using 529 plans for their intended purpose of covering qualified education expenses even amid market and economic volatility in 2026. As utilization grows, familiarity and confidence in 529 plans continue to expand among families and their networks. This increased awareness reinforces a positive feedback loop, driving further adoption, contributions, and long-term momentum for the category. Click the link to learn more about 529 and ABLE market sizing as of March 31, 2026.
• Ohio Tuition Trust Authority, “Learn about 529 plans at free 529 Day webinar.” Editor’s Take: This webinar celebrates 30 years of 529s since launch in 1996 and builds awareness and understanding of 529s. Please register for this upcoming webinar on May 29th at 12pm EST to join Paul Curley, CFA, Executive Director at ISS Market Intelligence, and Trisha Good, Executive Director of Ohio’s 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage. Register today and see you there.

• Date: May 29, 2026
• Time: 12pm-1pm EST
• Register: Here
• Title: 529 Day 2026: Top Trends in 529 Plans
• Description:

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 webinar celebrates 30 years of 529s and builds awareness and understanding of 529s through:

• • 529 reminders, tips and best practices
  • New themes and updates on education financial planning for families
  • Key developments impacting the 529 landscape in 2026 
  • 529 market sizing, trends and insights in 2026
  • New industry intelligence from ISS MI’s annual surveys of parents, advisors, and employers
  • 529 & ABLE industry announcements and product enhancements

Whether you’re supporting families (including your own), working with employee benefit solutions, advising clients, or shaping the industry, this webinar provides practical product training, actionable best practices, and data‑driven insight into where the 529 market has been—and where it’s heading next.

• Dates: September 23–25, 2026
• Location: JW Marriott Nashville
• Register: Here; Early Bird registration rate available through June 26, 2026
• Hotel Room Block: Book Here
• Event Website: Link
• Agenda: Link
• Event Updates: 
  • Rob Forshee, Product Manager – CollegeAmerica & ABLEAmerica, Capital Group, has been confirmed as speaker on the “Product Strategy Trends and Outlook” 529 Conference session.
  • Edward Kaminski, Corporate Vice President – Business Consultant, New York Life Stable Value, has been confirmed as speaker on the “Investment Line-Up Creation, Evaluation and Oversight” 529 Conference session.
    
  • Lael Oldmixon, M.Ed, Executive Director, Education Trust of Alaska, has been confirmed as speaker on the “Marketing: Engaging New Audiences” 529 Conference session.

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