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 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
Associate Director
529 & ABLE Solutions, ISS Market Intelligence
paul.curley@issmarketintelligence.com
Twitter: @PaulCurleyBC

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

• Fidelity Investments, “How unused 529 assets can help with retirement planning.” Editor’s Take: Thank you Fidelity for raising awareness and understanding about the ability to soon rollover 529 assets to Roth IRAs under certain circumstances. Learn more by reading the article. 
• Ohio’s 529 CollegeAdvantage, “Ohio 529 Offers A 529 Quiz For 529 Day.” Editor’s Take: While 529 Day has come and gone, the article continues to provide a timely quiz on 529s. Trying it out today!
• Newsfile, “Mastercard and Catalis celebrate 529 Day with the latest innovation for 529 college savings accounts.” Editor’s Take: Congrats to Catalis on the launch of this product enhancement that will improve the efficiency to process 529 distributions. Click the link to learn more. 
• Krazy Coupon Lady, “529 Day (College Savings Day!) Is on 5/29 — What to Know and Best 529 Offers.” Editor’s Take: Thank you Brynne Conroy for celebrating 529 Day, helping to build awareness about 529s and the 529 Day incentives, and for quoting and sourcing ISS Market Intelligence. Click the link to learn more.
• Pennsylvania Treasury, “Treasurer Stacy Garrity and Center for Rural Pennsylvania Announce Findings of PA 529 Report.” Editor’s Take: The article provides interesting market data and perspectives on the savings behaviors of those in rural PA counties and urban PA counties. Read, learn and grow.
• New York Times, “Contributions to College Savings Plans Pick Up as Inflation Eases.” Editor’s Take: Thank you Ann Carnes of the New York Times for providing a landscape update on consumer trends in utilizing 529s plans in a post-pandemic world. Also, thank you for quoting and sourcing ISS Market Intelligence. Read, learn and share.
• Wall Street Journal (Subscription Required), “Your child picked a college! Tee up your 529 plan.” Editor’s Take: With the fall semester and therefore tuition bills coming soon, the article provides a discussion on how to prepare to take distributions from your 529 to pay for qualified expenses. Also, thank you for quoting and sourcing ISS Market Intelligence. Read, learn and share.
• 529 Insiders, “1Q 2023 529 market sizing highlights.” Editor’s Take: What was the 529 market sizing as of 1Q 2023 (March 31, 2023)? Click the link to learn more.

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

• Accounting to Scale (YouTube Video), “ABLE Accounts, Explained.” Editor’s Take: Tiffany Gonzalez, CPA, provides an educational overview of ABLE accounts. Watch, learn and share. Also, Special Needs Academy presented a video on some of the differences between special needs trusts and ABLE accounts. This shows that accountants, lawyers and estate planners are helping to build awareness and understanding of ABLE accounts. Have the conversation today.
• 529 Insiders, “1Q 2023 ABLE market sizing highlights.” Editor’s Take: What was the ABLE market sizing as of 1Q 2023 (March 31, 2023)? Click the link to learn more.
• ABLE Summit 2023 by ISS Market Intelligence: 5th Annual In-Person Dedicated Event on ABLE Accounts
  • What: With the launch of ABLE accounts in 2016, we’re dedicating sessions at the 529 Conference 2023 to product training, networking and best practices on how organizations are involved in the ABLE industry, and how they can successfully evolve to drive growth of ABLE accounts from a consumer, legislative, product, marketing, distribution and outlook perspective. Help build momentum and join the conversation by registering for the event today. 
  • Dates: September 21, 2023
  • Location: The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, Florida, USA.
  • Venue: Link to event room block here.
  • Registration: Now open here, and the early bird registration rate ends on June 15, 2023.
  • Agenda: Agenda will be posted online shortly. In the interim, the session titles and descriptions to date are:
    • State of the ABLE Industry By the Numbers: Data and Analysis on ABLE Industry Trends, Benchmarking Growth Through Market Data, How to Improve By the Numbers
    • ABLE Implementation: Community, Legislative, Product, Marketing & Distribution Perspective: Community & Consumer Perspective, Policy and Advocacy Initiatives Update & Outlook, Impact of ABLE Age Adjustment Act, Product, Marking & Distribution Perspective
    • ABLE Outlook: Challenges & Opportunities: Based on the collective experience of implementing ABLE programs to date, this session will present an overview of the outlook of the ABLE industry and the community the product serves, a discussion on what has been learned to date from a challenges and opportunities perspective, and where we need to go from a product and partnership roadmap perspective in order to drive growth to help more families going forward.
  • Agenda Updates: 
    • Cyrus Huncharek, Director of Policy and Advocacy, National Down Syndrome Congress, has been confirmed as a panelist on the “ABLE Implementation: Community, Legislative, Product, Marketing & Distribution Perspective” ABLE Summit 2023 panel.
    • Brandon Goeke, Director of Operations, Florida Prepaid College Board, has been confirmed as moderator of the “ABLE Outlook: Challenges & Opportunities” ABLE Summit 2023 panel.

• Dates: 529 Conference 2023 will be held from September 19-21, 2023
• Location: The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, Florida, USA.
• Venue: Link to event room block here.
• Registration: Now open here, and the early bird registration rate ends on June 15, 2023.
• Agenda: 529 Essentials 2023 agenda has been posted online here. 529 Conference 2023 agenda will be posted online shortly.
• Agenda Updates: 
  • Derek Ashworth, Vice President-Advertising Regulation, FINRA, Ira Gluck, Senior Director, FINRA, Abha Mohla, Associate Director, Market Regulation, Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, and Bri Joiner, Director, Regulatory Compliance, Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board have been confirmed as co-presenters of the “Municipal Rulemaking & Advertising Regulation Overview” 529 Essentials Seminar training session.
  • Richard Polimeni, Director, Head of Education Savings Programs, Investment Solutions & Personal Retirement, Bank of America Merrill, has been confirmed as a panelist on the “National Broker-Dealer’s View on Product, Marketing and Distribution Strategies” 529 Conference session.
  • Chuck Ranney, Vice President – Mutual Funds, CEFs & 529 Plans, Ameriprise Financial, has been confirmed as a panelist on the “National Broker-Dealer’s View on Product, Marketing and Distribution Strategies” 529 Conference session.
  • Shannon Salinas, Associate General Counsel, Investment Company Institute (ICI), has been confirmed as a panelist on the “Outlook for 529s in 2024 & Beyond” 529 Conference session.
  • John Mitchell, Director, College Savings, Office of Illinois State Treasurer Michael W. Frerichs, has been confirmed as moderator of the “Direct-Sold Marketing Strategies” 529 Conference session.
  • Rachel Biar, Assistant State Treasurer, NEST 529 Education Savings Program Director, Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office; Chair, College Savings Plans Network, has been confirmed as a panelist on the “State’s Perspective on Industry Trends and Building Momentum” 529 Conference session.
  • Richard Ellis, Executive Director, my529, has been confirmed as a panelist on the “State’s Perspective on Industry Trends and Building Momentum” 529 Conference session.
  • William Thompson, Deputy Executive Director, Florida Prepaid Tuition Board, has been confirmed as moderator of the “Outlook for 529s in 2024 & Beyond” 529 Conference session.

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