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:

• Toby Mathis Esq | Tax Planning & Asset Protection (YouTube), “529s plans aren’t just for college – 3 big hidden benefits.” Editor’s Take: Chris Stack, Esq., Managing Consultant at Savingforcollege.com, shares key insights on the flexibility and power of 529 plans—including that they can be used for yourself as well as your children, offer significant tax advantages, and can play a strategic role in education, retirement, and estate planning. Learn more by watching the video, and we look forward to Chris Stack presenting at the 529 Conference.
• AKF Consulting, “National apprenticeship week is here – Is your 529 ready?” Editor’s Take: Thank you AKF Consulting for raising awareness and understanding of 529 expanding its qualified expenses to apprenticeships, and looking forward to Andrea Feirstein presenting at the 529 Conference. Learn more about this expansion of capabilities of 529s by reading the article today.
• CSF (College Savings Foundation), “Financially-savvy high school students tackle higher ed costs and prepare for future employment, CSF Youth Survey finds.” Editor’s Take: A recent teen survey shows a growing focus on college affordability as more families are asking for 529 gifts, increasing education savings, and actively planning for the cost of college. Popular strategies include working while attending school, living at home while taking classes, and exploring career and technical education pathways. Thank you to CSF for helping raise awareness, understanding, and prioritization of education financial planning and 529 plans. Click the link to learn more.
• 529 Insiders, “4Q 2025 529 & ABLE market sizing highlights.” Editor’s Take: 529 plans continue to show strong growth across assets, accounts, and gross sales. As qualified expenses expand to reach a broader target market, this growth is reinforced by greater scale—fueling ease‑of‑use enhancements that further accelerate adoption and drive the next cycle of momentum. Click the link to learn more about 529 and ABLE market sizing as of December 31, 2025.

• 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
• Hotel Room: Book in room block here
• Event Website: Link
• Registration: Now open here
• Agenda: Link
• Event Updates: 
  • Thank you DFA for your support of the event as a Networking Refreshment Break Sponsor
  • Joey Spellerberg, Treasurer, Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office, has been confirmed as speaker on the “State’s Perspective on Industry Trends and Building Momentum” 529 Conference session.
  • Rachel Biar, Deputy State Treasurer for Savings Program, NEST 529 Education Savings Program Director, Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office, has been confirmed as moderator of the “Platforms, Fintech and Emerging Trends and Opportunities” 529 Conference session.

Please consider forwarding this e‑newsletter to a colleague and encouraging them to subscribe using the link here. You can also click “reply” anytime to connect or share feedback, thoughts, or ideas on the newsletter or broader industry trends. Cheers to creating a great day.