529 plans
Education-focused savings with potential tax advantages for qualified expenses.
MRA family planning guide
College savings, with the full family plan in view.
Make an education plan that works alongside retirement, cash reserves, insurance, taxes, and the life your family is building.
Get the guideThe real question
What job does this money need to do?
College savings is not one decision. It is a balance of time, flexibility, control, investment risk, taxes, and what may change between now and enrollment. The right approach starts with your family's priorities, not a single account type.
Before opening an account
Ask the questions that shape the choice.
- 01
How much of the future cost should your family aim to fund?
- 02
How long will the money have to grow, and when will you need it?
- 03
How much flexibility matters if a child's path changes?
- 04
How should education saving fit beside retirement and other goals?
Four common paths
Each option solves a different part of the puzzle.
Custodial accounts
Assets held for a child that may offer more investment flexibility, with a different ownership outcome.
Taxable investing
A flexible option that can support education or another future priority.
Prepaid tuition
A tuition-focused approach with rules that vary by program, school, and state.
A plan that can adapt
Start with a number. Revisit it as life changes.
A stronger plan makes room for new information: changes in income, school choices, scholarships, family goals, and the time remaining before tuition is due.
