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Education Planning   Articles     529 plans       529 plans and financial aid eligibility       529 plans vs. other college savings options       529 plans: The ins and outs of contributions and withdrawals       Estate planning and 529 plans       Income tax planning and 529 plans       The ABCs of 529 plans     Education planning basics       ABCs of financial aid       Education tax credits       Finding money to pay college bills out of pocket       Going back to school as an adult       Health insurance for college students       How student loans impact your credit       Research tips when choosing a college       Saving for retirement and a child's education at the same time       Sticker shock--creative ways to lower the cost of college       Student loan basics       The college application process   Decision Tools     529 plans       State savings plan nonqualified withdrawals calculator       State savings plans vs. prepaid tuition plans     Determining how much to save for college       College savings analyzer       Finding the funds to pay for a college education       Higher education figures at-a-glance     Evaluating college savings options       Advantages and disadvantages of 529 plans       Advantages and disadvantages of U.S. savings bonds for college savings       College funding options analyzer       College savings vehicles compared     Financial aid       College application and financial aid calendar       Comparison of federal higher education loans       Financial aid calendar     Tax issues       Comparison of education tax credits and deductions       Qualified education expenses defined       Summary of tax-advantaged college savings options   FAQs     529 plan basics       Do 529 plans include both state savings plans and prepaid tuition plans?       What is the Independent 529 Plan?       What's the difference between state savings plans and prepaid tuition plans?       Why are these plans referred to as "529" plans?     529 plan expenses and fees       What expenses and fees are generally associated with 529 plans?     529 plans and financial aid       How will my 529 account be treated for financial aid purposes?       I opened a state savings plan account for my grandchild many years ago, and he's now filling out financial aid applications. Do his parents need to list the value of the account in their assets, or does my grandchild list the value of the account as his asset?     529 plans vs. other ways to save for college       How does a 529 plan compare with a Coverdell education savings account?       How does a 529 plan compare with an UGMA/UTMA custodial account in my child's name?       How does a 529 plan compare with investing in a mutual fund in my name?       How does a 529 plan compare with using U.S. savings bonds for college expenses?     529 plans: Changing plans (rollover)       Can I move funds from my Coverdell education savings account to a 529 plan?       Can I roll over my existing 529 account to another state's 529 plan without penalty?       Does it make sense to cash in my prepaid tuition plan and contribute the money to a state savings plan instead?     529 plans: Choosing or changing a beneficiary or account owner       Who can be a beneficiary of a 529 plan?     529 plans: Death of account owner or beneficiary       What happens if I open a 529 account for my child and then I die--who would control the account?       What happens if the beneficiary of the 529 account dies?     529 plans: Making contributions       Can I contribute my own stocks and bonds to the 529 account I've set up for my child?       Can I make contributions to a 529 account and a Coverdell education savings account in the same year for the same beneficiary?       Should I invest a lump sum, or is there a way to use dollar cost averaging when investing in a state savings plan?     529 plans: Tax issues       How does the annual gift tax exclusion apply to contributions to a 529 plan?       I intend to make tuition payments directly to my grandchild's college, and I know this will reduce my estate. But would it be better to contribute to a 529 plan instead?       I'd like to make a lump-sum contribution to my grandchild's 529 account. Will I owe gift tax?       If I cash in Series EE U.S. savings bonds I purchased 10 years ago and contribute the proceeds to a 529 plan, can I still avoid paying tax on the proceeds?       Will I be penalized if the money in my 529 plan isn't used for college expenses?       Will I pay income tax when the money in my 529 plan is withdrawn to pay for college expenses?     Borrowing against your 529 account       Can I use the money in my 529 account as security if I apply for a loan?       I know I can borrow against my 401(k), but can I borrow against the value of my 529 account?     Choosing a 529 plan       Can I invest in any state's 529 plan, or am I limited to my own state's plan?       How do I know whether to choose a state savings plan or a prepaid tuition plan?       I've decided on a state savings plan, but how do I go about choosing one?     College costs       Are there any ways to lower the cost of college?       What expenses are included in the annual cost of college?       What is the college inflation rate?     College students and insurance       My child is heading off to college this fall. What insurance issues does this raise?     Education tax credits       Now that my child is in college, am I entitled to any education tax credits?       What are the Hope credit and the Lifetime Learning credit?     Financial aid       Are any financial aid programs tailored especially to parents of post-secondary students?       Are there any assets that are not counted for financial aid purposes?       Can an UGMA/UTMA account reduce my child's financial aid for college?       Can anyone get a Pell Grant?       Can we negotiate our child's financial aid award?       Do colleges offer financial aid?       How can my child find scholarships for college?       How do I apply for financial aid?       How do I know if I'm eligible for federal financial aid?       How does the federal financial aid process work?       Is there anything I can do now so that my child can obtain more financial aid later?       What are the major federal financial aid loan programs?       What happens if our child's college does not give us all the financial aid we need?       What is a Stafford Loan?     Opening a 529 account       Are there rules on who can open a 529 account?       Can a non-U.S. citizen open a 529 account?       Can I open a 529 account for a nonrelative?       Can I open a 529 account in anticipation of my future grandchild?       Can I open a 529 plan with a lump sum?       Can more than one account be opened for the same child?       Can my spouse and I open a joint 529 account for our child?       Does it make sense to open a 529 account if my child is only two years away from college?       How do I enroll in a state's 529 plan?       I have two children. Should I open one account for both children or one account for each child?       If I open a 529 account, will my child's choice of college be restricted?       Is there an income limit on who can open an account?       What happens if I open a 529 plan in one state and then move to another state?     Saving for college       Are government savings bonds risk free?       Are savings bonds a good way to save?       Are state savings plans a good way to save for college?       Can an UGMA/UTMA account reduce my child's financial aid for college?       Do series EE bonds offer any special advantages if used for college savings?       Help! My child is only two years away from college and we haven't saved much. What should we do?       How can I save for my child's college education?       How can we possibly save for retirement and our child's college education at the same time?       Should I establish a trust for my child's college education fund?       Should I open a Coverdell education savings account?       Should I save for college in my name or my child's name?       What are the rules for Coverdell education savings accounts?       What is the CollegeSure CD?     Student loans       Is student loan interest deductible?     Understanding 529 investments       Does a state savings plan allow me to choose my own investments?       Is my rate of return guaranteed under a 529 plan?       What recourse do I have if I'm unhappy with my state savings plan's investment performance?       What's the difference between how a state savings plan invests and how a prepaid tuition plan invests?     Using or withdrawing 529 funds       Can 529 funds be used for general living expenses while at college?       Can the funds in a 529 plan be used for college expenses if my child is only attending part-time?       How do I prove that a distribution request is for my child's college expenses and not for some other purpose?       Must the funds in a 529 plan be used for tuition only, or can they be used for room and board expenses?       My child got a full scholarship to college--now what?       My child is the beneficiary of a 529 plan. Can he use the 529 funds at a foreign school?       My child is the beneficiary of a 529 plan. Can he use the 529 funds for graduate school?       My child is the beneficiary of a 529 plan. Can he use the 529 funds for vocational school?       My child is the beneficiary of a 529 plan. Can we use the 529 funds for her private elementary or secondary school?       My child will be going to college next year and using 529 funds to pay expenses--what do I need to do?       What happens if I need to use the funds in a 529 plan before my child goes to college?       What happens if I open a 529 account for my child, and she later becomes disabled and doesn't go to college?       What happens if my child finishes college and there is money left over in the 529 account?       What happens to my 529 plan if my child wants to postpone going to college for a year or two after high school?       What happens to the funds in my 529 account if my child doesn't go to college?