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Your Money Adviser

It’s Almost ‘529 Day,’ and States Say Don’t Forget This College Savings Gift

Credit...Brian Britigan

College savings plans in many states are gearing up for their annual “529 Day” on Wednesday, when they offer incentives and promotions to encourage families to open and contribute to the special accounts.

Offers include a chance to have $5,529 deposited into a 529 account in North Carolina and a drawing for a contribution of $529 for those saving through Vermont’s plan.

Tax-favored 529 accounts, named after a section of the federal tax code, are available through government-sponsored programs in nearly all states and the District of Columbia.

Money deposited after taxes in 529 accounts is invested and grows tax free. It is also tax free upon withdrawal, when used for eligible college costs, including tuition and fees, housing, meals and books.

And since last year, up to $10,000 a year from a 529 fund can be used to pay for private education from elementary school onward.

The number of 529 accounts grew 30 percent from 2010 to 2017 to about 13 million, according to a report from the Pew Charitable Trusts based on an analysis of data from the College Savings Plans Network, which promotes the accounts. The increase occurred even as the population under age 18 remained flat, Pew found, suggesting that 529s have gained traction. The average balance in the accounts was about $23,000 at the end of last year.

Still, it appears that many people remain unaware of the potential benefits. Research conducted for the savings network suggests that just a third of Americans have heard of 529 plans, while only a quarter know that the purpose is to save for education. The investment research firm Morningstar recently estimated that just 16 percent of parents of children younger than college age were saving in a 529.

The savings network has begun a new national campaign to make the plans more recognizable and promote them as a way to reduce the need to borrow for college. The effort, supported by savings plans, related agencies and financial companies in more than two dozen states, includes promotions aired before and after “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” a children’s television show developed by Fred Rogers Productions.

“We’ve got something that’s real and that works, and we’ve got to let people know about it,” said Young Boozer III, national chairman of the 529 campaign.

Investing $10 a week in a 529 account over 18 years could yield just over $15,000 for college, assuming a 5 percent annual return and no withdrawals, according to the campaign’s calculation. (The calculation doesn’t take fees into account.)

The average debt of graduates of four-year colleges was about $29,000 in 2017, according to the Institute for College Access and Success.

The cost of a college education was back in the news this week after a wealthy benefactor pledged to erase the collective student debt held by the Morehouse College graduating class of 2019. Some graduates will see tens of thousands of dollars in debt relief.

But since the likelihood that a generous billionaire will pay off your student loans at your graduation ceremony is extremely low, creating a savings plan is more realistic, said Patricia Roberts, chief operating officer of Gift of College.com. The company promotes contributions to 529 accounts through an online gift registry and via gift cards sold online and through stores. Ms. Roberts said she gave the cards at baby showers, instead of toys or clothes.

Here are some questions and answers about 529 savings plans:

How should I decide what 529 plan to choose?

It may make sense to consider your state’s plan because many states offer a deduction on your state income tax return. (There is no federal tax deduction for contributions.) But you aren’t restricted to your own state’s offerings. Savingforcollege.com and the College Savings Plans Network offer tools to compare plans, and Morningstar offers ratings of plans each year.

Meanwhile, mobile start-ups are targeting users who are overwhelmed by the number of options available by simplifying enrollment and narrowing the choice of plan and investments. CollegeBacker advises users online about 529 investments, but currently enables enrollment in just one plan, Utah’s direct-sold 529 plan; users choose the fee they wish to pay. U-Nest, currently in a testing period, enables enrollment in Rhode Island’s CollegeBound Saver plan and charges a flat monthly fee of $3.

Can I donate money to the 529 account of a relative or friend?

Yes. Making a gift was once cumbersome because donors had to request the recipient’s account number to transfer money. But there are now more options, in addition to gift cards, to make it easier for relatives and friends to make gifts to a 529. Ugift, a program offered by 529 plans that are administered by Ascensus College Savings in 20 states plus the District of Columbia, lets parents share a unique code with friends and family that can be used for an electronic donation. And CollegeBacker lets savers share a special link that lets relatives and friends donate online.

Where can I find information about current 529 plan promotions?

For information on the incentives that plans in various states are offering this month, try checking a map at Savingforcollege.com.

A version of this article appears in print on  , Section B, Page 5 of the New York edition with the headline: The Next Best Thing to Having a Billionaire Pay for School. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

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