If the last year and a half has taught us anything, it’s taught us that education and educators are a completely undervalued resource. In the last year, I went from being a preschool gymnastic instructor and heavily involved in our schools PTA; to being the sole educator for my children. And I’m not alone. As we approach the end of another school year, I want to reflect on how far we have come. But also, how we can look ahead by investing in their future on 529 Day (May 29!).
Education is multi-faceted
Education happens in so many ways. During this crazy time I’ve come to realize that our children are so resilient. Not only does their education come in so many forms, but they are able to learn even in the hardest of times. Playing outdoors, making kitchen science experiments, and even planting a garden are incredible ways of learning. My 8-year-old is even using digital ‘camps’ to learn new skills, like coding.
We’ve also gone way outside of the box by scheduling at-home animal visits! Regardless of how your children are learning, their education doesn’t have to be stressful. In fact, many of those hands-on learning skills will be incredibly helpful in their higher education.
Two-Year, Four-Year, or technical school?
My kids are still relatively young. My 8-year-old still wants to code for a job. But my 5-year-old wants to be a princess. I know that as their schooling continues, they will develop new interests. And, whether they choose a 4-year, 2-year, or technical school, they will be set because we invested in Ohio’s 529 Plan for each of them.
A 529 Savings Plan is a lot like a 401k. It’s an easy, tax-friendly way to save for your children’s higher education. Ohio’s 529 Plan can be used across the country for 2-year and 4-year programs as well as technical schools. Fun fact: Ohio’s 529 Plans can be used to fund your education nationwide — not just in the state of Ohio. And withdrawals from your plan are tax free when used for eligible education expenses.
INVEST IN YOUR CHILD’S FUTURE WITH OHIO’S 529 PLAN on 529 Day
May 29th, or “529 Day,” is a day to highlight the importance of higher education. Regardless of your child’s age, opening an account with Ohio’s 529 Plan right now is the perfect way to invest in their future education. And there are so many reasons not to wait.
Using the College Saving Planner you can see how an investment of any amount today can truly help cover the cost of schooling later! Additionally, the Cost of Waiting Tool will help you figure out how much money you’ll need to save the longer you wait to start. So whether or not they still want to go into coding or become a lawyer, you’ll be in a much better financial position to help them succeed with higher education.
IT’S SO EASY TO GET STARTED
There are only a few things you truly need to start Ohio’s 529 plan.
- Your ID, social security number, telephone number, address, your date of birth, and your mothers maiden name.
- The telephone number, social security number, address, and date of birth of your successor (someone to take over the account should something happen to you).
- And lastly, the date of birth, telephone number, address, and social security number of the person you’re saving for.
That’s it. Easy peasy, right? Exactly.
So why not take this change in season to reevaluate the future of your children’s education. Open an Ohio 529 Plan today!
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