5 Ways to Save for a College Education That Aren’t a 529 Plan

Kali Hawlk

Updated on July 15, 2019

July 15, 2019July 15, 2019Save for CollegeBig Money Decisions, Featured, Spend Less1551Kali Hawlk

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If you’re saving for college, you might be familiar with 529 plans. A 529 college savings plan is a tax-advantaged account where you can save and invest money for future college tuition and qualified costs.

A 529 plan is usually the default strategy to saving money for college. But is it always the best choice? It’s important to evaluate your college savings options and explore alternatives to 529 plans before deciding which approach you’ll take to help pay for college when the time comes.

Specifically, let’s take a look at:

The pros and cons of using a 529 plan
Alternatives to 529 plans
Evaluate your college savings options outside a 529 plan

The pros and cons of using a 529 plan

Benefits of using a 529 plan

There are a lot of great benefits to using a 529 plan to save for college. If you want to save your money in an account designed to help families create a financial plan to cover college costs, this option may be for you. You can also make the most of this saved money because funds in a 529 plan are exempt from federal taxes if the funds are used for qualified educational expenses.

Another upside of 529 plans is that they allow you to invest your savings, giving you the opportunity to earn a much better return on your money than if you were simply putting that cash in a savings account. Another big plus is that friends and family members are able to make gift contributions to your account for birthdays, holidays or any other given time.

What’s wrong with a 529 plan?

Though there are many benefits to 529 plans, these plans also come with a few major disadvantages.

For starters, one of the biggest downsides is that you have to use them for qualifying educational expenses to be able to reap any tax benefits. If the intended recipient of the savings doesn’t end up attending college, and you don’t have another child you could transfer them to, you’ll need to pay taxes and a 10% penalty fee on any earnings you take out and don’t use for qualified college expenses.

Additionally, unlike with other savings vehicles, a 529 plan must be used strictly for college expenses. You can’t use them for private secondary school tuition, for example. Plus, 529 funds count toward that child’s assets and Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculation for financial aid. Depending on where you live, this could prevent students from receiving need-based aid.

Another drawback of 529 plans is that the investment options within the plans can be extremely limited and may come with high fees. Without a professional who can help guide you, understanding the right financial moves to make can be tricky, and mistakes can cost you money.

Alternatives to 529 plans

With the downsides of 529 plans, it makes sense to consider other college savings options as well. The good news is that these plans are not the only options for college savers. Some examples include using a custodial account, Roth IRA or Coverdell Education Savings Account.

Here are five of the most common alternatives to 529 plans you can use for your own college savings plan.

1. Savings accounts

Rather than turning to a 529 plan, you can always opt to save for your child’s college expenses through other, more flexible savings products such as a regular savings account or certificate of deposit (CD).

Pros

You’re not bound to using them for the original purpose to reap tax benefits. Unlike with 529 plans, if your child chooses not to go to college, there’s nothing stopping you from using your funds for other purposes, whether that’s helping them out with another venture or putting it toward your own financial goals.
CDs offer some return on your investment, even it it’s not much.

Cons

Traditional savings accounts typically earn much lower Interest rates. This might make it harder to reach your savings goal as quickly.
You’ll have easier access to your funds with a traditional savings account – beneficial if you have an emergency to tend to, but it could make it harder to stay on track with saving with such easy access to funds.

2. Roth IRAs

Another option to put away money for college and invest it for a potentially larger return is to utilize an account intended for retirement, such as a Roth IRA. Roth IRAs are individual retirement accounts that allow people to save and invest after-tax money.

Pros

You can withdraw any of your funds without penalty after age 59 1/2. You can also withdraw your contributions to your Roth IRA without penalty at any time.
Paying for college expenses for you, a spouse, your children or grandchildren is a qualifying reason to withdraw your investment earnings early without penalty. Plus, if your child decides not to go to college, you can put the funds toward your retirement instead.

Cons

Roth IRAs have contribution limits. You can only contribute up to $6,000 per year to your Roth IRA if you’re under the age of 50, and up to $7,000 if you’re older.
At the end of the day, Roth IRAs are designed for retirement. They come with some Roth IRA rules and regulations that are intended to help people save for retirement and to keep their money in their accounts until retirement.

3. Brokerage accounts

Another alternative option is to utilize a simple brokerage account to save for college. Brokerage accounts give you access to any investment that you’d like to buy or sell. These can range from stocks and mutual funds to bonds, currency and futures.

You can open a brokerage account through a broker. Options will vary depending on the company you choose to open an account with.

Pros

As with savings accounts, you can deposit and withdraw money in a brokerage account at any time without penalty.
Some brokerage firms may offer you certain perks for opening an account with them, such as cash bonuses or a certain number of free trades.

Cons

There are no tax advantages associated with brokerage accounts. You’ll also be responsible for capital gains taxes if your money earns a return.
You may be hit with brokerage account fees, such as management fees on the account itself. Additionally, depending on what you invest in, you may incur commission fees, too.
You may be required to make a minimum investment to open a custodial account. This would mean needing to start saving before even beginning to put your funds in a designated account.

4. Custodial accounts

If there’s a chance your child may not attend college, but you still want to plan for their future and support them financially, another option is to utilize a custodial account. UGMA (Uniform Gift to Minors Act) and UTMA (Uniform Transfer to Minors Act) are two common options.

Pros

Both offer standard tax breaks for individuals under age 18. The first $1,000 is tax-free, the second $1,000 is taxed at your child’s income tax rate and the remaining amount is taxed at the parent’s income tax rate.
There are no restrictions on how the funds are used so long as they benefit the child. This will keep your child from losing your financial assistance even if they opt not to attend college.

Cons

You have less control over how your child uses the money. Once your child reaches the age of majority, you can’t legally prevent them from using the funds to take a vacation or buy a fancy car rather than for their education.

5. Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (ESAs)

A Coverdell Education Savings Account, or ESA, is similar to a 529 plan in that it allows you to put away savings for your child’s education when they are under age 18. The key difference is that with this account, qualified educational expenses aren’t limited to college expenses.

Pros

You can use funds for primary and secondary education expenses, including private school tuition.
As with a 529 plan, it can be easier to ensure these savings remain designated for educational expenses.

Cons

You can only contribute up to $2,000 per year to these accounts.
If your modified adjusted gross income is higher than $110,000 (or $220,000 on a joint filed tax return), you can’t establish one of these accounts.

Evaluate your college savings options outside a 529 plan

There are a lot of college savings options. But personal finance is personal, and using a certain account to save for college may make sense depending on your specific situation.

If you decide to turn to alternatives to 529 plans, consider consulting with a financial advisor who can explain the pros and cons of any option you consider. Ultimately, your best bet is to avoid regular savings accounts and CDs because the interest rates are usually very low. You can put your money to work and potentially earn a return by investing your savings instead.

If you’re saving for a child’s education and have a timeframe of five to 18 years before those funds are needed for college, investing in a 529 plan, Roth IRA or brokerage account can help you maximize the cash you set aside for those future expenses. Whichever method you choose, be sure you take the time to fully understand how your decision will affect your full financial future in the long-term.

Emilia Benton contributed to this report.

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Lender	Variable APR	Eligible Degrees
Check out the testimonials and our in-depth reviews! ¹ Important Disclosures for Earnest. Earnest Disclosures To qualify, you must be a U.S. citizen or possess a 10-year (non-conditional) Permanent Resident Card, reside in a state Earnest lends in, and satisfy our minimum eligibility criteria. You may find more information on loan eligibility here: https://www.earnest.com/eligibility. Not all applicants will be approved for a loan, and not all applicants will qualify for the lowest rate. Approval and interest rate depend on the review of a complete application. Earnest fixed rate loan rates range from 3.45% APR (with Auto Pay) to 7.49% APR (with Auto Pay). Variable rate loan rates range from 2.14% APR (with Auto Pay) to 6.79% APR (with Auto Pay). For variable rate loans, although the interest rate will vary after you are approved, the interest rate will never exceed 8.95% for loan terms 10 years or less. 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The information provided on this page is updated as of 09/06/2019. Earnest reserves the right to change, pause, or terminate product offerings at any time without notice. Earnest loans are originated by Earnest Operations LLC. California Finance Lender License 6054788. NMLS # 1204917. Earnest Operations LLC is located at 302 2nd Street, Suite 401N, San Francisco, CA 94107. Terms and Conditions apply. Visit https://www.earnest.com/terms-of-service, email us at hello@earnest.com, or call 888-601-2801 for more information on our student loan refinance product. © 2018 Earnest LLC. All rights reserved. Earnest LLC and its subsidiaries, including Earnest Operations LLC, are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America. ² Important Disclosures for SoFi. SoFi Disclosures Student loan Refinance: Fixed rates from 3.49% APR to 7.94% APR (with AutoPay). Variable rates from 2.14% APR to 7.84% APR (with AutoPay). Interest rates on variable rate loans are capped at either 8.95% or 9.95% depending on term of loan. See APR examples and terms. Lowest variable rate of 2.14% APR assumes current 1 month LIBOR rate of 2.14% minus 0.15% margin minus 0.25% ACH discount. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. If approved for a loan, the fixed or variable interest rate offered will depend on your creditworthiness, and the term of the loan and other factors, and will be within the ranges of rates listed above. For the SoFi variable rate loan, the 1-month LIBOR index will adjust monthly and the loan payment will be re-amortized and may change monthly. APRs for variable rate loans may increase after origination if the LIBOR index increases. See eligibility details. The SoFi 0.25% AutoPay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. To check the rates and terms you qualify for, SoFi conducts a soft credit inquiry. Unlike hard credit inquiries, soft credit inquiries (or soft credit pulls) do not impact your credit score. Soft credit inquiries allow SoFi to show you what rates and terms SoFi can offer you up front. After seeing your rates, if you choose a product and continue your application, we will request your full credit report from one or more consumer reporting agencies, which is considered a hard credit inquiry. Hard credit inquiries (or hard credit pulls) are required for SoFi to be able to issue you a loan. In addition to requiring your explicit permission, these credit pulls may impact your credit score. Terms and Conditions Apply.* SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident in an eligible state and meet SoFi’s underwriting requirements. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. To qualify for the lowest rate, you must have a responsible financial history and meet other conditions. If approved, your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on a variety of factors, including term of loan, a responsible financial history, years of experience, income and other factors. Rates and Terms are subject to change at anytime without notice and are subject to state restrictions. SoFi refinance loans are private loans and do not have the same repayment options that the federal loan program offers such as Income Based Repayment or Income Contingent Repayment or PAYE. Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Financing Law License No. 6054612. SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Lending Corp., NMLS # 1121636. (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) ³ Important Disclosures for Laurel Road. Laurel Road Disclosures FIXED APR Fixed rate options consist of a range from 3.50% per year to 5.55% per year for a 5-year term, 4.00% per year to 6.00% per year for a 7-year term, 4.30% per year to 6.40% per year for a 10-year term, 4.60% per year to 6.80% per year for a 15-year term, or 5.05% per year to 7.02% per year for a 20-year term, with no origination fees. The fixed interest rate will apply until the loan is paid in full (whether before or after default, and whether before or after the scheduled maturity date of the loan). The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 3.50% per year to 5.55% per year for a 5-year term would be from $184.00 to $193.00. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 4.00% per year to 6.00% per year for a 7-year term would be from $138 to $148. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 4.30% per year to 6.40% per year for a 10-year term would be from $104 to $115. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 4.60% per year to 6.80% per year for a 15-year term would be from $79 to $91. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 5.05% per year to 7.02% per year for a 20-year term would be from $68 to $80. However, if the borrower chooses to make monthly payments automatically by electronic funds transfer (EFT) from a bank account, the fixed rate will decrease by 0.25%, and will increase back up to the regular fixed interest rate described in the preceding paragraph if the borrower stops making (or we stop accepting) monthly payments automatically by EFT from the designated borrower’s bank account. VARIABLE APR Variable rate options consist of a range from 2.43% per year to 6.05% per year for a 5-year term, 3.75% per year to 6.10% per year for a 7-year term, 4.00% per year to 6.15% per year for a 10-year term, 4.25% per year to 6.40% per year for a 15-year term, or 4.50% per year to 6.65% per year for a 20-year term, with no origination fees. APR is subject to increase after consummation. The variable interest rate will change on the first day of every month (“Change Date”) if the Current Index changes. The variable interest rates are based on a Current Index, which is the 1-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) (currency in US dollars), as published on The Wall Street Journal’s website. The variable interest rates and Annual Percentage Rate (APR) will increase or decrease when the 1-month LIBOR index changes. The variable interest rates are calculated by adding a margin ranging from 0.25% to 3.80% for the 5-year term loan, 1.50% to 3.85% for the 7-year term loan, 1.75% to 3.90% for the 10-year term loan, 2.00% to 4.15% for the 15-year term loan, and 2.25% to 4.40% for the 20-year term loan, respectively, to the 1-month LIBOR index published on the 25th day of each month immediately preceding each “Change Date,” as defined above, rounded to two decimal places, with no origination fees. If the 25th day of the month is not a business day or is a US federal holiday, the reference date will be the most recent date preceding the 25th day of the month that is a business day. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 2.43% per year to 6.05% per year for a 5-year term would be from $179 to $195. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 3.75% per year to 6.10% per year for a 7-year term would be from $137 to $148. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 4.00% per year to 6.15% per year for a 10-year term would be from $103 to $114. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 4.25% per year to 6.40% per year for a 15-year term would be from $77 to $88. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 4.50% per year to 6.65% per year for a 20-year term would be from $65 to $77. However, if the borrower chooses to make monthly payments automatically by electronic funds transfer (EFT) from a bank account, the variable rate will decrease by 0.25%, and will increase back up to the regular variable interest rate described in the preceding paragraph if the borrower stops making (or we stop accepting) monthly payments automatically by EFT from the designated borrower’s bank account. All credit products are subject to credit approval. Laurel Road began originating student loans in 2013 and has since helped thousands of professionals with undergraduate and postgraduate degrees consolidate and refinance more than $4 billion in federal and private school loans. Laurel Road also offers a suite of online graduate school loan products and personal loans that help simplify lending through customized technology and personalized service. In April 2019, Laurel Road was acquired by KeyBank, one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies. Laurel Road is a brand of KeyBank National Association offering online lending products in all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. All loans are provided by KeyBank National Association, a nationally chartered bank. Member FDIC. For more information, visit www.laurelroad.com. ⁴ Important Disclosures for Splash Financial. Splash Financial Disclosures Terms and Conditions apply. Splash reserves the right to modify or discontinue products and benefits at any time without notice. Rates and terms are also subject to change at any time without notice. Offers are subject to credit approval. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident in an eligible state and meet applicable underwriting requirements. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. Lowest rates are reserved for the highest qualified borrowers. ⁵ Important Disclosures for CommonBond. CommonBond Disclosures Offered terms are subject to change. Loans are offered by CommonBond Lending, LLC (NMLS # 1175900). If you are approved for a loan, the interest rate offered will depend on your credit profile, your application, the loan term selected and will be within the ranges of rates shown. All Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) displayed assume borrowers enroll in auto pay and account for the 0.25% reduction in interest rate. All variable rates are based on a 1-month LIBOR assumption of 2.19% effective August 10, 2019. ⁶ Important Disclosures for LendKey. LendKey Disclosures Refinancing via LendKey.com is only available for applicants with qualified private education loans from an eligible institution. Loans that were used for exam preparation classes, including, but not limited to, loans for LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, and GRE preparation, are not eligible for refinancing with a lender via LendKey.com. If you currently have any of these exam preparation loans, you should not include them in an application to refinance your student loans on this website. Applicants must be either U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents in an eligible state to qualify for a loan. Certain membership requirements (including the opening of a share account and any applicable association fees in connection with membership) may apply in the event that an applicant wishes to accept a loan offer from a credit union lender. Lenders participating on LendKey.com reserve the right to modify or discontinue the products, terms, and benefits offered on this website at any time without notice. LendKey Technologies, Inc. is not affiliated with, nor does it endorse, any educational institution. ⁷ Important Disclosures for College Ave. College Ave Disclosures College Ave Student Loans products are made available through either Firstrust Bank, member FDIC or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply. ¹College Ave Refi Education loans are not currently available to residents of Maine. ²All rates shown include autopay discount. The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as a valid bank account is designated for required monthly payments. Variable rates may increase after consummation. ³$5,000 is the minimum requirement to refinance. The maximum loan amount is $300,000 for those with medical, dental, pharmacy or veterinary doctorate degrees, and $150,000 for all other undergraduate or graduate degrees. ⁴This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a refi borrower with a Full Principal & Interest Repayment and a 10-year repayment term, has a $40,000 loan and a 5.5% Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 120 monthly payments of $434.11 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $52,092.61. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary. Information advertised valid as of 08/01/2019. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation.
	2.14% – 6.79%¹	Undergrad & Graduate	Visit Earnest
	2.14% – 7.84%²	Undergrad & Graduate	Visit SoFi
	2.43% – 6.65%³	Undergrad & Graduate	Visit Laurel Road
	2.43% – 7.60%⁴	Undergrad & Graduate	Visit Splash
	2.14% – 8.01%⁵	Undergrad & Graduate	Visit CommonBond
	2.06% – 8.93%⁶	Undergrad & Graduate	Visit Lendkey
	2.74% – 7.24%⁷	Undergrad & Graduate	Visit College Ave

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5 Ways to Save for a College Education That Aren’t a 529 Plan

Kali Hawlk

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