Celebrate National 529 College Savings Day with Promotions, Sweepstakes and More

ByCheree Liebowitz

May 29 (5-29) is National 529 College Savings Plan Awareness Day. This designated day of the year is for celebrating the importance of preparing for future college expenses and the advantages of 529 College Savings Plans.

For those unfamiliar with college savings, a 529 Plan is an education savings plan operated by a state or educational institution designed to offer a simple, affordable way for families to save for future college costs. These investment accounts allow tax-free growth and withdrawals of earnings for qualified expenses, including tuition, room and board, books and supplies, while attending an eligible educational institution.

The 529 is named after Section 529 of the tax code that created these savings plans. Almost every state has one or more 529 plans available. These plans differ from state to state.

In celebration of 529 day, a number of states are offering special promotions:

Alabama: CollegeCounts $529 Giveaway

  • Enter to win one of $529 in college savings that will be deposited directly into a new or existing CollegeCounts account.
  • All entrants must submit a form and answer two questions in 250 words or less. The questions are related to why they are saving for college.
  • Entry
  • Deadline: May 29, 2014

Connecticut: CHET 529 Day Promotion

  • Connecticut residents who are the parent, legal guardian or grandparent of a child born in Connecticut during the month of May 2014 are eligible for a chance to win a $1,529 contribution towards a CHET 529 plan account.
  • Entry
  • Deadline: May 31, 2014

Florida: Florida “National 529 College Savings Day” Sweepstakes

  • Ten winners will receive a $529 scholarship deposited into a Florida 529 Savings Plan account.
  • U.S. citizens over 18 who open a Florida 529 College Savings Plan between April 28 and May 28, 2014 will be automatically entered.
  • Winning is also possible without opening an account.
  • Winners will be selected by random drawing.
  • Entry
  • Deadline: May 28, 2014.

Georgia: Path2College 529 Plan Newborn Sweepstakes

  • Enter for a chance to win $5,529 towards a Path2College (Georgia) 529 Plan
  • Open to residents – or Path2College 529 Plan account owners – who are the parent, guardian or grandparent of a child born in a Georgia hospital during 2014.
  • One winner will be selected to win $5,529, and will have the option to use all or a portion of the prize to open a Path2College Savings plan for the newborn.
  • Entry
  • Deadline: April 15, 2015

Georgia: Path2College 529 Plan 25,000 Reasons to Save Sweepstakes

  • Enter for a chance to win $15,000 towards a Path2College 529 Plan in Georgia.
  • Georgia residents who are at least 21 years of age or older. All entrants must be a parent, legal guardian or grandparent of a child age 18 or under who is a Georgia resident attending a Georgia school, homeschooled, or not yet old enough to be enrolled in school.
  • Open to all Path2College 529 Plan account owners (regardless of state of residency) and non-Path2College 529 Plan account owners.
  • One winner from all entries will be selected to receive a $15,000 Path2College 529 Plan contribution. In addition, the school of the child from the winning entry will also receive a $10,000 cash contribution.
  • Winner will be selected by random drawing.
  • Entry
  • Deadline: August 10, 2014

Indiana: CollegeChoice $5,000 Giveaway

  • Indiana residents who are 18 years of age or older can enter to win a $5,000 contribution to a new or existing CollegeChoice 529 account.
  • Winner will be selected by random drawing.
  • Entry
  • Deadline: May 31, 2014

College Savings Iowa – 2014 $5,290 College Savings Iowa Spring Giveaway

  • Winner will receive a $5,290 contribution to a College Savings Iowa (CSI) 529 account.
  • Must be an Iowa resident 18 years of age or older. Winner will be selected by random drawing.
  • Entry
  • Deadline: May 31, 2014

Kansas Learning Quest $1,000 Seasonal Contest

Kentucky Education Savings Plan Trust Newborn Giveaway

  • Open to parents, grandparents, or guardians of babies born in Kentucky during the prior 12 months.
  • One drawing will be held each calendar quarter, and the winner will receive a $529 KESPT college savings account. A total of four drawings will take place this year.
  • Entry
  • Deadline: Entries must be received by September 30, 2014.

Maryland: College Savings Day at the Maryland Zoo and Zookeeper for a Day Giveaway

  • Maryland parents can enter to win a chance to win a $529 Maryland College Investment Plan account, a Behind the Scenes Zoo experience, and a zoo family membership.
  • The first 529 kids to visit the Maryland Zoo on Saturday, May 31, 2014 will receive a special admission of $5.29. Representatives from the College Savings Plans of Maryland will on site to answer any questions on 529 plans.
  • Winner will be selected by random drawing.
  • Entry
  • Deadline: June 6, 2014

Missouri: MOST 529 College Savings Day Giveaway

  • Missouri residents can register for a chance to win a $5,290 contribution to a MOST 529 Plan account.
  • Winner will be selected by random drawing. Participants can earn additional chances to win by liking MOST on Facebook and following them on Twitter.
  • Entry
  • Deadline: May 31, 2014

Nebraska Educational Savings Trust – Teach Children to Save NEST $529 Drawing

  • Open a new NEST Direct or NEST Advisor College Savings Plan account between April 10 and May 29, 2014 and be entered to win one of five $529 deposits into a NEST account.
  • Use “2014TEACH” as the promotion code
  • More information
  • Deadline: May 29, 2014

Nevada College Savings Day $529 Scholarship Giveaway

  • Nevada residents with children 13 or younger may enter to receive a $529 contribution into an SSgA Upromise 529 Plan. The money will be deposited directly into a new or existing account.
  • Twelve winners (12) will be selected by random drawing
  • Entry
  • Deadline: June 30, 2014

New York: 529 College Savings Day Sweepstakes

 

  • Enter to win $500 paid directly to the winner’s 529 Account (existing account or a to-be-established 529). Simply fill out an online form to win.
    • New York State residents 18 years or older are eligible to enter.
    • Entry
    • Deadline: May 31, 2014

Ohio: CollegeAdvantage $529 Giveaway

      • Win a $529 CollegeAdvantage College Savings Award for the benefit of a child, grandchild, niece, nephew, friend, or other loved one.
      • Twenty winners (20) will be selected by random drawing
      • Entry
      • Deadline: June 9, 2014

Oklahoma: Fizz, Boom, Save for College Sweepstakes

      • One child and teen will each win $2,529 towards an Oklahoma 529 College Savings Plan
  • Each parent, legal guardian or grandparent who has a participating child in the Oklahoma Department of Libraries 2014 Summer Reading program can receive one (1) Sweepstakes entry form at a participating Library. Online entry at www.ok4saving.org
  • Deadline: August 31, 2014

South Carolina: Future Scholar Palmetto Baby Program

      • Families with a newborn born in South Carolina on May 29th, 2014 who open a new Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan account will be eligible for a $529 college grant.
      • More information
      • Deadline: September 2, 2014

Tennessee: TNStars 529 Day

      • Enter to win $529 for college savings from the TNStars™ 529 College Savings Program. There are a number of other prizes, as well, including zoo and museum memberships, A Family VIO Suite for the Nashville Sounds and a special pack of Memphis Redbirds gear
      • Several promotional events will also be hosted by the TNStars 529 program on May 29, including discounted admission to baseball games, museums, and the Knoxville Zoo.
      • More information
      • Deadline to enter the random drawings is June 1, 2014

Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan 529 Day Promotion

      • Vermont residents 21 or older can enter for a chance to win a $529 VHEIP 529 Plan contribution. All entrants must be a parent, legal guardian or grandparent of a child age 18 or under.
      • Two winners will be selected at random
      • Entry
      • Deadline: May 31, 2014

Virginia529 Matching Contributions

      • Open a new inVEST 529 account between May 15 and May 29, 2014 with an initial contribution of $100 or more and receive a $50 matching contribution from Virginia529.
      • To earn the match, account openers must select 529 Day for “How did you hear about the program?” in the online application.
      • All accounts opened during this time period will be entered into a drawing to win an inVEST account with an initial opening balance of $2,500.
      • Those with existing accounts or who do not want to open an account may also enter the drawing here.
      • More information
      • Deadline: June 30, 2014

Not a state, but another opportunity

College Savings Bank: 5-29 Day Express Lunch Webinar

      • Sign up for a half-hour webinar to learn about FDIC insured college savings certificates of deposit (CDs) in 30 minutes, which includes a live Q&A.
      • All attendees are automatically entered into a drawing to win one of two (2) $250 scholarships toward a new college savings account and a Kindle Fire. Three attendees (3) will be randomly selected to receive either one of the two scholarships or Kindle Fire.
      • Choose one of two times to attend on May 29th: 12:30PM – 1:00PM ET or 3:30PM – 4:00PM ET.
      • Registration

For more information on 529 plans or any other college savings plans, clients of International College Counselors should contact one of our expert college advisors. We can also help you determine if a college is the right fit for you.