The Hadley Blog

It looks like 529 savings are about to expand, again, and this time it's set to expand into covering childcare costs , allowing parents and other family members to use 529 savings for child care costs for children under five years old at state-licensed childcare facilities. These accounts would have no cap on contributions or balances used for childcare expenses. This is on top of what 529 savings can already be used for: today, children and adults alike can already use 529 s

Welcome to a new series here on The ABCs on 529s: State Deep Dives. In each installment, we'll zero in on a single state and walk through — in our usual obsessive detail — exactly what 529 plan benefits are available to its residents. We'll cover state tax deductions (or the lack thereof), federal benefits, quirky state-specific considerations, and real-family examples with real numbers. Our goal is to be the single most useful 529 resource for residents of every state in Ame

A few weeks ago, we published a deep dive into state-level 529 tax deductions and credits  — the patchwork quilt of incentives that ranges from generous (hello, New Mexico, with your unlimited deduction ) to nonexistent (looking at you, California ). Today we're zooming out to the federal level , where the real heavy lifting happens. If state deductions are the cherry on top, federal tax-free growth is the entire sundae — and with recent changes, from the SECURE 2.0 Act  and

There are seemingly a bajillion ways to save for education — and nearly as many opinions about which one is best. Taxable accounts, Roth IRAs, custodial accounts, Coverdells, 529s — researching the options can feel overwhelming , especially when you're already juggling everything else that comes with planning for a child's future, or your own. We're here to help you cut through the noise . In this post, we'll break down each of the major education savings options, weigh their

It creeps. It crawls. It grows larger every day, consuming everything in its path, and it cannot be stopped. Is it the sinister blob from the 1958 and 1988 films (and much anticipated 2026 reboot ) of the same name? No! It's the cost of higher education in America . If you've looked at college tuition bills lately, you've probably done a double-take. Maybe even a triple-take. The numbers are jaw-dropping, and if you're wondering whether you're missing something or if colle

If you're thinking about saving for college, here's what many people miss: depending on where you live, your state might give you money back just for contributing to a 529 plan. Yes, you read that right. Free money . Let us show you how it works. What's a State Income Tax Deduction, Anyway? Think of it this way: when you contribute to a 529 plan, some states say "thank you" by reducing the amount of income they tax you on . It's basically like getting a discount coupon for be

College savings shouldn't be a burden that families shoulder alone. And a growing number of states are recognizing this, offering tax incentives to employers that help their workers save for education. As of this writing, nine states (and counting!) provide tax credits or deductions to businesses that match employee contributions to 529 plans. Hadley tracks this state legislation closely. As new states are added to the list, we’ll keep you updated on our blog . We’ll also pub

We break down what a 529 plan is, how it works, and why its tax advantages matter (a lot!)