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The following professional resources relating to section 529 plans will be of interest primarily to state government administrators, financial aid professionals and public policy analysts.

Professional Associations

College Savings Plan Network (CSPN)

The College Savings Plan Network (CSPN) was formed in 1991 as an affiliate of the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST). CSPN shares information among existing state college savings plans, provides information to state agencies that are interested in starting a college savings program and monitors federal activities and legislation affecting the state programs.

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CSPN is a membership organization, with membership open to officials and senior staff in state governments. Private sector membership is available as well. CSPN provides its members with a clearinghouse of information about state prepaid tuition plan programs. This clearinghouse contains data on active college savings programs and other information submitted by membership, including sample legislation and marketing materials.

Students and parents who contact CSPN will be referred to the appropriate office in their state government. Their site includes a web page providing the state contact information as well as a tool for comparing 529 college savings plans. The site's media room contains statistics about 529 plans, including the number of 529 plan accounts and average account size.

For more information, visit www.collegesavings.org

College Savings Foundation (CSF)

The College Savings Foundation is a professional membership organization for the education savings industry. CSF is focused on encouraging public policy support for 529 college savings plans and in public awareness initiatives. Major goals of CSF include preserving and enhancing incentives to save for higher education, such as making the tax-free status of 529 plan distributions for qualified higher education expenses permanent, ensuring favorable student financial aid treatment of 529 plan assets and distributions, and establishing uniform state tax policies that treat all 529 plan programs equally.

For more information, visit www.collegesavingsfoundation.org/.

Books

• Michael A. Olivas, editor, Prepaid College Tuition Plans: Promise and Problems, College Entrance Examination Board, New York, 1993.
• Joseph Hurley, The Best Ways to Save for College

Websites

• Get information on the cheapest plans, ratings, eligible institutions and more at savingforcollege.com.
• 529.com features a college planning calculator, other ways to save and mobile apps to help you plan on-the-go.
• For official clarity on 529 plans, check out U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s website.