Mark Your Calendar: National College Decision Day, May 1!
When you become a parent, you find out quickly that the calendar is your friend – whether it’s reminders for your infant’s checkups or middle school soccer season dates or the many deadlines that rule the life of a graduating, college-bound senior. Once your child gets to that season, there are deadlines for essays, transcripts, financial assistance and so much more!
The biggest deadline of all in your child’s K-12 years, National College Decision Day, is May 1. That’s when most students officially declare their school of choice, and it’s a day that marks the culmination of eleven years of preparation – for them and for you, as their parent.
Maybe your child is still in the land of ABCs, so college decisions are a long way off. But when it comes to paying for those college decisions, the earlier you can “calendar in” college savings, the better off you’ll be.
Nationally, college tuition is at an all-time high, with annual in-state tuition and fees at public universities jumping 175% to an average of $23,000 per year. In Florida, public college and university tuition is considerably lower, less than $7,000 per year.
Still, college is a big expense. And families understandably want flexibility and dependability. Florida Prepaid offers both through its 529 Prepaid Plan and its 529 Savings Plan, both of which can be used at in-state, out-of-state, public, private, trade and technical schools nationwide.
In fact, the annual Prepaid Plan Open Enrollment period runs through April 30, which means that right now is the BEST time to check college savings off your list. Plan prices are most affordable when your child is younger, but it’s never too late to start saving something. Every dollar saved is a dollar they don’t have to borrow!
And whether you are already enrolled or just thinking about a plan, it pays to know the basics. Read on for a quick refresher of the ways your Florida Prepaid investments can pay off for your child.
The Florida 529 Prepaid Plan:
- Locks in your child’s future tuition and fees at today’s prices and is guaranteed by the State of Florida
- Can be used in-state or out, at public, private, trade and technical schools nationwide
- Work great alongside scholarships and financial aid to help cover all the costs of college
Today, more than 1.2 million families have saved with our Prepaid Plans, making us the largest and most successful prepaid program in the nation. But it all started with a single step, and we’ll always be here to help you take yours!
Have more questions? We have answers! Explore our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about these plans! It takes only 15 minutes to open an account. You’ll need to provide your address, date of birth, SSN and a bank account if you want automatic withdrawals. You’ll also need the student beneficiary’s address, birthdate and SSN. Open a new plan now!
