Comprehensive Guide
Learn more in our Planning Guide.
How it works
529 plan comparison tool takes your inputs and produces plan 1: final balance, plan 2: final balance, fee impact over period, state tax deduction value. Compare 529 plans across states — fees, investment options, tax benefits, and total cost over the saving period. You provide 5 inputs: Annual contribution (currency, in dollars) (default: 5000 dollars); Years until college (number) (default: 15); Plan 1: annual expense ratio (%) (percent, in percent) (default: 0.15 percent); Plan 2: annual expense ratio (%) (percent, in percent) (default: 0.4 percent); Your state income tax rate (%) (percent, in percent) (default: 5 percent). The calculator returns 4 outputs: Plan 1: final balance (the primary result); Plan 2: final balance (a secondary output); Fee impact over period (a secondary output); State tax deduction value (a secondary output). Educational finance tools translate abstract financial concepts into concrete numbers. Whether you are planning for college costs, understanding student loan repayment, or modeling education savings growth, this calculator gives you the precise figures that drive the decision. The underlying formula: Final balance = Contributions × ((1 + return − fees)^years − 1) ÷ (return − fees). Fee impact = High fee balance − Low fee balance. With the default values, plan 1: final balance is computed from the interaction of every input field — change any one of them and the result updates immediately, so you can stress-test different scenarios without re-entering the whole form. Adjust the inputs to match your real financial situation. The defaults are realistic starting points, but every person's circumstances differ — your actual income, expenses, rates, and timelines will produce a different answer. Use the tool iteratively: start with the defaults, then change one variable at a time to see which factor has the largest impact on your outcome.Formula
Final balance = Contributions × ((1 + return − fees)^years − 1) ÷ (return − fees). Fee impact = High fee balance − Low fee balance.
Tips
- You are not limited to your state's plan — invest in the lowest-cost plan nationwide.
- Vanguard 529 (Nevada): 0.14% expense ratio. Utah my529: 0.02%. These are the cheapest.
- State tax deduction: only valuable if your state offers one AND you contribute to the in-state plan.
- Compare total cost over 15+ years, not just the annual fee difference.
Frequently asked questions
Which 529 plan is best?
Low-cost plans from Vanguard (Nevada), Utah my529, or Fidelity (NH/Massachusetts). Expense ratios under 0.15%. Check if your state offers a tax deduction for in-state contributions.
Does the state 529 tax deduction matter?
It depends on your state. A 5% state tax deduction on $5,000 saves $250/year. Over 15 years: $3,750. But if your in-state plan has higher fees, the fee difference may exceed the tax benefit.
What does the 529 plan comparison tool calculate?
It takes annual contribution, years until college, plan 1: annual expense ratio (%), plan 2: annual expense ratio (%), your state income tax rate (%) as inputs and computes plan 1: final balance, plan 2: final balance, fee impact over period, state tax deduction value. The primary output is plan 1: final balance. Compare 529 plans across states — fees, investment options, tax benefits, and total cost over the saving period.