Applying to college is a muti-step process, and most high school students have not managed a multi-month process on their own. That's why you might want to make a college application checklist.

While there are always adults (such as parents, teachers, school counselors, or your dean) who can help you through the process, most students will want to take ownership of the application process. After all, you are the most important stakeholder in your college decision.

This college application checklist can help you apply for colleges with limited stress and maximum effectiveness.

Click the image to download a printable PDF version of our college application checklist.

College Application Activities for Junior Year

You don’t have to start the college application process during your junior year, but crossing these items off the list early will put you in a much better position to start applying to schools as soon as applications open in the fall.

Winter

Take a standardized test. During your junior year, you may want to take the ACT or SAT. These tests aren’t required by all schools, but at this point, you probably don’t know whether you’ll need these test results. By taking a standardized test during your junior year, you’ll be prepared to apply “early action” for some schools. You’ll also have time to retake the test if you think that your score doesn’t reflect your intellectual capacity.

Identify target schools. By your junior year, you have some idea of whether you can get into a competitive school or not. But prestige isn’t a particularly good indicator of whether a school is a good fit for you. Consider whether you want to attend a liberal arts school, a state school, or a community college. You’ll want to look at the potential cost of attending different schools. Decide whether you prefer to attend school close to home or further away. Don’t forget to consider how a school’s location could affect your college budget.

Related: How To Make A College List: Finding Academic And Financial Fit

Spring

Visit schools if possible. Visiting a few schools can help you get a feel for which schools are of interest to you. Most schools offer campus tours, and you can spend a few hours on campus to check out the various amenities on campus.

Create a list of awards, honors, and extracurriculars. Take a bit of time to record any awards and honors you’ve received during your high school career. This can include academic awards, but it can also include awards or honors from volunteering, from your part-time job, or any other activity outside of school. Don’t forget that a side hustle (especially building your own business) counts as an extracurricular.

Related: Best Extracurricular Activities For College Applications

College Application Activities for Senior Year

Senior year can be a whirlwind of activity, and it’s easy to leave college applications to the last second. Spacing out the college application process can help you enjoy your senior year while you also plan for post-secondary education.

Summer

If necessary, re-take standardized tests. If you plan to apply to schools that require standardized tests, and you aren’t happy with your score, the summer is the time to retake the test. You can spend a bit more time studying for the tests rather than balancing test prep and all your other academic concerns.

Create your “early action” school list. Early action is when you apply to a school and you find out about your admittance early in the year (typically in December) rather than waiting to find out until March or April. To keep your place in the school you typically need to accept or decline a position at the school by January. When you make your early action list, record the following in a document (like a Google Sheet or a Google Doc):

• When is the application deadline?
• What system is required to complete the application? 
• Does the school have supplemental questions? 

Many schools in the United States accept applications using the Common App. However, some schools like the University of California schools, have their own application system. A few schools only accept applications through a proprietary website.

Most systems allow you to fill out an application, and apply to as many schools as you want. However, some schools have supplemental sections or require supplemental writing. If a school on your early action list has supplementary requests, you will want to take note of that and plan time to complete that portion of the application.

Early Fall

Get your transcript. Schools may request that you send an official transcript to them, but you’ll need a personal copy of your transcript to complete college applications.

Seek recommendation letters. Letters of recommendation can give colleges a picture of who you are outside of the numbers that define you. About two months before you need a recommendation letter, ask coaches, former teachers, pastors, or other adult mentors to write a recommendation letter for you. You’ll need two or three recommendation letters, and you may need to follow up with them to make sure they can complete the recommendation letter on time. Don’t forget to write thank you notes when someone provides a recommendation letter to you.

Complete the FAFSA. The FAFSA is an application for student aid including grants and loans. Many schools use information from the FAFSA to determine need-based aid from the school as well. Completing the FAFSA when it opens (typically on October 1st, but this year in December) will allow you to get a true picture of your cost of attendance.

Write a common college application essay. Some schools require students to submit a personal statement, and almost every school will look favorably on a well-written essay. You’ll want to put time into this essay. Consider writing two drafts before requesting feedback from peers or a trusted teacher. Once you get feedback, incorporate the feedback into your final essay. Remember, this is a personal essay. ChatGPT can’t write this for you.

Determine if you’re eligible for the Common Application Fee Waiver. Most colleges don’t want application fees to get in the way of your ability to apply to the school. If the school uses the Common Application to accept applications, you can qualify for a fee waiver if you are eligible for a Pell Grant or if you receive free or reduced cost lunches. Schools that use other systems typically offer fee waivers based on similar criteria.

Related: Free College Applications And College App Fee Waivers

Submit early action applications. At this point, you should be ready to finalize your early action applications and submit them to the schools on your early action list.

Create a regular application school list. This is similar to the step associated with early action school list. Be sure to note application deadlines and whether the school requires supplemental writing or other time-consuming activities. These notes will help you complete all your applications on time.

Related: What Documents Are Required To Enroll In College

Late Fall

Review early action decisions and financial aid. Most schools that accept you as an early action applicant will send financial aid information with your acceptance package. Take time to review the financial aid package. Assess whether the cost (especially the cost of the student loans) makes sense for you. At this point, you should have the information you need to decide whether to commit to an early action school.

Update list of awards, honors, and extracurriculars. If you plan to apply to more schools, update your awards and honors, so you can take note of the new awards on all your applications.

Complete applications for any remaining schools on your target list. Most schools have application deadlines between December and January, so you’ll need to use that late fall to finalize your applications. It may be tempting to put this off until your school’s winter break, but do your best to break these applications up and complete them earlier so you can spend more of your free time with friends.

Spring

Review financial aid decisions. Springtime brings college decisions. You’ll start to hear back from colleges between March and April. If you haven’t already committed to a school, you’ll want to review the financial aid packages before you commit to a school. While you can always apply for more grants and scholarships, the financial aid information provides a good guide for how much college will really cost.

Commit to one school. With all your options in hand, it’s time for you to commit to a school. This may feel like a huge decision, and in some ways it is. But the decisions you make during your college years will affect your future more than a decision about where you’ll attend school.

Make your final deposit. Ensure that you make your deposit by the deadline.

Finalize housing. It's also time to start planning your housing. Check out our college dorm room packing list for help!

Related: How To Read A Financial Aid Award Letter

Final Thoughts

While there will be lots of people around to help you, at the end of the day, applying to college is your responsibility. Knowing what schools you want to apply to is an important step. Then be sure to familiarize yourself with the requirements and deadlines of each school. 

College applications can sneak up on you if you aren't careful. The earlier you start, the more prepared you'll be. 

Plootus is a free (for now) financial planning platform that analyzes your 401(k) plan and recommends the proper asset allocation for your investment goals. It also identifies the lowest-cost options to help you save on fees.

These days, most employees participate in defined contribution plans through their work. But employers don't do the best job of providing their employees with educational resources to help them make the best investment decisions for their 401(k) or 403(b) plans. Can Plootus help? Find out in this full review. 

What Is Plootus?

Plootus is a financial technology company (fintech) that offers free financial planning tools to help ensure that you are on track for retirement. Plootus's platform allows you to search for your employer 401(k) 403(b), 457, or TSP plan. It's AI-powered algorithm will analyze your financial data to estimate your income needs at retirement, and will make recommendations about the investment/funds you should select inside your retirement account. It also takes investment fees into account to ensure it is recommending the most cost-effective solution.

What Does It Offer?

Here's a closer look at how Plootus works to help you plan for retirement. 

1-Step Process

Plootus refers to its service as a 1-Step Process. You can use its search engine to locate your employer-sponsored retirement account. From there, Plootus will analyze the available investments and make recommendations based on your risk profile. It looks at your current spending patterns and estimates your future retirement income needs. 

401(k) Recommendations

After analyzing your employer-sponsored retirement accounts (401(k), 403(b), 457, TSP, Plootus will provide you with specific recommendations for how you should invest. It focuses on low cost, well-diversified portfolios that are rebalanced over time to stay aligned to your risk-level and investment goals. Plootus aims to provide you with a recommendation within a week of you linking your 401(k) account. However, it can sometimes take up to 30 days. 

Ongoing Support

While you can quit the platform after you receive your 401(k) recommendation, Plootus will provide ongoing monitoring of your investment performance and make recommendations if it feels changes to your asset allocation are necessary. There is no cost involved. 

Can Plootus Provide Recommendations For My 529 Or IRA Plans?

At this time, Plootus only works with employer-sponsored retirement plan accounts. However, the company is considering adding more account types in the future, such as 529s and IRAs.  

Plootus Mobile App

In addition to its web platform, Plootus has a mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. If you don't want to manage your Plootus account on your own, you can delegate access to a financial advisor. And Plootus allows makes it possible to financial advisors to access multiple Plootus accounts. 

Are There Any Fees?

At this time, Plootus is completely free to use, and there are no hidden fees. However, the company does point out that they may start charging a fee in the future, similar to a monthly subcription model used by streaming services such as Netflix or Disney+. There are no contracts to sign, and you are free to leave the platform at anytime. 

How Does Plootus Compare?

The service Plootus offers is unique in that it's limited to employer-sponsored retirement accounts. At least for the time being. If you're looking for more comprehensive financial planning tools that can help you manage all of your financial goals, you might want to consider platforms like ProjectionLab or Boldin. 

ProjectionLab helps you model your finances around your values and the type of life you want to live. It allows you full control over the inputs, including your goals, timelines, and assumptions. For example, if you're trying to decide whether it's better to rent or buy your next home, or determine the financial implications of starting a family, ProjectionLab can help. 

Boldin (formerly NewRetirement) offers both free and paid plans to help people plan for retirement. You can get a free analysis of your retirement income vs. expenses within minutes, or pay an annual fee for more detailed analysis, including multiple scenarios, detailed charting, plan monitoring, budgeting, tax modeling, and more. 

How Do I Open An Account?

You can sign up with Plootus by selecting "Get Started" on its website homepage. From there, you'll be prompted to select your employer's 401(k) and link your bank accounts, credit cards, brokerage, and retirement accounts to the Plootus app. Plootus will use this information to estimate how much money you will need during retirement. 

Is It Safe And Secure?

Plootus takes several steps to ensure that your data is kept secure. They collect very little personal information from clients, and do not ask for a Social Security number or your specific home address. When connecting your bank accounts, Plootus does not collect or store your login details, rather they use a partner aggregator that employs bank-level security, including 256-bit encryption.

Contact

Plootus does not provide support via telephone. Your only option is to contact them by email at support@plootus.com. They monitor their email account during business hours, Monday to Friday. 

Is It Worth It?

If you're enrolled in an employer-sponsored retirement plan account, but don't know if your money is invested properly or if you're on track to meet your retirement goals, Plootus may be worth trying out. There is no cost, no contracts, and setting up your 401(k) for analysis seems like a very simple process. Of course, you will have to link your accounts to get the most accurate recommendations. If you need support beyond your 401(k), then should probably skip Plootus and choose a more comprehensive financial planning tool or consider dealing with a financial advisor. 

Check out Plootus here >>

Features

You can potentially use a 529 plan to pay for trade school, vocational school, and apprenticeships.

If you or your family have saved money for your education within a 529 plan, you can use those funds to pay for qualified education expenses without tax implications. 

But how about students who opt to attend a trade school instead of a traditional college or university? Can you still use the funds in your 529 to cover college costs?

We explore what the funds in your 529 can be used for, whether apprenticeships are eligible, and share some tips of how to fill any potential funding gaps. 

Can You Use A 529 To Pay For Trade School?

Yes, the funds in your 529 can be used to pay for an eligible trade school. Although not all vocational schools are eligible, many are. 

Which Vocational Schools Are Eligible?

You can use the money in a 529 to cover the cost of an education at certain vocational schools. Qualifying trade and vocational trade school programs must be sponsored by schools that are eligible for Title IV federal student aid.

In order to determine if the institution you have in mind accepts federal aid, search for a Federal School Code on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

It requires a bit of research, but you can often find a vocational or trade school offering the skill you want to learn that is eligible for your 529 funds. For example, in Ohio, the Ohio Department of Higher Education operates 50 career centers across the state that are eligible for 529 fund use.

Are Apprenticeships Eligible?

An apprenticeship is often a viable alternative to a traditional trade school or vocational school path. Generally, an apprenticeship is a long-term, paid working program that includes both on-the-job training and classroom instruction.

In some cases, you can use 529 funds to cover expenses related to an apprenticeship program. But the apprenticeship program must be registered and certified with the Secretary of Labor to qualify. 

What Expenses Can You Cover With A 529?

As mentioned, if you are attending an eligible trade school or apprenticeship program, you can use the funds in your 529 to cover certain expenses. Qualified expenses include:

• Tuition
• School fees
• Textbooks
• Supplies and equipment required for attendance, including tools
• Computers
• Room and board 

If you use the funds in your 529 to pay for a non-qualified expense, you’ll have to pay federal income tax and a 10% penalty on the earnings. 

How To Fund Any Gaps

In most cases, trade school students with a 529 will be able to use plan funds to pay for their education. However, in some cases, you might need to reconsider which trade school you choose to attend. 

Depending on your situation, your 529 account may or may not have enough funds available to cover all of your education costs. If you can’t pay for all of your trade school expenses using 529 funds, you’ll need to come up with some other ways you can pay for the remaining costs. We outline the best ways to fund the remaining costs from most ideal to least efficient below:

• Scholarships. When you win a scholarship, you can use the money for school and you won’t have to pay it back. Try to apply for at least 50 scholarships to land money for school. Use our guide of scholarships by state to help you find scholarships to apply for. 
• Grants. Grants are another type of financial award that you don’t have to pay back. 
• Personal savings. If you’ve worked during high school or have funds tucked away from holiday presents, consider tapping into those funds to cover your educational costs. 
• A part-time or summer job. It’s usually possible to work while you attend school. Even if you can’t work and attend class at the same time, it’s often possible to work a summer job to build up funds to cover your next semester. Don’t overlook your earning potential as a way to pay for school.
• Employer tuition reimbursement programs. Some employers offer tuition reimbursement as a perk of working for them. A few employers offering tuition reimbursement include Carhartt, Carvana, and Nvidia. When looking for a job, it might be helpful to include employers who offer this perk in your search. 
• Help from relatives. If you have relatives who want to help you pay for school, that’s always a welcome source of funds. 
• Student loans. It’s possible to pay for trade school costs with student loans. But since you’ll have to repay the funds with interest, these should be treated as the last option.

When it comes to paying for school, don’t be afraid to get creative. Generally, it’s a good idea to limit the amount of student loans you take on. After graduation, you’ll be grateful you did everything you could to avoid taking out more loans than you needed to. 

The Bottom Line

It’s possible to use a 529 to fund your trade school education. Although there are limitations on which vocational schools are eligible, many are. Do you research before signing up for classes to ensure you are able to use the funding source you had in mind to pay for school without any penalties. 

According to a new report from John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY), College Cash Uncovered, there are significant discrepancies between colleges’ published cost of attendance (COA) budgets and the actual expenses students face. These discrepancies contribute to college affordability challenges and inadequate financial aid. This leaves some students with financial gaps of $10,000 or more.

John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) is a nonprofit organization that focuses on improving the lives of youth who have experienced foster care or homelessness. They work on policy advocacy and providing resources to at-risk youth, including stable housing, education, healthcare and financial support. The organization tries to address higher education access, financial aid and foster youth transitions into adulthood.

What Is The Cost OF Attendance?

A college’s cost of attendance, or COA, is supposed to measure the total annual college costs for a student to attend the college. Each college may have a different cost of attendance.

The cost of attendance includes both direct and indirect costs. Direct costs are paid to the college, while indirect costs are not. The distinction does not matter much for families, since they have to pay both direct and indirect costs, and financial aid eligibility is based on the combination of direct and indirect costs. But, some colleges and trade groups emphasize just the direct costs, especially when trying to convince people that college costs have not increased.

The cost of attendance (sometimes called a student budget) includes allowances for the following costs.

• Tuition And Fees
  
• Housing And Food (also known as Room and Board): The housing allowance for college owned or operated housing must be based on the average or median housing charges, whichever is greater. The allowance for food must provide the equivalent of three meals a day.
  
• Books, Supplies, Course Materials, and Equipment: This includes an allowance for a personal computer, in addition to textbooks and educational materials.
  
• Transportation: The transportation allowance must cover the cost of commuting between school, home and work. The transportation allowance does not include the cost of buying a car, just the incremental cost of transportation.
  
• Personal Expenses: Personal expenses include laundry, clothing, toiletries and personal needs.
  
• Other Costs: Other costs can include dependent care costs, disability-related expenses, study abroad expenses and loan fees for federal loans but not private loans. It can also include the cost of professional licensing and certification and the cost of first-professional credentials. Dependent care costs include but are not limited to class time, study time, field work, internships and commuting time.
  

The cost of attendance is used to determine eligibility for need-based financial aid. Financial need is defined as the difference between the cost of attendance and the student aid index. The Student Aid Index (SAI) was previously known as the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

Related: Financial Aid Calculator

What Are The Problems With The Cost Of Attendance Calculations?

The key issue is that some allowances in the cost of attendance differ from actual student expenses.

For example:

• Colleges tend to routinely underestimate allowances for textbooks and transportation.
• Some of the cost of attendance allowances are averages, as opposed to actual costs. Students from at-risk populations often have above-average costs.
• The accuracy of cost allowances is often unreliable. In many cases, colleges use outdated figures adjusted only by a standard inflation rate over the years, which fails to capture actual cost increases. At nearly a third of colleges, the non-tuition costs have not been adjusted for inflation at all. Additionally, allowances for off-campus housing often underestimate true costs, especially since rent is typically higher in college towns.

Furthermore, many expenses are omitted from the cost of attendance:

• Many fees are not included in the allowance for tuition and fees, such as technology fees, activity fees, athletic fees, orientation fees, health center fees, library fines, lab fees, transcript fees and graduation fees.
  
• Technology costs, such as computers, software and peripherals are often omitted from the cost of attendance.
  
• Allowances for transportation often omit the cost of parking, insurance and maintenance.
  
• Housing allowances often omit the cost of utilities (electricity, heating, telephone, internet), renter’s insurance and security deposits. There may also be fraternity and sorority dues.
  
• The cost of attendance also does not include the cost of health insurance, insurance deductibles, copays and over-the-count medicine.
  
• Colleges routinely omit allowances for dependent care and disability expenses. Students must know to ask for these allowances.
  

It's also important to point out that even the cost of tuition may not be finalized until after students have had to accept enrollment. Many colleges don't finalize their exact tuition costs until June or July of the year, depending on the fiscal calendar. And since college prices tend to rise 3-5% per year, this can also create inaccurate estimates.

The JBAY report points out that cost of attendance budgets often fail to consider regional variations and the unique needs of diverse student populations, such as childcare or disability-related costs.

This results in a misleading representation of the real financial burden on students.

Bad Cost Estimates Harm Students

The JBAY report identifies discrepancies between colleges’ published cost of attendance (COA) budgets and the actual expenses students face. Underestimating actual living costs makes college unaffordable for many students, especially those from at-risk populations with limited financial resources.

Discrepancies in Cost of Attendance (COA) Budgets

Many colleges significantly underestimate the actual expenses faced by students, particularly for low-income, foster youth and other vulnerable groups. There is a wide gap between the published cost of attendance figures and the true costs for housing, food and transportation, especially in high-cost regions. This discrepancy results in a much heavier financial burden than is reflected in the college’s official cost of attendance estimates. 

According to the report, over half of colleges use cost of attendance budgets that fail to account for the actual expenses, with underestimations sometimes exceeding $10,000 per year. Many students face food and housing insecurity and are unable to absorb discrepancies in the college cost of attendance, further exacerbating their financial hardships.

Disproportionate Impact On Vulnerable Students

The inaccurate cost of attendance estimates disproportionately harm low-income students, who often struggle to cover the true costs despite receiving financial aid. 

The standardized cost of attendance budgets fail to consider the unique circumstances of foster youth and students without family support, who lack access to parental housing during school breaks. The unmet need for former foster care students is nearly double that of their peers.

Additionally, students with children have substantially greater expenses than the costs included in the college’s student budget. These inaccurate estimates result in severe financial stress, making it difficult for these students to succeed and persist in their academic pursuits.

Lack Of Transparency In Calculating Non-Tuition Costs

Many colleges do not disclose how they calculate non-tuition costs within the cost of attendance budget, nor do they proactively inform students about the process for requesting an adjustment based on actual expenses.

This lack of transparency makes it difficult for students to appeal for a higher cost of attendance, even when their expenses exceed the college’s estimates. Additionally, there can be significant variations in non-tuition cost estimates among colleges in the same geographic region.

Inadequate Financial Aid

The underestimates of actual college costs lead to lower financial aid offers that do not meet the students’ actual financial need. 

The financial aid gaps make college unaffordable for many low-income and middle-income families, forcing them to work excessive hours, borrow from private student loan programs, and enroll part-time instead of full-time.

Ultimately, these financial pressures increase the likelihood that the students will drop out of college.

Key Recommendations

The JBAY report makes several recommendations for better aligning cost of attendance estimates with actual student expenses. This will help bridge financial gaps and support student success.

• Colleges need to improve the accuracy of cost of attendance calculations.
  
• The calculation of non-tuition expenses like housing, books and transportation must be standardized, with consideration of local and regional cost differences.
  
• Colleges must enhance the support for students needing financial aid adjustments and ensure that the adjustments reflect the student’s specific circumstances.
  
• Financial aid awards must be increased to cover the gap between the cost of attendance and the student’s ability to pay.
  
• The financial aid application and award process must be streamlined to avoid introducing barriers to college access and success.
  

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One of the big perks of using a 529 plan to save for college is that many states offer tax deductions for 529 plan contributions. Other states offer tax credits, and some even will allow contributions to any state's plan (this is called tax parity) But, like anything, there are rules that apply.

Some states require you to contribute to their state's plan, while other states allow you to take the tax deduction for contributions to any state's plan. Finally, there are (sadly) states that don't offer any incentives for contributions.

Also, the rules for withdraw can also impact your taxes. Make sure you understand the differences in qualified 529 plan withdrawals so you aren't paying taxes and penalties!

What Is a 529 Plan?

A 529 plan allows you to contribute money for educational use. The funds must be used for education, which includes college or K–12 tuition.

The owner of the account remains in control of the account, while the money is used for a beneficiary (typically the child). This is different from a UGMA or UTMA account, which allows the beneficiary to take control of the account once they reach legal age.

Related: What Is A 529 Plan?

What Is the 529 Plan Contribution Tax Deduction?

Many 529 plans do offer state tax deductions on contributions. Some states even offer a tax credit. But not every state offers the deduction. Plus, there are certain rules you need to follow.

For example, most states only give you the tax credit or tax deduction if you contribute to your state's plan. However, a few states offer "parity", meaning the allow you to get a tax deduction regardless of which state's plan you contribute to.

529 plans do not offer federal contribution tax deductions.

How Do I Open an Account?

You can open a 529 plan with your brokerage or by searching for 529 plans. Once you find one you like, you’ll choose an in-state or out-of-state plan. After the account is opened, you can then choose one of the investment options offered by the plan.

Check out this list here and see where to open the 529 plan that makes the most sense for you:

529 Tax Benefits by State

For most states, you must contribute to your state’s 529 plan (as opposed to an out-of-state plan) to receive any state tax benefit. However, seven states offer tax parity, which allows you to contribute to any 529 state plans.

529 Tax Parity States

These seven states that provide a tax deduction for contributions to any state plan include:

• Arizona: $2,000 single or head of household, and $4,000 for joint filers
• Arkansas: $5,000 for single filers, and $10,000 for married filers
• Kansas: $3,000 for single filers, and $6,000 for married filers
• Minnesota: $1,500 for single filers, and $3,000 for married filers
• Missouri: $8,000 for single filers, and $16,000 for joint filers
• Montana: $3,000 for single filers, and $6,000 for joint filers
• Pennsylvania: $16,000 for single filers, and $32,000 for joint filers

529 Plan Tax Deduction States

The following states offer deductions:

• Alabama: $5,000 for single filers, and $10,000 for joint filers
• Colorado: $22,700 for single filers, and $34,000 for married filers
• Connecticut: $5,000 for single filers, and $10,000 for married filers 
• Delaware: $1,000 for single filers, and $2,000 for joint filers
• Georgia: $4,000 for single filers, and $8,000 for joint filers
• Idaho: $6,000 for single filers, and $12,000 for joint filers
• Illinois: $10,000 for single filers, and $20,000 for joint filers
• Iowa: $5,500 for single filers, and $11,000 for joint filers
• Louisiana: $2,400 for single filers, and $4,800 for joint filers
• Maryland: $2,500 for single filers, and $5,000 for joint filers
• Massachusetts: $1,000 for single filers, and $2,000 for joint filers
• Michigan: $5,000 for single filers, and $10,000 for joint filers
• Mississippi: $10,000 for single filers, and $20,000 for joint filers
• Nebraska: $10,000 for single and married filers, $5,000 if filing separate
• New Jersey: $10,000 per taxpayer, per year
• New Mexico: Full amount of contribution with no limit
• New York: $5,000 for single filers, and $10,000 for joint filers
• North Dakota: $5,000 for single filers, and $10,000 for joint filers
• Ohio: $4,000 per year regardless of filing status
• Oklahoma: $10,000 for single filers, and $20,000 for joint filers
• Rhode Island: $500 for single filers, and $1,000 for joint filers
• South Carolina: Full amount of contribution with no limit
• Virginia: $4,000 per year regardless of filing status
• Washington, D.C.: $4,000 for single filers, and $8,000 for joint filers
• West Virginia: Full amount of contribution with no limit
• Wisconsin: $4,000 per dependent beneficiary, self or grandchild

529 Plan Tax Credit States

The following states offer tax credits:

• Indiana: 20% tax credit on contributions up to $5,000
• Oregon: $170 for single filers, $340 for joint filers
• Utah: 4.85% of contribution, up to $112.06 for single filers, and $224.13 for married filers
• Vermont: 10% tax credit, up to $250 for single filers, and $500 for married filers

No 529 Plan Tax Benefit States

If your state has no income tax, the 529 plan tax deduction doesn’t apply. These states include:

• Florida
• Nevada
• Texas
• South Dakota
• Washington
• Wyoming

Some states do have income taxes but no 529 plan tax deduction. They include:

• California
• Hawaii
• Kentucky
• Maine
• New Hampshire
• North Carolina
• Tennessee

Find your state in our full 529 plan guide here >>

Is It Worth It?

If you want control over the money you’re putting toward a beneficiary’s college tuition, then yes — it is worth it. Be sure the funds will eventually be used for education. If not, you’ll incur a 10% penalty, plus you’ll be taxed at your ordinary income tax rate for non-educational use of the funds.