Manage
Building an education fund is a lot like a retirement plan — automatic deposits work best. Even if you’re starting small, the snowball effect of compounded growth can make a big difference over time. It's easy to securely link your bank account to make direct deposits to Ohio's 529 Plan. Over half of our savers use the automatic feature, and you can set it as low as $25 per deposit at whatever time interval works for you. 
See how automatic deposits can help you build a bigger education fund in this 29-second video.

The simplest way for family and friends to help grow your account is through Ugift. Every account has a unique Ugift code you can freely and safely share. For other ways to get your people involved, visit 529 Gift Central.

Ugift is a great way for people to give the gift of education online. We’ll show you how in 29 seconds.

This is for anyone who owns a 529 account — usually parents and grandparents — for the benefit of a student. 

A calendar
Every Year
Review Automatic Deposit Status
  • Set up automatic deposit now: Log in Blue chevron pointing to the right, links to account login (then click Contribute > Electronically From Bank Account)
  • Change my deposit amount: Log in Blue chevron pointing to the right, links to account login (then click on Individual Account Number > Manage Recurring Contributions)
Revisit Goals
Check Investments
Preferences & Documents
  • Find important documents: Log in Blue chevron pointing to the right, links to account login (then click Profile & Documents > Statements, Confirms & Tax Forms)
  • Set document delivery: Log in Blue chevron pointing to the right, links to account login (then click Profile & Documents > Delivery Preferences)

2 arrows in a circle indicating a cycle
As Things Change
Account Changes
  • Update or check beneficiary information: Log in Blue chevron pointing to the right, links to account login (then click Profile & Documents > Beneficiary)
  • Move some or all of the money in an account to a different family member: Contact Us Blue chevron pointing to the right, links to Contact Us
Account Owner Details
  • Change name, address, phone, email: Log in Blue chevron pointing to the right, links to account login (then click Profile & Documents > Edit Identification, Address & Phone)
  • Change account owner name: Go to Forms Blue chevron pointing to the right, links to Forms (then click on Account Owner Change Form, as there is no online option for this)

Cash sign
When It's Time To Pay For School
Parents
  • Pay the school directly from CollegeAdvantage: Log in Blue chevron pointing to the right, links to account login (then click the Individual Account Number > Make A Withdrawal)
  • Reimburse myself for expenses paid in the current year: Log in Blue chevron pointing to the right, links to account login (then click the Individual Account Number > Make A Withdrawal)
Grandparents

An ultrasound of a baby in profile
During Pregnancy

A baby smiling into the camera with frosting all over his face
By The First Birthday

A toddler smiling into the camera with a white button-up and a green bookbag
Pre-School Years

A little girl in a teal shirt standing outside of her school
Kindergarten Thru Elementary School
  • Did school attendance cut your childcare costs? See how shifting some of that money into your education fund can make a huge difference.
  • Birthdays, accomplishments, firsts, graduations — make sure family and friends have your Ugift code so they can help build your child’s bright future.
  • Use “money moments” in the year — tax refunds, bonuses, and gifting events like birthdays and holidays — to pump up your education fund.

A girl walking through the hallways of her school talking to a friend
Middle School Years

A young man, leaning back, smiling into the camera, sitting at his desk with a book open in a classroom
During High School
  • By now, your future education expenses are becoming more clear. Use our tools and calculators to modify your saving strategy based on how much of the total cost you want to save.
  • If you're not using a Ready-Made Plan that adjusts risk as school nears, this is a good time to review your investment(s) and make sure you still have the same risk tolerance.
  • As graduation nears, it’s a good time to see how much school you can cover and, if possible, make adjustments to your contributions.
  • Share your Ugift code for birthdays, holidays, special occasions, and of course, high school graduation.

A young man in glasses smiling into the camera as he walks away towards the steps of his school, books in tow
Withdrawal Time
  • Plan ahead to pay tuition well before due dates to avoid school-imposed late fees or being bumped from classes for non-payment.
  • Get the lay of the land for making withdrawals and paying tuition. Do you want to pay an account withdrawal directly to the school, to your bank account, or to your beneficiary? How does the school accept payments?
  • Make sure your withdrawals match qualified higher education expenses.
  • Be sure your withdrawals take place in the same year that you pay for college expenses.
  • Keep detailed records of higher education expenses and corresponding withdrawals for tax purposes.

A young man smiling into the camera, donning his graduation cap and gown in front of a glass block facade
After School
Option 1: Keep the account open for future “upskilling” — future grad school or additional college or certificate programs, or really any qualified program that an adult might need in the future to advance a career.
Option 2: Keep the account open for future grandchildren, as you can easily change beneficiaries later.
Option 3: Transfer the funds to a 529 Plan for another family member.
Option 4: Use the funds to pay off up to $10,000 of qualified student loans for a sibling of the beneficiary.
Option 5: You can choose to withdraw funds for non-qualified expenses, but while your original contributions aren’t penalized, you will have to pay taxes and a penalty on the earnings.
Option 6: If you're truly finished with your 529 account, it might be time to close it out.

Want to remind yourself to do something with your 529 Plan(s)? You've come to the right place.

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