Attending school and funding strategy

A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged investment product designed as a means of investing for education expenses.

Yes. A rewrite of the U.S. federal tax code in December 2017 allows money in 529 plans to be used to pay for tuition in grades K-12. At the time of the rewrite, some states needed to make amendments to their state-level 529 rules so participants can fully reap the tax-free benefits. A J.P. Morgan Advisor can recommend a plan that helps you invest for tuition and other education costs.

Choosing the right savings plan and following time-tested investment strategies may help you reduce taxes, increase growth potential and accumulate more for education. Plus, there's this: it costs less to invest now than to borrow later.

While many students qualify for some financial aid, only 0.3% of college students receive a "free ride" from needs-based grants and merit-based scholarships. We’ll help you understand the many ways to pay for college and how financial aid is one piece of the pie — but probably not the whole pie.

This is a tough call, and a personal one. Taking on additional debt now could compromise your financial future. After all, there is no such thing as financial aid for your retirement. Borrowing to pay for college is a big decision so make sure you consider the risks.

Prioritizing your goals doesn't always mean ranking them by what’s next on the horizon. You don’t want to achieve one goal at the expense of another. An appropriate financial strategy starts with an assessment of your current situation and a budget to help prioritize your competing financial objectives. Meeting with a J.P. Morgan Advisor can help you determine how to accommodate multiple goals that span various timeframes.