Does a 529 Plan Affect Financial Aid?
A 529 college savings plan can be a powerful tool when saving for future education expenses because investments in the plan can increase tax-free, but many savers don't take full advantage of all the benefits that 529 plans have to offer.
One common deterrent to investing through a 529 plan is the concern that assets in a 529 account will reduce financial aid eligibility. While it's true that 529 assets have an impact on financial aid, the effect is likely smaller than you think.
Do 529 Plans Affect Financial Aid?
The short answer is yes. An increase in the means to fund higher education naturally means the beneficiary is eligible for less need-based aid.
However, assets in a 529 plan have a lesser impact on financial aid packages than income does. A student's federal financial aid is based on an estimate of what a family can contribute annually from their income and assets. Income is the largest portion of this measurement of a student's ability to pay for college, which is represented by the Student Aid Index, or SAI, on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The SAI replaced the expected family contribution, which was previously used on the application.
Typically, the SAI calculation expects parents to use 25 percent to 35 percent of their adjusted available income to cover college costs, though that number can go as high as 47 percent. Parental contribution from assets, including 529 account balances, is assessed at a much lower maximum of 5.64 percent. So, if a family has a 529 account with $10,000, this raises the expected family contribution by at most $564 and reduces the federal aid package by the same amount.
A 529 Plan's Impact Depends on Who Owns the Account
The impact of 529 assets on a beneficiary's financial aid package depends on who owns the account. As outlined above, if the plan is owned by the beneficiary's parent, then 5.64 percent of the account's value is considered in the SAI, which determines a student's financial aid eligibility on the FAFSA.
On the other hand, if the plan is owned by the student, then up to 20 percent of the account value may be considered in calculating financial aid eligibility.
With changes to the
Siblings' 529 Assets Don't Count for Federal Financial Aid
After the FAFSA Simplification Act, assets in 529 accounts are counted as parental assets only for the beneficiary of the account. That means, if you have 529 accounts set up for your other children, the assets in those accounts are no longer counted toward the expected family contribution. As mentioned above, accounts owned by grandparents or other relatives will also be excluded from determining federal financial aid eligibility.
Financial Aid Eligibility Differs Between FAFSA and CSS Profile
There are also schools that use the College Scholarship Service, or CSS, Profile (primarily private schools) to calculate their financial aid packages. The CSS Profile's formula to calculate aid differs from FAFSA's. For instance, the CSS Profile asks for all 529 accounts owned by the beneficiary's parents, whereas the FAFSA only counts 529 accounts for which the student is the beneficiary. Moreover, the CSS Profile is customized by the institution, so each school can have its own formula to calculate its aid packages. While each school that uses CSS Profile information applies its own standards, this
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By Hyunmin Kim, Margaret Giles of Morningstar
The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors. They are meant for general informational purposes only and should not be construed or interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation. The Epoch Times does not provide investment, tax, legal, financial planning, estate planning, or any other personal finance advice. The Epoch Times holds no liability for the accuracy or timeliness of the information provided.
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"Historically the Pell Grant was viewed as the foundation for financial support for low-income students," said Lesley Turner, an associate professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and a research fellow of the National Bureau of Economic Research. "It's the first dollar, regardless of other types of aid you have access to." Under Trump's proposal, the maximum Pell Grant for the 2026-2027 academic year would be at its lowest level in more than a decade. "The Pell reduction would impact the lowest-income families," said Betsy Mayotte, president of The Institute of Student Loan Advisors, a nonprofit. More than 92% of Pell Grant recipients in 2019-2020 came from families with household incomes below $60,000, according to higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. 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