While that statistic is not a violation of any regulations, it does raise questions about the sales because in many cases out-of-state plans are tax disadvantaged, he says.

"For us, it‚s a red flag," Perone says. "It raises questions about disclosure and suitability."

He stresses that the examination has not made any conclusions thus far. He notes that many states do not offer discounts for in-state 529 purchases, and that for some investors an out-of-state plan could be beneficial because of differences in fees, performance or both, Perone says.

Most Companies Expect Employee Theft

A majority of private companies say they expect to experience some type of employee theft this year, according to a new survey.

The survey by Chubb Group of Insurance Companies found that, among 300 private company executives surveyed, 60% anticipate the theft of either money or equipment this year.

The survey also found that 34% of companies anticipate at least one instance of an employee stealing from a client.

"Employee crime is one of the biggest and costliest problems facing private businesses today," says Lisa McGee, a vice president of Chubb & Son, a division of Federal Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Chubb Group.

The expectations seemed to exceed actual experience with employee crime. The survey found that 39% of respondents had an employee steal funds, equipment, inventory or merchandise sometime over the past few years.

Only 9% said they had a case of an employee stealing from a client.

Nearly a third of the company executives surveyed said employee theft has the potential to inflict financial damage to their companies. The survey authors noted that a 2002 report by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners found that the average organization loses 6% of its total annual revenues to fraud and abuse committed by its employees.

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