SavingForCollege.com (SFC) has named top-performing direct-sold and advisor-sold 529 college saving plans for the first quarter.
SFC is a privately run website that provides research on college financial planning instruments like 529s and financial aid. The website analyzes 529 plans quarterly on one-, three-, five- and 10-year performance using its own methodology. A plan is ranked based on an overall composite score derived from how its underlying investments performed in seven asset-allocation categories that include equity, fixed-income and short-term investments.
Top 10 Performing Advisor-Sold Plans
Standout advisor-sold 529 plans include the Fidelity Advisor 529 in New Hampshire, which climbed SFC’s ranking into the top 10 in the first quarter, and Maine NextGen Client Select Series, which advanced two spots because of strong long-term performance, said SFC. The list below includes top performers based on performance averaged across all time periods.
1. Indiana: CollegeChoice Advisor 529 Savings Plan
2. Oregon: MFS 529 Savings Plan
3. Virginia: CollegeAmerica
4. Nebraska: Nebraska Education Savings Trust -- Advisor College Savings Plan
5. Illinois: Bright Directions Advisor-Guided 529 College Savings Program
6. Arizona: Ivy InvestEd 529 Plan
7. Maine: NextGen College Investing Plan -- Client Select Series
8. New Hampshire: Fidelity Advisor 529 Plan
9. Ohio: BlackRock CollegeAdvantage Advisor 529 Savings Plan
10. Nevada: Putnam 529 for America
Top 10 Performing Direct-Sold Plans
Alaska’s T. Rowe Price College Savings Plan was the only plan that ranked in the top 10 for all four-time periods. However, California’s ScholarShare 529 took the no.1 spot for overall performance.
SFC noted that Pennsylvania’s 529 Investment Plan dropped off the list as it “changed out all of its age-based portfolios.” These top direct-sold plans also are ranked by their performance averaged across all time periods.
1. California: ScholarShare 529
2. Alaska: T. Rowe Price College Savings Plan
3. Alaska: University of Alaska College Savings Plan
4. New York: New York’s 529 College Savings Program – Direct Plan
5. Ohio: Ohio College Advantage Direct 529 Savings Plan
6. Nevada: The Vanguard 529 Savings Plan
7. Maine: NextGen College Investing Plan – Client Direct Series
8. West Virginia: SMART529 WV Direct College Savings Plan
9. North Carolina: National College Savings Program
10. Wisconsin: Edvest
To See the full report, click here.