Shows / The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Lucas and Luna examine the mechanics of 529 college savings plans, education funding strategies, and the real cost of a degree. Each episode drills into specific plan types — prepaid tuition vs. savings plans, state tax incentives, and investment options — using public data from the College Board and IRS. They compare named universities' net price calculators, discuss the impact of FAFSA simplification, and weigh the trade-offs between 529s, Coverdell ESAs, and taxable accounts. Lucas cites the…
Episodes
The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student CostsHow 529 Plans Handle Tuition Refunds and Withdrawals
When a student drops a course, withdraws from college, or gets a scholarship, 529 plan withdrawals can get messy. In this episode, Lucas and Luna walk through…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Student Housing Deposits
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna drill into a specific, often-overlooked 529 plan expense: the housing deposit. With the fall…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using 529 Funds for Your Child's Wedding
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore a lesser-known benefit of 529 plans: using funds for your child's wedding. While…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Trade School and Certification Costs
Lucas and Luna dive into a growing use for 529 plans: covering trade school and professional certification programs. With student debt topping $1.7 trillion…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Student Visas and Passport Fees
In episode 170 of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna dive into a lesser-known but increasingly relevant use of 529 plans: covering the costs of study…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover a Gap Year Before College
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the rules and strategies behind using 529 plan funds to cover a gap year before college. They discuss what qualifies as…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Your Child's First Car
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore a common but often overlooked question: can you use a 529 plan to buy a car for your…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plan Tax Strategies for Grandparents
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, hosts Lucas and Luna explore a topic that often gets overlooked: the tax implications when grandparents…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Room and Meal Plans
Episode 166 of The College Savings Podcast digs into a question every family with a freshman asks: can 529 plans really pay for the campus dining hall? Lucas…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plan Rules for K-12 Tuition and Expenses
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna dig into a 529 plan feature that many parents overlook: using the account to pay for K-12…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Student Health Insurance Premiums
In episode 164 of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna break down how 529 plans can be used to cover student health insurance premiums. They explain the…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plan Rollovers to Roth IRAs Explained
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the SECURE 2.0 provision that allows unused 529 plan funds to be rolled over into a Roth IRA for the beneficiary. They…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using 529 Plans to Cover Your Child's Wedding
Weddings are expensive, and some families are surprised to learn they can use 529 plan funds to help cover their child's big day. In this episode, Lucas…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Graduate School Costs
Lucas and Luna dive into the specifics of using 529 plans for graduate school expenses, from tuition and fees to room and board and even the graduate school…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Apprenticeship Programs
In episode 160 of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore a growing but often overlooked use for 529 plans: apprenticeship programs. With the…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plan Rules for ROTC and Military Academy Expenses
In this episode, Lucas and Luna break down how 529 plans can be used for ROTC-related expenses and military academy costs, a topic that's often…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Laptop and Tech Purchases
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how 529 plans handle technology purchases for college students. From laptops and tablets…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Why 529 Plans Now Cover Student Loan Repayments
In this episode, Lucas and Luna unpack a major change in 529 plan rules: using funds to pay down student loans, up to $10,000 per beneficiary, and the same…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans Covering Student Health Insurance Premiums
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a less obvious but highly practical use of 529 plan funds: covering student health insurance premiums. They break down…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Student Travel Costs
Episode 155 of The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo looks at the often-overlooked question of whether 529 plans can cover travel to and from college. Lucas…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Study Abroad Program Fees
In this episode, Lucas and Luna dig into the often-overlooked details of using 529 plans to pay for study abroad programs. They break down what counts as a…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Student Housing During a Gap Semester
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo, hosts Lucas and Luna explore a niche but increasingly relevant question: can you use 529 plan…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using 529 Plans for College Application Fees and Test Prep
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a less obvious but valuable use of 529 plan funds: covering college application fees and standardized test prep costs…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Summer School and Intersession Courses
Summer classes can keep your child on track for graduation or let them explore a new subject, but are they a qualified 529 expense? Lucas and Luna dig into the…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Your Child's First Apartment Furnishings
Episode 150 of The College Savings Podcast zeroes in on a 529-approved expense that catches many families off guard: furnishing your student's first…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Off-Campus Housing Deposits
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna dive deep into using 529 plans for off-campus housing, specifically the often-overlooked cost of…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plan Withdrawals for Housing Deposits and First Month Rent
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna unpack a surprisingly common question from parents and students: can you use a 529 plan to cover…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
What Happens to a 529 Plan If Your Child Doesn't Go to College
Nearly a third of 529 plan beneficiaries change their plans. Lucas and Luna walk through your options if your child decides against college: changing the…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using 529 Plans for Community College Tuition and Expenses
In this episode, Lucas and Luna discuss how 529 plans can be used for community college expenses. They break down the eligibility requirements, including the…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover College Room and Board Costs
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna break down the rules for using 529 plan funds to pay for college room and board. They explain…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using 529 Plans for Study Abroad Programs
Many families don't realize that 529 plans can cover study abroad expenses at eligible foreign institutions. Lucas and Luna break down the requirements…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Scholarship Impact on 529 Plan Withdrawals
What happens to your 529 plan savings when your child earns a scholarship? In this episode, Lucas and Luna break down the rules: how to withdraw penalty-free…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Impact Financial Aid Eligibility
In this episode, Lucas and Luna break down the surprisingly favorable treatment of 529 plans on the FAFSA. Under the current formula, a parent-owned 529 is…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Special Education Services and Assistive Technology
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how 529 plans can help families fund special education services and assistive technology for students with…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using 529 Plans for Graduate School Entrance Exam Costs
Did you know your 529 plan can cover GRE, GMAT, MCAT, and LSAT prep courses and exam fees? In this episode, Lucas and Luna break down the specific IRS rules…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using 529 Plans for K-12 Private School Tuition
Episode 139 of The College Savings Podcast: Lucas and Luna explore how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expanded 529 plans to cover K-12 tuition up to $10,000 per…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 to Roth IRA Rollover The Fine Print You Might Miss
The SECURE Act 2.0 lets you roll over up to $35,000 from a 529 plan to a Roth IRA, but the rules are tight. Lucas and Luna walk through the 15-year holding…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How to Roll Over 529 Plan Funds to a Roth IRA
The SECURE 2.0 Act opened up a powerful new option for families with leftover 529 savings: roll up to $35,000 into a Roth IRA for the beneficiary. In this…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans Cover College Student Health Insurance Costs
Many families don't realize that 529 plans can pay for college student health insurance – but only if it's a school-charged premium. In this episode…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using 529 Plans for Student Loan Repayment
Episode 135 of The College Savings Podcast dives into a lesser-known but powerful provision from the SECURE 2.0 Act: using 529 plan funds to pay down your…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Your Childs Off-Campus Parking and Transportation
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore a commonly overlooked 529-qualified expense: off-campus parking permits, public transit…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Your Childs Laptop and Technology Purchases
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore a surprisingly common question among parents: can a 529 plan pay for your child's…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans Cover Your Childs College Application Fees
Lucas and Luna explore a lesser-known 529 plan expense: college application fees. With the average student applying to 8-10 schools, application fees can total…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Your Childs Trade School Tools and Equipment
Episode 131 of The College Savings Podcast: Lucas and Luna tackle a less-discussed but critical use of 529 plans: paying for trade school tools, equipment, and…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Your Childs Internship Expenses
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how 529 plans can cover internship-related expenses, a rarely-discussed qualified use. They break down the IRS rule on…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Apprenticeship Program Costs
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna dig into a 529 plan benefit many families overlook: using funds for registered apprenticeship…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Your Childs Off-Campus Internet and Phone Bills
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore the recent IRS clarification that allows 529 plan funds to pay for off-campus internet…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Can Cover Your Childs Off-Campus Internet and Phone Bills
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna dive into the often-overlooked expense of off-campus internet and phone bills and how 529 plans…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans Cover Off-Campus Internet and Phone Bills
Many families assume a 529 plan can only pay for tuition, room, and board. But the IRS also lets you use tax-advantaged 529 funds for internet service and…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Your Childs Vocational School Training
In Episode 125 of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how 529 plans can now cover qualified expenses at vocational and trade schools. They…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Your Childs Summer Camp Costs
Episode 124 of The College Savings Podcast explores an often-overlooked 529 plan qualified expense: summer camps. Lucas and Luna break down the IRS rules that…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Your Childs Study Abroad Semester
Episode 123 of The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo dives into a specific, underutilized 529 plan benefit: paying for a semester abroad. Lucas and Luna…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Your Childs Off-Campus Meal Plan Costs
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore a frequently overlooked expense: off-campus meal plans. While 529 plans have long…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Can Cover Your Childs Fraternity or Sorority Housing
You might not think of Greek life housing as a qualified education expense, but the IRS actually allows 529 plan funds to be used for on-campus fraternity or…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans and Scholarships How Extra Funds Get Taxed
Lucas and Luna dive into a common 529 plan blind spot: what happens when your child wins a scholarship that covers the same expenses you've been saving…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Can Cover Your Childs Transcript and Testing Fees
In episode 119 of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna break down a lesser-known but valuable 529 plan expense: transcript requests, AP exam fees…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans and K-12 Private School Tuition Expenses
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna dive into a powerful but often overlooked feature of 529 plans: using them to pay for K-12…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Off-Campus Apartment Rental Costs
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, hosts Lucas and Luna tackle a question many families face: can a 529 plan pay for your child's off-campus…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Can Cover Your Childs Military Service Academy Costs
Lucas and Luna unpack a little-known but powerful use of 529 plans: paying for expenses at U.S. military service academies like West Point, Annapolis, and the…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans and the Roth IRA Rollover Strategy Explained
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore a powerful but often overlooked 529 plan feature: the ability to roll over unused funds…