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 CostsUsing a 529 Plan for Your Child's Registered Apprenticeship
Episode 54 of The College Savings Podcast explores how 529 plans can cover costs for registered apprenticeship programs, a growing alternative to traditional…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using Your 529 Plan for Certification Exam Fees
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how 529 plans can cover certification exam fees for professional credentials like the…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using 529 Plans for Your Child's Driver Education
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore an often-overlooked 529 plan expense: driver education. They walk through IRS rules for…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Your Child's Summer Enrichment Program
Lucas and Luna dive into a specific 529 plan use that many families overlook: summer enrichment programs. From academic camps at private high schools and…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Can Pay for Your Child's Coding Bootcamp
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how 529 plan funds can be used for coding bootcamps and other non-degree technology…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans for Your Child's Sports Training and Athletic Development
Many parents don't realize that 529 plan funds can be used for certain sports-related educational expenses, not just traditional college tuition. In this…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using a 529 Plan for Your Child's Study Abroad Program
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore how 529 plans can be used to cover study abroad program costs in 2026. They…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using a 529 Plan for Internship Related Expenses
Lucas and Luna explore how 529 plans can cover internship-related costs in 2026. They discuss the IRS rules on qualified expenses, including travel, housing…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using a 529 Plan for Your Grandchild Without Losing Control
Episode 46 of The College Savings Podcast explores a powerful but often overlooked 529 strategy: grandparents opening and managing accounts for grandchildren…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Your Child's Apprenticeship Program
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore a powerful yet often overlooked use for 529 plans: funding apprenticeship programs. As…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Your Child's Robotics Competition Team
On The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore a specific and growing use of 529 plan funds: covering expenses for your child's…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using 529 Plans for Homeschooling Expenses
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo, hosts Lucas and Luna explore how 529 plans can be used to cover homeschooling expenses, a flexible…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans and Your Child's Music Lessons and Arts Education
Lucas and Luna explore how 529 plans can be used to pay for qualified music lessons, art classes, and other arts education expenses beyond traditional college…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Can Cover Study Abroad Programs in 2026
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna dive into using 529 plans for study abroad programs. With more students than ever pursuing…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Can Pay for Your Child's Military Service Academy Costs
In Episode 40 of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore a little-known but powerful use of 529 plans: covering the costs of attending a U.S…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Can Pay for Your Child's Entrepreneurship Program
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore a growing education trend: using 529 plan funds to cover entrepreneurship programs for…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using 529 Plans for Independent Study and Credit-by-Exam Fees
Episode 38 of The College Savings Podcast explores how families can use 529 plan funds to cover costs associated with independent study programs and…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans and Student Loan Refinancing Strategies
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how 529 plans can be used strategically for student loan refinancing, a topic that many families overlook. They discuss…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using a 529 Plan for Your Child's Gap Year Program
In Episode 36 of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore whether a 529 plan can cover expenses for a gap year program — think structured travel…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Cover Trade School and Apprenticeship Costs
Episode 35 of The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo dives into an often-overlooked use of 529 plans: funding trade school, apprenticeship programs, and…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans for Children with Special Needs
Millions of families with children who have special needs face a unique college savings challenge: how to save without jeopardizing eligibility for…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Why 529 Plans Are a Roth IRA Rollover Option in 2026
In this episode, Lucas and Luna unpack the SECURE 2.0 provision that allows unused 529 plan funds to roll over into a Roth IRA for the beneficiary, effective…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using a 529 Plan for Your Child's Medical School Costs
Episode 32 of The College Savings Podcast tackles a lesser-known 529 strategy: funding graduate medical education. Lucas and Luna break down how medical…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Can Cover Your Child's Driver Education
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore an often-overlooked qualified expense for 529 plans: driver education. They dive into…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans for Flight School and Aviation Training Costs
Episode 30 of The College Savings Podcast tackles a growing niche: using 529 plans to fund flight school and aviation career training. Lucas and Luna break…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using a 529 Plan for Your Child's Coding Bootcamp
Episode 29 explores a growing use for 529 plans: funding coding bootcamps and other non-degree tech training programs. Lucas and Luna break down the IRS rules…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Using 529 Plans for K-12 Private School Tuition
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how 529 plans can be used for K-12 private school tuition, a lesser-known provision from…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How to Use a 529 Plan for Your Child's First Car
Can you use 529 plan funds to buy your child a car? The answer is more nuanced than you might think. In this episode, Lucas and Luna break down the IRS rules…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans as a Down Payment Gift Strategy for Parents
Lucas and Luna explore how 529 plan funds can be repurposed to help adult children buy their first home, using a specific $35,000 lifetime limit per…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plan Penalty-Free Withdrawals After Your Child's Death
Episode 25 of The College Savings Podcast tackles a difficult but important question: what happens to a 529 plan if the beneficiary passes away before the…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans as a Student Loan Repayment Strategy
Lucas and Luna explore a lesser-known 529 plan strategy: using leftover 529 funds to repay student loans after graduation. They walk through the $10,000…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans as a Cybersecurity Education Funding Tool
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how 529 plans can be used to fund cybersecurity bootcamps and certifications, a qualified expense under the SECURE Act…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Treat Room and Board Expenses
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna break down how room and board costs work with 529 plans. They explain the critical distinction…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
The 529 Plan As A Wedding Gift For Your Child
Episode 21 of The College Savings Podcast tackles a creative and tax-efficient use of 529 plans: helping fund your child's wedding. Lucas and Luna break…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans for International Universities and Study Abroad Costs
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore a frequently overlooked question: can 529 plan funds be used for international…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Work With Online Degree Programs
Online degrees are booming, but many families don't realize how 529 plans cover them. Lucas and Luna break down the rules: which online programs qualify…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans as a Wedding Gift Strategy for Grandparents
Episode 18 of The College Savings Podcast explores how grandparents can use 529 plans to help fund a wedding without triggering gift tax or financial aid…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 529 Plans Work With Scholarships and Merit Aid
Lucas and Luna break down a frequently overlooked scenario: what happens when a student wins a scholarship or merit-based aid that reduces their qualified…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans as a Gift Tax Strategy for Grandparents
Episode 16 of The College Savings Podcast explores how grandparents can use 529 plans to reduce their taxable estate while funding a child's education…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans as a Down Payment Strategy for First-Time Home Buyers
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore a surprising new use for 529 plans: saving for a down payment on a first home. With the…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans for Trade School and Apprenticeship Costs
Most families think 529 plans are only for four-year college tuition. But in 2026, trade schools, apprenticeships, and certificate programs are all qualified…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
The 529 ABLE Account Strategy for Special Needs
Lucas and Luna explore how families can pair a 529 plan with an ABLE account to save for a child with disabilities without jeopardizing Medicaid or SSI. They…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
The Kiddie Tax Trap in 529 Plan Withdrawals
Lucas and Luna unpack the little-known 'kiddie tax' rule that can turn a 529 plan withdrawal into a surprise tax bill when the beneficiary has…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans as a Backup Retirement Account
Episode 11 of The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo explores a little-known 529 strategy: using leftover funds as a retirement cushion. Hosts Lucas and Luna…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plan Rollovers to Roth IRAs After the SECURE 2.0 Act
In this episode of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna dive into one of the most overlooked provisions of the SECURE 2.0 Act: the ability to roll over…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans vs Roth IRAs for College Savings
Lucas and Luna compare 529 plans and Roth IRAs as college savings vehicles, focusing on a real case: a family deciding between the two. They break down the key…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
529 Plans as Inheritance Vehicles for Grandchildren
Episode 8 of The College Savings Podcast explores an underexplored angle: using a 529 plan as a multi-generational inheritance tool. Lucas and Luna break down…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How Qualified Expenses in 529 Plans Have Expanded
Lucas and Luna explore how the definition of 'qualified higher education expenses' for 529 plans has shifted over the past decade, with a close look…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
The Custodial 529 Strategy for Teens
In Episode 6 of The College Savings Podcast, Lucas and Luna unpack a specific, underused maneuver: opening a custodial 529 plan with a teenager as the account…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How State Tax Credits Make 529 Plans Even Better
Episode 5 of The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo dives into state tax credits and deductions for 529 plans—a feature that can boost savings by thousands…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How Grandparents Can Fund a 529 Plan Without Losing Financial Aid
Episode 4 of The College Savings Podcast tackles a specific blind spot: how grandparents' 529 plans can backfire on financial aid. Lucas and Luna walk…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
Why A 529 Plan Is Not Always The Best Option
Lucas and Luna challenge the conventional wisdom that a 529 plan is the default choice for college savings. Drawing on a specific case from the Federal…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How the SECURE Act Remade 529 Plans
Lucas and Luna explore a single, concrete change reshaping college savings: the SECURE 2.0 Act's provision allowing 529 plan funds to roll over into Roth…
- The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo: 529 Plans, Education Funding, and Student Costs
How 35 Million Families Use 529 Plans Wrong
Episode 1 of The College Savings Podcast with Fexingo. Lucas and Luna dig into the single most costly mistake families make with 529 plans: overfunding. They…