my529 talks college saving on The Balancing Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Bryn Ramjoue’, Marketing Director, 801.321.7110, press@my529.org

September 3, 2024

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Utah’s 529 plan picked as the expert to talk on Lifetime Television program, The Balancing Act, hosted by Montel Williams and Olga Villaverde

(Salt Lake City) Utah’s my529 plan was chosen as the expert voice to talk about college savings on Lifetime Television program, The Balancing Act, hosted by Montel Williams and Olga Villaverde.

How and why did Utah’s plan get selected?

The crew at The Balancing Act cover a wide range of topics that impact families — those challenges that require life’s “Balancing Act.” They were interested in the topic of tuition debt, which led to a conversation about how to allay tuition debt, that led to curiosity about college savings.

A producer researched the top college savings plans (529s) in the country and found a list based on volume of assets that showed Utah’s plan as fourth out of all 529 plans. In addition, the crew reviewed ratings from Morningstar, a financial services firm. The crew noticed the top two plans for 2023 are from Utah and Michigan. And Utah’s plan had earned a GOLD rating from Morningstar more years than any other 529 plan. Utah’s plan is also self-managed, meaning it is not managed by a large corporation. Its call center is in Salt Lake City, along with all of its departments, including IT, Marketing, Legal Compliance and Investments.

The Balancing Act’s EVP of Integrated Partnerships, Scott Moss, settled on Utah’s plan — my529.

In June 2024, Richard Ellis, executive director of my529, sat in studio with Montel Williams, well known as an Emmy Award-winning television personality and radio talk show host. The Balancing Act producer taped three segments because there was so much information to cover.

“We are always happy to share impactful stories that can help our viewers in terms of their financial health … especially when it comes to helping their children get the higher education they need and deserve,” said host of The Balancing Act Montel Williams. “my529 are great partners with a clear vision of why starting early when it comes to saving is so important.”

The first segment of The Balancing Act airs at 7:30 a.m. on September 2, 2024, and September 10, 2024, on Lifetime Television. The segment is available on TheBalancingAct.com and The Balancing Act YouTube after the Lifetime airing. Viewers can also find the segments on my529.org after each episode airs.

What did Montel and the crew at The Balancing Act think was so important to reach out to Utah’s plan to find out?

“There are three separate shows because they had so many questions,” answered Bryn Ramjoue’, marketing director for Utah’s my529 plan. “The first segment, airing in September, talks about college savings and how 529 plans work; that initial contributions can grow tax free to pay qualified education expenses. The second segment airs October 4 and talks about 529 plans’ flexibility in where and how the funds can be used for tuition, books, computers, and room and board at schools across the U.S. and even in foreign countries. The last segment airs on November 4 and talks about how anyone can gift into a college savings account. This show is timed for the holiday gift-giving season.”

Now you know how and why a Utah brand was selected for The Balancing Act on Lifetime Television.

About my529

my529, Utah’s official nonprofit 529 educational savings plan, is highly rated by Morningstar Inc.

Accounts are free to open, and my529 requires no minimum deposit or account balance. my529’s user-friendly website, my529.org, makes it easy to open, manage, and contribute to an account online.

To learn more, visit my529.org, call toll-free at 800.418.2551, or email info@my529.org.

Important Legal Notice

Investing is an important decision. The investments in your account may vary with market conditions and could lose value. Carefully read the Program Description in its entirety for more information and consider all investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses before investing. For a copy of the Program Description, call 800.418.2551 or visit my529.org.

Investments in my529 are not insured or guaranteed by my529, the Utah Board of Higher Education, the Utah Education Savings Board of Trustees, any other state or federal agency, or any third party. However, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance is provided for the FDIC-Insured investment option. In addition, my529 offers investment options that are partially insured for the portion of the respective investment option that includes FDIC-insured accounts as an underlying investment.

The state in which you or your beneficiary pay taxes or live may offer a 529 plan that provides state tax or other benefits, such as financial aid, scholarship funds and protection from creditors, not otherwise available to you by investing in my529. You should consider such benefits, if any, before investing in my529.

my529 does not provide legal, financial, investment or tax advice. You should consult your own tax or legal advisor to determine the effect of federal and state tax laws on your particular situation.

A Morningstar Analyst Rating^TM for a 529 college savings plan is not a credit or risk rating. Analyst ratings are subjective in nature and should not be used as the sole basis for investment decisions. Morningstar does not represent its analyst ratings to be guarantees. Please visit Morningstar.com for more information about the analyst ratings, as well as other Morningstar ratings and fund rankings.