Brightstart - Illinois' 529 College Savings Plan

Administered by the State Treasurer of the State of Illinois

The Bright Start College Savings Program provides a smart, tax advantaged way for families to invest money to help pay for a child's college education. With tuition costs on the rise, it's more important than ever for parents to start saving early.

With Brightstart, you can open an account with an initial contribution of as little as $25. Bright Start's wide range of investment options is tailored to meet every child's needs and aspirations. You can also choose an investment plan that is best suited for you and your beneficiary-whether that's your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, friend or even yourself.

Project your costs
Formulating an effective college-funding plan begins with projecting the cost of higher education for your child. It's important to be realistic about what those costs may be. You can use Brightstart's handy online Education/Funding/Planner calculator to get started.

Know your options
You'll want to explore the many ways to save for a child's education and be aware that you will probably have to bring into play several resources to assemble a successful plan. Get a comparison of some of the more popular college savings options.

Start early
Time really is money. Establish a target dollar amount and a time frame, then figure out a payment schedule designed to help you reach your goal—and stick to it! Remember, the earlier you start to save, the more time you should have for your college savings to grow. Take advantage of the Resources Brightstart offers for more college savings insights.

Save regularly
Making a habit of investing regularly may really pay off in the long run. That's why it's important to determine how you want to save to meet your goal. You can contribute a monthly or annual amount into an account designated for this purpose. Or, you can set up the account with a lump-sum investment. Learn more about "saving regularly."

Separate your college savings
Establishing a separate account for college savings will make it harder to use the money for another purpose, and will enable you to watch your money grow to approach your target goal. Be disciplined with this account.