Attention Maine! Over $1,000 in NextGen Grants for Maine Children

Did you know that the NextGen College Investing Plan® (NextGen) offers over $1,000 in matching grants for eligible Maine accounts?

During May the Change Up blog will publish a series of interviews with financial advisors and college counselors and get their advice on getting started with college savings. Columns will feature the Finance Authority of Maine, which administers NextGen; a high school guidance counselor; personal financial advisors; and families that have invested for education through a NextGen account.

This series is part of May’s designation as “529 Month,” a 30-state effort to encourage financial planning for college. Here is the official announcement from NextGen with details about how families can receive grants:

Attention Parents and Grandparents! Over $1,000 in NextGen Grants for Maine Children
May is National “529 Month”

AUGUSTA, ME — May 5, 2014 — The NextGen College Investing Plan® (NextGen) has over $1,000 for each eligible Maine child to put toward his/ her college costs. The Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), which administers the program, is urging parents, grandparents and others who are helping young people to plan ahead for college to take advantage of these grants.

Over 30,000 Maine children have NextGen college savings accounts. FAME credits the success of the $500 Harold Alfond College Grant and FAME’s $200 Initial Matching Grant for this achievement, noting there are families still eligible to receive hundreds of more dollars in grants just by adding to their NextGen accounts.

Maine is one of thirty states collaborating with the College Savings Plans Network to declare May 29th “529 Day” in an effort to encourage families to start preparing for college costs early.

“We have significant grants to help pay for higher education and we want Maine’s children to receive them. The first step is simply to open a NextGen account. The combination of grants and regular savings can grow to help make a student’s higher education dream a reality,” said Bruce Wagner, Chief Executive Officer of FAME.

Maine children can start to receive these grants in their NextGen accounts right away through the following methods:
• Initial Matching Grant: Eligible Maine accounts opened with at least $25 in the direct- sold series, or $50 in the advisor-sold series, may receive a one-time $200 Initial Matching Grant. (This grant is not available for babies who are eligible for the Harold Alfond College Challenge Grant.)
• NextStep Matching Grant: Provides eligible Maine accounts a 50 percent match on contributions, up to $100 match per year, with a lifetime maximum of $1,000.
• $50 Automated Funding Grant: Available for eligible Maine accounts that make at least six consecutive automated contributions through an automated funding option such as payroll deduction.
Families can calculate the probable cost for a child to attend college with the NextGen planning calculator: http://nextgenplan.com/calculator.html. It can be personalized by child’s age, whether the school is public or private, and any current amount of savings.

“I’m so glad I had a head-start on paying my college tuition costs with a NextGen account instead of adding debt like so many of my classmates who are relying on loans,” said Taylor Banister, a freshman at Thomas College.

The NextGen College Investing Plan is Maine’s Section 529 Plan. It offers a wide range of professionally managed investment portfolios that can help families plan for college based on their needs. The money in an account can grow tax-deferred, and when it’s time, withdrawals, including any earnings, are tax free when used to pay for qualified higher education expenses as defined in the Internal Revenue Code. Any earnings withdrawn that are not used for qualified expenses are subject to federal income tax and a 10 percent additional federal tax and may also be subject to state income taxes.

To date, NextGen has granted more than $12 million in matching funds to Maine’s college and trade school bound students.

a newsletterAbout NextGen
Grants are awarded to a NextGen account. See Terms and Conditions of Maine Grant Programs for other conditions and restrictions that apply available at FAMEmaine.com/NextGen. NextGen is a Section 529 plan administered by the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME). Before you invest in NextGen, request a NextGen Program Description from your Maine bank or financial advisor, or call FAME at 1-800-228-3734 and read it carefully. The Program Description contains more complete information, including investment objectives, charges, expenses and risks of investing in NextGen, which you should carefully consider before investing. You also should consider whether your or your designated beneficiary’s home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state’s 529 plan. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, a registered broker-dealer, member SIPC, is the program manager and underwriter.

 

christengraham

About christengraham

President of Giving Strong, Inc. Christen advises businesses, foundations and families for how to make a greater social impact.