Don’t Wait, Invest in Your Child’s Future Before Year-End

As Alaskans, we know how quickly the calendar turns. Before we blink, 2025 will be in the rearview mirror. If you’ve been thinking about saving for your child’s future education, now is the time to act, and there’s a compelling reason to do it before Dec. 31.

The Education Trust of Alaska recently commissioned a statewide survey, and the results were eye-opening. Fewer parents today feel confident that their children will pursue education and training after high school compared with just a few years ago. Rising costs and uncertainty are fueling hesitation, but planning ahead is still the smartest way to keep options open for your child’s future.

Alaska 529 remains one of the most flexible and trusted tools for education savings. Funds can be used to pay for education and training at nearly any college or university in the United States and include vocational and technical schools and certain apprenticeship costs. Recent changes in federal law expanded uses to include professional credentialing programs and the ability to move excess funds into a Roth IRA. There are no sales charges, federal tax benefits apply, and families can start with as little as $25 or by selecting Alaska 529 on the Permanent Fund Dividend application. Satisfaction among current participants is high, and most say the ease of contributing and withdrawing makes the plan a practical choice. For families who want to make saving even easier, Alaska 529 offers Ugift, a gifting portal that allows grandparents, relatives, and friends to contribute directly to a child’s account.

So why act now? The Dash to Save and Dash to Save More incentive eligibility window closes Dec. 31. Families can earn a $250 bonus for opening an account and an additional $100 if the contribution comes from a new recurring automatic investment before year’s end. It’s a win-win: invest in a child’s future and receive an incentive for doing so.

Don’t let uncertainty hold you back. Small steps today can make a big difference tomorrow. Visit Alaska529.com to open an account before the deadline.

-The Alaska 529 team