Welcome to Your 529 Education Savings Benefit
Use this step-by-step guide to get started
By
Betterment Editors
Published
Welcome to Your 529 Education Savings Benefit Jun 5, 2023 2:10:14 PM Use this step-by-step guide to get started We’re excited you’re here and ready to get set up with a 529! You can enroll in a new 529 plan, select plan-specific investments, connect existing 529 accounts, and automate payroll deductions all within the Betterment app. Use the step-by-step guide below to get started. Setting up a new 529 Get started Log in to your account, and choose: Add new goal. Click on 529 Plan. Answer a few questions about your savings goals. Choose your 529 plan Betterment will display one or more 529 plans you might be interested in based on your location, your beneficiary’s age, and any income tax benefits that may be available to you. You can pick one of those, or review all other options. If you choose a plan that can be integrated within the Betterment experience, you’ll move on to the steps below. Note that integrated 529 accounts and their plans are not managed by Betterment and instead are held and managed by program administrators of each 529 plan. If your selected plan is not eligible to integrate, you can still access and connect it to Betterment manually, and take advantage of Betterment’s other products alongside your education savings account. Select a portfolio Within each plan, there are two types of investment options: Choose a portfolio that’s managed for you by the plan investment manager and automatically adjusts over time. Choose to manage your own portfolio to reflect your time frame and desired risk level. This option gives you more direct control. Enroll in a plan Complete paperwork: Confirm details about yourself and any beneficiaries. All set! Check out your new goal in your Betterment dashboard! Connecting an existing 529 account Get started Log in to your account, and choose: Add new goal. Click on the 529 Goal. Click on Connect an existing 529 (If you choose a plan that can be integrated within the Betterment experience, you’ll move on to the steps below. Note that integrated 529 accounts and their plans are not managed by Betterment and instead are held and managed by program administrators of each 529 plan. If your selected plan is not eligible to integrate, you can still access and connect it to Betterment manually, and take advantage of Betterment’s other products alongside your education savings account.) Tell us your account number. Read and sign our Terms and Conditions. Authorize Betterment to access your account. In the Betterment app, you will now see your 529 plan in your dashboard. Set up contributions Navigate to set up contributions or deposits. You have two ways to contribute toward your 529 account: through payroll deductions or by linking a bank account within Betterment: Payroll deductions (post-tax): These payments are eligible for an employer match, if your employer offers one. Select Payroll deduction to have contributions automatically come out of your paycheck. Choose a 529 account to contribute to. Decide how much money you want to contribute per pay period. Review and approve your contribution rate. Linked bank account: Select Linked bank account Choose a 529 account to contribute to. Decide how much you want to contribute and at what frequency. Review and approve your contribution rate. Dashboard overview Overview tab: View all of your 529 accounts and balances. Note that payments typically take 5-7 days to process. Activity tab: See your Betterment payment activity. Settings tab: See your 529 account details and link your Betterment account directly to your 529 plan account in order to navigate back and forth seamlessly.
We’re excited you’re here and ready to get set up with a 529! You can enroll in a new 529 plan, select plan-specific investments, connect existing 529 accounts, and automate payroll deductions all within the Betterment app. Use the step-by-step guide below to get started.
Setting up a new 529
Get started
- Log in to your account, and choose: Add new goal.
- Click on 529 Plan.
- Answer a few questions about your savings goals.
Choose your 529 plan
- Betterment will display one or more 529 plans you might be interested in based on your location, your beneficiary’s age, and any income tax benefits that may be available to you.
- You can pick one of those, or review all other options.
If you choose a plan that can be integrated within the Betterment experience, you’ll move on to the steps below. Note that integrated 529 accounts and their plans are not managed by Betterment and instead are held and managed by program administrators of each 529 plan. If your selected plan is not eligible to integrate, you can still access and connect it to Betterment manually, and take advantage of Betterment’s other products alongside your education savings account.
Select a portfolio
Within each plan, there are two types of investment options:- Choose a portfolio that’s managed for you by the plan investment manager and automatically adjusts over time.
- Choose to manage your own portfolio to reflect your time frame and desired risk level. This option gives you more direct control.
Enroll in a plan
- Complete paperwork: Confirm details about yourself and any beneficiaries.
- All set! Check out your new goal in your Betterment dashboard!
Connecting an existing 529 account
Get started
- Log in to your account, and choose: Add new goal.
- Click on the 529 Goal.
- Click on Connect an existing 529
(If you choose a plan that can be integrated within the Betterment experience, you’ll move on to the steps below. Note that integrated 529 accounts and their plans are not managed by Betterment and instead are held and managed by program administrators of each 529 plan. If your selected plan is not eligible to integrate, you can still access and connect it to Betterment manually, and take advantage of Betterment’s other products alongside your education savings account.) - Tell us your account number.
- Read and sign our Terms and Conditions.
- Authorize Betterment to access your account.
- In the Betterment app, you will now see your 529 plan in your dashboard.
Set up contributions
- Navigate to set up contributions or deposits.
- You have two ways to contribute toward your 529 account: through payroll deductions or by linking a bank account within Betterment:
- Payroll deductions (post-tax): These payments are eligible for an employer match, if your employer offers one.
- Select Payroll deduction to have contributions automatically come out of your paycheck.
- Choose a 529 account to contribute to.
- Decide how much money you want to contribute per pay period.
- Review and approve your contribution rate.
- Linked bank account:
- Select Linked bank account
- Choose a 529 account to contribute to.
- Decide how much you want to contribute and at what frequency.
- Review and approve your contribution rate.
- Payroll deductions (post-tax): These payments are eligible for an employer match, if your employer offers one.
Dashboard overview
- Overview tab: View all of your 529 accounts and balances. Note that payments typically take 5-7 days to process.
- Activity tab: See your Betterment payment activity.
- Settings tab: See your 529 account details and link your Betterment account directly to your 529 plan account in order to navigate back and forth seamlessly.