EDITOR'S PICKS

• The College-Savings Superpage

  While the soaring costs of college can be overwhelming, a bit of careful planning can help you leap over this financial hurdle.

• College Savings Without the Tax Bite

  Since 529 plans became exempt from federal taxes in 2002, the market for them has exploded into a multi-billion dollar business.

• Alternatives to Sky-High College Tuition

  There are a number of schools around the country where tuition is actually free or significantly less.

THE LATEST

• May 6, 2012

  States Are Shaking Up Their 529-Plan Lineups

  WSJ.com

  To attract more parents to college-savings plans, states are making a new round of changes to deliver lower-cost, better-performing investments.

• April 30, 2012

  WSJ.com; States Turn Up Pressure on 529 Plans; To attract more parents, several states are asking their 529 plan managers to make big changes.

  SmartMoney.com

  To attract more parents to college-savings plans, states are making a new round of changes to deliver lower-cost, better-performing investments.

• April 18, 2012

  Voices: Manuel Fabriquer, On College Planning

  WSJ Blogs

  Manuel Fabriquer is founder and president of San Jose, Calif.-based College Planning ABC.  My firm offers clients creative ways to reduce college expenses and make college affordable. I help people put together individual financial plans ...

• April 1, 2012

  This investment could cost you; Commentary: Fund-of-funds may put firm’s interest ahead of yours

  MarketWatch

  BOSTON (MarketWatch) — Mutual fund sponsors are using a popular type of offering to prop up sibling funds that are struggling, at a cost to investors, according to controversial new research.

• March 28, 2012

  Student Loans on Rise -- for Kindergarten; Unable to afford private school, more parents are turning to loans years before their children start college.

  SmartMoney.com

  Instead of saving up for their sons' college education, Bill Dunham and his wife are taking out loans for high school. Their eldest son will begin ninth grade at a school in Boston where annual tuition runs around $10,000 -- and they ...

• March 22, 2012

  Could the Hoosiers Do It Again? Not Likely

  WSJ.com

  In case you weren't paying attention to college basketball before the NCAA tournament, Indiana upset Kentucky, 73-72, in December, making Friday's matchup of basketball blue bloods the only Sweet 16 game that is also a rematch ...

• March 22, 2012

  Investing in Real Life: Sugar Daddies, Alcoholics and Sick Parents

  WSJ.com

  Few categories of the book-publishing world are bigger than the one devoted to investing and money management. Yet for all their titles, the themes are mind-numbingly similar.

• March 4, 2012

  More Money, More Risk in Prepaid-Tuition Plans

  WSJ.com

  Spooked by the stock market, more parents saving for college are putting their faith in something that could prove to be equally tenuous: the ability of state governments to manage money.

• March 1, 2012

  Risks Rise for College Prepaid Plans; The sleep-soundly promise for these increasingly popular 529 plans isn't always ironclad.

  SmartMoney.com

  Spooked by the stock market, more parents saving for their kids' colleges are putting their faith in something that could prove to be equally tenuous: the ability of state governments to manage money.

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  February 15, 2012

  Plan Offers $5 Billion to Improve Teaching

  WSJ.com

  The Obama administration will propose Wednesday a $5 billion competition aimed at overhauling how America's teachers are trained, paid and granted tenure, the latest sign of the growing focus on the quality of teaching in public ...

• February 11, 2012

  Making 529 Plans Work

  WSJ.com

  Last year's wild rides in the stock market—along with stressed household budgets—are taking a toll on college savings. Net contributions to its 529 college-savings plans fell 1% last year compared with 2010, says Vanguard Group, which ...

• February 7, 2012

  Podcast: Who Loves a Parade?

  WSJ Blogs

  On this week's Sports Retort, the four-man weave looks past the Super Bowl to tackle the crucial question of whether we've hit the wall in the quality of our championship parades. Plus: At least a bit of analysis of the game. ...

• February 6, 2012

  Saving for College; What to Do With Leftovers in 529 Plans; If you haven't used all the money in your college savings plan, don't just cash it in. You have other options.

  WSJ.com

  Most parents worry about not having enough money in their 529 savings plans to pay for their kids' college expenses. But sometimes you can end up with more cash in these accounts than you need—if, say, a child doesn't go to ...

• January 30, 2012

  College Savings Without the Tax Bite; For many parents it's the best way to save for college. Here's why.

  SmartMoney.com

  Thinking about investing in a 529 plan? Join the club. Since 529 plans became exempt from federal taxes in 2002, the market for them has exploded into a multi-billion dollar business.

• January 30, 2012

  College-Savings Plans; Investing in a 529 college-savings plan could also affect your financial-aid eligibility.

  SmartMoney.com

  Section 529 plans come in two models: The college savings plan and the prepaid tuition plan. Of the two, college savings plans are considerably more flexible, making them a better choice for most families. Here's how they work.

• January 30, 2012

  The 529 Basics; What you need to know before you sign up for a 529 college savings plan.

  SmartMoney.com

  When considering a 529 plan, the first thing you need to know is that these plans come in two flavors: "prepaid college tuition plans" and "college savings plans." We'll admit, we're pretty partial to the ...

• January 27, 2012

  The College-Savings Superpage; There are now more college investment options than ever before.

  SmartMoney.com

  Think the only way you'll be able to foot your son's or daughter's future college bills is by winning the lottery? Think again. While the soaring costs of college can be overwhelming, a bit of careful planning can help you ...

• January 13, 2012

  Top Amateur College Athletes Really Are Professionals

  WSJ.com

  Regarding NCAA President Mark Emmert's "Paying College Athletes Is a Terrible Idea" (op-ed, Jan. 11): The most basic problem with college sports is that the NCAA and the major conferences and their members have commercialized ...

• January 13, 2012

  How Does Your 529 College-Savings Plan Stack Up?

  WSJ Blogs

  Now that the holidays are well behind us, it's time to start to saving for college again. If you resolved to save more consistently for your children's college education this year, or you're planning to deposit gifts from ...

• Subscriber Content Read Preview

  January 11, 2012

  Paying College Athletes Is a Terrible Idea; That would only increase the incentive to bribe athletes to attend a school or help them cheat.

  WSJ.com

  Let's talk about paying college athletes. Critics of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's ban on remuneration have called for radical change for several reasons: They say there is too much cheating going on; that some ...