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Investing & Retirement

529 College Savings Calculator

Project a 529 balance, future college costs, and the modeled monthly contribution needed to close a funding gap.

Quick mode

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yr
$
$
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Current estimated cost for one academic year. MFA inflates each of the four modeled college years separately.

Quick-mode assumptions: college starts at age 18, investment return is 6% and college-cost inflation is 4%. Those assumptions remain active; open Full to edit them.

Years to College

13 yrs

Projected 529 Balance

$80,490

Est. 4-Year College Cost

$212,120

Potential Funding Gap

$131,630

Visual projection

529 balance vs. projected college cost

Age 5 → 18

56789101112131415161718$0k$55k$110k$165k$220k
  • 529 balance
  • Projected 4-year college cost

Your deposits

$51,800

Estimated investment gain / loss

$28,690

To fully cover the projected college cost by age 18, the model requires approximately $866/month. Financial aid, scholarships, school choice, qualified expenses and actual returns can materially change the result.

Illustrative projection only. The four-year cost target includes four separately inflated academic years beginning at the modeled college-start age. It does not subtract financial aid, scholarships, tax credits or other resources. Investment returns and college inflation are assumptions, not guarantees.

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Planned workbook: 529 · Trump Account · contribution calendar · growth charts.

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Educational estimates only. Not financial, tax, investment, legal, payroll, mortgage, or insurance advice. Results may vary based on rates, tax rules, lender terms, state laws, and personal circumstances. Financial values entered into supported calculators may be stored privately with technical data such as IP address for MFA analytics, security, debugging and product improvement. Do not enter account numbers, passwords, Social Security numbers or login credentials. Privacy details.