Appendix 1 · the state guide
51 jurisdictions, 89 plans. Every state except Wyoming sponsors at least one; many run both an advisor-guided plan and a lower-fee direct-sold one. Twenty conform fully to the federal rules — the rest diverge somewhere.
Nine states extend state tax benefits to contributions made to any 529 plan, not just their own — letting residents chase the best plan nationally without giving up the break. Thirty-seven states and D.C. offer a contribution deduction or credit at all.
9 states
A credit reduces your tax bill dollar-for-dollar rather than reducing taxable income, which usually makes it the better of the two. Five plans provide credits: Indiana, Minnesota, Oregon, Utah and Vermont.
5 states
In states with no deduction, shopping nationally for the best plan — lowest fees, preferred allocation options — is suggested.
4 states
A withdrawal for K–12 may be tax-free federally but taxable at the state level in these jurisdictions. California further penalizes such withdrawals by an extra 2.5%.
13 states
Morningstar's fall 2025 Medalist Ratings gave Gold to five direct-sold plans. It reviewed 59 plans representing more than 90% of industry assets; 31 earned Gold, Silver or Bronze, and no advisor-sold plan earned Gold.
5 states
Showing 51 of 51
| State | Plans in this edition | Contribution benefit | K–12 distributions | Aggregate max | Flagship cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | CollegeCounts 529 Fund – Direct Direct-SoldCollegeCounts 529 Fund – Advisor Advisor-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $26,234 |
| AlaskaGold | T. Rowe Price College Savings Plan Direct-Sold | None | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $25,279 |
| Arizona | Arizona Education Savings Plan-Fidelity Direct-SoldArizona Education Savings Plan-Goldman Sachs Advisor-Sold | DeductionAny state's plan | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $30,201 |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Brighter Future Direct Plan Direct-SoldArkansas Brighter Future Advisor Plan Advisor-Sold | DeductionAny state's plan | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $23,019 |
| California | ScholarShare 529 Direct-Sold | None | Not allowed | — | $28,325 |
| Colorado | CollegeInvest Direct Portfolio Direct-SoldCollegeInvest Stable Value Plus Direct-SoldCollegeInvest Scholars Choice Advisor-Sold | Not stated | Not allowed | — | $27,617 |
| Connecticut | CHET – Connecticut Higher Education Trust Direct-SoldCHET Advisor 529 Advisor-Sold | Not stated | Not allowed | — | $34,900 |
| Delaware | Delaware College Investment Plan Direct-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $29,918 |
| District of Columbia | DC College Savings Plan Direct-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | — |
| Florida | Florida 529 Savings Plan Direct-SoldFlorida Prepaid College Plan Prepaid Tuition | None | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $18,362 |
| Georgia | Path2College 529 Plan Direct-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | $550,000 | $21,488 |
| Hawaii | HI529 – Hawaii's College Savings Program Direct-Sold | None | Not allowed | — | $26,464 |
| Idaho | IDeal – Idaho College Savings Program Direct-Sold | Deduction | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $21,327 |
| IllinoisGold | Bright Start Direct-Sold College Savings Direct-SoldBright Directions Advisor-Guided 529 Advisor-SoldCollege Illinois! Prepaid Tuition Program Prepaid Tuition | Not stated | Not allowed | — | $30,567 |
| Indiana | CollegeChoice 529 Direct Savings Plan Direct-SoldCollegeChoice Advisor 529 Savings Plan Advisor-Sold | Credit | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $23,509 |
| Iowa | ISave 529 Plan Direct-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $22,825 |
| Kansas | Quest 529 Education Savings Direct-Sold | DeductionAny state's plan | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $24,600 |
| Kentucky | KY Saves 529 Direct-Sold | None | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $27,222 |
| Louisiana | START Saving Program Direct-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $21,288 |
| Maine | NextGen 529 – Client Connect Series Direct-SoldNextGen 529 – Client Direct Series Direct-SoldNextGen 529 – Client Select Series Advisor-Sold | DeductionAny state's plan | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $32,020 |
| Maryland | Maryland College Investment Plan Direct-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $25,655 |
| MassachusettsGold | UFund College Investing Plan Direct-SoldUPlan Prepaid Tuition Program Prepaid Tuition | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $33,815 |
| Michigan | Michigan Education Savings Program (MESP) Direct-SoldMI 529 Advisor Plan (MAP) Advisor-SoldMichigan Education Trust (MET) Prepaid Prepaid Tuition | Not stated | Not allowed | — | $30,512 |
| Minnesota | Minnesota College Savings Plan Direct-Sold | Credit | Not allowed | — | $30,562 |
| Mississippi | Mississippi Affordable College Savings (MACS) Direct-SoldMississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (MPACT) Prepaid Tuition | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $21,548 |
| Missouri | MOST – Missouri's 529 Education Plan Direct-Sold | DeductionAny state's plan | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $23,468 |
| Montana | Achieve Montana 529 Direct-Sold | Not statedAny state's plan | Not allowed | — | $21,930 |
| Nebraska | NEST Direct College Savings Plan Direct-SoldNEST Advisor College Savings Plan Advisor-SoldBloomwell 529 College Savings Plan Direct-SoldState Farm 529 Savings Plan Advisor-Sold | Not stated | Not allowed | — | $23,040 |
| Nevada | NVPrepaid.gov Prepaid TuitionVanguard 529 College Savings Plan Direct-SoldJPMorgan Future Path 529 Plan Advisor-SoldVictory Capital 529 Education Savings Plan Advisor-SoldWealthfront 529 Plan Advisor-Sold | None | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $22,716 |
| New Hampshire | UNIQUE College Investing Plan Direct-Sold | None | Not listed as non-conforming | $621,411 | $34,550 |
| New Jersey | Franklin Templeton NJBest Advisor-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $32,789 |
| New Mexico | The Education Plan Direct-SoldNew Mexico Scholar's Edge Advisor-Sold | Deduction | Not allowed | — | $20,320 |
| New York | NY 529 Direct Plan Direct-SoldNY 529 Advisor-Guided Plan Advisor-Sold | Deduction | Not allowed | — | $25,866 |
| North Carolina | NC 529 Plan Direct-Sold | None | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $20,867 |
| North Dakota | College SAVE Direct-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | $269,000 | $22,293 |
| Ohio | Ohio CollegeAdvantage 529 Savings Plan Direct-SoldOhio BlackRock CollegeAdvantage Advisor 529 Advisor-Sold | DeductionAny state's plan | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $26,935 |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma 529 College Savings Plan Direct-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $22,895 |
| Oregon | Embark Direct-SoldOregon MFS 529 Savings Plan Advisor-Sold | Credit | Not allowed | — | $30,835 |
| PennsylvaniaGold | PA 529 Investment Plan Direct-SoldPA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan Prepaid Tuition | Deduction | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $35,036 |
| Rhode Island | CollegeBound Saver Direct-Sold | Deduction | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $33,330 |
| South Carolina | Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan – Direct Direct-SoldFuture Scholar 529 College Savings Plan – Advisor Advisor-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $28,952 |
| South Dakota | CollegeAccess 529 Plan Direct-SoldCollegeAccess 529 Plan Advisor-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $20,430 |
| Tennessee | TNStars College Savings 529 Program Direct-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $27,770 |
| Texas | Texas College Savings Plan Direct-SoldTexas Tuition Promise Fund Prepaid TuitionLoneStar 529 Plan Advisor-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $26,498 |
| UtahGold | my529 (Utah Educational Savings Plan) Direct-Sold | Credit | Not listed as non-conforming | $606,000 | $23,111 |
| Vermont | Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan Direct-Sold | Credit | Not allowed | — | $36,473 |
| Virginia | Invest529 Direct-SoldCollegeAmerica 529 Savings Plan Advisor-SoldPrepaid529 Prepaid Tuition | Deduction | Not listed as non-conforming | $675,000 | $32,128 |
| Washington | DreamAhead College Investment Plan Direct-SoldWashington Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) Prepaid Tuition | None | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $29,710 |
| West Virginia | SMART529 WV Direct College Savings Plan Direct-SoldSMART529 Select Advisor-SoldThe Hartford SMART529 Advisor-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $22,550 |
| Wisconsin | Edvest 529 College Savings Plan Direct-SoldTomorrow's Scholar 529 Advisor-Sold | Not stated | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $23,215 |
| Wyoming | No known sponsored plan Direct-Sold | DeductionAny state's plan | Not listed as non-conforming | — | $19,280 |
Blank cells mean the manuscript does not state a figure for that jurisdiction — not that the figure is zero. Aggregate maximums across all states range from $235,000 to over $621,000. Check the state's own program description before acting.