Washington, DC, May 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To commemorate national 529 Day (May 29th), college savings programs across the country are using unique ways to raise awareness about the importance of saving for higher education. Leading these initiatives are members of the College Savings Plans Network (CSPN), a network of the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST), the leading objective source of information about Section 529 college savings plans and prepaid tuition plans.
Over the last 30 years, CSPN has tracked data which shows that American families are taking advantage of these tax-advantaged savings accounts. As of December 31, 2025, national savings in 529 savings plans surpassed $602 billion in more than 17.68 million accounts. A recent compilation of national data can be found here. The encouraging upward trend is a promising step towards combatting student debt, which currently amounts to almost $1.84 trillion in the United States.
“It’s fitting that 529 Day falls during graduation season,” said CSPN Chair and Kansas State Treasurer Steven Johnson. “This time of year reminds us that the transition into adulthood often begins shortly after high school graduation. 529 Day celebrates the flexibility and tax-advantaged benefits of 529 plans, which remain one of the best tools families can use to help prepare their students for a successful future.”
Below is a sampling of the efforts happening nationally to encourage more Americans to save for education needs in a 529 plan in celebration of 529 Day:
- Alabama: As part of the CollegeCounts 5/29 Day Giveaway, we're offering the chance to win a $529 contribution to a CollegeCounts account for 29 Alabama babies born between 5/29/25 and 5/29/26 collegecounts529.com/giveaway
- Alaska: Alaska 529 is sponsoring the Cook Inlet Conference Regional Baseball Tournament in Anchorage and will be coordinating family-friendly special events at the games. T. Rowe Price 529 will celebrate 529 Day by partnering with SavingforCollege.com to present a webinar answering the most common questions about 529 plans and education savings. Join a panel of 529 experts on May 28th at 1:00PM for valuable perspectives to inform your education savings journey. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1117768024277/WN_gD5oyCp1RXOYYrY_cBYq-w
- Arizona: On May 29th, Arizona Treasurer Kimberly Yee will be surprising one lucky newborn with $529 towards a new AZ529 Education Savings Plan! In recognition of 529 Day, Treasurer Yee will stop by a Phoenix hospital to surprise the newborn along with parents and family, who just had their bundle of joy. Along with a new 529, Treasurer Yee will bring a gift basket filled with an AZ529 newborn onesie, blanket and even an astronaut costume, just to encourage the family to dream about their baby's future. This will be the 3rd year Treasurer Yee has surprised a newborn family to encourage them that it's never too early to start saving for their child's future education! www.az529.gov
- California: From May 20 through May 31, 2026, college savers will receive a $50 bonus when they open a ScholarShare 529 account for a new beneficiary using promo code 529Day26, make an initial deposit of at least $50 and set up recurring contributions of $50 per month for six consecutive months. More information, including complete terms and conditions, can be found at ScholarShare529.com/529Day2026 starting May 6.
- Connecticut: CHET 529 Day at Yard Goats baseball game in Hartford, CT will take place on 5/29. Connecticut Treasurer Erick Russell will address the crowd pre-game as well as appear as a guest on Yard Goats Radio during the game. He will share the benefits of opening a CHET account and also talk about CHET’s annual Dream Big! Competition for students, which begins in August and is an opportunity for K-12 students to win up to $20,000 toward their CHET 529 accounts. There will also be extensive video displays throughout the park promoting CHET. AboutCHET.com
- District of Columbia: The DC College Savings Plan will be running an Art Contest for DC residents ages 3-7. The contest will run from May 1st through May 27th. Winners will be selected on May 28th and notified on May 29th. Eight winners, one from each Ward, will be selected to receive a $529 account contribution. https://www.dccollegesavings.com/art
- Idaho: In Idaho, we are partnering with one of our local sports teams – the Boise Hawks – to have a special shout-out during the game. We run a promotion throughout their season where one child is selected each game to receive tickets and start the game with a “Let’s play ball” announcement. idsaves.org
- Indiana: Celebrate 5.29 Day with a chance to boost your little Hoosier's future. Enter the 5.29 Day Big Futures Sweepstakes from Indiana529 for a chance to win a $529 deposit into a new or existing Indiana529 account. Twenty winning families will be randomly selected on May 29 from entries received between May 1 and May 28, 2026 at Indiana529Direct.com/529Day.
- Kansas: Along with offering a $50 account opening and savings incentive from May 20–31, the “Sunflower State” is celebrating 529 Day by incorporating Kansas’ official state flower into an interactive Quest529 outreach event. Our “Plant a Seed. Grow a Dream.” event will provide parents and children with everything needed to grow mini sunflowers in Quest529 branded terra cotta pots — creating a hands-on reminder that even small investments today can grow into future opportunities tomorrow. National 529 Day $50 Bonus: Open a 529 Plan | Quest529
- Maine: To celebrate 529 day, employees across the state of Maine will have access to a FREE one-on-one virtual session with a FAME expert, providing personalized support to help families work toward their education savings goals, including: clear and helpful tips about saving, including information on valuable matching grants for Maine residents and the $500 Alfond Grant; details on flexibility of NextGen 529 funds which can be used for many kinds of education; information to debunk the myth that savings negatively impacts financial aid. NextGenforME.com
- Maryland: Join Maryland 529 for an “Introduction to Education Savings” webinar on Thursday, May 28th at 12 pm (ET). Learn about the features and benefits of saving for education with the Maryland College Investment Plan followed by a live Q&A session. Click hereto register.
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts is celebrating 529 Day throughout the month of May with expanded, easy‑to‑understand savings content across MEFA’s communications platforms. MEFA will highlight simple ways families can start and continue saving for the future through the U.Plan Prepaid Tuition Program, the U.Fund College Investing Plan, and Attainable, the ABLE® Savings Plan for individuals with disabilities, along with helpful resources such as articles, tools, and calculators. MEFA is also hosting a series of savings-focused webinars, including Using Your U.Plan Funds on May 19, Attainable: The ABLE Savings Plan on May 21, and Using Your U.Fund to Pay for College on June 25. All MEFA webinars can be attended by registering at www.mefa.org/webinars. In addition, Fidelity Investments will host a webinar on May 27, How a 529 Can Fit Into Your Education Savings Strategy. Registration is available at https://fidelityevents.com/529-education-savings-strategy. A key focus this year is NextSteps, MEFA’s newest college savings incentive program, launched in January 2026. NextSteps helps families get started saving by offering a one‑time $50 matching contribution when they open a U.Fund 529 account for a Massachusetts child age 1 to 3 who may have missed eligibility for the BabySteps program and contribute $50 into the account. Together, BabySteps and NextSteps make it easier for more families to begin saving early and build momentum toward future education and training goals. Viist https://www.mefa.org/ways-to-save/ to learn more.
- Michigan: Governor Whitmer has issued a proclamation declaring May 29 529 Day in Michigan. The proclamation recognizes MET, MESP and MAP. MET will also recognize this day with a bonus promotion. New contracts opened 5/29/26-6/1/26 with a minimum initial contribution of at least $250 may qualify for a $50 bonus. Existing MET contract holders may also qualify for the bonus if they make a qualifying contribution to their existing MET contract during that time period. See MET website for rules and eligibility requirements. MESP will be hosting a special college savings webinar at noon on 5/21/26. Details and registration information can be found at https://tiaa.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3AQEoF84T-y_iz08p64sZA
- Nebraska: NEST 529 is Celebrating 25 Years of Big Dreams. For 529 Day, we will be running a 25-day campaign where people can enter to win various prizes each day via an embedded form on NEST592.com. The promotion will launch May 29 to coordinate with 529 Day. NEST529.com
- Nevada: At the Nevada Treasury, we are dedicated to helping families plan, pay, and save for
post-secondary education. This year, in celebration of 529 Day, we’re excited to connect with the community in a big way! To kick off the first week of summer, we’ll be exhibiting at the Reno Aces vs. Sacramento River Cats baseball game! Our very own Treasurer will be throwing out the first pitch! In Las Vegas, we will be partnering with the aquarium at the Boulevard Mall and offering FREE admission to the first 300 guests! And to make this special day even more memorable, every baby born in Nevada on May 29th will receive a special gift of $529 into a Future Path 529 Plan from our College Savings Division because it’s never too early to start planning for the future! NVigate.gov - New Mexico: 5/29 will come right in the middle of the first ever "Teppie 529 Road Show" where The Education Plan's (TEP) famous Turtle, Teppie will be educating all areas of our great (and great big) state! From a rodeo weekend in the eastern plains, to a river festival near the four corners area, to a city celebration along the iconic Route 66, our outreach team will put in thousands of miles to share the benefits of the 529. Along the way, small town restaurants will host The Education Plan and local radio stations will have us on for interviews. Besides promoting the Road Show, our social media team will be challenging all to contribute $5.29 to a new account or to their existing 529 with The Education Plan on May 29th. theeducationplan.com
- Ohio: "529 Day Webinar at 12pm EST; Title ""529 Day 2026: Top Trends in 529 Plans""; Hosted by Paul Curley, CFA, Executive Director at ISS Market Intelligence, and Trisha Good, Executive Director of Ohio’s 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage, ISS MI’s 529 webinar celebrates 30 years of 529s and builds awareness and understanding of 529s. Ohio 529 Sweepstakes Launching May 29, 2026: 2026 Cleveland Guardians Home Run with a grand prize of a $10,000 college savings award, and 2026 Toledo Mud Hens Home Run Readers with a grand prize of a $2,500 college savings award. 2026 Library Summer Reading Program Support: Ohio 529 supports the summer reading programs of Akron–Summit County Public Library, the Dayton Metro Library, the Columbus Metropolitan Library and, with the Toledo Mud Hens, Toledo Lucas County Public Library. These efforts aim to help keep students engaged and learning throughout the summer. As an additional incentive, Ohio 529 offers multiple college savings awards, ranging from $529 to $2,529.
- Oregon: Embark is running a social media contest (Instagram and Facebook) with a grand prize of $529, deposited into an Embark account, and fun local prize packs of Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) or Portland Pickles tickets. Ways to enter: (1) Like the post; (2) Comment on the post; (3) Visit the link in Embark's bio to score bonus entries. The custom landing page in the bio tracks additional ways to earn entries, including: Refer a friend, Subscribe to our newsletter, Opt in to receive text message, Make an additional contribution to your Embark account, and Do it all (= 10 bonus entries). www.instagram.com/embarksavings/
- Pennsylvania: The PA 529 College and Career Savings Program is celebrating 529 Day with a promotion for new and current PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) and PA 529 Investment Plan (IP) accounts owners with awards totaling more than $33,000! PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) and PA 529 Investment Plan (IP) accounts that receive a qualifying contribution of at least $10 between May 1 and 31, 2026, will be automatically eligible for one of six regional awards of $5,529. Accounts must be open on or before May 31, 2026, and the account owner must be a Pennsylvania resident. Conditions apply. Read the official rules at pa529.com/529day for additional details. (Official rules will be posted by April 30, 2026). https://www.pa529.com/529day/
- Texas: In celebration of National 529 Day, we are launching a coordinated campaign to increase awareness and plan contributions. The plan manager is providing promotional materials to broker-dealers for the LoneStar 529 Plan® and sending targeted emails and digital ads to current Texas Tuition Promise Fund® and Texas College Savings Plan® account owners to encourage additional savings. Simultaneously, the Comptroller’s office is promoting the day through a press release, social media updates, and a GovDelivery message to subscribers. To expand our reach statewide, we are also mailing letters and TTPF posters targeting educators to all 20 Education Service Center regions to encourage schools to display these materials and promote 529 Day to families. www.savenowforcollege.com
- Utah: my529 has been helping families save for education for 30 years. To celebrate our anniversary and National 5·29 Day, we’re offering a potential $50 in promotions in the month of May for Utah residents.
Utah residents may be eligible for up to a $50 match if they open a my529 account for a beneficiary who is new to my529 between May 1 and June 1, 2026. To qualify, contribute at least $30 at opening, and set up scheduled monthly contributions for at least six consecutive months. More details at my529.org. - Virginia: Virginia is celebrating 529 Day with a special $25 contribution for anyone who opens a new Invest529 account at Invest529.com between May 28 and May 31. Plus, families can join a free May 29 webinar co‑hosted with Coastal VA Wealth to learn smart ways to plan for future education.
- Washington: GET will run a promotion where every GET account opened between May 1 and May 29 is automatically entered to win one of 15 $529 bonus deposits into their new GET account. WA529 Invest (TIAA) is running a promo for anyone who opens a new account between May 20 and May 31 and sets up a 6-month recurring deposit of $50, gets a $50 bonus. 529.wa.gov
- West Virginia: SMART529 is holding the Fund the Future Sweepstakes from April 27-May 20. The winner will be announced on 5-29 day. One lucky WV resident, 17 years of age or younger, will win $10,000 in a SMART529 account. www.wvtreasury.com/fundthefuture
- Wisconsin: In celebration of 529 Day, Wisconsin’s Edvest 529 college savings plan is offering a special $50 Summer Savings bonus on new accounts opened between 5/18/2026 and 6/8/2026. To be eligible to receive the bonus deposit, use the promo code Summer26 when enrolling online during the offer period, make an initial deposit of at least $50, and set-up recurring contributions of $25 or more for at least three months. To learn more about the bonus offer and the benefits of saving with Edvest 529, register to attend a free webinar on Wednesday, May 20 or Wednesday, May 27. Edvest.com/Summer2026
For more information about the College Savings Plans Network, visit collegesavings.org.
Catherine Seat College Savings Plans Network catherine@statetreasurers.org