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Scenario tools

College Savings / 529

College planning

College Savings and 529 Calculator

Estimate future college costs and see how much you may need to save each month.

College goal

Combine tuition, fees, housing, food, books, transportation and other planned costs.

Savings assumptions

Enter zero if none.

Financial aid and state tax benefits

Not every 529 withdrawal is qualified. This calculator does not determine state deductions, credits, recapture rules or plan eligibility.

Results

Enter the timeline, annual cost and savings assumptions to see your college funding estimate.

Decide whether you are funding gross or net college costs

These examples use four years of college, a $30,000 annual cost, a 50% family share and no education inflation. Where included, the grant is $5,000 per year.

Three ways to set a college funding target
What you want to fundHow to enter itFour-year target
Half the cost, with no aid$30,000 annual cost; 50% coverage; no grant$60,000
Half the cost, then use the grant against your share$30,000 annual cost; 50% coverage; $5,000 annual grant entered separately$40,000
Half the cost after the grant$25,000 annual net cost; aid already subtracted; 50% coverage$50,000

When you enter a grant separately, the calculator first applies your coverage percentage and then subtracts that grant. If aid is already built into the annual cost, mark it as already subtracted and leave the separate grant field empty.

These are different funding choices, not a rounding difference. Existing savings reduce the funding gap, not the college bill. Do not subtract the same aid twice.

The projection schedules withdrawals by study year and assumes regular savings contributions stop at enrollment. A state tax benefit is your own estimate; reinvesting it is a separate choice. The tool does not determine financial-aid eligibility or which expenses qualify for tax-free 529 withdrawals. Confirm current school, plan and state rules before relying on an estimate.

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