Anonymous wrote:Question for those who understand 529 options much more than I do.

My kid’s college funds were basically invested in a commercial real estate deal I did 5 years ago. Just sold it, did great even after taxes. I have a Senior taking a gap year and starting in Fall 2026 and Sophomore. I now have 100% of their private college costs.

Should I place these fund into a 529 now? Or just keep it in cash/Bond/Treasuries since it is so late in the game

You’ve already eaten the taxes on those gains, and you don’t need any more growth. Keep it in something safe or cash.

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The terrible overall returns on my Virginia pre-pay 529 plan were anticipation of times like these.

We have both prepaid and invested 529s and the invested 529s have still don’t way better even taking the latest into account.

Fascinating to watch individuals rationalize losing over 15% while almost pretending that they MEANT for it to happen, I guess to maintain whatever is left of their questionable sanity.

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DP where were you in 2008? The market lost 30%. We kept the 529 going back ten, invested more and 10 years later the account was Fully funded, half it via market gains. If you’re going to lose your sh over short term market swings, keep your money under your mattress.

For those with kids starting college in a year and in college currently…not great right now

Hopefully most of the balance is in cash at this point regardless of the market. If not, you shouldn't have been investing on your own.

Agree, if you have a kid in HS or early college and had the money in equities, that was a bad decision on your part. You should have moved it to cash by Freshman HS year like we did. We did the calculation and said, could we lose 15k and be ok? Yes we could cover it in cash flow. Could we lose 50k or more? Nope. So we moved 85 percent into cash.

Question for those who understand 529 options much more than I do.

My kid’s college funds were basically invested in a commercial real estate deal I did 5 years ago. Just sold it, did great even after taxes. I have a Senior taking a gap year and starting in Fall 2026 and Sophomore. I now have 100% of their private college costs.

Should I place these fund into a 529 now? Or just keep it in cash/Bond/Treasuries since it is so late in the game

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The terrible overall returns on my Virginia pre-pay 529 plan were anticipation of times like these.

We have both prepaid and invested 529s and the invested 529s have still don’t way better even taking the latest into account.

Fascinating to watch individuals rationalize losing over 15% while almost pretending that they MEANT for it to happen, I guess to maintain whatever is left of their questionable sanity.

.

DP where were you in 2008? The market lost 30%. We kept the 529 going back ten, invested more and 10 years later the account was Fully funded, half it via market gains. If you’re going to lose your sh over short term market swings, keep your money under your mattress.

For those with kids starting college in a year and in college currently…not great right now

Hopefully most of the balance is in cash at this point regardless of the market. If not, you shouldn't have been investing on your own.

In anticipation of the buffoonery we are experiencing in October before the election we took some money out to over my kids Private high school costs and saved those $ from our current HHI in a non 529 investment with a higher bond and currency allocation.

At the same time we reallocated the remaining amount in our 529 to a Treasury/Bond only fund. So almost ZERO hit for us.

We have ZERO trust on this administration to risk our Freshman/Sophomore’s kid’s future over these next 3 years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The terrible overall returns on my Virginia pre-pay 529 plan were anticipation of times like these.

We have both prepaid and invested 529s and the invested 529s have still don’t way better even taking the latest into account.

Fascinating to watch individuals rationalize losing over 15% while almost pretending that they MEANT for it to happen, I guess to maintain whatever is left of their questionable sanity.

.

DP where were you in 2008? The market lost 30%. We kept the 529 going back ten, invested more and 10 years later the account was Fully funded, half it via market gains. If you’re going to lose your sh over short term market swings, keep your money under your mattress.

For those with kids starting college in a year and in college currently…not great right now

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The terrible overall returns on my Virginia pre-pay 529 plan were anticipation of times like these.

We have both prepaid and invested 529s and the invested 529s have still don’t way better even taking the latest into account.

Fascinating to watch individuals rationalize losing over 15% while almost pretending that they MEANT for it to happen, I guess to maintain whatever is left of their questionable sanity.

.

DP where were you in 2008? The market lost 30%. We kept the 529 going back ten, invested more and 10 years later the account was Fully funded, half it via market gains. If you’re going to lose your sh over short term market swings, keep your money under your mattress.

Anonymous wrote:taking out 529 money hits our income line and messes with FA. so our advisor told us to pay as many years possible out of savings and then 100% of 529 later years.

so I dont need this money til 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 (for two kids). paying 2025, 26, 27, 28 out of savings. which has taken a hit for sure.

For qualified educational expenses, 529 withdrawals shouldn’t hit your income line. There’s still benefit to compounding tax-free returns as long as possible, though.

taking out 529 money hits our income line and messes with FA. so our advisor told us to pay as many years possible out of savings and then 100% of 529 later years.

so I dont need this money til 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 (for two kids). paying 2025, 26, 27, 28 out of savings. which has taken a hit for sure.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The terrible overall returns on my Virginia pre-pay 529 plan were anticipation of times like these.

We have both prepaid and invested 529s and the invested 529s have still don’t way better even taking the latest into account.

Fascinating to watch individuals rationalize losing over 15% while almost pretending that they MEANT for it to happen, I guess to maintain whatever is left of their questionable sanity.

Unless you are kids are still little ones, hopefully most parents with 529s don't have their entire balance in equities.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The terrible overall returns on my Virginia pre-pay 529 plan were anticipation of times like these.

We have both prepaid and invested 529s and the invested 529s have still don’t way better even taking the latest into account.

Fascinating to watch individuals rationalize losing over 15% while almost pretending that they MEANT for it to happen, I guess to maintain whatever is left of their questionable sanity.

Anonymous wrote:The terrible overall returns on my Virginia pre-pay 529 plan were anticipation of times like these.

We have both prepaid and invested 529s and the invested 529s have still don’t way better even taking the latest into account.