How it works
Each academic year’s cost rises from today’s cost using the entered education inflation assumption. Spending occurs at the start of each academic year. A separate return during college discounts later spending to a fund needed at entry. Existing savings grow until entry; end-of-month contributions fund any remaining gap.
Inputs and units
| Input | Example value | What to enter |
|---|---|---|
| Today’s annual education cost to fund | $30,000.00 | Required unit: $. Use a non-negative value. |
| Years until college starts | 15 years | Required unit: years. Use a whole number. Must be greater than zero. Allowed range: 1–30. |
| Academic years to fund | 4 years | Required unit: years. Use a whole number. Must be greater than zero. Allowed range: 1–8. |
| Assumed annual education-cost increase | 4 % | Enter the percentage as a number: for 15%, enter 15. Use the annual rate. Use a non-negative value. Allowed range: 0–30. |
| Assumed effective annual return before college | 5 % | Enter the percentage as a number: for 15%, enter 15. Use the annual rate. Allowed range: -50–100. |
| Assumed effective annual return during college | 3 % | Enter the percentage as a number: for 15%, enter 15. Use the annual rate. Allowed range: -50–100. |
| Savings already allocated to this goal | $5,000.00 | Required unit: $. Use a non-negative value. |
Worked example
Show example inputs and results
This example is generated by the same calculation engine using the starting values in the form. Your own inputs produce your own result.
- Today’s annual education cost to fund
- $30,000.00
- Years until college starts
- 15 years
- Academic years to fund
- 4 years
- Assumed annual education-cost increase
- 4 %
- Assumed effective annual return before college
- 5 %
- Assumed effective annual return during college
- 3 %
- Savings already allocated to this goal
- $5,000.00
Complete example results
- Required end-of-month contribution
- $788.77
- Fund needed at college entry
- $219,280.92
- Projected existing savings at entry
- $10,394.64
- Gap to fund with contributions
- $208,886.28
- Total planned monthly contributions
- $141,979.00
- First academic year’s projected cost
- $54,028.31
Reading the result
Match the rate period to the payment period. Fees and taxes absent from the inputs are not added automatically; compare totals with the same cost coverage.
Questions and answers
Can I use the example values for my own calculation?
The example values illustrate the calculation. Replace every input with your own information, especially dates, rates and the selected operation.
Does this determine which expenses qualify for a 529 withdrawal?
No. You choose the education costs to fund. The projection does not apply tax rules, state benefits, plan fees or qualified-expense requirements. Those need the applicable plan and current official guidance.
Why are some results rounded?
Results display up to 8 decimal places. Calculations use the unrounded values; very small values use scientific notation. JavaScript floating-point arithmetic can introduce tiny rounding differences.
Are my inputs sent to a server?
The calculator processes inputs in your browser. Its code does not send your values to a server.
Method sources: investor.gov