ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

529 plan

A 529 plan is like a piggy bank for your college savings. Think of it like your own special box where you keep your money safe until you need it. You can start putting money into your piggy bank (or 529 plan) when you're really young, like a baby, or even before you're born! Your parents, grandparents, or anyone who wants to help you save for college can put money into your piggy bank.

As you grow up and get closer to going to college, you can use the money from your piggy bank to pay for all kinds of college stuff, like tuition, room and board, textbooks, and even a computer. The great thing about the 529 plan is that the money in your piggy bank grows over time, so the amount you save increases too. This means that there will be more money available to help pay for college when you need it.

Another good thing about the 529 plan is that you can choose different types of investments for your piggy bank. Think of it like picking different flavors of ice cream! You can choose a safe investment that doesn't change much, or you can choose a riskier investment that has the potential to grow your money faster.

So, in summary, a 529 plan is a special piggy bank for college savings that grows over time and can be used to pay for college expenses. Everyone who wants to help save for college can put money in the piggy bank, and you can choose different types of investments for it.