Tax-smart college savings strategies that fit your bigger financial plan
Our goal is to help you pay for college while keeping your long-term financial goals intact.
Personalized college savings strategies
From 529 plans to tax-advantaged savings options, we help you evaluate the best ways to save for your child’s education. Your strategy is built around your timeline, your resources, and the role college funding plays in your overall financial plan.
Secure their future without sacrificing yours
We’ll help you balance college savings with retirement planning, tax strategy, and your priorities, so you can support your family today without losing sight of tomorrow.
Just some of the college savings questions we help you answer:
How do I balance saving for multiple children’s college expenses?
How do I account for rising tuition costs and inflation in my savings plan?
How can I minimize taxes on withdrawals from a 529 or other savings accounts?
Should I open a 529 College Savings Plan, UTMA account, or UGMA account — and how does it work?
Should I prioritize saving for college over other financial goals, like retirement?
Will saving in a 529 plan affect my child’s eligibility for financial aid?
Smart planning for one of your family’s biggest expenses
We help you create a tax-smart savings strategy that supports your child’s education while aligning with your retirement, cash flow, and long-term financial goals.
Here’s how we can help:
- Choosing the right savings strategy
We help you compare options like 529 plans, custodial accounts, and other tax-advantaged savings tools so you can choose an approach that fits your family’s goals.
- Planning around your timeline
Whether college is years away or around the corner, we help you decide how much to save, where to save it, and when your strategy may need to change.
- Balancing college and retirement
It can be difficult to know how much to put toward education when you are also planning for your own future. We help you support your child’s education without putting unnecessary pressure on your retirement.
- Making the most of tax advantages
Different college savings options come with different tax rules and benefits. We help you understand how they work and use them thoughtfully.
- Coordinating scholarships, grants, and aid
Savings are only one part of paying for college. We help you think through how scholarships, grants, financial aid, and family resources can work together.
- Planning for multiple children
If you are saving for more than one child, we help you account for different ages, timelines, school choices, and funding needs.
What our clients say about working with us:
These testimonials have been provided by clients of TrueNorth Wealth as of 01/01/2026. They have not been paid or received any other compensation for sharing their opinion and experience with our firm.
Working with Us
Common College Savings Questions
Can you help me decide how much to save for college?
Yes. We help you look at expected costs, your timeline, your current savings, and the amount you want to contribute, then build a savings strategy that works alongside your other financial priorities.
Do you help with 529 plans
Yes. We can help you evaluate whether a 529 plan makes sense for your family, choose a contribution strategy, and understand how the funds can be used for qualified education expenses
Can you help me save for more than one child?
Yes. We help you decide whether to use separate accounts, how to prioritize contributions, and how to adjust your savings strategy as each child’s college plans become clearer.
How do I balance saving for college with saving for retirement?
We help you build a savings strategy that supports education costs without creating unnecessary strain on your retirement plan. The goal is to make college funding part of a coordinated strategy, not a competing priority.
Can grandparents help with college savings?
Yes. Grandparents can often contribute to a college savings plan or help pay education costs directly, but the best approach depends on tax considerations, financial aid, and family goals. We can help coordinate college savings across generations.
Can college savings affect financial aid?
Yes, certain assets can affect financial aid calculations. We help you understand how different savings accounts may be treated and how that could influence your college funding strategy.
Are there tax benefits to saving for college?
In many cases, yes. We help you understand the tax rules tied to different college savings options, including 529 plans, so your strategy is as tax-efficient as possible.
Are there any commitments involved with the free strategy session?
This session is a chance for us to get to know you, understand your financial goals, and offer initial advice and recommendations — completely obligation-free. Whether or not you choose to move forward is entirely up to you.
Recent Saving for College Articles
UGMA vs. UTMA vs. 529 Plan: What’s the Best Way to Save for Your Child’s Education?
It’s only natural to want to give your kids every opportunity for success. But with choices like UTMAs, UGMAs, and 529 Plans, it can be tough to know which savings option is right for your family.
7 Financial Tips for College Students
While student loans often dominate the conversation, it’s the everyday choices like budgeting, using credit wisely, and handling unexpected costs that shape your student’s financial future.
Caring for Kids and Parents at the Same Time: A Financial Survival Guide for the Sandwich Generation
The emotional and financial pressures of supporting two generations at once can be overwhelming, even for the most organized individuals.
We can also help you...
Free Strategy Session
No two situations are the same.
Learn how we can help YOU.
Schedule your free session to:
- Tell us about yourself
- Uncover opportunities you may be missing
- Receive personalized recommendations to help you achieve your financial goals