Investing Now to Prepare for Tomorrow

When Gary and his wife Karen got married, they wanted to find a way to honor their first spouses, children and grandchildren. They had heard about the Learning Quest® 529 Education Savings Plan from friends throughout the years, and ultimately decided that opening accounts for their grandchildren was the perfect way to support their loved ones.

When Gary was younger, he couldn’t afford to go to college. He decided to join the military and served in aviation for a number of years. Karen didn’t attend college either. “In the 60’s you could get by without college,” Gary said. Nonetheless, the couple recognizes the value of a college degree today and has every intention to help set their grandchildren up for success.

“These are our grandkids and we want them to have an equal chance out in the world,” Gary said. “And if they are going to do that they are going to have to go to college.”

The couple currently has accounts for all ten of their grandchildren ranging in ages from 7-years old to 22-years old. Gary and Karen started off with small contributions but were persistent in giving to each account monthly. “With ten grandchildren, we started small,” Gary said. “But when you do that, 18 years down the road it makes a big difference.” The couple now sees the benefits of those insistent contributions, as their grandchildren are getting older and are making their college decisions.

Their oldest granddaughter, Ashley, is about to start her senior year at Wichita State University where she is expected to graduate debt free. The combination of scholarships, working, and her 529 plan has allowed for this dream to be possible. Additionally, their second oldest granddaughter, Emily, is about to enter her first year of college using the funds from her 529 plan.

The rest of the grandchildren still have time to make their own decision about their future education. As for Gary and Karen, they plan to continue actively investing in their grandchildren’s Learning Quest accounts.

“It’s been a really great experience for us,” Gary said. “If you can afford it do it. It’s going to be great down the line.”