Financial Planning

Financial Perspectives: 529 Plans Are More Flexible Than You Think

Gretchen Muller

Gretchen Muller , MBA

Ryne Oller

Ryne Oller , CFP®, MBA

08/17/26

529 Plans Are More Flexible Than You Think | Financial Perspectives

As another school year gets underway, a lot of families are thinking about more than school supplies and busy schedules. In this episode, Gretchen Muller and Ryne Oller discuss education planning: where the conversation should start, how 529 plans really work, and why they’re far more flexible than most people realize.

In this conversation:

4:14 – Why education planning starts with family values, not account balances
8:06 – How consistent saving adds up over time
9:30 – Common 529 misconceptions
10:27 – The Roth IRA rollover provision for leftover 529 funds
11:40 – How grandparents can use 529s for education, estate, and generational giving

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