A 529 college savings calculator projects whether current savings and monthly contributions can cover future education costs. It adjusts the college target for inflation, compounds the account balance at an assumed return, and compares the two at the enrollment date. The result is a gap or surplus, not a guarantee.
Enter the target in today's dollars, current balance, monthly contribution, years to college, college-cost inflation, and expected return. The calculator does the rest. It does not know your child's age, so use the number of years until enrollment rather than an age input.
How to Use the 529 College Savings Calculator
- Set your college goal: Enter the Target in Today's Money, meaning the estimated cost of four-year tuition and college expenses today.
- Enter what you have and save: Add your Current 529 Balance / Savings and the Monthly Contribution you can make.
- Choose the timeline: Enter Years to College and a College Cost Inflation (%) assumption so the tool can project the future cost of that goal.
- Add growth assumptions: Enter an Expected Annual Return (%) for your 529 portfolio, and optionally pick a State to see a note about state tax benefits, or choose the skip option.
- Calculate: Click Calculate to see the Adjusted Target at College Start, the Savings Gap, Months to Reach Target, Total Investment Growth, and growth milestones over time.
The projection is an estimate that assumes your inflation and return inputs hold steady, and it does not account for taxes, fees, or penalties on non-qualified withdrawals.
The Tax Advantages of 529 Plans
Of the plan's three federal-and-state benefits, this calculator models only the growth side: the projection compounds the balance at the return you enter with no annual tax drag, which is how tax-free growth works while the money stays invested. The state income tax deduction or credit is not modeled at all — the state selector adds a general note only. Qualified withdrawals are assumed rather than calculated: the tool treats the full balance as available for education expenses.
Tax-Free Capital Growth and Qualified Tax-Free Withdrawals
529 contributions are made with after-tax dollars. The federal benefit comes later: investment growth inside the plan is not taxed each year, and withdrawals for qualified education expenses are federally tax-free. That combination lets the balance compound without an annual tax drag. See the IRS guidance on qualified tuition programs for current federal rules.
Qualified expenses include tuition, fees, books, supplies, required equipment, and room and board for at least half-time enrollment. Limited amounts also apply to K-12 tuition, apprenticeship costs, and student loan repayment. Nonqualified withdrawals generally trigger income tax on earnings plus a 10% penalty, with exceptions such as a scholarship, military academy attendance, or the beneficiary's death or disability.
State Income Tax Deductions and Credits on Contributions
Many states offer a deduction or credit for contributions to a 529 plan, often limited to the state's own plan and subject to annual caps. A few states offer no income tax benefit, and some allow a deduction for any state's plan. The value depends on the state, the contributor, the plan, and the contribution amount.
This calculator does not apply a state deduction. The state selector adds a general note about possible benefits, but the projected balance is the same whether or not a state is selected. Confirm the current rules with the plan administrator or state revenue department before counting on a tax benefit.
How tuition inflation changes the savings target
In-State Public vs Out-of-State vs Private University Costs
College costs vary widely by institution and residency. A public in-state school may cost far less than an out-of-state public or private university, but the gap can narrow after financial aid. The calculator inflates one total target from today's dollars to the date college begins. If you are planning for four years, estimate the total you want to save for all four years in today's dollars; do not enter one year's tuition as the full target unless that is your goal.
| Today's Annual Cost | One Year at Enrollment, 5% for 18 Years | Approx. Four-Year Total (Order of Magnitude) |
|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | $60,197 | $240,788 |
| $45,000 | $108,354 | $433,416 |
| $60,000 | $144,472 | $577,888 |
The 5% rate is a planning assumption, not a forecast. The calculator uses whatever inflation rate you enter. A higher rate increases the target over a long horizon, while a lower rate reduces it. The four-year total is a rough figure because costs can continue rising during the college years; this tool does not project separate annual costs or inflation during college.
Modeling Tuition, Room & Board, Books, and Mandatory Fees
A tuition-only target can understate the bill. Add mandatory fees, housing and meals, books, supplies, a computer, and transportation if the student will need a vehicle. Room and board usually counts as a qualified expense only when the student is enrolled at least half-time.
To set a four-year target, estimate the cost of attendance for each year in today's dollars and add the years you expect to fund. If the student will live at home, adjust housing and meal costs; if scholarships are likely, you may choose to model a lower target. The calculator treats your entry as one total goal and does not estimate financial aid, tax credits, or costs that rise during the college years.
Monthly Contributions and Timeline
Child's Current Age vs Anticipated Matriculation Year
The tool does not ask for the child's age. It asks for years to college. For a newborn, that is about 18 years. For a 10-year-old, it is about 8 years. The distinction matters because a shorter horizon gives compounding less time and usually requires a larger monthly contribution.
The timing of contributions also matters. The simulation applies the monthly return to the existing balance, then adds that month's contribution, so it assumes end-of-month deposits. Contributions stay at the same amount throughout the projection. Starting earlier with the same contribution produces a larger balance; increasing the contribution later can close part of the gap, but it may cost more in total dollars.
Projecting Balance at Age 18 Under Conservative Growth Models
The return rate is an assumption, not a promise. Choose a rate that reflects the scenario you want to test; a higher assumed return makes the projection larger, while a lower return makes the gap larger. Actual results can differ, and this calculation does not model investment fees, changing asset allocation, taxes, or market volatility.
| Annual Return | Projected Balance at 18 Years | Total Contributions | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | $186,876.05 | $108,000.00 | $73,876.05 |
| 6% | $208,360.43 | $108,000.00 | $95,360.43 |
| 7% | $232,923.21 | $108,000.00 | $119,923.21 |
These return rates map loosely to portfolio posture. A conservative mix weighted toward cash and short-duration bonds is commonly cited for horizons under about five years, a balanced stock-and-bond mix for the middle years, and a stock-heavy aggressive mix for a newborn's 18-year runway — the kind of age-based glide path many 529 plans publish. Treat the row you pick as a planning assumption, not advice; the calculator applies whichever rate you enter for the entire horizon and does not model a changing asset allocation along that path.
The table uses a $5,000 starting balance and $500 monthly contributions over 18 years, with a target high enough that the goal is not reached early. In the verified example, the $120,330.96 target is reached at month 149, so the tool stops there instead of showing the full 18-year balance. A smaller monthly contribution extends the timeline; enter a lower amount to see the later finish month.
Starting at Birth vs Starting at Age 10
The same $500 per month produces very different balances depending on when it starts. With the same $5,000 starting balance and a 6% assumed return, the calculator projects $208,360.43 after 18 years ($108,000.00 contributed, $95,360.43 growth). Starting the identical plan when the child is 10 — eight years to college instead of 18 — projects $69,484.98 after 8 years ($48,000.00 contributed, $16,484.98 growth). The ten extra years add $60,000 of deposits and $78,875.45 of growth. The late starter can close part of that gap only with a larger monthly contribution, because compounding needs time more than it needs rate.
SECURE 2.0 Act Roth IRA Rollovers: Up to $35,000 per Beneficiary
What the Rollover Allows
Unused 529 money is not always trapped. Under SECURE 2.0, a beneficiary can receive a rollover from a 529 to their own Roth IRA, subject to conditions. The lifetime cap is $35,000 per beneficiary. The rollover is not a way to move an unlimited balance, and it does not replace the normal Roth contribution rules.
The rollover can reduce the risk of saving too much for college. A family can prioritize the tax-free education goal and still preserve a retirement option for a child who receives a scholarship, chooses a trade, or skips college. The money remains subject to the plan's terms and federal eligibility requirements, including annual Roth contribution limits. See the IRS 529 rollover guidance before relying on this option.
Statutory Requirements: 15-Year Plan Age and 5-Year Seasoning
The 529 account must have been open for at least 15 years. Contributions made in the last five years, including their earnings, are not eligible for a Roth rollover. Beneficiary changes and other ownership events can affect eligibility, so confirm the details before moving money.
| Requirement | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Account age | The 529 must be at least 15 years old. |
| Annual limit | The rollover counts toward the beneficiary's annual Roth IRA contribution limit. |
| Lifetime cap | No more than $35,000 per beneficiary from 529 plans. |
| Five-year seasoning | Contributions from the last five years are excluded. |
Other options remain available. The account owner can change the beneficiary to another family member, keep the money for graduate school or an apprenticeship, or withdraw nonqualified funds and pay tax plus the 10% penalty on earnings. A scholarship may allow a penalty-free withdrawal up to the scholarship amount, but earnings are still taxed.
For related planning, compare the Savings Goal Calculator, the Compound Interest Calculator, and the Investment ROI Calculator.
The projection runs one child and one school timeline at a time. For multiple children, run a separate scenario for each child age and enrollment year, then use the gap or surplus each run shows to set one shared monthly contribution that covers the family total, revisiting it as each child moves closer to college.
Last verified: October 2026. Calculator figures are outputs for the inputs entered; they are not live quotes, current rates, or an offer.