Saving for Your Child's Education
A college education is a gift that keeps on giving. Help your your child prepare for the ever-increasing costs of higher education.
How can you start saving for your child's education?
College Savings
Start saving early and increase your potential to have enough money when your child needs it. However, it's not too late to save for a teenager. There are time-tested strategies to help save for college and your financial adviser is ready to share them with you.
You Can Talk To Your Adviser About…
- The tax-favored advantages of a 529 plan, including the significant tax-deferred benefit.
- The impressive range of investment options, encompassing different types of mutual funds and investment managers, which an innovative 529 college savings plan offers.
Mutual Funds
It's likely that your child's college education will be a financial priority—but don't lose sight of your retirement. Consider contributing to your employer-sponsored retirement plan and investing in mutual funds through an IRA for you and your spouse.
You Can Talk To Your Adviser About…
- Developing a long-term strategy that includes funding your child's college education and your retirement at the same time.
- Discovering the ability to save for your future through your retirement plan at work and by investing in mutual funds through an IRA outside of your plan. Together, they can help you pursue your dreams and goals through a long retirement.
How John Hancock Can Help: Amy's Story
Amy
We're thrilled! We're having our third child… but we're even more concerned about putting three kids through college. 
Amy and family
My husband and I made a commitment to pay for our kids' college. We'll make many personal sacrifices to make sure that happens and we’ll get expert guidance to stay on track.
Amy, her husband and their financial adviser
With our adviser's help, we'll be able to give our kids one of the greatest gifts of all—learning that will last a lifetime—without sacrificing our financial security in the future. Amy's story is a hypothetical situation.
Financial Solutions
Where do I begin?
It's great to start saving early for a child's college education, but don't be discouraged if your child is older. Talk to your financial adviser about accelerated giving that allows you to gift five years of contributions at one time.
Discover more about our 529 college savings plan now.
Investment Goals
Do you know what the most popular investment goals for all mutual funds investors are? According to the Investment Company Institute (ICI), a national association of investment companies, retirement planning is first and college savings is in the number two position.*
If this sounds like your situation, you're clearly not alone. Use our calculators to make sure you are on track.
Products To Help With Saving For Your Child's Education
Mutual Funds
Choose from a wide range of options to match your goals, timeframe and comfort level with investment risk.
Learn more »If your state or your designated Beneficiary's state offers a 529 plan you may want to consider what, if any, potential state income tax or other benefits it offers, before investing. State tax or other benefits should be one of many factors to be considered prior to making an investment decision. Please consult with your financial, tax or other adviser about how these state benefits, if any, may apply to your specific circumstances. You may also contact your state 529 plan or any other 529 college savings plan to learn more about their features. Please contact your financial consultant or call 1-866-222-7498 to obtain a Plan Disclosure Document or prospectus for any of the underlying funds. The Plan Disclosure Document contains complete details on investment objectives, risks, fees, charges and expenses, as well as more information about municipal fund securities and the underlying investment companies that should be considered before investing. Please read the Plan Disclosure Document carefully prior to investing.
John Hancock Freedom 529 is a college savings plan offered by the Education Trust of Alaska, managed by T. Rowe Price, and distributed by John Hancock Distributors LLC through other broker/dealers that have a selling agreement with John Hancock Distributors LLC. John Hancock Distributors LLC is a member of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) www.Finra.org, formerly NASD, and is listed with the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB). © 2008. John Hancock. All rights reserved.
529 plans are not FDIC insured, may lose value and are not bank or state guaranteed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses should be considered carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other important information about the fund. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing or sending money. These products are available for sale only within the United States.