Paul Curley of ISS Market Intelligence - A Tax-Advantaged Way to Save for Education

Tuition inflation is not a new issue for college. Tuition fees and other related expenses tend to increase every year. As a result, many parents are looking for ways to start saving for their children's education early on. There are several alternatives for saving and paying for education. In this episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Paul Curley, Director of Savings Research at ISS Market Intelligence. In his role, Paul oversees 529 and ABLE market data, research, events, and digital products and services for institutional clients, including the 529 Conference. Also, an Editor-in-Chief of the 529 Dash e-newsletter and the 529 Insiders website for financial advisers, institutions, and the media, Paul presents educational seminars and conferences to financial industry experts on 529 plans and ABLE accounts. Paul talks to Rusty and Robyn about investing in children's education through 529 plans. Paul speaks about why financial advisors should discuss 529s with their clients, the pros and cons of 529 plans, and the advisor's role in helping clients invest in 529 plans. Key Takeaways [03:54] - An overview of Paul's responsibilities at ISS Market Intelligence. [06:07] - How ISS Market Intelligence serves its clients. [07:06] - Trends in student loan debt. [12:22] - Why financial advisors should discuss 529s with their clients. [13:40] - What investors and advisors should look for in a 529 plan. [15:01] - The pros and cons of 529 plans. [16:43] - What the whole 529 landscape looks like. [18:19] - The growth rate of the 529 savings plan. [20:05] - Demographics of 529's primary consumers. [21:20] - Some of the biggest concerns about saving money for college. [23:14] - How to encourage more investors to contribute to 529 plans. [24:54] - Paul's personal investment strategy. [26:21] - How Paul maintains his mental and physical health to perform at his best. [27:25] - Paul's book and content recommendations. Quotes [11:29] - "A 529 plan is a nice tax advantage vehicle to help families save efficiently for education." ~ Paul Curley [16:22] - "There are several alternatives for saving and paying for an education. But 529 provides the most flexibility and provides a market return, which does benefit compared to a bank account." ~ Paul Curley [23:28] - "Although parents or grandparents want their kids or grandkids to go to college to get a full education, whether an apprenticeship, grad school, or whatever it may be, no one has a fully created game plan from a saving and paying perspective." ~ Paul Curley Links  Paul Curley on LinkedIn ISS Market Intelligence The Chain by Fleetwood Mac The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 1626-OPS-9/7/2022