529 Plan Calculator

About this calculator

A 529 plan is a US tax-advantaged education savings account whose future value follows standard compound-growth math: an initial balance grows at the expected annual return over the years until college, while monthly contributions accumulate as a separate annuity stream, so the total is roughly FV = P(1+r)^n + PMT × [((1+r)^n − 1) / r] applied on a monthly-compounding basis. Because contributions and growth compound together, starting years earlier — even with the same total contributed — produces a meaningfully larger balance at enrollment time.

Parents, grandparents and financial planners use this projection to decide how much to contribute monthly, compare different expected-return assumptions, and see whether a savings plan is on track to cover a realistic share of future tuition. Enter your starting balance, monthly contribution, expected annual return, and the number of years until college to see the projected balance.