Birthday? First Day of Kindergarten? Use Milestones to Leverage College Savings

COLUMBIA, S.C., Aug. 8 -- South Carolina State Treasurer Curtis Loftis issued the following news:

Nothing makes us stop and think about money more than a major life event.

In fact, according to savingforcollege.com, milestones such as your child's birthday, her first day of kindergarten or even your own red letter day such as a promotion can serve as "trigger points" or times in your life when you take stock of your financial situation.

These milestone moments can also be key in reevaluating how much you've already saved toward your child's college education and where you might be able to make some adjustments.

For example, as your little one heads off to kindergarten for the first time, you may find yourself with extra money freed up from any daycare expenses you once had. Why not deposit these extra funds into your child's college savings account?

The point is, over the course of a lifetime, your financial situation will shift and change. It's only natural. The budget or savings goals we had for our family when our children were younger may be very different by the time they're older.

By taking stock of these milestone moments and reviewing you financial goals periodically, you can keep track of how much you're saving and if you might be able to take advantage of any changes that may arise.

What's more, you can use birthdays, holidays and other special moments to remind family members that a financial gift toward your child's college fund is always welcomed and appreciated. South Carolina's Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan has an easy online eGift program that help with that.

"With a little planning and recognition of what these milestones can represent in our lives, you'll be in a much better position to take advantage of them when they come along," said South Carolina Treasurer Curtis Loftis.

To read more about leveraging milestones, visit www.savingforcollege.com/articles/kids-college-leveraging-6-milestones-to-generate-savings-1077?page=2.

To find out more about Future Scholar or to open an account today, visit www.FutureScholar.com.