By Amy Hamilton, SMART529

If you are the parent of an upcoming kindergartener, I’ll bet you shed a few tears when they graduated from preschool. But just thinking about all the “firsts” they will experience in the next year is exciting! The first time to ride a school bus, have homework, carry their tray in the cafeteria and so much more!

Another thing to get excited about is the extra money your family may have now that your child will require little or no child care costs. While your budget is still adjusted for that cost, why not take part or all of that “extra” money and invest it in your child’s future by opening a SMART529 College Savings account.

You don’t need to choose a particular college or other higher learning institution right now. Proceeds can be used at thousands of locations nationwide, including vocational and technical schools.

Studies show that children who grow up knowing they have a college savings account (of any size) are more likely to attend and complete college than those without any dedicated college savings.

You can open an account on your own or with the help of a financial advisor. Information on all the plans available in West Virginia can be found at www.SMART529.com. It’s easy to sign up. You can open an account for as little as $1, then make contributions of any size, whenever you want. Grandparents, aunts and uncles can also contribute to your account.

A little savings now may go a long way in years to come. So how can a SMART529 College Savings account help you?