Treasurer Stacy Garrity: Free Webinars for Families During College Savings Month

Harrisburg, PA - Treasurer Stacy Garrity today encouraged families to learn more about how the PA 529 College and Career Savings Program can help them plan for their child's post-high school education by attending free webinars hosted by Treasury and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) during College Savings Month.

"Saving with PA 529 is more than just putting money away for educational expenses, instead, it's empowering families to unlock their child's or grandchild's dreams - no matter what path they choose. The upcoming webinars are a great way for parents and grandparents to learn more about how to financially prepare for the future."

Upcoming webinars include:

• Searching for Scholarships," hosted by PHEAA tonight at 6 p.m.;
• Get Ready to File the FAFSA," hosted by PHEAA on Monday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m.;
• Overview of the PA 529 College and Career Savings Program," hosted by Treasury on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at noon; and
• Financial Aid 101," hosted by PHEAA on Friday, Oct. 2 at noon.

To register for an upcoming webinar, visit pa529.com/webinars.

Since taking office, Treasurer Garrity has reduced and waived fees for PA 529 plans numerous times, resulting in more than $29 million in savings for families. Many PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) recently received a $1,000 bonus deposit to boost savings. The PA 529 IP has been rated Gold by Morningstar for the last three years, ranking it as a top 529 plan in the nation.

PA 529 saw its best August ever, with over 28 percent growth in number of new enrollments compared to August 2025.

PA 529 accounts are designed to help Pennsylvania families steadily and strategically save for a wide variety of qualifying educational expenses, including those for technical schools, colleges and universities, K-12 education, and certain apprenticeships and credential programs.

PA 529 plans provide state and federal tax benefits, including tax-free growth and tax-free qualified withdrawals. Pennsylvanians can also deduct up to $19,000 ($38,000 if married and filing jointly) in PA 529 contributions annually on their state income taxes. PA 529 accounts are not subject to state inheritance tax and do not impact eligibility for state financial aid.

Pennsylvania children born in 2019 and after have an automatic $100 scholarship from Keystone Scholars to jumpstart their education savings. This money is invested by Treasury and can be used for post-high school education after a child turns 18. Families are encouraged to claim their child's scholarship and establish a companion PA 529 account to continue saving.

To claim your child's Keystone Scholars account, visit pa529.com/keystone.

To learn more about saving with PA 529 this College Savings Month, visit pa529.com or call 800-440-4000.

To learn more about Pennsylvania Treasury, visit patreasury.gov and be sure to stay up to date with all Pennsylvania Treasury news on Facebook (PA Treasurer Stacy Garrity) and Instagram (@PATreasury).