10
Sep

Celebrate College Savings Month with VSAC’s VT529 Giveaways and Webinar

Contest asks young students to draw their dream job to win

WINOOSKI (Sept. 8, 2021) — As families begin the new school year, Vermont Student Assistance Corp. (VSAC) invites parents to make saving for their kids’ future college or training part of their back-to-school routine … and to have a little fun in the process. 

September is National College Savings Month, and to help remind families about the importance of saving for future college and training, VSAC, sponsor of VT529, Vermont’s official 529 savings plan, is hosting two events: 

  • The "802 Future You" 5-2-9 giveaway Sept. 12 through Oct. 15: Vermont students pre-K through sixth grade can enter to win VT529 college savings accounts worth at least $200 from VSAC by drawing a picture of a job they are curious about and then having a parent or guardian upload it to Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Every Vermont student who enters a picture will be entered into a weekly contest to win $200 deposited in a VT529 account. All entries will be eligible for the grand prize $529 deposited in a VT529 education savings account. See the details below or visit www.vsac.org/contest.  
  • VSAC Shows You How VT529 webinar, Tuesday, Sept. 28 from 6 to 7 p.m.: A webinar aimed at helping parents take the first steps toward saving for future college or training through 529 plans. VSAC panelists Marilyn Cargill, vice president of financial aid services, marketing and research, and Richard Westman, VSAC’s manager of the VT529 program, will explain how the 529 plans work to help families save more easily for education, what 529 funds can be used for, and the tax benefits and advantages of the VT529 plan — including a special benefit for Vermont taxpayers, the Vermont income tax credit. Register here for the Zoom webinar or plan to join the simulcast on VSAC’s Facebook page. The webinar will be recorded for future viewing. See the VSAC events page to learn more. 

Official rules for VSAC’s "802 Future You"

The giveaway runs five weeks, with two types of drawings and a total of nine college savings plan winners. The 5-2-9 entry period runs from Sept. 12 to Oct. 8, with the grand prize chosen by Oct. 15.

  1. Vermont families with children in grades prekindergarten through sixth who use #802futureyou and tag VSAC on social media (for Instagram use @802VSAC, for Twitter use @VSAC, and for Facebook use @VermontStudentAssistanceCorporation) Sept.12 through Oct. 8, 2021, will be entered in the following (alternatively, you may send your child's entry with parent/guardian contact details to info@vsac.org or by mail to 802FutureYou Giveaway, VSAC, 10 E. Allen St., Winooski, VT 05404):
    • On each Friday — Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 1, and Oct. 8 — VSAC will randomly select two posts to win a $200 deposit into a VT529 Savings Plan account.
    • On Oct. 15, VSAC will randomly select from all entries posted between Sept. 12 through Oct. 8, 2021: one individual to win a $529 deposit into a VT529 Savings Plan account.
  2. To be eligible to enter, you must be the parent or guardian of a child in grades preK-6 and a Vermont resident.
  3. Everyone is limited to one entry.
  4. Each week’s winners will be selected from all eligible entries for that week by random selection.
  5. No transfers, cash redemptions, or substitutions allowed.
  6. The number of eligible entries will determine the odds of winning.
  7. VSAC employees and their immediate families and household members are not eligible for the drawing.
  8. By entering the drawing, you agree to allow VSAC to retweet or share your post on its social media sites.

The Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan, also known as VT529, was established in 1999 and is Vermont’s official state-sponsored 529 plan, and as such is the only 529 plan eligible for the Vermont income tax credit on contributions. The VT529 plan is administered by the Vermont Student Assistance Corp. and managed by Intuition College Savings Solutions. For more information about setting up an account, visit www.vheip.org or call the customer service center at (800) 637-5860.

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About VSAC – Changing Lives through Education and Training since 1965

Vermont Student Assistance Corporation is a public, nonprofit agency established by the Vermont Legislature in 1965 to help Vermonters achieve their education and training goals after high school. VSAC serves students and their families in grades 7-12, as well as adults returning to school, by providing education and career planning services, need-based grants, scholarships and education loans. VSAC has awarded more than $600 million in grants and scholarships for Vermont students, and also administers Vermont’s 529 college savings plan. Share your VSAC story by email to myVSACstory@vsac.org or submit a video to YouTube. Find us at www.vsac.org or check in on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. #changing lives