We live in a time when so much emphasis is given to the acquisition of a sound college education, preferably in a top league college or university. For many, only such higher education can open the portals to a successful and lucrative career in one’s chosen line of interest. However, while some do have the capability of affording the best college education for their children, for many, it is still a struggle to plan and put aside money month on month for years together in anticipation of their children’s educational requirements. This is where the 529 investment plans offer a ray of hope, provided one is careful in choosing an appropriate plan. The 529 plan is a long-term financial investment plan, offered exclusively to citizens of the USA. Typically, when evaluating the options available for investing in a 529 plan, do consider the following:
Is the plan sold directly to the investor or via an agent? Usually, the former carries lesser fund management fees and commission charges
Is it an age-based savings plan? This is important to provide a cushion for any sudden market slump.
Who is offering the fund? This is important to know because there are a large number of 529 plans offered by a range of financial investment companies and not all are beneficial to the investor
What are the amounts to be invested? It is better to opt for a plan that offers some degree of flexibility with regard to monthly investments, in the event of any unanticipated expenses in a given month.
What are the tax benefits offered as part of the investment plan? Again, this is important to consider. Sometimes, other states may offer better tax breaks than your own. So, do your research carefully.
Based on the above-mentioned criteria, there are some 529 plans that have consistently performed well and have received a high ranking by leading financial consulting companies. Some of these college savings plans include the following companies.
The Vanguard Group is known for offering low-cost funds, therefore lowering the expenses ratio to the investor.
Other sound college savings plans are the College Advantage 529 offered by the Ohio Tuition Trust and the Utah Educational Savings Fund offered by Utah Educational.
Interestingly, all these top ranked savings plan come under the directly sold to the investor category.
These are but some of the top college savings plans available in the Country. As an investor, it is important to start early and invest wisely after doing a thorough research of all available plans.
They say it is never too late to pursue your dreams. This is especially true when it comes to career and education. Unfortunately, not all can afford to quit their jobs and go back to school. This can make it difficult to pursue higher studies or certain courses that can enhance skills. Fortunately, there are several free online learning platforms that allow anyone and everyone to be able to have access to good quality learning resources.
Here are some of the best websites for free online education that you can sign up for.
Coursera
Coursera is one of the most popular platforms for taking free online courses. It features classes, both free as well as paid, on a variety of different topics. This platform is currently being used by over 35 million learners that have access to 150 university partners, 2,700 courses, 250 specializations, and four degrees. These courses are curated in partnership with leading universities and organizations from around the world, such as Stanford and Harvard.
edX
edX is a platform that was founded by Harvard and MIT that brings together top-ranked universities. This platform was founded to help eliminate the primary barriers that prevent people from pursuing education, i.e., cost, location, and access. Along with free courses, edX also offers certain specialized courses for a specific fee. The platform can be accessed by interested educators and technologists through Open edX if they wish to assist in developing new educational tools.
Udemy
Udemy is another online learning platform that is quite similar to Coursera in terms of the format of the courses. The unique aspect of this platform is that it allows users to build their own custom courses by compiling individual lessons so that these can be taught online. There are over 100,000 courses in 50 languages on this platform that are taught by 42,000 instructors from around the world.
TED-Ed
TED-Ed is a platform made by TED to help share ideas and knowledge from teachers to students. This award-winning platform has a global network of more than 250,000 teachers that teach several free courses on a variety of categories and themes. The lessons are taught using animated videos and interactive content so as to make them more interesting for the students.
If you are planning to pursue an accounting degree, you should consider doing it online. There are more than 580 institutions in the country that offer master’s degrees in accounting, and many of them offer their courses online. Therefore, you can pursue this course without shifting to a different state, and you can also continue with your current job. Here are the top picks of online master’s degrees in accounting that you can consider if you are interested in this field.
Auburn University
The online master’s degree in accounting at Auburn University is open for you if you hold a Bachelor’s degree in accounting or business, and if you meet all the prerequisites for the business and accounting department. Students who enroll in this program receive study materials, instructions, and assignments that are similar to the on-campus course. The schedule is extremely flexible and can accommodate working professionals as well. Full-time students of this course can complete it within one year. They get to select electives like real estate finance and information risk analysis, among others. This course also prepares students for the Uniform CPA Exam. This whole program is available online, including the exam. However, students have to complete a three-day on-campus residency during their final semester.
University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina offers an online Master of Accounting (MAC) degree through its Kenan-Flagler Business School. This school accepts students from all undergraduate backgrounds. However, students who have business or accounting backgrounds may get course waivers. Students who enroll in this course can choose a concentration in Tax or Audit. If you take up the full-time course, you can finish it in less than 15 months. You can start this course either in June or December. This way, even if you miss the application deadline for one semester, you do not have to wait for an entire year to enroll in the course. The MAC degree is entirely online, except for a one-week leadership immersion on campus, which is mandatory and takes place at the beginning of the course.
University of Connecticut
An online master’s degree in accounting from the University of Connecticut is one of the best online courses in the country. This university offers a Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) program. Full-time students can complete it in two semesters. Working professionals who enroll in this degree take two courses per semester. The University of Connecticut also offers you electives like Forensic Accounting, Disclosure for Not-for-Profit Entities, and Fraud Examination among others.