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Starting a 529 Plan

After considering how to be financially ready for a baby, I decided that now would be a good time to start a 529 plan.  While some people may be in hysterics over the declining stock market, I see it as an opportunity.  By starting to contribute to a 529 plan now, we will be able to buy stocks at discount prices and hopefully enjoy the eventual rise.  And since we don't even have a child yet, we have plenty of time to wait for the stock market to rebound.

Opening the account was much easier than I expected.  First I started at the CNN Money Guide for 529s.  This site gives you the link to your state's 529 Program.  Once on my state's site all I needed to do is open an account under my own name and social security number.  There is no fee or penalty to transfer the account to another person's name, so when we do eventually have a child, we will transfer the plan.  You can read this article to see Why you should start a 529 Plan for an unbord child.

Now all that is left is to make an initial deposit into the account and set up an automated deposit of a relatively small about each month.  Since we are starting so early, we can deposit small amounts each month and allow the compounding interest to work it's magic.  And now that I've taken one small, baby-step toward being finacially ready, I am starting to feel better.