These investment vehicles offer age-based portfolios designed to shift from growth-oriented investments to more conservative ones as the beneficiary approaches college age. A hypothetical example would be a portfolio heavily weighted in stocks when the child is young, gradually transitioning to a higher allocation of bonds as enrollment nears. This “glide path” aims to manage investment risk over time.
Age-based portfolios simplify investment decisions for families saving for higher education. They offer a hands-off approach to asset allocation, automatically adjusting the investment mix to become more conservative as the beneficiary gets closer to college. This strategy aims to maximize growth potential in the early years while preserving capital closer to the time when the funds are needed. The development of these plans reflects a growing awareness of the need for long-term, managed investment solutions for education savings.