While her children colored the gigantic College Save mural hanging on the wall of the State Fair Center, Brianna Weeks was seeking more information about how to save for their college education.
The washable mural, which has been a fixture at the fair for the last several years, advertises College SAVE, the state's 529 College Savings Plan.
People who sign up will learn that the College Save program, run by the Bank of North Dakota, can provide some matching grants for some families based on income.
For instance, a family making $100,000 or more per year, filing jointly, or $60,000, filing singly, might be eligible for a $500 matching grant for their child's college saving account. A couple making $60,000 or less if married, filing jointly, or $30,000 or less, if single, might be eligible for a matching grant of $500 per year for up to three years for their child's saving account.
A baby born after Jan. 1, 2011, might be eligible to have the Bank of North Dakota submit the first $100 for his or her Children FIRST account when a parent, family member or friend submits an application to Children FIRST on his or her behalf. The application must be made before the baby's first birthday and the match is available if the person making the application submits $100 to the new account before the child turns 4.
More information about the program is available at the booth. Information is also available at (www.collegesave4u.com) or by calling 1-866-SAVE-529.
The mural will be up through today at the State Fair.