It is an account that can grow for education costs, often with tax advantages when the money is used for qualified expenses. Rules differ by plan and by state.

Many families aim for part of the cost and let the rest come from income, grants, scholarships, or loans. Choose a target that fits your budget.

No. The calculator uses tuition as the target. Add living costs separately if you want to plan for them.

Starting later means larger monthly deposits, or a smaller target. Even a short timeline is worth planning for.

Yes. The same steps work for an adult planning to return to school, using the years until that point.