Wealthyist E48: Dynasty 529 Plans & Other 529 Concepts With Khaleel Ali from Edvest

In this episode of Wealthyist, host Tom Berkholtz interviews Khaleel Ali, Senior Education Savings Consultant at TIAA-CREF (the plan manager for Edvest, Wisconsin's 529 college savings plan). Khaleel shares his 16+ years in financial services and his six-year tenure with the Edvest program, which has been managed by TIAA-CREF since 2012 and boasts over $6 billion in assets (with recent figures showing $5.63 billion across 238,000+ accounts as of late 2024).The discussion covers the basics of 529 plans: tax-advantaged accounts similar to retirement vehicles but dedicated to education expenses, with low entry (starting at $25) and triple tax benefits—tax-deferred growth, tax-free qualified withdrawals, and Wisconsin's generous state income tax deduction (up to $5,280 per beneficiary for 2026, with carryforward for excess contributions).Key highlights include the plan's evolution through federal legislation (e.g., SECURE Acts), expanding uses beyond traditional college to K-12 tuition (up to $20,000/year in Wisconsin), apprenticeships, trade schools, student loan repayment (up to $10,000 lifetime), post-secondary credentials, and a major game-changer: rolling over up to $35,000 lifetime to the beneficiary's Roth IRA (after the account is 15 years old).For affluent families, Khaleel emphasizes strategies like maximizing contributions beyond the state deduction (up to the annual gift tax exclusion of $19,000 per person or $38,000 for couples), front-loading five years' worth ($95,000) for time-value-of-money advantages, and dynasty-style planning by changing beneficiaries across generations. The maximum account balance for 2026 is $613,240 per beneficiary across Wisconsin plans.Other topics include avoiding overfunding fears (thanks to rollover options), non-qualified withdrawal consequences (10% federal penalty + taxes on earnings), why even wealthy families benefit from the tax deferral over regular savings accounts, Edvest's strong reputation (consistent Morningstar awards, low fees, 25+ years of operation), flexible investment options (age-based, static, or custom), and easy access via the website (edvest.com) or customer service.Tom shares a personal story of how his grandfather's Edvest account sparked his interest in finance, underscoring the plan's long-term impact. Khaleel encourages advisors and families to reach out for free consultations, highlighting Edvest's flexibility for anyone nationwide (though state tax perks are Wisconsin-specific).The episode positions Edvest as a powerful, evolving tool in wealthy families' financial strategies—beyond just college savings, it's a versatile, tax-smart vehicle for generational education funding.