Beyond Tuition: Your Complete Guide to 529 Qualified Expenses (30 min)

January 21, 2026

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Disclosures

For more information about the ScholarShare College Savings Plan, call 1-800-544-5248 or click here for a Plan Description, which includes investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information. Read and consider it carefully before investing.

Please note: Before you invest, consider whether your or the beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other state benefits such as financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors that are only available for investments in that state's qualified tuition program. You should also consult your legal or tax professional for tax advice based on your own circumstances. Investments in the plan are neither insured nor guaranteed and there is the risk of investment loss.

If the funds aren't used for qualified higher education expenses, a federal 10% penalty tax on earnings (as well as federal and state income taxes) may apply. Non-qualified withdrawals may also be subject to an additional 2.5% California tax on earnings.

The ScholarShare College Savings Plan is offered by the State of California. TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc. (TFI), program manager. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, Member FINRA, distributor for the ScholarShare College Savings Plan.

The Plan website contains links to other websites. Neither the Plan nor TFI and its affiliates are responsible for the content of those other websites. The accuracy of information on those sites cannot be confirmed.

All social media platforms are managed by the State of California.

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