Tallahassee

Tallahassee, Fla. – September 19, 2026 -- Families saving for their children's education may be underestimating what a 529 plan can actually pay for, according to the Florida Prepaid College Board.

As National College Savings Month is marked this month, the Board is highlighting that 529 plans no longer apply only to traditional four-year degrees. Depending on the specific plan and applicable law, qualified withdrawals can cover tuition, fees, books, supplies, certain room-and-board costs, registered apprenticeship programs, select K-12 expenses, educational testing costs and limited student loan repayment.

Tallahassee – September 13, 2026 -- Florida is still sitting on more than $4.5 billion across 13 million-plus claimable accounts, even after returning a record $847 million to residents in the past year. The state's official portal says one in five Floridians has unclaimed money waiting for them.

The figures come from CFO Blaise Ingoglia's first year in office, spanning July 2025 to July 2026. In July 2026 alone, $57 million went back to residents, including $15.3 million in Tampa/St. Petersburg, $10.5 million in Orlando and $10.05 million in Miami. February and March 2026 each set new monthly records, with $88 million and $92 million returned respectively.