Go directly through La Start website. My daughter starts LSU next year so I can speak from experience.

First, LA will give you a tax credit on your personal state return when you contribute upto $2400 in a year. That's upto $2400 for you and your spouse or upto $4800. You can put in more than $4800 a year but the tax credit is capped at that for the year. You can put in less of course, I'm just talking about the tax credit.

Second, LA will match a % of your contribution each year. It is a minimum of 2% upto 14% and is based strictly on your Adjusted Gross Income from last year tax return. So you can look at your return fom last year to see what your AGI was, then look at the chart on their site and you will know what % the state will match as you make your contribution this year. It could change each year if your AGI changes.

What if your child gets scholarships or doesn't go to school etc? No problem, you can give to a brother or sister or grandchild a neice or nephew and on and on.

Do a search for "LSU cost of attendance" and it I'll give you a breakdown of what can be taken out of the 529 to pay expenses. It will also give you a target amount to save for.

Our unique situation. For some reason we started a Rhode Island 529 plan years ago in addition to the LA 529 plan. You can have multiple plans even within the same state I.e. Grandparents have one for your child and you have one for your child and your ex has one for your child etc. When we knew she was going to LSU next year we had that RI plan money (over $80,000 at the time) transferred to LA 529. It was opened way back when in my ex-wife's name. As luck would have it, her income last year meant the state would match 9% of contribution so they paid 9% on all $80,000. She only got a state tax credit on the first $2400. Point is you can transfer from one state program to another and not lose anything.

Finally, you can set up to have monthly contributions come out of checking account or send one lump sum check in December. Just don't miss deadline if you do that. Even if you can't do more than $25/mo set it up now and make it automatic. Even if you don't save enough to pay for four years of school it could help pay for something.

Hope I didn't confuse anyone.