re: START (state college savings program)

My wife stopped working to go to nursing school last year. We run as much of her tuition through START as we can to get the state match.

For her tuition due last January, we deposited $4,800 in December, and another $4,800 in January. On just my salary we get the 9% state match. Her tuition for a year is about $3500 with books, so we have already taken care of her year, and the $864 in state match is free money that we can transfer to the kids START accounts.