Obama administration recommends changes to boost use of state-run college savings plans

Geithner pushes changes to college savings plans

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration wants states to make changes to college savings plans that it hopes will expand their use by middle class families.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner says the Section 529 savings plans can help Americans to save for college because of the tax savings they offer.

But a new Treasury report found that only 5 percent of middle-income families had the college savings plans, compared with one-third of high-income families.

To expand the number of families using the plans, Geithner says states should expand the types of investment funds that can be used, pursue policies that would eliminate certain home-state biases and work to reduce investment fees.