Saving for Kids

Three lessons on putting money aside for a child: the real options and what each one is for, how a 529 and a UTMA custodial account actually differ, and the kiddie tax rule that decides how a child's investment income gets taxed.

About this course

Lessons3

Total time21 min

CostFree, no signup

3 lessonsStart course →

3Lessons in order

21 minTotal time

11Primary sources

This course is a sequence. Work through the lessons in order; each one builds on the last. You can skip around, but the order is intentional, and the math compounds in the order written.

What you'll learn

The main ways to save for a child, and what each one is actually built for
How a 529 plan and a UTMA custodial account differ on control, taxes, and financial aid
Who legally owns the money in each account, and when the child takes control of it
How the kiddie tax treats a child's investment income once it passes the annual thresholds

What this course is NOT

Not advice on which account to open for your family
Not a recommendation of any specific 529 plan or provider
Not tax or legal advice; educational only
Not a substitute for a CPA on a child's tax return

Lessons in order.

3 lessons

Saving money for your kids: the actual options

529, UTMA, custodial brokerage, a savings account in your name. Five real ways to save for a child, in plain English, with the trade-offs each one actually carries.

8 min

529 vs UTMA: the actual differences

Side-by-side: tax treatment, who controls the money, what happens when the child grows up, financial-aid impact, and what each is actually best for.

6 min

The Kiddie Tax, decoded

What the kiddie tax actually does, what counts and what does not, the 2026 thresholds, and a worked example with real numbers from a typical UTMA.

7 min

Ready to start?

No signup, no email, no upsell. Free to read, always.

Start with lesson 01 →Completion certificate