Low Fees

Simplicity and a low-cost fee structure have helped the Utah Educational Savings Plan (UESP) consistently rank among the best 529 college savings plans in the country.

UESP keeps administrative fees to a minimum. And because UESP is offered directly to you, though a broker/dealer or adviser may assist or refer you to UESP, its fees are among the lowest of all 529 plans. Account owners are charged total asset-based fees as little as 0.18% to 0.26% annually for the age-based and static investment options, and 0.20% to 0.61% for the customized investment options, but this depends entirely upon the asset allocation the account owner chooses. Low fees combined with federal and Utah state income tax benefits put more of your investment dollars to work.

Administrative Fees

Accounts are charged a two-part UESP Administrative Fee, consisting of an Asset Fee and a Maintenance Fee.

UESP Administrative Asset Fee

The Administrative Asset Fee is an annual fee of 0.15% to 0.20%, depending on the selected investment option. This fee is assessed monthly at a rate of 0.0125% to 0.0167% (or, in other words, 0.15% to 0.20% divided by 12) on an account’s balance on the last business day of each month. The Administrative Asset Fee is waived for Utah residents invested in the Public Treasurers' Investment Fund investment option.

UESP Administrative Maintenance Fee

The Administrative Maintenance Fee is $3 per $1,000 of an account balance and is capped at $15 per year. It is assessed on an account’s balance on the last business day of each month. The fee is waived for Utah residents and for all non-Utah residents who elect to view their quarterly account statements online rather than receiving them in the mail.

From a monthly perspective, the fee breaks down as follows:

• Account balances under $5,000. If the account balance is less than $5,000 at the end of a month, the fee will be 0.025% of the account balance for that month.
• Account balances of $5,000 or more. If an account balance at the end of a month is at least $5,000, the account will be charged a maximum of $1.25 for that month.

Fees on Underlying Investments

Investments in UESP are also subject to the expense ratios of the underlying investments. (See Vanguard Operating Expenses.) The rates paid on behalf of the FDIC-insured savings account and the Public Treasurers’ Investment Fund (PTIF) are net of expenses of Zions First National Bank and the Utah state treasurer, respectively.

Click here to view the Utah Educational Savings Plan fee structure chart.