An online tool to help customers plan and save, making a complex process manageable
BOSTON, MA (October 1, 2018)–-John Hancock Investments today announced that the John Hancock Freedom 529 education savings plan has launched the Education Navigator tool, a complimentary, online suite of college planning tools for clients.
“This tool offers families and their financial advisors a single destination to navigate the complex task of getting a child to college,” said John P. Bryson, head of portfolio consulting and college savings for John Hancock Investments. “With the cost of higher education continuing to climb, college is becoming an increasingly significant savings challenge. It was important to us to be a source of useful information and practical financial guidance to make the process easier.”
Through the secure site, clients can:
- Establish each child’s individual education goals
- Search for schools and scholarships
- Get information to attend a college fair or plan a campus visit
- Prep for and schedule required tests
- Find financial aid resources
- Monitor the college application process
Making Saving More Attractive
In addition to offering background on the significant benefits of using 529 plans for saving for college and comprehensive information on all the stages of college planning, John Hancock Freedom 529 is also making saving through its plan more attractive by:
- Reducing the initial investment minimum from $1,000 to $250, effective November 1, 2018
- Enabling beneficiaries of the plan to attend the University of Alaska at the in-state tuition rate regardless of where they live – representing a potential annual savings of more than $16,000 – if they’ve held an account for at least the two years immediately preceding enrollment.*
“We’re pleased to offer a plan that’s designed to help make the dream of a college education more attainable. The plan’s unique multimanager platform provides investors and their advisors access to specialized expertise from more than 20 of the nation’s leading money management firms, as well as diversification by asset class and investment style,” said Mr. Bryson.
Education Navigator and design are, collectively and/or apart, trademarks of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
* University of Alaska Fairbanks, May 2018.
About John Hancock Investments
John Hancock has helped individuals and institutions build and protect wealth since 1862. Today, we are one of the strongest and most-recognized financial brands. We serve investors globally through a unique multimanager approach: We search the world to find proven portfolio teams with specialized expertise for every strategy we offer, then we apply robust investment oversight to ensure they continue to meet our uncompromising standards and serve the best interests of our shareholders. Our approach to asset management has led to a diverse set of investments deeply rooted in investor needs, along with strong risk-adjusted returns across asset classes.
About John Hancock and Manulife
John Hancock is a division of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading international financial services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States and as Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups, and institutions. Assets under management and administration by Manulife and its subsidiaries were over CAD$1.1 trillion (US$849 billion) as of June 30, 2018. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as MFC on the TSX, NYSE, and PSE, and under 945 on the SEHK. Manulife can be found at manulife.com.
One of the largest life insurers in the United States, John Hancock supports approximately 10 million Americans with a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments, 401(k) plans, and education savings plans. We also offer advice through Signator, a network of independent financial advisors. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com.
