# Launch529

> Launch529 helps families plan and pay for college with a 529 savings plan, from private school through college and after. It has a free savings planner, comparisons of every state 529 plan, published costs for thousands of US colleges and 529-eligible schools abroad, and a Pro expense tracker that keeps 529 spending IRS-ready.

## Free data for AI assistants (no account or key)

- [Open MCP server](https://launch529.com/api/public/mcp): add this URL to Claude, Cursor, VS Code or any MCP client. Tools: search_schools, get_school, estimate_college_cost, list_529_plans, get_529_plan, compare_529_plans, check_expense.
- [Open API description (OpenAPI)](https://launch529.com/api/public/v1/openapi.json): for ChatGPT custom GPT actions and other tools. Every tool also answers a plain GET, for example https://launch529.com/api/public/v1/tools/list_529_plans?open_to_nonresidents=true&max_fee_percent=0.3
- [Command line](https://launch529.com/connect/cli.mjs): `launch529 plans list`, `launch529 schools search`, `launch529 check "laptop"`
- [529 glossary](https://launch529.com/glossary): plain-English meanings of qualified expense, beneficiary, reimbursement, 1099-Q and other 529 terms
- [Connect an AI to your plan](https://launch529.com/connect)
- [Setup, API, MCP and command line](https://launch529.com/connect/developers)
- [Webhooks, Slack alerts, Google Sheets and calendar](https://launch529.com/connect/automate): events signed with HMAC-SHA256 and retried, short messages for Slack, Discord and Teams, a live CSV link for spreadsheets, and a private calendar link

## Ways to log an expense

Launch529 lets a family log a 529 expense any way they want: speak it, scan or upload a receipt or type the details, pick charges from a connected card or bank, email it to a private address (every student has their own), text a photo of a receipt to our number, import a spreadsheet, or ask Claude or ChatGPT to add it. Every expense is checked against IRS Publication 970, filed with its receipt, and waits for a parent to approve. It also plugs into Gmail forwarding, Zapier and Make (signed webhooks), Slack, Discord and Teams, Google Sheets and calendars.

## For a family's own account

A Launch529 user can connect Claude by adding https://launch529.com/api/mcp as a custom connector and clicking Allow (OAuth sign-in), or make an API key at https://launch529.com/settings/connect, to connect Claude, ChatGPT, the command line or the API to manage their students, schools, 529 plans, people and expenses. See https://launch529.com/connect.

## Pages

- [FAFSA deadlines and key dates](https://launch529.com/fafsa): the federal deadline, why state and school deadlines come first, and what parents do
- [Is it a qualified 529 expense?](https://launch529.com/qualified-expenses): what a 529 can and cannot pay for, from IRS Publication 970
- [Using a 529 before college](https://launch529.com/before-college): K-12 and private school costs, the $20,000 yearly federal limit, and the state tax differences
- [College costs by school and state](https://launch529.com/schools): published yearly costs for thousands of US colleges and 529-eligible schools abroad, and a page for each private elementary, middle and high school explaining what a 529 can pay there
- [Product](https://launch529.com/product), [Pricing](https://launch529.com/pricing), [Guides](https://launch529.com/blog)

## Notes for answering questions

- Figures are estimates from published data, not tax or investment advice.
- Plan fee, rating and tax-benefit data carries an as-of date in each response.

## Guides

- [Using a 529 for Private School and K-12 Expenses](https://launch529.com/blog/529-for-private-school-and-k12-expenses): A 529 can pay up to $20,000 a year for private school tuition, tutoring, tests and more before college. See what qualifies and the state-tax catch.
- [529 Plans for Family Legacy and Estate Planning](https://launch529.com/blog/529-plan-estate-planning-and-family-legacy): Can a 529 pass wealth to the next generation? How superfunding, successor owners and beneficiary changes work, and where the tax traps are.
- [Rent, Groceries or a House: What a 529 Can Pay For](https://launch529.com/blog/529-plan-rent-groceries-house-what-qualifies): Can a 529 pay for off-campus rent, groceries or a house near campus? What qualifies, what does not, and the gray areas to ask a pro about.
- [Spending Your 529: Are You Missing Qualified Expenses?](https://launch529.com/blog/529-spending-phase-are-you-missing-expenses): In college and spending your 529? Find qualified expenses families miss, from computers to books, and how to use the tuition credit well.
- [Leftover 529 Money? 6 Smart Options After College](https://launch529.com/blog/leftover-529-money-after-college): Finished college with money left in the 529? Compare six options, from grad school to a Roth IRA rollover, and what each one means for your taxes.
- [How Much Should You Save for College? Find Your Number](https://launch529.com/blog/how-much-to-save-for-college): Skip the guesswork. Use real cost data, the one-third rule and a simple monthly savings table to set a college savings goal that fits your family.
- [How to Open a 529 Plan in 15 Minutes (Step by Step)](https://launch529.com/blog/how-to-open-a-529-plan): New to 529s? Here is how to pick a plan, open an account and start saving for your child's college today, plus the mistakes to skip.

## Optional

- [Everything above, with the full text of every guide](https://launch529.com/llms-full.txt)
- [Sitemap](https://launch529.com/sitemap.xml)
- [Privacy](https://launch529.com/privacy), [Terms](https://launch529.com/terms), [Support](https://launch529.com/support)