We have just experienced a season of graduations, replete with report cards, diplomas and dreams for the future. While many young graduates’ immediate educational prospects consist of middle school or high school, the ultimate educational goal for most is college. That is why, no matter how young that graduate in your clients’ lives, this post-graduation season is the perfect time for them to consider giving the gift of a higher education. They can do so by either opening a college savings plan or helping to fund an already-existing one. And college 529 savings plans are still widely acknowledged as the best way to save money for college costs.

High Earners are Missing Out On Saving

With college tuition costs rising nearly 6 percent every year, far outpacing inflation, an early start on college saving is critical. Despite this, a recent Gallup survey found that 20% of those earning more than $150,000 aren’t saving for college at all. Further, only one-third of those saving for college are using 529 plans, while 59% are using savings, money-market accounts or CDs, thereby missing out on the significant tax benefits provided by 529 plans.

All of this means that there is an opportunity for you to educate your clients about how 529s provide a flexible and effective way to help fund their young children and grandchildren’s future college educations while providing tax advantages that benefit the donor and help these assets grow faster. CollegeAccess529 may be a perfect solution for many investors hoping to give the gift of a college education.

59% of college savers who earn $150,000 or more are only using savings, money-markets or CDs to put aside money for college

Enhanced Manager Lineup

Allianz Global Investors designed the CollegeAccess 529 plan to deliver significant advantages for parents and grandparents to help save for college. In today’s climate, where investors demand maximum flexibility, CollegeAccess 529 provides a broad array of allocation choices, allowing your clients to build a personalized investment program.

CollegeAccess 529’s new multi-manager lineup features funds from 13 of the country’s top asset amanagers, including Fidelity, PIMCO, Royce and NFJ. The plan’s robust investment menu features 23 mutual fund portfolios, including:

• Five age-based portfolios that automatically reallocate assets based on a child’s age
• Three customized portfolios that allow clients to tailor their accounts to suit their individual risk tolerance
• 15 Select Fund portfolios that allow clients to invest in specific individual funds and construct a unique asset allocation plan.

Allianz Global Investors also distributes the OklahomaDream 529 plan geared specifically to Oklahoma residents using a financial advisor. Oklahoma residents are eligible for up to $20,000 of contributions to be deducted from their Oklahoma taxable income annually ($10,000 for single filers).

Allianz Global Investors has developed a range of marketing materials to help you educate your clients about investing for college. Contact your Allianz Global Investors wholesaler to order your copies today.

To learn more about the CollegeAccess 529 plan or OklahomaDream 529 plan, visit www.allianzinvestors.com or call: 800-628-1237 (Wirehouses) or 800-880-8684 (Independent/Bank/Regional Broker-Dealers).

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of CollegeAccess and OklahomaDream 529 Plans before investing. This and other information is contained in the current Plan Disclosure Statement. Before investing, investors should read the Plan Disclosure Statement carefully, and consider whether their state of residency—or their intended Designated Beneficiary’s state of residency—offers any benefit, such as a state tax deduction, or any other benefits that are only available for investments in that state’s 529 savings program.

Certain investment management firms that manage underlying mutual funds in the Program — NJF Investment Group, Nicholas-Applegate, Oppenheimer Capital, PIMCO and RCM — are affiliated with the Program Manager.

Investing in a 529 plan does not ensure that an individual’s college funding goals will be met. Using an asset allocation strategy does not assure a profit or protect against loss. State taxes may apply for residents of states other than South Dakota. Consult your financial or tax advisor regarding state taxes and other tax-advantaged college savings options.

This material is intended solely for professional investment advisors and shall not constitute an offer to sell interests in the investment portfolios of the CollegeAccess or OklahomaDream 529 Plans.

CollegeAccess 529 is a Section 529 college savings plan sponsored by the State of South Dakota and managed and distributed by Allianz Global Investors Distributors LLC, 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105-4800, www.allianzinvestors.com.

The OklahomaDream 529 Plan is a Section 529 college savings plan sponsored by the State of Oklahoma, is managed by TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc., and managed and distributed by Allianz Global Distributors LLC., 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10105-4800, 1-877-654-7284.

NOTICE: CollegeAccess and OklahomaDream529 Plan accounts are not insured by any state, and neither the principal deposited nor any investment return is guaranteed by any state. Furthermore, the accounts are not insured, nor is the principal or any investment return guaranteed, by the federal government or any federal agency.