Our Family Feels a Little Smaller
Mila, our family dog, passed away six months ago. It came soon after I last wrote about her. I thought I would share this news sooner, but Mila’s passing has been more difficult than I imagined. I was in the…
College Savings
Read MoreOur Family Feels a Little Smaller
Playing Hooky and Saving for College
Like many kids, my older brother went through a period where he didn’t like going to school. He became pretty creative about finding ways to skip class. School was so close, he didn’t even have to cross a street. On…
Start Saving Today for Your Kids’ Tomorrow
In my last note, I wrote to you about running track, and some people asked if I did the “field” part of track and field. The short answer: Yes, but there was room for improvement. I think I was the…
Pushing Ourselves to Improve
When I was a kid, the sign outside my hometown read “Gifford 800.” My eighth-grade class at Gifford Grade School was about 24 kids. And we were a big class. So it’s no surprise I didn’t have a lot of…
Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs, Chicago Children’s Museum to Host $5.29 Family Day Sunday, January 25
Families Can Decorate and Take Home Piggy Banks as Part of Bright Start 529 Promotion CHICAGO — Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs and the Chicago Children’s Museum (CCM) are once again partnering to host a $5.29 Family Day on Sunday,…
Treasurer Frerichs Encourages the Gift of Education This Holiday Season
College Savings Phone App Offers an Easy Way to Give to a Loved One’s Bright Start 529 Account Struggling to find the right holiday gift for a child? Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs has one. Invest in a young person’s…
Treasurer Frerichs Clinches 7th Gold Rating for Bright Start College Savings Plan
Bright Directions Receives Sole Morningstar Upgrade Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced today that Illinois’ Bright Start 529 College Savings Plan has earned its 7th Gold rating from independent analyst Morningstar, firmly placing the plan among the best in the…
Illinois Treasurer Frerichs Marks Bright Start’s 25th Anniversary with Record Growth during College Savings Month
As Bright Start 529 turns 25, Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs is announcing record asset growth to more than $14 billion for Illinois’s flagship 529 college savings plan. The news comes as the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office kicks off College…
May 29, 2025 – Observing 529 Day, Treasurer Michael Frerichs Encourages Families to Save for Future Education Costs through 529 College Savings Accounts
Read MoreMay 29, 2025 – Observing 529 Day, Treasurer Michael Frerichs Encourages Families to Save for Future Education Costs through 529 College Savings Accounts