WASHINGTON, D.C.//October 23, 2002//Next to buying a home and paying for retirement, the cost of sending children to college is the biggest financial challenge most parents face. Recognizing that many parents are not yet aware of the potential advantages of "529" college savings plans, the nonprofit Alliance for Investor Education (AIE) today issued its "Go to School on 529 Plans!" tutorial, a collection of its members' best-available information on the topic. The Alliance for Investor Education (http:/www.investoreducation.org) is a 21-member organization of financial-related trade associations and governmental organizations.

"The rise of '529' college savings plan is an important new savings and investing tool that every parent should understand," said Alliance for Investor Education President Michael D. Jones, who also serves as senior executive vice president and chief administrative officer for National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD). "The goal here of the Alliance for Investor Education is to provide parents with some of the best available information about how '529' college savings plans work."

The following 10 resources from AIE member Web sites are intended to give consumers a "crash course" in what they need to know about "529" college savings programs:

* "How Much Do You Need to Save to Meet Your Child's College Costs?"
American Association of Individual Investors
http://www.aaii.com/promo/hastings/savings.shtml

* "A Guide to Understanding 529 Plans"
Investment Company Institute/North American Securities Administrators Association/College Savings Plans Network
http://www.ici.org/pdf/bro_529_plans.pdf

* "Smart Saving for College - 529 Plans and Other College Savings Options"
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
http://apps.nasd.com/investor_Information/Smart/529/000100.asp

* "529 Savings Plans"
Securities Industry Association
http://www.siainvestor.org/categories/investinggoals/invforcollege/invfo rcollege_042.htm

* "Evaluating Section 529 Savings Options"
National Association of Investors Corporation
http://www.better-investing.org/articles/bi/78/484

* "A Guide to Financing the Cost of Your Child's College Education"
American Association of Individual Investors
http://www.aaii.com/promo/hastings/guide.shtml

* "College Savings Calculator"
Investment Company Institute
http://www.ici.org/cgi-bin/calcs/SAV4.cgi/investment_company_institute

* "Rebuilding and Going Forward -- Planning Ahead for Yourself and Your Kids -- Saving for College"
The Bond Market Association
http://www.unwantedchange.org/section.cfm/247/248/177

* "Help! I am a Parent of College-Bound Children"
Investor Protection Trust
http://www.investorprotection.org/college.htm

* "School's In On College Savings Plans"
National Association of Investors Corporation
http://www.better-investing.org/articles/bi/289/4077

ABOUT AIE

The Alliance for Investor Education Web site at http://www.investoreducation.org provides investors with access to a full range of information they need to make wise investment decisions. Dedicated to facilitating a greater understanding of investment basics, the Alliance for Investor Education was established in 1996 as a coalition of leading financial services industry and investor advocacy groups.

The entire investment community is represented in AIE's membership ranks. Full members of the Alliance include: the American Association of Individual Investors, American Stock Exchange, Association for Investment Management and Research, Bond Market Association, Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Investment Company Institute, Investor Protection Trust, National Association of Investors Corporation, National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., National Futures Association, National Investor Relations Institute, National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, New York Stock Exchange, Securities Industry Association, Securities Investor Protection Corporation, and Security Traders Association.

The SEC Office of Investor Education and Assistance, the Federal Trade Commission Bureau of Consumer Protection, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and the North American Securities Administrators Association are among the government and quasi-governmental advisors to the Alliance.

CONTACT: Ailis Aaron Wolf, (703) 276-3265 or .