4 / 5
Our rating

TX resident benefits Most 529 plans offer state residents additional benefits, such as state tax deductions or credits, fee reductions, and incentives. This is our assessment of the value of these benefits to a saver.
The program management of Texas' Lonestar 529 Plan was assumed by Orion Advisor Solutions, Inc. (previously known as NorthStar Financial Services Group, LLC) in September 2014. The plan offers an enrollment year option, three risk-based portfolios, and 20 individual asset class portfolios. To find a financial advisor in your area, use the Directory of Financial Professionals.

Scores for each ratings category
4.0 / 5
Performance
The performance score is developed directly from the Saving For College quarterly 529 Performance Rankings, which uses age-based and year-of-enrollment portfolios to compare and analyze historic investment returns among 529 plans. An N/A score indicates that the plan has not reported sufficient data for inclusion in the ranking methodology.3.93 / 5
Ease of Use
We evaluate a variety of criteria when assigning an Ease of Use score to each plan, including the simplicity of enrolling in the plan, making contributions, and the ability to easily access and transact from any type of online device.4.67 / 5
Savings Success
How well do a plan's features and fee structure enable a 529 saver to maximize their education savings? Positive Savings Success factors include a robust gifting platform and other plan features that promote savings. Negative Savings Success factors include annual or one-time fees that reduce the plan's account balance.3.67 / 5
Program Delivery
We assign a Program Delivery rating as a measure of the likelihood that a 529 program will continue to deliver excellence. Among the factors considered here are program manager tenure, the impending risk of a management change, and the plan's actions to measure customer service quality.Program type
Inception
State agency
Tax deduction
For single filers: None
For joint filers: None
Program manager
Program distributor
Manager contract term
State residency requirements:
Who can be a participant/owner in the program?
Significant time or age restrictions imposed by the program:
Maximum contributions:
Minimum contributions:
Does the program offer an e-gifting platform for receiving gift contributions?
Investors in LoneStar 529 Plan can select from the following investment options. Click on a portfolio name for more information.
| Portfolio | E.R. Expense Ratio | % Equity | 1yr performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2038-2039 Portfolio | 1.02% | 86% | 16.92% |
| 2036-2037 Portfolio | 1.01% | 83% | 16.08% |
| 2034-2035 Portfolio | 0.97% | 71% | 14.03% |
| 2032-2033 Portfolio | 0.93% | 58% | 12.31% |
| 2030-2031 Portfolio | 0.89% | 46% | 10.30% |
| 2028-2029 Portfolio | 0.84% | 34% | 8.23% |
| 2026-2027 Portfolio | 0.79% | 21% | 6.53% |
| Enrolled Years Portfolio | 0.74% | 9% | 4.48% |
| 2040-2041 Portfolio | 1.03% | 87% | 17.14% |
| 2042-2043 Portfolio | 1.03% | 87% | 17.40% |
Age-based/Enrollment Year investment options:
Static investment options:
Underlying investments:
Underlying fund allocations:
Portfolio Fees & Performance Lookup
Enrollment or application fee:
Account maintenance fee:
Program management fees:
Expenses of the underlying investments:
Total asset-based expense ratio:
Broker loads and commissions:
Breakpoint pricing:
Does breakpoint pricing include non-529 assets under rights of accumulation policies
State tax deduction or credit for contributions:
State definition of qualified expenses
State tax treatment of qualified distributions:
Program match on contributions:
Does the sponsoring state exclude the value of an account for state financial aid purposes?
Does participation in the program provide beneficiaries with any advantages in qualifying for resident tuition status at state institutions?
Is there a rewards program or outside scholarship program that works with this program?
Statutory protection of an account from creditors:
To whom are distributions made payable:
Policy regarding participant/owner changes:
Does participant have online password-protected access to account?
Can the complete enrollment process including funding be done online?
Documents and other services accessible or downloadable on the program's public Web site:
Website:
Telephone:
While Saving For College strives to maintain accurate and up-to-date information using plan disclosure statements and other sources, readers should check the plan's official website and disclosure statement for the most current and complete details.
A good place to start:
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Saving For College is an unbiased, independent resource for parents and financial professionals, providing them with information and tools to understand the benefits of 529 college savings plans and how to meet the challenge of increasing college costs.