Joe Hurley, founder

Savingforcollege.com was founded in the Spring of 2000 by Joe Hurley, a mild-mannered certified public accountant in Pittsford , New York who, not unlike Harry Potter, found himself delving ever deeper into the strange and mystical world of 529 plans since first discovering their existence in 1997. That discovery occurred with the signing of the 1997 Taxpayer Relief Act, which made major revisions to the rules surrounding 529 plans. Joe immediately recognized the new Section 529 as one of the most remarkable tax provisions in the Internal Revenue Code and worthy of a book-writing effort.

He purchased Strunk and White's "The Elements of Style" and William Zinsser's "On Writing Well" and set about the task. Since first being published in January 1999, "The Best Way to Save for College – A Complete Guide to 529 Plans" and this Web site have been mentioned in numerous print and online publications, and Joe now spends all his time researching, writing, speaking, and consulting on the topic of 529 plans and other college-planning issues. His articles have appeared in The Journal of Accountancy and The CPA Journal, and he has appeared at hearings in Washington D.C. to provide comments on the proposed regulations under Section 529. Joe is one of nine individuals recognized by Financial Planning magazine as 2005's "Movers and Shakers."

Joe graduated from Williams College in 1978 with degrees in economics and psychology. He began his career with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell (now KPMG) in New York City and later became tax partner at Bonadio & Co. LLP, an upstate New York accounting firm, where he provided tax-planning services to individuals, corporations, and tax-exempt organizations. Joe retired from that firm in 2004.

Joe's family has first-hand experience in saving and paying for higher education costs. He and his wife Virginia have raised two children and have had 529-plan accounts in as many as 33 different states at the same time (the substantial number not being recommended to others but helpful for research purposes).

Feel free to contact savingforcollege.com with your comments or suggestions. (Please direct your technical questions to our Message Board.)

Last Modified: December 4, 2020