How do I make sure any particular professional really has a good handle on 529 plans and can provide competent advice?
It’s up to you to ask a lot of questions and gauge the ability of a financial, legal or tax consultant to provide you with competent professional advice. Make sure you understand the consultant’s experience, credentialing, and education. Find out if the consultant has been helping other families in investigating 529 plans. You might even ask if the consultant has set up accounts in a 529 plan for his or her own family. Since investment advisers are required to register with their states, you should take a look at their form ADV and make sure it agrees with what they are telling you about their operations.
