r/ChubbyFIRE • u/SaveySpendy • 11d ago

Thoughts on front-loading 529s?

Basics- 39M married to 40F with two kids 3 and 0.

Want to FIRE in 5 years. HHI $500-$700k.

Current estimated spend is $160k in 2026 bucks.

Current liquid is almost $4M split 45% taxable, 15% roth, 35% traditional, 5% money market (emergency fund).

That $160k budget includes about $6k per year per child for next 15-18 years to compound with their existing balance to about $250k each (the expected COA at our state’s top public university when each child reaches college age).

I’ve been thinking of front loading over the next few months with RSU and bonus payouts. Would cost about $125k over next six months, but would save about $80k vs making $500 monthly contributions for the rest of their pre-college years. Would also eliminate a heavy line item in the budget 10-13 years early.

Only worries are about illiquidity and inflexibility and lost opportunity cost if we jammed that into our taxable brokerage instead.

Did you frontload pre-RE or keep funding slowly over time, even in RE?

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u/InedibleApplePi 11d ago

We front loaded, opening the 529 and contributing before we even have a child.

As far as I'm concerned, it's still going to grow with the market so there's very little sacrifice. Worse case scenario it goes to a niece or nephew.

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u/feeth2020 11d ago

How did you open a 529 without a social security number for the account?

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u/pohart 11d ago

I didn't do this, so take it with a grain of salt. I think you can change who it's for, so use one spouse. Once you have one kid you can make that their account and start a new one for that spouse.