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IDeal is proudly managed in Idaho, with additional customer service and mail processing support provided from our Kansas City, Missouri location.

clientservice@idsaves.org

1-866-433-2533

Note: we experience heavier call volumes on Mondays. Many of your questions can be answered by visiting your account online.

Regular Mailing Address IDeal - Idaho Education Savings Program
P.O. Box 219944
Kansas City, MO 64121

Overnight Mail
IDeal - Idaho Education Savings Program
1001 E 101st Terrace, Suite 200
Kansas City, MO 64131

We’re here to help you succeed

Whether you are just opening an account or getting ready to pay for school, these resources connect you to the information and people who can help. For Idaho-specific tax information, see our Tax benefits page. For a deeper look at 529 education savings, start with Why 529?

Automatic Contributions

Make saving effortless with automatic contributions from your bank account. Start with as little as $25 a month or $75 a quarter—about the cost of a dollar a day.

  • Choose a contribution amount that fits your budget. Start with as little as $25 per month.

  • Increase or decrease contribution amounts at any time.

  • Contribute automatically from your bank account or through payroll deductions (if offered by your employer).

  • Set up an annual automatic increase to your recurring contributions to boost your savings.

  • Eliminate the need to write checks or mail contribution slips.

  • Potentially reduce your overall average cost of investing.*

Step 1

Log In to Your Account

You must have an IDeal account to automate your savings with recurring contributions.

Step 2

Choose Beneficiary Account

Select the account that you would like to apply the recurring contribution.

Step 3

Select “Manage Recurring Contributions” From Your Beneficiary’s Dashboard

Choose the amount and frequency of your contributions.

You may be able to contribute to an IDeal account straight from your paycheck. Ask your Human Resources or payroll department about setting up direct deposit—contributions can start at just $15 per paycheck. If they have questions, we’re happy to connect!

Saving Now Can Make a Big Difference Later

This chart shows the potential growth of recurring contributions made into your College Investment Plan account over time.

Potential growth: grouped bars for savings in 5, 10, and 18 years by monthly contribution ($50 through $500), y-axis to $200k, with per month contribution legend.

Assumes recurring contributions made at the end of each month, 6% hypothetical rate of return compounded monthly, and a 0.05% annual program management fee. This chart is for illustrative purposes only and does not predict or project the return of any specific investment option. Investment returns in an IDeal account will vary and may be higher or lower than in this example. An actual investment may assess fees or other charges that should be considered prior to investing. A recurring contribution does not assure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets.

Withdrawals

IDeal makes it easy to access your 529 savings. Withdrawals are requested by the account owner and may be sent to the account owner, the beneficiary, or directly to the school. Funds can be delivered by direct deposit, check, or paid to the school. Money can be used for qualified education expenses; taxes and penalties may apply to non‑qualified withdrawals.

Learn more
Account owner at a desk reviewing documents next to a laptop
Accelerated gifting: one grandparent and six grandchildren, $95,000 per grandchild, as described in the tax benefits copy.

Tax Benefits

IDeal is designed for parents who want more of their education savings going toward expenses—not taxes. Compared to taxable savings options, IDeal offers meaningful tax advantages. Idaho taxpayers may deduct up to $6,000 in contributions each year ($12,000 if married, filing jointly). Unlike most traditional investments, an IDeal account can grow tax-deferred. That means your earnings could continue to compound year after year, without suffering the bite of federal and state taxes. When used for qualified education expenses, withdrawals are free from federal and state income taxes.*

Gift and estate tax benefits

Contribute up to $19,000 ($38,000 if married, filing jointly) in a single year without incurring a gift tax. Or take advantage of “accelerated gifting” to reduce your taxable income by contributing five years’ worth of gifts ($95,000 if single/$190,000 if married, filing jointly) to an IDeal account in one year without incurring gift taxes.**

Learn more

*Earnings on non‑qualified withdrawals are subject to federal income tax and may be subject to a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state and local income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements. **In the event you do not survive the five-year period, a pro-rated amount will revert back to your taxable estate.

Benefits of Saving Early

Start small and stick with it: One of the best savings strategies is, simply, to start. The earlier you save, the more time your money has to potentially grow. This is the power of compounding—when your returns earn more returns and so on. Managing to save even a small contribution each month is a far better plan than borrowing all of what you’ll need when the time comes.

Financial planning calculator
Parent and child on a sofa putting a coin in a pink piggy bank
Two adults at a desk reviewing a tablet and documents

Rollovers

Have a 529 with another plan? Rolling your savings into an IDeal account is simple. You may move money by direct rollover (money is transferred directly from your current 529 plan custodian to an IDeal account) or by indirect rollover (you request a check for the amount from the current 529 plan custodian and reinvest it in an IDeal account within 60 days).

Before starting a rollover, check with your current plan custodian to confirm the rollover is allowed and whether any penalties may apply. When requesting a direct rollover—either during enrollment for a new account or by submitting an Incoming Rollover Form for an existing account—you’ll need to provide a statement from the current custodian showing the contribution basis and earnings at the time of distribution.

Gifting

For Account Owners

Playing catch, moving furniture, saving for the future—some things are just easier with help. With Ugift®, you can easily invite family and friends to contribute to your IDeal account for birthdays, holidays, and other special celebrations. And you may be surprised how much grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends love giving something so meaningful.

  • Access and share your unique Ugift code by logging in to your IDeal account or using the READYSAVE™ 529 app
  • Use a beneficiary-specific Ugift code, linked directly to your account
  • Automatically track gifts by logging in to your account and selecting Ugift, then clicking “See Ugift history”
  • View gift details such as the giver’s name (if provided), gift amount, and gift status
  • Enjoy no fees—neither you nor the gift giver pays anything, and 100% of each gift is deposited into your IDeal account

Download the ReadySave™ 529 mobile app today

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play
ReadySave 529 app: Ugift codes, share invitation, and gift tracking

For Gift Givers

Conveniently and securely give a gift the way you want.

Friends and family can easily send a gift by mail or secure electronic transfer using a unique Ugift® code. All funds will go directly into your child’s IDeal account.

  • Conveniently gift online by asking the IDeal account owner to share their Ugift code. With the beneficiary’s Ugift code, making a gift contribution is simple and easy.

  • Set up a gifting profile so that you can easily send recurring gifts.

  • Another gifting option to consider is to Open an Account for the gift recipient. Learn More about IDeal - Idaho Education Savings Program.

Learn More About IDeal

Check out these helpful resources for college savers.

Idaho Advanced Opportunities

Use your IDeal funds to pay for Dual Credit courses. Learn more about Dual Credit by clicking here (opens in a new tab).

Idaho Digital Learning Academy

www.idahodigitallearning.org (opens in a new tab)

Enroll in Idaho’s state sponsored online school, Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA) to access classes and resources in addition to those in your local school. IDLA courses create flexibility in scheduling, opportunity to graduate early, credit recovery and access to dual credit or Advanced Placement courses for college credit.

Next Steps Idaho

nextsteps.idaho.gov (opens in a new tab)

Find information for students, families and educators on planning for life after high school including event and deadline calendars, checklists and relevant information and links.

Jump$tart

www.jumpstart.org (opens in a new tab)

Organization that seeks to improve the personal financial literacy of students in kindergarten through college. This site offers partnership information as well as financial literacy tools and materials.

School and Campus Code Search

www.fafsa.ed.gov (opens in a new tab)

This link provides access to the U.S. Department of Education’s database of federal school and campus codes and lists Title IV eligibility status for eligible educational institutions. Only Title IV-eligible schools can be used for qualified distributions.

The College Savings Foundation (CSF)

www.collegesavingsfoundation.org (opens in a new tab)

A not-for-profit organization that works with public policy makers and the financial services industry in support of education savings programs. The site contains research papers and industry data dealing with 529 plans.