For Families

This summer eligible students will automatically receive a free My Future Fund Account with $25 to jumpstart their savings for college and career training expenses. Families do not need to provide a social security number, Individual Taxpayer Identification Number or banking information to receive an account. Some families may also qualify for an additional $475 Deposit based on their household income.  Unless a family opts-out, families will receive their students’ registration code this summer and will be able to log-in to the My Future Fund Family Portal to view their account.

To be eligible for the program in 2023, students must be in grades 1-5 and enrolled in a participating School District or Charter School as of the Fall 2022 Fall Pupil Membership Count (also known as Count Day). Next year’s first graders and students who arrived after that date will be eligible for a My Future Fund Account in 2024. 

 Action to Get Ready 

This summer the first group of eligible students will receive their My Future Fund Accounts. When families get their registration code, they can log-in to the Family Portal. Through the Family Portal, families can view the current balance in their My Future Fund Account. In addition families will be able to link their own Michigan Education Savings Program investment account in the portal to see their savings in one spot. 

Action to Activate Your Account

What	Action Step
Activate Your My Future Fund Account	Log-In. Families can use their registration code to log-in to their children’s accounts. More detailed instructions can be found on the Family Portal.

My Future Fund will work to support families and students in learning about college and career readiness and financial literacy. This will include classroom visits, community events and other partnerships with community organizations. 

Action to learn more 

Families can also consider increasing the amount of money set aside for their child’s college and career training by having dedicated savings for these future educational costs. Every family’s financial situation is different, so each family should consider their circumstances when doing their research and learning about the various options. The information on the myfuturefund.org website is not intended to be investment advice or a recommendation on any savings strategy. Any financial decision related to saving for college or career training is based solely on a family’s own evaluation of the options available. 

Michigan Education Savings Program

One way to save for college and career training is through the Michigan Education Savings Program (MESP). MESP is Michigan’s direct-sold 529 college savings plan. By opening an MESP investment account to save specifically for college and career training, families can invest money over time that then can be used tax-free when used for a variety of qualified higher education expenses. 

MISaves

The My Future Fund program is not an authorized distributor of the Michigan Education Savings Program. To learn more about the Michigan Education Savings Program, its investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses please see the Program Description at MIsaves.com. Read it carefully.  Investments in the Plan are neither insured nor guaranteed and there is the risk of investment loss.  If the funds aren't used for qualified higher education expenses, a federal 10% penalty tax on earnings (as well as federal and state income taxes) may apply.  TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, Member FINRA, is the distributor and underwriter for the Michigan Educations Savings Program.  

Savings Accounts

Banks and Credit Unions also offer ways for families to save for future college and career training expenses. Many offer specific savings accounts for children that can be managed by a parent or guardian. Check at your local financial institution to learn more about ways to save. 

Actions to Start Saving

Students will be able to request their My Future Fund dollars for qualified college or career training costs following high school graduation until their 26th birthday. More information will be provided about this process once students are in high school. 

Qualified higher education expenses include: 

• Tuition for community colleges, technical colleges, certificate programs, public colleges and universities, private colleges and universities (in-state or out-of-state)
• Certain room and board expenses
• Fees
• Cost of books and supplies
• Cost of equipment, including computers, internet access fees, software or printed, that is needed as part of the program at an eligible educational institution.

Actions to request My Future Fund dollars

Important Information about My Future Fund Accounts

• The account is stewarded by the My Future Fund program and the money is set aside for students’ future college and career training costs. 
• The collective funds for the My Future Fund Accounts are pooled together in one large investment account held by the Michigan Education Savings Program and managed by TIAA CREF Financing, Inc. This is a type of investment account created specifically for college and career training expenses. 
• Only My Future Fund can allocate funds directly to these accounts. Organizations, businesses and other donors can add to My Future Fund Accounts of groups of students.  
• The amount in each student’s My Future Fund Account is a share, or portion, of this larger account. Because this is an investment account, the original deposit will change in value depending on how the group of investments perform in the market. 
• If families would like to start their own savings for college and career, they could consider opening their own investment accounts through the Michigan Education Savings Program or a savings account with a local financial institution. 

Family Portal Overview

Families can view their My Future Fund Account share in the Family Portal. The Family Portal is hosted by a third party vendor. Student information that is allowed under the “directory information” policy of that student’s School District or Public School Academy/Charter School will be used to activate students’ My Future Fund Accounts in the portal. Directory information typically includes student name, date of birth and address. 

Key information about My Future Fund Deposits

When a student receives a deposit in their My Future Fund Account, they are receiving a share of dollars from the larger pooled investment account. The initial dollar amount of the deposit will change in value depending on how the investment account performs in the market. 

$25 Deposit - Every student who receives a My Future Fund Account will also receive $25 to jump-start their savings for college and career training. 

$475 Deposit - Some students will also qualify for an additional $475 deposit. Using time limited pandemic relief funds, this deposit is based on a family’s household income. Families must give permission for My Future Fund to check students’ eligibility. 

• To determine if a student qualifies for this additional deposit, the My Future Fund program will use students’ Supplemental Nutrition Eligibility (SNE) status in the Michigan Student Data System as reported in the 2022 Fall Pupil Membership Count. 
• A student’s individual eligibility for free and reduced price lunch is based on one of the following:

1. Free and Reduced Price Lunch Application - Application parent/guardian completes for a school to determine a student’s eligibility for free or reduced price lunch.
2. Household Information Report - Used in place of free and reduced price lunch application to determine eligibility for additional benefits in schools/districts where everyone receives free lunch. 
3. Direct Certification Process - Identifies students who may be receiving other benefits that qualify them for free or reduced price lunch. 

• The program will be checking eligibility for the 2023 cohort of My Future Fund students on a rolling basis through September 30, 2023. If a student is eligible for these additional funds, they should see the amount in their account within 4-6 weeks after submitting a permission form. 

Future Deposits - Students may have the opportunity, depending on future funding, to earn additional deposits for the My Future Fund Accounts. 

Reasonable security measures will be taken to ensure that persons not authorized to view the data do not gain access to the data. In the event of a security breach, WISD staff will comply with WISD Board Policy ag8351 and provide notice of the security breach according to the policy. The WISD will only use student data for purposes of the My Future Fund program. The WISD will maintain the confidentiality of all student information as outlined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), and will not be released to other parties , unless parent consent is granted and as permitted by law.

For questions please contact myfuturefund@washtenawisd.org