Most college calculators total each child separately. This one shows the years your kids are in college at the same time — the overlap years when costs spike — and tells you whether your current 529 savings are on track to cover it.
Add up four years of college for one child and the number is daunting but manageable over time. The trap with multiple kids is timing. If your children are close in age, there will be years when two — or three — are enrolled simultaneously, and your annual outlay doubles or triples in those specific years. Most calculators hide this by totaling each child separately, so families plan for an average and get blindsided by the peak.
A four-year in-state public degree runs roughly $110,000 in today's dollars; private colleges considerably more. College costs have historically climbed faster than general inflation — often around 5% a year — which compounds the further out your kids are. The calculator inflates today's cost forward to each child's actual enrollment years so the projection reflects what you'll really face.
A 529 plan lets your college savings grow tax-free, with tax-free withdrawals for qualified education expenses and, in many states, a deduction or credit for what you contribute. Because the money compounds over years, starting early matters — especially if you're trying to build a cushion before an overlap spike hits. The funds stay in your control and can be moved between beneficiaries if plans change.