Your college savings

The value of my 529 college savings account has dropped. What can I do?

Sixty-eight percent of respondents worried about being able to pay for college. "If the child is young, they are likely to see several bull and bear markets before they actually need to tap the account," says Joseph Hurley, founder of Savingforcollege.com, which offers information on college savings plans. If your child is nearing college age and your money is in an "age-based" 529 plan, the most popular type, your exposure to stocks should be limited. Those plans shift assets from stocks to bonds and money markets as the child gets closer to college age.

What to do

If you have several years to save, consider staying put, although you can change investments in your account once in a calendar year. If your child is at or near college age, you can contribute to savings accounts or CDs within many 529 plans and use that money while waiting for your stocks to rebound.