Gifts

beckt

For all you mother's of toddlers I have a question.

I need to buy a gift for my niece who just turned 2.  When she was born my husband and I opened a 529 account for her, but her parents have still not switched the account into their own name.  So it is still under our name.  I would like to keep contributing money to this account on her behalf, but I worry that we are somehow coming across as too pushy.  As in the parents don't seem all that interested (read appreciative) that we opened the account in the first place and I feel as though I detect that they would rather we just give them the money so they can decide what to do with it. 

As a parent would you be put off if someone had opened an account like this on behalf of your own child and continued to put money into it? 

Brewtowngrl

Do they know that they need to change the account and do they know how?  Honestly (and embarrassed),  I would have no idea how.  plus things tend to go to the back of to do list and then get forgotten if it is not in my face.  Have they been reminded that you did this for their child?  I know it sounds ungrateful to forget, but this is my honest answer.  

beckt

I definitely can understand that it has been forgotten.  I just hate feeling like a nag, but I guess in this case it may be ok to nag.

Usually when I write out a card I tell them how much I contributed and then put in the paperwork on how to switch the account into their name. 

I guess I can just do it this time around again.  I'm probably just being overly sensitive about not wanting to seem pushy or naggy.

daisyterp

Is there anyway you could fill out all of the paperwork for them (w/i reason) and then tag (using post-its) and highlight the blanks they need to fill-in?

I think that contributing to a 529 is better for the child than giving savings bonds or cash, but not everyone is investing savvy.  I used to work in financial services and often times clients didn't want to be bothered w/ filling out the paperwork (idiots!) so we would fill in all almost all of it, but then highlight and tag the pages/spots where they needed to sign, fill in their SS#, etc.