Home / FAQ / Frequently Asked Questions - Beneficiaries Who can be the beneficiary of an account? Who qualifies as member of the family? Can I change the beneficiary of my account?   Who can be the beneficiary of an account? Any U.S. citizen or resident alien, including the account holder, can be the beneficiary. The beneficiary must have a valid Social Security Number or taxpayer identification number.  Who qualifies as member of the family? A "member of the family" of a Beneficiary is a person related to that Beneficiary as follows: (i) a son or daughter, or a descendant of either; (ii) a stepson or stepdaughter; (iii) a brother, sister, stepbrother or stepsister; (iv) the father or mother, or an ancestor of either; (v) a stepfather or stepmother; (vi) a son or daughter of a brother or sister; (vii) a brother or sister of the father or mother; (viii) a son-in-law, daughter-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law; (ix) the spouse of the Beneficiary or of any of the other foregoing individuals; or (x) a first cousin of the Beneficiary. For this purpose, a child includes a legally adopted child and a brother or sister includes a half-brother or half-sister.  Can I change the beneficiary of my account? Yes, you can change your beneficiary at any time, or transfer a portion of your investment to a different beneficiary. The new beneficiary must be a member of the previous beneficiary's family, as described in the VHEIP Disclosure Booklet and Participation Agreements (PDF, 1423KB). Use the Change of Beneficiary form (PDF, 42KB). Read more FAQs.

WE'RE HERE TO HELP Have a question you don't see listed? Need clarification? Call us toll-free at 1-800-637-5860 We're available 8:00 am - 8:00 pm Eastern Time, Monday - Friday Don't forget you can set up an Automatic Contribution Plan (PDF, 157KB) or use Payroll Deduction (PDF, 45KB) for your contributions (if offered by your employer). PDF files require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. Get it here. Access our glossary for the meanings of terms used throughout this site. Tell a Friend Let a friend know about the Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan. Calculate Your Savings Need Compare College Savings Options Questions? Call 1-800-637-5860 Vermont Student Assistance Corp. VSAC information & tools personalized for you!

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The tax information contained on the Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan (the Plan) Web site is not intended to be used, and cannot be used by any taxpayer, for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed on the taxpayer. It was written to support the promotion of the products and services addressed in the Web site. Taxpayers should seek advice based on their own particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.

The Plan is administered by the Vermont Student Assistance Corp. (VSAC). TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc. (TFI) serves as Program Manager. TFI's affiliate, TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, is the distributor. The Plan Web site contains information about the Managed Allocation Option, 100% Equity Option and the Interest Income Option. Investment management for the Managed Allocation and 100% Equity Options is provided by TFI while investment management of the Interest Income Option is provided by VSAC.

The investment approaches described are not recommendations and do not take into consideration personal goals or preferences. After evaluating information you consider important in making an investment choice, the ultimate decision is up to you. It is a good idea to revisit your investment strategy periodically as your goals, personal financial situation, and market conditions change.

Consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses before investing in the Plan. Please call toll-free 1-800-637-5860 for a Disclosure Booklet containing this information. Read it carefully.

Before investing in a 529 plan, you should consider whether the state you or your designated beneficiary reside in or have taxable income in has a 529 plan that offers favorable state income tax or other benefits that are only available if you invest in that state's 529 plan.

The State of Vermont, its agencies, VSAC, TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc., Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America and its affiliates do not insure any Account in the Plan or guarantee its principal or investment return. Account value will fluctuate based upon a number of factors, including general market conditions.

The Plan Web site is for informational purposes only, and does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any security that may be referenced on the site. Such offer or solicitation can be made only through the Disclosure Booklet.

The Plan Web site contains links to other Web sites. Neither the Plan nor TFI and its affiliates are responsible for the content of those other Web sites. The accuracy of information on those sites cannot be confirmed.