Kiplingers Personal Finance

05/2017 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 13

ALEX MARTINEZ

AN ETF FOR

BITCOINS

EXCERPT FROM

The Kiplinger Letter

WHAT’S THE DEAL?

EMPLOYERS HELP

WITH COLLEGE SAVING

Automatic payroll deductions fund 529s,

and some bosses kick in cash.

AS THE COST OF COLLEGE

rises, some employers are

making it easy for workers

to stash away cash for their

kids’ education. A small but

growing number of compa-

nies allow workers to fund

529 college-savings accounts

with direct withdrawals

from their paychecks. And

some companies sweeten

the deal, matching employee

contributions.

In 2016, 11% of companies

offered a 529 benefit, ac-

cording to the Society for

Human Resource Manage-

ment’s annual survey of the

organization’s members.

Contributions are made af-

ter federal taxes, and most

states offer tax breaks for

residents who invest in the

state-sponsored plan (five

states offer deductions re-

gardless of which state’s

plan you pick). Your invest-

ment grows tax-free, and

earnings escape tax com-

pletely if withdrawals are

used for qualified higher-

education expenses.

Marketing agency VML,

headquartered in Kansas

City, offers employees the

option of directing a portion

of their paycheck to a 529

account. Tosha Turner, 43,

director of finance, is sock-

ing away cash each month

to help cover college ex-

penses for her 8-year-old

twins. The automatic saving

plan is both easy and effec-

tive, says Turner. “This

takes the onus off me, and

we’re definitely making

more progress,” she says.

If your company doesn’t

kick in money to match your

investments, make sure that

the plan offered is as good

as one that you could get on

your own. For example,

some employer-sponsored

plans may limit you to 529s

offered by certain states

(forcing you to forgo tax

breaks if you live across

state lines), or they may

carry higher fees or be a

poor fit for your investment

style. Compare options at

http://www.savingforcollege.com.

KAITLIN PITSKER

STAY IN

SHAPE ON

THE ROAD

THE BUZZ

Forget about lounging in

your hotel room with the

TV remote when you travel.

Hotels are giving guests plenty

of ways to stay active in body

and mind.

Hit the road. At Residence

Inn, Radisson Blu and other

chains, you can grab a trail

map or follow an app to navi-

gate custom running or bike

routes. Some places also lend

gear, such as the free bikes

and helmets at Element Ho-

tels. Westin’s “run concierges”

will lead guests on a run—and

in some cities, on hiking, biking

or surfing excursions.

Grab a mat. Rooftop or pool-

side yoga, high-intensity inter-

val training, and even personal

training are available at many

hotels. At the Hilton Chicago

O’Hare Airport, for example,

you can schedule a trainer and

a workout at the hotel gym via

an app.

Slow it down. A new focus on

mental wellness may include

guided meditation or art ther-

apy. At a few Marriott hotels,

Stay Well guest rooms feature

a dawn-simulating wake-up,

with gradually increasing light

and sound, optional aroma-

therapy, and mood lighting.

Rejuvenate in your room.

Find free yoga mats in Kimp-

ton rooms. Or hop on the

treadmill, elliptical or station-

ary bike in Fitness rooms at

Tryp by Wyndham—workout

wear included. MIRIAM CROSS

Odds are in favor of retail trading of bitcoins on a major exchange. The

Securities and Exchange Commission appears ready to give a green light

to the Winklevoss exchange-traded fund, making it the first to track digi-

tal currency. The Winklevoss ETF would trade on the Bats BZX Exchange

under the symbol COIN. (www.kiplingerbiz.com/ahead/coin)

■ TOSHA AND

MARCUS TURNER

ARE BUILDING

COLLEGE FUNDS

FOR TWINS LYRIC

AND LINCOLN.