Illinois First Steps
Start Saving Early with a $50 seed deposit
Illinois First Steps encourages families to begin saving for higher education early in a child’s life. In fiscal year 2025, nearly 9% of Illinois families with babies born in 2023 claimed their Illinois First Steps seed deposit and began saving for future education costs. As of June 30, 2025, the oldest children in that group were 2½ years old.
More Families Are Starting Earlier
Since Illinois First Steps launched in 2023, families have been opening Illinois 529 college savings accounts earlier than they did previously. The average age of a child when an account was opened has dropped to 5.6 years, and the median age has dropped to 3.2 years. Together, these trends show that more families are taking action sooner to save for their child’s future.
There Is Still Time to Claim the Deposit
Families still have time to participate. Illinois parents or legal guardians of a child born or adopted in 2023 or later can claim the Illinois First Steps $50 seed deposit until the child turns 10. As more families learn about the program and open Illinois 529 accounts, participation is expected to continue growing.