COLLEGE INVEST’S SCHOLARS CHOICE HOLDS #1 RANKING
Achievement marks the fourth consecutive quarter forCollegeInvest’s advisor-sold fund
Denver, CO, January 6, 2011 – CollegeInvest, Colorado’s state sponsored 529 college savings program, announced today that its Scholar’s Choice College Savings Plan, was again ranked #1 in the nation by Savingforcollege.com, owned by Bankrate Inc. The rating is among Class A-share portfolio performance for the one-year period ending September 30, 2010. This is the fourth consecutive quarter that Scholar’s Choice has achieved this top distinction. The fund is managed by Legg Mason Global Asset Allocation.
CollegeInvest’s director, Debra DeMuth, said, “We are extremely pleased to have Scholar’s Choice fund be recognized as the best, and especially proud to have held that distinction for a full 12-month period. This acknowledgment speaks to the quality of savings opportunities that we work to provide for Colorado families.”
Joseph Hurley, founder and CEO of Savingforcollege.com said, "More advisors are recognizing the value of 529 plans in their client portfolios. Our rankings help advisors select the best plans for their needs."
Savingforcollege.com, one of the leading experts on college savings, is an independent advisory firm owned by BankRate.com. Scholars Choice is managed by Legg Mason’s independent investment firms and distributed by Legg Mason Investor Services for the State of Colorado.
CollegeInvest’s Scholars Choice Plan is one of the largest advisor-sold plans nationwide with $2.4 billion in assets. It offers a range of age-based, static, and zero-coupon bond portfolio options. The fund is available exclusively through financial advisors, and is available to residents of any state.
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About CollegeInvest
CollegeInvest is a not-for-profit division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education. Since 1979, CollegeInvest has helped more than half a million families break down the financial barriers to college by providing expert information, simple planning tools, college savings plans, and scholarships. For more information, visit www.collegeinvest.org or call 1-800-448-2424 or contact your financial advisor.
Ranking Methodology
The Savingforcollege.com Plan Composite Rankings, which rank Class A Share portfolio performance for a universe of 36 advisor-sold 529 plans, apply to the rolling one-year period through the end of each calendar quarter.
Savingforcollege.com derives the rankings using each plan’s relevant portfolio performance in seven unique asset allocation categories: 100% Equity, 80% Equity, 60% Equity, 40% Equity, 20% Equity, 100% Fixed and 100% Short Term. The plan’s composite ranking is determined by the average of its percentile ranking in these categories. Within each category, portfolios are compared and ranked based on published investment returns. Separate rankings are produced for one-, three- and five-year periods. In addition, two versions of rankings for each performance period are produced: one based on performance without sales charges and the other based on performance with maximum sales charges. Please visit www.savingforcollege.com for more information about the ranking.
Additional share classes may exist for each plan ranked. Please refer to each plan’s program disclosure statement for more information regarding its performance, fees and expenses. For Scholars Choice’s program disclosure statement, please visit www.scholars-choice.com
Important Information
To learn about CollegeInvest’s 529 program, its objectives, risks, charges, expenses, limitations, restrictions and qualifications regarding the Plans’ benefits and potential tax advantages, please read and consider carefully the Program Disclosure Statements (PDS) available at www.collegeinvest.org before investing. Also, check with your or your beneficiary’s home state to learn if it offers tax or other benefits for investing in its own plan. Administered and issued by CollegeInvest. CollegeInvest and the CollegeInvest logo are registered trademarks of CollegeInvest. Copyright © 2010 CollegeInvest.
The ranking is based on short-term performance (i.e., rolling one-year period). The performance and ranking discussed are inherently limited and not indicative of longer-term performance. This information should not be the sole basis for any investment decision. Market volatility, interest-rate changes and economic events, among other factors, can affect an investment’s short-term returns.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Current performance may be lower or higher than performance results used for this ranking, resulting in different rankings that may be lower than those shown.
An investor should consider the Program’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses before investing. The program disclosure statement at www.scholars-choice.com, which contains more information, should be read carefully before investing. If an investor or an investor’s beneficiary is not a Colorado taxpayer, they should consider before investing whether their home states offer 529 Plans that provide state tax and other benefits only available to state taxpayers investing in such plans.
Investments in the Scholars Choice College Savings Program are not insured by the FDIC or any other government agency and are not deposits or other obligations of any depository institution. Investments are not guaranteed by the State of Colorado; CollegeInvest, Legg Mason Global Asset Allocation, LLC; Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC; or Legg Mason, Inc. or its affiliates, and are subject to investment risks.
Scholars Choice is a registered service mark of CollegeInvest. CollegeInvest and the CollegeInvest logo are registered trademarks. Administered and issued by CollegeInvest, State of Colorado. Legg Mason Global Asset Allocation, LLC, Investment Manager. Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC is the primary distributor of interest in the Program; together, they serve as Manager of the Program. Legg Mason Global Asset Allocation, LLC; ClearBridge Advisors, LLC; Legg Mason Capital Management, Inc.; Batterymarch Financial Management, Inc.; Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC; Royce & Associates, LLC; Western Asset Management Company and Western Asset Management Company Limited; and Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC are Legg Mason, Inc. affiliates. Thornburg Investment Management, Inc. is not affiliated with Legg Mason Inc. and its affiliates.
Susan Hagar
Hagar Communications
720 935 1777
hagarcomm@comcast.net
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