The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and its Professional Certification Coalition (PCC) are urging associations to support a bipartisan bill introduced last December to allow “529” education savings accounts to be used for workforce training, professional certification and other credentialing program costs.
The Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act was introduced by Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and Rob Wittman (R-VA) to help students and individuals already in the workforce advance their career development through training, certification and credentialing programs. Currently, 529 accounts can only be used to pay for tuition at colleges and universities, vocational schools and other post-secondary institutions.
ASAE has developed sample text for organizations and individuals to contact their members of Congress in support of the legislation. Individuals can also download the PCC’s position paper on the bill.
Under the Spanberger-Wittman bill, tuition, fees, books, supplies and equipment required to enroll in or attend a program that prepares individuals for professional certification, as well as any fees charged by certification programs would be eligible expenses.
This bill will be a key issue for attendees of American Associations Day, ASAE’s legislative fly-in, which will take place March 19-20 on Capitol Hill. Registration for American Associations Day is free and the two-day agenda includes a half day of information-sharing and networking at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill and a joint reception with the ASAE Board on the evening of March 19. Click here to register for American Associations Day. For more information, please contact ASAE's Nate Fisher at nfisher@asaecenter.org.
This article was provided to OSAE by the Power of A and ASAE's Inroads.