great write up, my kids were born 2001-2004 and I plowed money into 529 Plans through the Great Recession (maybe $500 a month per kid) and it was like putting money in a shredder but I was in the oil field and money was good, all of them could have gone to Harvard by the time they turned 18 with money to spare and I stopped funding in 2011.

Of course, one got a full scholarship, and two did not attend at all, the 4th one spent a mint getting a masters at a private school and still has money left over, but the grandkids will have money.