ICYMI: Rep. Hinson in The Telegraph Herald: Extending 529 Plans to Child Care Would Help Iowa Families

Congresswoman Ashley Hinson
The Telegraph Herald

Family is at the heart of everything I do — and we should keep working to make it easier and more affordable to raise one. In Washington, I am laser-focused on bipartisan solutions that make life simpler and more affordable for working parents. One area where we can make a meaningful difference is child care, which has become one of the largest household expenses for families in Iowa and across the country.

Parents often spend a significant portion of their income on early childhood programs. For some, the cost is so high they are forced to choose between remaining in the workforce or staying home with their children. As a mom who has always worked, I don’t think families should have to make that choice.

That is why I helped introduce bipartisan legislation to allow parents to use 529 education savings accounts for licensed child care and early learning expenses for children under 5. Currently, families can use 529 plans to save for higher education and K-12 education expenses. But we all know the crunch doesn’t start when their child enters elementary school or turns 18 — it starts in the early years when costs of child care and early learning options start to add up. This bill doesn’t cap how much families can use or save in their 529 account, so parents can plan in ways that match their budgets and real-time needs. Providing this flexibility will empower parents to invest in their children’s education from the early formative years to college.

More help is also on the way from the Working Families Tax Cuts bill, which expands the Child Tax Credit to allow working families to keep more of their paychecks. Paired together, these policies will improve child care access and affordability for families.

Expanding the use of 529s for child care is just one piece of our larger affordability effort, but it’s a common sense, bipartisan place to start. I’ll continue working across the aisle to break down barriers and make child care more accessible to Iowa families. Together, we can give families the financial security they need and every child the strong start they deserve. 

This piece was originally published in The Telegraph Herald on February 18, 2026. Read more about the bipartisan legislation Rep. Hinson helped introduce here.

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