# Backer – full site text Every page of this site as markdown, in one file. Each section below is the mirror of one route; the same text is served per page at the mirror path shown. See /llms.txt for a short index of the same material. --- Source: / Mirror: /index.md --- # Powering 529 investing across America Connecting families Backer builds modern financial infrastructure and consumer experiences to help families invest more in their kids. [For families](/families) · [For partners](/partners) _Alongside the hero the page renders a live preview of a child's Backer gift page and its contribution flow: the desktop gift page cropped to its corner – the child's photo, her page link, a note from her parents, and the count of people backing her – and a card checkout carrying a $1.99 sending fee and a 3% card processing fee, secured by Stripe._ ## Modern 529 gifting Gifting made simple ### Families Open or link a child’s 529, share their gifting page, and give the people who love them a way to contribute. ### 529 plans Give every account you manage a shareable gift page, with contributions deposited straight into the 529. ### Broker-dealers Let advisors offer 529 gifting to the clients they serve, with support for omnibus-held and other advisor-sold plans. ### Consumer platforms Add 529 gifting to your website or app – users open or link a 529, share it, and receive gifts without leaving your product. ## Spanning the 529 / 530a ecosystem FROM 529 to 530a Family investing is a messy patchwork – 100+ different 529 plans, newly-arrived 530a Trump Accounts, and legacy technology behind most of it. Backer helps consumers act with confidence. ### for families Families can create or link a 529 account, customize their gifting page, and invite family and friends to contribute. ### for partners Partners can flexibly offer Backer’s best-in-class 529 gifting functionality to their users or clients. ### SavingForCollege.com Families and advisors have relied on the 529 articles, plan data, ratings and tools since 1999. ### TrumpAccounts.com The independent hub for tracking Trump Account news, funding, and bonus and match eligibility. ### Different roles. A shared mission. Our products and properties work together to drive results for families. ## Built on real family-investing activity our numbers ### 455,000+ 529 contributions processed ### 277,000+ People reached ### $100M+ Saved toward kids' futures ## The future takes a village A family opens or links a 529. Everyone who loves the kid pitches in – birthdays, holidays, whenever – and every gift lands in the plan the family chose. [For families](/families) _The section shows gift messages left with contributions – notes such as "We love you, Maya!", "Wish you all the best!" and "Here's a small present for your future"._ ## We back what matters most One home for the whole village behind a kid – parents, grandparents, godparents, friends. [For families](/families) --- _Site-wide footer copy and disclosure, shown on every page:_ The connected information, discovery, and infrastructure company for family investing. Backer is the tradename of Principly, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser. Our internet-based investment advisory services are designed to assist clients in saving for education and are not intended to provide comprehensive tax advice or financial planning. Our services are available to U.S. residents only. This website shall not be considered a solicitation or offering for any service or product to any person in any jurisdiction where such solicitation or offer would be unlawful. Investing in securities involves risks, and investing in 529 plans in particular involves certain tax considerations and related risks. Any investments you make in a 529 plan through Backer may lose value. Historical returns, expected returns, and probability projections are provided for informational and illustrative purposes, and may not reflect actual future performance. Our savings calculator is a hypothetical tool provided for illustrative purposes only and is based on important assumptions [described here](/legal#disclosures). SavingForCollege.com and TrumpAccounts.com are independent publishing properties of Saving for College, LLC and do not provide investment advice. © 2026 Principly, Inc. --- Source: /families Mirror: /families.md --- # Give family a place to back their future for families Open or link your child’s 529 plan, share their gifting page, and give the people who love them an easy way to contribute. Enter your email [Get started](https://app.backer.com/signup?referrer=home) · [sign in](https://app.backer.com/signin) ## Sign up. Share the page. Let family back it. Zoe's page becomes the place where birthdays, milestones, and everyday encouragement can turn into contributions for her future. ### Fund Create a place for Zoe's future. ### Share Send Zoe’s gifting page to family and friends. ### Back They join the team as backers. _The section renders an example gift page for a child named Zoe, cropped from the desktop app: her photo, the title “Zoe’s 529”, the link backer.com/zoes-529, the note “We’re saving for Zoe’s future – thank you for being part of it. Every gift, big or small, goes straight into her education savings.” from Jordan & Sallie, and the line “12 people back Zoe”._ ## The smart way to save for education You want the best future for your child, but there’s so much to figure out along the way. We’ve taken the guesswork out of saving for education, so you can take at least one thing off your list. ### The right 529 plan for you 529s are confusing, with over 100 different ones in the U.S. We connect to most of them and will help you open a great one. _The card shows a searchable plan picker listing 70 529 plans by state, from Alaska 529 to Wisconsin Edvest 529._ ### Super simple saving Paperless setup. Automated contributions. Projected savings. Everything you need to manage your 529 account, all from your phone. _The card shows the in-app "Add funds" screen: preset amounts from $10 to $50 or a custom amount, a frequency and a schedule, and an illustrative projection that $100 per month could grow to $30,802 by 2038._ ### Gifts that make a difference Every 529 gets a custom link that’s easy to share, so family and friends can contribute. Think birthdays, holidays... Wednesdays. ### Save money for college tax-free It's like a retirement account for your child, so you can grow your savings tax-free. If you've been wondering how you'll be able to afford college, a 529 plan is the answer. _The card charts an illustrative comparison from birth to age 18: $40,400 in a 529 plan against $22,600 kept in a saving account._ Investments in 529 plans are subject to risk, including possible loss of principal. The growth shown is hypothetical – see our [disclosures](/legal#disclosures). ## Big love from Backer families Surprise: it’s not just parents who love saving together. > It is hard to save but I believe in asking for help, so I asked friends and family to help and we are doing it as a team. Let’s give our kids the freedom to decide what they wanna do. @thecarlinfamily on TikTok This current client received a cash fee of less than $500 for this testimonial, which provides a financial incentive to recommend Backer and creates a conflict of interest. > We really needed to start saving for our baby. I love that family members can make contributions. Instead of giving the baby gifts or monetary gifts they can just make a contribution towards their college fund. It makes me feel comfortable knowing we are saving for his future. @andrea_mrllo on TikTok This current client received a cash fee of less than $500 for this testimonial, which provides a financial incentive to recommend Backer and creates a conflict of interest. ## Questions? We’ve got answers. faq [More questions? Visit our help center](https://help.backer.com/en/) ### Why should I use Backer? Backer is the easiest way to save for college with help from family and friends. We’ll help you invest your savings with a tax-free 529 Savings Plan, which is like a retirement account for your child’s education and career. It’s a government-sponsored account and is the smartest way to avoid future student debt. With Backer, it’s simple to involve family and friends in the process. These “backers” can quickly and easily contribute to your child’s 529 and stay involved as your child gets closer to college. Our most active customers save significantly more by building a team of backers for their kids. ### How does Backer help me save more for college? Studies have shown that simply having a college fund can dramatically improve educational outcomes. Backer amplifies this effect by having your family and friends chip in, and then investing all of the savings tax-free. We’ve also noticed parents on our platform contribute more themselves when they have a team of friends and relatives along for the ride. Just like it’s helpful to have a gym buddy or study buddy, having a team of backers for your kids is super motivating and helps you make much faster progress toward your savings goals. ### Who can join the fund as a backer? Anyone you invite by sharing your unique gifting page link can join as a backer and contribute gifts. We see lots of grandparents, uncles/aunts, and even family friends or the child’s mentors at school and through other activities. ### What is Backer like for the backers I invite? With limited access to your child’s page, backers can see that they’re part of a team, but you choose how much of the page’s activity you want to be visible. We send reminders to your backers around the holidays and when your kid’s birthday is coming up. We make it easy to link a bank account via online banking, or they can use a credit or debit card or digital wallet like Apple Pay or Google Pay – so gifting is a breeze. Contributors pay just $1.99 per gift in addition to any card processing fees, if applicable. ### How much does it cost? We’ve got a plan for every family – with simple, transparent pricing, no matter how much you save. Check out all the details about Backer membership on our [pricing page](/pricing). ### Why should I use a 529 plan to save? A 529 plan is a government-sponsored program to help families build their savings early so they can more easily afford future education- and career-related expenses (e.g., K-12 tuition, college, vocational and trade schooling, and apprenticeship programs). It lets your money grow tax-free and be withdrawn tax-free as long as it’s used for qualified expenses. It’s like a retirement account, but for education, and has been around for over 25 years. ### How do you safeguard my personal information? We use the strongest available browser encryption, secure servers monitored 24/7/365, and industry-leading identity verification services to safeguard your personal information. We also have clear privacy procedures in place to govern our own use of your information. To learn more, please see our [Privacy Notice](/legal#privacy). ### Who are the people behind Backer? We’re a diverse team with decades of experience in financial services and the tech industry. Learn more [here](/about). ### What if I decide Backer is not for me? We’ll be sad to lose you, but you’ll be able to keep the 529 plan we helped you open or we’ll help you roll it over to another provider. If you leave Backer, you will lose the ability to access and manage your 529 plan via our website and mobile apps, as well as the gifting page where your backers can help you save, your Backer contribution and gifting history, and all of our other features. We’ll welcome any feedback you have for how we can improve and will always welcome you back if you change your mind. ## We back what matters most One home for the whole village behind a kid – parents, grandparents, godparents, friends. [Get started](https://app.backer.com) --- _Site-wide footer copy and disclosure, shown on every page:_ The connected information, discovery, and infrastructure company for family investing. Backer is the tradename of Principly, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser. Our internet-based investment advisory services are designed to assist clients in saving for education and are not intended to provide comprehensive tax advice or financial planning. Our services are available to U.S. residents only. This website shall not be considered a solicitation or offering for any service or product to any person in any jurisdiction where such solicitation or offer would be unlawful. Investing in securities involves risks, and investing in 529 plans in particular involves certain tax considerations and related risks. Any investments you make in a 529 plan through Backer may lose value. Historical returns, expected returns, and probability projections are provided for informational and illustrative purposes, and may not reflect actual future performance. Our savings calculator is a hypothetical tool provided for illustrative purposes only and is based on important assumptions [described here](/legal#disclosures). SavingForCollege.com and TrumpAccounts.com are independent publishing properties of Saving for College, LLC and do not provide investment advice. © 2026 Principly, Inc. --- Source: /partners Mirror: /partners.md --- # How can we work together? for partners From fully-hosted to white-label – and everything in between – Backer’s 529 gifting platform is designed to work with your organization. On the path to SOC 2 Type II certification. Security, privacy, and compliance diligence materials available during partnership discussions. ## The digital standard for 529 gifting Backer Gifting Backer’s 529 gifting platform has the widest plan coverage, the fastest processing times, and the best exception handling. Go live in weeks. Give your customers, clients, or audience the best 529 gifting experience so they can save more with support from family and friends. ### States improving their 529 gifting Few plans have a gifting experience that feels native to the way families share and contribute today. Backer gives state 529 programs a proven path to improve results while keeping plan operations clear. 5% Backer gifting’s share of all North Carolina 529 contributions in 2025. ### Broker-dealers Let clients easily invite family and friends to contribute to their omnibus-held advisor-sold plan. A win for your advisors, their clients, and your 529 asset base. - Invite - Contribute - Receive #### Proven lane A standardized agreement and flat per-gift fee structure support compliant broker-dealer adoption. ### Consumer platforms Add 529 gifting capabilities beside the moments when families already gather, celebrate, and give. Backer supplies the contribution infrastructure while your consumer UI remains the front door. +70% YoY growth in recurring gifts – that first contribution can become an enduring family habit. ## The gift moment The moment a family receives a gift, shipped as an embeddable partner module – your brand front-and-center, Backer under-the-hood. _Beside the copy sits a preview of the embeddable module – a "Powered by Backer" card reading "You received a gift", "$50.00", "from Grandma" and "We love you, Maya!". Its accessible description reads: The Backer gift moment on a partner surface._ [Contact partnerships](mailto:partnerships@backer.com) ## Built on real family-investing activity our numbers ### 455,000+ 529 contributions processed ### 277,000+ People reached ### $100M+ Saved toward kids' futures ## We back what matters most One home for the whole village behind a kid – parents, grandparents, godparents, friends. [For families](/families) --- _Site-wide footer copy and disclosure, shown on every page:_ The connected information, discovery, and infrastructure company for family investing. Backer is the tradename of Principly, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser. Our internet-based investment advisory services are designed to assist clients in saving for education and are not intended to provide comprehensive tax advice or financial planning. Our services are available to U.S. residents only. This website shall not be considered a solicitation or offering for any service or product to any person in any jurisdiction where such solicitation or offer would be unlawful. Investing in securities involves risks, and investing in 529 plans in particular involves certain tax considerations and related risks. Any investments you make in a 529 plan through Backer may lose value. Historical returns, expected returns, and probability projections are provided for informational and illustrative purposes, and may not reflect actual future performance. Our savings calculator is a hypothetical tool provided for illustrative purposes only and is based on important assumptions [described here](/legal#disclosures). SavingForCollege.com and TrumpAccounts.com are independent publishing properties of Saving for College, LLC and do not provide investment advice. © 2026 Principly, Inc. --- Source: /developers Mirror: /developers.md --- # The API for sending money to a 529 Backer gifting API One integration reaches 70 of the 95 giftable 529 plans. Collect a card or bank payment, route it to the beneficiary's plan, and get a webhook when it settles. [Request access](mailto:partnerships@backer.com) · [Read the reference](#reference) A gift, in four calls ``` POST /v2/oauth/token { "grantType": "client_credentials", "clientId": "…", "clientSecret": "…" } → { "accessToken": "…", "expiresIn": 3600 } GET /v2/contribution-fees ?accountId=…&customerId=…&paymentMethodType=card &amountInCents=2500&platformFeeInCents=199 → { "processingFeeInCents": 75, "platformFeeInCents": 199, "totalAmountInCents": 2774 } POST /v2/contributions { "accountId": "…", "amountInCents": 2500, "platformFeeInCents": 199, "clientContributionId": "gift_8f2c", "funding": { "type": "customer", "customerId": "…", "paymentMethodId": "…" } } → { "transactionId": "ebb7d76d-…", "status": "processing", … } WEBHOOK transaction.settled { "type": "transaction.settled", "resourceType": "transaction", "resourceId": "ebb7d76d-…", "data": { "accountId": "…", "status": "settled" } } ``` ## What you can build Use cases ### Gifting inside your product A registry, a wallet, or a brokerage app lets a giver fund a child's 529 without leaving. ### Link an existing 529 Validate an account number against the plan or the broker that holds it, then contribute to it. ### Integrated enrollment Open a new 529 account in your flow on Backer-hosted pages and get the outcome by webhook. Available to approved partners ## How a gift moves The flow ### Create a customer One `POST /v2/customers` per giver, keyed by your own `clientCustomerId`. ### Collect a payment method on a hosted page The page is Backer-hosted, so card data and bank credentials never touch your servers. Bank accounts verify instantly through Plaid. ### Quote the fees `GET /v2/contribution-fees` returns the processing fee, your platform fee, and the total the giver will be charged. ### Create the contribution `POST /v2/contributions` with your own `clientContributionId`. A duplicate id returns 409, so a retry can never charge twice. ### Backer settles it to the plan Funds are collected and dispatched to the 529 plan, and `transaction.settled` arrives at your webhook. A contribution can be canceled within one hour of creation. Card refunds and ACH returns come back as webhooks. Customer and hosted payment page ``` POST /v2/customers { "clientCustomerId": "usr_31ab", "firstName": "Maya", "lastName": "Lee", "email": "maya@example.com" } → { "customerId": "7579429d-…", "clientCustomerId": "usr_31ab", … } POST /v2/customers/7579429d-…/add-payment-method-sessions { "successUrl": "https://yourapp.com/success", "cancelUrl": "https://yourapp.com/cancel", "type": "card", "platformFeeInCents": 199, "metadata": "" } → { "url": "https://backer.com/white-label /add-payment-method?token=…" } # the giver returns to successUrl with the saved method ?paymentMethodId=3611f5f2-…&metadata= ``` ## One integration, 70 plans Coverage The plans a gift can reach today, by state. Coverage has more than doubled in the last six months; ask us about a plan you need. ### 70 529 plans a gift can reach today ### 74% of the 95 giftable 529 plans ### 41 states, plus the District of Columbia ### Covered plans | Covered plans | Plan | | --- | --- | | Alaska | Alaska 529 | | Alaska | T. Rowe Price 529 | | Arizona | AZ529, Arizona's Education Savings Plan, Fidelity | | Arizona | The Goldman Sachs 529 Plan | | Arkansas | Arkansas Brighter Future Advisor Plan | | Arkansas | Arkansas Brighter Future Direct Plan | | California | ScholarShare 529 | | Colorado | CollegeInvest Direct Portfolio College Savings Plan | | Colorado | Scholars Choice Education Savings Plan | | Colorado | Smart Choice College Savings Plan | | Colorado | Stable Value Plus College Savings Plan | | Connecticut | CHET Advisor 529 Plan | | Connecticut | Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET) | | Delaware | DE529 Education Savings Plan | | Florida | Florida Investment 529 Plan | | Florida | Florida Prepaid 529 Plan | | Georgia | Path2College 529 Plan | | Hawaii | HI529 – Hawaii's College Savings Program | | Idaho | IDeal – Idaho Education Savings Program | | Indiana | Indiana529 Advisor Savings Plan | | Indiana | Indiana529 Direct Savings Plan | | Iowa | ISave 529 | | Kansas | Quest529 Education Savings Plan | | Kansas | Schwab 529 Education Savings Plan | | Kentucky | KY Saves 529 | | Maine | NextGen 529 -- Client Connect Series | | Massachusetts | U.Fund College Investing Plan | | Michigan | MI 529 Advisor Plan | | Michigan | Michigan Education Savings Program (MESP) | | Minnesota | Minnesota College Savings Plan | | Missouri | MOST - Missouri's 529 Education Plan (Direct-sold) | | Montana | Achieve Montana | | Nebraska | Bloomwell 529 Education Savings Plan | | Nebraska | NEST Advisor College Savings Plan | | Nebraska | NEST Direct College Savings Plan | | Nevada | Future Path 529 Plan | | Nevada | The Vanguard 529 College Savings Plan | | Nevada | Victory Capital 529 Education Savings Plan | | New Hampshire | Fidelity Advisor 529 Plan | | New Hampshire | UNIQUE College Investing Plan | | New Jersey | Franklin Templeton 529 College Savings Plan | | New Jersey | NJBEST 529 College Savings Plan | | New Mexico | Scholar's Edge | | New Mexico | The Education Plan | | New York | New York's 529 Advisor-Guided College Savings Program | | New York | New York's 529 College Savings Program -- Direct Plan | | North Carolina | Morgan Stanley National Advisory 529 Plan | | North Carolina | North Carolina's National College Savings Program | | North Dakota | College SAVE (Advisor) | | North Dakota | College SAVE (Direct) | | Ohio | Ohio’s 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage | | Oklahoma | Oklahoma 529 | | Oklahoma | Oklahoma Dream 529 Plan | | Oregon | Embark | | Oregon | MFS 529 Savings Plan | | Pennsylvania | PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan | | Pennsylvania | PA 529 Investment Plan | | Rhode Island | CollegeBound 529 (Advisor-Sold) | | Rhode Island | CollegeBound Saver (Direct-Sold) | | Tennessee | TNStars College Savings 529 Program | | Texas | LoneStar 529 Plan | | Texas | Texas College Savings Plan | | Utah | my529 | | Vermont | VT529 | | Virginia | Invest529 | | Washington DC | DC College Savings Plan | | West Virginia | SMART529 Select | | West Virginia | SMART529 WV Direct College Savings Plan | | West Virginia | The Hartford SMART529 | | Wisconsin | Edvest 529 | ## Endpoints Reference Plain HTTPS and JSON with camelCase keys, version 2026-07-27. Base URL `https://backer.com/restapi/v2` Sandbox Provisioned with your credentials Authentication OAuth2 client credentials; bearer tokens expire after `expiresIn` seconds (3,600 in the sandbox example) Rate limit 300 requests per minute per partner with burst allowance of 20 requests per second The full OpenAPI 3.1 document comes with access. ### Authentication | Method | Path | Summary | | --- | --- | --- | | POST | `/v2/oauth/token` | Exchange credentials for a bearer access token | ### Customers | Method | Path | Summary | | --- | --- | --- | | POST | `/v2/customers` | Register a customer with Backer | | GET | `/v2/customers` | Get a customer by clientCustomerId | | GET | `/v2/customers/{customerId}` | Get a customer by Backer customer id | | POST | `/v2/customers/{customerId}` | Update a customer's details | | POST | `/v2/customers/{customerId}/status` | Activate, deactivate, or put a customer on hold | ### Payment methods | Method | Path | Summary | | --- | --- | --- | | POST | `/v2/customers/{customerId}/add-payment-method-sessions` | Create a signed URL to the hosted payment-method page | | GET | `/v2/customers/{customerId}/payment-methods` | List saved payment methods for a customer | | GET | `/v2/customers/{customerId}/payment-methods/{paymentMethodId}` | Get a saved payment method by id | | DELETE | `/v2/customers/{customerId}/payment-methods/{paymentMethodId}` | Delete a saved payment method | ### Plans and brokers | Method | Path | Summary | | --- | --- | --- | | GET | `/v2/plans` | List 529 plans | | GET | `/v2/brokers` | List brokerage partners | ### Accounts | Method | Path | Summary | | --- | --- | --- | | POST | `/v2/customers/{customerId}/validate-account-number` | Validate a 529 account number | | POST | `/v2/customers/{customerId}/link-account` | Create an account backed by an existing 529 account | | GET | `/v2/accounts/{accountId}/details` | Get a linked 529 account by id | | POST | `/v2/accounts/{accountId}` | Update linked 529 account details | | POST | `/v2/accounts/{accountId}/status` | Activate or deactivate a linked 529 account | | GET | `/v2/contribution-limits` | Get 529 contribution limits for a linked account | ### Contributions and transactions | Method | Path | Summary | | --- | --- | --- | | GET | `/v2/contribution-fees` | Quote fees for a prospective contribution | | POST | `/v2/contributions` | Submit a contribution | | GET | `/v2/transactions/{transactionId}` | Get a transaction by id | | GET | `/v2/transactions` | Get a transaction by clientContributionId | | GET | `/v2/accounts/{accountId}/transactions` | List transactions for an account | | POST | `/v2/transactions/{transactionId}/cancel` | Cancel a contribution transaction | ### Webhooks | Method | Path | Summary | | --- | --- | --- | | POST | `/v2/webhook-subscription` | Update the partner's webhook subscription | ### Enrollment Documented for approved partners ## Webhooks Events Backer posts an event to your endpoint when a contribution settles, fails, or is refunded. Every delivery is signed. | Event | Summary | | --- | --- | | `transaction.settled` | Contribution settled to the 529 plan | | `transaction.failed` | Contribution failed | | `transaction.refund_initiated` | Refund initiated for a contribution | | `transaction.refunded` | Refund settled for a contribution | | `transaction.refund_failed` | Refund failed for a contribution | `enrollment.completed` and `enrollment.failed` are documented for approved partners. Two deliveries ``` WEBHOOK transaction.settled { "id": "eb6b75db-…", "type": "transaction.settled", "createdAt": "2026-05-13T22:57:58Z", "resourceType": "transaction", "resourceId": "f98e1ce6-…", "data": { "accountId": "78198e5c-…", "status": "settled" } } WEBHOOK transaction.failed { "id": "6f6f063e-…", "type": "transaction.failed", "createdAt": "2026-05-14T21:56:06Z", "resourceType": "transaction", "resourceId": "b76699b6-…", "data": { "accountId": "f2c690b0-…", "status": "failed", "failureDetails": { "phase": "funding", "category": "funding_ach_failure", "code": "other_ach_return", "failedAt": "2026-05-14T21:56:06Z", "message": "Payment failed" } } } ``` ### Verifying a delivery Every delivery carries a `Webhook-Signature` header of the form `t=, v1=`, where the signature is the hex HMAC-SHA256 of `.` keyed with your subscription secret. Reject a delivery whose timestamp is more than five minutes old, compare signatures in constant time, and use the `Webhook-Id` header to deduplicate: deliveries are retried with exponential backoff, up to 20 attempts. ### Subscribing Set the destination URL, the event list, and the signing secret with `POST /v2/webhook-subscription`. One subscription per partner; every environment gets its own credentials, so the sandbox can point at a staging endpoint. ## Sandbox and testing Testing ### A sandbox comes with access The sandbox speaks the same API and returns the same shapes; credentials and its base URL are provisioned when access is granted. ### Force an outcome On a sandbox contribution, an `X-Backer-Simulate` header forces the result. It takes `settled`, `card_declined`, `ach_insufficient_funds`, `invalid_account_number`, `plan_not_available`, `refund_succeeded`, `refund_card_expired`, or `refund_account_closed`. ### Hosted page timing A payment-method session URL must be opened within 10 minutes. Once on the page, the giver has 30 minutes; after that they are sent to your cancel URL. ## Built for agents For agents ### Every page has a markdown twin This page is also served as plain markdown at `/developers.md`, and every page links its twin with `rel="alternate"`. ### The reference is complete Every public endpoint, its summary, and the webhook events are on this page and in its markdown twin. ### /llms.txt indexes it all An index of the site for assistants and crawlers, with the full text of every page in one file at `/llms-full.txt`. One line for an agent ``` Read https://backer.com/developers.md, then request access at partnerships@backer.com. ``` ## Security and compliance Trust ### Hosted pages Card data and bank credentials are entered on Backer-hosted pages, so they stay out of your systems. You hold a paymentMethodId, never the details behind it. ### Money movement A contribution can be canceled within one hour of creation: an ACH pull is stopped before it runs, and a card charge is refunded. Refunds and returns report back as webhooks, so your records never drift from ours. ### Who you are integrating with Backer is the tradename of Principly, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser and technology/administrative-services provider. Backer is not a broker-dealer, municipal advisor, or fiduciary to any plan. The API and the Backer-hosted gifting pages process contributions; they do not provide investment advice. ## Questions? We’ve got answers. faq ### How do I send money to a 529 plan programmatically? Through Backer’s gifting API: create a customer, collect a payment method on a Backer-hosted page, quote the fees, then create a contribution against the beneficiary’s account. Backer routes the funds to the plan and sends a webhook when the contribution settles. ### Which 529 plans does the Backer API support? 70 of the 95 giftable 529 plans today, listed above by state. Coverage has more than doubled in the last six months and grows monthly; ask us about a plan you need. ### Can I get an API key today? Not self-serve. Tell us what you are building and we provision a sandbox and credentials; production access follows a short review, because Backer processes contributions on your users’ behalf. ### What does it cost? Fees are quoted per contribution before it is created: a processing fee that depends on the payment method, plus the platform fee you set with platformFeeInCents (the consumer site’s default is $1.99 per gift). Partner pricing is scoped to each program. ### Which payment methods work? Cards, digital wallets, and ACH bank transfers, collected on Backer-hosted pages so card data and bank credentials never touch your systems. Limits differ by method and are returned by GET /v2/contribution-limits. ### Can a gift be canceled? Within one hour of creation, through POST /v2/transactions/{transactionId}/cancel. An ACH pull is stopped; a card payment is refunded, and the refund reports back as webhooks. ### Does Backer store card numbers on my behalf? Payment methods are tokenized and stored by Backer’s payment processor; you reference them by paymentMethodId and never see the details behind it. ### Can my users open a new 529 account inside my product? Yes, for approved partners: Backer’s integrated enrollment runs on hosted pages and reports back with webhooks. Ask us. ### Is there an SDK, a CLI, or an MCP server? Not yet. The API is plain HTTPS and JSON, the OpenAPI spec comes with access, and every page here has a markdown twin, so agents and code generators work from it directly. ### Who is behind the API? Backer is the tradename of Principly, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser and technology/administrative-services provider. Backer is not a broker-dealer, municipal advisor, or fiduciary to any plan. ## We back what matters most One home for the whole village behind a kid – parents, grandparents, godparents, friends. [Request access](mailto:partnerships@backer.com) --- _Site-wide footer copy and disclosure, shown on every page:_ The connected information, discovery, and infrastructure company for family investing. Backer is the tradename of Principly, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser. Our internet-based investment advisory services are designed to assist clients in saving for education and are not intended to provide comprehensive tax advice or financial planning. Our services are available to U.S. residents only. This website shall not be considered a solicitation or offering for any service or product to any person in any jurisdiction where such solicitation or offer would be unlawful. Investing in securities involves risks, and investing in 529 plans in particular involves certain tax considerations and related risks. Any investments you make in a 529 plan through Backer may lose value. Historical returns, expected returns, and probability projections are provided for informational and illustrative purposes, and may not reflect actual future performance. Our savings calculator is a hypothetical tool provided for illustrative purposes only and is based on important assumptions [described here](/legal#disclosures). SavingForCollege.com and TrumpAccounts.com are independent publishing properties of Saving for College, LLC and do not provide investment advice. © 2026 Principly, Inc. --- Source: /about Mirror: /about.md --- # Decades in family investing, powered by fintech and AI about us Backer pairs a long history of 529 experience with modern fintech infrastructure and AI-native operations. Backer, the company behind [SavingForCollege.com](https://www.savingforcollege.com) and [TrumpAccounts.com](https://trumpaccounts.com). _The page then runs a three-step timeline (no heading of its own):_ **27 years** Authority since 1999 Saving For College established an independent source for 529 plan data, ratings, tools, and editorial coverage. **11 years** Infrastructure beneath the experience Backer built the systems that support gifting, contributions, enrollment, servicing, and plan operations. **Now** The AI moment Agent-assisted operations let a focused team build and support millions of families each year. ## A small team that ships like fifty - Agents synthesize research and operating context before the team makes decisions. - Product, design, engineering, and everyone work from shared artifacts instead of serial handoffs. - People own judgment, review, partner collaboration, and enforce a high bar for what ships. The result is a small operating group able to maintain established infrastructure while investing in new programs. ## The team **Jordan Lee** Founder & CEO **Scott Morrison** Head of Product **Mathieu Lajugie** Head of Engineering ### Careers Help more families find and fund the right path for their future. We work in tight, accountable teams with agents embedded in research, building, and operations. [Email us](mailto:careers@backer.com) ## The entities and their roles Legal Backer is an SEC-registered investment adviser with advisory clients, but also operates non-advisory lines of business and two publishers. Backer is the tradename of Principly, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser and technology/administrative-services provider. Backer is not a broker-dealer, municipal advisor, or fiduciary to any plan. SavingForCollege.com (Saving for College, LLC) is an independent publisher of 529 plan data, ratings, tools, and editorial coverage. Since 2025, it also operates TrumpAccounts.com, an independent educational guide to Trump Accounts (530A). ### Document index - [Form ADV](https://backer.com/docs/Backer-Form-ADV-Part-2.pdf) - [Terms](/legal#terms) - [Privacy](/legal#privacy) - [Disclosures](/legal#disclosures) ## Built on real family-investing activity our numbers ### 455,000+ 529 contributions processed ### 277,000+ People reached ### $100M+ Saved toward kids' futures ## We back what matters most One home for the whole village behind a kid – parents, grandparents, godparents, friends. [For families](/families) --- _Site-wide footer copy and disclosure, shown on every page:_ The connected information, discovery, and infrastructure company for family investing. Backer is the tradename of Principly, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser. Our internet-based investment advisory services are designed to assist clients in saving for education and are not intended to provide comprehensive tax advice or financial planning. Our services are available to U.S. residents only. This website shall not be considered a solicitation or offering for any service or product to any person in any jurisdiction where such solicitation or offer would be unlawful. Investing in securities involves risks, and investing in 529 plans in particular involves certain tax considerations and related risks. Any investments you make in a 529 plan through Backer may lose value. Historical returns, expected returns, and probability projections are provided for informational and illustrative purposes, and may not reflect actual future performance. Our savings calculator is a hypothetical tool provided for illustrative purposes only and is based on important assumptions [described here](/legal#disclosures). SavingForCollege.com and TrumpAccounts.com are independent publishing properties of Saving for College, LLC and do not provide investment advice. © 2026 Principly, Inc. --- Source: /trust Mirror: /trust.md --- # Due diligence, made shorter Security and diligence A starting point for security, legal, procurement, and operational review. Detailed materials are available during partnership due diligence. On the path to SOC 2 Type II certification ## Built for trust and reliability Security, uptime, and operational practices designed to support partners with confidence. ### Security posture Security controls are designed around access boundaries, least-privilege administration, change review, vulnerability management, and documented incident response. ### Data handling Partner and consumer data is handled for defined product and operational purposes. Access is limited by role, and data-sharing requirements are documented in the applicable agreement and diligence materials. ### Uptime posture Production services are monitored for availability and operational health. Incident escalation, recovery procedures, and partner communications are maintained as operating practices. ### Diligence package - Security policies and control narratives - Architecture and data-flow materials - Incident response and continuity documentation - Partner-specific questionnaire support ## We back what matters most One home for the whole village behind a kid – parents, grandparents, godparents, friends. [For families](/families) --- _Site-wide footer copy and disclosure, shown on every page:_ The connected information, discovery, and infrastructure company for family investing. Backer is the tradename of Principly, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser. Our internet-based investment advisory services are designed to assist clients in saving for education and are not intended to provide comprehensive tax advice or financial planning. Our services are available to U.S. residents only. This website shall not be considered a solicitation or offering for any service or product to any person in any jurisdiction where such solicitation or offer would be unlawful. Investing in securities involves risks, and investing in 529 plans in particular involves certain tax considerations and related risks. Any investments you make in a 529 plan through Backer may lose value. Historical returns, expected returns, and probability projections are provided for informational and illustrative purposes, and may not reflect actual future performance. Our savings calculator is a hypothetical tool provided for illustrative purposes only and is based on important assumptions [described here](/legal#disclosures). SavingForCollege.com and TrumpAccounts.com are independent publishing properties of Saving for College, LLC and do not provide investment advice. © 2026 Principly, Inc. --- Source: /legal Mirror: /legal.md --- # Terms, privacy, and disclosures Legal ## Terms of Use Last updated: March 17, 2025 Welcome to Backer! Backer is a tradename of Principly, Inc. (“Backer,” “we” or “our”). These terms and conditions of use (“Site Terms”) apply to your access to, and use of, the Web sites and mobile applications operated by Backer (the “Sites”). By accessing or using our Web site or mobile applications, you agree to be bound by the Site Terms. Please review these terms carefully. If you do not agree to all of these terms, do not use our Web site or mobile applications. ### 1 Acceptance of Terms; Terms Subject to Change When you access the Sites, you agree to be bound by these Site Terms, which may be updated without notice. These Site Terms do not alter in any way the terms or conditions of any other agreement you may have with Backer, or its subsidiaries or affiliates, for products, services, or otherwise. If you are using the Sites on behalf of any entity, you represent and warrant that you are authorized to accept these Site Terms on such entity’s behalf, and that such entity agrees to be responsible to Backer for any violations of these Site Terms. Backer reserves the right to change or modify any of these Site Terms or any policy or guideline of the Sites, at any time and in its sole discretion. If Backer makes changes to these Site Terms, we will post the amended terms and update the “Last Updated” date above. Your continued use of our Sites following the posting of changes or modifications will confirm your acceptance of such changes or modifications. Therefore, you should frequently review the Site Terms and applicable policies whenever you access the Sites and at least every thirty (30) days to make sure that you understand the terms and conditions that will apply to you and your use of the Sites. If you do not agree to the amended terms, you must stop using the Sites. ### 2 Privacy Notice Please refer to our Privacy Notice for information on how Backer collects, uses, and discloses information from its users. - [Privacy Notice](https://backer.com/docs/Backer-Privacy-Notice.pdf) ### 3 Copyright and Limited License Unless otherwise indicated in the Sites, the Sites and all content and other materials on the Sites, including, without limitation, the Backer logo, and all designs, text, graphics, pictures, information, data, software, sound files, other files and the selection and arrangement thereof (collectively, the “Site Materials”) are the proprietary property of Backer or our licensors or users and are protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. You are granted a limited, non-sublicensable license to access and use the Sites and electronically copy, (except where prohibited without a license) and print to hard copy portions of the Site Materials for your informational, non-commercial and personal use only. Such license is subject to these Site Terms and does not include: (a) any resale or commercial use of the Sites or the Site Materials therein; (b) the distribution, public performance or public display of any Site Materials; (c) modifying or otherwise making any derivative uses of the Sites and the Site Materials, or any portion thereof; (d) use of any data mining, robots or similar data gathering or extraction methods; (e) downloading (other than the page caching) of any portion of the Sites, the Site Materials or any information contained therein, except as expressly permitted on the Sites; or (f) any use of the Sites or the Site Materials other than for its intended purpose. Any use of the Sites or the Site Materials other than as specifically authorized herein, without the prior written permission of Backer, is strictly prohibited and will terminate the license granted herein. Such unauthorized use may also violate applicable laws including without limitation copyright and trademark laws and applicable communications regulations and statutes. Unless explicitly stated herein, nothing in these Site Terms shall be construed as conferring any license to intellectual property rights, whether by estoppel, implication or otherwise. This license is revocable at any time. ### 4 Repeat Infringer Policy In accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) and other applicable law, Backer has adopted a policy of terminating, in appropriate circumstances and at Backer’s sole discretion, subscribers or account holders who are deemed to be repeat infringers. Backer may also at its sole discretion limit access to the Sites and/or terminate the accounts of any users who infringe any intellectual property rights of others, whether or not there is any repeat infringement. ### 5 Copyright Complaints If you believe that anything on the Sites infringes upon any copyright which you own or control you may file a notification of such infringement with our Designated Agent, who can be contacted via email at support@backer.com . Please see 17 U.S.C. §512(c)(3) for the requirements of a proper notification. You should note that if you knowingly misrepresent in your notification that the material or activity is infringing, you will be liable for any damages, including costs and attorneys’ fees, incurred by Backer or the alleged infringer as the result of our relying upon such misrepresentation in removing or disabling access to the material or activity claimed to be infringing. ### 6 Trademarks “Backer,” “Backer Bucks,”, "Backer Gifts", “Save for College Better, Together,” “Save More for College,” the Backer logo, and any other product or service name or slogan contained in the Sites are trademarks of Backer and its suppliers or licensors, and may not be copied, imitated or used, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of Backer or the applicable trademark holder. You may not use any metatags or any other “hidden text” utilizing “Backer” or any other name, trademark, or product or service name of Backer without our prior written permission. In addition, the look and feel of the Sites, including all page headers, custom graphics, button icons and scripts, is the service mark, trademark and/or trade dress of Backer and may not be copied, imitated or used, in whole or in part, without our prior written permission. All other trademarks, registered trademarks, product names, and company names or logos mentioned in the Sites are the property of their respective owners. Reference to any products, services, processes, or other information, by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, supplier, or otherwise does not constitute or imply endorsement, sponsorship or recommendation thereof by Backer. ### 7 Hyperlinks You are granted a limited, non-exclusive right to create a text hyperlink to the Sites for noncommercial purposes, provided such link does not portray Backer or any of its products and services in a false, misleading, derogatory or otherwise defamatory manner and provided further that the linking site does not contain any adult or illegal material or any material that is offensive, harassing or otherwise objectionable. This limited right may be revoked at any time. You may not use a Backer logo or other proprietary graphic of Backer to link to this Sites without the express written permission of Backer. Further, you may not use, frame or utilize framing techniques to enclose any Backer trademark, logo or other proprietary information, including the images found at the Sites, the content of any text or the layout/design of any page or form contained on a page on the Sites without Backer’s express written consent. Except as noted above, you are not conveyed any right or license by implication, estoppel or otherwise in or under any patent, trademark, copyright or proprietary right of Backer or any third party. Backer makes no claim or representation regarding, and accepts no responsibility for, the quality, content, nature or reliability of third-party Web sites accessible by hyperlink from the Sites, or Web sites linking to the Sites. Such sites are not under the control of Backer and Backer is not responsible for the contents of any linked site or any link contained in a linked site, or any review, changes or updates to such sites. Backer provides these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply affiliation, endorsement or adoption by Backer of any site or any information contained therein. When you leave the Sites, you should be aware that our terms and policies no longer govern. You should review the applicable terms and policies, including privacy and data gathering practices, of any site to which you navigate from the Sites. ### 8 Third Party Content; No Endorsement of Backer by Third Parties Backer may provide third party content on the Sites and may provide links to Web pages and content of third parties (collectively, “Third Party Content”) as a service to those interested in this information. Backer does not control, endorse or adopt any Third Party Content and makes no representation or warranties of any kind regarding the Third Party Content, including without limitation regarding its accuracy or completeness. You acknowledge and agree that Backer is not responsible or liable in any manner for any Third Party Content and undertakes no responsibility to update or review any Third Party Content. Users use such Third Party Content contained therein at their own risk. Third parties who are identified on the Sites do not sponsor, endorse or promote Backer or Backer’s business. Third parties and their documentation, whether available by link via the Sites or otherwise, may contain intellectual property of such third parties which is protected by applicable law. ### 9 Third Party Products and Services Backer may provide or allow users to provide information about or links to third-party products or services on the Sites. Your business dealings or correspondence with, or participation in promotions of, such third parties, and any terms, conditions, warranties or representations associated with such dealings or promotions, are solely between you and such third party. Backer is not responsible or liable for any loss or damage of any sort incurred as the result of any such dealings or promotions or as the result of the presence of such non-Backer advertisers or third party information on the Sites. ### 10 Third Party Account Linking On the Sites, you may be provided with an option to link a third party account, such as your bank account or 529 plan account, or information held by a third party (a “Linked Account”). By linking any of your Linked Accounts, you authorize and direct Backer to access third party sites, databases, and other services relating to the Linked Account, and to access, retrieve, and use your information or other information you direct us to access on an ongoing basis (“Account Information”). By linking your Linked Account, you authorize Backer to share your account login credentials or other information and grant Backer full power and authority to take any additional steps, all as necessary to access, retrieve, and use your Account Information in accordance with these Terms and our Privacy Policy. You acknowledge and agree that when Backer accesses, retrieves, and uses your Account Information, it is acting as your agent, and not as the agent of or on behalf of any other party. The Account Information may include ACH authentication information (account and routing numbers), transaction data, identity verification information, and account balance details. By linking your Linked Account, you also authorize and direct Backer to use a third party service provider, such as Plaid, to indirectly perform any of these same services. If Backer uses a third party service provider to access your Account Information, that third party service provider will provide to Backer, on your behalf, your Account Information for our use in connection with Backer’s services, including to respond to your inquiries, fulfill your requests, and provide you with customer service. Backer is not responsible for the Account Information and does not review the Account Information for accuracy, legality, or non-infringement. You agree that Backer is entitled to rely on the foregoing authorization and direction granted by you. You represent and warrant you are a legal owner of, or you are authorized to provide Backer with, all Account Information, and have the right to grant the permissions set forth herein, and Backer’s Third Party Service provider’s exercise of its rights set forth herein will not violate any application laws or third party rights. Backer cannot always foresee or anticipate technical or other difficulties which may result in failure to obtain data or loss of data or other service interruptions. Backer cannot assume responsibility for the timeliness, accuracy, deletion, non-delivery, or failure to store any user data or communications. For example, when displayed on the Sites, Account Information is only as fresh as the time shown, which reflected when the information is obtained from such third party sites. Such information may be more up-to-date when obtained directly from the relevant third party sites. ### 11 Publicly Available Sites for Educational Use Only Backer provides its investment advisory services only to individuals who become Backer clients pursuant to a written investment advisory agreement. The publicly available portions of the Sites (i.e., the sections of the Sites that are available to individuals who are not party to an Investment Advisory Agreement) are provided for educational purposes only and are not intended to provide legal, tax, or financial planning advice. In using the publicly available portions of the Sites, you agree that you are responsible for your own investment research and decisions and Backer will not be liable for any actions you take based on information you receive via the publicly available portions of the Sites. ### 12 Investment Performance and Risk of Loss Backer makes no representation regarding the likelihood or probability that any actual or hypothetical investment will in fact achieve a particular outcome or perform in any predictable manner. No representation is being made that any investment will or is likely to achieve profits or losses. Investing in securities involves risk, and any investments made through Backer may lose value. Investing in 529 plans in particular involves certain tax considerations and related risks. The return, composite, and performance information shown on the Sites concerning a particular investment option uses or includes information compiled from third-party sources, including independent market quotations and index information. Backer believes the third-party information comes from reliable sources, but does not guarantee its accuracy. Any historical return information on the Sites concerning a particular investment option does not represent the actual performance of any specific investor’s account and may not reflect all factors that could impact such performance for an individual investor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future success and returns in any period may be far above or below those of a previous period. ### 13 Access to and Use of the Sites The Sites are intended solely for individuals who are age 18 or older. Any access to or use of the Sites by anyone under 18 is unauthorized, unlicensed, and in violation of these Terms and Conditions. By accessing or using the Platform, you represent and warrant that you are 18 or older. The Sites and the investment advisory services referred to on the Sites are only intended to be made available to U.S. residents. The Sites are not to be a solicitation for or offering of any service or product to any person in any jurisdiction where such solicitation or offering would be illegal. Because of the global nature of the Internet, you agree to comply with all local rules with respect to your account and your online conduct, including all laws, rules, codes, and regulations of the country in which you reside and the country from which you access the Sites, including without limitation, all laws, rules, codes, regulations, decrees, acts, orders, directives, legislation, bills, and statutes pertaining to tax, contracts, intellectual property, securities, e-commerce, banking, technology, computers, fraud, and privacy. In addition, you agree to comply with all applicable laws, rules, codes, and regulations regarding the transmission of technical data exported from the United States or cross-border transmission of data including under applicable data privacy laws. Access to and use of password-protected and/or secure areas of the Sites is restricted to authorized users only. Unauthorized persons attempting to access these areas of the Sites may be subject to legal action. You agree that you will comply with all applicable laws, including privacy laws, intellectual property laws, anti-spam laws, export controls laws, tax laws, and regulatory requirements. You further agree that you will use the Sites solely for your personal, non-commercial use and will not attempt to interfere with the functioning of the Sites in any way. Backer reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to deny you access to the Sites, or any portion of the Sites, without notice and without reason. ### 14 Feedback You acknowledge and agree that any questions, comments, suggestions, feedback, ideas, plans, notes, drawings, original or creative materials or other information or materials regarding the Sites, Backer or Backer’s general products or services (but excluding any client information) (the “Feedback”) that are provided by you in the form of email or other submissions to Backer, or any postings on the Sites, are (as between you and Backer) non-confidential and shall become the sole property of Backer. Backer shall own, and you hereby assign to Backer, all exclusive rights, including all intellectual property rights, and shall be entitled to the unrestricted use and dissemination of such Feedback for any purpose, commercial or otherwise, without acknowledgment or compensation to you. ### 15 Contributor User Accounts In making a contribution to an education funding account for which I am not the account owner, I acknowledge that Backer is an investment adviser whose client is the account owner or a service provider without a client relationship to the account owner. I am making a contribution in the spirit of giving and helping the beneficiary of the college funding account, rather than in the spirit of seeking specific investment returns. I am aware that my contribution is a gift and, above certain levels, is subject to the U.S. Internal Revenue Code gift tax provisions. As with any gift, once the contribution is made, I understand that I lose all access to those funds. The account owner or beneficiary may even decide to use the account’s value for their own non-education purposes, for which they would be subject to applicable penalties and taxes, and I will not be able to prevent such use or be notified of such use. I acknowledge that because the account is owned by someone else, I should not expect to directly receive tax benefits even though the account may receive certain tax benefits. I understand that I may consult my financial or tax advisor for more information. ### 16 Refunds and Cancellations All contributions to a 529 plan made through Backer are final. Refunds are only permitted in cases of confirmed unauthorized or fraudulent transactions. If you believe a transaction was unauthorized, you must notify us at support@backer.com within two (2) days of the original transaction date. We will review your claim and, if warranted, refund the payment to the original method used. Once funds have been transferred from the FDIC-insured holding account to a selected 529 plan, no refunds or cancellations can be processed. If you suspect fraud, unauthorized activity, or if you contributed by mistake, please contact us immediately. ### 17 User Content and Interactive Services or Areas The Sites may include interactive areas or services (“Interactive Areas”), such as forums, chat rooms or message boards, online hosting or storage services, or other areas or services in which you or other users create, post or store any content, messages, materials, data, information, text, music, sound, photos, video, graphics, applications, code or other items or materials on the Sites (“User Content”). You are solely responsible for your use of such Interactive Areas and use them at your own risk. By using any Interactive Areas, you agree not to post, upload to, transmit, distribute, store, create or otherwise publish through the Sites any of the following: - User Content that is unlawful, libelous, defamatory, obscene, indecent, lewd, suggestive, harassing, threatening, invasive of privacy or publicity rights, abusive, inflammatory, fraudulent or otherwise objectionable; - User Content that would constitute, encourage or provide instructions for a criminal offense, violate the rights of any party, or that would otherwise create liability or violate any local, state, national or international law, including, without limitation, the regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any rules of a securities exchange such as the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ; - User Content that may infringe any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright or other intellectual or proprietary right of any party. By posting any User Content, you represent and warrant that you have the lawful right to distribute and reproduce such User Content; - User Content that impersonates any person or entity or otherwise misrepresents your affiliation with a person or entity; - Unsolicited promotions, political campaigning, advertising or solicitations; - Private information of any third party, including, without limitation, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, Social Security numbers and credit card numbers; - Viruses, corrupted data or other harmful, disruptive or destructive files; and - User Content that, in the sole judgment of Backer, is objectionable or which restricts or inhibits any other person from using or enjoying the Interactive Areas or the Sites, or which may expose Backer or its users to any harm or liability of any type. You further agree that you are solely responsible for your conduct while on the Sites, and you agree that you will not do any of the following in connection with the Site or its users: - Use the Site or the Service in any manner that could interfere with, disrupt, negatively affect or inhibit other users from fully enjoying the Site or that could damage, disable, overburden or impair the functioning of the Site in any manner; - Impersonate or post on behalf or any person or entity or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity; - Cheat or utilize unauthorized exploits in connection with the Service; - Stalk, intimidate, threaten, or otherwise harass or cause discomfort to other users; - Send any unsolicited commercial messages; - Use the Site or the Service for any illegal or unauthorized purpose or engage in, encourage, or promote any illegal activity, or any activity that violates these Terms of Use; or - Circumvent or attempt to circumvent any filtering, security measures or other features Backer may from time to time adopt to protect the Sites, its users or third parties. Backer takes no responsibility and assumes no liability for any User Content posted, stored or uploaded by you or any third party, or for any loss or damage thereto, nor is Backer liable for any mistakes, defamation, slander, libel, omissions, falsehoods, obscenity, or profanity you may encounter. Your use of Interactive Areas is at your own risk. Enforcement of the user content or conduct rules set forth in these Site Terms is solely at Backer’s discretion, and failure to enforce such rules in some instances does not constitute a waiver of our right to enforce such rules in other instances. In addition, these rules do not create any private right of action on the part of any third party or any reasonable expectation that the Sites will not contain any content that is prohibited by such rules. As a provider of interactive services, Backer is not liable for any statements, representations or User Content provided by its users in any public forum, personal home page or other Interactive Area. Although Backer has no obligation to screen, edit or monitor any of the Content posted in any Interactive Area, Backer reserves the right, and has absolute discretion, to remove, screen or edit any User Content posted or stored on the Sites at any time and for any reason without notice, and you are solely responsible for creating backup copies of and replacing any User Content you post or store on the Sites at your sole cost and expense. Any use of the Interactive Areas or other portions of the Sites in violation of the foregoing violates these Site Terms and may result in, among other things, termination or suspension of your rights to use the Interactive Areas and/or the Sites. If you post User Content to the Sites, unless we indicate otherwise, you grant Backer and its affiliates a nonexclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable and fully sublicensable right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform and display such User Content throughout the world in any media on or in connection with the Sites and the promotion thereof. You grant Backer and its affiliates and sublicensees the right to use the name that you submit in connection with such content, if we choose. You understand and agree that the use of your or other user's name, likeness, voice or identity in connection with various features on the Sites does not imply any endorsement of such feature or of the Sites of Backer unless explicitly stated otherwise. You represent and warrant that (a) you own and control all of the rights to the User Content that you post or you otherwise have the right to post such User Content to the Sites; (b) the User Content is accurate and not misleading; and (c) use and posting of the User Content you supply does not violate these Site Terms and will not violate any rights of or cause injury to any person or entity. ### 18 Registration Data; Account Security In consideration of your use of the Sites, you agree to (a) provide accurate, current and complete information about you as may be prompted by any registration forms on the Site (“Registration Data”); (b) maintain the security of your password and identification; (c) maintain and promptly update the Registration Data, and any other information you provide to Backer, to keep it accurate, current and complete; and (d) accept all risks of unauthorized access to the Registration Data and any other information you provide to Backer. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any account information, user names, logins, passwords, and security questions and answers that you use to access any page or feature on the Sites, and for logging off of your account and any protected areas of the Sites. Further, you are fully responsible for all activities occurring under your accounts, user names, logins, passwords, and security questions and answers that result from your negligence, carelessness, misconduct, or failure to use or maintain appropriate security measures. If you become aware of any suspicious or unauthorized conduct concerning your accounts, user names, logins, passwords, or security questions and answers, you agree to contact Backer immediately. Backer will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to comply with this paragraph. ### 19 Indemnification You agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Backer, its independent contractors, service providers and consultants, and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, and shareholders, from and against any claims, damages, costs, liabilities and expenses (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to any User Content you post, store or otherwise transmit on or through the Sites or your use of the Interactive Areas, including without limitation any actual or threatened suit, demand or claim made against Backer and/or its independent contractors, service providers, employees, directors or consultants, arising out of or relating to the User Content, your conduct, your violation of these Site Terms or your violation of the rights of any third party. ### 20 Disclaimer Except as expressly provided to the contrary in a writing by Backer, the sites, the site materials contained therein and the services provided on or in connection therewith (the “services”) are provided on an “as is” basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. Backer disclaims all other warranties, express or implied, including, without limitation, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title and non-infringement as to the sites and the services, including the information, content and materials contained therein. Backer does not represent or warrant that materials in the sites or the services are accurate, complete, reliable, current or error-free. Backer does not represent or warrant that the sites or its servers are free of viruses or other harmful components. Backer is not responsible for typographical errors or omissions relating to pricing, text or photography. While Backer attempts to make your access and use of the sites and the services safe, Backer cannot and does not represent or warrant that the sites or its server(s) are free of viruses or other harmful components; therefore, you should use industry-recognized software to detect and disinfect viruses from any download. Backer is a registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. ### 21 Limitation of Liability In no event shall Backer or its directors, officers, employees, agents or shareholders, or any of their affiliates, be liable for any direct, special, indirect or consequential damages, or any other damages of any kind, including but not limited to loss of use, loss of profits or loss of data, whether in an action in contract, tort (including but not limited to negligence) or otherwise, arising out of or in any way connected with the use of or inability to use the sites, the services, the content or the materials contained in or accessed through the sites, including without limitation any damages caused by or resulting from reliance by user on any information obtained from Backer, or that result from mistakes, omissions, interruptions, deletion of files or email, errors, defects, viruses, delays in operation or transmission or any failure of performance, whether or not resulting from acts of god, communications failure, theft, destruction or unauthorized access to Backer’s records, programs or services. In no event shall the aggregate liability of Backer, whether in contract, warranty, tort (including negligence, whether active, passive or imputed), product liability, strict liability or other theory, arising out of or relating to the use of or inability to use the sites or the services or to these site terms exceed any compensation you pay, if any, to Backer for access to or use of the sites. ### 22 Modifications to the Sites Backer reserves the right to change any and all content contained in the Sites and to modify, suspend or discontinue the Sites or any Services offered through the Sites or any features or functionality of the Sites or the Services at any time without notice and without obligation or liability to you. ### 23 Applicable Law and Venue These Site Terms and your use of the Sites shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, applicable to agreements made and to be entirely performed within the State of Delaware, without resort to its conflict of law provisions. You agree that any action at law or in equity arising out of or relating to these Site Terms shall be filed only in the state and federal courts located in the County of San Francisco in California and you hereby irrevocably and unconditionally consent and submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of these Site Terms. ### 24 Termination Notwithstanding any of these Site Terms, Backer reserves the right, without notice and in its sole discretion, to terminate your license to use the Sites, and to block or prevent future your access to and use of the Sites. ### 25 Severability If any provision of these Site Terms shall be deemed unlawful, void or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from these Site Terms and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions. ### 26 Questions & Contact Information Questions or comments regarding use of the Sites may be directed to support@backer.com . ## Privacy Notice Last updated: April 28, 2021 ### What does Backer do with your personal information? Why? Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do. What? The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include: - Social Security number or Tax Identification number - Account balances, account transactions, transaction history, and payment history - Checking account information When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice. How? All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons Backer chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing. | Reasons we can share your personal information | Does Backer share it? | Can you limit this sharing? | | --- | --- | --- | | For our everyday business purposes — such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus | Yes | No | | For our marketing purposes — to offer our products and services to you | Yes | No | | For joint marketing with other financial companies | No | We don't share | | For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes — information about your transactions and experiences | No | We don't share | | For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes - information about your creditworthiness | No | We don't share | | For our affiliates to market to you | No | We don't share | | For nonaffiliates to market to you | No | We don't share | If there is anything we can do to make Backer a little bit better, or have a question, let us know by chatting with us on the site or sending a message to support@backer.com or call +1 (844) SAVE-529. ### Who is providing this notice? Backer (which is a tradename of Principly, Inc.) ### What we do #### 1 How does Backer protect my personal information? To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings. #### 2 How does Backer collect my personal information? We collect your personal information, for example, when you open an account or give us your contact information, provide account information or tell us about your investment portfolio, use your credit or debit card We also collect your personal information from other companies. #### 3 Why can’t I limit all sharing Federal law gives you the right to limit only sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes - information about your creditworthiness affiliates from using your information to market to you sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing. #### 4 What happens when I limit sharing for an account I hold jointly with someone else? Your choices will apply to everyone on your account. ### Definitions Affiliates. Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies. Backer has no affiliates. Nonaffiliates. Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies. Backer does not share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you. Joint marketing. A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you. Backer doesn’t jointly market. - [Download Privacy Notice](https://backer.com/docs/Backer-Privacy-Notice.pdf) ## Disclosures Investing in securities involves risks, and investing in 529 plans in particular involves certain tax considerations and related risks. Any investments you make in a 529 plan through Backer may lose value. Historical returns, expected returns, and probability projections are provided for informational and illustrative purposes, and may not reflect actual future performance. Our savings calculator is a hypothetical tool that demonstrates how one-time or monthly contributions from one or more sources, age-based asset rebalancing, and tax savings may impact the long-term value of your account, and do not take into account a portfolio’s underlying investment management fees. This information is provided for illustrative purposes only and does not represent actual or future performance of any investment option and is not intended to predict or project the investment performance of any security or index. The calculations assume investment performance of a representative age-based portfolio with overall compounded annual growth of 8%, capital gains tax rate of 15%, annual interest rate on savings of 0.5%, and annual increase in college costs of 5%. Your account may perform differently due to changes in recurring investments, time horizon, or returns. ### Additional Disclosures - [Brochure (Form ADV Part 2)](https://backer.com/docs/Backer-Form-ADV-Part-2.pdf) - [Client Relationship Summary (Form CRS)](https://backer.com/docs/Backer-Form-CRS.pdf) --- _Site-wide footer copy and disclosure, shown on every page:_ The connected information, discovery, and infrastructure company for family investing. Backer is the tradename of Principly, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser. Our internet-based investment advisory services are designed to assist clients in saving for education and are not intended to provide comprehensive tax advice or financial planning. Our services are available to U.S. residents only. This website shall not be considered a solicitation or offering for any service or product to any person in any jurisdiction where such solicitation or offer would be unlawful. Investing in securities involves risks, and investing in 529 plans in particular involves certain tax considerations and related risks. Any investments you make in a 529 plan through Backer may lose value. Historical returns, expected returns, and probability projections are provided for informational and illustrative purposes, and may not reflect actual future performance. Our savings calculator is a hypothetical tool provided for illustrative purposes only and is based on important assumptions [described here](/legal#disclosures). SavingForCollege.com and TrumpAccounts.com are independent publishing properties of Saving for College, LLC and do not provide investment advice. © 2026 Principly, Inc. --- Source: /pricing Mirror: /pricing.md --- # Simple, transparent pricing Pricing Two plans for families – and partner pricing scoped to each program. ## Backer Basic or Backer Pro For families Unlike financial advisors who charge a percentage of your assets, we think you shouldn’t be penalized for saving more. That’s why you’ll only ever pay a simple, flat fee – no matter how much you save. Backer Basic is great for most families, but consider Backer Pro if you plan to contribute to multiple 529 accounts. ### Backer Basic **$0** to register and no subscription fees - Enroll in a top-rated 529 or connect your own - Open or link unlimited 529 plans - $1.99 platform fee per contribution or gift ### Backer Pro **$29.99 / year** or $2.99 / month - Enroll in a top-rated 529 or connect your own - Open or link unlimited 529 plans - No platform fees on contributions you make to your fund or other funds - Priority customer support The $1.99 platform fee applies in addition to any card processing fees, if applicable. More detail is in the [families FAQ](/families#faq). ### Both plans include - 529 investment advice - Tax-free investment growth - Easy-to-share gifting pages - 8%+ projected [growth](/legal#disclosures) - Automated contributions and gifts - iOS and Android mobile apps ## Priced with the program For partners Backer’s 529 gifting platform runs from fully-hosted to white-label – and everything in between – so partner pricing is scoped with each program rather than published on a page. Start with what the platform does, then talk to us. [Contact partnerships](mailto:partnerships@backer.com) · [For partners](/partners) ## We back what matters most One home for the whole village behind a kid – parents, grandparents, godparents, friends. [For families](/families) --- _Site-wide footer copy and disclosure, shown on every page:_ The connected information, discovery, and infrastructure company for family investing. Backer is the tradename of Principly, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser. Our internet-based investment advisory services are designed to assist clients in saving for education and are not intended to provide comprehensive tax advice or financial planning. Our services are available to U.S. residents only. This website shall not be considered a solicitation or offering for any service or product to any person in any jurisdiction where such solicitation or offer would be unlawful. Investing in securities involves risks, and investing in 529 plans in particular involves certain tax considerations and related risks. Any investments you make in a 529 plan through Backer may lose value. Historical returns, expected returns, and probability projections are provided for informational and illustrative purposes, and may not reflect actual future performance. Our savings calculator is a hypothetical tool provided for illustrative purposes only and is based on important assumptions [described here](/legal#disclosures). SavingForCollege.com and TrumpAccounts.com are independent publishing properties of Saving for College, LLC and do not provide investment advice. © 2026 Principly, Inc. --- Source: /newsroom Mirror: /newsroom.md --- # On the record Newsroom Company announcements, independent coverage of our work, and the materials reporters need. For company background see about us, and for security and diligence see trust and security. ## Announcements **September 24, 2024 · SavingForCollege.com** [Saving For College Announces 2024 529 Ratings and New Award Designations](https://www.savingforcollege.com/article/2024-ratings-and-new-award-designations) Saving For College published its 2024 529 Ratings on an overhauled methodology, adding Ease of Use and Savings Success categories, rating advisor-sold and direct-sold plans separately, and introducing the Top of the Class, High Honors and Honors awards. **December 19, 2023 · Backer newsroom** [Backer Acquires Saving For College and Raises Series A](/newsroom/series-a) Backer announced a $9.5M Series A and the acquisition of Saving For College, the 529 data and editorial property millions of American families rely on each year. **December 6, 2022 · PRWeb** [Backer Partners with North Carolina's 529 Savings Program to Help Students Save](https://www.prweb.com/releases/backer-partners-with-north-carolina-s-529-savings-program-to-help-students-save-894589712.html) Backer gifting reached more than 160,000 North Carolina 529 accounts, debuting a new model of collaboration with state-run 529 programs. ## In the news Independent reporting on our work. Coverage from before 2021 carries the company's former name, CollegeBacker. **June 1, 2026** [Trump's 'big beautiful bill' turned 529 plans into 'lifelong education' accounts, expert says: How to take advantage](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/01/trump-big-beautiful-bill-529-plans.html) CNBC **August 28, 2024** [The gift of education: Getting friends and family to contribute to your kid's 529 account is 'pretty darn cool'](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/28/education-gifts-the-benefits-of-giving-to-a-529-college-savings-plan.html) CNBC **December 20, 2023** [Backer secures $9.5m in Series A funding: A new era for 529 savings plans](https://fintech.global/2023/12/20/backer-secures-9-5m-in-series-a-funding-a-new-era-for-529-savings-plans/) FinTech Global **May 31, 2021** [These apps aim to change the way parents save for their children's college education](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/31/new-apps-aim-to-change-the-way-parents-save-for-college.html) CNBC **February 19, 2021** [Almost No One Saves for College. Can New 529 Apps Help?](https://money.com/529-college-savings-plans-mobile-apps/) Money **January 16, 2020** [How to start saving for college right now on your phone](https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/start-saving-for-college-on-phone) Fox Business **September 12, 2016** [CollegeBacker publicly launches its college savings account advisory service](https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/12/collegebacker-publicly-launches-its-robo-advisory-college-savings-platform/) TechCrunch ## For reporters ### Media inquiries Write to the press desk and please include your deadline. For anything that is not a press request, the [help center](https://help.backer.com/en/) is the faster route. [press@backer.com](mailto:press@backer.com) ### Brand kit The Backer wordmark, logo files, and the rules for setting them, packaged for publication. [Download](/brand-kit/backer-brand-kit.zip) · [Browse the files](/brand-kit/index.html) _The page shows the Backer wordmark on a plate, a Download button pointing at /brand-kit/backer-brand-kit.zip, and a quiet link to the file listing at /brand-kit/index.html._ _What the kit contains: the Backer lockup, wordmark and knot mark, each in ink #141414 and white, as SVG, print-ready PDF and EPS, and transparent PNG at 512, 1024 and 2048 px wide; Momo Trust Sans 400/500/600 with the SIL Open Font License 1.1; a five-page usage sheet (clear space, minimum sizes, do and do-not, palette with unproofed CMYK, typography); boilerplate.txt with the fact sheet and its sources; and the basic SavingForCollege.com and TrumpAccounts.com marks._ --- _Site-wide footer copy and disclosure, shown on every page:_ The connected information, discovery, and infrastructure company for family investing. Backer is the tradename of Principly, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser. Our internet-based investment advisory services are designed to assist clients in saving for education and are not intended to provide comprehensive tax advice or financial planning. Our services are available to U.S. residents only. This website shall not be considered a solicitation or offering for any service or product to any person in any jurisdiction where such solicitation or offer would be unlawful. Investing in securities involves risks, and investing in 529 plans in particular involves certain tax considerations and related risks. Any investments you make in a 529 plan through Backer may lose value. Historical returns, expected returns, and probability projections are provided for informational and illustrative purposes, and may not reflect actual future performance. Our savings calculator is a hypothetical tool provided for illustrative purposes only and is based on important assumptions [described here](/legal#disclosures). SavingForCollege.com and TrumpAccounts.com are independent publishing properties of Saving for College, LLC and do not provide investment advice. © 2026 Principly, Inc. --- Source: /newsroom/series-a Mirror: /newsroom/series-a.md --- # Backer Acquires Saving For College and Raises Series A December 19, 2023 Backer has acquired the web’s premier 529 destination Saving For College to modernize 529s with fintech and AI SAN FRANCISCO, CA, December 19, 2023 Today Backer, the leading fintech company focused on tax-advantaged 529 Savings Plans, announced its $9.5M Series A round of financing and the acquisition of Saving For College (savingforcollege.com), the top 529-related media property and education savings resource that millions of American families rely on each year. “From day one, our mission has been to use technology to help the 529 industry reach a younger generation of parents,” said Jordan Lee, Backer’s founder and CEO. “As we enter a new era of AI-powered tech, we see an exciting opportunity to combine the industry’s highest-traffic web destination with the industry’s top product team to modernize the way American families discover, enroll in, and engage with 529 plans.” 529s have existed as a powerful college savings tool for decades, growing to over $450 billion in assets across 16 million accounts. In recent years, Congress has expanded their use to cover K-12 private school tuition, apprenticeship programs, and student loan debt. Most recently, Congress made it possible to transfer some unused 529 savings into a Roth IRA. Since its founding in 1999, Saving For College has been the top 529 information resource used by tens of millions of Americans to navigate an intimidating landscape of 529 plan options and make the right choice for their family. Backer has earned a reputation for innovation within the 529 industry. Since its debut in 2017, the Backer consumer savings app has helped more than 200,000 parents and kids save a projected $250 million for education, with 40% of the savings coming from family and friends. Backer’s high-conversion enrollment process, consumer-grade gifting platform, and first-of-its-kind mobile app have made it an important technology partner for the country’s many 529 programs. Backer’s venture round was led by WndrCo, a team of Silicon Valley builders and operators founded by early Dropbox executive Sujay Jaswa and Hollywood legend Jeffrey Katzenberg. “We are thrilled to partner with Backer to transform how families across America save for college. We believe high-quality educational content and intuitive consumer experiences are the keys to improving financial literacy,” said WndrCo General Partner ChenLi Wang. “For decades, Saving For College has been an indispensable resource for American families and the many finance professionals working at the state level to grow 529 adoption,” said Lee. “We are honored to partner with the domain experts at Saving For College to ensure that 529s will continue to meet the needs of generations to come.” ## About Backer Backer is the leading fintech company focused on 529 plans. It makes saving for education simple, helping ordinary families tap into tax-free investing with support from family and friends. Backer is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. Visit backer.com or follow @backer529 to learn more. ## About Saving For College For over 20 years, Saving For College has been the premier education savings destination for parents and financial professionals, providing them with information and tools to understand the benefits of 529 Savings Plans and how to meet the challenge of rising college costs. Visit savingforcollege.com or follow @saving4college to learn more. ## About WndrCo WndrCo is a multi-stage technology investment firm that builds companies and makes venture capital and seed investments. Founded in 2016 by Jeffrey Katzenberg and Sujay Jaswa, WndrCo's team is based in San Francisco and New York. Visit wndrco.com to learn more. ## Media contact [press@backer.com](mailto:press@backer.com) (844) SAVE-529 [Back to the newsroom](/newsroom) --- _Site-wide footer copy and disclosure, shown on every page:_ The connected information, discovery, and infrastructure company for family investing. Backer is the tradename of Principly, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser. Our internet-based investment advisory services are designed to assist clients in saving for education and are not intended to provide comprehensive tax advice or financial planning. Our services are available to U.S. residents only. This website shall not be considered a solicitation or offering for any service or product to any person in any jurisdiction where such solicitation or offer would be unlawful. Investing in securities involves risks, and investing in 529 plans in particular involves certain tax considerations and related risks. Any investments you make in a 529 plan through Backer may lose value. Historical returns, expected returns, and probability projections are provided for informational and illustrative purposes, and may not reflect actual future performance. Our savings calculator is a hypothetical tool provided for illustrative purposes only and is based on important assumptions [described here](/legal#disclosures). SavingForCollege.com and TrumpAccounts.com are independent publishing properties of Saving for College, LLC and do not provide investment advice. © 2026 Principly, Inc.