College Savings

TIPS Program

Get up to $1,500 in college savings for your child!

What is TIPS?

The Tennessee Investments Preparing Scholars (TIPS) program is a smart way to invest in your child’s future with a boost to their college savings!

Parents want to give their child a bright start, but saving for college may feel overwhelming. That’s why the Tennessee Department of Treasury created TIPS: a matching grant program encouraging income-eligible families to start saving early with a TNStars account.

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How does it work?

When a qualifying family enrolls a child in TIPS and opens a TNStars account, the state will match your savings 4-to-1.

That means for every $25 you deposit to your TNStars account during a qualifying period, the state will match $100. Children in your household who are 14 or younger can receive up to $500 per year, with a lifetime maximum match of $1,500.

TIPS program logo. Tennessee Investments Preparing Scholars

Get Started!

Step 1: See if you qualify

Before applying for TIPS, make sure your family meets the following requirements:

Tennessee Residency: Both the applicant and child(ren) must be Tennessee residents.
Child’s Age: The child must be 14 or younger at the time of application.
Income Eligibility: Your household’s total federal adjusted gross income must be within limits described below.

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2025 Total Federal Adjusted Gross Income Limits*

2 = $52,875
3 = $66,625
4 = $80,375
5 = $94,125

6 = $107,875
7 = $121,625
8 = $135,375

Each additional person, add: $13,750

*The TIPS program income limits are based on 250% of federal poverty guidelines.

Families currently receiving assistance from one of the following programs automatically qualify for TIPS:

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
State Medicaid (TennCare)
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Read our program description for more information about eligibility requirements.

TIPS Program Description

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Step 2: Complete your application

If you qualify, complete the TIPS Program Application. After you submit your application, you may be asked to verify income eligibility by submitting a tax return or transcript for each income earner in the household.

Apply For TIPS

Note: if you were approved for TIPS during the last qualifying period (August 1, 2024- June 30, 2025), you can reenroll for the current qualifying period, by completing the TIPS Reenrollment Application.

Step 3: Start saving!

Once you are approved for TIPS, it’s time to open a TNStars account – if you haven’t already. Each child you enroll in TIPS must have their own individual TNStars account to receive TIPS matching grant contributions.

Accounts can be opened online in minutes with as little as $25 to start!

Open a TNStars account Learn more about TNStars

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Reenrollment

TIPS qualifying periods are from August 1 – June 30. If you were approved for TIPS last year (August 1, 2024- June 30, 2025), you can reenroll for the current qualifying period by completing the TIPS Reenrollment Application.

If you maintained Tennessee residency, you can reenroll each year until your child turns 15 or receives the lifetime maximum match of $1,500.

When the next qualifying period starts and it’s time to reenroll, complete the TIPS Reenrollment Application to continue growing your child’s college savings!

TIPS Reenrollment Application

TIPS Reference Guide cover page