John Hancock College Savings Supports 529 Sales with Back to School Campaign

BOSTON, Aug. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- John Hancock College Savings today launched a 6-week "Back to School" campaign including an array of materials and tools advisers can use to help them talk with their clients about saving for college.

"Going to college continues to be a financial priority for families but with costs increasing and recent market volatility saving enough is challenging," said Carey Foran Hoch, general manager of John Hancock College Savings. "Our campaign helps advisers position our multi-managed 529 as an opportunity to plan and start saving today."

Cornerstones of John Hancock's campaign include two conversation starters and attractive client leave-behinds which can be used to get the discussion going:

• A new edition of the semi-annual Admission magazine with articles focused on getting every generation of the family involved in the college savings process.

• A colorful, 100-piece puzzle, "Starry Kingdom: Animals of the Sky," which features six constellations. Clients can complete the puzzle with their children while advisers help to put together the pieces of their own college savings puzzle.

Throughout the 6-week period, John Hancock College Savings also will be distributing adviser materials with information on how to use the conversation starters, other sales ideas and product information.  In addition, they're offering an informational advisor conference call featuring Joe Hurley, founder of SavingforCollege.com, and Brandon Buckingham, JD, a John Hancock advanced planning attorney.  The pair will discuss the latest issues and trends including legislation, investment choices and estate planning with 529s.

"With parents thinking about getting their kids back to school in the fall, we're taking this time to call attention to the need to plan for higher education," said Hoch.

A recent study by the College Savings Foundation (CSF) shows that roughly 65 percent of parents are saving for college, but 40 percent are not very confident they can reach their college savings goals.  Hoch pointed out that the CSF survey also showed that parents who used 529 college savings plans saved significantly more than those who don't: 76 percent of parents with 529 plans had saved more than $5,000 per child compared to only 29 percent of parents without one.

"We want to help parents be successful in reaching their college savings goals – so we'll keep working to help advisers reach out to them," she said.

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial

John Hancock Financial is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 22 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and in most of Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, Manulife Financial Corporation offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. For more than 120 years, clients have looked to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were $481 billion (US$498 billion) as at June 30, 2011. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

SOURCE John Hancock College Savings