Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses that you pay if you open and contribute to a particular Investment Option in the Michigan Education Savings Program (MESP). These fees are indirectly paid out of the assets of your account. Except for the fees listed below, there are currently no other fees, charges or penalties imposed by or payable to MESP in connection with opening or maintaining an account. The Michigan Department of Treasury reserves the right to change the current fees, or to impose new or additional fees, expenses, charges or penalties in the future.

Annual Asset-Based Fees
Investment Option Program Manager
Fee(1)(2)
Estimated Underlying Mutual
Fund Expenses(6)
State
Issuer Fee
Total Annual
Asset-Based Fees(4)
Conservative Age-Based Allocation Option
Age Band 0-3 Years 0.18% 0.17% None 0.35%
Age Band 4-7 Years 0.18% 0.17% None 0.35%
Age Band 8-11 Years 0.18% 0.17% None 0.35%
Age Band 12-14 Years 0.18% 0.17% None 0.35%
Age Band 15-17 Years 0.19% 0.16% None 0.35%
Age Band 18 and Over 0.19% 0.16% None 0.35%
Moderate Age-Based Allocation Option
Age Band 0-3 Years 0.18% 0.17% None 0.35%
Age Band 4-7 Years 0.18% 0.17% None 0.35%
Age Band 8-11 Years 0.18% 0.17% None 0.35%
Age Band 12-14 Years 0.18% 0.17% None 0.35%
Age Band 15-17 Years 0.18% 0.17% None 0.35%
Age Band 18 and Over 0.19% 0.16% None 0.35%
Aggressive Age-Based Allocation Option
Age Band 0-3 Years 0.19% 0.16% None 0.35%
Age Band 4-7 Years 0.18% 0.17% None 0.35%
Age Band 8-11 Years 0.18% 0.17% None 0.35%
Age Band 12-14 Years 0.18% 0.17% None 0.35%
Age Band 15-17 Years 0.18% 0.17% None 0.35%
Age Band 18 and Over 0.18% 0.17% None 0.35%
100% Equity Option
  0.04% 0.31% None 0.35%
Balanced Option
  0.07% 0.28% None 0.35%
100% Fixed Income Option
  0.17% 0.18% None 0.35%
Principal Plus Interest Option
  None None None None

(1) The Program Manager Fee is the only fee deducted from MESP assets. This fee may change at any time. Although there are no fees that are deducted from your Account, when you invest in the Program, you bear a pro rata portion of the Program expenses because when fees are deducted from Program assets, the value of the Units is reduced.

(2) For its services as Program Manager, each Investment Option (with the exception of the Principal Plus Interest Option) pays TFI a Program Manager Fee equal to the stated percentage of the average daily net assets held by that Investment Option. However, the percentages listed in this column may fluctuate because, generally, if the underlying Mutual Fund expenses increase, then the Program Manager Fee decreases.

(3) For each Investment Option (with the exception of the Principal Plus Interest Option), the figures in this column are based on a weighted average of the expenses of each underlying Mutual Fund’s expense ratio as reported in the applicable Mutual Funds’ most recent prospectus available prior to the date of this Supplement No. 2 to the Disclosure Booklet, in accordance with the Investment Option’s asset allocation among its underlying Mutual Funds. Each Investment Option (other than the Principal Plus Interest Option) bears its pro rata portion of the underlying Mutual Funds’ expenses because when fees are deducted from an underlying Mutual Fund’s assets, the value of the underlying Mutual Fund’s shares is reduced.

(4) The total annual asset-based fees (“Total Fees”) equal the Estimated Underlying Mutual Fund Expenses plus the Program Manager Fee. The portion of Total Fees attributable to the Program Manager Fee is assessed over the course of the year against assets in each Investment Option (with the exception of the Principal Plus Interest Option). The portion of Total Fees attributable to Estimated Underlying Mutual Fund Expenses is borne by each Investment Option as discussed in footnote (3). You should refer to the Investment Cost Example below for the total assumed investment cost over 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year periods.

(5) The Principal Plus Interest Option does not pay a Program Manager Fee. TFI does, however, receive from TIAA-CREF Life, the issuer of the Funding Agreement, an annual asset-based fee to pay TFI for distribution, administration and other services that TFI provides for this Investment Option. TIAA-CREF Life may discontinue this fee at any time.

Investment Cost Example

The example in the following table is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the different Investment Options over various periods of time. This hypothetical example assumes that:

  • You invest $10,000 in a Savings Account for the time periods shown below.
  • Your investment has a 5% compounded return each year, except for the Principal Plus Interest Option, which is assumed to have a 3% compounded return each year.
  • You withdraw the assets from your Savings Trust Account at the end of the specified periods for qualified higher education expenses.
  • Total annual asset-based fees remain the same as shown in the Fee Table above.
  • The example does not consider the impact of any potential state or federal taxes on the redemption.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on the above assumptions your costs would be:

Investment Cost Example
Investment Option Approximate Cost of
$10,000 Investment
   One Year       Three Years       Five Years       Ten Years   
Conservative Age-Based Allocation Option
Age Band 0-3 Years $36 $113 $197 $444
Age Band 4-7 Years $36 $113 $197 $444
Age Band 8-11 Years $36 $113 $197 $444
Age Band 12-14 Years $36 $113 $197 $444
Age Band 15-17 Years $36 $113 $197 $444
Age Band 18 and Over $36 $113 $197 $444
Moderate Age-Based Allocation Option
Age Band 0-3 Years $36 $113 $197 $444
Age Band 4-7 Years $36 $113 $197 $444
Age Band 8-11 Years $36 $113 $197 $444
Age Band 12-14 Years $36 $113 $197 $444
Age Band 15-17 Years $36 $113 $197 $444
Age Band 18 and Over $36 $113 $197 $444
Aggressive Age-Based Allocation Option
Age Band 0-3 Years $36 $113 $197 $444
Age Band 4-7 Years $36 $113 $197 $444
Age Band 8-11 Years $36 $113 $197 $444
Age Band 12-14 Years $36 $113 $197 $444
Age Band 15-17 Years $36 $113 $197 $444
Age Band 18 and Over $36 $113 $197 $444
100% Equity Option
  $36 $113 $197 $444
Balanced Option
  $36 $113 $197 $444
100% Fixed-Income Option
  $36 $113 $197 $444
Principal Plus Interest Option
  $0 $0 $0 $0

The table below provides information concerning additional fees and expenses deducted from each account paid directly by the account owner.

Additional Fees
  Percent Dollars
Application Fee 0% $0
Cancellation Fee 0% $0
Change in Beneficiary Fee 0% $0
Other Charges as applicable 0% $0
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