Click a state or choose from the menu below for details on the college-savings and prepaid plans available. The trophy icons indicate which states offer Kiplinger's picks for the best 529 plans. You can find more information about these plans below the map.

States are color-coded based on whether they offer tax breaks for 529 contributions. If you click on any of the icons below the map, they will appear in states where those options (age-based portfolio, etc.) are available. States tinker with their plans frequently, so use the phone numbers or links to request the latest information.

TOP FIVE PLANS

If your state doesn't offer a tax break -- or if you live in Arizona, Kansas, Maine, Missouri or Pennsylvania, which give a tax break no matter where you invest -- consider stashing your college savings in one of the following plans:

Best for low fees. If low investment costs are your primary concern, take a look at the Vanguard index-fund portfolios available in the direct-sold version of the Illinois Bright Start College Savings Program. Costs in these index portfolios are rock-bottom, with expense ratios ranging from 0.20% to 0.22%.

Best for overall investment mix. Ohio's CollegeAdvantage 529 plan offers great choices from Vanguard, PIMCO and GE Asset Management, as well as certificates of deposit from Fifth Third Bank. 

Best for conservative investors. The Michigan Education Savings Program, run by TIAA-CREF, is ideal for investors who shy away from putting their college savings in the stock market. The plan has a savings option that guarantees principal and a minimum annual interest rate based on a Treasury note index. That option doesn't charge an annual fee. The plan also offers portfolios of TIAA-CREF mutual funds that are tilted more toward bond funds than most other 529-plan offerings. Those options cost a very low flat fee of 0.45% annually.

Best for fund choices. For do-it-yourself investors who want to build their own portfolio, the College Savings Plan of Nebraska offers a selection of 20 funds from American Century, Fidelity, Pimco and Vanguard. The wider assortment does come with higher fees. The most expensive fund option costs 1.64% annually.

Best adviser-sold plan. If you feel more comfortable using an adviser, ask about the Virginia CollegeAmerica plan. You'll pay more in fees than you would by buying a plan directly, but your adviser can craft a solid portfolio with 22 top-notch funds from American Funds.