SIMSBURY, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hartford Life and the West Virginia State Treasurers Office announced the enrollment the 100,000^th beneficiary in the college savings program yesterday at a ceremony at the University of Charleston.

"We are very proud that SMART529 has reached this milestone," said Jeff Coghan, The Hartford's assistant vice president of college savings plans. "It is encouraging that families and financial advisors recognize that saving for college is a priority, even during difficult economic times."

"We are delighted that so many families in West Virginia and across the country recognize SMART529 as a way to save for their children's college education," said John Perdue, the state treasurer of West Virginia. "529 plans are among the easiest and most effective way for parents to set aside money for their children's college education or for grandparents who want to leave a legacy of education."

Charleston-based investment counselor Shari Akhtar, of BB&T Investment Services, Inc., sold the new account earlier this month.

"Higher education is crucial to the future of West Virginia and our country," said Akhtar. "My goal is to help as many families as possible save for college. I always encourage my clients to think about their children's future and to use a 529 college savings plan as part of their investment strategy."

SMART 529 by the Numbers

Key highlights include:

• Launched in 2002
• Over 100,000 plan participants
• $972.8 million assets under management (as of 5/31/09)

Tools for Advisors


Advisors know that their clients are facing more competing financial priorities than ever, but it is still important for families to stay the course.

"Steady contributions to a plan over time can allow families to take advantage of dollar-cost averaging and qualified tax advantages each year," said Coghan. "And, the earlier they start, the more money they may be able to set aside to send their children to college. That translates to less money borrowed that needs to be repaid with interest."

To help them talk to their clients about the importance of saving for college, The Hartford offers a number of tools for advisors that has helped SMART529 reach the 100,000^th new account milestone, including:

• www.hartfordinvestor.com, a robust, full-service Web site with innovative sales, marketing and training tools
• The SMART529 Education Planner, a college savings calculator that provides a break out of costs by child plus an overall view of education costs, savings options, and final amounts needed to educate all the children in the family
• Support from one of the largest wholesaling teams in the country
• A 529 share class to serve Registered Investment Advisors who have firm selling agreements for The Hartford SMART529 plan

Getting Started

Money set aside for college today can lead to greater opportunities in the future. The earlier families begin saving, the better. Even small amounts, saved and invested on a regular basis, can add up over time. Talk to your financial advisor or log on to www.hartfordinvestor.com.

About The Hartford

The Hartford is one of the nation's largest financial services companies and a leading provider of investment products, life insurance and group benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and business property and casualty insurance. International operations are located in Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil and Ireland. The Hartford's Internet address is

www.thehartford.com.

HIG-L

SMART529 is a program of the West Virginia College Prepaid Tuition and Savings Program Board of Trustees and is administered by Hartford Life Insurance Company.

West Virginia provides its residents with tax advantages for investing in SMART529. If you reside in or have taxable income in a state other than West Virginia, you should consider whether your state has a qualified tuition program that offers favorable state income tax or other benefits exclusive to your state's program that are not available under the SMART529 program.

Non-qualified withdrawals are taxable as ordinary income to the extent of earnings and may also be subject to a 10% federal income tax penalty. Such withdrawals may have state income tax implications.

Investments in SMART529 are not guaranteed or insured by the State of West Virginia, the Board of Trustees of the West Virginia College Prepaid Tuition and Savings Program, the West Virginia State Treasurer's Office, Hartford Life Insurance Company, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., the investment sub-advisors for the Underlying Funds or any depository institution. Investments in SMART529 are subject to investment risks, including the loss of the principal amount invested, and may not be appropriate for all investors.


Investments in SMART529 are subject to certain charges, which will reduce the value of your Account as they are incurred. Please see the Offering Statement for details of charges or fees that apply to the specific SMART529 savings plan.

Dollar-cost averaging neither assures a profit nor protects against loss in declining markets. It involves continuous investing, regardless of fluctuating price levels, so you should consider your financial ability to continue investing through periods of fluctuating prices.

This information is written in connection with the promotion or marketing of the matter(s) addressed in this material. The information cannot be used or relied upon for the purpose of avoiding IRS penalties. These materials are not intended to provide tax, accounting or legal advice. As with all matters of a tax or legal nature, you should consult your own tax or legal counsel for advice.

You should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks and charges and expenses of SMART529 and its Underlying Funds before investing. This and other information can be found in the Offering Statement for SMART529 and the prospectuses or other disclosure documents for the Underlying Funds, which can be obtained on this website or by calling toll-free (866) 574-3542. Please read them carefully before you invest or send money. SMART529 is distributed by Hartford Securities Distribution Company Inc. Member SIPC.

"The Hartford" is The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries.



Hartford Life

Julia Green, 860-843-6022

julia.green@hartfordlife.com

Source: Hartford Life