It is an unpleasant truth: the fees charged by most 529 plans are downright ugly. It is almost as if the people who designed the system knew that they wanted to inspire people to save money, but then decided that they might as well make a little money off of the process. Over the years, what began as yearly maintenance fees have spiraled out of control. In fact, in 2004 the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it was setting up a task force to investigate the fees and practices associated with 529 plans.

However, with a little effort you can get your report on 529 investing fees right now. You just need to know where to look. There are certain providers who are known for their low-cost plants, and there are certain ways to identify fees that are and are not appropriate. Here are a few things to look for when you are evaluating potential student loan investing fees.

• Check out Vanguard and TIAA-CREF
These low-cost providers are known for their low rates. In fact, in some areas they advertise based on them, so you are far more likely to get low rates with these providers than with others. However, just a name is not enough. You need to evaluate your individual plan based on your personal needs.

• Look at the expense ratios
Look for a range of 0.65 to 0.70 percent of assets when investing in a plan based around inexpensive expense funds. If you are interested in more expensive and actively managed funds, then you will be okay with 1 to 1.1 percent. If a plan does not list the expense ratios at all, then you should avoid investing in that plan all together.

• Tally up the maintenance fees.
Some plans use a lot of small fees for many different services to “nickel and dime” you to death. Before you invest, make sure that you have a list of every single itemized service that you are paying for, and add them up to see just how much you are actually paying. Remember that these fees will come out every year for the life of your loan.

529 investing programs are a great way to save. You just need to be sure that you pick a plan that actually has your saving benefits and abilities in mind before you make your first deposit.