Workaround to connect CA, GA, OK, MI, WI 529 accounts to Simplifi AND avoid MFA

Duke0486

Workaround to connect CA, GA, OK, MI, WI 529 accounts to Simplifi AND avoid multi-factor authentication every time you log into Simplifi:

I have Michigan 529 accounts, but I hadn't been able to connect them to Simplifi because the institution wasn't an available option. As stated by @Dognose, "CA, GA, OK, MI, WI plus others all seem to share the TIAA 529 platform." This got me thinking. Even though the MI 529 isn't available as an institution on Simplifi, my hope was that I could connect my 529s through the New York 529 institution already available on Simplifi.

In short, you can. I successfully connected my Michigan 529s through the New York 529 aggregator without issue, so I'm optimistic this will work for other states that share the TIAA 529 platform. If you don't want to deal with multi-factor authentication every time you log into Simplifi, you'll need to create aggregator login credentials (which are entirely separate and different from your regular 529 login credentials). You do this online through the 529 site when logged in with your regular credentials. If you need help creating aggregator login credentials, please call the the 529's number for assistance.

Steps:

1. When logged into Simplifi, go to Settings → Accounts → +Account [i.e. the add account button in the upper right corner].
2. Type "New York 529" into the "Search all financial institutions" field. You'll see two available options: New York 529 College Savings and New York 529 College Savings Program Direct Plan - Non Aggregator.
3. If you created the separate aggregator login credentials I mentioned above and wish to avoid multi-factor authentication every time you log into Simplifi, select the first institution option: New York 529 College Savings
4. If you only have your regular 529 login credentials and/or don't mind multi-factor authentication every time you log into Simplifi, select the second institution option: New York 529 College Savings Program Direct Plan - Non Aggregator.
5. Enter the applicable login credentials based on the institution you selected, and you should be good to go!

Coach Natalie

@Duke0486, thanks for sharing!

Duke0486

My pleasure @Coach Natalie! The Michigan 529 plan was the institution I was alluding to in my other post today about institutions that connected via Intuit at Mint but I couldn't connect via Intuit at Simplifi. After some brainstorming and Community post searching, I found a workaround, so no need for me to contact Intuit!