21.   Like millions of other parents across the country, the three Massachusetts parents recently pinned their hopes on a new state savings program.

22.   Meanwhile, consumer spending is taking off after four interest rate cuts since last year, large windfalls from building societies, tax reductions and maturing tax-exempt savings programs.

23.   My recommendation would be to adopt a very serious savings program right now.

24.   One client declines to consider a systematic savings program.

25.   Or, once your mortgage is paid off, divert what would have gone to mortgage payments to that supplemental savings program.

26.   One of the options on the list for your major investment, your deferred savings program at work, is a bond index fund.

27.   Others would change laws regarding when employees could diversify the company stock in the tax-deferred retirement savings program.

28.   Otherwise you will find monumental tax obligations in the later years of your savings program, and the effect is likely to sharply reduce the amount you accumulate.

29.   Rather, the savings programs and special treatment are marketing strategies intended to pay off in both the short and the long term.

30.   Prepaid college savings programs are growing.