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money to your 529 plan. That way, you get used to the idea of saving for college. Later on, when expenses like diapers and daycare end, you can redirect the money you were previously spending toward their 529 plans.

You can benchmark your annual progress in saving for your children’s education by multiplying their ages by $3,000 each, assuming they will enroll in an in-state public college.

You might want to make a lump-sum contribution to each child’s 529 plan equal to the shortfall. If you don’t have enough for both children, you are going to have to decide how to split up your savings. Generally, you should save more for the older child because you have less time to catch him up.

Q: We are interested in sending our kids to Catholic school. Can we use the accounts to help reduce the tuition burden while still saving for college?

Kantrowitz: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 added K-12 tuition, up to $10,000 per beneficiary per year, as a qualified expense for 529 plans. Thus, you can use money in a 529 plan to help pay for private elementary and secondary schools, including private religious schools. However, check with your state, as several states do not consider K-12 tuition to be a qualified expense at the state level. This can lead to state income taxes when you use a 529 plan for K-12 tuition.

Also, consider that money in a 529 plan does not have as much time to appreciate in value when it is used to pay for tuition. It is best to use a 529 plan to save for college, not for K-12.

Students who graduate from a private high school are more likely to enroll in a private college. They are also more likely to win scholarships. Some parents incorrectly believe that if they pay for private K-12, their child will win more scholarships to pay for college. But the average increase in scholarships is only about $1,000, which does not come close to covering the cost of a college education.

You’ll find answers to other 529 questions at savingforcollege.com. With college costs so high, it pays to get informed and save as much as you can as soon as you can. Readers can write to Michelle Singletary c/o The Washington Post, 1301 K St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20071. Her email address is michelle.singletary@ washpost.com. Follow her on Twitter (@ SingletaryM) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/ MichelleSingletary). Comments and questions are welcome, but due to the volume of mail, personal responses may not be possible.