Saving for college can use tax-advantaged vehicles (e.g., 529-style accounts) or taxable savings. A common practical exercise is to calculate future value of monthly contributions at a plausible annual return. Suppose you save $200/month for ten years at an annual return of 5% compounded monthly. That balance can help you estimate whether the account will meet a tuition target or the remainder you’ll need. Knowing how to compute or estimate future value underpins realistic planning and helps set target monthly contributions. (Numbers are illustrative.)