For those with 529 plans, fees play a big role in determining how well a plan performs, and one common way those fees are represented is as an asset-based expense. Typically, the fees associated with a plan come as a percentage of the account’s balance, with more expensive assets – such as actively managed funds – leading to higher fees overall. The actual amount you may be charged varies from state to state, however; some plans, especially direct-sold plans, have very low asset-based expenses, while others charge as much as one or two percent.