Enrollment starts today for families wanting to sign up for the Maryland Prepaid College Trust.

This plan allows families to pay for college tuition and fees in advance as a hedge against inflation.

The price of contracts is tied to tuition and fees at Maryland's public colleges. For instance, the price of buying four years at a university, for example, went up 1.1 percent in the past year because tution rates remained stable while fees went up slightly.

Four years at a university this season costs $37,001 for a child who is now an infant, or $38,730 for a high school student.

You can pay the amount in a lump sum or making installment payments over years.

The prepaid program also allows you to prepay years at a community college or buy as little as  one semester at a four-year school.

Maryland residents can deduct up to $2,500 a year on contributions to the Maryland plan on their state income tax.

 Enrollment runs through April 6.

For more information, go to the College Savings Plans of Maryland Web site.