Fox Business: Saving for Tuition vs. Retirement: Which is More Important?

Fox Business Retirement or College Savings

A couple of weeks ago, Fox Business posted a great article about saving for tuition vs retirement. Here's what it said: After watching their retirement funds get pummeled by the financial crisis at the same time the cost of college tuition continues to rise, many parents are faced with a difficult choice: contributing towards their children’s … [Read more...]

Calculating Future College Costs

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Did you know that parents of a newborn should start saving approximately $700 per month for the next 18 years in order to save enough money to pay for four years of college at a University of California (UC) school? That’s right – with college cost of attendance (COA) at a UC coming in at $30,000 today and anticipating a five percent … [Read more...]

4 Tax Saving Strategies for College Funding

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It seems there are as many ways to save for college as there are colleges. It pays to do some research and understand ways you can not only save for your child’s education, but save on your tax bill at the same time. Depending on how much college costs, it’s possible to use tax strategies to save as much as you spend on college tuition (at … [Read more...]

529 Plan Basics: Pros, Cons and Strategies

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One strategy that many families use to save for college is to invest in a 529 plan. What is it? A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to encourage saving for future college costs. 529 plans, legally known as “qualified tuition plans,” are sponsored by states, state agencies or educational institutions and are authorized by … [Read more...]

Top 8 Financial Aid Planning Tips

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We all know college can be expensive. How can you begin preparing for your child’s education now? Texas A&M University offers a lot of great financial aid planning tips for parents on their site. Here are 8 of my favorites: Create a college savings plan. Your greatest asset is time. The sooner you start saving for your children's college … [Read more...]