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December 2015 Newsletter: End of Year FAFSA Tips & More

It’s December! 

Before you settle in for the holidays, make sure you have optimized your 2015 end of year financial aid strategies.
Next year new FAFSA rules will be implemented, which makes 2015 income a critical year for everyone.
If you have a high school senior, college freshman or college sophomore, 2015 income will count twice for financial aid purposes. Reducing your income in 2015 may have a big impact. Be sure to read our senior scoop article for end of year tips for you.
This is the first year that parents of high school sophomores are only one month away from income that will count for financial aid. If you have a sophomore, 2015 is the year to pull in income to reduce your 2016 income. Check out our featured find article for timely steps to implement before the end of 2015.
As the Holiday Season is upon us, we find ourselves reflecting on the past year and on those who have helped us shape our business. We value our relationship with you and look forward to working with you in the year to come.
We wish you a Happy Holiday Season and a New Year filled with Peace and Prosperity.
All the best,
Beatrice Schultz, CFP®
Westface College Planning 
(650) 587-1559
Photo credit: Hynci

Featured Find

Have a Sophomore in high school? New FAFSA Rules Started the Clock Ticking to Get Your Plan in Order before the End of 2015

Have you started planning for college yet? It might seem early to have a college funding plan in place if your daughter or son is only 14 or 15. College is 3 years away, but the time to start detailed planning is actually now.

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the core application for all government and some institutional financial aid. It will ask for information related to the base year of income from two years prior to when a student enrolls in college (this is a NEW FAFSA rule). If your student is a sophomore now (in Fall 2015) the base year for the FAFSA (s)he’ll need to file on January 1, 2018 will be the 2016 income year.

[Continue Reading Article Here…]


How to Survive Paying for College Workshops & Webinars

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Senior Scoop

FAFSA Tips: What to Do Before the End of 2015 to Boost Your Odds for More Financial Aid

Changes coming to the application process make 2015 tax returns doubly important for college-bound students.

Applying for financial aid will soon be less of a hassle for college students and their families. Beginning with the 2017-2018 academic year, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid-used to determine financial aid from the government as well as colleges-can be filed three months earlier, or as early as October 1, nearly a year before a student would start classes the following fall. This shift in timing will allow completed tax returns to be used to report income and assets on the FAFSA.

[Continue Reading Article Here …]


About Westface College Planning

If you are a typical parent with college bound students, you’re probably overwhelmed by all the research necessary to help your sons and daughters make the right choices and prevent overpaying for their education.

You are not alone!

Get the facts. Educate yourself to potentially save tens of thousands of dollars on a single college education. Parents of more than one child heading to college in the next few years, can save even more.

At Westface College Planning, we work with families to help you plan for and navigate the “paying for college” process. We teach you how to minimize your out-of-pocket expenses, maximize financial aid eligibility, understand the best way to navigate through the college selection process and prioritize your sources of college funds to protect your life savings!

Sign up for a free workshop or webinar or call to schedule a complimentary college funding consultation today.

More information at WestfaceCollegePlanning.com.


December 2015 – Issue #50

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If you’re a typical parent with college-bound students, you’re probably overwhelmed. You want to help your sons and daughters make the right choices and prevent overpaying for their education. You’re not alone! We’re here to help. Schedule your free consultation today – click below to get started!

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How to Survive Paying for College

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Join Beatrice Schultz, CFP® for our on-demand webinar, where she provides parents with the exact steps that often greatly lower the cost of college, even if there’s little time to prepare.