College
Merit Aid: What You Need to Know
November is here! While you’re getting prepped for Turkey Day, it’s prime time for college application season, and merit aid is one of the best ways to get free funding for college. Merit Aid 101 What is merit aid? If you want to get the most out of merit scholarships, what do colleges look for?…
5 Questions Parents Most Often Ask About Their 529 Plans
529 plans are one of the go-to college savings options for parents. They are heavily marketed, tax-advantaged, let you make high annual contributions, and don’t have income or age restrictions. Many families have some money in 529 plans (which they plan to use for college). If you’re one of those families who have some college…
Parents: It’s Time for YOU to Go Back to School
It’s August! Whether your student is gearing up for education mode, or right in the middle of first-week preparations, August means it’s the start of back to school season. Stretch Out Summer Earnings with a Clear Savings Plan Embarking on a summer job may be new territory for your student. Before spending a penny, talk…
Extra Summer Job Earnings? Before Spending a Penny, Talk to Your Student About These 4 Ways to Budget
1. Stick to a savings plan A good rule of thumb is save first and spend what you have left over. Agreeing on a savings plan ahead of time will make it easier to part with a chunk of the money. A popular (and fair) budgeting technique is the 50/30/20 budget: 50% → Necessities 30%…
Do Higher Discounts Help Out Students or Colleges?
It’s July! Time to soak in those warm summer rays and get some well-deserved R&R. Private Colleges are Offering Discounts at Historic Levels Did you know private school discounts are at an all-time high? Tuition and fees are 44.2% for all undergraduates and 49.1% for first-time, full-time freshman. But does that weigh in favor of the…
Federal Student Loan Interest Rates were Announced, and They’re Rising
It’s June! Summer is here! A warm congratulations to our graduating seniors. You did it! If you have soon-to-be college freshmen, this summer will be a critical time to create your detailed college funding plan for the next four years. For many families, this will include some loans. Federal student loan interest rates are rising for…