In today's college search, students put so much stress on themselves to find the right "fit." Often, they focus on schools where they can get in and get a great education. In other words, finding a good academic and social fit. However, with the rising cost of education, finding a... read more →
Nov
03
Updated November 2023. Grandparents want to help. They see the expense ahead for their kids to pay for college education for their grandkids. The goal for everyone is to help the student get an excellent education, graduate with little or no debt, and live a fulfilling life. Many grandparents choose... read more →
Oct
27
Raise your hand if you (or your kids) have untouched money left in an old 529 Plan after you graduated college. Good problem to have by the way! This is an all-too-common problem that the SECURE Act 2.0 is looking to resolve. Under new rulings, people can roll over “leftover”... read more →
Oct
13
As of October 1, 2023, the “pause” on federal student loan payments will end. The pause was enacted during COVID-19 in 2020 and has been in place for nearly 3 ½ years. During this time, federal student loans stopped any automatic payments and did not collect interest. Borrowers were permitted... read more →
Oct
05
The FAFSA Simplification Act will take full effect with the 2024–25 financial aid season, including the roll out of an overhauled Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form. As a result, the DOE has indicated that the new form will not be available until sometime in December 2023, not... read more →
Sep
29
This time of year, juniors are starting to consider where they want to apply in the coming year and seniors are starting their application and financial aid process now through mid-spring and are deciding where to attend when acceptances (eventually) roll in. Unfortunately, because some juniors didn't set themselves up... read more →
Sep
22
We originally posted this blog when the changes were announced in April. Since October is in right around the corner, we want to remind you of the FAFSA changes. One of the most important items to note is that the FAFSA form will be rolling out sometime in December and... read more →
Sep
07
Determining financial aid is based on a family's "need." Need is determined by looking at a family's income and assets (and, in some financial aid applications, expenses like medical bills). Families often think of real estate as an asset, but real estate can take different forms--the primary residence, a second... read more →
Aug
31
August always seems to bring a fresh perspective on finances and life. The long days of summer are winding down and you might be feeling that classic “back to school” energy – whether you have kids in school or not! Of course, as adults, we don’t get a back-to-school shopping... read more →
Aug
25
West Virginia University – that state’s largest public “flagship” university – recently announced that they’re cutting several academic programs due to a multi-million-dollar operating deficit. This announcement sent shockwaves through the college planning industry. Some applaud their efforts to reduce the budget, which ideally will lower the price tag for... read more →