By Ron Muffick, Director of Operations & Administration, Achieve Montana June 22, 2021 Saving for a child’s future is essential but guessing how to pay for a child’s college education can seem overwhelming for many parents. Fortunately, when planning for their children’s future education, parents have help. Opening college savings accounts, like a 529 plan, is […]
By Mary Nickeson, Senior Vice President, Invite Education February 23, 2021 One common misconception about paying for college is that parental assets and savings will greatly hurt your child’s chances of receiving financial aid. Some parents hesitate to save for college, believing that colleges will expect most of their savings to go toward tuition, resulting in […]
By Meredith Barnhart, Director of Integrated Communications, Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority. June 23, 2020 The overlap of college savings accounts and financial aid can be confusing for families, and it’s important to know how they affect one another and to understand the financial aid process before starting to save for college. Here are answers to some common […]
Laura Snead Morgan, Vice President of Communications, Savings, and Legal Affairs, College Foundation Inc. October 29, 2019 When I was younger, I worried about a monster under the bed. These days, as I fall asleep, my mind goes through my responsibilities, and I’ll realize that my daughter’s birthday is in less than two weeks and […]
By Jonathan Hughes, Associate Director of College Planning and Education, Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority June 26, 2019 Financial aid is awarded based on two separate factors: merit and financial need. When you hear about academic, artistic, or athletic scholarships, these are examples of merit-based aid, granted in recognition of student achievement. In most cases, family […]
By Mila Tappan, College Access and Outreach Manager, Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) June 26, 2018 A family’s primary residence and retirement accounts are excluded from consideration. The following assets are completely excluded when determining federal financial aid eligibility: the family’s primary residence, retirement accounts, and family-owned and controlled small businesses. For most families earning […]
by Nancy Farmer, President, Private College 529 March 5, 2018 If you’re like most families, you’re worrying: “I don’t know how I’ll afford college for my children!” College costs will keep rising. College education is a labor-intensive activity, and we want the best teachers and technology for our children. What can you do to balance […]
By: South Carolina State Treasurer Curtis Loftis, Administrator of Future Scholar College Savings Plan May 15, 2017 If there’s something strange in your 529 plan, who you gonna call? I would hope you’d call on CSPN’s 529 Myth Busters! In all seriousness, as we head toward National 529 College Savings Day – a day that […]
By Susan Le, Marketing Manager, Peachjar February 21, 2017 Obtaining financial assistance is arguably the most critical component of college planning, among the many other pertinent items on the preparation checklist. The experience of attending college can be overwhelming enough as is, let alone the added stress of paying for college expenses- which can be […]
By Nancy Farmer, President, Private College 529 Plan August 2, 2016 If you have a child about to start senior year in high school, you are probably thinking, “They grow up so fast.” Here’s another indication of life on fast-forward: It’s time to take concrete steps to get financial aid for college. That will help […]
By Jim DiUlio, Director of Wisconsin’s 529 college savings program January 25, 2016 The FAFSA season just opened, and if you’re currently in college you know this annual activity. However, for first-time college students in 2016, here are some tips to get started. There are two family-friendly changes to FAFSA this year, and there are […]