College

As many parents start ramping up their retirement planning efforts, their children are also preparing for an important next step in their lives: higher education. It may seem overwhelming to manage both at once, but it’s important to face some very hard decisions. If you’re thinking about tapping into your retirement accounts, ask yourself a few questions:

Graduating from college is a momentous occasion and one that any student should be incredibly proud of doing. As you leave the confines of your college campus and begin your life in the “real world,” the financial burden of graduating with student loan debt becomes reality.

With all of the cost and stress of sending children to college, parents want their graduates equipped to get high-paying jobs quickly. Find out which schools offer their children the best employment prospects with some newly available and very useful tools.

Financial-aid award letters are often jargon-filled and confusing. You need to know how to evaluate what you are really getting. Better knowledge just might lead to a better aid package.

College tuition is so expensive that even high-income families can get offers of financial aid. Your first step is to complete the federal forms, and then contact the school directly to further negotiate a financial aid package.

Finding and funding the right school at the right price for your kids can be challenging. You can get a better idea of how much any given school will really cost by accessing the resources outlined in these valuable steps.

Countdown to College
Things to consider as a parent of a future college student.

Explore the different ways you can help finance the costs of higher education.

How can you help cover your child’s future college costs? Saving early (and often) may be key for most families. Here are some college savings vehicles to consider.

If you’ve started college planning at all you’ve heard about the FAFSA. Do you need to fill it out? For the vast majority of families, the answer is yes. This application is your gateway to all federal aid.

Step One: Find a trusted financial coach; Step Two: Listen to your coach.