College Planning

A critical part of a financial plan is college planning. College costs have been exponentially rising each year. These increasing costs can significantly impact if not completely devastate a financial plan. Consequently, now more then ever, it’s important to work with a Certified College Planning Specialist who has knowledge of the proper planning strategies to efficiently help you through this critical stage of your life.

Saving For College

• Where do I start?

Start ASAP!

The faster you start saving for college, the longer you have for the investments to grow. This will reduce the monthly contributions that will be needed to reach your goal. With a longer time frame, a wider range of variety of asset classes/investments can be taken advantage of.

• Is a 529 the way to go, or do I establish a Coverdell Education Savings Account, a UTMA/UGMA, EE Bonds, Roth IRA, or prepay college education?

There are multiple options to choose from, which consequently have different results ranging from investment growth to Financial Aid eligibility. As with any other planning strategy, one single plan doesn’t work for everyone.

Planning Strategies

• It is important to start with the family’s goals and objectives. Advanced college funding strategies are then used to help the family reach their goals.

• Different strategies are utilized depending on the time frame; however it is extremely important to start putting payment strategies together before the child’s senior year in high school. Proper planning during these years could potentially save the payer thousands of dollars in college expenses.

• Being detailed and knowing the process can have a significant impact on the financial aid the student receives. 

Courtesy Consultation

• An individual no cost confidential strategy session is provided for those inquiring about ways to maximize their family’s financial contribution.
• Critical financial factors will be identified determining eligibility.
• Cost reduction strategies for current students or accumulation strategies for younger siblings will be discussed.