Plan, save and pay for college

The Ripple Effect: Understanding How Student Loans Impact Your Student's Credit Score

For many students, pursuing higher education is a worthwhile investment in their future. However, this pursuit often comes with the financial burden of student loans. Beyond the immediate challenges of repayment, it's crucial for parents and students to understand how these loans can have a lasting impact on students' credit scores. In this blog post, we'll dive into the intricacies of how student loans affect a student's credit score and what steps can be taken to manage this financial aspect responsibly.

Parents: Know the College Admissions Timeline

The college admissions process can be tricky for any family, especially those going through it for the first time. Separate financial aid and admissions applications, multiple deadlines at each school, standardized exams, letters of recommendation, required essays, and, this year, changes to federal financial aid. No wonder you feel stress.

The Student Aid Index: The New Way to Calculate College Aid

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is about to fundamentally change how eligibility for college financial aid is calculated. Here's what you need to know and a link to a free calculator to estimate eligibility for college aid using the new methodology.

Student Loans Can Help Build Strong Credit Scores

College students and graduates can use student loans to build a great credit score. These three steps will help you understand the credit scoring process and how student loans can help young consumers build a high credit score and open opportunities for future borrowing.

Federal Student Loans – Still the Best Deal for Undergrads

Interest rates have increased noticeably over the past year, which means that Federal student loan interest rates will climb as well. When? By how much? Will the rate on this loan increase more in the future? Is there a better option for undergraduate students to borrow for college? These are all questions into which potential college students and their families should be looking.

529 Plans: A Bad Name for a Great Way to Save for College … and More

In the 1990s, Congress started 529 college savings programs to help families create a nest egg for college. Although marketers would surely advise against naming a program after a section of the tax code, Section 529 in this case, "529s" grew into a preferred way of saving for college. And now the 529s can be used for more than just paying for college.

Understanding and Appealing Financial Aid Award Letters

For gardeners, April showers bring May flowers. For high school seniors, the bloom may already be off the rose. The joy of getting college acceptance letters often quickly fades as the reality of comparing colleges and determining "the one" comes into focus.

Left on the Table: The Saga of Unclaimed Pell Grant and Scholarship Money

Consider the tried-and-true axiom for the lottery: "You need to be in it to win it". Well, when it comes to applying for federal financial aid, nearly two million high school students annually are deciding not to play the game whatsoever, a decision that is costing almost half of them the chance for some much-needed assistance in the form of free money.

Help Me Understand Financial Aid

Paying for college can be overwhelming. Knowing the options and identifying sources of money for your family to pay the college bill is half the battle and there's no time like the new year to get a handle on the details, especially with financial aid season on the horizon.

Saving for Higher Education is Better than Borrowing

There is no magic, one-size fits all way to pay for college. The trick is finding what works best for your family.

4 Easy Ways to Boost Education Savings this Holiday Season

It's never too early or too late to save for college and other education expenses using 529 savings programs. Here are four tips to add a little holiday cheer to your 529 savings accounts.

Increasing ROI on Your Investment in College

Calculating a precise Return on Investment (ROI) of a college degree is less important than taking actions that will result in better returns. We can put the calculator away and think simply about how to increase the Return on Investment for education.

What to Know about the FAFSA® Form: Current & Future

This article will tell you why filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is important no matter what your family income may be, discuss the Academic Year 2023-2024 FAFSA® form, and outline the likely changes to the FAFSA® form to be used in 2024-25.

Beyond Tuition: How to Manage Other College Costs

College costs continue to rise, and if you're concerned with how you're going to pay for it, you're certainly not alone. Understanding the total cost of college, not just the tuition, and how to manage those costs is important.

College Majors and Return of Investment (ROI)

As college costs increase and student debt rises, you are likely thinking about your return on investment in college and asking if it is worth going to college.

Choosing Between Federal and Private Student Loans

Picking a student loan that meets your needs requires an understanding of some basic concepts. Student Loan Basics empowers you with information to make informed choices to borrow for college. This article explains the difference between undergraduate federal and private loans.

Student Loans and Credit Scores

With more than $1.7 trillion of student loan debt outstanding, but not a lot has been written about student loans. Not much has been written about the relationship between student loans and credit scores.

Difference Between Consolidation & Refinancing

Picking a student loan that meets your needs requires an understanding of some basic concepts. Student Loan Basics empowers you with information to make informed choices to borrow for college and manage the debt after college.