“Use a Roth IRA instead of a 529,” many people will tell you. “It’s better for financial aid since it doesn’t count as an asset.” Some people will tell you the same about insurance policies, but those people are insurance salespeople who just want a commission. Deciding whether to use a Roth IRA is a little bit more complicated. Roth…
Getting Started
Confession: My son chose his college because of a party. I spent last weekend in Tucson visiting Alex. It was wonderful to see him thriving at college. Coincidentally, while we were there a memory popped up in my socials, a picture from 2017 of him, Gabi and their cousins in Tucson where the family had gathered to celebrate their grandma’s…
Are you filing the FAFSA this year? Or in some near-future year? Below are some resources to help you get through it. First though, a quick overview using the 5 W’s and an H: A few things to get you started: What else do you need? You are most welcome to submit questions in the comments section below! Want to…
If you’re wondering what the FAFSA actually looks like or what questions it asks, or you just want to see it before you file it, here’s an onscreen walk-through of the FAFSA. Although I had to use last year’s FAFSA, I’ve pointed out changes you’ll see this year, as well as some of the FAFSA Simplification changes that will come…
The FAFSA itself will be available on October 1. In the meantime, the Department of Education has released the EFC Formula Guide for this year’s FAFSA in case you’d like to take the data out for a spin before filing. Before you do that, a few safety reminders: The FAFSA is not the tooth fairy. The only thing the FAFSA…