A common question I hear is, “I know that scholarships are out there, but how do I get them?” There are several parts to this: how do you apply, what are you applying for, where does the money come from, and how do you get the money? First, taking a step back, there are three primary types of scholarships: This…
With fall and college application season underway, lots of families are focused on iterations of one question: Which college? Which colleges should I apply to? Which college should I attend? Which college is better? I’d like to propose a better question: Why college? Rather than picturing your student on this campus versus that one, try picturing them as an adult,…
UTMAs– custodial investment accounts for minors– are great for a lot of things. Parents or grandparents can open them for minor children, choose or let them choose investments, and growth and earnings are the child’s (though potentially taxed at the parents’ rate) and subject to the lower capital gains tax rates. One thing UTMAs are not good for is financial…
Remember that TV ad from a few years ago with the dad taking his kids back-to-school shopping and “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” playing in the background? ‘Tis the season, once again. With a new (school) year upon us, here are some resolutions your family might make for the coming year. And, here’s hoping they don’t get…
It’s here: the Department of Education has published its Student Aid Index and Pell Grant Eligibility Guide for the 2025-26 school year. This is the FAFSA formula, aka how the sausage gets made. The Guide is available for download below, but first a little context and explanation. About a week ago the Department of Education announced that this year’s FAFSA…