What You Need To Know About Filling Out The FAFSA

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A college education is an expensive adventure, and paying for it requires all the help you can get. Grants or low interest loans from the federal government can help, but in order to get them you first have to fill out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Filling out a government form can be a time consuming and painful ordeal. Fortunately, the FAFSA isn’t that bad especially if you’ve done some prep work ahead of time. The FAFSA can be completed online, but before you begin, here’s what you need to know about filling out the FAFSA. FSA […] Read more »

What is a 529 College Savings Plan, and Why Do I Want One?

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One of the first conversations my wife and I had after the birth of our son was our desire to start a college savings account for him. I suspect many parents have that same thought early in the life of their children given the ever increasing cost of a college education. But saving for your child’s future education shouldn’t just be depositing money into a savings account. There is a special kind of account that provides tax benefits that should be used instead. Parents putting away cash for a child’s college education should open a 529 plan. Here are the […] Read more »

Surprise, High School Freshman – Real Life Starts NOW!

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Last week we took my son to his incoming freshman high school schedule pickup and orientation. I repeated something that I said to him last spring when we were having some difficulties making him put forth the required effort on his school work. “This year you start high school. This shit’s for real. It counts forever.” I then went on to try to explain the chain of events that starts with day one of his freshman year. Hard work, good grades, and school involvement will dictate what college opportunities will eventually open up in front of him in a few […] Read more »

Dealing With Student Loan Debt

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  If you have student loans from attending college (Let’s hope you don’t) and you’re a recent graduate, you might be a little concerned about how you’re going to get that student loan debt paid back. As college tuitions have risen over the years and starting salaries have remained flat or even gone down, it has become much more difficult for many people to meet those huge student loan obligations and get them paid off in a timely manner. Total student loan debt is now over $1 Trillion and even exceeds total credit card debt according to Allie Johnson at […] Read more »

Preparing for the Ultimate Cost of Raising Children: The College Years

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If you have teenagers, you likely have been spending money on them for years. Clothes, food, toys, doctor’s appointments, camp sessions – it goes without saying that the costs add up pretty quickly. But the biggest expense of raising your children may be yet to come. While there is a wide range of costs depending on the specific college – from a local community college all the way up to a 4-year private university – it can generally be said that second education is extremely expensive these days. And while parents take a variety of approaches to their children’s college […] Read more »

Watch College Conspiracy (The Documentary Colleges Don’t Want You to See)

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I've always thought college tuition was out of control so when I sat down to watch this documentary I didn't think I would be surprised by the statements made but I was wrong. Being that a college education is considered "good debt" I thought it would be a good idea to share this video with all of you. It's only an hour long but very eye-opening if you have bought into the lie that it's a good idea to go into debt for a college education. Who's responsible for most of the problems with education inflation? Read more »

How to Avoid Debt as a College Student

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This is a guest post. These days, it can take a considerable sum of money to attend college. However, the effort doesn’t have to break your bank account or put you into a considerable amount of debt. Here are some tips for helping you keep your finances under control. Save Your Pennies The sooner you start saving for college, the better. Parents can help support their children though options such as 529 plans, for which some states even offer income tax breaks. Remember, anything you’re able to save now, you’ll have to put toward your college education later. Academic Preparation […] Read more »

No College Degree Equates To Poverty And A Life Of Debt?

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I got a little annoyed last week, when it was suggested that for someone with only a high school diploma, they were limited to working at the checkout at Walmart. (This argument was used to explain why debt was needed by low income families to get by.) Believing this is ridiculous, and spreading it around for someone without a degree to hear, is irresponsible!  This is America!! Imagine someone with only a high school diploma, hearing someone say this and believing it. Dreams can be crushed before they ever have a chance to germinate.  This is why I am such […] Read more »