Blog
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I've moved my blog to Substack! Check out some of my most recent posts below.
Subscribe now to keep up with me and access exclusive perks, including live discussions with college planning experts, time to ask me anything, and more.
Looking for my older blog posts? Check out my full blog archive below.
Blog archive
Demonstrated Interest
What is it? Does it matter? Demonstrated interest is a topic of considerable confusion these days, especially since information about it varies widely.
Negotiating Merit Awards
You get what you negotiate so it’s worth trying to maximize your student’s merit awards by trying.
Lowering Your EFC at the Last Minute
The first step in lowering your EFC is to determine whether or not it’s worth doing. How to do that? Determine if you’re a need-based aid candidate at any of the schools you are serious about.
How to Fill out the FAFSA 2: Divorced Parents
Divorce is one of the biggest question areas with the FAFSA. This may be because the FAFSA presents it so simply: it just asks the parents’ marital status; if “Divorced or separated” is chosen, it asks which parent’s information is going to be used.
How to Fill out the FAFSA: Income
This is one of those things that seems fairly straightforward but has a definite peeling the onion feel to it. What is Income for purpose of the FAFSA?
Test Scores and Aid
Does your student have some down time during the winter break? A quick and easy way to make some money is to do some test prep for the ACT or SAT. In fact, this is likely to pay off far more than any juggling strategies you might be attempting with your income or assets in order to bring your EFC down.
Rebalancing 529 Plan Accounts
If you want to change any of your 529 account investments, now is a good time to do so. That’s because you’re allowed to make changes to your investments twice a year. If you make changes now, you’ll still have both opportunities in 2016. If you wait until January, you’ll be using one of your 2016 changes.
FAFSA 4caster vs FAFSA
Learn about how the FAFSA 4caster can help estimate your EFC, but be aware of its limitations.
529 Contributions for Tax Purposes
529 savings plan tax planning strategies to best position your financial situation for the FAFSA.