Prepared Parents Pave the Way for College Success
Many parents dream of the day when their children have attained a well-rounded education, a top-paying job, and are equipped with the character to succeed in the working world. Students spend hours of their lives laboring to achieve their college degree; and parents invest years of hard work to ensure that their children have what it takes to get there.
Those who are most likely to achieve their dreams of a college education are those who are the most prepared and take advantage of the many resources available to them, according to NextStudent, a leading Phoenix-based education funding company. Oftentimes, this comes down to parents planning ahead by researching options, starting savings plans, and putting together strategies that result in students being accepted to the college of their choice.
Many Resources Available for College-Bound Students
Though some parents start saving immediately after their child is born, others are not able to set aside funds until college is just a few years away. There are many programs and resources that parents may use in order to prepare for their child’s attendance at college.
If your child soon will be a college freshman, one of the best places to start is by searching for FREE scholarships and grants. This is money that does not have to be paid back and does not result in going into debt to attain that important degree.
If your child already has been accepted at college, one of the best places to start is the financial aid office of your child’s college. Every single year there are thousands of little-known grants and obscure scholarships that remain unclaimed, largely because students are unaware of their existence. An easy way to begin the search process is with the NextStudent Scholarship Search Engine, where students may review more than 2.4 million awards valued at over $3.4 billion from over 42,000 college funding sources.
Government Lends a Helping Hand
Alternately, perhaps your child is not yet in high school. If this is the case, now is the perfect time to start saving for his future education. The federal government allows parents to set aside funds in such tax-advantaged savings plans or “qualified tuition plans” referred to as 529 Plans. Find out more about these at www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/intro529.htm.
Tax benefits are another important consideration. The federal government offers you specific tax credits, such as the Hope Credit. This program may enable you to offset the cost of higher education expenses by allowing you to subtract up to a certain amount of college costs from your federal income tax. Please see the IRS Web site for more information: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=121452,00.html.
Important Tip when Applying for Federal Aid
Many parents do not know about the “FAFSA,” or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Those who do most likely are already involved in the college financial aid process. A FAFSA is the document that the federal government requires students and their parents to complete when applying for federal financial aid. Although the deadline for the next school year is the end of June of the previous year, many parents are not aware that they may complete the application as early as Jan. 2 of each calendar year. Those who are prepared and apply early are more likely to receive the funds they need, compared to those who wait until July to apply.
In addition, some parents may be under the impression that they first need to file their taxes before completing the FAFSA. This also is not the case, as parents simply may estimate their income on the FAFSA and update it later, if needed. If parents and students wait until April or so to apply for funds they may miss out and not get what they need, so it is advisable to apply as close to Jan. 2 to obtain the optimum results.
NextStudent’s Personalized Service Makes Preparing for College Simple
Wherever parents and students are in the planning and saving process, it is never too soon to get started. The key is to approach college funding strategically by taking advantage of all the resources at your disposal and maximizing your options. Part of that process involves your decision in partnering with NextStudent in making your child’s dream of a college education a reality. When you contact NextStudent, you will be assigned your own personal Education Finance Advisor who will answer any questions you have and guide you through the college funding process quickly and easily. With one simple call you could be on your way to making your years of preparation and planning pay off beautifully.
NextStudent believes that getting an education is the best investment you can make, and it is dedicated to helping you pursue your education dreams by making college funding simple. Learn more about Student Loans at http://www.nextstudent.com/.
Those who are most likely to achieve their dreams of a college education are those who are the most prepared and take advantage of the many resources available to them, according to NextStudent, a leading Phoenix-based education funding company. Oftentimes, this comes down to parents planning ahead by researching options, starting savings plans, and putting together strategies that result in students being accepted to the college of their choice.
Many Resources Available for College-Bound Students
Though some parents start saving immediately after their child is born, others are not able to set aside funds until college is just a few years away. There are many programs and resources that parents may use in order to prepare for their child’s attendance at college.
If your child soon will be a college freshman, one of the best places to start is by searching for FREE scholarships and grants. This is money that does not have to be paid back and does not result in going into debt to attain that important degree.
If your child already has been accepted at college, one of the best places to start is the financial aid office of your child’s college. Every single year there are thousands of little-known grants and obscure scholarships that remain unclaimed, largely because students are unaware of their existence. An easy way to begin the search process is with the NextStudent Scholarship Search Engine, where students may review more than 2.4 million awards valued at over $3.4 billion from over 42,000 college funding sources.
Government Lends a Helping Hand
Alternately, perhaps your child is not yet in high school. If this is the case, now is the perfect time to start saving for his future education. The federal government allows parents to set aside funds in such tax-advantaged savings plans or “qualified tuition plans” referred to as 529 Plans. Find out more about these at www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/intro529.htm.
Tax benefits are another important consideration. The federal government offers you specific tax credits, such as the Hope Credit. This program may enable you to offset the cost of higher education expenses by allowing you to subtract up to a certain amount of college costs from your federal income tax. Please see the IRS Web site for more information: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=121452,00.html.
Important Tip when Applying for Federal Aid
Many parents do not know about the “FAFSA,” or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Those who do most likely are already involved in the college financial aid process. A FAFSA is the document that the federal government requires students and their parents to complete when applying for federal financial aid. Although the deadline for the next school year is the end of June of the previous year, many parents are not aware that they may complete the application as early as Jan. 2 of each calendar year. Those who are prepared and apply early are more likely to receive the funds they need, compared to those who wait until July to apply.
In addition, some parents may be under the impression that they first need to file their taxes before completing the FAFSA. This also is not the case, as parents simply may estimate their income on the FAFSA and update it later, if needed. If parents and students wait until April or so to apply for funds they may miss out and not get what they need, so it is advisable to apply as close to Jan. 2 to obtain the optimum results.
NextStudent’s Personalized Service Makes Preparing for College Simple
Wherever parents and students are in the planning and saving process, it is never too soon to get started. The key is to approach college funding strategically by taking advantage of all the resources at your disposal and maximizing your options. Part of that process involves your decision in partnering with NextStudent in making your child’s dream of a college education a reality. When you contact NextStudent, you will be assigned your own personal Education Finance Advisor who will answer any questions you have and guide you through the college funding process quickly and easily. With one simple call you could be on your way to making your years of preparation and planning pay off beautifully.
NextStudent believes that getting an education is the best investment you can make, and it is dedicated to helping you pursue your education dreams by making college funding simple. Learn more about Student Loans at http://www.nextstudent.com/.
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