For years, as college costs have climbed to back-breaking levels, more families have begun socking money in tax-advantaged 529 savings plans. Now, as these 529 plans mark their 10th anniversary this year, they are fast becoming the principal way for parents and grandparents to save for college.
Why? Costs associated with the plans have dropped. Investment [...]

You might weep the day you leave your son or daughter in a college dormitory for the first time, but wait until you take a look at the first bill for tuition, room and board.
You could be moved to a different kind of tears.
About this time of year, that bill arrives. And it’s a [...]

College financial aid packages can include a combination of low-interest loans, federal work study and grants or scholarships that need not be repaid. The more desirable your child is to the college, the larger percentage of grants and scholarships he or she will receive.
So how do you position yourself to score the most aid dollars [...]

It might surprise you to learn that financial aid offers are not set in stone.
Kalman Chany, founder and president of New York-based Campus Consultants, says that some schools have become far more flexible about their initial offers over the past few years.
If you receive a package that does not meet your need, plead your case [...]

Think your college boards were hard? What about those college financial aid offers? They can make your SATs look like Scrabble Junior.
If you were accepted by several schools, there’s a good chance you also received offers of financial aid. Comparing them isn’t easy. The award letters typically contain combinations of scholarships, grants, work-study and loans.
Some [...]