Workshop Agenda

Please join us for this public awareness workshop on College Financial Planning that will focus on high school sophomores, juniors and seniors.

We’ll discuss the FAFSA form and all the other information you need to understand in order to maximize the amount of financial aid you are eligible to receive!

Even if your family is not eligible for need-based aid, we will cover the best strategies on how to pay for college on the most tax efficient basis—without it putting a strain on the rest of your finances.

In this workshop, you will learn:

1) How to increase your tax deductions and tax credits

2) How to pick colleges that will give you the best financial aid packages.

3) How to send your child to an expensive private university for less than a state school.

4) Which assets are taken into consideration when the U.S. Department of Education calculates your Expected Family Contribution.

5) How to pay for college in a failing economy without relying on 529 plans, expensive private student loans or raiding your retirement accounts.

6) How to get ahead by developing a customized plan to meet all the college costs you will incur as a family.

7) How to lower your “out-of-pocket” costs and get the maximum amount of money from each school.

8) Understand the difference between merit and need based aid.

College applications for SENIORS should be filed in early fall.  FAFSA for all federal aid should be filed in early January. If you are not prepared to do this, you are at risk to lose federal and college aid dollars. Your No. 1 task now is to plan for paying your out of pocket costs.

Parents of JUNIORS, 2011 is your base tax year for Federal Aid. Your 2011 income MUST be used to calculate your Expected Family Contribution for federal aid. This time period is critical for REAL future federal aid dollars! DON'T DELAY any longer. "The MONEY you save will be your own"

SOPHOMORES, as they say, the early bird catches the worm. Begin by discovering who you are and your possibilities. Focus on your studies and participate in your community. Now is the time to develop your college prep plan for the next two years in high school.

STUDENTS:

We'll discuss how to help you pick the school and area of study that will provide you with a rewarding college experience, maximize your potential to get into the school of your choice, and help you present yourself favorably to admission officers.

PARENTS:

We’ll discuss the financial aid and merit scholarship process and what you need to know to minimize your out of pocket expenses.