Paying for College
FAFSA change for small business owners
Add small business owners to the group of people impacted by the recent FAFSA changes. Previously, the value of any privately held business, including assets, with less than 100 employees did not need to be reported on the FAFSA as part of its small business exclusion. However, that exclusion has gone away as part…
Read MoreTips on the 6 trickiest FAFSA questions
The FAFSA is a quintessential government form, meaning it isn’t always as easy to understand as it should be. Far too many families make mistakes that are unnecessarily costing them money. Check out the following tips on how to tackle the 6 trickiest questions: Schooling of parents The answer should be the last level…
Read MoreStudent Aid Index eligibility guide for 2025-26
The new FAFSA for the 2025-26 school year is scheduled to open on Dec. 1, 2024, (delayed from Oct. 1), and the Department of Education has provided this guide on the formula. The guide both explains the formula for the Student Aid Index (SAI), as well as eligibility for Pell Grants. The SAI number…
Read More2025-26 FAFSA delayed
Another year, another FAFSA delay. The FAFSA form for students entering college in Fall 2025 would normally open on Oct. 1, but will instead be rolled out in phases and be fully available by December 1. The FAFSA will only be initially be available for testing with a limited number of students and institutions.…
Read MoreCollege Planning Changes for Grandparents
Contributing to college has become more attractive for grandparents after a number of significant changes to how grandparent contributions are treated on the FAFSA. According to financial aid expert Mark Kantrowitz, cash contributions from grandparents, including distributions from grandparent-owned 529 plans and direct tuition payments to colleges, will no longer hurt a student’s eligibility…
Read MoreCIT Merit Money Expert Suzy Fallon Q + A: What Every Family Should Do Right Now to Maximize Offers
CIT consultant and merit aid specialist Suzy Fallon Q + A: The hands-down best source of merit scholarships, the long arc of the merit scholarship process during the application year, and what every family must do right now to maximize merit offers ————————————————————————— Q: Families are as concerned as they ever have been about paying…
Read MoreFAFSA mistake will be fixed but data further delayed
The huge mistake on the new, redesigned FAFSA will be fixed, according to the Department of Education, but colleges won’t receive any student FAFSA information until sometime in March. The new FAFSA that launched at the end of 2023 has a calculation error that would have resulted in most families qualifying for less financial…
Read MoreBudgeting for Those Pesky Additional Expenses in College With CIT Consultant Anne Weber
Budgeting for college isn’t just a hot topic, it can also be a can of worms. It’s slippery, filled with surprises, and somewhat disturbing. Most families are prepared for the basics of tuition, room, board, books and “fees”. In fact, this basic list is what college websites use to publish their Cost of Attendance. Understandably,…
Read MoreNew FAFSA live
The updated FAFSA form for students attending college in Fall 2024 is now live, although this is during a “soft launch” period where the website may intermittently be down for updates. If families submit the form during this time, their information will be saved and provided to colleges in late January. If the new…
Read MoreStudent Aid Index (SAI) – 5 things to know
You fill out the FAFSA, which gives you your Student Aid Index (SAI), which is how much your family will pay for college. Seems simple right? Ah, but like most things with the college process, that is unfortunately not the case. Here are 5 things every family should know about that SAI. 1…
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