Straight talk on paying for college.
Quick reads on aid, loans, and the stuff nobody explains at orientation.
The Government Just Changed How It Measures Your Grad PLUS Grandfathering Window
The Education Department shifted how it calculates Grad PLUS grandfathering, using credit hours completed instead of time enrolled. Here is what families should check now.
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Recent posts
Aug 28
2026
The Government Just Changed How It Measures Your Grad PLUS Grandfathering Window
The Education Department shifted how it calculates Grad PLUS grandfathering, using credit hours completed instead of time enrolled. Here is what families should check now.
Aug 28 2026 · 11 min read
Aug 27
2026
College Costs Hit $34,019 This Year. Here Is How Families Actually Covered It.
A new Sallie Mae survey found families spent $34,019 on college this year, up 10%. Here is how they paid for it, and five ways to shrink your own gap.
Aug 27 2026 · 11 min read
Aug 26
2026
How to Fill Out the FAFSA When a Parent Files Taxes With an ITIN
Never put an ITIN in the Social Security number field. Here is how a parent who files with an ITIN completes the FAFSA, including the new tax data transfer.
Aug 26 2026 · 9 min read
Aug 26
2026
Workforce Pell Is Not a New Grant You Apply For
Workforce Pell is Pell eligibility extended to approved short programs, not a separate grant. There is no extra application, and very few programs are approved yet.
Aug 26 2026 · 9 min read
Aug 26
2026
Family Fast Pass: How to Fill Out Two FAFSAs Without Doing Everything Twice
Family Fast Pass pre-fills a second FAFSA for parents with more than one student. The catch: the first form has to be submitted before anything carries over.
Aug 26 2026 · 9 min read
Aug 26
2026
You Now See Your SAI the Moment You Submit the FAFSA
The FAFSA now shows your Student Aid Index and Pell eligibility instantly when you submit. What the number means, and why estimating it first still helps you plan.
Aug 26 2026 · 9 min read
Aug 26
2026
If Your Student Withdraws This Fall, New Rules Could Change How Much Aid You Get Back
New Return of Title IV Funds rules took effect July 1, 2026. Here is how much aid you get back if your student withdraws this fall, and what changed.
Aug 26 2026 · 13 min read
Aug 26
2026
Your Student's IEP Won't Transfer to College. Here Is What Actually Works, and What It Costs.
An IEP does not carry over to college. Here is what documentation colleges require, who pays for a new evaluation, and what accommodations must be free under Section 504 and the ADA.
Aug 26 2026 · 13 min read
Aug 25
2026
ABLE Accounts: The College Savings Tool That Doesn't Count Against the FAFSA or SSI
ABLE accounts let families save for college without hurting FAFSA aid or SSI eligibility, and the age cutoff to qualify just expanded from 26 to 46.
Aug 25 2026 · 11 min read
Aug 25
2026
Federal Oversight of Loan Servicers Has Quietly Stopped: What to Check Before Fall Payments Resume
GAO and OIG reports found the government sharply cut oversight of student loan servicers. Here's how to check your own loan records before fall payments resume.
Aug 25 2026 · 13 min read
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