Paying for college

529 Plan Mistakes That Cost Families Money

Avoid costly 529 plan errors like overfunding, wrong beneficiary choices, and non-qualified withdrawals that trigger taxes and penalties.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

College Student Tax Filing: What You Need to Know

Find out who needs to file taxes in college, how education credits work, and what to do with your 1098-T form.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Crowdfunding for College: Does GoFundMe Actually Work?

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Avoid Double-Dipping on Education Tax Benefits

Learn how to coordinate 529 withdrawals, the AOTC, and scholarship income so you maximize tax savings without triggering IRS penalties.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Buy College Textbooks for Less

Save hundreds on college textbooks by renting, buying used, using library reserves, open educational resources, and price-comparison tools.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Create a College Payment Plan by Semester

Breaking your college bill into monthly payments makes costs easier to manage. Here is how to build a semester-by-semester payment plan.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Find and Connect with Your College Roommate

A timeline for finding your college roommate, what to discuss before move-in, how to split shared items, and red flags to watch for.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Renew Your FAFSA for Sophomore Year

Deadline changes, how to update income info, and common FAFSA renewal mistakes to avoid before sophomore year.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Roll Over 529 Funds to a Roth IRA

Learn how the SECURE 2.0 Act lets you roll over unused 529 funds to a Roth IRA, including eligibility rules, annual limits, and step-by-step instructions.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Set Up Authorized Payer Access for Parents

Let parents view and pay college bills without sharing login credentials using authorized payer access.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Track College Spending with Free Apps

A review of free budgeting apps that help college students track spending, set goals, and stay on top of their money.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Transfer Colleges Without Losing Financial Aid

FAFSA school code changes, credit transfer tips, and how to secure a new aid package when switching colleges.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Mid-Year Financial Check-In: Are You on Track?

A simple framework for reviewing your college spending vs. budget at midyear and making smart spring adjustments.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Paying for a Fifth Year or Extra Semester

Not everyone finishes in four years. Learn how Pell Grants, federal loans, and institutional aid work when you need extra time.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Private Student Loans: When They Make Sense

Private loans should be a last resort, but sometimes they beat federal options on rate. Here is when private borrowing actually makes sense.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Scholarship Renewal Requirements You Should Not Miss

GPA minimums, activity requirements, and reapplication deadlines you need to know to keep your scholarships.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Scholarship Stacking: How to Combine Multiple Awards

Learn how scholarship displacement works, how to communicate with aid offices, and strategies to combine multiple awards for maximum free money.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Student Loan Interest Deduction: Who Qualifies in 2026

Find out if you qualify for the student loan interest deduction in 2026, including income limits, maximum deduction, and how it interacts with other tax benefits.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Study Abroad Costs: What Financial Aid Covers

Program fees, aid portability, study abroad scholarships, and hidden expenses to plan for before you go.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Summer Courses: Who Pays and How to Get Aid

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Superfunding a 529: How to Front-Load Five Years

Superfunding lets you contribute up to five years of gift tax exclusions to a 529 plan at once. Here is how the strategy works and who should use it.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Tax Filing Tips for College Students and Parents

Understand dependency rules, who claims education credits, and which tax forms matter when filing as a college student or parent.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Understanding Your College Health Insurance Options

Learn when to waive campus insurance, how to stay on a parent's plan, and how to pick the right health coverage for college.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

What Changes in Your Financial Aid After Freshman Year?

How merit, need-based aid, and loan limits shift from year to year and what your family can do to keep costs down.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

What Is Work-Study and How Does It Actually Work?

Learn how Federal Work-Study jobs work, how to find positions, hour limits, pay timing, and how earnings affect financial aid.

Apr 21, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

529 Plan vs. Coverdell ESA: Which Is Right for You?

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

A Month-by-Month College Funding Timeline

Missing a single financial aid deadline can cost your family thousands — this month-by-month timeline from junior year through freshman fall keeps you on track.

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Building a Freshman Year Budget

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

College Housing Selection: Tips for Incoming Freshmen

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Financial Aid for DACA and Undocumented Students

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

GI Bill and Military Education Benefits Explained

The Post-9/11 GI Bill covers full in-state tuition, a monthly housing allowance, and a book stipend — and service members can transfer unused months to a spouse or child.

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How Employer Tuition Assistance Works

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How Grandparents Can Help Pay for College in 2026

Grandparent-owned 529 plans no longer count as student income on the FAFSA — a rule change that makes grandparent help one of the smartest ways to pay for college in 2026.

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How Income Level Affects Your Best Funding Strategy

Your family income changes which aid programs you qualify for, which tax credits you can claim, and which schools will give you the best deal — here is the right strategy for every income level.

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Choose Your College Meal Plan

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Decline Other College Offers Gracefully

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Find and Win Local Scholarships

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Pay for College Without Parental Support

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Pay Your College Enrollment Deposit

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Read and Understand Your Bursar Bill

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Lifetime Learning Credit vs. AOTC: Which Tax Break Should You Claim?

The AOTC and Lifetime Learning Credit both cut your tax bill for education expenses, but you can only claim one per student per year — pick the wrong one and you could leave over a thousand dollars on the table.

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Parent PLUS Loans: What to Know Before You Borrow

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Paying for College as a Single Parent

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Setting Up a Bank Account for College

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

The American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), Explained

The American Opportunity Tax Credit puts up to $2,500 back in your pocket every year for four years of college — and 40 percent of it is refundable even if you owe zero taxes. Here is exactly how to claim it.

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

What to Do at College Orientation

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

What to Do If Financial Aid Has Not Disbursed Yet

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

What to Do When Financial Aid Leaves a Gap

Most families face a gap between their financial aid package and the total cost of attendance — here are eight concrete ways to close it, ranked from free money to last resort.

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

When to Expect Your First College Bill

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Your First Semester Financial Survival Guide

Apr 20, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

How to Use a 529 Plan to Pay Your College Bill

What 529 funds can and can't pay for, how withdrawals work, tax traps to avoid, and how your savings affect financial aid.

Apr 16, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Your May-to-August Checklist: What to Do After You Commit to a College

A practical financial timeline from enrollment deposit to first tuition bill — every task and deadline between May and move-in day.

Apr 16, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

State-by-State Financial Aid: Programs Worth Knowing About

Every state offers financial aid to students but the programs, amounts, and requirements vary widely. Some states give out billions in grants each year while others offer very little.

Apr 15, 2026 · By Sravani Atluri

Building Your College Funding Stack: How to Think About Cost Layer by Layer

Nobody pays for college from a single source. Here's how to think about layering your funding sources in the right order.

Apr 9, 2026 · Resource guide

How Families Are Actually Paying for College in 2025

The reality of college funding looks different from the brochure. Here's what the data actually shows about how families cover costs.

Apr 9, 2026 · Resource guide

Out-of-Pocket Cost vs. Total Cost: The Number That Actually Matters to Your Family

Colleges talk about total cost. Families care about out-of-pocket cost. Here's how to calculate the number your family actually needs to plan around.

Apr 9, 2026 · Resource guide