How to Prepare for College and Retirement, Part 2 Print E-mail


Consult an experienced college planner as early as you can.
If you begin the college planning process when your child enters high school, you will have more time to examine a variety of techniques that can maximize benefits to you and your child. Hiring a fee-only college plannerone who isn't trying to sell you investmentswill pose fewer conflicts of interest than working with those who want to sell you annuities, life insurance, or IRAs.

Don't assume a state college or university will be your least expensive option for higher education. Check into private schools, too.
Some private schools offer tuition discounts, especially for high-performing students. Taking advantage of incentives that state schools may not offer might reduce the total cost of a private school education to less than the cost of attending a state school.

Consider more than financial aid and the student's ability to gain admission when selecting the right college; you want the best match.
Your goal is to find the best match between what the school offers and what the student needs. Just because a certain college will admit your child doesn't mean that school will provide the best learning or living environment for him or her. Avoid experiencing the frustrationand expense-that can come from choosing a college that's a bad fit for your child's education and future.

Have your child apply for every scrap of financial aid he or she might possibly qualify for.
In addition to federal or school-based aid, financial aid awards are available from many civic and social organizations. Your child's guidance counselor, the college's financial aid office, or an experienced college planner can help you identify hard-to-find sources of financial aid.

Start making investments as early in your life as possible.
Whether it's for your kids' college, your own retirement, or some other goal, remember that when you invest, you're investing two things: one is money; the other is time. To reach any investment goal, the more you have of one, the less you need of the other.


 
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