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	<title>Personal Finance and Investing &#187; College Expenses</title>
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		<title>A Foolproof College Savings Plan For Your Children</title>
		<link>http://www.libredebate.com/a-foolproof-college-savings-plan-for-your-children/</link>
		<comments>http://www.libredebate.com/a-foolproof-college-savings-plan-for-your-children/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Dec 2010 03:04:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Savings/Debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[529 College Savings]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[College Expenses]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.libredebate.com/a-foolproof-college-savings-plan-for-your-children/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Getting a good college education is one of the most important things in a young person&#8217;s life. Making sure that college education gets paid for is one of the most important responsibilities of a parent&#8217;s life, yet most of us do an absolutely horrible job saving for our children&#8217;s college education.Today I&#8217;d like to share [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br/><br/>Getting a good college education is one of the most important things in a young person&#8217;s life. Making sure that college education gets paid for is one of the most important responsibilities of a parent&#8217;s life, yet most of us do an absolutely horrible job saving for our children&#8217;s college education.<br/><br/>Today I&#8217;d like to share a foolproof plan that every parent can follow to make sure there is money set aside when the time comes for your child to go away to college.<br/><br/>It&#8217;s hard to calculate an exact amount of how much money you&#8217;ll need because college education costs keep rising, seemingly higher than the rate of inflation. For instance, today Harvard cost about $60,000 a year, but how much will it cost 18 years from now? That&#8217;s anybody&#8217;s guess.<br/><br/>Plus, not everybody can go to Harvard or other elite private universities. State colleges cost substantially less money and community colleges don&#8217;t cost hardly anything at all. So there&#8217;s quite a range of options you need to be prepared for.<br/><br/>The first thing you should do is open a 529 college savings account with your state, that is, the state in which you live. These are free accounts to open that allow you to invest money that your children can use for college expenses tax-free when the time comes. They&#8217;re also very easy to open, just fill out a form that you can get online.<br/><br/>These plans are administered by the state and an investment adviser that the state has chosen themselves, usually a mutual fund company. You only have a few investment options but be sure to choose the one the most closely mimics a broad stock market index fund like an S&#038;P 500 index fund because that way you will get to take advantage of the historic 7% to 8% returns that the stock market usually throw off as a whole.<br/><br/>Next, determine how much money you can afford to set aside each month into the 529 college savings account. Set it up to direct deposit that money directly into the account either from your paycheck at your job or through your checking account. The key is to set this up so that it does it automatically so that you can set it and forget about it.<br/><br/>It doesn&#8217;t matter how much money you set aside each month, five dollars, $20, $50, $100, whatever you can afford. The key is that you continue to make monthly contributions, month after month, automatically.<br/><br/>Finally, every year on your child&#8217;s birthday commit yourself to adding an additional $100 to the 529 college savings account. Also, especially when your child is very young and doesn&#8217;t know the difference, ask relatives to contribute money to the account on your child&#8217;s birthday as well instead of getting them a birthday present.<br/><br/>When your kid is two years old, they don&#8217;t know what a gift is so why give them one? Instead have people take the money they would&#8217;ve spent on a silly baby gift and put it in a college savings account. You&#8217;d be amazed how much money you can accumulate this way before your kid is even five years old!<br/><br/>Besides buying a house, college is the most expensive thing most of us will ever pay for in our lives. With this simple plan, now you can be sure that there will be a nice chunk of money waiting when your kid needs it.</p>
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		<title>Using Permanent Life Insurance to Fund a College Education</title>
		<link>http://www.libredebate.com/using-permanent-life-insurance-to-fund-a-college-education/</link>
		<comments>http://www.libredebate.com/using-permanent-life-insurance-to-fund-a-college-education/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Dec 2010 23:15:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family/College]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Beneficiary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Expenses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Financial Aid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Countable Assets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death Benefit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Income Tax]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Insurance Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interest Rate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Investment Gains]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leverage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Permanent Life Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Policy Loans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[S College]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Self Completion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Several Good Reasons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Student Loans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Universal Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Whole Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Withdrawals]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.libredebate.com/using-permanent-life-insurance-to-fund-a-college-education/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Permanent life insurance, either universal life or whole life, written on one of the parents is excellent as either a primary or alternate funding vehicle to pay for a child&#8217;s college education. There are several good reasons.1. Life insurance is a &#8220;self-completing&#8221; plan. If a parent dies while the child is still young, life insurance [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br/><br/>Permanent life insurance, either universal life or whole life, written on one of the parents is excellent as either a primary or alternate funding vehicle to pay for a child&#8217;s college education. There are several good reasons.<br/><br/>1. Life insurance is a &#8220;self-completing&#8221; plan. If a parent dies while the child is still young, life insurance would pay an income tax-free death benefit to the beneficiary (presumably the surviving spouse) who can use that money for the child&#8217;s college education. <br />2. Cash value in a life policy will not only grow tax-deferred, but can be removed tax-free (within limits) for college expenses, through policy loans. <br />3. After borrowing from the policy, it will still have cash value that can grow for years to come. When the parent is in retirement, he or she can access that cash through withdrawals and policy loans. This is using your policy to its greatest potential. <br />4. Also, money in a permanent policy is not a countable asset when a child applies for college financial aid.<br/><br/>Self-completion, locked-in investment gains, tax-favored access to cash throughout the owner&#8217;s life, and exemption from countable assets are significant values to the client.<br/><br/>Furthermore, the client may choose to have his children take out student loans to pay for college knowing that the interest rate is very low and that the money in the life policy will grow at a better rate. This provides leverage and options for the parent, and the ability to give more money to the child tax-free later on, to pay off the student loans and then some.</p>
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		</item>
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		<title>New York&#8217;s 529 College Savings Plan</title>
		<link>http://www.libredebate.com/new-yorks-529-college-savings-plan/</link>
		<comments>http://www.libredebate.com/new-yorks-529-college-savings-plan/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:04:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Savings/Debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[529 College Savings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[529 Plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Expenses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Savings Plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Savings Program]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New York State]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[York College]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.libredebate.com/new-yorks-529-college-savings-plan/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One of the best ways to save for your child&#8217;s future college expenses is by setting up a plan for savings through New York State&#8217;s 529 College Savings Program.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br/><br/>One of the best ways to save for your child&#8217;s future college expenses is by setting up a plan for savings through New York State&#8217;s 529 College Savings Program.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>How Recent Trends in College Planning and College Admissions May Affect Your Family</title>
		<link>http://www.libredebate.com/how-recent-trends-in-college-planning-and-college-admissions-may-affect-your-family/</link>
		<comments>http://www.libredebate.com/how-recent-trends-in-college-planning-and-college-admissions-may-affect-your-family/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Nov 2010 18:12:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family/College]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Budget Cuts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Admissions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Expenses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Educational Consultants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Extracurricular Activities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Going To College]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[High School Counselor]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[International Students]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ivy League Schools]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Planners]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Private Schools]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Universities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving Money]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Wealthy Families]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.libredebate.com/how-recent-trends-in-college-planning-and-college-admissions-may-affect-your-family/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By now, most students have made up their minds about where they are going to college in the fall, although a few are still on waitlists. In recent years, some interesting trends have become apparent in college planning and college admissions. Here are some observations that may affect your student:1. High school counselors are being [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br/><br/>By now, most students have made up their minds about where they are going to college in the fall, although a few are still on waitlists. In recent years, some interesting trends have become apparent in college planning and college admissions. Here are some observations that may affect your student:<br/><br/>1. High school counselors are being cut at many public schools causing the counseling loads to increase. The average high school counselor works with 450 students and spends 28% of his or her time on college planning. More families are turning to educational consultants and college planners because of the individual attention they can provide.<br/><br/>2. Public universities have become more expensive due to budget cuts and rising tuition. In addition to rising tuition, many state universities are saving money by limiting classes. Some feel this is why students are taking an average of 6.2 years to graduate. For parents, this means an additional 2 years of college expenses. Many students are including some private schools that are committed to seeing their students graduate in 4 years on their college lists.<br/><br/>3. The Ivy League schools are now accepting less than 10% of their applicants. This means that students who aim for these schools cannot expect to get in with only top grades and test scores. A niche is almost always a necessity. Guiding students in their extracurricular activities can make a difference.<br/><br/>4. International students are being sought after by colleges in the U.S, This is increasing the competition in college admissions for all students. Many colleges are actively recruiting international students who come from wealthy families who can pay the full tuition.<br/><br/>5. Students whose families can pay the full amount are having more success with college admissions than those who require financial aid. Some schools are no longer able to be need-blind in accepting students. Paying for college has become a problem for a much larger segment of the population. Many parents, however, are turning to college planners who are providing some very valuable guidance to help make college more affordable.<br/><br/>6. Applications have continued to rise at almost every school in the U.S. It has become quite common for students to apply to a large number of schools. Applying to as many as 15 or 20 schools is not out of the question for some. Many students feel they need the additional colleges because of the competition.<br/><br/>7. More students are applying Early Decision even though they are not always sure it is the school they want to attend. Since Early Decision is binding, this is a problem for both students and colleges. Early Decision and Early Action continue to be debated as to whom they benefit the most.<br/><br/>8. More students are considering a gap year to give the economy a chance to rebound before they enter college. A gap year can be beneficial to students who may not be quite ready for college. It is also an opportunity for students to participate in a unique experience that they might not have otherwise.<br/><br/>9. Women continue to have a bigger struggle in college admissions than men. Many schools today have a ratio of 60:40 women to men. Therefore, more men seem to be accepted at schools with lower grades and test scores than women.<br/><br/>While these are observations from the 2010 college admissions period, it is important for parents to know about these trends in order to guide their children as they begin to think about college.</p>
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		<title>Financial Aid and Scholarships Can Make College Affordable</title>
		<link>http://www.libredebate.com/financial-aid-and-scholarships-can-make-college-affordable/</link>
		<comments>http://www.libredebate.com/financial-aid-and-scholarships-can-make-college-affordable/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 Oct 2010 07:40:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family/College]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anxiety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Applying For Financial Aid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Expenses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Loans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Scholarships]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Digits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economic Uncertainties]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Going To College]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.libredebate.com/financial-aid-and-scholarships-can-make-college-affordable/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Parents who have a child going to college in the next year or so are paying particular attention to cost due to the current economic uncertainties. Many are feeling stressed, confused and intimidated about applying for financial aid. While this can sometimes be a daunting task, it may be easier than you think. Getting the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br/><br/>Parents who have a child going to college in the next year or so are paying particular attention to cost due to the current economic uncertainties. Many are feeling stressed, confused and intimidated about applying for financial aid. While this can sometimes be a daunting task, it may be easier than you think. Getting the facts and understanding what financial aid is all about will relieve some of your anxiety.<br/><br/>Financial aid is an essential component of any college education. Most people would not even be able to attend college without financial assistance. Financial aid does not only cover tuition, room and board, but can be used for other college expenses as well. Financial aid is provided by federal, state, institutional, or private sources and may consist of grants, loans, work-study, or scholarships. Financial aid is awarded based on demonstrated financial need and availability of funds.<br/><br/>Financial aid is available for students in a variety of circumstances so parents should always complete an FAFSA application. Many families with an income in the six digits receive financial aid. In addition, if your family has experienced a significant financial change, you should contact a financial officer at the school your child is planning to attend and explain the situation. Most colleges want to work with you and make attending their school possible.<br/><br/>Loans are financial assistance that must be repaid. However, unlike other kinds of loans, need-based student loans do not have to be repaid until your student graduates from college. Loans for college are available at low interest rates to students and parents. Loans must be paid back. You do not pay back grants. Some loans are based on financial need and others are available regardless of your financial circumstances.<br/><br/>College scholarships are available to students who have demonstrated considerable merit or financial need. Some are awarded to students with special circumstances. For example, college scholarships are awarded to qualified students with moderate to profound hearing loss to continue their education at undergraduate and graduate levels. Any student who feels that he or she cannot afford a college education should seek out college scholarships, because the funds are available for those who look for them. Students must demonstrate a serious commitment to academic excellence.<br/><br/>Merit-based aid does not require a FAFSA but it is strongly encouraged, as these scholarships rarely pay the entire cost of attendance. Most scholarships do not require a separate application. Merit programs, including scholarship programs, help students who have special abilities. Often, you do not have to show financial need to receive money through merit-based programs.<br/><br/>College scholarships are out there waiting for you to find them. So take the time to look for yours. College scholarships are available as a result of taxes and donations given by corporations, private companies as well as many religious and educational associations. A lot of companies like to donate money because this way they can get their taxes reduced. College Scholarships are a form of financial aid and large colleges and universities can become more of a possibility just by applying for a college scholarship in many different areas, subjects, and interests.<br/><br/>Too often families only encourage their children to apply to state universities because they feel that everything else is unaffordable. White private schools are usually more expensive, they often provide financial aid and scholarships that can sometimes make attending them cost less than public schools. Educational consultants are a great resource for helping you find schools that are generous with their financial aid and non-need based aid. You can find a qualified educational consultant in your state by going to http://www.hecaonline.org.<br/><br/>Paying for a college education with loans and scholarships is well worth the investment. Experts say that college graduates will earn over twice as much money in their lifetime as high school graduates. Search for college scholarships that are right for you, apply for financial aid, and look into low interest loans so that going to college will not just be a dream, but a reality.</p>
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		<title>Should I Invest in a College 529 Savings Plan?</title>
		<link>http://www.libredebate.com/should-i-invest-in-a-college-529-savings-plan/</link>
		<comments>http://www.libredebate.com/should-i-invest-in-a-college-529-savings-plan/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:14:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Savings/Debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[401k Plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[529 Plans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College 529]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[College Expenses]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.libredebate.com/should-i-invest-in-a-college-529-savings-plan/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is often a popular question by many parents, and rightfully so. With tuition costs rising each year, it is understandably one of the number one thoughts that go through a parents mind. So, what should we do about it.There are currently several different options for college savings: 529 Plans, Coverdale Savings, UTMA Account, or [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br/><br/>This is often a popular question by many parents, and rightfully so. With tuition costs rising each year, it is understandably one of the number one thoughts that go through a parents mind. So, what should we do about it.<br/><br/>There are currently several different options for college savings: 529 Plans, Coverdale Savings, UTMA Account, or a basic investment account. Each option has its positives and negatives but the College 529 Plan is by far the most beneficial and productive way of saving for your child&#8217;s education. You can open an account with as little as 50 dollars and choose various different mutual fund options. The money you invest goes in after-tax but grows tax free, and can be withdrawn tax free as long as it is used for approved college expenses. There are many different companies that offer these plans and if you want some suggestions shoot me an e-mail.<br/><br/>Despite the fact that I think these plans are very good, I don&#8217;t necessarily think it is beneficial for every parent to invest in one. The reason I say this is because the number one concern of every adult should be retirement. With almost all companies offering just a 401k plan, and social security diminishing, the every day American must save for their own retirement. He/She cannot rely on a pension or the government to cut the paycheck when its time to call it quits. As a result, every adult should do the best they can to max out their retirement plans.<br/><br/>This might mean not ever putting money aside for Juniors college savings plan. If you don&#8217;t focus on your retirement plan, you might not ever retire or you might find yourself working at Walmart at age 75. Your son or daughter can always take out a student loan to fund his/her college education. You cannot take out a loan to fund your retirement. There are many low cost loans available to students as well as scholarships and grants. I am not saying a loan is the best source for college education funding, but it is certainly better than sacrificing your retirement income. I think your child would rather take our a student loan than have you move in with his/her family because you ran out of money.</p>
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		<title>Send Your Kids to College and Avoid the Tax Man</title>
		<link>http://www.libredebate.com/send-your-kids-to-college-and-avoid-the-tax-man/</link>
		<comments>http://www.libredebate.com/send-your-kids-to-college-and-avoid-the-tax-man/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 25 Dec 2009 07:51:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family/College]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Expenses]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Paying for a college education may be the greatest gift you can give. However, it may also be the most costly. It is no secret that college expenses have been rising at an alarming rate. According to The College Board&#8217;s report, &#8220;Trends in College Pricing&#8221; tuition has increased at twice the rate of inflation over [...]]]></description>
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<p>Paying for a college education may be the greatest gift you can give. However, it may also be the most costly. It is no secret that college expenses have been rising at an alarming rate. According to The College Board&#8217;s report, &#8220;Trends in College Pricing&#8221; tuition has increased at twice the rate of inflation over the past 20 years (2001). This means in another 18 years parents can anticipate paying approximately $115,000 for total expenses at a 4-year public college or about $250,000 at a private institution.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s what you can do now to help with the rising costs of a higher education in the future&#8212;it&#8217;s called the 529 College Savings Plan. Named for a section of the Internal Revenue Code that permits very favorable tax treatment, this state sponsored college savings plan can be withdrawn completely tax-free if the money is spent on qualified educational costs.</p>
<p>Account owners can generally write-off up to $55,000 ($110,000 for married couples) per beneficiary once per five-year period without incurring a federal gift tax. For example, an affluent couple can potentially send their 4 grandchildren to college and immediately eliminate $440,000 (4 x $110,000) from their taxable estate.</p>
<p>Besides the tax incentives, there are some additional features that make 529s a logical choice for college funding. There are no age or income limitations and the contribution limits are high, some reaching $268,000. Account owners keep control of the assets. If, for any reason, the owner must close the account, a penalty of 10% will be assessed on the earnings and the balance may be used at the owner&#8217;s discretion. In addition, 529s offer the ability to change the plan&#8217;s beneficiary. So if little Johnny decides to skip college the account can be reassigned to his little sister. If she wins a scholarship, the money can even be withdrawn without a penalty.</p>
<p>Each state&#8217;s 529 plan has its own features and benefits. All state plans are not created equal; some state plans are better than others. (Be cautious, some state plans do not offer diversified portfolio options.) Fortunately, most state plans allow you to invest across state lines, meaning that if you don&#8217;t like the plan your state has to offer, you can look to other states and go with a plan that you&#8217;re comfortable with. Currently very few states offer tax breaks on their 529 plans, so investment selection and management experience should carry more weight when choosing a plan.</p>
<p>With a college savings plan, you may select investment options based upon your goals and time horizon. One of the more common investment choices is based on the current age of the beneficiary. Investment allocations will change over time, so that the older the child gets and the closer he/she gets to college age, the more conservative the underlying investments become.</p>
<p>Figuring out the various tradeoffs among the different plans can be quite confusing. No particular type of account or investment option is appropriate for every investor. Make sure you consult with a well-informed investment advisor prior to investing.</p>
<p>Robert Valentine is a well-known expert in the matters concerning investors.  His popular <a href="http://www.themoneyalert.com/TheUniversityofOuchArticle.html">529</a><br />
 articles have been published by several publications throughout the United States.  Please visit his website, <a href="http://www.themoneyalert.com"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.themoneyalert.com">http://www.themoneyalert.com</a></a> to view his column.
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		<title>Student Loans- Bounty or Just Binding: How to save thousands on your college education costs</title>
		<link>http://www.libredebate.com/student-loans-bounty-or-just-binding-how-to-save-thousands-on-your-college-education-costs/</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:59:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family/College]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Expenses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Education Costs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Institutions]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[If you are in college, about to go to college, or have children that will soon be in college, student loans should be on your mind.  Can you go to college without borrowing money, is it even possible?  It is estimated that two-thirds of students borrow money during their four year degree at public institutions [...]]]></description>
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<p>If you are in college, about to go to college, or have children that will soon be in college, student loans should be on your mind.  Can you go to college without borrowing money, is it even possible? </p>
<p>It is estimated that two-thirds of students borrow money during their four year degree at public institutions &#8211; with an estimated average debt of $23,000.  One in ten owes more than 44,000 bucks.  Private school numbers are, of course, higher.</p>
<p>I would argue that trying to avoid student loan debt in these precarious financial times would be well worth the sacrifice.</p>
<p>How can it be done?  Here are three secrets to nearly painless college savings:</p>
<p> Use tax advantaged savings plans such as 529-B’s and its numerous variations &#8211; which can vary state by state-and start early to reach your target. If you wait until the kid’s in Junior High to start saving will require higher monthly savings. Let Grandpa do it:  Savings bonds and similar birthday or holiday monetary gifts put into a college fund, makes way more sense than buying a toy or game that will be destroyed and forgotten by the end of the day. </p>
<p>In addition to parents saving for college, I think kids saving for their own college expenses will increase with the current economic challenges.  Working part-time in high school and during college, full time during summers and Christmas, can go a long way towards a student saving for their own annual college costs. </p>
<p> It will also decrease the tendency to slack off and party.  If it’s your own money you are blowing, the likelihood of focusing on your studies is much greater.  No, it is not your birthright to attend beer soaked frat parties.</p>
<p>Another common problem is misallocation of funds.  No, I don’t mean somebody stealing your money, but rather, having priorities screwed up.</p>
<p>Why is Junior driving a $25,000 dollar car with the parents paying monthly car payments, with a boat, jet ski or four-wheeler in the yard, but the parents whining “I have no money at the end of the month to save toward college.”</p>
<p>If at the end of the day, however, college rolls around and there are limited funds in the bank, what do you do?</p>
<p> Take all opportunities to identify FREE money.  Scholarships, grants, military commitments, are available-with a little digging.  Check out http://edu.fastweb.com/v/o_registration/flow/step1  Once free money is used up or is not an option, then filling out a FAFSA form  (www.fafsa.ed.gov) at the college financial aid office and discussing your options with them is the next step. Make sure you learn the difference between direct federal loans such as Perkins which have extremely low interest rates and Stafford programs.  With Stafford, find out if you qualify for subsidized loans, which means the feds pay all interest costs while you are in school and during the deferment time frame. School financial aid officers are your best friend &#8211; suck up to them, take them chocolates, and mow their yard (just kidding, but I think you get the picture). Make sure you understand the loan limits per year, and have a plan for what to do for the difference. Understand your rights associated with illness and financial hardship during your loan repayment period. Remember, you must be in school at least ½ time to full time to qualify for federal loans.  Don’t drop too many classes. Keep all your paperwork in organized files, because the piper will have to be paid at the end of your education-trying to find what and who you owe may be difficult after moving from dorm to apartment to frat house,  or back to Mom and Dad’s, because you don’t have a job. </p>
<p>Repayment options are beyond the scope of this article, and congress is considering major changes this year in the college loan arena, so keep your eyes and ears open. A great website for student loan information is http://www.finaid.org/loans/ .   </p>
<p>Just keep in mind that government loans can be great because of lower interest rates and more lenient payment plans.  But the government also has enormous power when it comes to collecting on your student loan debt.  Consider the seizing of your tax refunds, denial of new loans, wage garnishment without going to court, taking part of your social security check and large collection fees as just a few of their tools.  Also there is no statute of limitations, if they find you on Tahiti 15 years from now, tough; your behind is theirs, as they say….</p>
<p>Private loans are still available, but much harder to come by with current credit limitations that are increasing daily.  Your FICO score better be good (&gt;700) and you must be up to date with all your payments.</p>
<p>So in summary, the best loan for college is the one with a balance of ZERO.  If you must borrow, plan wisely.  You don’t want to be paying Sallie Mae your last college loan payment when you are getting ready for that first Social Security check.</p>
<p>Dr. Dean is an established and successful OBGYN, and professional author.  He can be reached at <a href="mailto:Info@TheMillionaireNurse.com">Info@TheMillionaireNurse.com</a> or 229.220.0339   <a target="_blank" href="http://www.themillionairenurse.com">http://www.themillionairenurse.com</a></p>
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		<title>Save for College With the Citi Upromise Card</title>
		<link>http://www.libredebate.com/save-for-college-with-the-citi-upromise-card/</link>
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		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:47:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family/College]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Expenses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Savings]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[One among the largest banks in the world, the Citibank credit cards are used by different categories of people all over world for their various needs.The Citi Upromise Card, a joint effort of the Upromise network and the Citibank, promises to let you save for future college expenses. The Upromise network is a free service [...]]]></description>
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<div align="justify"><br/><br/>One among the largest banks in the world, the Citibank credit cards are used by different categories of people all over world for their various needs.<br/><br/>The Citi Upromise Card, a joint effort of the Upromise network and the Citibank, promises to let you save for future college expenses. The Upromise network is a free service network including a number of companies that helps cardholders save for college through their everyday purchases.<br/><br/>The promise is fulfilled by each member of the network, with every retailer offering you back a percent of all your eligible expenses towards college contributions and expenses. This way the returned money (which goes to your Upromise account) will be no less than an investment in some tax-advantaged college savings account or program.<br/><br/>This is not all. Citibank further returns an extra 1% of all your spending to your Citi Upromise Card account. Moreover, on shopping with the merchants who are a part of the Upromise network, the cardholder will get a good 10% of his/her purchase back, which will be added to the Upromise account.<br/><br/>Other Benefits<br/><br/>The Citi Upromise Card charges no annual fee. It has an appealing 0% introductory rate on balance transfers for 12 months. The regular interest rate of 14.24% is low in comparison to the other reward cards available.<br/><br/>Knowing that it is quite difficult to wait for the rewards (which a cardholder gets to enjoy quite late) as in a college savings rewards program, the card makes provision for some immediate rewards such as a 2% savings on gas through Mobile and Exxon.<br/><br/>Being a platinum level credit card, the Citi Upromise Card permits you to receive all the benefits of a platinum credit card. Citi cards are famous for its security options, even facilitating you to have your personal photo on the face of the card. Further, you are also not liable for any unauthorized purchases, which are made with the credit card in the event your card is stolen or lost or in cases of identity theft.<br/><br/>You can avail of the Citi Upromise Cards’ Rewards Programs without having to pay any annual fee. The convenient automatic bill payments allow you to pay all your monthly bills, without buying any postage or writing a check.<br/><br/>Perks<br/><br/>Like most of the other credit cards, the Citi Upromise Card also offers the cardholder a number of Internet account related services, a maximum of $1000000 in travel accident insurance, lost luggage assistance and medical and legal referral services.<br/><br/>The card also offers emergency card and cash replacement, many emergency and travel assistance services, financial statements at the end of the year and many more facilities.<br/><br/><br/><br/></p>
<p>Richard Gilliland Provides Expert opinions and reviews to help you Compare and <a href="http://www.credit-wisdom.com">Apply for a Credit Card</a> &#8211; Compare <a href="http://www.credit-wisdom.com">Credit Card Offers</a> with Credit-Wisdom.com &#8211; Unraveling the best in Personal and <a href="http://www.credit-wisdom.com/creditcards/business-credit-cards.php">Business Credit Cards</a>.</p>
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		<title>529 College Savings Plans Get Better Than Ever!</title>
		<link>http://www.libredebate.com/529-college-savings-plans-get-better-than-ever/</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:12:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family/College]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College Expenses]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[What is now the best way to save for college expenses?In my professional opinion, for most people, It&#8217;s the 529 College Savings Plans. They are now worth a very serious look!Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code (the actual name) was put into place to encourage families to save and plan ahead for escalating higher [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float:left; padding: 12px"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/cc/Saving_for_college28.jpg"><img src="/wp-content/uploads/cc/Saving_for_college28.jpg" title='Saving for college' alt='Saving for college' /></a></div>
<div align="justify"><br/><br/>What is now the best way to save for college expenses?<br/><br/>In my professional opinion, for most people, It&#8217;s the 529 College Savings Plans. They are now worth a very serious look!<br/><br/>Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code (the actual name) was put into place to encourage families to save and plan ahead for escalating higher educations costs. There are currently nearly 9 million 529 Plan accounts now with roughly $90 Billion dollars invested.<br/><br/>Here are a few reasons that most people don&#8217;t know that makes 529 Plans more attractive than ever.<br/><br/>The Tax Increase and Protection Act of 2005 (which became law in 2006) extended the &#8220;kiddie tax&#8221; rules from age 14 to 17, which made traditional savings accounts, also known as custodial accounts, much less appealing. That and other new laws made 529 college savings plans MUCH more appealing.<br/><br/>With these plans, you could open an account and deposit money (NOT deductible on your federal tax return) and the money would grow tax-free. These deposits could be invested in money market, bond and stock mutual funds.<br/><br/>The Pension Protection Act of 2006 guarantees the tax-free withdrawals from the plans for higher education expenses will not fade away as they would prior to the PPA of 2006.<br/><br/>That is a pretty good deal isn&#8217;t it? But there are also estate planning and gift planning benefits that aren&#8217;t available on any other college funding plan.<br/><br/>The tax code allows parents or grandparents to deposit up to $60,000 in a 529 plan for each child (married couple can deposit twice that amount), free of gift tax, due to the laws allowing up to 5 years of gifting (up to $12,000 per person per year) to be done in one fell swoop with these college saving plans. It is a great way of getting assets out of the wealthy estate for the benefit of heirs.<br/><br/>And it gets even better! And you know what else is great<br/><br/><br/><br/></p>
<p>Since 1997, Mark J. Orr, a Certified Financial Planner, has helped hundreds plan for more financial success through powerful strategies and advice. To get 101 FREE Financial Planning Tips and to Register for his complementary e-newsletter, simply go to: <a href="http://www.SmartFinancialTips.com" title="http://www.SmartFinancialTips.com" target="_blank"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.SmartFinancialTips.com">http://www.SmartFinancialTips.com</a></a>
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