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Paying For College For Dummies

Author Eric Tyson
Release Date: 2020/04/01
ISBN: 9781119651475
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Discover a concrete financial plan to finance a college education

Financing a college education is a daunting task no matter what your circumstances. Bestselling author and personal finance expert, Eric Tyson offers tried and true strategic advice on how to understand loans, know your options, and how to improve your financial fitness while paying down your student loan debt. Armed with the checklists and timelines, you’ll be able to:

  • Figure out what colleges actually cost
  • Get to know the FAFSA® and CSS Profile(TM)
  • Research scholarship opportunities
  • Quickly compare financial aid offers from different schools
  • Find creative ways to lighten your debt load
  • Explore alternatives such as apprenticeships, online programs

Paying for College For Dummies helps parents and independent students navigate everything from planning strategically as a married/separated/divorced/widowed parent, completing every question on the FAFSA and CSS PROFILE forms, understanding tax laws, and so much more. No other book offers this much practical guidance on choosing and paying or college.

Table of Contents

  1. Cover
  2. Introduction
    1. About This Book
    2. Foolish Assumptions
    3. Icons Used in This Book
    4. Beyond This Book
    5. Where to Go from Here
  3. Part 1: Understanding Paying for College
    1. Chapter 1: Confronting High College Prices and the Modern Job Market
    2. Confronting the High Prices of Higher Education
    3. Looking at How College Pricing Works
    4. Employment Reality and What Students Say They Want from College
    5. Looking at How the Higher Education Landscape is Changing
    6. Chapter 2: Financial Planning Steps When Your Kids are Young
    7. Kids Are Costly! Getting Your Finances in Order
    8. Finding Saving Methods Given How College Financial Aid Works
    9. Spending on Your Kids without Breaking the Bank
    10. Keeping Spending in Line: Using Youth Sports as an Example
    11. Completing the Personal Finance Olympics of Childrearing
    12. Chapter 3: Exposing Your Kids to Work, Finances, and the “Real World”
    13. Laying the Foundation for Raising Money-Smart Kids in the Early Years
    14. Dealing with What Kids Are Exposed To
    15. Developing the Work-Money Connection
    16. Teaching Your Kids About More Real-World Money Topics
  4. Part 2: Finding Acceptance
    1. Chapter 4: Making the Most of Your Kid’s Academic and Outside Experiences
    2. Understanding the Value of Academic Success (Good Grades)
    3. Jumping Through Hoops: Marketing of High School Students
    4. Chapter 5: Guiding Your Child
    5. Agreeing to a Process for Making Decisions
    6. Conducting the Right Research
    7. Working with and Hiring “Experts”
    8. Dealing with Mental Health Issues
  5. Part 3: Confronting College Costs: Traditional Colleges and Alternatives
    1. Chapter 6: Seeing How Traditional Colleges Decide What to Charge You
    2. Taking All Your (Financial) Clothes OFF!
    3. Valuing Wanting One Another
    4. Checking on Realities for Recruited Athletes
    5. Chapter 7: Surveying the Range of College Options
    6. Considering Four-Year Colleges
    7. Learning and Serving in the Military
    8. Considering Community Colleges
    9. Taking a Year Post–High School to Work or Volunteer
    10. Is College Necessary or the Best Option for Your Children?
    11. Chapter 8: The Best College Alternatives to Consider
    12. Looking at Last-Mile Programs
    13. Getting Oriented with Online Programs
    14. Finding Out about Vocational/Trade Schools
    15. Final Thoughts on Alternatives to Traditional Colleges
  6. Part 4: Getting the Best Education at the Best Price
    1. Chapter 9: Financial Steps You Should Take While Your Kids Grow Up
    2. Determining a College Financial Aid Package
    3. Looking into Long-Term Saving and Investing Strategies
    4. Strategizing to Pay for Educational Expenses
    5. Determining Later-Year Savings Tactics
    6. Chapter 10: Filling Out the Common Financial Aid Forms to Your Best Advantage
    7. Determining Whether to Apply for Financial Aid
    8. Taking an Overview of Financial Aid Forms
    9. Filling Out the FAFSA® Form: Free Application for Federal Student Aid
    10. Getting on Board with the CSS Profile Form
    11. Checking Off School-Specific Forms
    12. Chapter 11: Tricks and Tips for Finding Scholarships and Borrowing Money
    13. Gaining Grants and Scholarships
    14. Borrowing for College
    15. Chapter 12: Reviewing Financial Aid Offers and Appealing Them
    16. Getting Word on College Acceptances and Doing More Research
    17. Taking a Long, Hard Look at the Bottom-Line Price
  7. Part 5: The Part of Tens
    1. Chapter 13: (Almost) Ten Education Tax Breaks and Rules You Should Know About
    2. Contributing to Retirement Accounts
    3. Checking to See if You Qualify for the Saver’s Tax Credit
    4. Understanding the Tax Benefits of 529 Plans
    5. Considering Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (ESAs)
    6. Utilizing the American Opportunity Tax Credit
    7. Taking Advantage of the Lifetime Learning Credit
    8. Understanding the Retirement Account Withdrawal Penalty Waiver
    9. Finishing on Time without High Income Earning Years
    10. Taking the Student Loan Interest Deduction
    11. Chapter 14: Ten Tips for Getting Your College Degree Quicker
    12. Communicating Is Key
    13. Keeping All Your Options Open
    14. Planning Ahead Financially
    15. Picking Colleges with High Graduation Rates
    16. Selecting Colleges that Offer Your Desired Courses and Majors
    17. Choosing Schools with Affordable Housing
    18. Getting College Credit in High School
    19. Making Use of Advisors and Deans
    20. Having Students Work during College
    21. Avoiding Stopping School to Work
    22. Chapter 15: Ten Important Money Management Steps for Young Adults
    23. Getting Financially Fit, Now!
    24. Adapting and Adjusting Along the Way
    25. Cancelling Consumer Credit
    26. Reviewing Your Budget and Spending Plans
    27. Striving to Regularly Save and Invest
    28. Ensuring that You’re Properly Insured
    29. Continuing Your Education
    30. Always Being Prepared for a Job Change
    31. Evaluating the Total Cost of Relocating
    32. Ensuring Compatibility when Picking a Partner
    33. Chapter 16: Ten Things to Know About Student Loans
    34. Keeping Track of Your Loans
    35. Understanding What Cosigners Means for Responsibility
    36. Knowing the Loan Terms
    37. Using the Auto-Pay Feature to Save Money
    38. Understanding Loan Forgiveness Conditions
    39. Knowing Your Federal Loan Repayment Options
    40. Cautiously Considering Refinance Possibilities
    41. Asking for Relief
    42. Making Use of the Student Loan Interest Deduction
    43. Pausing Your Loans with a Return to Higher Education
  8. Index
  9. About the Author
  10. Advertisement Page
  11. Connect with Dummies
  12. End User License Agreement
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