Cost Cutting Tips & Strategies

Select from dozens of topics and listen in as our college planning experts discuss making any college more affordable.
Get help implementing these strategies and get a better college funding plan… a College Planning "Doctor" can help.

Advice from the Experts

Preparing Your Student for College

Academic Planning

Letter to the College Bound High School Student by Eric Goodhart

Career Planning

Part I The First Step in College Planning by Frank Minor

Part II Using a Career Planning System by Diane McCrudden

Admission Planning

An Introduction to US Higher Education by Don Betterton

The High School Curriculum by Don Betterton

Extra Curricular Activities by Don Betterton

Why are you Going to College by Don Betterton

Standardized Tests by Don Betterton

Making a College List by Don Betterton

College Visits and Interviews by Don Betterton

Organizing the Admissions Process by Don Betterton

The College Admissions Office by Don Betterton

You have been Admitted by Don Betterton

Sources of Information by Don Betterton

Completing the Admissions Application by Don Betterton

10 Most Important Things that Colleges Expect to See by Eric Goodhart

Critical First Steps & Scholarship Portfolio by Carl Buck

College Planning by Carl Buck

College Selection

College Web Site Due Diligence by Eric Goodhart

Cost, Loans and the School Visit by Carl Buck

Overview of Today's College Climate

Cost of Attendance

Cost, Loans and the School Visit by Carl Buck

Methods and Resources for Reducing College Costs

Education Tax Incentives and Tax Reduction

The Eligibility Rules and Opportunities to Claim a Hope or Lifetime Learning Credit by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

How to Maximize the Student Loan Interest Deduction by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Using Employer Provided Educational Assistance Plans to Deduct Tuition Costs by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

How to Qualify for and Maximize the Benefits of the Educational Tuition Deduction by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Income Strategies to Increase Amount of Funds for College Costs by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Opportunities to Shift Income to a Child and Gain Substantial Family Tax Benefits by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Creating Tax Scholarships by Using Income Shifting Techniques by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Pros and Cons of Using Gifts of Appreciated Assets during College Years as Income Shifting Assets by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Pros and Cons of Compensating a Child from a Business or Rental Property as Income Shifting Method by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Pros and Cons of Using Custodial or Trust Accounts as Income Shifting Method by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Pros and Cons of Additional Income Shifting Techniques by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Penalty Free Withdrawal from your IRA to Pay for College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Financial Aid

The Expected Family Contribution...Your College Tax Liability by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Comparing and Contrasting Two Financial Aid Eligibility Formulas by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

How Colleges Meet the Financial Needs of a Student by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Overview of Assets that are Considered for Financial Aid by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Determining How to Value Financial Aid Assets that are Reported on Financial Aid Application Forms by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

The Impact that Trust and Custodial Accounts have on Eligibility for Financial Aid by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Financial Aid Treatment of Qualified Tuition Plans aka 529 Plans by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Overview of Income that is Not Reported on Financial Aid Forms and will Not Reduce Financial Aid Eligibility by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Overview of Income that is Considered for Financial Aid Eligibility by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Deductions that are Allowed in Determining the Financial Aid Eligibility of a Child by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

How the Marital Status of the Parents will Affect Financial Aid Eligibility of their Child by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Correctly Determining the Number of Members in the Students Household by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Determining the Rules and Benefits for Household Members that will be Attending College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Determining the Rules and Benefits for Qualifying as an Independent Student by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

The Financial Aid Ramifications of Divorce Planning by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

How to Qualify for Grants and Scholarships and How to Maximize Students Eligibility for these Funds by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Navigating the Financial Aid Process by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Overview of How the Admissions and Financial Aid Process are Interrelated by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Tips and Pitfalls of Correctly Filing Financial Aid Applications by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Tips and Pitfalls of Reviewing a Student Aid Report by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Tips and Pitfalls of Handling the Verification or Audit of your Financial Aid Application by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Tips and Pitfalls of Reviewing and Accepting a Financial Aid Offer or Financial Aid Award Letter by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Understanding the Appeal of the Financial Aid Award Letter by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

The Basics of College Financial Aid by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

How Financial Aid REALLY Works by Eric Goodhart

Student Aid by Carl Buck

Federal Grant Highlights and the FAFSA by Carl Buck

Understand the Award Letter by Carl Buck

Cost Cutting Strategies

Using Combination Degree Programs to Reduce the Time in College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Using Guarantee Tuition to Lock in the Cost of College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Transfer from a Public to a Private to Reduce College Costs by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Establishing In-State Residency to Avoid Out-of-State Tuition Costs by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Using Off-Campus Housing to Cut the Cost of College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Using Internships to Cut the Cost of College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Using Distance Learning as a way to Obtain a College Degree by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Using the College Level Examination Program to Reduce the Cost of College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Strategies for Paying College Costs

Saving and Investing for College

Use Tax Deferred Tax Exempt Investments to Defer Income to College Years by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Using a Coverdell Education Savings Account to Save for College or K-12 Public or Private School Expenses by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Using Qualified Tuition Plans or 529 Plans to Save for College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

The Features and Benefits of Using IRA's to Save for College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

How to Qualify for and Maximize the Benefits of Tax Free EE Bond Redemptions and Use the Funds to Pay for College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

The Features and Benefits of Using Tax-Efficient Funds to Save for Future Education Expenses by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

The Features and Benefits of Using Annuities to Save for Education Expenses by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

The Features and Benefits of Using Life Insurance to Save for Education Expenses by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

The Features and Benefits of Using Real Estate to Pay for Education Expenses by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

The Features and Benefits of Using Retirement Accounts to Pay for Education Expenses by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

What you Need to Know about Crummey Trusts by Bill Bischoff

What you Need to Know About Minor's Trusts by Bill Bischoff

Loans for College

Pros and Cons of Using Personal Residence Loans to Pay for College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Using Margin Account Loans to Fund College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Pros and Cons of Using Life Insurance Loans to Fund College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Pros and Cons of Using a Retirement Account Loan to Fund College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Pros and Cons of Using Intra-family Loans to Fund College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Student Loans by Kevin Walker

Cost, Loans and the School Visit by Carl Buck

Strategies for Grandparents

Qualified Tuition Plans to Fund Grandchildren's College Education by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Using Grandparent's Estate Planning Needs to Fund College by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Retirement Accounts to Fund Granchildren's College Education by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Charitable Gifting to Help Pay for a Grandchild's College Education by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Using a Testamentary Trust for Funding College Costs by Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

What you Need to Know About Crummey Trusts by Bill Bischoff

What you Need to Know About Minor's Trusts by Bill Bischoff