Financial Planning

College is the next stepping stone in a student's life. Along with giving students the knowledge to acquire a degree, it also helps to learn budgeting skills. The expenses of living in a dorm or nearby apartment, transportation expenses, tuition, and books are just a few of many responsibilities students have to deal with. Budgeting starts in high school and ends well beyond college. Encourage your student to learn early the correct way to do this without ending up in debt.

Some parents think financial support ends for a child after their student graduates and lands their first job. Expendable income, retirement plans, paying off old loans, what to do with the extra income are things happily considered.

That is, until their son or daughter calls, asking for someone to help co-sign on a new loan or help with a hefty down payment to qualify for a commuter car.

Sadly, forgetting to develop credit while in college is a common misstep among college students who are completely immersed in academic life and the college social scene. And while there's nothing wrong with that, this makes for a tricky transition after college.

The first step to planning a budget for college is to identify what your student’s net costs will be. Luckily, every university and college have a net price calculator online, a tool to add up how much everything will be from books to tuition to room and board.

Simply find your student’s school in the list below and follow the link to begin planning.

Basic tuition tips and advice to help parents and students prepare for college by understanding financing options available while understanding how to choose a college that fits your budget.