Education

Education Planning   Articles     Education planning basics       ABCs of financial aid       Can I afford to send my child to college?       Education tax credits       Finding money to pay college bills out of pocket       Going back to school as an adult       Health insurance for college students       Helping your child make the transition from high school to college       How student loans impact your credit       Research tips when choosing a college       Sticker shock--creative ways to lower the cost of college       Student loan basics       The best ways to save for college       The college application process   Decision Tools     Determining how much to save for college       Finding the funds to pay for a college education       Higher education figures at-a-glance     Financial aid       College application and financial aid calendar       Comparison of federal higher education loans       Financial aid calendar     Tax issues       Comparison of education tax credits and deductions       Qualified education expenses defined   FAQs     529 plans and financial aid       How will my 529 account be treated for financial aid purposes?       I opened a state savings plan account for my grandchild many years ago, and he's now filling out financial aid applications. Do his parents need to list the value of the account in their assets, or does my grandchild list the value of the account as his asset?     529 plans: Tax issues       Can I deduct my contributions to my 529 account?       Can I use 529 funds to pay my child's college expenses in the same year I take either the Hope credit or the Lifetime Learning credit?       How does the annual gift tax exclusion apply to contributions to a 529 plan?       I intend to make tuition payments directly to my grandchild's college, and I know this will reduce my estate. But would it be better to contribute to a 529 plan instead?       I opened a 529 plan and my child is the beneficiary. If my mother makes a contribution to the plan, is that considered a gift to me or to my child?       I'd like to make a lump-sum contribution to my grandchild's 529 account. Will I owe gift tax?       If I cash in Series EE U.S. savings bonds I purchased 10 years ago and contribute the proceeds to a 529 plan, can I still avoid paying tax on the proceeds?       The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 contains sunset provisions. Should I be worried about this?       Will I be penalized if the money in my 529 plan isn't used for college expenses?       Will I pay income tax when the money in my 529 plan is withdrawn to pay for college expenses?       Will the value of my 529 account be included in my estate or my beneficiary's estate?     Applying to college       How many colleges should my child apply to?       When are college applications due?     Borrowing against your 529 account       Can I use the money in my 529 account as security if I apply for a loan?       I know I can borrow against my 401(k), but can I borrow against the value of my 529 account?     College costs       Are there any ways to lower the cost of college?       What expenses are included in the annual cost of college?       What is the college inflation rate?     College students and insurance       My child is heading off to college this fall. What insurance issues does this raise?     Education tax credits       Now that my child is in college, am I entitled to any education tax credits?       What are the Hope credit and the Lifetime Learning credit?     Financial aid       Are any financial aid programs tailored especially to parents of post-secondary students?       Are there any assets that are not counted for financial aid purposes?       Can an UGMA/UTMA account reduce my child's financial aid for college?       Can anyone get a Pell Grant?       Can we negotiate our child's financial aid award?       Do colleges offer financial aid?       How can my child find scholarships for college?       How do I apply for financial aid?       How do I know if I'm eligible for federal financial aid?       How does the federal financial aid process work?       Is there anything I can do now so that my child can obtain more financial aid later?       What are the major federal financial aid loan programs?       What happens if our child's college does not give us all the financial aid we need?       What is a Stafford Loan?     Paying for college       I've heard that a grandparent can pay a grandchild's tuition directly to the college without any gift tax problems. Is this true?       Should I take out a home equity loan to pay for my child's tuition?       Should I use my 401(k) to fund my child's college education?       Should I withdraw money from my IRA to pay for my child's college tuition?     Saving for college       Can an UGMA/UTMA account reduce my child's financial aid for college?       How can we possibly save for retirement and our child's college education at the same time?       Should I establish a trust for my child's college education fund?       Should I save for college in my name or my child's name?     Selecting a college       How should my child go about selecting a college?     Student loans       Are my student loan payments tax deductible?       Can I refinance my student loan?       How will I ever pay off my student loans?       I'm having trouble paying my student loans. What should I do?       Is student loan interest deductible?       Should I pay off my student loans early with a home equity loan?     Using or withdrawing 529 funds       Can 529 funds be used for general living expenses while at college?       Can the funds in a 529 plan be used for college expenses if my child is only attending part-time?       How do I prove that a distribution request is for my child's college expenses and not for some other purpose?       Must the funds in a 529 plan be used for tuition only, or can they be used for room and board expenses?       My child got a full scholarship to college--now what?       My child is the beneficiary of a 529 plan. Can he use the 529 funds at a foreign school?       My child is the beneficiary of a 529 plan. Can he use the 529 funds for graduate school?       My child is the beneficiary of a 529 plan. Can he use the 529 funds for vocational school?       My child is the beneficiary of a 529 plan. Can we use the 529 funds for her private elementary or secondary school?       My child will be going to college next year and using 529 funds to pay expenses--what do I need to do?       What happens if I need to use the funds in a 529 plan before my child goes to college?       What happens if I open a 529 account for my child, and she later becomes disabled and doesn't go to college?       What happens if my child finishes college and there is money left over in the 529 account?       What happens to my 529 plan if my child wants to postpone going to college for a year or two after high school?       What happens to the funds in my 529 account if my child doesn't go to college?