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Financial Planning for College

Saving for college education generally comes in at the top of the list for most families’ financial planning priorities. With annual higher education expenses on pace to hit six figures by the time your newborn or toddler becomes a high school senior, paying for college may seem impossible—unless you start financial planning for college right now.

Preparing to pay for higher education isn’t as simple as starting and contributing to a college savings plan. You’ll also need to figure out:

Which colleges you and your child can afford
How much financial aid your child may receive
What your child’s (and possibly your) student loan burden may be after graduation

As tuition has historically outpaced inflation, the earlier you start college planning, the better. With so much at stake for your children’s education and future, many partner with a fiduciary financial advisor to estimate future college costs, walk you through the financial aid application process, and provide guidance on various tax-advantaged college savings options.

Find Your Advisor Matches

Key college financial planning questions a qualified advisor can answer

How can I realistically estimate what my children’s future college costs will be?
Will a 529 College Savings Plan, Coverdell Education Savings Account, custodial account, Roth IRA or a combination of these college investing options make the most sense for my family?
How much should I contribute to these accounts each year?
Should I limit my 529 College Savings Plan choices to those offered by my state?
What should my children and I do to increase their chances of receiving financial aid?
Other than private parental loans, which borrowing options should I consider to help pay for out-of-pocket college expenses?
How do I find resources where my child can apply for non-needs-based scholarships and grants?

College Planning Challenges

How a financial advisor can address your challenges in paying for college

Serving as your financial advocate, your financial advisor in the Wealthramp network works directly for you. After gaining a full understanding of your financial picture, they’ll develop a comprehensive financial plan for affording college that includes:

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Estimating future college costs

Choosing one or more college savings options that offer a balance of flexible contribution limits, low-fee investment options, and tax-free growth and withdrawals for qualified educational expenses

Projecting how much financial aid your child might receive based on yours and their income and net worth

Providing the financial information you’ll need to begin the financial aid application process

Helping you weigh the pros and cons of borrowing money or using your savings to pay for uncovered college expenses

Don’t leave college planning to chance

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The biggest college financial planning mistakes

Failing to start saving for your children’s future college costs as early as possible

Overestimating the amount of financial aid and scholarships your children will receive

Underestimating the percentage of your children’s annual college costs you’ll have to pay out of pocket

Assuming that your parental income will disqualify your child from receiving financial aid or scholarships

Sacrificing your own future financial security by helping to pay for college with early withdrawals from your IRA or loans from your 401(k) plan account

Sending your child to an expensive private college when a public school could offer the same quality of higher education at a significantly lower price

Work with an expert to avoid these college financial planning mistakes

We won't sell your data. You decide which advisors to talk to. And you won't receive any pushy sales calls from Wealthramp.

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