Embarking on a journey toward higher education is an exciting endeavor for young adults. For some, 大学是成年的第一步, 独自生活，发现一个充满机遇的新世界. Over the past few decades however, the cost for this journey to self-discovery has gotten expensive. 根据美国的一份报告.S. 在过去的二十年里，大学学费上涨了125%以上. It is becoming increasingly imperative for parents and students to create a financial plan that combats the overwhelming debt students will face when they graduate. 无论你是否为人父母, 未来的学生, 在校学生或刚毕业的学生, 使用这些建议可以帮助你管理教育成本.
大学前:
早在大学开始之前，你就开始迈向无债务学位. Some steps begin as soon as the to-be student is born while others occur as college applications are sent out. 以下是我们的一些建议:
- Invest in a 529 Plan – A state-sponsored investment account with tax benefits made for educational expenses.
- Save Some Money Every Month – Automatic transfers of a portion of your income every month is the easiest way to save money for college.
- Know How Much College Costs – It’s hard to save money when you don’t know how much to save. Creating a financial goal based on actual costs allows you to set up realistic monthly saving goals.
- Research Financial Aid Guidelines – See what types of federal and private financial aid the student may qualify for and their deadlines.
- Check Out Available Private Student Loans – There are thousands of options for different credit scores and interest rates. 提前研究最适合你情况的贷款.
- 投资于你的兴趣——运动, dance, writing and many more fun activities can turn into financial opportunities through scholarships and grants. 投资时间, energy and a little money into the student’s interests early on could change their life.
- Consider Alternative Colleges – Many students have found other strategies to navigate the cost of college including going abroad, attending community college or enrolling a less expensive in-state program.
- Start College Early – Taking college-level courses during high school through a program or community college can take the place of a regular college course later, 通常只需花费的一小部分.
在获得学位的同时:
When school season starts, paying for college means deducting costs in addition to saving. A popular method of paying off classes is taking on a job during the summer or school year, 但这并不总是可行的. 这里还有一些可以考虑的行动:
- Financial Aid – Apply for financial aid through FASFA and other aid programs every year to receive qualified financial support.
- Work Study Program – This federal program offers jobs to undergraduate and graduate students while they attend school, 大部分时间都是在校园里.
- Become an RA – Residential advisors receive free room and board in exchange for acting as peer mentors for others in their dormitory.
- 创建一个“支付大学”预算-学生谁使用 50-30-20战略 for saving can tuck away some earned income while setting themselves up for financial success in the future.
- Taxes – The following tax credits are available for the same years that educational expenses are incurred. Note that neither of these credits can be applied to expenses paid for by 529 plans.
- 美国机会税收抵免-高达2美元,500 credit for education expenses per undergraduate student for up to four years.
- 终身学习学分- $2,在本科期间，每年可获得000美元的教育费用学分, graduate or other eligible individual pursues a high education course of study.
- Scholarships/Grants – Researching online or talking to professors can lead students to thousands of scholarship opportunities awarded based on merit, 需求或其他资格.
大学毕业后:
学生是否毕业, 决定休息一段时间或者干脆从大学退学, they may still be left with thousands of dollars of student loans to pay back. Student loan planning establishes a sound foundation for repaying student loans to minimize the financial burden. 学生贷款管理的一些关键方面包括:
- Loan Forgiveness and Discharge Programs – Qualifying for a loan forgiveness program could mean the relief of thousands of dollars of debt. 政府学生援助网站 包括申请资格和课程的列表.
- 利息管理——利息可以使贷款偿还的时间比需要的要长. Making payments while attending college or soon after lowers the primary balance owed on the loan and lowering the overall incurred interest.
- Snowball Debt Management – Applying payments from debt you’ve paid off to other debts you may have, is a strategy for quickly eliminating multiple sources of debt including student loans.
- Student Loan Interest Tax Deduction – If you have made interest payments to existing student loans this year, 你有资格获得最多2美元的税收减免,500.
- Seek Professional Advice – If you are struggling with the financial burdens related to your education or want to better financially prepare for the future, 寻找财务规划专家是重要的第一步.
Do you need help preparing for college education expenses or paying down related debt? 请通过我们的老葡京手机app朱迪思·巴恩哈德 contact form 了解更多信息.
委员,葡京会手机app下载 & 老葡京手机app(老葡京手机app)是一家提供税务服务的专业公司, accounting and business advisory expertise throughout the Mid-Atlantic region from offices in Bethesda, MD and 华盛顿特区.
