College Scholarship Gotchas: How To Avoid Mistakes When You Apply

College meal plans are a way to prepay for your meals while on campus. This can be a convenient way to get food, as most college dorm rooms do not have kitchens. Depending on the college, they may offer a variety of different college meal plans, ranging from pay as you go to an all-inclusive meal plan that covers all of your meals.

If you're looking for additional funds to pay for college, you may be looking at Federal vs. private student loans.After you're admitted to college, you’ll receive a financial aid package that breaks down your cost of attendance minus any grants, scholarships, or other sources of financial aid you’re eligible for. This financial aid package includes federal student loans.Many students choose to cover their college expenses with Federal student loans, but it's not the only way (or you may need to borrow more than Federal loans offer). You can also use private student loans. There are pros and cons to consider before going the private route, but it might be the right decision depending on your financial situation.We explore the differences between federal vs. private student loans and what you should consider before signing on the dotted line.

Sharing a living space with someone for the first time, whether it’s your best friend or a total stranger, can be exciting and intimidating at the same time. There’s a lot to navigate that exists outside of your control: habits, personalities, cuisine, culture, and a number of other lifestyle factors shared in a tight space.You’re not alone in your concerns, though, and it’s likely your roommate has been thinking something similar. Finding harmony in your college roommate experience requires a number of soft skills to foster a positive relationship and safe living environment. And I bet that if thousands of students have successfully navigated this before you, you can do it, too!Here are our tips for living with your first college roommate!

Social Security (SS), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Social Security Disability Benefits (SSDI) are three federal benefit programs that can provide income to Americans who aren't able to work. SS, SSI, and SDI are all are managed by the Social Security Administration.Each of these programs, however, have different purposes and eligibility requirements. However, when it comes to taxes and financial aid, it can be confusing to understand how each work. For example, do you need to include SSDI benefits received on the FAFSA?But how exactly do these programs work? And how do they play into your tax bill? In this article, we’ll look at each one and their impact on your paycheck, taxes, and FAFSA.

A common question we see every year is "can you take out more student loan debt than you need?" It sounds crazy, but some people want to take advantage of the low fixed costs and loan forgiveness options than may come in the future.With the rising costs of tuition, fees, and college living expenses have made financing a college education increasingly difficult.The fact remains that most of us will apply for student loans at some point in life. And while loans provide essential financial support at an important time, they come with significant responsibility and long-term implications.So how much do you really need? And how much should you accept? Making informed financial decisions now can truly set yourself up for success later, and student loans are a great example of this. So read on to start building good financial habits!

With college becoming more expensive, how can parents afford to send a kid to school?More than a decade after completing college, 7% of Millennials still have more than $50,000 in student loan balances. Facing our reality of digging out of debt and knowing our friends' horror stories, many millennials are motivated to help their kids get through college debt-free. While we can’t promise that you’ll be able to help your child avoid debt, we’ve got realistic tips to cover the cost of college from the day your child is born to after they graduate.

Does the "Sell in May and Go Away" philosophy for investing considered to be superstitious or does this theory actually have any legs? 

Property taxes are typically your largest homeownership expense after paying your mortgage. Any way to save on your property taxes can be a big win for your budget!Homeownership can be a true joy. The thought of holding your very own keys in your hands and being able to point and say “That’s my house”.That’s until it’s time to pay property taxes. The average property tax in California is $4,694 per year whereas in places like New Jersey and Connecticut, it ranges from $6,400-$9,300 per year. This is undoubtedly not one of the joys of home ownership.Now of course, we all want to be great citizens and do our due diligence to help with infrastructure and projects that benefit our communities. However, there is no reason to be overpaying your property taxes.There are ways to legally reduce your property tax bill - let's dive in.

Bad credit can limit your ability to do a lot of things, including purchasing a car, home, getting a credit card, and in some cases, even a job. Being creditworthy certainly has its advantages.If you don’t have good credit, there are steps you can take to fix it. The process is called credit repair. You can do it by yourself or have someone help you, for a fee of course.We break down your options here!

The PSLF Buyback Program allows you to "buy" missing payments that would have allowed you to qualify for loan forgiveness.To qualify for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness, you must have 120 months of qualifying payments made while employed in a qualifying public service job. Here's what you need to know.