"Avoid these FAFSA mistakes!"

As of the date of this writing, we're in the throes of college application season for high school seniors. No doubt your little student is busy like a beaver with college apps, SAT/ACT prep., drafting essays and regular schoolwork!

But you've got to roll up your sleeves and get to work, too! Because if you have not yet finalized your plan to pay for college, it's almost too late.

The FAFSA will be available after January 1, 2010. It's not too far in advance to start thinking about how you're going to look on paper to the financial aid officers who will review your application.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

* Not knowing the "priority" deadlines for filing. Most schools want the forms in by March 1 or March 15. You should get yours in end of January, early February at the latest.

* Disclosing your retirement account values.
Don't do this when the form asks you for your investment information. Although it says very clearly in the directions that retirement account values need not be included, many bleary-eyed parents still do so.

* Speaking of investment information, you should know that, in general, child assets count against you "more" than parent assets! Yup. As unfair as that may seem, them's the rules.

* Some assets don't count against you at all.
Not just retirement accounts. Read the rules carefully.

And here's the biggest mistake:

* Not applying because you think you
won"t qualify because you earn too much.
Don't fall for that one - six-figure earning families regularly receive five-figure financial aid awards these days. Colleges are starting to wake up to the plight of the "forgotten middle class."

I hope you print these tips and refer back to them when you fill out the FAFSA in a couple of months.

But these tips are just scratching the surface of what you really need to know about how to pay for college.

I strongly urge you to attend on of our upcoming free workshops on college funding strategies:

There"s one this Saturday morning in Pembroke Pines and one next week in Pinecrest. We're about 55% full in Pembroke Pines, so don't dilly dally!

Your College Planning Pal,

-Andy

P.S. Would it help if I told you where to sign up?

www.LearnCollegeFunding.com