It’s been a tough financial aid season for college students and their families. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) was redesigned and simplified for the 2024-25 school year, in what was supposed to benefit families completing the application. But a late rollout and the subsequent discovery of form calculation errors have led to […]
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College Cost Data Released for 2023-2024
Every year, the College Board releases new college cost data and trends in its annual report. The figures published are average cost figures based on a survey of approximately 4,000 colleges across the country. Over the past 20 years, the average price for tuition, fees, and room and board has increased 38% at public colleges […]
Read MoreDepartment of Education Launches New SAVE Income-Driven Repayment Plan
The Department of Education recently launched the most generous federal student loan income-driven repayment (IDR) plan to date — the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan. The SAVE Plan comes after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked federal student loan cancellation in June and before payments are set to restart in October after more than […]
Read MoreWatch Out for Student Loan Repayment Scams
This past June, the Supreme Court struck down President Biden’s plan to cancel up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt for qualified borrowers. As a result, millions of student loan borrowers are scheduled to start paying back their loans in October after a three-and-a-half-year reprieve. Fraudsters and scam artists have already begun to prey […]
Read MoreWhat’s Happening in the World of Higher Education?
A 2023 survey revealed a notable shift in public opinion over the past decade about the value of a college degree: 56% of Americans think a four-year college degree isn’t worth the cost due to students graduating with significant debt and a lack of specific job skills vs. 42% who believe college is worth it. […]
Read MoreU.S. Supreme Court Blocks Student Loan Cancellation, Payments to Resume
Three important developments occurred recently in the world of federal student loans: the U.S. Supreme Court blocked an executive order offering loan cancellation to certain borrowers; Congress set an expiration date for the payment moratorium that has been in effect since March 2020; and new student loan interest rates have been set for the 2023–2024 […]
Read MoreSECURE 2.0 Offers New Options for 529 Plans and Student Loan Payments
In December 2022, Congress passed the SECURE 2.0 Act. It introduced two new rules relating to 529 plans and student debt that will take effect in 2024. The first provision allows for tax- and penalty-free rollovers from a 529 plan to a Roth IRA. The second provision allows student loan payments made by employees to […]
Read MoreStudent Loan Repayment Delayed Again to Future Date in 2023
The Biden administration has announced another extension for repayment of federal student loans to an unspecified date in 2023 due to legal challenges that have blocked implementation of the student loan debt relief program. The previous payment moratorium was set to expire on December 31, 2022. Under the new extension, student loan payments will resume […]
Read MoreCollege Cost Data for 2022-2023 School Year
Every year, the College Board releases new college cost data and trends in its annual report. The figurespublished are average cost figures based on a survey of approximately 4,000 colleges across the country. Over the past 20 years, the average price for tuition, fees, and room and board has increased 46% atpublic colleges and 30% […]
Read MoreFAFSA for 2023-2024 School Year Opens on October 1
October is the kickoff month for financial aid. That’s when incoming and returning college students can start filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the next academic year. The FAFSA is a prerequisite for federal student loans, grants, and work-study, and may be required by colleges before they distribute their own institutional […]
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