From Cradle To Dorm: The Ultimate Saving For College Timeline

ScholarshipExperts.com Fast. Easy. Free. Timeline Tips SAVING for COLLEGE Parents must consider many factors when establishing a college savings plan. Star is Born It can be overwhelming to evaluate all the possible investment options when saving for college, but it doesn't have to be. Use our timeline tips, starting from when your star is born, until he or she graduates. CONTRIBUTE TO A COLLEGE TALK TO A FINANCIAL PLANNER SET A SAVINGS GOAL SAVINGS FUND Understand and evaluate different types of savings Parents should encourage friends and family to contribute to a college savings fund instead of splurging on toys or clothes Have a fixed amount or percentage of every paycheck deposited into a savings account and investment accounts/options O GERBER LIFE COLLEGE PLAN O COVERDELL EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT GERBER LIFE COLLEGE PLAN CREDIT CARDS Gerber offers a flexible college O CREDIT CARDS Do your credit cards have cash-back savings plan with minimal or no upfront investments. Learn more at www.gerbercollegeplan.com. rewards? Direct those funds back to O 529 SAVINGS your child's savings account O SAVINGS PLANS BONDS 529 SAVINGS PLANS SAVINGS BONDS Put aside money for college and let the investment accounts grow Low risk investments, modest return COVERDELL EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCT investment, potential tax benefits, no contribution limit. Use this option to optimize tax advantages. Contribute up to $2000 a year, withdrawals are tax-free tax-free. HANDY TIP O*** Age 3 to5 Need help understanding and evaluating savings and investment accounts? Seek assistance from your bank or peer-recommended financial planners. Toddler $ TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT MONEY TALK TO GRANDMA AND GRANDPA Introduce basic money concepts to children in their early years to help them understand how to manage money responsibly. Have a conversation about setting aside one social security check a year for 18 years, as this could turn out to be a significant contribution to a grandchild's education. Age 6 to15 HANDY TIP There are contests and scholarships for children in elementary, middle school and high school. The earlier they start, the more opportunities they may have to win. Pre-Teen ENCOURAGE Do your children have any extracurricular .interests and extracurricular activities your kids enjoy EXPLORE activities that could potentially turn into PURSUE future scholarship money? Talents and activities could lead to free money for college Age 16 to 18 Teenager VS SUBMIT THE FAFSA COMPARE OPTIONS GET A JOB APPLY Parents of high school seniors should plan to file the FREE Colleges begin sending out Parents may encourage their children to get a summer job or a part-time job during the Even if parents have saved financial aid award letters in enough money for their APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL the spring. Carefully review children's education, it is still STUDENT AID (FAFSA) online each award letter to school year to help contribute recommended that students after January 1 to determine determine out-of-pocket to their college savings apply for as many eligibility for federal, state or costs. Review family finances accounts, but keep in mind scholarships as possible. institutional financial aid. It's and, if needed, research that student income must be There are scholarships to also a perfect time for students options to pay for expenses not covered by financial aid. reported on the FAFSA and may affect eligibility for need- reward many types of students, including those with to continue researching and applying for scholarships. based federal and state outstanding academic records (merit), low family income financial aid. (need), success in athletics or HANDY TIP the performing arts, a history Parents, you can help take some of the pressure off of your children by researching scholarships for them. You of volunteer work and more. Students just have to be willing to do a little work to get their hands on some free can find scholarships that match, if you are willing to put in the time and the effort. money. Graduate Scholarship Money Sources 1. www.rd.com/advice/saving-money/use-this-timeline-to-save-for-college 2. www.getreadyforcollege.org/gPg.cfm?pagelD=1167 3. www.howtogetin.com/save-for-college/compare-savings.php 4. www.finra.org/web/groups/investors/@inv/@smart/@college/documents/investors/p124094 pdf 5. www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/education/edlife/lieber-saving-thtml?pagewanted-all&_r=0 6. www.dailyfinance.com/2012/09/03/college-savings-creative-ways 7. www.aarp.org/work/retirement-planning/info-08-2011/should-i-save-for-college-or-retirement.2html 8. money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/money101/lesson11/index4.htm 9. www.finaid.org/savings/bonds.phtml 10. www.finaid.org/savings/ugmaphtml 11. www.smartmoney.com/borrow/student-loans/how-to-save-for-college-1304926730737 12. www.collegeinvestorg/parents/calculate ScholarshipExperts.com Fast. Easy. Free. YOUR STAR IS BORN ScholarshipExperts.com Fast. Easy. Free. Timeline Tips SAVING for COLLEGE Parents must consider many factors when establishing a college savings plan. Star is Born It can be overwhelming to evaluate all the possible investment options when saving for college, but it doesn't have to be. Use our timeline tips, starting from when your star is born, until he or she graduates. CONTRIBUTE TO A COLLEGE TALK TO A FINANCIAL PLANNER SET A SAVINGS GOAL SAVINGS FUND Understand and evaluate different types of savings Parents should encourage friends and family to contribute to a college savings fund instead of splurging on toys or clothes Have a fixed amount or percentage of every paycheck deposited into a savings account and investment accounts/options O GERBER LIFE COLLEGE PLAN O COVERDELL EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT GERBER LIFE COLLEGE PLAN CREDIT CARDS Gerber offers a flexible college O CREDIT CARDS Do your credit cards have cash-back savings plan with minimal or no upfront investments. Learn more at www.gerbercollegeplan.com. rewards? Direct those funds back to O 529 SAVINGS your child's savings account O SAVINGS PLANS BONDS 529 SAVINGS PLANS SAVINGS BONDS Put aside money for college and let the investment accounts grow Low risk investments, modest return COVERDELL EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCT investment, potential tax benefits, no contribution limit. Use this option to optimize tax advantages. Contribute up to $2000 a year, withdrawals are tax-free tax-free. HANDY TIP O*** Age 3 to5 Need help understanding and evaluating savings and investment accounts? Seek assistance from your bank or peer-recommended financial planners. Toddler $ TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT MONEY TALK TO GRANDMA AND GRANDPA Introduce basic money concepts to children in their early years to help them understand how to manage money responsibly. Have a conversation about setting aside one social security check a year for 18 years, as this could turn out to be a significant contribution to a grandchild's education. Age 6 to15 HANDY TIP There are contests and scholarships for children in elementary, middle school and high school. The earlier they start, the more opportunities they may have to win. Pre-Teen ENCOURAGE Do your children have any extracurricular .interests and extracurricular activities your kids enjoy EXPLORE activities that could potentially turn into PURSUE future scholarship money? Talents and activities could lead to free money for college Age 16 to 18 Teenager VS SUBMIT THE FAFSA COMPARE OPTIONS GET A JOB APPLY Parents of high school seniors should plan to file the FREE Colleges begin sending out Parents may encourage their children to get a summer job or a part-time job during the Even if parents have saved financial aid award letters in enough money for their APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL the spring. Carefully review children's education, it is still STUDENT AID (FAFSA) online each award letter to school year to help contribute recommended that students after January 1 to determine determine out-of-pocket to their college savings apply for as many eligibility for federal, state or costs. Review family finances accounts, but keep in mind scholarships as possible. institutional financial aid. It's and, if needed, research that student income must be There are scholarships to also a perfect time for students options to pay for expenses not covered by financial aid. reported on the FAFSA and may affect eligibility for need- reward many types of students, including those with to continue researching and applying for scholarships. based federal and state outstanding academic records (merit), low family income financial aid. (need), success in athletics or HANDY TIP the performing arts, a history Parents, you can help take some of the pressure off of your children by researching scholarships for them. You of volunteer work and more. Students just have to be willing to do a little work to get their hands on some free can find scholarships that match, if you are willing to put in the time and the effort. money. Graduate Scholarship Money Sources 1. www.rd.com/advice/saving-money/use-this-timeline-to-save-for-college 2. www.getreadyforcollege.org/gPg.cfm?pagelD=1167 3. www.howtogetin.com/save-for-college/compare-savings.php 4. www.finra.org/web/groups/investors/@inv/@smart/@college/documents/investors/p124094 pdf 5. www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/education/edlife/lieber-saving-thtml?pagewanted-all&_r=0 6. www.dailyfinance.com/2012/09/03/college-savings-creative-ways 7. www.aarp.org/work/retirement-planning/info-08-2011/should-i-save-for-college-or-retirement.2html 8. money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/money101/lesson11/index4.htm 9. www.finaid.org/savings/bonds.phtml 10. www.finaid.org/savings/ugmaphtml 11. www.smartmoney.com/borrow/student-loans/how-to-save-for-college-1304926730737 12. www.collegeinvestorg/parents/calculate ScholarshipExperts.com Fast. Easy. Free. YOUR STAR IS BORN