Prepare For College, LLC

Most families dream of sending their children to college, but when the bills come due, reality hits hard. Today, we’re uncovering why so many families struggle to pay for college and what you can do differently.

These scholarship letters of recommendations don’t just support your student; they sell your student to a committee who hopes their investment pays off. And the right letter can be the difference of being put into the “maybe” stack or the “yes, absolutely” stack.

Today we will talk about the complexity of some of the FAFSA rules when it comes to qualified and non-qualified retirement plans and completing the FAFSA. We are going to try to simplify the rules, calm the confusion, and help you make smart planning decisions for your family.

When most students think of scholarships, they imagine high GPAs, varsity athletes, or major academic prizes.But there’s a vast and often overlooked category of odd, niche, fun, “weird” scholarships that reward unique traits, hobbies, interests, or circumstances. These scholarships aren’t just gimmicks; they’re real money for school.

Today we’re digging into a big question family’s need to know: “Should My Student Consider A Non-traditional Educational Pathway Instead of Attending A Four Year Traditional College?”Are universities still teaching students to think critically, solve problems, and develop social skills that prepare them for real-world success? Or have they shifted toward a business model focused more on enrollment numbers and branding than on true education?

Most small business owners are aware that healthcare costs can consume a significant portion of their family's income. What many do not realize is that the tax code offers a powerful tool to shift those expenses from the personal side of the ledger to the business side. That tool is the Section 105 medical reimbursement plan, which allows a business to reimburse employees for health-care expenses on a tax-free basis. When structured properly, this plan can transform your family’s medical costs into deductible business expenses, resulting in substantial annual savings.

If you receive an outside scholarship, the college will review the scholarship and may apply a process known as scholarship displacement. Basically, the school reduces something in your aid package to make room for that new scholarship. In this podcast, you will learn what to do about this possible problem.

Today we’re digging into a big question families always ask: Do my savings and assets hurt my child’s chances of getting financial aid?" Some assets do count; others don’t. And here’s a surprise, parent assets usually count for a lot less than student assets."

Today, we’re answering a question a lot of parents and grandparents have: What happens if you change the beneficiary of a 529 plan to someone outside the family? Are there any tax implications, and if so, who actually pays the taxes and penalties?

Do colleges really have GPA requirements? And if they do, how much do those numbers really matter?

If you’re a parent, you’ve probably already noticed that tuition and fees don’t look anything like they did when you were in school. And if you’re a student, you may already be concerned about how you’ll pay for your education. The truth is, college costs are going up, and they’re going up faster than most people’s income. However, the good news is that if you understand what’s driving these costs and plan ahead, you can prepare to pay a reasonable amount and avoid being caught off guard.

Families across the country are about to feel the impact of something that’s happening behind the scenes in Washington, D.C. The federal government is cutting back on how much money it gives to help students pay for college, and those cuts could make college more expensive for everyone, especially low- and middle-income families.

Avoiding college scholarship scams is crucial for students and families trying to find legitimate financial help. What we want to cover today is to cover ideas on how to protect yourself from being scammed by companies asking you for personal information in order to win or apply for college scholarships.

If you or your child plans to borrow federal student loans for college in the future, things are about to change in a big way. The new law, often called the One Big Beautiful Bill, makes some of the biggest changes to student loans in decades.These new rules mostly apply to loans starting on or after July 1, 2026, so current students may still have time under the old system. But families with younger students need to prepare now.

If you or your child plans to borrow federal student loans for college in the future, things are about to change in a big way. The new law, often referred to as the Big Beautiful Bill, introduces some of the most significant changes to student loans in decades.These new rules mostly apply to loans starting on or after July 1, 2026, so current students may still have time under the old system. But families with younger students need to prepare now.

Educational tax credits are programs from the IRS that can reduce the amount of money you owe in federal income taxes if you’re paying for college. These credits help families lower their tax bill and potentially receive a refund simply by sending their child to college and paying for expenses such as tuition, qualified books, and fees.

When it comes to protecting your money on the CSS Profile to get the most financial aid from colleges, what we discussed so far applies only to the FAFSA. The CSS Profile is a separate form used by many private colleges to award their own (institutional) aid, and it treats assets and income much more strictly. Here are the key differences you’ll see on the CSS Profile.

When it's time to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), many parents worry that having money saved may hurt their child’s chances of receiving financial aid for college. The truth is, the FAFSA does look at your income and certain assets (like bank accounts and investments), but there are smart ways to legally protect or "shelter" some of those assets, so they don’t count against you.

To qualify for the asset reporting exemption, applicants must meet certain conditions. If these conditions are met, the FAFSA form may automatically allow you to skip the asset questions, and you won't need to report them. Skipping reportable assets could increase your need-based aid by thousands of dollars.

This podcast is Part 2 of " What Colleges Do Not Always Tell You But You Really Need to Know." We will cover nine other areas where colleges can be deceptive, either intentionally or through misleading omissions.