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We are excited to announce that effective March 5, 2018, the RISLA College Planning Center currently located at the Boys & Girls Club of Cumberland-Lincoln will be moving to a new location at 652 George Washington Highway in Lincoln, RI.

By Invite Education

The recent tax bill expands 529 savings plans to include expenses for elementary and secondary education. And, the annual gift tax exclusion has increased. This is big news for education savers – no matter how much you are saving!

Congress wanted to make it easier to save for education. Traditionally, 529 plans have been used to cover college costs only, making 529 savings plans the go-to option to save for college for many families.

For the longest time, I thought the phrase "never LOOK a gift-horse in the mouth," was "never LICK a gift-horse in the mouth." Yuck, I wondered, why would anyone do that?! Does that even require such a warning? It turns out that looking at the teeth of a horse someone gifted to you is bad manners. 

Whether you are looking or licking (please, don't lick!), it's a bad idea when it comes to financial aid. Don't question free money for college, no matter the amount. Be grateful for any amount that reduces what you need to borrow. Here, we will explain the differences between gift aid and self-help aid for college. 

The RISLA College Planning Center is happy to announce that in addition to its two permanent locations in Warwick and Cumberland, Rhode Islanders will have access to free college planning services at local high schools throughout Rhode Island this winter. Throughout January and February, RISLA College Planning Center counselors will be traveling across the state in an effort to make filing the FAFSA and CSS Profile easier for college-bound students and their families.

This year alone we published over 90 blogs, but these 10 blogs really stuck out. We've covered almost everything college related, from discussing loan options to the very first steps of college planning. Save the blogs you love and share the ones that you think others need to see!

FAFSA, FAFSA, FAFSA! If you are applying to college next year, you have likely heard way too much of this acronym. The FAFSA, or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is your gateway to college financial aid. You may be sick of hearing about it, but now is the time to put the FAFSA to work in your favor. 

If your child is heading to college next fall, you've likely spent some time pondering/worrying about how you are going to pay for it. Financial aid, the general term for financial assistance provided to families with a college-bound student, comes in two basic forms: need-based and merit-based. Below, we'll discuss the differences and how each is awarded.

Your child has made a big commitment by choosing to go to college. Likewise, you are putting a large commitment in your child by agreeing to pay for college. But many parents, like yourself, can't help but wonder, "how the heck am I going to pay for this?"

The sticker price on a college education can no doubt lead to shock. If you see that number and wonder how to pay for college with no money, know that there are options available. Most families these days don't pay the sticker price published on a college website.

Here's what you can do so you don't need to either.