Ohio’s annual Sales Tax Holiday gives families an opportunity to reduce the cost of back-to-school shopping by purchasing many qualifying items without paying state or local sales tax. For parents with college-bound students, combining the tax holiday with a 529 college savings plan may create additional savings. Here’s what Ohio families should know before shopping this year. Ohio’s 2026 Sales Tax…
Education savings is a meaningful part of many families’ financial plans, and 529 plans remain one of the most effective and tax-efficient ways to prepare for future college or K–12 expenses. As tuition costs continue to rise, clients often want to understand how 529 plans work, how much they should save, and what happens if…
Beyond Your Finances, Education Planning
By Luke Babner and Joel Bleskey With the school year in full swing, so is the official launch of what is said to be “the most affordable repayment plan ever created.” The SAVE plan, an updated version of the REPAYE plan, helps borrowers reduce their monthly loan payments and, in some circumstances, have their loans…
Beyond Your Finances, Education Planning, Estate & Legacy, Market Commentary, Retirement, Taxes
Year-End Financial Checklist Looking at your year-end financial checklist now allows you and your financial advisor time to review and assess the progress made on goals set at the start of the year, while still having time before the end of the year to make adjustments if needed. With this timeline in mind, here are…
Beyond Your Finances, Education Planning
5 Things To Know About The Student Debt Relief Program As you likely have heard, on August 24th, the Biden Administration announced a three-part student loan debt relief program. The aim of the program is to help working and middle-class federal student loan borrower’s transition back to regular payments as pandemic-related support expires. Here are…
The FAFSA for 2021-2022 The cost of a college education has been growing some 6%-8% per year and with costs expected to continue on their trajectory, completing the FAFSA can be extremely important for many families. FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid and is necessary to complete to receive any federal student…
Beyond Your Finances, Education Planning
College Students: Financial Checklist & Survival Guide The college experience in the time of COVID-19 is sure to be unlike any other semester. In our August edition of Viewpoints, we shared how college and university campuses are preparing for the return of students for the fall semester. Continuing on that topic, we wanted to share…
This is clearly not the headline most parents see when reading up on how to save for college. However, parents (or grandparents) looking to save for their children’s future college expenses have a great tool available to them with CollegeAdvantage, Ohio’s direct 529 plan. These plans allow savers to invest after tax dollars into…
So often as planners we focus the college education discussion on the financial considerations. At the top of that list today is debt management. Parents are concerned their children will be burdened upon graduation with so much debt that it will limit their ability to eventually “get ahead.” While this is certainly a valid concern…
Congratulations! You (or your child) is finally getting ready to graduate from The U of __________, and are ready to enter the real world. Fresh with ideas and enthusiasm, you land your first job and the future looks bright. While all of this excitement has consumed your thoughts, you have something in the back of…
