Personal finance website CreditDonkey picks Clear View for top wealth blog honors. Recently, Steve Stanganelli, CFP® of Clear View Wealth Advisors received news that the online financial website chose Clear View's Smart Money Insights for top honors based on the breadth and depth of content in areas including personal income taxes, index investing, college funding, retirement and insurance. ... Read More
College Funding
Best Ways to Pay for College without Huge Debt
As the calendar nears another school season, parents invariably ask what are the best ways to pay for college without huge debt. In the college funding portion of my financial planning practice, I use all sorts of strategies to reduce potential college education costs. For every family these options will differ. Part of it depends on what age your student is when you start planning, your family ... Read More
Young Parents Preparing for College Expenses: Part 2
Question for the Boston Money Coach: What should I be doing now to prepare for my children's college expenses? This is the second part of an answer to this question posed by parents of two young children worried about the rising costs of higher education and student loan debts. Confused about where to start, they need help from Boston's Money Coach. Response from Boston Money Coach - Steve ... Read More
Young Parents Preparing for College Expenses: Part 1
Question for the Boston Money Coach: What should I be doing now to prepare for my children's college expenses? I have two young children and am worried about the rising costs of higher education and student loan debts. I've read about college-savings plans but don't know where to start. Response from Boston Money Coach - Steve Stanganelli: You should talk with a financial planner who can ... Read More
Ask the Money Coach: Paying for Children’s College
What should I be doing now to prepare for my children's college expenses? Question:) I have two young children and am worried about the rising costs of higher education and student loan debts. I've read about college-savings plans but don't know where to start. Money Coach's Answer: You should talk with a financial planner who can outline your options. There is more to paying for ... Read More
College Financial Aid Insider
Too many parents find out after the fact that they could have qualified for financial aid but didn't. Why? They didn't know how to properly value their home and rental properties or investment assets. When it comes to determining eligibility for financial aid, income counts for quite a bit, but your assets are a big part of the formula, too. Now is not the time to allow your ego for a big net ... Read More
Diplomas at a Discount
Lower the Cost of College without Breaking the Bank or Your Retirement Nest Egg School season begins once again. It’s hard to imagine but here we are at the end of another summer. Yellow buses roll. Marching bands practice. And it’s time for some high school football. While it’s hard enough to stay focused on all the classwork, homework and after-school activities at hand, there’s one more ... Read More
529 Plans for College: Do The Numbers Add Up?
As college costs continue to rise, parents continue to search for ways to lower the pain in their wallets from getting a college degree. What could be better than having the money saved to pay for college? How about having help from Uncle Sam? But with so many choices, how can you most effectively accomplish the twin goals of paying for college and saving your retirement nest egg? I discuss ... Read More
Paying for College: Myths About Financial Aid That May Blow Your Retirement
For most families, paying for college for their kids rivals buying a home as the largest investment that they will ever make. College is viewed - and rightfully so - as a key to a better future. Even as the cost of college continues to escalate at a pace almost double the inflation rate (nearly 5% per year compared to the historic average of nearly 3% for CPI), there is still a high and ... Read More
Retirement Planning for College Bound Kids
For college-bound students, funding retirement has to be the farthest thing from their minds. Yet, with a little planning, parents may be able to kill two birds with one stone. Unfortunately, most parents of college-bound kids tend to overlook some obvious ways to lower the cost of college but wisely using the tax code and some retirement planning techniques can help. It may be a low-priority ... Read More
