starting college

How Unwary Grandparents Can Wreck Your College Financial Aid

It's only getting harder for parents to pay for their children's college bills alone -- so help from generous relatives can be a godsend. But be warned: If the college savings plan grandpa is using isn't set up properly, that "help" can actually hurt the student's financial aid package.

Profiting from College: Tips to Avoid Moving Back in With Mom and Dad

In 2011, 45 percent of recent college grads were living with their parents. So for students hoping to graduate into a real job -- and a real apartment -- the question becomes how to get the biggest return on investment for their a college education while incurring the smallest possible debt.

4 Tax Breaks Every College Student Should Know About

In 2009, Americans missed out on $800 million in education-related tax breaks. If you're paying tuition, make sure you get your share: Before you complete the take-home final that is your 2013 tax return, review the four most-lucrative tax breaks for college students.

The Money Secrets Your College Student Is Keeping

If you're sending Junior off to school this fall, you might think that you know everything there is to know about where your money is going. Right? Wrong. Here are a few things your college student doesn't want you to know.

5 Ways to Save Money When Your Kid Heads Off to College

As fiscally painful as it is to send a child to college, you can actually save money when your son or daughter goes off to school. Here are five areas where you can find that extra cash, plus one "cost-cutting" trick you should actually avoid.

3 College Finance Tips for Scared Students (and Their Parents)

More than 80% of parents of 16- to 18-year-olds believe college is important to their child's future -- and a similar number are worried about how to pay for it. Here are a few tips that could make solving the college financing puzzle a little easier.