College Funding Gap Surprise | What Is It? How to Reduce It!

For College Families | College Bound Families

EFC Tune-UP™ Predicts College Financial Aid Awards

College Plan Funding Guide™ Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs

Use This Step-By-Step System to

Eliminate College’s Taking Your Money Unnecessarily

Let’s face it – families who know how College pricing works never pay sticker price.

You’re about to see the exact strategies you can use to keep Colleges from taking your money unnecessarily, and yes, many times unknowingly.

…how to properly set-up a three step process that provides clarity on what you should consider planning for college.

…how to calculate the “school value” of your student using a unique process, “Student Financial Index™” so you can receive more college grant money that does not have to be paid back.

…how to determine which schools will be more affordable based upon their “tuition discount policy”.

…how to see clearly ways to reduce your potential/existing out-of-pocket costs by reducing your “Funding Gap” by implementing the strategies identified inside the College Plan Funding Guide™.

…how to evaluate College Financial Aid Awards, what to accept and what to reject when appropriate.

Why You Can Trust THIS Advice So You Can Keep More of Your Money

I’m Jim Kuhner, Coach-for-College™; “I help parents reduce the cost of college and pay for it with less out-of-pocket costs”.

HOW ?

Students Choose Right College™
Parents Achieve Financial Clarity™
Families Experience College Success™

“Jim is totally focused on creating a better financial future for his clients.He truly cares about his clients and community and works deligently to add value to the lives of those around him. He has provided excellent guidance to my daughter about her path to make the right choices as she prepares to take her college entry exams and to make college selection choices.” – Dave Steinberg, Loan Officer, New York

Personalize Funding Strategies with Guide

Families fall within one of two categories when paying for college.

They can qualify for “needs based” financial aid.
They cannot qualify for “needs based” financial aid.

Regardless of which category applies to your family with proper planning all families share the opportunity to qualify for merit aid / grants that do not have to be paid back (I want you to stay away from loans when possible).

Contrary to what many believe grants are not always based on academics.

This opportunity can be missed when you don’t complete the FAFSA.

Our beginning steps with Parents in reaching financial clarity includes;

Assess possible financial aid awards from your school/s then compare the schools estimating a funding gap or possible out of pocket range,
Prepare our proprietary College Plan Funding Guide™ that provides a basis for accurate information for you on the important financial issues facing families.
Select strategies from the guide using your financial data we apply the information into our funding gap worksheet calculator to see how much the funding gap might be reduced.

Why do families pay more for college than necessary?

There are “Smart College Thoughts™” that every family should examine that are outside the scope of financial aid.

Graduate on time, engage in a systematic approach that includes a “career exit strategy.”
Funding mistakes that can be avoided, College Plan Funding Guide™ shows the way.
Borrow Smart Repay Smart™ not just for college but total family liability management
Tax reduction strategies for both education and non-education related
Opportunity Costs and Wealth Transfers when properly identified can result in increased family cash flow

Coach-for-College implements a consultative approach to college planning that combines school selection, financial aid, “tax reduction” and the best use of the family’s financial resources to form a strategy that reduces the family total out-of-pocket costs (our third process “Families Experience College Success™).

“Outstanding! Thank you so much. I know it means a lot to our son that you “personalized” the relationship with him over the course of this journey. I also know that Mary and I too appreciate you, your help, insight, and some of the “extra mile” attention you have provided to our family beyond our agreement…hard to put into words.” – Eric Myers, Small Business Owner, Texas

Tiger Head Open Mouth Teeth Sticking Out

“Tame the Cost of College”

Ask Yourself, many people have coaches from the 6 year old with a Soccer Coach to the high level executive. You might be surprised that many very successful people have a Coach. Why?

Guidance.
Accountability.
Execution.

The “Starter Coaching Program”

Parents Achieve Financial Clarity™

The Starter Coaching Program is designed to provide you the first steps towards reducing your “Out-of-Pocket Costs” – in College language – “Close the Funding Gap”.

Step 1 – EFC Tune-UP™

Our EFC financial aid software is NOT just a calculator that provides you an estimate of your expected family contribution (“EFC”).

The software provides multiple reports most notably the financial aid award patterns of the respective colleges.

In order to understand college affordability you must determine your potential “funding gap”.

What are you going to be expected to pay?

Don’t wait until you are “attacked by The College Cost Tiger™” to develop a funding plan, and more importantly, a plan to keep as much of your money as possible.

Step 2 – The College Plan Funding Guidebook™ Personalized

Our second step in Parents Achieve Financial Clarity™ coaching process is to deliver to you The College Plan Funding Guidebook™.

In simple words, the guide provides you “everything” you need to know about college financial issues – “paying for college” in the most efficient manner.

Forget all the college websites that can waste your time resulting in confusion. Focus on reducing your total out-of-pocket costs with proper guidance so you are in control of your financial future.

When you are confused, “paralysis through analysis” occurs, what is your action plan to stop the colleges from taking your money when it might not be necessary?

In working together we will identify strategies within the College Plan Funding Guide™ that you wish to implement.

“Jim is a financial adviser that cares deeply about his clients and is dedicated to make a difference in their lives. He has the knowledge and expertise to carry out a detailed plan that integrates assets, liabilities, and real estate with college planning strategies to reduce family college costs.” – Eric Jacobson, Small Business Owner, Minnesota

The College Plan Funding Guide™ provides the following;

Key College concepts explained in easy to understand language,
Citation sources so you know the information is trustworthy,
Potential financial traps that you should avoid,
Verifiable answers to the question, “How Much Will I Save?”
Proprietary Process “Reduce Funding Gap” Coaching

Here are a few examples from a plan recently developed for a family with a 25% federal tax rate.

Graduate on Time – The US Department of Education recently began publishing 8-year graduation rates. Since just one additional year of enrollment increases college costs by 25%, managing graduation rates can save you a fortune.

Funding Impact: Let’s just say the cost of your college is $25,000 per year, many types of financial assistance become no longer available after four years. Consider only 35% of students graduate in four years!

What about the “Opportunity Costs”? Our Coaching identifies opportunity costs in the decision making process.

In the above example, you not only lose the $25,000 for the extra year of college costs, you lose the interest that “your money” could have earned. At just 4% interest over 25 years, $62,251 in lost interest which represents a wealth transfer that totals $87,251 – Ouch!…page 7

Strategy Alert – Retirement plan withdrawals can double your costs, 25% tax bracket up to $470 of increased financial aid and $250 of reduced Federal income tax for every $1,000 that you don’t withdraw to pay for college.

Borrow Smart Repay Smart™ – Most families think student loans carry some special designation which is not necessarily the case…page 43.

Saving for College – Double Dipping taxable 529 distributions; investment brokers, your home state, and many CPA’s tell you withdrawals are tax-free, that is not always true…page 65.

IRA Scorecard – Individual retirement accounts might be the most important part of a college savings plan. Consider that money in an IRA is not assessed as part of assets in the financial aid formulas. Planned properly IRA contributions can represent one of the few options for paying college costs with tax-free money…page 76

Education Tax Scholarships – Income shifting up to $250 in tax savings (25% tax bracket) for every $1,000 of income transferred…page 82.

American Opportunity Credit up to $10,000 in federal tax savings over four years…page 89.

Cash Flow Management –Make the most out of Section 125 Flexible Spending Accounts that are good choices for lowering your tax bill and increasing your potential for financial aid…page 97.

Funding impact: Up to $470 of increased financial aid eligibility and $250 of reduced Federal income taxes for every $1,000 contributed to a Section 125 Plan (25% tax bracket).

“Jim always outperforms those around him and brings the rest of us with him. I highly recommend Jim and College Selection Strategy to any potential client.” – Bob Lawrence, Non-Profit Director, Virginia

“I just want to tell you how much I appreciate your effort and responsiveness to our situation. As a single Mom it was a challenge to hire you, but I am satisfied I made the best choice for my daughter. I especially appreciate your money saving suggestions that were in areas that we did not expect. I wish I would have had your help a year ago when we were considering colleges. Thank you.” – Sophia Hollingsworth, Mother, Arizona