The deadline for accepting a college’s offer of admission is May 1, otherwise known as Decision Day or the National Candidate’s Reply Date. With just a few weeks before the deadline, how do you decide which college admissions offer to accept?

You just got your financial aid award letter, but the financial aid package isn’t enough. What can you do to bridge the gap between the financial aid you received and the money you need to pay for college?

Almost every state has at least one 529 plan, and each 529 plan is unique in terms of fees, underlying investments and available benefits. When a 529 plan no longer meets a family’s needs, it might make sense to switch 529 plans by rolling the funds into a new 529 plan.

If a 529 college savings plan is owned by a dependent student or the dependent student's parent, it has a minimal impact on the student's eligibility for need-based financial aid. But, if the 529 plan is owned by anybody else, such as a grandparent, aunt or uncle, it will hurt aid eligibility. There are, however, a few solutions that will address the potential harm.