Many schools and states use the FAFSA to determine student aid. 

The Free Application for Federal Aid, commonly known as FAFSA, is a form that determines student aid eligibility for federal student loans and grants. Many colleges and universities as well as states also use the form to determine students' eligibility for nonfederal need-based aid - additional funds students can use to pay for school. But making a mistake on the FAFSA or submitting the application late can result in processing delays or limit the amount of aid awarded to a student, according to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. For families completing the FAFSA, here are 10 common mistakes to avoid. 

The holidays put people in the gift-giving mood, but those who don't watch their spending will find themselves feeling less than jolly when credit card bills arrive in January. According to the Holiday 2018 Consumer Trends survey from the National Retail Federation, consumers say they will spend an average of $1,007 on gifts, food and other festive expenses this year, up by more than 4 percent compared to 2017. While there are plenty of money-saving opportunities to help you stretch your holiday shopping dollars further, poor purchasing decisions can wreak havoc on your budget. To avoid going broke this season, review these holiday shopping pitfalls and learn how to make better buying decisions.

To view the full article, visit https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/spending/slideshows/9-holiday-shopping-habits-that-will-make-you-go-broke?onepage

Ah, deadlines. The sworn enemy of students across the nation. When you’re busy with classes, extracurricular activities, and a social life in whatever time you’ve got left, it’s easy to lose track and let due dates start whooshing by. All of a sudden, your 10-page term paper is due in an hour, and you’re only on page 5 (with the help of 26-point type and triple line spacing). We get it.

Nevertheless, we’re here to point out a few critical deadlines that you really shouldn’t miss: those to do with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form. By submitting your FAFSA form late, you might be forfeiting big money that can help you pay for college.

To view the full article, visit https://blog.ed.gov/2018/09/3-types-of-fafsa-deadlines/

Con artists love to take advantage of anyone who is stressed out during the days leading up to the next semester. So, the scams need to be discussed each and every year as the kids go off to college. 

To view the full article, visit https://www.freep.com/story/money/personal-finance/susan-tompor/2018/08/22/back-school-scams-financial-aid/1040177002/

Please allow 4-6 weeks for processing of documents submitted to us in late July and August.
All charges must be paid in full by 5pm on Friday, August 24th.

Options for covering tuition and fees include:

1. Add the installment plan to divide your bill in to four equal amounts, with the first installment payment due on Friday, August 24th. The charge to add the installment plan is $15. If you do not pay the first installment, a late fee will be added. More information at https://sbs.tamu.edu/accounts-billing/payment-refunds/installments/.
2. Apply for an Emergency Tuition and Fees Loan at https://sfaid.tamu.edu/stlapp/. This loan can cover 100% of your tuition and fees. It must be repaid within 90 days. After you apply, you will receive an approval email to your TAMU email account within one business day. The email will include instructions on signing the promissory note online. After the promissory note is signed, the ETFL will apply to your bill immediately and pay your tuition and fees.

Identity theft scams are on the rise! Scholarships & Financial Aid will never contact you and ask you to provide your full social security number or passwords to accounts. Always use caution when conducting business over the phone or email. Utilize the secure Financial Aid Portal through howdy.tamu.edu to get information on your financial aid account, whenever possible.

If you are contacted about your personal information regarding financial aid and you are in doubt, don't answer any questions! Hang up and call our office directly at 979.845.3236 or email us at financialaid@tamu.edu.
 

“What is a mutual fund?” Sam Rogers asked his financial literacy class.

Tessa Sabin, an 11th grader at Riverton High School, offered a guess: “Isn’t it where you invest in something that’s invested in multiple things? So that if one of them tanks, it doesn’t affect you overall because your investment is spread around.”

Rogers throws a lollipop to her for answering correctly. This kind of question is normal in Utah high schools, where financial literacy is a core requirement to graduate. Five states in the U.S. earn an A grade from Champlain College’s Center for Financial Literacy when it comes to teaching personal finance in high school, but only Utah has gotten an A+.

To view the full article, visit https://finance.yahoo.com/news/one-state-gets-teaching-students-money-161046576.html.

"The scholarship provided to me by The Association of Former Students through your generous support has not only been an immense gift for me, but for my family as well. When I first received word of the scholarship, it gave me hope that achieving a college education was a possibility. You have provided me with the opportunity to achieve my dreams of becoming a mechanical engineer in hopes of providing a better future for my current and future family. I hope to one day be able to give back to the university that has given so much to me. Thank you so much."

-Jose Godoy '19

To view the full article, visit https://www.aggienetwork.com/spotlight/.

Millennials have to endure many stereotypes. They are often labeled lazy, entitled and even narcissistic.

Zach Swartz, an older millennial himself and portfolio manager with BKD Wealth Advisors in Springfield, Missouri, isn't sure the generation really deserves to be singled out in that way. "Sometimes millennials can be painted as very different from other generations when they're not," he says.

Case in point: the money management mistakes commonly made by millennials. The following six mistakes aren't so different from the financial gaffes made by older adults.

To view the full article, visit https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/family-finance/articles/2018-03-02/6-money-management-mistakes-millennials-often-make

"Jamie McKnight, 35, a mother of two, filed her federal tax return in late January, expecting to get a roughly $9,700 refund that would help her pay for rent, health care expenses and other bills," USA Today reports. "What the Kingston, N.Y., resident didn't anticipate was that nothing would show up in her bank account."

"McKnight soon discovered that the government had seized the money to apply to her overdue student loans, which she said total roughly $20,000. She says she didn't know the loans were in default, or that the feds could repay the debt with her refund.

'I waited for it to hit my account, and nothing happened,' she said. 'It's frustrating because this was supposed to be our safety net.'

To view the full article, visit https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/14941/Tax_Refund_Got_You_Excited_Don_t_Count_On_it_If_Your_Student_Loans_Are_in_Default