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Have a child heading off to college?

Print Posted by Cheryl Costa November 5, 2009 09:49 AM

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If you are the parent of a child in high school, be sure to check out the Massachusetts Education Financing Authority (MEFA) website. This site tells you all you need to know about saving for college, applying for financial aid and getting loans.

One of the most valuable services MEFA offers is an email notification system that will send you reminders about what you need to be doing and when. For example, if you are the parent of a senior in high school, the email service reminds you when you need to file important documents like the FAFSA form. If you are the parent of a junior, the service will remind you when to register for college entrance exams. (A great thing for those of us who already have too many dates on our calendars.)

The website also has printable "Recommendation Request Forms" that students can fill out and give to the teachers who are writing recommendations for them. There is also an "Application Deadline Manager" for tracking which parts of the application process have been sent to each school. Finally, there is also a "FAFSA4Caster" which gives you an early estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid.

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Local finance professionals share insights and advice on issues such as budgeting, managing debt, and retirement planning.

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About the contributors

Andrew Chan is the founder of Integrative Financial Advisors in Framingham. He provides comprehensive financial planning advice and investment management services. He has been an adviser for over 12 years and works with clients to integrate all aspects of their finances including investments, retirement, education funding, and tax planning.

Cheryl Costa is a managing director at AFW Wealth Advisors, which has offices in Natick and Purchase, N.Y. She advises clients on investing, education funding, and estate planning. She holds a master’s in business administration from Boston University.

Jamie Downey has been an accountant for more than 14 years. He's a partner at Downey & Co. in Braintree. Prior to joining the firm, he served as a manager in the audit department of accounting firm KPMG.