Financial Planning for College (NEW)

Financial Literacy Resources

Financial Tools
U.S. News & World Report: Paying for College	Financial aid news, savings-plan tips, a recession guide and rankings of the best values in education.
CNN Money: College	CNN’s wellspring of tips, trends, news and calculators related to funding an education.
New York Times: Paying for College	Commentary, news, charts and blogs from New York Times contributors.
College Savings Plans Network	National Association of State Treasurers-affiliated guide to 529 savings plans.
Student Aid on the Web	Loan information, a FAFSA guide and a glossary of financial-aid terms from Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education.
Annual Credit Report	Monitor your credit history. You can obtain a copy of your credit report for free every twelve months from each of the three credit reporting companies.
Avoiding Student Aid Scams	Read about avoiding student aid scams.

Loan Comparisons
Federal Student Aid Estimator	The Federal Student Aid Estimator can be used before filling out the FAFSA form to help understand options for paying for college by providing an early estimate of how much federal student aid one may be eligible for.
Federal Vs Private Loans	Learn about the differences between federal and private student loans?

Loan Management
Loan Payment Calculator	This Loan Payment Calculator computes an estimate of the size of your monthly loan payments and the annual salary required to manage them without too much financial difficulty. This loan calculator can be used with Federal education loans (Stafford, Perkins and PLUS) and most private student loans.
The Master Promissory Note (MPN)	This is a legal document in which you promise to repay your loan(s) and any accrued interest and fees to the U.S. Department of Education. It also explains the terms and conditions of your loan(s).
Student Loan Entrance Counseling	Entrance counseling ensures you understand the terms and conditions of your loan and your rights and responsibilities. You'll learn what a loan is, how interest works, your options for repayment, and how to avoid delinquency and default.
Federal Student Loan Repayment Options	You can pick from repayment plans that base your monthly payment on your income or that give you a fixed monthly payment over a set repayment period.
Student Loan Consolidation	A Direct Consolidation Loan allows you to consolidate (combine) multiple federal student loans into one loan with a single monthly payment.