Financial planning, an outcropping of the services typically provided by a stock broker or account executive, include investment advice, insurance sales, retirement planning, and various other assessments and planning to meet financial goals.
Investing for retirement should be higher priority than saving for college as noted in numerous previous blog posts. But it's essential that students and their families save for college as well and 529 college savings plans are the way to go. Utah's Educational Savings Plan (UESP.org) is consistently one of the top 3 plans in the nation. Troy Onink explains the basics of college financial aid programs and provides five tips to success. Where you save matters for need-based financial aid. Don't wait until you're filling out the FAFSA to find out how assets and income are counted for college financial aid. It's never too early to open a 529 account for your child or grandchild and to encourage the recipient to contribute as well. One more reason to give cash gifts rather than gift cards or other things that will soon be forgotten on their way to the landfill. Read the details at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/troyonink/2014/12/31/balancing-act-five-tips-to-successfully-save-for-college-and-retirement/