NEWS & RESOURCES

The Real Cost of College

It may not be what you think.

Provided by Matt Foos, CPA, Cordell, Neher & Company, Wenatchee, Certified Public Accountant

How much will your family end up paying for college? Your household’s income may have less influence than you think, and some private colleges may be cheaper than you assume.

Private schools sometimes extend the most significant financial aid. Yes – it is true that the more money you earn and the more assets you have in a tax-advantaged college savings plan, the harder it becomes to qualify for financial aid. However, merit-based aid is another matter; for those who qualify, private colleges and universities with large endowment funds support many students with significant financial aid.

These scholarships and institutional grants – awarded irrespective of a family’s financial need – can reduce the “sticker shock” of a college education. A study from the National Association of College and University Business Officers found that grant-based aid effectively cut tuition and fees by an average of 48.6% in the 2015-16 academic year. If your child can fit into the top quarter of a college’s student population in terms of grades or achievement, merit aid may be a possibility. A college that might be your student’s second or third choice might offer him or her more merit aid than the first choice.1

Relatively speaking, some universities demand more from poorer families. An analysis published in 2016 by New America noted 102 U.S. colleges with endowments of greater than $250 million still charged even the poorest students more than $10,000 in tuition for the 2013-14 academic year. Out of more than 1,400 colleges and universities New America studied, hundreds expected households earning $30,000 or less per year to pay the equivalent of half or more of their earnings on higher education.2

 The state legislature of New York made a striking move this spring. It decided to waive tuition for many full-time undergraduate students at both 2-year and 4-year public colleges and universities within its borders. To qualify for this tuition break, households had to earn less than $100,000 annually – and students were required to pledge to work and reside in New York State after they earned their degrees. (The annual earnings threshold is scheduled to rise to $125,000.) Families and their students will still have to pay fees (and if needed, room and board).3

New York is not the only state making such an offer. Programs like the Tennessee Promise and the Oregon Promise have extended tuition-free community college education to their residents. Delaware and Minnesota have adopted similar plans while Rhode Island and Arkansas have plans in process. With higher education in more demand and tuition costs at all-time highs, any tuition assistance helps. According to the Institute for College Access and Success, about 70% of college graduates in 2015 owed an average $30,100 in student loans.4

Even with financial aid and state programs making secondary education more affordable, college is still a significant financial undertaking. There are many ways that you can plan for the cost, and your financial advisor and accountant should be able to help.

Matt Foos is a Certified Public Accountant with Cordell, Neher & Company, PLLC, a Wenatchee public accounting firm. Matt may be reached at 509-663-1661 or matt@cnccpa.com. www.cnccpa.com

Citations.

  1. usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2016-07-07/strategies-for-students-too-rich-for-financial-aid-too-poor-for-college [7/7/16]
  2. washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/03/16/these-colleges-expect-poor-families-to-pay-more-than-half-their-earnings-to-cover-costs/ [3/16/16]
  3. nytimes.com/2017/04/28/your-money/paying-for-college/as-college-deadlines-near-families-wonder-what-they-can-pay.html [4/28/17]
  4. newsweek.com/free-college-tuition-new-york-bernie-sanders-582345 [4/11/17]

Events & Deadlines

Latest Past Events

2024 Shred Event

Cordell Neher & Company, PLLC 175 E Penny Rd #1, Wenatchee

CNC Newsletter

Subscribe and stay informed on policy changes that could have an impact on you.
Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

TaxCaddy Login

Avantax Login

SafeSend

CPA/Tax Documents Only

Footer Contact

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

(509) 663-1661  - Wenatchee
(800) 767-7725  - Toll Free

(509) 662-5678
Fax Number

P.O. Box 3068
Wenatchee, WA 98807-3068

Check the background of your financial professional on FINRA's BrokerCheck®

Privacy & Usage: The information on the Cordell, Neher & Company, PLLC website is provided with the understanding that it should not be substituted, in any way, for consultation with a professional Certified Public Accountant, accountant, tax, legal or other competent advisor. Cordell, Neher & Company, PLLC makes every attempt to ensure that the information contained on their websites are obtained from reliable sources, but is not responsible for any errors and/or omissions or from the results obtained from the use of any information. This site contains links to servers maintained by other organizations. Cordell, Neher & Company, PLLC cannot provide any warranty regarding the accuracy or source of information found on any of these servers, the content of any file the user might use to download from a third-party site, and is not responsibility for the content found on any of these servers or for any links these servers maintain with other servers.

Avantax affiliated advisors may only conduct business with residents of the states for which they are properly registered. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state. Securities offered through Avantax Investment ServicesSM, Member FINRA, SIPC, Investment Advisory services offered through Avantax Advisory ServicesSM,Insurance services offered through an Avantax affiliated insurance agency. 3200 Olympus Blvd., Suite 100 Dallas, TX 75019 972-870-6000.

Avantax financial professionals may only conduct business with residents of the states for which they are properly registered. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state. Securities offered through Avantax Investment Services.SM, Member FINRA, SIPC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Avantax Advisory Services SM. Insurance services offered through an Avantax affiliated insurance agency. Method 10® is property of Avantax Wealth Management.SM All rights reserved 2020. The Avantax family of companies exclusively provide investment products and services through its representatives. Although Avantax Wealth Management does not provide tax or legal advice, or supervise tax, accounting or legal services, Avantax representatives may offer these services through their independent outside business. This information is not intended as tax or legal advice. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation.

The Avantax family of companies exclusively provide financial products and services through its financial representatives. Although Avantax Wealth ManagementSM does not provide or supervise tax or accounting services, Avantax Representatives may offer these services through their independent outside business. Content, links, and some material within this website may have been created by a third party for use by an Avantax affiliated representative. This content is for educational and informational purposes only and does not represent the views and opinions of Avantax Wealth ManagementSM or its subsidiaries. Avantax Wealth ManagementSM is not responsible for and does not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website.

This information is not intended as tax or legal advice. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. Investments & Insurance Products: Are not insured by the FDIC or any federal government agency- Are not deposits of or guaranteed by the bank or any bank affiliate- May lose Value

Avantax Investment ServicesSM and Avantax Advisory ServicesSM are not affiliated with CNC Financial Group, LLC.

CNC-icon-white-02

© 2024 Cordell, Neher & Company PLLC • Designed by Pixel to Press