Green for Grey Matters

Green for Grey Matters is designed to help parents understand how to navigate the very complicated world of college financing. For clients who have the foresight to research the process well before their child’s junior or senior year, the benefits can be even greater.

Parents will learn:

• What schools are a good fit for their children academically and financially;
• How to strategically use income and assets to increase their child’s chances of earning aid, merit scholarships, and loans at reasonable rates;
• The time frame and deadlines by which the necessary paperwork must be filed; and
• What avenues to pursue to make a high-priced private education affordable.

Items needed for evaluation:

1. Student’s/applicant’s SAT or ACT score (estimate)
2. Student’s High School GPA
3. Indicate the student’s ethnic origin if Hispanic, Native American, or African American
4. Parents’ 2010 Adjusted Gross Income
5. Value of parents’ Non-Retirement Assets, if sold today. I.E., savings accounts, checking accounts, mutual fund/investment accounts, and real estate (but not your primary residence). NOTE: Do not include: retirement accounts or any accounts in the student’s name)
6. Home Equity
7. Business assets (if more than 100 employees)
8. Indicate the income tax form you file (1040, 1040 E, 1040 EZ)
9. Indicate Tax Filing Status (Single, Joint, Head of Household)
10. State of residence
11. Age of oldest parent
12. Number of dependents (include the student, but not the parents)
13. Sum of ages of dependents not in college (do not include the student/applicant)
14. Student’s Adjusted Gross Income (Line 37, 1040; Line 21, 1040A; Line 4 1040 EZ)
15. Student’s Assets (do not include 529 or ESA accounts)
16. Number of students in college (include the student/applicant)
17. Student owned ESA or 529 accounts