A Free Education on Paying for College

Whether it is day-to-day decision making or long-term planning, any parent can relate to the challenge and responsibility of raising a child and striving to give them the best future possible. Parents decide on their child’s first car, the contents of their school lunchbox and whether or not they really need that new $800 phone.

Although every decision made for them is formative no matter how big or small, mapping out their future education can be one of the most daunting and can require years of planning.

"One of the bigger misconceptions when it comes to saving for a child’s education is the actual cost versus the projected cost," says Jason Pyles, vice president of educational services at Horter Investment Management.

"According to collegeboard.org, the average annual cost of a public, in-state four-year college is $9,410. Out-of-state jumps to $23,890 and the average cost of private school tuition is $32,410."

And when it comes to attending college, there are many more costs than tuition.

"Often families forget about some of the ‘hidden’ costs," says Maggie Mederes of College Funding Evolution. "Costs like room and board, figuring out and paying for transportation and those expensive text books are just a few of these costs that need to be figured into every college funding plan."

To help people navigate through the maze of FASFA forms, tax implications of a college education and saving and investment techniques, Horter Investment Management offers College Funding Classes free of charge in partnership with College Funding Evolution.

"These classes will teach families what we call the financial aid ‘rules of the game,’ " says Mederes. "Many families are unaware of pending deadlines for general admission or for scholarships or for financial assistance and just one small misstep could potentially cost thousands of dollars of missed financial aid."

Lasting between 60 and 90 minutes, Horter’s College Funding Classes are open to anyone interested in learning how to best plan and pay for their child’s college education.

"During the classes, we show students that there are better ways than just setting aside a few dollars each paycheck into a savings account," says Pyles. "Bankrate.com states that the national average on a savings account is 0.11 percent. That 0.11 percent will not help grow your funds.

"We encourage investing as early as possible and it is better to start off with a sound, structured plan."

Some parents may think they are too late in the game to begin planning.

"We understand that life happens and even if your child is in high school, we can still potentially help," says Mederes.

Complementing the investing experience of Horter, College Funding Evolution also brings their wisdom and knowledge to the classes.

"We continually educate ourselves on the constantly changing college funding landscape," says Mederes. "For example, we find it to be extremely important to understand the history of each college’s financial aid philosophy and have proprietary software that can pull historical data for each college a student is interested in attending. We assign a generosity score to each school based on their history of providing favorable financial aid packages to their students."

Families may also worry about the burden of student loans.

"We teach how to navigate the best options for loans," says Pyles. "I tell families to be wary of how and who signs for any of the student loans.

"As a RIA and fiduciary, Horter Investment Management is obligated to do what is in our client’s best interest and help them achieve their goals – whether it is college planning or preparing for retirement. We offer many educational courses on financial literacy to help the community from high school students to soon-to-be retirees."

Visit horterinvestment.com for a course outline and dates College Funding Classes are offered.

Horter Investment Management is located at 11726 Seven Gables Road, Symmes Township, Cincinnati, OH 45249. For more information, call 513.984.9933 or visit horterinvestment.com. Investment advisory services offered through Horter Investment Management, LLC, a SEC-Registered Investment Adviser. Horter Investment Management does not provide legal or tax advice. Investment Adviser Representatives of Horter Investment Management may only conduct business with residents of the states and jurisdictions in which they are properly registered. Insurance and annuity products are sold separately through Horter Financial Strategies, LLC. Securities transactions for Horter Investment Management clients are placed through Trust Company of America, TD Ameritrade and Jefferson National Life Insurance Company.