At Hesperian Wealth, we understand the college planning maze.
Let us help you save early, shop smart, and maximize financial aid.
Our Advanced Education Planning Process
Receive a complete education funding plan from a Certified College Financial Consultant that goes beyond simple saving targets. Our expertise extends to maximizing financial aid, college selection based on return on investment (ROI), and sophisticated tax planning around education deductions and credits. Level up the way you and your child are shopping and paying for college.
Note, our comprehensive financial planning clients already receive education planning as part of their service. Families seeking a standalone education funding plan are charged either fixed project-based or hourly fees. For college planning projects, Hesperian Wealth is committed to capping our fee at 10% of your student’s initial projected Student Aid Index, subject to a $1,000 minimum.
BIRTH through MIDDLE SCHOOL
Education Saving & Early Planning
- We start the education planning conversation within your family.
- Then we meet to plan for education funding goals and incorporate them into your overall financial plan.
- We’ll take special care to account for shorter time horizons if you’ll incur K-12 tuition costs.
- This starts with more accurate assumptions about future college costs (few actually pay full sticker price).
- Ultimately, we’ll help you select the right mix of saving vehicles for your family and track your progress.
MIDDLE SCHOOL through FALL SENIOR YEAR of HIGH SCHOOL
Late-Stage College Planning Meetings
- Sometime before Spring Sophomore year, we’ll meet to discuss what needs to be done to prepare for college (financially and academically).
- We’ll project an initial net cost and financial aid estimate and then identify whether funding gaps exist.
- Throughout this time period, especially before the first “base year” for income assessment, we will explore and implement planning strategies that may increase your student’s financial aid eligibility.
SENIOR YEAR of HIGH SCHOOL—FALL
Application Season
- Financial aid optimization planning continues.
- Before FAFSA becomes available, we’ll meet together with your student to evaluate their initial list of schools and build a wider list based on your criteria and ROI, given your child’s MERIT and NEED.
- We’ll update our projection of your net cost, expected financial aid eligibility, and funding shortfalls to meet.
- Your student then applies to their final list of schools, meeting all priority deadlines.
- We’ll share our database of private scholarships for your student to flag and pursue.
SENIOR YEAR of HIGH SCHOOL—SPRING
School Selection
- We’ll meet to review the acceptance letters and student award offers received.
- We’ll guide you through the appeals process if necessary.
- When loans are needed, we’ll help you assess the best options and understand the terms.
- Finally, we’ll put everything together into a final college cost projection to ensure everything is covered.
ONGOING
Regular Check-In Meetings
Your financial situation can change. Your child could want to change their major or school. You may have other children prepping for college. Recent changes to how need is determined at the federal level may have major consequences you may not be aware of. We’ll need to plan for this and exploit any new opportunities that may arise. So we are available for on-demand check-in meetings as needed throughout your student’s college career, and beyond if paying off student loan debt. And we’ll repeat the above journey for each of your students (and potentially for any graduate or post-graduate education needs). We’ve got you and your student covered every step of the way.
Book a Free College Planning Discovery Meeting
To get started, click the button below to schedule a free, no-obligation Discovery Meeting. This is a 45-minute informal video call to get to know each other better and discuss college planning (and your overall financial picture) in more detail. Depending on what stage of the process your family is in, we encourage you to include your student in the conversation.