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Celebrating National College Savings 529 Day!

Congratulations! It’s National 529 Day on May 29 (Get it? 5/29?) There’s reason to celebrate if you’re one of the parents or grandparents who have opened 529 college savings accounts for your favorite student. There are over 15 million accounts out there, and 529 savings accounts are definitely the most effective way to save for […]

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Best College Planning Strategies For The COVID Era

Thank you to the Financial Planning Association of Central Florida for the invitation to speak last week at its 32nd Annual Symposium in Orlando, Florida! The symposium always attracts a large group of financial planners, investment managers, and related experts. I was invited to present on “COVID Clarity: Best College Planning Strategies for a Pandemic […]

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Student Loan Relief Extended Once Again

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government put student loan repayments on ‘pause’ since last year. Borrowers with federal student loan debt have been allowed to skip payments, so they can use their financial resources to pay for necessities like rent, food, child care, or other bills. The White House just announced that those […]

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Mari Talks to CNBC About Why 529 Plans Are a Great Way to Transfer Wealth

Mari spoke with CNBC last week about why 529 plans can be a great way to transfer wealth to younger generations. You may already be familiar with 529 plans as the best way for most American families to save for college. But 529s also have incredible tax advantages that make them ideal for passing on […]

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Ask Mari: Can I Use My Florida Prepaid College Benefits For Grad School?

I spoke with a happy parent the other day who is preparing to send her high school grad off to college. The good news? Her daughter got into a top-notch private college. The bad news? The bill – even after a sizable scholarship grant – is hefty. Thank goodness that the student’s parents are well […]

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How I Went To Law School In My ’40s And Changed My Life

Introduction: There is nothing more inspirational or powerful than watching a woman transform her life to create new opportunities and possibilities for herself. As we approach July 4 and the celebration of our nation’s Independence, join with us in celebrating some of these women as they share their stories – in their own words – […]

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Broward Women’s Alliance Helps Local Women Reach Their Higher Education Dreams

Congratulations to the five South Florida women who each won $1,000 college scholarships last week from the Broward Women’s Alliance! Each scholar was selected after displaying remarkable academic achievement, extra-curricular participation and community service. This is the 23rd consecutive year the awards have been given to local women who need support to advance their professional goals […]

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Lucky Florida Parents Get $500 Million In Prepaid College Refunds

Thousands of lucky families across Florida, who are using Florida’s Prepaid College Plan to cover the future cost of college, got a pleasant surprise last week. The state has cut costs and will be refunding $500 million dollars, or about $4,700 per household. This reduction has been made possible due to successive years of lower than […]

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Now You Can Use 529 Money To Pay Down Student Loans

A new provision in the recently passed SECURE Act may come in handy for parents who have a little extra money left in their kids’ 529 accounts. Under the new legislation, you can now withdraw up to $10,000 tax-free per 529 beneficiary to pay down a qualified student loan. Note that this is a once-in-a-lifetime […]

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