College Pre-Approval™ Experience 2019

Paying for college just isn't what it used to be. Baby Boomers' stories about working a part time job to pay their way through college are starting to sound like 10-mile walks to school, uphill both ways. The sticker price for a college education is now between $100,000 and $250,000 per student -- if you graduate in four years. With two or three kids overlapping in school, a couple of C-suite salaries and a nice nest-egg probably won't cover it.

So, what are we, as financial professionals, doing to help our clients? All too often, the only advice parents are hearing is that they should save what they can to 529s, but focus on retirement savings. Or worse, "shelter all of your assets into this variable annuity so it won't appear on the FAFSA. You want to help your kids, right?"

The truth is, most parents want a traditional four-year-education experience for their kids. They want to help them get started in the world and these answers are simply not helpful. In stead, many normal families pay what they can and borrow the rest, which is why student debt in America has ballooned from $240 billion in 2003 to more than $1.5 trillion in 2018.

The way we see it, this is one of the largest investments most Gen X parents are facing. If you are a financial planner or investment advisor, how can you ignore this critical family planning issue? There is a better way.

Introducing: The College Pre-Approval™ Process

Born out of his desire to help clients with this acute problem in his fee-only planning practice, Joe Messinger, CFP® created a step-by-step approach called College Pre-Approval™. The process guides families through each phase of the college funding journey from budgeting and school comparison, to paying the bill and borrowing strategically. As it turns out, understanding the different pieces of the puzzle, especially financial aid, can help you add unique value where parents need your help the most. Educate families abut their options so they can reduce the net cost of college, limit borrowing and be a hero for their kids.

The College Pre-Approval™ Experience is a full-day intensive workshop aimed at giving you the knowledge and tools you need to help clients navigate the college funding maze. Joe will teach attendees the College Pre-Approval™ process, then introduce you to advanced technical, practice management, and behavioral/emotional factors surrounding this unique niche. To see last-year's agenda, click the button below.

Joe Messsinger, CFP® is the workshop presenter and a leading authority on late-stage college funding. He frequently speaks to parent groups and organizations, such as NAPFA, FPA, and XY Planning Network.

Joe started his planning practice 2009 because of his struggles at large national firms to find and provide good financial advice, especially in the area of college planning. Previously, the focus always seemed to be on selling more products to clients. After a lot of soul-searching, Messinger and his partner formed Capstone Wealth Partners, an independent fee-only practice, with the intent of creating client relationships built on trust and service.

Now with Capstone College Partners, Joe is sharing what he has learned over ten years of focused practice with other financial advisors to raise the bar on college funding advice and help end the student loan crisis, one family at a time. Capstone College Partners provides technical training, marketing support, and software for planners in the college niche and facilitates a flourishing community of ethical financial planners serving clients with college-bound teens.