Capstone Wealth Partners

⏰ THE DEADLINE IS ALMOST HERE!

If you have a child currently in college and another one starting soon, federal student loans are about to look completely different on July 1st, 2026.

Under the new One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), Parent PLUS loans will be strictly capped at $20,000/year and $65,000 over a lifetime per student. No more borrowing up to the full cost of attendance.

However, I recently had a great question from a family with one sophomore and an incoming freshman: "Can you take out a small loan now to get 'grandfathered' into the old rules for BOTH kids?

No. Not for BOTH. You can only take out a Parent PLUS loan for a student who is currently enrolled, so because the incoming freshman won't start until the fall, you can't sneak them into the 2025-2026 school year rules early.

HOWEVER, if you take out even a $100 Parent PLUS loan for your currently enrolled college student before July 1, 2026, you successfully “lock in” the old Parent PLUS loan rules for that specific student.

I call this the "Catch Me If You Can" loophole because you have to act before July 1st to secure the old rules for your current student.

If this sounds like your situation and you think you may need access to some capital (loan) to fund the last year or two of college when you have overlapping students in college, you may want to consider taking even a small amount of Parent PLUS loan before July 1st, 2026 to be grandfathered into the current rules.

Click the link in the comments for more information!

If you’ve been coasting on federal student loan forbearance, you’re in for a rude awakening.

The SAVE Plan is officially DEAD. Following a federal court ruling, SAVE has been completely terminated, and a brand new system called the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) is taking over.

Here is what you need to know fast:

⏱️ 90-Day Clock: If you were on SAVE, you only have 90 days to manually choose a new plan before you're forced into a standard, higher-payment schedule.

💰 The Calculation Shift: RAP doesn't look at your discretionary income; it looks at your total AGI on a 1% to 10% sliding scale. This means some families could see their monthly bills jump from $36/month to over $440/month.

📅 30-Year Sentence: Forgiveness timelines are jumping up to 30 years under RAP.

🛠️ The Only Good News: Your balance won't grow from unpaid interest if you make your payments, and the government will throw an extra $50/month at your principal balance if you pay on time.

Legacy options like IBR are still around for old loans, but the clock is ticking. Hit the link in our comments to read our full guide on how to survive the new student loan rules before July 1st! 📲

It’s 5/29, and you know what that means…

Happy 529 Day! 🎉 College 529 Day, that is.

The College 529 Plan is hands down one of the best savings vehicles and financial tools for your child’s education and your family’s future. And we have a GREAT one right here in Ohio with CollegeAdvantage Ohio's 529 Plan. (Give them a follow!)

Here are the top 3 reasons to love the 529:

💵 Major Tax Benefits: For Ohio residents, you can get up to a $4,000 state income tax deduction per beneficiary, per year! Plus, your money grows tax-deferred, and all withdrawals are 100% tax-free when used for qualifying education expenses.

💪 Extreme Flexibility: Getting money in is easy—anyone can contribute (grandparents, aunts, uncles), and you can start with as little as $25. Getting money out is just as flexible. It’s not just for standard college anymore; it covers K-12, graduate school, apprenticeships, tuition, room & board, and books at any federally accredited institution nationwide.

🪤 No "Unused Money" Trap: Worried your kid won't use all the plan money? You can easily change the beneficiary. Even better, you can now use up to $10,000 to pay off student loans or roll over up to $35,000 into a Roth IRA to give them a massive head start on retirement!

Investing in your child’s future starts with a plan… a 529 Plan!

Millions of graduate students are about to hit a financial wall this summer.

The Department of Education has finalized massive new federal borrowing caps for graduate school, and nearly 30% of all graduate students will run up against these new limits.

The government’s plan? Cut back federal lending to force colleges to lower prices, and let private banks fill in the gaps.

A new report from the Student Borrower Protection Center reveals a flaw in that logic: Over 40% of Americans cannot qualify for a traditional private student loan.

But when you slash federal safety nets and force students into a private market that rejects nearly half of them, you don't lower college costs. You just slam the door on higher education for millions.

What are your thoughts on the new student loan caps and how they will affect funding higher education? Sound off in the comments.

Click the link in our comments to read more about the July 1st deadline and what it entails.

Is your leftover College 529 money trapped after you graduate from college? 😰

Nope! Actually, leftover money in your 529 plan is a GREAT "problem" to have!

If your student has graduated and you still have a 529 balance, here are 5 ways to use it:

1️⃣ Roth IRA Rollover: Kickstart your student's retirement (up to a $35k lifetime limit).

2️⃣ Pay Student Loans: Use up to $10k to wipe out debt for the beneficiary or their siblings.

3️⃣ Change the Beneficiary: Pass the funds to a sibling or save them for future grandkids.

4️⃣ Keep Learning: Use it for grad school or professional certifications later in life.

5️⃣ The Scholarship Loophole: Withdraw penalty-free up to the amount of any scholarships earned.

Click our link in the comments to read our latest blog about how to use your leftover 529 funds after college.

This is one of my FAVORITE strategies to unlock more free money for college! 🎓💰

Here it is: open a College 529 plan in a grandparent’s name.

While financial aid forms (FAFSA) look closely at parent and student assets, grandparent-owned accounts are currently NOT assessed on the FAFSA.

This means you get all the classic benefits of a 529 — like tax-deferred growth and tax-free withdrawals for qualified expenses — without it counting against your student’s aid eligibility.

Here’s why it’s a win-win-win:

🔐 Financial Aid Protection: Assets aren't assessed on the FAFSA.
🏡 Family Contributions: Aunts, uncles, and parents can still contribute to the account for birthdays and holidays!
💪 Flexibility: You still get the same tax-free growth and investment options.

Use this tip to make your college savings work harder for your family!

Is your student’s major on the chopping block? 😰

When a university loses millions in funding — like the $8 million drop recently seen at Case Western from the NIH — budgets get tight. Before you commit to a school, now more than ever, you need to ensure the program you're paying for will actually be there in four years.

With some schools dropping 15 to 30 different programs recently, college shopping requires more than just a campus tour. Programs in the humanities and language arts are often the first to go if they aren't producing "positive dollars" for the university.

Before you sign that enrollment agreement, ask these critical questions:

🧑‍🏫 Check the Faculty: How many professors have they recently hired for this specific major?
📊 Track the Data: How many students have successfully graduated with this degree from this college?
🤝 Verify Commitment: Speak directly to professors and deans to understand how committed the university is to the program’s future.
💰 Follow the Money: What does the endowment look like, and is it supporting your specific field of study?

Don't just assume a major is safe because it’s in the brochure. Do your homework now so your student isn't left without a department mid-degree.

For more information on the Great Higher Ed Reset, click the blog link in the comments.

There are LESS than 100 days left until the Common Application opens, and that means...

It's time to figure out how the heck you're going to pay for college!!

DO NOT wait until the acceptance letters arrive to realize a school is out of financial reach! By then, the financial options are limited, the emotional investment is high, and it will be much harder to have the college money talk with your student.

Now is the time to be proactive rather than reactive by booking your ​College Pre-Approval Session™​. In this session, I will give you the clarity and leverage you need to shop smart.

In this intensive 1-on-1 session with me, you will receive:

📋 Your Personalized College Money Report™: A side-by-side comparison of your top 10 schools, showing exactly what you’ll owe at each.
🏫 A College Cost Reduction Report™: Strategies to lower your out-of-pocket costs and minimize student loan debt.
💻 Lifetime Portal Access: Use our private search tool to calculate net prices and find scholarships at over 3,500 institutions.

In just 90 minutes, I'll give you the answers most parents take 10 hours to find.

I've had so many happy parents say, "I wish I had booked this session sooner," so use the link below to book your session to take the stress out of shopping for schools now.

Don't guess on the biggest purchase of your student's life. Spend 90 minutes with me and walk away with a plan that works for your budget. Click the link in the comments to get started.

I had the honor of being featured in a MarketWatch article on the importance of finding a balance between saving for college and living a fruitful life with your family, full of memorable experiences and joy.

In today’s world, when you have a newborn, the “college clock” starts ticking immediately, and for many families, the reality is that competing financial demands — like retirement, emergency funds, and high-interest debt — often take precedence.

A balanced perspective is key, so before funnelling significant monthly contributions into a 529 plan, experts suggest you focus on:

🛟 An Emergency Fund: Aiming for a “mini-fund” of $2,000 first, eventually scaling to 3–12 months of living expenses.
💸 High-Interest Debt: Paying down credit cards or high-interest loans that can derail long-term stability.
🏝️ Retirement Contributions: Prioritizing your future self, particularly reaching at least your employer’s match.
🏡 Cost of Living Stability: Ensuring your major fixed costs (housing, transport, food) are manageable enough to allow for “fun money” and future investments.

Tomorrow’s not promised. We have to enjoy today. By securing your financial foundation first, you ensure that when you do start saving for your child’s education, you aren’t doing it at the expense of your own future.

Thank you to Venessa Wong for this feature! (Link to the article in the comments.)

We hear it all the time, "If you get into college, we'll make it work." 😰

Before you sign on the dotted line and commit to one of the BIGGEST investments of your life, you NEED a plan that covers more than just the first semester.

Most families start with a 529, but a truly comprehensive plan goes MUCH DEEPER. We’re breaking down the exact strategies you need to fund all four years—down to the penny.

In this FREE webinar, we’re covering:

📚 The 529 & Beyond: How to best utilize your 529 and which other assets to apply to costs.
💵 Cash Flow Tactics: Identifying what cash flow you have available to offset bills.
🤝 Smart Lending: Understanding exactly what types of loans to use and when to use them.
🌅 The Full Picture: Building a complete plan for all four years before you commit.

Don't go into the college years guessing!

Click the link in our comments to join me and Amber Gilsdorf of Estrela Consulting for this webinar on April 15th at 7 PM ET to learn how to build the perfect strategic payment plan that works for your family — and your wallet.