Over the years, watching the values of my daughter’s 529 College Savings Plan and Coverdell ESA fluctuate, often dramatically, I had a gnawing feeling in my stomach that there just had to be something else to secure her education. Something better. I could not control the markets. Due to restrictions in 529 plans, I couldn’t even control when I could make changes in the accounts to be more defensive or more aggressive with the investments. Yet, college costs continued to soar, while the investments struggled. There had to be more to getting into college, and making it affordable.
Fortunately, I found what I had been searching for when I discovered the National Institute for Certified College Planners (NICCP). What an eye-opening, mind-blowing discovery it was. Not only was there information on various college savings plans, but also on reducing college costs, maximizing cash flow strategies, and on non-financial aspects of gaining admission to desired colleges. There was also training for me, as a financial advisor, to specialize in helping families get their children into their preferred colleges without going broke. I completed the training, and am now a Certified College Planning Specialist (CCPS).
The mission of SageCollegePlanning.com is to help parents and students understand the college admissions process, starting with how to get admitted, then how to reduce the costs, then smart ways to pay for it. A Certified College Planning Specialist can potentially save you thousands of dollars, and make the process easier. There is no charge for an initial consultation.
Ralph Williams, CFP®, CCPS, is the owner and founder of Sage Wealth Solutions. Following four years of college and five years in the US Army, serving in Vietnam, Ralph has spent nearly 40 years in financial services. A graduate of California State University, Northridge, he served as Professor of Finance at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, California. Ralph is a Certified College Planning Specialist (CCPS), Certified Financial Planner Professional® (CFP), and an Investment Advisor Representative with Centaurus Financial, Inc., a full-service securities broker/dealer. Using advanced technologies with simplified banking strategies, Ralph helps individuals, families, and businesses control their financing needs, and transform debt into wealth. Ralph is an independent agent with Worth Unlimited, which specializes in debt elimination and wealth building. Ralph has a passion for music, which he indulges as Director of Music at his church.
