Education – Debra Newby Watkins CPA

Education Loan Relief

The federal government has extended its pause for education loans to those held by private companies. This is a big step in helping individuals with debts who have been adversely affected by the Covid pandemic, but advocacy groups want more and are calling for participants in the Federal Family Education Loan Program to be included as well. Qualifying education loans that went into default as of March 13, 2020 have been returned to good standing.

Relief extended to more than 1 million borrowers with privately-held student loans

Getting the Most Out of Your Education

Did you know that by including certain scholarships as income you might be able to increase your education credit, reduce your total tax, or increase your tax refund? The key is finding awards that may be used for other expenses such as books, or room and board.

For detailed instructions on determining what kinds of grants and scholarships are eligible and how to apply these for best tax savings, see Maximizing the higher education tax credits: Including a scholarship in gross income can sometimes save on taxes in the Journal of Accountancy.

Are You Prepared?

Are you prepared in the event of an emergency? Many people fail to realize that true readiness takes detailed planning prior to the actual event. If you had to evacuate, would your valuables be secure? Or would you have enough water and food to sustain your family for 72 hours? All these are good questions posed by Ronda Kaysen for the New York Times in her article, Preparing Your Home for a Disaster. The thought of disaster preparedness can be overwhelming, but if you allow time for the various parts, it becomes a much less daunting task.

Calling All Creatives

Work conferences sound like a boring proposition? Then check out the latest one coming to Austin, Texas. The Creatives Meet Business Experiences (CMBXP) will combine creatives from many fields with their business minded counterparts in an effort to foster new partnerships and offer affordable access to content. Want to be part of this innovative, new concept? More details in this article from Culture Map Austin, Austin’s newest conference connects creatives in a whole new way.

Networking How-To

Want to make the most out of your next networking event? From researching your targets ahead of time to the three point stance, Bill Rader for Forbes offers a succinct list of tips and tricks that will help you gain new connections and see them through to your benefit. Effective Networking Requires Work. How To Make The Most Of Every Event

Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn?

Many teenagers are now creating LinkedIn profiles in order to share a more “adult” view of their achievements with colleges and universities during the admissions process. Some question the health of having our children so future-focused, while others make a living teaching students how to tailor these profiles to best showcase their skills and achievements. What do you think? In the current climate of highly competitive college admissions, should you pull out all the stops in an effort to land the college of your dreams?

New Item on the College Admission Checklist: LinkedIn Profile

Singer Cancels Austin Show Due to Campus Carry

From the beginning of this academic year, the campus carry law has allowed students at the University of Texas with concealed carry licenses to bring their weapons onto campus. Due to this law, folk singer Ray LaMontagne has cancelled his show scheducled for Thursday evening at the Bass Concert Hall. In a Facebook post he stated, “No matter how hard I try to understand the rationale for allowing guns on campus or more broadly, the ‘concealed carry’ law in general, I just cannot in any way support that ideology.” University officials confirmed that the campus carry law would indeed allow students to bring firearms into the concert venue.

College Financial Aid Changes

Proposed changes in the timeline for college financial aid offers will give students more time to weigh their options and make an informed choice about which school is the best fit. Starting this year, families can file FASFA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as early as Oct. 1st. This gives students more time to compare the affordability of various schools and to gather information about their educational programs, leading to a more informed choice and a better college experience.

At Last, Your Financial Aid Ordeal Has Gotten Easier