BOSTON, April 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today College Funding Services (CFS) has announced their online portal ineedfinancialaid.com, which features step-by-step guides for guaranteed success in the financial aid application process, will now be available to all students and their families for free. The announcement joins an ongoing mission and commitment from CFS to bring clarity and confidence to the extremely difficult process of applying for financial aid and student loan services. CFS understands that not all families will be able to afford their team’s resources, but in their continued efforts to help make college affordable for all they’re now removing the barrier to entry to ensure everyone can access these necessary tools. With more than a decade of experience in helping families understand the process behind one of the most significant investments they'll make in their lifetime, the team at CFS has decided to release its expertise to the masses in order to bring accessibility on the topic to those who need it most.
In 2020, The Federal Reserve estimated that Americans owed more than $1.7 trillion in student loans. One of the largest causes of this exceedingly high debt is a lack of understanding around how the process works to see it through correctly. Families have had nowhere to turn to in order to understand how financial aid works, how much funding is available to them, and what the final cost is on graduation day. This is where ineedfinancialaid.com is going to help every student and family work the system, especially those in underserved communities or those who lack the connections to get the expert advice they need. With each free membership, students will get immediate access to the following tools:
- Four Core Training Programs to Guide the Entire Process: CFS has categorized the process of financial aid into four key categories: The College Funding Strategy: how to find the right college at the right price; FAFSA & CSS Paperwork: line-by-line guidance through both applications; Appeals Process: how to negotiate your financial aid package to gain more funding; and Paying/Borrowing: guidance on what loan/s each family should use and how to get the lowest rate.
- 1x1 Guidance through ‘Office Hours’ with the CFS Founders: Get answers to your current questions, wherever you are in the process. Each week, the CFS founders will bring you their decades of experience in financial aid planning to make sure you are on track for success. If you miss out, archived access to office hours will still be available to review for relevant content.
- Access to the #1 Rated College Planning Software: Typically reserved for financial advisors, families can now create a College Aid Pro account to get access to view affordable colleges based on location and major of their choice, available merit scholarships, and the exact net pricing of the top choice schools desired. The dashboard will update final costs as you move through the process, ensuring you have an exact number on the cost before you submit your application, and how to find the most affordable choices.
- Community Support Families Going through the same Process: Millions of families are tackling this process, and ineedfinancialaid.com is bringing them together to communicate about their questions, frustrations, or obstacles. This moderated community forum is closely monitored by the CFS team of professionals to answer questions posted by students and parents, giving the insights they need to continue to move along wherever they are in the process.
“The financial aid application and student loan process is complex, frustrating, and often misunderstood. When not done correctly, students miss out on the available funds to support their education, or worse, end up with crippling loans they can’t afford to pay back after graduation,” said Matt Carpenter and Founder of CFS, creators of ineedfinancialaid.com. “That’s why we’ve decided to open our doors to all families, free of charge. We want to arm students with the knowledge and insight they need to make confident financial decisions about their future.”
The free membership will also have a profound impact on families with multiple college-aged children moving forward, as new FAFSA 2022 rules come into play that will eliminate the current discount provided to these families. The new rule would double the amount they have to pay for college, a crippling financial burden that only contributes to the fear many families experience in planning for college. That’s why CFS has started a petition on Change.org to tell the US Department of Education they need to keep the current rule as is, and not add to the burden the college financial aid and student loan process already brings to families.
Access to ineedfinancialaid.com and its free memberships are available now. Students and parents can get access to these tools and more by simply creating an account. To learn more and to sign up for your free membership, visit at ineedfinancialaid.com.
About College Funding Services (CFS), creators of ineedfinancialaid.com:
College Funding Services has helped tens of thousands of families find the best possible college fits for their students and demonstrated how to attend college for the least amount of money. CFS guides you through every step of the college application process including identifying which colleges will offer the most aid, completing all financial aid applications, building a comprehensive plan for the most beneficial manner to fund out-of-pocket expenses. Their free membership platform, ineedfinancialaid.com brings the expertise and necessary resources on the financial aid and student loan process to everyone.
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