Useful Publications
Online Financial Aid Applications
General Financial Aid Information
Tax Credits
Financial Aid Calculators
Free Online Scholarship Searches
Financial Planning



Useful HMC Publications
Financial Aid Brochure (PDF)
Understanding Your Financial Aid Award (PDF)
Federal Family Education Loan Programs (FFELP) (PDF): A guide to Federal Stafford and PLUS loan programs. Additional information can also be found in the student flyer (PDF) we've prepared on this topic.
Tax Benefits for Education (PDF)

Online Financial Aid Applications
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
CSS Financial Aid PROFILE

 General Financial Aid Information
College Board OnLine
An excellent overview of financial aid, as well as calculators with which you may estimate your family's contribution (if you do so, make sure to select Federal and Institutional Methodology!).

The College Board’s “Avoiding Scholarship Scams” (PDF)

Student Aid on the Web
This is an excellent web site devoted to furthering students and parents understanding of federal financial aid.

FinAid
A comprehensive site on financial aid, this site provides links to major scholarship and loan sources as well.

California Student Aid Commission
Provides information on the Cal Grant Program and the California State ScholarShare Program.

Studentjobs.gov
Created as a joint project by the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the U.S. Department of Education’s Student Financial Assistance office for students who are interested in jobs in the Federal Government.

College is Possible!
A resource for students and parents that includes information about preparing for, selecting, and paying for a college education.

Tax Credits
IRS Publication 970: Tax Benefits for Education:Information about federal programs designed to support higher education by providing tax benefits to students and their families. The most commonly used tax benefits include:

• The Hope Scholarship Credit: a nonrefundable tax credit for out-of-pocket tuition expenses. You can deduct 100 percent of the first $1,000 spent on tuition and other qualified expenses, plus 50 percent of the next $1,000, for the first two years of post-secondary education. Maximum credit is $1,500.
• Lifetime Learning Credit: a tax credit of up to $2,000 (20 percent of the first $10,000) for educational expenses.
  
• Coverdell Education Savings Account (Education IRA): Families can contribute up to $2,000 per year tax free for each child under 18 in the child’s name toward education expenses.
• Student Loan Interest Deduction: Interest paid on education loans can be deducted up to $2,500, even if the tax filer does not itemize deductions.
  
  
  

• CollegeBoard.com Calculators: calculators for everything from Expected Family Contribution to loan repayment.
• Nellie Mae Loan Repayment Calculators: calculators about planning and budgeting, reducing the cost of borrowing, and loan repayment.
  
• FinAid Calculators: offers online calculators on a wide range of student finance issues, from needs analysis to loan repayment. 

You can also find awards on the Web through a variety of free online scholarship searches. HMC recommends the following sites:

FastWEB/Financial Aid Search Through the WEB
One of the first free online search services with a database of more than 400,000 scholarships.

College Board Scholarship Search
A searchable database of scholarships, loans, internships and other financial aid programs from 2,300 sources.

FastAid
A database of awards for undergraduate through postgraduate studies.

Financial Planning
EdWise On-Line Financial Planning: offered by EdFund
Managing Your Money: tips from Nellie Mae