This brings me to the advantages of having children later in life. You are more experienced, you are more established in your career, hopefully you are more financially prepared for kids, you've learned the art of patience. If you are like me however, that doesn't mean you actually have more patience...
As many know I have whip smart, beautiful, demanding, self assured know-it-all daughter.
I say this with love when I'm not beating my head against the wall.
My daughter has started the college application process. I'm the lucky? one who gets to fill out all her financial aid/parent info/anything else portion of her college applications. Folks, I'm pulling my hair out, even the gray ones that have turned gray over night.
The number of schools she wants to apply to changes every day. The most current list from her contains 11 schools, at least two of which I don't think she really has any interest in but she considers them 'Safe' schools that she is fairly certain she can get in with no problem, but I digress.
Mom gets to fill out the CSS profile, the FAFSA form, the TAP form and I'm sure several others that I don't know of yet. The acronyms floating around are on par with NASA or the military - 529b, the already mentioned CSS, FAFSA, TAP, plus PEL not to mention the resources I need to have on hand, W-2, 1040, TIAA-CREF, and more! I know what you're saying - yes, I went to college, yes, my husband when to not only undergraduate but two graduate schools! I worked at a college or two in my time, my husband is a VP at a college! BUT, but! here's the thing. We worked in the academic end of things, NOT the admissions, financial aid, student affairs, etc.
We won't go into how clueless I am about all the terminology used, i.e. my taxes! Hey, I pay someone to do them because I go into a cold sweat and vapor brain whenever someone starts talking figures, dollars, exempt, untaxable, taxable, deferred, income, benefits, investment - you get the idea, to me.
So here is my life right now, at least until February 15 - the latest any and all of this stuff can be submitted is all about the money! So here my desk. I don't expect to see the surface until spring...
The number of schools she wants to apply to changes every day. The most current list from her contains 11 schools, at least two of which I don't think she really has any interest in but she considers them 'Safe' schools that she is fairly certain she can get in with no problem, but I digress.
Mom gets to fill out the CSS profile, the FAFSA form, the TAP form and I'm sure several others that I don't know of yet. The acronyms floating around are on par with NASA or the military - 529b, the already mentioned CSS, FAFSA, TAP, plus PEL not to mention the resources I need to have on hand, W-2, 1040, TIAA-CREF, and more! I know what you're saying - yes, I went to college, yes, my husband when to not only undergraduate but two graduate schools! I worked at a college or two in my time, my husband is a VP at a college! BUT, but! here's the thing. We worked in the academic end of things, NOT the admissions, financial aid, student affairs, etc.
We won't go into how clueless I am about all the terminology used, i.e. my taxes! Hey, I pay someone to do them because I go into a cold sweat and vapor brain whenever someone starts talking figures, dollars, exempt, untaxable, taxable, deferred, income, benefits, investment - you get the idea, to me.
So here is my life right now, at least until February 15 - the latest any and all of this stuff can be submitted is all about the money! So here my desk. I don't expect to see the surface until spring...
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