dream affordable
I’m Paul Martin
I’m a first generation college graduate and financial planner who believes in the college dream.
I help students and families from all financial backgrounds to achieve their college dreams. Coming from a family that had never sent anyone to college before, I’m passionate about helping you win at the money part of college.
My method – the College Money Method – breaks down the complex and overwhelming financial aid process and provides you with every “small win” to afford your college opportunity.
Every student has financial aid options
Together, we will…
Expand your college choices
We figure out your affordability range to give you more college options within your reach. I use industry tools to determine what colleges expect you to pay.
Maximize your financial aid awards
We find ways to increase your financial aid offers. I use guidelines established by the colleges to provide you with “insider” knowledge on how to get more.
Develop a plan to pay the rest
We create a total money plan to afford your new college investment while staying on track for your other financial goals.
Every student’s journey is unique
I start with your college dream…
My method begins with a conversation focused on you. I work to understand what you want to achieve and align my approach to make your college dream a reality.
…then understand how your financial situation impacts college aid awards.
I use the latest financial aid formulas and policies to show you how your income, savings and investments impact colleges’ expectations of your ability to pay. We work together on strategies to decrease your contribution and get more money from colleges before you even apply.
I detail the cost for every college on your list…
It’s critical that you know what you will pay at every college before you apply. I give you detailed estimates of financial aid packages for every college on your list. We work together to incorporate affordability into your college rankings and set expectations early about what colleges are financially in reach.
…and guide you in filing all applications.
I eliminate the stress of making errors in the sea of required forms, so you can focus on the actual college application. I make sure every form is accurate and you are implementing every strategy to get the maximum amount of aid.
I research payment options, giving you choices to afford the rest…
Based on your other financial goals – debt reduction, retirement, etc… – I research and present multiple scenarios of how to pay for costs beyond grants and scholarships.
…and evaluate and help negotiate your award letters.
review each financial aid award letter and provide a detailed, side-by-side comparison outlining its impact on your financial plan. We work on ways to appeal and negotiate better awards using data about the college and other awards they have given to families like yours.
Together we create a renewed financial plan incorporating your college choice.
We’ll work to create a plan to meet your financial life goals, even with the added costs of college. You will leave with knowledge of what tax breaks you can take to offset your costs, putting more money back toward your other financial goals.
Whether you are starting the process in your Senior year or planning ahead, I’ll help you achieve your college dream.
