Funding College: Info for special needs and traditional students

Dr. Blevins chats with Katrina Roy and Peter Tassoni, both employed with the state of Washington, about considerations for college financial planning. Planning for both special needs and typically developing children are covered.

Download the presentation here: https://teachdirections.enildaclinic.com/funding-college

Questions covered include:

1. What might be additional factors to consider, financial opportunities, or hurdles to overcome when planning for college if a child has special needs?

2. What if your child is considered disabled and won’t get a traditional college credential. Is funding available for them?

3. For typically developing kids, what’s the ideal planning path?

4. For typically developing kids, if I haven’t planned and my kid is now in high school, what should I be doing to best prepare for a good financial situation with them in college?

5. What is my child’s responsibility (at various ages) that I can encourage them to do to contribute to their college financial health?

Katrina Roy works in communications at the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions (DFI). She travels all over Washington state talking about the importance of financial education, including discussions about fraud, credit, debt, student loans, and personal finance management. Katrina has been with DFI for 5 years.

Peter Tassoni is the state administrator for the Washington State ABLE 529A and DDETF Special Needs Trust programs. The two programs have over 3,500 participants and $75 million dollars in assets. Peter has a son with a developmental disability.

  • The comments and opinions expressed today are solely the presenters’ comments and opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Financial Institutions, its management, or anyone associated with the Department of Financial Institutions

  • DFI cannot give legal or financial advice, and we do not endorse or recommend any person, product or institution

Contacts for the presentation

WA State ABLE Savings Plan (www.washingtonstateable.com) or call toll-free at 844.600.2253

WA State Developmental Disabilities Endowment Trust Fund (www.ddetf.wa.gov) or call toll-free at 888.754.8798 ext. 1

The WashBoard -Scholarship Matching- https://washboard.wsac.wa.gov/login.aspx

Big Future, College Board- https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search