News Release

Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) and the Pennsylvania Treasury Department together are hosting an informative webinar to aid students and families in planning for financial success when seeking postsecondary education, including the importance of the PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP). The 1-hour event, scheduled for September 14 at 6:30 PM, will be hosted by PHEAA’s financial aid experts Linda Pacewicz and Dan Wray and Treasury’s PA 529 expert David Dominick.

PA 529 accounts can help Pennsylvania families steadily and strategically save for future educational expenses, offering two ways to help families save while getting great tax benefits. PA 529 accounts can be used to save and pay for a variety of education expenses at many career and technical schools, certain apprenticeship programs, 2- and 4-year universities, and more.

“A lot of families use the PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan because it allows them to save for their children’s future education at today’s tuition rates. And now is a great time to invest! I’ve waived GSP fees for 2 consecutive years, saving account owners nearly $11 million to help them set aside even more for their children’s education. We’re excited to partner with PHEAA on this webinar to help families understand how this powerful option works.”

Pennsylvania State Treasurer, Stacy Garrity

In addition, the free webinar will cover the best practices for keeping education-related debt to a minimum and additional resources and opportunities for closing any gaps in funding.

“I’m so pleased that we are able to host these monthly webinars to provide assistance in a process that can be confusing and cumbersome. There are wonderful aid opportunities available for families, including the PA 529 GSP, and we’re excited to work with Treasury to further educate them about this program.”

PHEAA Board Chairman, Senator Wayne D. Fontana

September’s webinar schedule also includes four other free webinars, hosted by PHEAA’s financial aid experts, to guide students and families to searching for scholarships and affording tuition as well as understanding the financial aid timeline.

Webinar: Searching for Scholarships and Affording the Balance

One important step in finding ways to pay for education is to search and apply for scholarships. More free money equals less borrowing. This presentation will review the options available and tips on applying. The webinar will also review how to handle remaining balances to make affordable higher education decisions.

• Tuesday, September 12 from 12:00 – 1:00 PM
• Thursday, September 28 from 6:30 – 7:30 PM

Webinar: Financial Aid Timeline – Know What to do When

It’s never too early to begin preparing for a successful higher education experience. Knowing what to expect and plan for is key. The journey to affordable higher education begins before high school and ends in education loan repayment – or maybe even education loan forgiveness. This webinar will provide the starting points and web resources for effective research before, during, and after postsecondary decisions.

• Thursday, September 14 from 12:00 – 1:00 PM
• Tuesday, September 26 from 6:30 – 7:30 PM

Register for any of the upcoming financial aid webinars at:

https://pheaa-events500.webex.com/webappng/sites/pheaa-events500/meeting/home