Getting to Know Our Company

Founded by long time financial planner Chris Lester as an supplement to the already successful Professional Planning Services, Education Funding Specialists of New Jersey is one of the only regional companies providing late stage college funding planning for families.  What many people fail to realize is that college costs have grown so enormous that it is no longer a savings problem so much as it is a cash flow problem.  The old ideas put forth by CPAs and financial planners of saving a little bit each month towards college no longer work!  New strategies are necessary, and our college funding process provides personal, customized service to families with a college-bound high school student.

Simply put, we understand there is a huge college funding problem in this country.  But, by teaching families the rules of the system and how to stack the odds in their favor, we can simultaneously help families save money and ensure their children have a great college experience.  In these tough times, we believe we can help to make this country a better place.  Moreover, we believe that if we help others succeed, we will also succeed.  That said, our consultants adhere to personal and professional standards outlined in the Education Funding Specialists of New Jersey Code of Ethics.

 

There are a number of companies offering services to help families qualify for more "need-based" financial aid.  While we will pursue that strategy if it makes sense, we find most people in the Northeast have too much in income and assets.  We realize that the costs of living in this area are higher and that most people are barely making ends meet, but the colleges do not care.  Therefore, our services are targeted to families who would not qualify for need-based aid.

It should also be noted that high school counselors can be a terrific resource for basic funding information, but they do not have the time or expertise to develop a comprehensive college funding plan for a family.  Their area of expertise is the admissions process, and they can be of great help to your student there, but they are often overworked and their time spread thin due to the huge volume of students they see.  A high school counselor also does not have the specialized training necessary to develop the type of detailed, customized financial plan Education Funding Specialists of New Jersey creates for its clients.

Education Funding Specialists of New Jersey provides unique and cutting-edge tax, financial and academic strategies to reduce a family’s out of pocket cost for college. 

Education Funding Specialists of New Jersey utilizes a team of partners who support our company and specialize in using the tax code to find tax strategies you may not be taking advantage of.  For example, a “tax scholarship” is any new found tax deduction that creates money you can use to reduce the cost of college.  Unlike financial aid, the higher your income and tax bracket, the greater the benefit of any tax strategy (or tuition discount) because it’s gross income you don’t have to earn to fund college.  Thus, we create “tax scholarships” to help pay for college.  In essence, the IRS can pay a big piece of your college expenses!

 

Education Funding Specialists of New Jersey is supported by a team of the most knowledgeable and experienced authorities in the college funding field.  We work alongside with your other advisors, such as your CPA, to develop the strategies that will produce the most beneficial outcome for your family. 

In short, Education Funding Specialists of New Jersey is a one-of-a-kind organization striving to set the standard in the college funding field.