Financial Planner

Checklist: Education

Things to do this weekend with your money: It’s high school graduation time, which means many families are focusing on the costs of continuing education.

* Today: Looking for last-minute scholarships or financing to cover college tuition bills in the fall? Student loan agency Sallie Mae offers ideas and resources at https://www.wiredscholar.com.

* Saturday: If college is a few more years off, check out the tax-deferred college savings plans offered by more than a dozen states, including California. Visit https://www.collegesavings.org or call (606) 244-8175 for information about all the states’ plans; visit https://www.scholarshare.com or call (877) 728-4338 for information about California’s Golden State ScholarShare program.

* Sunday: Tax credits are available to middle-income families to help offset the costs of education, both for full-time college students and for older people taking a course or two. Visit the IRS Web site at https://www.irs.gov or call (800) 829-1040 and ask for Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Higher Education; Education Tax Credits.