FEDERAL AID:  Hope Credit - With the passage of 2009 tax law, the Hope Credit was renamed the American Opportunity credit and allows for a larger credit of $2,500 of qualified education expenses for each student's first four years versus only the first two years.

                            Education IRA (Coverdell Account) - Individuals can contribute up to $2,000 annually per child up to age 18.  The amount can be transferred to another child.  Earnings and withdrawals are tax-free if used to pay for qualified educational expenses.

                            Roth IRA - Principal amounts can be withdrawn tax and penalty free.  Withdrawal of earnings for educational expenses is always penalty-free, otherwise the earnings on the funds are subject to tax if withdrawn prior to age 59 1/2.

                            Uniform Gift to Minor Account/Custodial Accounts - Contributions to the plan may be made by anyone.  No family income restrictions are imposed but gifts larger than $13,000 per year may be subject to gift tax.

                             Student Loan Interest Expense Deduction - Individuals can claim a deduction for interest expense paid on qualified education loans after graduation.  The maximum deduction for 2009 is $2,500.

SOUTH CAROLINA AID:  Tuition Tax Credit - Refundable credit for tuition paid to colleges and universities.  The credit is equal to 25% of tuition paid, not to exceed $850 for each student attending a four-year institution or $350 for each student attending a two-year institution.

                                             S.C. 529 Investment Program - Federal and state taxes are not assessed on withdrawals.  Students are not required to attend S. C. schools.  Contributions are South Carolina tax deductible.  If an account is closed or not used for education purposes, the earnings on the principal portion of the proceeds would become taxable, plus a 10% penalty.

                                          Life Scholarship - This scholarship helps cover the cost of in-state tuition at South Carolina public colleges and universities for S. C. students.   

THE FIRST STEP:  When looking for financial aid for any student - all star, academic or average Joe - start by filling out the U. S. Department of Education's Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.

                                 Completing the FAFSA helps determine whether a student is eligible for aid from the school as well as federal and state governments in the form of grants and low-interest loans.  The FAFSA can be found online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

                                  The FAFSA, which has to be refiled for each school year, can be submitted as late as the end of the academic year for which you're looking for aid - but it's best to fill the form out early each calendar year.

                                   Filing in January or February means there's more money to go around, but aid is still available for students who start school this fall and haven't submitted the FAFSA - if they file as soon as possible, according to Richard Bellows, director of financial aid at Butler University.

   Former Duke Lacrosse coach, Mike Pressler's 7 rules of great leadership

1.  Build a strong foundation: From day one, you must instill these core values - effort, respect and loyalty. If you try to do it once a crisis hits, it's too late!

2.  Define Winning:  Winning habits are more important than wins. You can play well and lose, and that's okay. And you can play lousy and win, and that's not. When we break the huddle, the team says, "All in.' as a reminder to give all we have, all together."

3.  Create an atmosphere of trust:  The best way to earn trust is to give it.

4.  Tell the Truth:  Not just when it's convenient or when it makes you look good.  Sugarcoating doesn't help anybody.

5.  Be accountable:  The actions of one reflect upon everyone else. People are much more likely to do the right thing if they know they represent something bigger.

6.  Talk less, do more:  Long-winded pregame speeches are worthless today. Emotion doesn't last; good work habits do.

7.  Live with Honor:  No one can take away your dignity or self-respect. Live with honor, tell the truth, do the right thing, and you'll be a success to those who matter most: you, your friends, and your family.

                                                            -0-

  From "Men's Health" magazine:

   America's 10 worst drinks:  Hershey's Chocolate Drink, worst milk beverage; Sunkist Orange, worst soda; R. W. Knudsen Family Tangerine, worst spritzer;  SoBe Green Tea; worst bottled green tea;  Arizona Kiwi Strawberry, worst juice drink; 7-Eleven Double Gulp (filled with cola), worst fountain drink; Starbucks Ventl 2% Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha, worst hot coffee drink;  Dairy Queen Caramel MooLatte, worst frozen coffee drink; Jamba Juice Peanut Butter Moo'd Power Smoothie, worst smoothie; and the winner - Coldstone Creamery OhFudge! Shake, worst drink in America. (July/August 2008 issue)

                                                                       -0-

   Protect your hearing.  "Those white wires coming out of your ears might as well be fuses: iPod-type earbuds can detonate your hearing.  The buds block just 1 decibel of outside sound, prompting you to crank the volume, says audiologist Brian Fligor, ScD.  Avoid the aural onslaught (detailed below) by using noice-isolating earphones."  (June 2008 issue)

   CLARITY:  Hair cells in your ear that focus sounds become flattened, muffling your hearing for up to a week.

   HIGH FREQUENCIES AND SOFT SOUNDS:  Repeated exposure to high volumes causes hair cells to swell and die.

   ALL HEARING:  As more hair cells die, the lack of stimulation causes auditory nerve cells to atrophy.

                             -0-

   RESTAURANT REPORT CARD: Men's health created this report card that holds restaurants accountable for the fare they're serving to all of us. They started by calculating the average number of calories per kid entree. Then they rewarded eateries for offering healthy adult options that would appeal to the young palate and for providing healthy vegetable sides and non-soda drink options. Finally, they docked points for those chains that still harbor nasty trans-fats. For complete information see the October 2008 issue.

   Chick-fil-a: (rates an A); Subway (A-); Wendy's (A-); Boston Market (B+); Fazoli's (B+); Jamba Juice (B+); Panera Bread (B); KFC (B); McDonalds (B); Arby's (B); Denny's (B-); Bob Evans (B-); Quiznos (C+); Domino's Pizza (C+); Cosi (C); Taco Bell (C); Au Bon Pain (C); Burger King (C); Papa John's (C-); Chili's Grill & Bar (C-); Chuck E. Cheese's (C-); Dunkin' Donuts (C-); Uno Chicago Grill (C-); Ruby Tuesday's (C-); Starbucks (C-); Jack in the box (C-); P.F.Chang's (D+); Chipotle (D); Pizza Hut (D); Romano's Macaroni Grill (D); Baja Fresh (D); Krispy Kreme Donuts (D-); On the Border (D-); Applebee's, IHOP, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse, Red Lobster & T.G.I. Friday's (F) because they provided no information.

                                                                     -0-

 Even though gas prices have come down a bit Consumer Reports has the following information:

      * Drive at a moderate speed:  Driving 55 mph instead of 65 or 75 will save money.The aerodynamic drag increases exponentially the faster you drive: it simply takes more fuel to power the car through the air.           

      * Drive Smoothly:  Avoid hard acceleration and braking. Frequent bursts of acceleration and braking reduced their test car's mileage by 2 to 3 mpg.  Maintain a steady pace in top gear.

      * Reduce unnecessary drag:  Don't carry things on top of your vehicle when you don't have to.  Even driving with empty racks on the car reduces its fuel economy.

      * Don't use premium fuel if you don't have to:  Check your owner's manual.

      * Minimize driving with a cold engine:  Engines run most efficiently when they're warm.  When possible, combine several short trips into one so the engine stays warm.

      * Keep tires properly inflated:  Check tire pressure at least once a month with a tire guage.

      * Avoid idling for long periods of time:  Turn off the engine at the drive-thru while waiting.

      * MYTH: Air conditioning vs open windows:  Neither makes enough of a difference to worry about.

      * MYTH: Morning fill-ups:  One email I received said to buy gas in the morning because cooler gasoline will be denser so you'll get more for your money.  Consumer Reports says the temperature of the gas coming out of the nozzle changes very little, if at all.  Toss a coin!

      That same email suggested the following:

      * When filling up don't squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. Slow mode, the first click, minimizes the vapors that are created when you're pumping therefore pumping more gas into your tank as liquid instead of vapors which get sucked back into the nozzle.

      * Fill up when your tank is half full...or half empty, depending upon your outlook on life.  The reasoning: The more gas in your tank the less that can evaporate.

      * If there's a gas truck pumping into the storage tank when you stop to buy gas, don't fill up.  You might pick up some of the sediment at the bottom of the tank which is being stirred up as the gas is pumped into the storage tank.