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Dates

SL 03

Money

Bills, a buffer, and the FAFSA and 529 dates.

Bills, a buffer, and the dates for a 529 and the FAFSA. Copy them from the official page the day you look. A blank line is an honest no.

Walk this lane

Do this lane in order.

You change lanes. You do not exit. Finish the block, then open the next one.

  1. 01This monthFinish this block, then take the next step.
  2. 02This weekFinish this block, then take the next step.
  3. 03MovesFinish this block, then take the next step.
  4. 04Date cardFinish this block, then take the next step.
  5. 05Month mapFinish this block, then take the next step.
  6. 06TimelineFinish this block, then take the next step.
  7. 07Back to the mapThen go back to the mile you are actually on.

This month

Copy the date. Name who pays.

Three lines. A blank is an honest no. The official page outranks this card.

  1. Write the bill that must clear: name, due date, who pays.A bill with no owner becomes a fight.
  2. 529: open the plan's own page. Write the amount you can miss, or not this month.Zero is an allowed answer. Skip any new account that arrived as an ad.
  3. FAFSA: copy the open date from StudentAid.gov and the school's priority date. Calendar the earlier one, and the day you checked.A date from a group chat is how you miss the form.

This week

The list for this week.

Concrete jobs. Not a speech, and not legal, medical, or financial advice.

  1. 01Bills that must clear this month: name, due date, who pays.
  2. 02A buffer number, or the honest line: none yet.
  3. 03529: the amount you can miss this month, or not this month. Confirm it on the plan's own page.
  4. 04One money topic you will not fight about this month.
  5. 05FAFSA open date, copied from StudentAid.gov, plus the day you copied it.
  6. 06The school's priority date, from the school's aid page. Calendar the earlier of the two.
  7. 07Who signs: the student, and the parent the form asks for. If two houses disagree, ask the school aid office.
  8. 08Leave and pay from your employer, in writing.
  9. 09Counselor's list first. One more list you can verify. Then stop.
  10. 10A number you can pay, said out loud to the other adult if there is one.

Moves

Concrete moves. Then go back to the mile.

  1. List the bills that must clear. Put a name next to each one.A bill with no owner becomes a fight.
  2. Write the buffer as a number, or write 'none yet.' Do not invent a cushion.A made-up cushion becomes a fight later.
  3. Open the 529 statement or the plan's own site. Write the account name and the amount you can miss this month. If that amount is zero, write not this month.A missed month is allowed. A number you cannot fund becomes shame.
  4. Name one money topic that is off the table this month. Tell the other adult.Some fights are a habit, not a decision.
  5. Write the next bill date, the FAFSA date, and the school priority date. Put the earliest one where you will see it.Panic is a date that lives in your head.
  6. Ask your employer about leave and pay in writing. Keep the reply.A hallway nod disappears.
  7. Open StudentAid.gov and copy the day the FAFSA opens. Write the day you copied it. Then copy the school's priority date from the school's page.The form changes. Calendar the earlier date.
  8. Scholarship evening: the counselor’s list first, then two lists you can verify. Stop.More tabs is not more money.
  9. Say out loud, to the other adult if there is one, what you can pay and what you cannot.Vague support becomes a fight later.
  10. Hand tax, benefits, and investment questions to a qualified person. Bring the form.This lane will not invent an answer.

A DadLane sheet. Fill the blanks, screenshot it, or print it.

DadLane

Be the dad who shows up

A DadLane sheet. The prompts are ours. Fill the blanks in your own words. Free to print. Not medical, legal, or financial advice.

Write it down

Date card

Copy the dates from the official page the day you look. A blank is an honest no.

  1. 01FAFSA opensWrite the day you looked. A screenshot from a chat is not the date.StudentAid.gov, plus the day you copied it
  2. 02School priorityTheir page, their date. Copy it the same day.The school's aid page, not a chat
  3. 03Earlier dateCalendar the earlier of the two, and the day you checked.The one that goes on the calendar
  4. 04529 this monthZero is allowed. Skip any account that arrived as an ad.Amount you can miss, or not this month
  5. 05529 checkedThe plan's own page. DadLane does not pick one.Plan name, and the day you opened it
  6. 06Who signsIf two houses disagree, ask the school aid office. Not a group text.Student, and which parent the form asks for

A DadLane sheet. Fill the blanks, screenshot it, or print it.

DadLane

Be the dad who shows up

A DadLane sheet. The prompts are ours. Fill the blanks in your own words. Free to print. Not medical, legal, or financial advice.

Month map

Bills, the buffer, and the dates.

Fill this with the other adult if there is one. A blank line is an honest no.

  1. 01Must clearA bill with no owner becomes a fight.Bill, due date, and who pays it
  2. 02BufferA made-up cushion becomes a fight later.The number, or write none yet
  3. 03529 this monthNot this month is an honest line.Amount you can miss, or not this month
  4. 04529 checkedOpen the plan's own page. Do not buy one from an ad.Plan name, and the day you opened it
  5. 05FAFSA opensThe federal page outranks a screenshot.Date from StudentAid.gov, plus the day you copied it
  6. 06School priorityTheir date, copied the day you look.Date from the school's aid page
  7. 07Who signsThe form names the parent. The kitchen does not.Student, and which parent the form asks for
  8. 08Not a fightName it. Then leave it until next month.The money topic you will leave alone
  9. 09Licensed helpTax and benefits go to a qualified person, with the form.Name, if a form needs a ruling

A blank line is an honest no. DadLane does not give financial, tax, or aid advice. StudentAid.gov, the plan's own page, and a qualified person outrank this card.

A DadLane sheet. Fill the blanks, screenshot it, or print it.

DadLane

Be the dad who shows up

A DadLane sheet. The prompts are ours. Fill the blanks in your own words. Free to print. Not medical, legal, or financial advice.

Timeline

529 through FAFSA season.

A wall sheet. Copy dates from the official page. A blank, or not this month, is an honest no. No product on this card.

  1. 01Any yearBills that must clearA bill with no owner becomes a fight.Name, date, who pays
  2. 02If you open a 529The plan's own pageZero is an allowed answer. Skip any account that arrived as an ad.Amount this month, or not this month
  3. 03School yearsActivities and the costThe folder names the cost. Both adults write the same name.Who pays
  4. 04FAFSA seasonThe date on StudentAid.govA date from a group chat is how you miss the form.The date you copied, and the day you checked
  5. 05School priorityThe school's aid pageCalendar the earlier of the two dates, and the day you checked.Their date, and who signs
  6. 06Launch yearWhat you can paySay the number once. None is a complete sentence.The dollar amount, or none

DadLane does not sell a plan and does not pick a 529. StudentAid.gov and a qualified person outrank this sheet.

Money

Support, tax credits, and the money map.

DadLane is not a tax advisor and not a law firm. The money timeline is the sheet. The other cards are the official pages.

7 in this view

All money help

Back to the miles

This lane meets the map here.

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