TERMS & CONDITIONS

Last Updated: July 27, 2026

Welcome to Tuition Aid Consulting. These Terms and Conditions are designed to create a clear, transparent framework for our work together—protecting both your interests and ours while we navigate the financial aid process as partners.

1. INTERPRETATION AND DEFINITIONS

1.1 Interpretation

Words with capitalized initial letters have meanings defined below. These definitions apply whether terms appear in singular or plural.

1.2 Definitions

"Client," "You," "Your" refers to the student, parent, or family member accessing our Service, including any legal entity they represent.
"Company," "We," "Us," "Our" refers to Tuition Aid Consulting LLC, located at 1029 Pleasant St., Apt 21, Worcester, MA 01602.
"Consultation" refers to our standard 90-minute video session where we review your finances and guide you through financial aid applications.
"Documentation" means tax returns, income statements, asset records, and other financial information you provide to us.
"Retainer" refers to ongoing email-based consulting services provided on a monthly subscription basis.
"Service" refers to all educational consulting services provided through our Website, including consultations, retainer services, and informational content.
"Website" refers to https://www.tuitionaidconsulting.com/

2. OUR SERVICES

2.1 What We Do

We provide educational consulting to help families understand and navigate the college financial aid process. Our services include:

Pre-Application Strategy: Reviewing your finances and target schools before we meet
Guided Application Completion: Walking you through FAFSA, CSS Profile, and institutional aid applications during our consultation
Appeal Guidance: Advising on appeal strategies and reviewing/editing appeal letters you draft (included with main consultations only)
Ongoing Support (Retainer): Email-based consulting for questions, verification assistance, and general guidance
Educational Resources: Blog posts, guides, scholarships, and explanations of financial aid policies

2.2 How We Work Together

Before Your Consultation:

You schedule a 90-minute Zoom appointment through our online scheduler
You upload your tax return and relevant financial documents to our secure servers (powered by Proton®) at least 72 hours in advance
We review your materials and prepare a customized strategy for your specific situation

During Your Consultation:

We begin with an interview to identify any missing information that could be affecting your aid eligibility that may not appear on your tax documents
We explain how financial aid packaging works, what to expect, and etiquette tips
We guide you through completing at least one financial aid application together, with you maintaining control of the keyboard and final submission
If time permits, we can work on another aid application, discuss appeal validity, finding loans, or other questions

-or-

If your consultation is for appealing your financial aid award, we will begin with an interview to identify any missing information that could qualify for an appeal
We will discuss institutional and human factors that will impact their appeal decision
Identify and provide what item should be discussed in your letter and how, then you will write a 1st draft of your appeal letter from your perspective
Then we will review it and provide edits and recommendations
Then you will submit the final draft to your institution

After Your Consultation:

If we don't complete your application during our initial session, we schedule a complimentary follow-up lasting up to 90 minutes or until you submit an application, whichever comes first

2.3 Accessibility Accommodations

We are committed to making our services accessible to all clients. Our consultations are conducted via Zoom, which offers closed captioning and other accessibility features to accommodate clients with hearing impairments. If you require additional accommodations, please inform us when scheduling your consultation, and we will make reasonable efforts to meet your needs.

2.4 International Student Considerations

We welcome international students and can provide guidance on financial aid options available to non-U.S. citizens. However, please note that international students typically receive different types of financial aid than domestic students, and we cannot guarantee similar aid packages. Federal financial aid (including Pell Grants, federal loans, and work-study) is limited to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and other eligible non-citizens as defined by federal guidelines. We will clearly distinguish between aid options available to international versus domestic students during our consultation.

3. WORKING TOGETHER: SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES

We believe the best outcomes happen when we partner effectively. These responsibilities ensure we can serve you well while protecting the integrity of your applications:

3.1 Your Responsibilities

To help us help you, we ask that you:

Provide Accurate Information: Share complete and truthful financial documentation. You represent that you have authority to share all information provided and that it is accurate to the best of your knowledge. This protects you from potential aid adjustments or penalties due to inaccurate submissions.
Meet Deadlines: Submit documents at least 72 hours before your consultation and attend your scheduled appointment—or provide 24 hours' notice if you need to reschedule. This ensures we can prepare thoroughly and respects time we've reserved specifically for you.
Retain Control: Remember that you remain responsible for all final decisions and submissions to colleges and government agencies. We guide; you decide. You will complete all applications yourself—we assist by guiding you through the process.
Direct Communication: We do not contact financial aid offices, colleges, or any third parties on your behalf. All communication with institutions remains your responsibility.

3.2 Our Commitments

In return, we commit to:

Preparation: Reviewing your documents before we meet so our time together is productive
Transparency: Explaining our process clearly and answering your questions honestly
Respect: Treating your sensitive information with the confidentiality and security it deserves
Collaboration: Working alongside you during applications rather than completing them for you, ensuring you understand and control the process

3.3 Age Verification

By using our Service, you represent and warrant that you are at least 18 years of age or have reached the age of majority in your jurisdiction. If you are under 18, you may only use our Service with the involvement and supervision of a parent or legal guardian who agrees to be bound by these Terms on your behalf.

4. DATA SECURITY AND CLIENT CONFIDENTIALITY

4.1 Protecting Your Information

We understand that you're entrusting us with highly sensitive financial information—tax returns, income details, and family financial records. Protecting this data is a responsibility we take seriously.

How We Protect You:

We utilize encrypted, secure storage through Proton® for all document uploads
We limit access to your information to only those consultants directly assisting you
We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes

Your Role in Security:
While we implement industry-standard protections, no electronic transmission or storage method is 100% secure. By using our Service, you acknowledge that you share sensitive information at your own risk, and you agree to use secure methods when transmitting documents to us.

4.2 Confidentiality

Information you share with us during consultations is treated as confidential and used solely to provide you with our services. We may discuss your situation in anonymized, aggregate terms for educational or training purposes, but never in ways that could identify you personally.

4.3 Data Retention

All Documentation you provide to us will be automatically deleted from our secure servers on October 1st of each year, coinciding with the annual FAFSA release date. After this deletion, we will not retain copies of your financial information. This ensures your sensitive financial data is not stored beyond the necessary timeframe for our services. You are responsible for maintaining your own copies of any documents you wish to preserve.

5. PAYMENTS, SCHEDULING, AND CANCELLATIONS

5.1 Consultation Fees and Deposits

When you schedule a consultation, a $20 deposit is collected to reserve your dedicated time slot. The remaining balance is charged according to our standard pricing. This deposit ensures we can commit our full attention to preparing for your specific situation.

5.2 Cancellation and Rescheduling

We understand that life happens. Our cancellation policy balances flexibility with the reality that when you reserve time with us, we're turning away other clients:

More than 48 hours' notice: Full refund including deposit, or free rescheduling—no questions asked
Less than 48 hours' notice: The $20 deposit is retained; any additional amounts paid are refunded or credited toward rescheduling

Why this matters: Our limited time slots are valuable and in order for families to be able to fit our consultations into their schedules we need to schedule them a week in advance. We want to do our best to accommodate other families so they can also have time to prepare. Additionally, if you were to cancel within 48 hours then we have likely already begun researching for your appointment.

5.3 Service Refusals

In rare cases, we may determine that we cannot adequately assist with your specific situation. If this occurs, we will notify you promptly and provide a full refund of any fees paid.

5.4 Retainer Services

Retainer services are billed monthly via Stripe and provide ongoing email-based access to consulting support. You may manage your subscription, including cancellation, through your Stripe customer portal.

Because retainer services involve continuous availability and preparation, we offer pro-rated refunds if you cancel mid-month.

Retainer services include:

General questions via email
Review of university correspondence
Institutional aid award review
Direction to or provision of valuable resources

Retainer services do not include:

Video consultations
Appeal assistance
Application completion assistance
Other similar topics which would otherwise be a consultation

5.5 Payment Methods

We collect payments securely through Stripe.com . We accept all major credit cards, Apple Pay, Klarna, Link, Cash App Pay, and Amazon Pay.

6. SCOPE OF SERVICES AND EDUCATIONAL DISCLAIMERS

6.1 What We Do and Don't Do

We are an educational consulting service. We help you understand and complete financial aid applications. We are not financial advisors and cannot provide legal, accounting, tax preparation, or investment advice. All information we provide is for educational purposes to teach how assets and tax information can be best applied to college financial aid applications, but should not be construed as professional financial advice.

Regarding Tax Information:
While we review your tax returns to understand your financial situation for aid purposes, we do not provide tax advice, tax preparation services, or recommendations on tax strategies to maximize aid eligibility. We will explain how specific line items on your taxes impact your student aid applications, but for tax advice, we recommend consulting a qualified tax professional.

Regarding Applications:
We guide you through completing applications; we do not complete them for you. You maintain full control of the application process, including all final submissions. We work alongside you during our consultation, with you actively participating in entering information and making decisions.

Regarding Appeals:
For main consultations, we provide guidance on appeal strategies, review and edit appeal letters you draft, and return them to you for final submission. We do not draft appeal letters on your behalf or submit appeals to institutions.

Regarding Institutional Contact:
We do not contact financial aid offices, colleges, universities, or any third parties on your behalf. All communication with institutions remains your responsibility.

6.2 No Guaranteed Outcomes

Financial aid decisions are made solely by colleges, universities, and government agencies; not by us. While we bring expertise and experience to guide you, we cannot and do not guarantee:

Specific financial aid award amounts
Eligibility for particular programs
Admission to any institution
Outcomes of appeals

6.3 Your Control and Responsibility

You remain solely responsible for:

The accuracy of all information submitted on your financial aid applications
Meeting deadlines imposed by colleges and government agencies
Following up on requests for additional documentation
Any consequences resulting from inaccurate or incomplete information
All communication with financial aid offices and institutions

This protects you by ensuring you maintain full control over your applications and understand that final decisions rest with aid administrators, not with us.

7. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All content on our Website, including blog posts, guides, methodologies, and consultation materials, is the property of Tuition Aid Consulting LLC and is protected by copyright. These resources represent significant investment in educating families like yours. Our name and logo have also been trademarked with the United States Patient & Trademark Office.

You are welcome to:

Access and read our public resources
Share links to our content with other families who might benefit
Use materials provided during consultations for your personal financial aid planning

Please do not:

Reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from our content without permission
Use our methodologies or materials for commercial purposes
Share consultation-specific guidance with others in ways that might be misleading without context

8. THIRD-PARTY PLATFORMS AND LINKS

8.1 Platforms We Use

Our Service integrates with trusted third-party platforms:

Zoom Business Plus® for video consultations, calls, and scheduling
Proton® for secure document storage and transmission
Stripe® for payment processing and subscription management
Hubspot® for forms and communication records
Linkly® for using multi level link rotators for drive assignment security
Netfly® for back end processing of SAI calculator information submission.

Your use of these platforms is subject to their respective terms of service and privacy policies. While we select these providers carefully for their security and reliability, we are not responsible for their outages, security breaches, or data handling practices.

8.2 Links to Other Websites

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites (scholarships, government resources, etc.). We include these for your convenience, but we do not control these sites and are not responsible for their content, privacy practices, or accuracy.

9. TERMINATION

Either party may terminate the working relationship at any time. If you wish to discontinue services, you may cancel through your Stripe customer portal (for retainer services) or notify us directly. We may suspend or terminate access if these Terms are breached, but we will make reasonable efforts to notify you and address concerns before taking such action.

Upon termination, any outstanding obligations regarding payment for services rendered or confidentiality of information remain in effect.

10. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

10.1 Our Liability to You

We strive to provide accurate, helpful guidance, but we are human and the financial aid landscape changes frequently. Our liability is limited as follows:

Maximum Liability: Our total liability to you for any claim arising from our services is limited to the amount you actually paid us for those specific services.
Excluded Damages: We are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages; including lost profits, lost opportunities, or emotional distress; arising from your use of our services or decisions made based on our guidance.

10.2 Why These Limits Exist

These limitations are not about avoiding responsibility; they reflect the reality that financial aid involves many factors outside our control (institutional policies, federal regulations, your specific circumstances). By setting clear boundaries, we can focus on providing quality service at accessible rates rather than pricing for unlimited risk exposure.

10.3 Your Assumption of Risk

You acknowledge that college financial aid involves complex decisions with significant financial implications. You assume responsibility for reviewing and verifying all information before submitting applications, and for consulting appropriate professionals (tax advisors, legal counsel) when needed.

11. GOVERNING LAW AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION

11.1 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without regard to conflict of law principles. This provides predictability for both parties regardless of where you reside.

11.2 Dispute Resolution

We believe most concerns can be resolved through direct communication. If you have any issue with our services, please contact us first. We commit to responding promptly and working in good faith to address your concerns.

If a dispute cannot be resolved informally, any legal action must be brought in the state or federal courts located in Worcester County, Massachusetts, and you consent to this venue.

11.3 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. This means that even if one part of our agreement is deemed invalid, the rest of our agreement remains binding between us.

12. CHANGES TO THESE TERMS

We may update these Terms periodically to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or industry practices. If we make material changes, we will provide at least 30 days' notice before they take effect.

Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree with changes, you may discontinue using our services.

13. CONTACT US

We welcome your questions and feedback. Please reach out:

Tuition Aid Consulting LLC™

Email: eharris@tuitionaidconsulting.com
Phone: (508) 834-3677

For legal notices, please use the mailing address above or email us.