Local education finance companies join forces

Two local firms that specialize in tax and financial strategies to help families lower their out-of-pocket college expenses have merged.

College Funding Associates of Agoura Hills and Educational Funding Solutions of Westlake Village merged in April. The new company is called Educational Funding Solutions and its mission is to help families of college-bound students develop strategies to cut college costs and teach them how to pay for college without draining retirement funds and hurting everyday family finances.

"Parents need to wake up to the fact that the college system today is very, very cumbersome and very complicated," said Dennis Steward, founder of Educational Funding Solutions. "It is vitally important for parents to figure out early what college they can afford and how they can pay for it."

The new firm's offices will be at 31348 Via Colinas, Suite 106, Westlake Village.