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Rolling Stones offer up 'Satisfaction'

The Rolling Stones kicked off their world tour in Los Angeles on FridayThe band played hits like "Paint it Black" and "Sympathy for the Devil"Guest performers Gwen Stefani, Keith Urban and Mick Taylor joined the band onstage

(CNN) -- The Rolling Stones kicked off their "50 and Counting" tour with a marching band, guest appearances from Gwen Stefani and Keith Urban, and a double dose of "Satisfaction."

When the lights dimmed Friday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, UCLA's marching band paraded through the aisles, their horn section blasting the Stones' 1965 hit, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" -- to the delight of concertgoers Jack Nicholson, Eddie Murphy, Johnny Depp and Nicole Kidman.

Finally, the Stones materialized onstage, framed by a massive pair of red lips and a runway in the shape of the band's trademark tongue logo. For two hours and 20 minutes, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts barreled through 23 career-spanning tracks, including "Paint it Black," "Gimme Shelter," "Miss You" and "Sympathy for the Devil." They even performed the disco-flavored "Emotional Rescue" from 1980, which Jagger introduced by saying, "This is a song we've never done before."

if (typeof cnnArticleGallery == "undefined") {var cnnArticleGallery = {};}var expGallery411=new ArticleExpandableGallery();  The set list from the May 3 concert. The set list from the May 3 concert.In another first, Stefani stepped from the wings to duet with Jagger on "Wild Horses." The No Doubt singer turned fashion designer sported a rather fabulous, bedazzled Stones muscle shirt, which prompted the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer to quip, "Where do I get one of those T-shirts?"

Later, Urban joined the band for an appearance that was more than "Respectable." Armed with his electric guitar, the country superstar matched licks with Richards and Woods, finishing up with a searing solo on the 1978 tune that had the crowd on its feet.

Also receiving a warm welcome was guitarist Mick Taylor, who reunited with his former band mates for "Midnight Rambler," a song he regularly performed during his tenure with the Stones from 1969 to 1974.

Even with all the guest cameos, the Rolling Stones were clearly the stars of their own production. Every seat in the arena was filled, thanks to promoter AEG Live releasing a slew of unsold seats for $85 at the last minute -- a bargain considering most concertgoers shelled out $150-$600 for their tickets. Friday night, it was not uncommon for fans who paid $450, $250 and $85 to be sitting elbow-to-elbow.

Fair? Maybe not. But by the time Mick, Keith, Ronnie and Charlie launched into a spirited reprise of "Satisfaction," most fans agreed it was an appropriate finish, no matter how much they paid for their seats.

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Rockets land Jeremy Lin after Knicks decline to match offer

Kevin Martin doesn’t even remember Jeremy Lin being in training camp with the Houston Rockets last December. Seven months later, Lin is returning to Houston – and he's a lot richer for it.

Jeremy Lin was in the Rockets' training camp last season. (AP)Lin officially rejoined the Rockets Tuesday night after the New York Knicks declined to match the three-year, $25 million offer sheet he signed with Houston. The Rockets waived Lin just before the start of last season, and he went on to become one of sports' biggest stories during a stunning three-week run as the Knicks' starting point guard.

"Everyone knew his story and how it came alive, but it started in Houston with no one really even knowing he was there,” Martin told Yahoo! Sports. "I don’t remember him at all from training camp. It’s going to be kind of funny. Even though he’s been there for us before, it feels like we are getting a new player."

The Knicks declined comment on their decision to match the offer sheet. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey used his Twitter account to welcome Lin: "Welcome to Houston @JLin7! We plan to hang on this time."

"Extremely excited and honored to be a Houston Rocket again!!" Lin tweeted.

Lin became the Knicks' starting point guard after injuries to teammates forced him into the lineup. He led New York to seven straight victories and earned a pair of Sports Illustrated covers and praise from President Obama. His stunning three-week stretch included a 38-point performance against the Los Angeles Lakers and a game-winning 3-pointer at Toronto. The sports world was quickly swept up with "Linsanity," until Lin's season ended with a knee injury.

"Much love and thankfulness to the Knicks and New York for your support this past year … easily the best year of my life," Lin tweeted late Tuesday.

Lin was a restricted free agent, but was strongly expected to return to the Knicks no matter what offer he received. The Rockets creatively put together an offer sheet that includes a $15 million salary in the third year of the contract. New York would have incurred substantial luxury-tax penalties matching the deal because the team owes Carmelo Anthony $24 million, Amar'e Stoudemire $23 million and Tyson Chandler $14.5 million that same season.

[Also: Lakers continue Dwight Howard talks with Magic]

Because of a loophole in the league's rules, Lin would count a little more than $8 million each season on the Rockets' salary cap, but the Knicks have to take the full $15 million hit in the third year. Lin made $762,195 last season.

Lin was also cut by the Golden State Warriors in December. Now, he returns to Houston as a star who will be expected to become the face of Yao Ming's former franchise. Houston ranked 22nd in the NBA in attendance last season, and Lin could help put fans in the seats.

"The fans embraced Yao," Martin said. "They come from the same background. He can be just as exciting as he was in New York. Houston is going to embrace him and expect a lot from him."

[Also: Marc J. Spears: Eric Gordon says he's committed to leading young Hornets]

Basketball-wise, Houston appears to be a better fit than New York for Lin. He averaged 14.6 points and 6.2 assists in 35 games with the Knicks. Most of that success came under coach Mike D’Antoni, who was fired on March 14. Knicks coach Mike Woodson never showed the same confidence in Lin. The Knicks also acquired veteran point guards Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton this offseason.

The Rockets run a lot of pick-and-roll plays that were key to Lin’s success in New York under D’Antoni. Martin believes that Lin will flourish in coach Kevin McHale’s offense.

Jeremy Lin became a global star during his brief run as the Knicks' point guard."I think he can bring what he did in New York to the Rockets," Martin said. "He was great in pick-and-rolls and getting his [big men] involved, kind of like what [Steve] Nash did in Phoenix. When you play alongside a shooting guard who doesn't need to be dribbling to be effective, point guards love playing with big time scorers like that."

The Rockets and Lakers are the current frontrunners to acquire Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard in a trade. Lin can't be traded until Jan. 15 after signing the offer sheet. But Martin, who is in the last year of his contract, could be moved. The Rockets have rid themselves of Kyle Lowry, Luis Scola, Samuel Dalembert and Chase Budinger this summer to acquire the salary-cap space and assets for a potential Howard trade.

"I got here 2½ years ago, and now I’m the longest-tenured Rocket there," Martin said. "We lost some great players over the last month in Kyle and Luis. They were great teammates. Nobody likes to go the rebuilding route, but sometimes it’s needed. And that’s how Daryl Morey feels right now, so you don’t know what the future holds for the Rockets."

Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
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• O.J. Mayo announces via Twitter that he's signing with the Mavericks

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Veepstakes: An offer they can’t refuse

Top Line

Let the 'veepstakes' begin. As the Republican primary winds to a close, the immediate question becomes: Who is going to be the vice presidential nominee? Now is the time when anyone on a potential short-list gets asked: 'Are you going to be the nominee? Are you interested in this? The contenders rarely say no if asked, but must not express an eager interest. What comes out instead are a series of public denials, and non-denial denials. Meanwhile, Republicans and pundits alike are picking apart the attributes, and short comings, of potential running mates.

"I'm not going to be the vice president in 2012," Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told ABC News. That decision is not actually up to Rubio; the Republican presidential nominee will make that call. Rubio is simply doing what all potential vice presidential picks do: Play it cool, be coy, and play hard to get.

Public denials aside, Rubio would check a lot of boxes for front runner Mitt Romney -- he has Tea Party support, he comes from the battleground state of Florida, and the Hispanic factor is huge. But Rubio is also a freshman senator and may not fully vet -- and rest assured, that Game Change lesson, that Sarah Palin pick of 2008, is on the mind of Mitt Romney's team.

Paul Ryan, Nikki Haley, and Chris Christie all come with their pros and cons. How do they duck the VP question (one of our favorites, "Do I look like somebody's vice president?" scoffed by Gov. Christie, R-N.J.), and how do they measure up against the running mate prerequisites? Check out this week's Top Line to find out.

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Walmart's "free" offer could come with a price (Reuters)

(Reuters) – As tax season begins, a decision by Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) to offer some free and discounted tax preparation in conjunction with its check-cashing services at more than 3,000 U.S. stores is less about giving back and more about bringing in, experts cautioned.

"No company does anything altruistically," Morningstar analyst Michael Keara said.

Now that the holiday shopping season is over, the retailer is looking for new revenue sources, he said. The company's latest offer allows consumers to have their tax refunds deposited for "free" onto a Walmart cash card. In addition, the company is working with major tax preparation firms to provide free "assisted" form 1040EZ filings.

It will take a while to see how lucrative the new service will be, given that some people will choose to pay down debt from their previous round of spending with their tax refunds, Keara said. Either way, it's going to put more money into Walmart stores and is another play to reach millions of Americans who don't use traditional banking services.

"It just locks in that they'll spend their rebate checks at Walmart," Keara said. "It's pretty smart."

Walmart already is a big player in the marketplace to cash checks for those who don't use traditional banking services and who often face steep check cashing fees. Walmart charges a flatrate price of $3 or $6 (depending on the size of the check) rather the 3 percent to 5 percent fees at check cashing services. For a $500 check, that means paying $3 at Walmart or $15 to $25 at a check cashing service.

The new program, which kicked off on Monday, come as Walmart tries to reach "unbanked" consumers, who typically don't have credit cards, either. About 85 percent of transactions at Walmart stores are paid with cash.

Some 2,800 Walmart U.S. stores have a Jackson Hewitt (JTX.F) location, and another 250 or so stores feature H&R Block Inc (HRB.N).

Those providers will offer free 1040 EZ filings with tax preparation consultants in Walmart stores, said Daniel Eckert, head of Walmart financial services. Prices for other tax preparation services will be about 7 percent to 10 percent lower than at both companies' other locations, he added.

Jackson Hewitt and H&R Block already offer free basic tax return preparation through their offices and websites. It also is free to file the simplified 1040EZ on your own, or even through one of the online services, such as Intuit's TurboTax.

More than 60 million Americans do not use traditional financial services such as credit cards and checking accounts, Eckert said. Last year, these consumers paid billion of dollars in fees and interest to financial services providers. Within the next few months, they will be looking to cash more than $31 billion in tax refund checks and many could pay up to $90 for such check cashing services, he said.

"It's money that we want to make sure ends up in the right place, which is back in their pocketbooks," Eckert said.

Walmart, whose core customer has a household income of $30,000 to $60,000, has been trying to stand out to those with limited financial means. The world's largest retailer brought back holiday-season layaway on toys and electronics, letting shoppers pay in installments for a modest fee, a move that appears to have been a success.

Tax preparation is just one offering in Walmart's "MoneyCenter." The retailer also offers Walmart credit cards and money cards, money transfers, money orders along with $3 check cashing.

Ed Mierzwinski, consumer program director for U.S. PIRG, cautioned consumers to look at skeptically at Walmart's proposition.

"Consumers who are considering the Walmart offer should understand that Walmart is not your friend," he said.

One area of concern is the company's offer to allow consumers to have their tax refunds deposited for "free" onto a Walmart cash card, which Mierzwinski pointed out comes with a lot of fees. Some of the fees include $3 if $1,000 isn't added to a card in a given month, $2 to withdraw cash from an ATM, $1 to check your balance and $3 to replace a lost or stolen card.

"You put your refund on their card, so you're more likely to spend your refund at their store than save your refund," he said. "And you're more likely to be an impulse shopper." (Editing by Lauren Young and Beth Pinsker Gladstone)

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Walmart's "free" offer could come with a price (Reuters)

(Reuters) – As tax season begins, a decision by Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) to offer some free and discounted tax preparation in conjunction with its check-cashing services at more than 3,000 U.S. stores is less about giving back and more about bringing in, experts cautioned.

"No company does anything altruistically," Morningstar analyst Michael Keara said.

Now that the holiday shopping season is over, the retailer is looking for new revenue sources, he said. The company's latest offer allows consumers to have their tax refunds deposited for "free" onto a Walmart cash card. In addition, the company is working with major tax preparation firms to provide free "assisted" form 1040EZ filings.

It will take a while to see how lucrative the new service will be, given that some people will choose to pay down debt from their previous round of spending with their tax refunds, Keara said. Either way, it's going to put more money into Walmart stores and is another play to reach millions of Americans who don't use traditional banking services.

"It just locks in that they'll spend their rebate checks at Walmart," Keara said. "It's pretty smart."

Walmart already is a big player in the marketplace to cash checks for those who don't use traditional banking services and who often face steep check cashing fees. Walmart charges a flatrate price of $3 or $6 (depending on the size of the check) rather the 3 percent to 5 percent fees at check cashing services. For a $500 check, that means paying $3 at Walmart or $15 to $25 at a check cashing service.

The new program, which kicked off on Monday, come as Walmart tries to reach "unbanked" consumers, who typically don't have credit cards, either. About 85 percent of transactions at Walmart stores are paid with cash.

Some 2,800 Walmart U.S. stores have a Jackson Hewitt (JTX.F) location, and another 250 or so stores feature H&R Block Inc (HRB.N).

Those providers will offer free 1040 EZ filings with tax preparation consultants in Walmart stores, said Daniel Eckert, head of Walmart financial services. Prices for other tax preparation services will be about 7 percent to 10 percent lower than at both companies' other locations, he added.

Jackson Hewitt and H&R Block already offer free basic tax return preparation through their offices and websites. It also is free to file the simplified 1040EZ on your own, or even through one of the online services, such as Intuit's TurboTax.

More than 60 million Americans do not use traditional financial services such as credit cards and checking accounts, Eckert said. Last year, these consumers paid billion of dollars in fees and interest to financial services providers. Within the next few months, they will be looking to cash more than $31 billion in tax refund checks and many could pay up to $90 for such check cashing services, he said.

"It's money that we want to make sure ends up in the right place, which is back in their pocketbooks," Eckert said.

Walmart, whose core customer has a household income of $30,000 to $60,000, has been trying to stand out to those with limited financial means. The world's largest retailer brought back holiday-season layaway on toys and electronics, letting shoppers pay in installments for a modest fee, a move that appears to have been a success.

Tax preparation is just one offering in Walmart's "MoneyCenter." The retailer also offers Walmart credit cards and money cards, money transfers, money orders along with $3 check cashing.

Ed Mierzwinski, consumer program director for U.S. PIRG, cautioned consumers to look at skeptically at Walmart's proposition.

"Consumers who are considering the Walmart offer should understand that Walmart is not your friend," he said.

One area of concern is the company's offer to allow consumers to have their tax refunds deposited for "free" onto a Walmart cash card, which Mierzwinski pointed out comes with a lot of fees. Some of the fees include $3 if $1,000 isn't added to a card in a given month, $2 to withdraw cash from an ATM, $1 to check your balance and $3 to replace a lost or stolen card.

"You put your refund on their card, so you're more likely to spend your refund at their store than save your refund," he said. "And you're more likely to be an impulse shopper." (Editing by Lauren Young and Beth Pinsker Gladstone)

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An Empty Offer From the Super-Rich (The Daily Beast)

NEW YORK – It’s easy for Mark Zuckerberg to say he’s "cool" with raising income-tax rates. Because it won’t affect him. In this week’s Newsweek, Gary Rivlin takes on America’s phony tax martyrs.

It drives economist Bruce Bartlett crazy every time he hears another bazillionaire announce he’s in favor of paying higher taxes. Most recently it was Mark Zuckerberg who got Bartlett’s blood boiling when the Facebook founder declared himself “cool” with paying more in federal taxes, joining such tycoons as Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Ted Turner, and even a stray hedge-fund manager or two.

Bartlett, a former member of the Reagan White House, isn’t against the wealthy paying higher taxes. He’s that rare conservative who thinks higher taxes need to be part of the deficit debate. His beef? It’s a hollow gesture to say the federal government should raise the tax rate on the country’s top wage earners when the likes of Zuckerberg have most of their wealth tied up in stock. Many of the super-rich see virtually all their income as capital gains, and capital gains are taxed at a much lower rate—15 percent—than ordinary income. When Warren Buffett talks about paying a lower tax rate than his secretary, that’s because she sees most of her pay through a paycheck, while the bulk of his compensation comes in the form of capital gains and dividends. In 2006, for instance, Buffett paid 17.7 percent in taxes on the $46 million he booked that year, while his secretary lost 30 percent of her $60,000 salary to the government.

“It’s easy to say ‘Raise taxes’ when you know you’re not going to have to pay those taxes,” Bartlett says. “What I don’t hear is ‘Let’s raise the capital-gains tax.’” Instead the focus has been on the federal tax rate paid by those with an annual income of $250,000 or more—the top 3 percent of earners. Bartlett argues that while raising taxes on the country’s richest individuals would go a long way in easing the debt crisis, it makes no sense to treat the professional making a few hundred thousand dollars a year the same as the Richie Rich set. Maybe it’s hard to muster sympathy for an executive pulling down $1 million a year. But ours is a tax system where a person in the top tax bracket (those earning more than $374,000 in 2010) pays a tax rate of 35 percent on the upper portions of his or her income (37.9 percent if you include Medicare), whereas a hedge-fund manager or mogul earning 10 or 100 times that amount pays less than half that tax rate.

When Warren Buffett talks about paying a lower tax rate than his secretary, that’s because she sees most of her pay through a paycheck, while the bulk of his compensation comes in the form of capital gains and dividends.

“America has two tax systems. Separate and unequal,” says David Cay Johnston, a bestselling author and columnist for Tax Notes, who has spent much of the past decade exposing ways the tax system favors the wealthy.

It wasn’t always this way. Until the 1990s, the capital-gains tax was 28 percent. The rate was lowered to 20 percent during Bill Clinton’s tenure—and, lo and behold, says Johnston, the tax rate paid by the country’s 400 wealthiest souls fell by the same 8 percentage points. When the second President Bush lowered the capital-gains tax another 5 points along with his other tax cuts, the country’s richest citizens saw their tax rate fall another 5.5 percent, Johnston says.

Obama recently proposed bumping the capital-gains rate to 20 percent for those earning around $250,000 a year or more. That increase, according to estimates by his budget team, would add $12 billion to the Treasury in 2014.

But many argue that a low capital-gains tax encourages investments in business, which in turn leads to greater job growth. Then there’s the perspective of conservatives such as Ryan Ellis, the director of tax policy at Americans for Tax Reform, who see the capital-gains tax as little more than a vehicle for double taxation. His argument goes that corporations have already paid a tax rate of 35 percent on their profits (at least theoretically), so why should an individual owning shares in that corporation pay additional taxes just because the stock price went up? Where Chuck Marr of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities thinks the cap-gains rate should at least revert to 28 percent, to Ellis, the proper tax rate on a capital gain is zero.

“Any of these guys who don’t feel their taxes are high enough, I want to point out that they can make a contribution to the Treasury Department right at the Treasury’s website,” Ellis says. “They don’t have to advocate policies that would ruin the country’s economy just to assuage their guilt.”

Like The Daily Beast on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for updates all day long.

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An Empty Offer From the Super-Rich (The Daily Beast)

NEW YORK – It’s easy for Mark Zuckerberg to say he’s "cool" with raising income-tax rates. Because it won’t affect him. In this week’s Newsweek, Gary Rivlin takes on America’s phony tax martyrs.

It drives economist Bruce Bartlett crazy every time he hears another bazillionaire announce he’s in favor of paying higher taxes. Most recently it was Mark Zuckerberg who got Bartlett’s blood boiling when the Facebook founder declared himself “cool” with paying more in federal taxes, joining such tycoons as Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Ted Turner, and even a stray hedge-fund manager or two.

Bartlett, a former member of the Reagan White House, isn’t against the wealthy paying higher taxes. He’s that rare conservative who thinks higher taxes need to be part of the deficit debate. His beef? It’s a hollow gesture to say the federal government should raise the tax rate on the country’s top wage earners when the likes of Zuckerberg have most of their wealth tied up in stock. Many of the super-rich see virtually all their income as capital gains, and capital gains are taxed at a much lower rate—15 percent—than ordinary income. When Warren Buffett talks about paying a lower tax rate than his secretary, that’s because she sees most of her pay through a paycheck, while the bulk of his compensation comes in the form of capital gains and dividends. In 2006, for instance, Buffett paid 17.7 percent in taxes on the $46 million he booked that year, while his secretary lost 30 percent of her $60,000 salary to the government.

“It’s easy to say ‘Raise taxes’ when you know you’re not going to have to pay those taxes,” Bartlett says. “What I don’t hear is ‘Let’s raise the capital-gains tax.’” Instead the focus has been on the federal tax rate paid by those with an annual income of $250,000 or more—the top 3 percent of earners. Bartlett argues that while raising taxes on the country’s richest individuals would go a long way in easing the debt crisis, it makes no sense to treat the professional making a few hundred thousand dollars a year the same as the Richie Rich set. Maybe it’s hard to muster sympathy for an executive pulling down $1 million a year. But ours is a tax system where a person in the top tax bracket (those earning more than $374,000 in 2010) pays a tax rate of 35 percent on the upper portions of his or her income (37.9 percent if you include Medicare), whereas a hedge-fund manager or mogul earning 10 or 100 times that amount pays less than half that tax rate.

When Warren Buffett talks about paying a lower tax rate than his secretary, that’s because she sees most of her pay through a paycheck, while the bulk of his compensation comes in the form of capital gains and dividends.

“America has two tax systems. Separate and unequal,” says David Cay Johnston, a bestselling author and columnist for Tax Notes, who has spent much of the past decade exposing ways the tax system favors the wealthy.

It wasn’t always this way. Until the 1990s, the capital-gains tax was 28 percent. The rate was lowered to 20 percent during Bill Clinton’s tenure—and, lo and behold, says Johnston, the tax rate paid by the country’s 400 wealthiest souls fell by the same 8 percentage points. When the second President Bush lowered the capital-gains tax another 5 points along with his other tax cuts, the country’s richest citizens saw their tax rate fall another 5.5 percent, Johnston says.

Obama recently proposed bumping the capital-gains rate to 20 percent for those earning around $250,000 a year or more. That increase, according to estimates by his budget team, would add $12 billion to the Treasury in 2014.

But many argue that a low capital-gains tax encourages investments in business, which in turn leads to greater job growth. Then there’s the perspective of conservatives such as Ryan Ellis, the director of tax policy at Americans for Tax Reform, who see the capital-gains tax as little more than a vehicle for double taxation. His argument goes that corporations have already paid a tax rate of 35 percent on their profits (at least theoretically), so why should an individual owning shares in that corporation pay additional taxes just because the stock price went up? Where Chuck Marr of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities thinks the cap-gains rate should at least revert to 28 percent, to Ellis, the proper tax rate on a capital gain is zero.

“Any of these guys who don’t feel their taxes are high enough, I want to point out that they can make a contribution to the Treasury Department right at the Treasury’s website,” Ellis says. “They don’t have to advocate policies that would ruin the country’s economy just to assuage their guilt.”

Like The Daily Beast on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for updates all day long.

For inquiries, please contact The Daily Beast at editorial@thedailybeast.com.

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4 Things Missing From Your Financial Aid Offer (The Motley Fool)

Graduation season is here, and the same scene is playing out across the country: High-school seniors line up to accept their diplomas and shuffle away to put in face time with the family before sneaking off to celebrate graduation with their pals. At the same time, pride-filled parents dab away tears of joy that turn to panic-y thoughts during the final measures of "Pomp and Circumstance": Our child got into college; now how the heck are we going to pay for it?

Luckily, there's some relief waiting in the mailbox. Mixed in with the pile of "happy graduation" cards are financial aid offers -- letters outlining who is willing to pay how much and for what to educate your offspring.

In simpler terms, the financial aid package answers the question: "How much are we on the hook to pay for college?" The answer, however, isn't as straightforward as the question. As you wade through the offers, here's a rundown of what you'll see and, even more importantly, what you won't see spelled out.

Here's what's spelled out in your financial aid offer
Most financial aid packages contain a mix of money from different sources:

Free money: This is how schools entice the most attractive students to attend their institutions. College or state government grants and merit scholarships are typically based solely on a student's merit (not financial need) and usually do not have to be repaid. Federal Pell Grants, on the other hand, are based on financial need. Obviously, the best financial aid is the kind you or your kid doesn't need to repay. But most families can't cover the costs of college with free money alone.

Work-study money: Students earn their keep -- and a paycheck from the school and subsidized by the federal government -- by working a campus job. Eligibility for work-study money is based on financial need.

Federal loans: Although all loans have to be repaid, the terms can vary greatly:

A Perkins Loan is made through the school. Interest on a Perkins does not start to accrue until after graduation.Stafford loans -- subsidized (based on financial need) or unsubsidized -- are administered through the federal government. Subsidized Stafford loans have two things going for them: A lower interest rate than the unsubsidized variety, and they don't start accruing while the student is in school. Unsubsidized Stafford loans start accruing interest right away. Although, like the subsidized loan, payment can be deferred until after graduation.Lastly, there are PLUS Loans for parents, designed to help cover costs that scholarships and other aid and loans don't pick up. Interest rates on PLUS loans are usually higher than other types of federal loans.

What they don't say in the financial aid offers
The envelopes may be thick and the documents really wordy, but there's a lot that goes unsaid in financial aid packages. For example:

1. "This is not really our final offer."
The aid package is based on what you filled out on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form. Mistakes on that form will carry over into the aid offer, so look to see if there were errors, and contact the school's financial aid office to appeal.

Other times to appeal:

Your family financial situation has changed (job loss, medical expenses, etc.) since you filled out the application.Even if there has been no change, if there exists a particular economic hardship that couldn't be expressed on the FAFSA, let the school know in writing.

On the flip side, if there is part of the offer that isn't right for you or is less appealing (e.g., loans with higher interest rates), you are free to decline parts of the package.

2. "100% coverage doesn't really mean 100% coverage."
Using the school's average costs is a fine place to start to figure out what your child's higher learnin' is going to cost. But averages are averages. And this is one area where you don't want to be surprised by an above-average tab after the first semester.

The cost of college isn't just tuition and room and board. Books can add thousands of dollars to your tab. Depending on the student's major, extras like lab fees, software, and other supplies can also really add up. And these costs -- including tuition -- will likely increase during the four-plus years your child is in school.

Then there's the college's location. Let's assume that your child will come home occasionally to do laundry. Will that simply require a quick cross-town commute, or will you have to pay for planes, trains, and bus fare? Tools like CollegeBoard.com's financial aid awards calculator can help you compare the costliest college costs.

3. "It's just your standard student loan. Only a lot more expensive."
See how the basics of your loans (balance, interest rate, loan term, minimum required payment) stack up with this loan comparison calculator from Finaid.org. The true cost of a loan is in the details the APR (fixed or variable?), fees (processing and servicing), repayment terms, etc. Specifically look out for:

Loans disguised as a free ride: Sometimes the fact that part of the aid is actually a loan is not clearly spelled out. Monthly payment smoke and mirrors: There are a lot of ways to frame a loan to make it look more attractive. (It's similar to the loan sleight-of-hand used at car dealerships when they ask, "How much do you want to spend each month on a car payment?") Of course, monthly payments on a 20-year loan are going to be significantly lower than a loan with a repayment term of 10 years. But over the long haul, you'll pay more because interest is accruing for an additional decade.Conditions of aid. For example, is it based on the student's GPA? What happens if Jr. has a bad semester? How is the money disbursed? Are the terms of the loan based on a parent's credit history? The student's?

4. "Actually, we may be able to cough up more money."
Besides appealing the package because of financial circumstances, you can also ask a school if perhaps there's some extra money back in the stockroom for your student. Search FinAid.org for specific scholarships, grants, loans or other aid you (or the school) might have overlooked and spell them out in your appeal. (But remember, the aid package can be affected by any scholarship money or other outside grants that the student has been awarded.) If a school is particularly interested in wooing your child, they may be willing to dig for extra aid.

Ask questions!
If something isn't spelled out in a financial aid award package, ask! Go to the school's website or contact the financial aid office for answers. Fastweb.com suggests asking the financial aid office these 15 questions to clear fully arm yourself with the information you need to pay for school. After all, it's your money -- and lots of it -- on the line.

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Dayana Yochim is a proud debt-free graduate of her state school in Lawrence, Kansas. (Rock, chalk, Jayhawk!). The Fool has a disclosure policy.

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