The College Investor Audio Show

Is college worth it? The answer depends on how much you spend. That's it. If you spend too much on college, it's not worth it because your lifetime earnings will never recoup the cost you spent so early in life.While the thought of incurring student loan debt makes many prospective students reconsider pursuing post-secondary education, the impact of a degree can still outpace the pain of loan debt on future financial well-being as long as the amount is minimized.A college degree can represent a sound investment in your future earnings. The financial return over a lifetime can make an undergraduate education a good investment - but only if you don't spend too much for it. Yes, college graduates, on average, earn 84% more over their lifetimes compared to just high school graduates.But what if your career earnings are only $400,000 more than if you didn't go to college, and you spent $100,000 in total on college? Making that extra $300,000 over 40 years of working was a really poor use of that original $100,000. That $100,000 would have grown to over $1,000,000 over that same 40 years if you never spent it on education...But on the flip side, if you only spend $20,000 in total on college, and earn an extra $400,000 over your lifetime, now, that investment is worthwhile. You basically have doubled your future potential earnings ($20,000 would only grow to $200,000 normally - but your education grew it to $400,000).

Ready to start using the best budgeting app to tackle your finances and track your net worth?Organizing your financial life is the first step to growing wealth, and technology can help you move in the right direction - specifically using budgeting apps and money tracking apps. But with the number of apps mushrooming each day, it can be tough to know which to use.After testing and using dozens of apps, we’ve got a comprehensive view of what budgeting apps are worth downloading, and which you can safely ignore.Plus, it's important to think about what you need for a budgeting app or spending tracker? Do you need hard-core budgeting tools, or investment tracking? Are you looking for your credit score? Every budgeting app focuses on a specific niche, and we break down the best budgeting apps we've found any why you should consider using them.

Federal student loans are a critical component in how families pay for college.Beginning in 2026, new laws will change how much students and parents can borrow and how those student loans are repaid. The changes are significant, especially for graduate students, professional programs, and families that rely on Parent PLUS loans to close college funding gaps.Student loan repayment also faces one of the biggest shifts in history.For families planning for college or graduate school, or those already in repayment on student loans, the next year will be another wild one with updates and changes.

Americans may be heading into the largest tax refund season on record - even though it may be one of the latest start tax refund seasons in recent memory.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said this week that recent tax law changes could result in tax refunds that are “$1,000 to $2,000” larger for many households when they file their 2025 returns in early 2026.The White House has echoed that claim, pointing to estimates from Piper Sandler, suggesting the average refund could rise by roughly $1,000 compared with the 2025 filing season. That would put the typical tax refund at about $4,150.If those projections hold, millions of taxpayers will see more money returned by the IRS - not because taxes suddenly fell during the year, but because they paid too much along the way.

As families juggle decisions about housing, orientation dates, and class schedules, one area that often gets overlooked is life skills. The transition from high school to college is one of the biggest changes a teenager will face. And while some schools may offer a session study habits, far fewer address what it takes to function day to day.The cost of not being prepared can be high. Students who don’t learn how to manage stress or money early may be more likely to drop out or take longer to finish their degree. Parents often assume their kids already know these skills or will figure them out along the way. But being proactive helps students feel more confident from day one.

For years, taxpayers have grown accustomed to filing season opening in late January. But for the 2026 tax year, current projections point to a much later start.According to comments from IRS leadership, the agency is preparing for a filing season that could open around Presidents Day: mid-February 2026. This reflects added workload from new tax law provisions and the need for additional preparation time. If you're expecting a tax refund, the most common advice is that you should file your tax return as soon as possible. There is no reason to let the government keep your money any longer. Even if you e-file early, we estimate that the IRS won't start processing your tax return until February 17, 2026. You can see our estimated tax refund calendar to know when you're going to expect your tax refund.

Close to 90% of the world’s millionaires have some sort of real estate exposure. Real estate investing can help you grow your net worth and develop new forms of income.In the past, real estate investing was primarily for investors who easily qualified for loans—usually those in a higher tax bracket. But today’s changing times and technology have made it more accessible to make small investments. We’ve outlined 19 different ways to get your investment started in real estate - well beyond the basics of buy a house and rent it out.Some are appropriate for beginners, others are more fitting for existing homeowners, and some are suited for deca-millionaires or people with specialized skill sets. No matter who you are, you can invest in real estate with one of these options.

If your financial aid package falls short of your need, you can ask the college for more financial aid by sending them a financial aid appeal letter.A financial aid appeal is not like a negotiation. It is not like bargaining for a lower price on a car at the car dealership.Most students lack leverage to get the college to throw out its financial aid rulebook. Good grades and test scores, and strong extracurriculars may get a student into a college, but aren’t enough to earn the student a full scholarship.To get an increase to your financial aid package, you need to know how to present your financial situation correctly. Merely asking for more money will not work, unless your appeal is supported by documented special circumstances. A successful financial aid appeal is based on providing the college financial aid administrator with relevant new information about special circumstances that affect your ability to pay for college. In this article, we'll show you how to write a financial aid appeal letter and let you know what supporting documentation to provide.

What can you do if you can't afford college? The answer is duct tape.What? Duct tape has a lot of practical uses, such as reinforcing book bindings, patching holes in backpacks, removing lint and catching bugs.But, what does duct tape have to do with paying for college? Duck brand duct tape sponsors a $10,000 scholarship for making a prom costume out of duct tape. Visit the stuckatprom.com website for more information.If that particular scholarship doesn’t help you get out of your sticky situation, then look for scholarships at free scholarship search websites, such as Fastweb.com and the College Board’s Big Future. Just beware of scholarship scams, which charge a fee to apply for a scholarship.Here are ten other options to help pay for school when you don't have enough financial aid.

One of the biggest fears families have about using a 529 plan to save for college is the dreaded 529 plan penalty.There are many ways to save and pay for college, and the absolute best way to do it varies depending on your specific situation. A 529 plan, which is designed to help you with higher education expenses, is a type of tax-advantaged account that allows you to save and invest money.As long as you withdraw that money for qualified expenses, you can do so without paying taxes on it. However, if you don't use the funds in your 529 plan for qualified education expenses, you may be assessed a tax penalty.Thankfully, it's fairly straightforward to avoid this 529 plan penalty, as long as you take a few precautionary steps.

It's currently estimated that there are about 3,000,000 millionaires in the United States today. And given that there are about 300,000,000 Americans according to the latest Census data, that means about 1 in 100 are millionaires.Even more startling is that means that you probably know someone who is a millionaire, and you probably live within a stone's throw of other millionaires that you don't know.The truth is that a lot of millionaires have very specific habits. Traits that make them successful - whether personally or professionally.Beyond the inspirational, here are five fundamental habits that your millionaire neighbor has but probably isn't telling you.

For many parents scrolling Facebook, the same comment keeps appearing under college-related posts: “I don’t know how we’re supposed to pay $30,000 a year for college.”The fear is understandable. Sticker prices at four-year colleges have climbed for decades, and tuition figures are often presented as unavoidable facts. But the assumption behind those comments — that most families really do pay $30,000 a year out of pocket — is usually wrong.In reality, the typical college student pays far less than the published price, and many pay very little or nothing at all. A mix of public policy, institutional aid, employer programs, and academic shortcuts quietly lowers the bill for millions of families each year. And even when it comes to actually writing a check, families pay for college using multiple strategies. 

Starting in 2026, Grad PLUS loans are ending, and there will be new borrowing options for graduate and professional education. The new borrowing limits ($20,500 annually for graduate students and $50,000 for students in designated professional programs) represent a sharp break from the prior model that allowed borrowing up to the full cost of attendance.The line between “graduate” and “professional” is now tied to detailed federal definitions and CIP codes, placing programs like physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant studies, speech-language pathology, and social work under the lower graduate limit despite tuition that often exceeds $40,000 a year.As these changes take effect, a second shift is underway: private lenders are not ready to replace what Grad PLUS once provided. The hesitation is rooted in uncertainty about risk, credit, and the behavioral response of students and institutions.

The vast majority of student loans in the United States remain effectively paused, and delinquency rates are climbing again, according to new data from the nonpartisan California Policy Lab (PDF File). The analysis, released Wednesday and based on credit bureau records through the third quarter of 2025, offers one of the clearest pictures yet of a repayment system strained by policy whiplash, legal uncertainty, and the lingering effects of the pandemic-era payment pause.CPL finds that only 33% of outstanding student loans are being repaid on time, the lowest on-time repayment rate in two decades outside of the formal pandemic pause. The rest are in deferment, forbearance, delinquency, or an income-driven repayment plan requiring no payment.The share of loans in deferment or forbearance alone has more than doubled since mid-2023 and now accounts for 49% of all loans.

The Department of Education has filed its first status report (PDF File) since the government shutdown in response to its lawsuit with the American Federation of Teachers. The report offers a snapshot of how income-driven repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness backlogs are moving — and where they remain stuck.The report filed on December 15, 2025 in federal court was delayed by the October–November government shutdown and covers activity through the end of November. It follows a series of monthly disclosures required by the court after borrower advocates sued, alleging widespread delays and failures in student loan forgiveness processing. The previous report was filed back in September.The new filing shows that while application processing has picked back up, hundreds of thousands of borrowers are still waiting for decisions about changing repayment plans, and the backlog of those waiting for PSLF buyback has continued to grow.

Tipping during the holidays isn’t about keeping score — it’s about showing appreciation to the people who help you all year. Whether that’s your babysitter, delivery driver, or building staff, a thoughtful tip or small gift can mean a lot.Every year, as it gets closer to Christmas, I see more and more stories about holiday tipping etiquette and who I should tip. I understand tipping in the hospitality industry. For example, waiters make most of their money on tips, and they have an established custom on what to tip. I don't always agree, and if the service was poor, I tip less, and if the service was great, I tip more.But with higher inflation, workers having to do more with less, and simply showing your gratitude, let's talk about holiday tipping (and some food for thought on tipping in general).

Millions of federal student loan borrowers are entering a new repayment era. After years of uncertainty (payment pauses, injunctions, administrative forbearances, and changing policy) the United States is preparing to consolidate repayment options, ending multiple plans (including SAVE, PAYE, and ICR) and replacing them with the Repayment Assistance Plan, or RAP.The challenge is that many borrowers are still fixated on their old payments from 2022 or 2023 and are concerned about what the cost will be in 2025 or 2026.During SAVE’s administrative forbearance, payments were $0 and before that , they were based on older income data from as early as 2019. That anchoring has left many borrowers with expectations that no longer match current options. Interest has resumed, SAVE is no longer accepting new enrollees, and for new borrowers in 2026, RAP will be the only income-based option.RAP has many perks, but the transition isn’t simple. Understanding how RAP compares with SAVE, PAYE, and IBR can help borrowers plan for the next several years.

The latest national data on college completion shows a stark picture: the cohort of students who started college in fall 2019, only 61.1% earned a degree or certificate within six years. That figure has hovered between 61.1% and 61.4% since the 2016 cohort.While the pattern of stability shows a trend - it's also a reminder that one-in-three college students never finish.The slight 0.3% dip from the previous year was not driven by a surge in students leaving college altogether. Instead, more students remained enrolled at the six-year mark (9% of the cohort, up 0.4%) suggesting that a portion may still complete in later years. The findings come from the latest Yearly Progress and Completion Report, which tracks all first-time students (full-time and part-time) who entered a U.S. degree-granting institution in fall 2019. Completions at any institution count, including after transfer, offering one of the most comprehensive national views of student outcomes.

A long-running legal battle over the Biden administration’s Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan reached a conclusion on Tuesday, when the U.S. Department of Education and the State of Missouri announced a proposed joint settlement agreement (PDF File) that would terminate the program, pending final court approval. The announcement, which has been expected for months especially in light of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act also terminating the plan, brings borrowers another step closer to some timelines for resuming payments.The agreement, filed in federal district court, comes after nearly two years of legal challenges from Missouri and several other states, which argued that the administration exceeded its authority by redesigning the federal income-driven repayment system through executive action. Courts repeatedly halted portions of SAVE and, earlier this year, blocked the program in its entirety, throwing borrowers into a prolonged period of confusion.Under the proposed settlement, the Department of Education will:Stop enrolling new borrowers in SAVEDeny all pending applicationsShift existing enrollees into other legally authorized repayment plans.The department would also undertake a negotiated rulemaking process to formally repeal SAVE and address related regulatory questions, such as how, when, and where the borrowers in SAVE will be moved.The settlement still requires judicial approval, but that's expected shortly. It's important to note that the negotiated rulemaking process will determine how and when SAVE is formally removed from federal regulations.

Getting an inheritance is the epitome of a mixed blessing. You receive a financial windfall, but the cause is the death of a loved one. On top of complicated emotions, you may be dealing with the largest sum of money you’ve ever seen.Nobody is born knowing how to handle an inheritance, and few people are prepared to handle one. But if you’ve received an inheritance, you can take a few steps to use the money wisely.

Students today are worried about whether AI use is allowed in college admissions essays, whether schools use AI detectors, and if an application can be rejected over suspected AI content.As AI increasingly weaves its way into our lives, we are entering a new phase of college admissions.More and more, AI has become second nature for students in their schoolwork while concerned teachers and professors try to play catchup. These are major concerns, and bring up issues related to academic integrity, the nature of learning and even fundamental questions like “what is the goal of an education?”. These concerns are now front and center in the college admission process, and as a college consultant I hear about them almost daily from concerned students and parents. Freaked out students reach out to me all the time with questions like these: “I am not using AI to write but when I plug my essay into an AI checked it says very high levels of AI so I’m nervous :-(““I wrote my essay about the hardships about my surgery and an ai detector said it was 96% ai, now I’m worried idk what to do.”There are extremely important questions at the heart of this:Can a student use AI in their college essay or other parts of their application?What is appropriate versus inappropriate use of AI?Do colleges use AI detectors?If so, are they reliable?And central to it all, can a college reject me if they think, correctly or incorrectly, that I used AI inappropriately on my college application?

Practicing law can be a fulfilling and lucrative career, but the price of a J.D. keeps rising. In 2024, the average law school graduate had $130,000 in student loan debt. That’s more than twice as much as a starting public defender earns in a year.Outside of the public sector, lawyers tend to earn more ($120,000 on average). But with a six-figure debt hanging over your head, that six-figure income may not feel like it goes far enough.Thankfully, practicing lawyers may qualify for a variety of student loan forgiveness plans. Here are the four major loan forgiveness programs for lawyers, and some considerations if you don’t qualify for the plans.

Getting a financial aid award letter is the first step in making a college admissions decision.You’ve been accepted to your school of choice and have been awarded a financial aid package. This is certainly an exciting time, but once you open the financial aid award and begin reading, your excitement turns to confusion and frustration.Welcome to the annual interpreting of your financial aid award. While there are some guidelines for schools to follow when creating financial aid awards, for whatever reason, there aren’t any strict standards on formatting. This often leaves many schools using unfamiliar formats and terminology.Unfamiliar language and cryptic codes can be found throughout many financial aid awards. Loans and grants can be lumped together. Codes such as “L” or “LN” are sometimes the only indication that an amount is actually a loan. In fact, most financial aid students receive come in the form of student loans.Additionally, the true cost of attending the school is often underestimated on award letters. This can leave students constantly coming up short on funds to pay for school. This guide will walk you through exactly how to read, compare, and evaluate your financial aid award letter, no matter how confusing it looks. We’ll also show you how to spot red flags, determine your real costs, and decide whether you should appeal for more aid.

The Department of Education moved this week to counter a wave of online claims about how the federal government will classify nursing programs under new student loan limits taking effect next year.The guidance, released in a post titled "Myth vs. Fact: The Definition of Professional Degrees", attempts to clarify how the term “professional degree” will be used under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and why certain nursing programs are not included in the category eligible for the highest borrowing cap.The answer, the agency insists, has little to do with whether nursing is considered "professional" and everything to do with how federal loan limits have ballooned over time.

House Democrats are moving to curb the benefits of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), arguing that the popular tax-advantaged accounts increasingly double as investment vehicles for the wealthy rather than a way for families to pay medical bills.Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a longtime Texas Democrat and the ranking member on the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, has introduced the Health Savings Accounts (HSA) Consumer Protection Act.The bill arrives just as millions of Americans are facing some of the largest health care insurance premium increases ever. While HSAs are a great tool to invest and build wealth - their key benefit is to help families afford the high cost of healthcare in America.Democrats point to a new Government Accountability Office report (PDF File) and other analyses showing HSAs skew heavily toward higher-income, healthier, and disproportionately White and Asian account holders. They also highlight projections that HSAs will reduce federal tax revenues by roughly $180 billion over the next decade.But it's important to note that wealthier families opt towards HSAs because they have to - not by choice. These plans are typically the cheapest option in the face of ACA penalties. And this potential fix would punish everyone due to changes in qualifying expenses and reimbursement options. In short, this proposal is bad for everyone except the government. All it would do is increase taxes for Americans, while providing no benefit to those who are trying to pay for the excessive healthcare costs created by the current healthcare system. It's even bad for health insurance companies and HSA providers, who'll be subject to more record-keeping and potential taxes. It's actually pretty wild to see such a terrible bill proposed.

Giving a gift of stock is a fantastic way to help a child (or anyone) learn about the power of investing to build wealth. Plus, there are some really fun ways to gift - such as a framed stock certificate.When you ask a parent what their kids want for Christmas, they’ll likely start with a long sigh followed by, “Well… She really likes K-Pop Demon Hunters and Dress Up.”If you press further, you’ll find out that the parent is overwhelmed by the toys that the kid has, and they really aren’t all that excited about giving more plastic crap to their kid.Enter, the gift of stock and investments. Giving a share of stock to kids is a fantastic way to avoid stressing out parents, help prepare a kid for their financial future, and teach a few lessons along the way.Plus, as a millennial family, I'm personally tired of receiving all this junk. Think about it. Your child might receive upwards of 20 gifts every holiday season (Mom, Dad, Siblings, Grandparents, Santa, etc.). But by the middle of January, what they actually play with is down to 1-2 toys.So, instead of wasting all that money on gifts (and then having a bunch of junk lying around the house), why not use that same money to invest in your child's future. This is a great option for extended family who may want to gift.If that's you, then these are the best ways to give a share of stock to a kid, gifting investments, and even teaching them financial literacy topics in a fun way!

Would you rather have a penny that doubles each day for a month or 1 million dollars? I saw this question the other day, and it reminded me of one of my favorite stories from high school math (yes, that's pretty nerdy, but this is a personal finance blog).So, before I tell the story, think about it:If a genie appeared and gave you a choice, what you would choose: would you rather have a penny today, that doubled everyday for a month, or $1 million today? The fact is, a lot of people get caught up in the initial amounts: $1,000,000.00 versus $0.01.But let's share the story of the The Grain of Rice, a mathematical fable from India. And then we can break it down.

The student loan debt tax bomb can happen when you have to pay taxes on the student loan forgiveness you received. However, most people will avoid the tax bomb due to a tax process called insolvency. While some student loan forgiveness programs, like Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) are tax-free, others - like when you get your student loans discharged under Income-Based Repayment, are potentially taxable. However, there's one big exception - insolvency. Insolvency is a tax situation when your liabilities (such as forgiven student loan debt) exceed your assets (like the money in your savings account). If you are technically insolvent, you may avoid some or all of the taxes associated with your loan forgiveness.That is a big win for borrowers getting their loans forgiven under IBR, PAYE, or ICR. Let's break down what that looks like. 

When families talk about the rising cost of college, tuition tends to dominate the conversation. But for many students, tuition isn't the largest expense. Room and board, which covers housing and meals, often makes up the majority of the bill.Even at the most expensive colleges ranked by tuition, room and board adds a significant price.Recent data show that at public four-year colleges, room and board now accounts for about 45% of total expenses, while tuition makes up less than 36%. At San Diego State University (SDSU), a popular in-state option, tuition is only 25% of the total cost of attendance if you include on-campus living. Room and board, meanwhile, makes up more than 62%.Let's look at some raw numbers using SDSU as an example:In-State Tuition: $9,180Out-of-State Tuition: $13,320Room and Board: $23,736It's also important to note that SDSU requires students not in the service area to live on campus for two years. That can really add up!That gap raises a tough question: Is living on campus worth the price, even more so if you're going into debt?

More than one in three students who enroll in college never complete their degree. That figure is not just a statistic - it represents millions of families who invest time, money, and hope into higher education, only to see it fall short of its promise.Only 62% of students who start college earn a degree within 6 years, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse. That number has held relatively steady, and reminds families of a truth: one in three students don't finish.As college costs continue to rise, this is an important aspect to plan for. With student loan borrowing rising, the students who struggle the most to repay their debt are the ones that never graduated.Here's why 38% of students never finish college, and ways that you might be able to protect yourself.

California families have more tools than ever to save, invest, and build long-term financial security but many people don’t know these programs exist or how to use them. In this episode, Robert Farrington sits down with California State Treasurer Fiona Ma and Thomas Martin, Executive Director of CalABLE, for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about college savings, disability savings, and the mission to make financial empowerment accessible to every household.Treasurer Ma shares how her career (from licensed CPA to Assembly Speaker pro Tempore to her current role as Treasurer) has shaped her push to expand economic opportunity. She breaks down what the Treasurer’s office actually does and why the programs it oversees matter for everyday Californians.From ScholarShare 529, to CalKIDS, to CalABLE, this episode covers how these programs work, who they help, why participation matters, and what changes might be coming. Treasurer Ma also talks about ongoing efforts to introduce tax incentives for 529 contributions, her personal ethos on saving and investing, and the role early savings can play in shaping a child’s educational path.Thomas Martin joins the conversation to explain CalABLE, a program designed to help people with disabilities save money without jeopardizing important benefits. He shares how CalABLE works, how accounts can support both college and independent living, and how CalABLE and 529 plans can complement one another.The episode wraps with personal stories and practical advice — including money habits, favorite financial tools, and a myth the Treasurer wishes every Californian would leave behind.

The Trump administration has escalated its campaign to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau - setting in motion what could be its effective closure within a year.In a court filing (PDF File) this week, the administration said the CFPB cannot seek additional money from the Federal Reserve - its usual source of operating funds. The bureau said it has enough reserves to continue through December but “anticipates exhausting its currently available funds in early 2026.” Without congressional action, that timeline would mark the end of the CFPB’s ability to function.The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) issued the legal opinion underpinning the decision. The OLC argued that under the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFPB can only receive funds from the “combined earnings of the Federal Reserve System.” Because the Fed has posted losses since 2022 (about $77.6 billion last year) the administration contends there are no “earnings” to transfer.“The Federal Reserve currently lacks combined earnings from which the CFPB can draw,” the opinion stated. If the Federal Reserve has no profits, it cannot transfer money to the CFPB.That interpretation redefines “combined earnings” to mean net profits rather than total income, a reading that may be up to interpretation. The Supreme Court upheld the CFPB’s funding structure as constitutional in 2024, without adopting that definition. What happens next is yet to be seen.

For nearly two decades, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program has offered a straightforward promise: make 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a government agency or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and any remaining federal student loan balance will be forgiven. The idea helped schools, hospitals, local governments, and nonprofits recruit workers who might otherwise avoid lower-paying public-service roles.That certainty shifted when the Education Department finalized a regulation allowing the Secretary to declare an employer ineligible if it “has a substantial illegal purpose.” Though the Department says the rule targets organizations that knowingly engage in conduct that violates federal or state law, the standard is broad, unclear, and open to interpretation.The rule is currently scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026. Borrowers don't have anything they can do to prepare - except to watch and wait...

The Trump Administration continues its efforts to hollow out the U.S. Department of Education by sending six programs to other federal agencies. The U.S. Department of Education announced the changes in a press conference on Tuesday, November 18, 2025. Although federal law assigns responsibility for these programs to the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is making an end-run around the law by entering into contracts with the other federal agencies to operate the programs under U.S. Department of Education oversight.These interagency agreements (IAAs) send the six program to the following four agencies:U.S. Department of Labor (DOL): Elementary and Secondary Education Partnership and Postsecondary Education Partnership. DOL will be responsible for grants relating to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutes (MSIs), as well as grants focused on improving student success for college studentsU.S. Department of the Interior (DOI): Indian Education PartnershipU.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): Foreign Medical Accreditation Partnership and Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS)U.S. Department of State (DOS): International Education and Foreign Language Studies Partnership, including programs administered under the Fulbright-Hays grantU.S. Department of Education staff who manage these programs will be transferred to the four federal agencies. The agreements were signed on September 30, 2025, but not announced until now. It will take several months to transfer the programs to the other federal agencies. 

In 2011, some protestors encouraged borrowers to refuse to repay their student loans as part of Occupy Wall Street. They said that if enough borrowers joined this protest, the lenders would have no choice but to cancel the student loan debt.Few people participated, and even those that did only lasted for a month or two. Nobody went into default as part of this protest.More recently, after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked President Biden’s broad student loan forgiveness plan, some student loan protestors are once again urging their fellow borrowers to intentionally default on their federal student loans as a form of debt disobedience.This kind of strategic default on federal student loans was a dumb idea then and it is a dumb idea now.When a borrower defaults on their federal student loans, the only one hurt is the borrower, not the federal government. Borrowers can’t force the federal government to forgive their student loans by refusing the repay them. Borrowers have no leverage, not even if they act together as a collective.Even if the borrowers had some leverage, the U.S. Department of Education does not have the legal authority to forgive student loans, just as it doesn’t have the authority to incarcerate defaulted borrowers. Only Congress has the ability to pass laws to forgive student loan debt.

We live in a world of unprecedented consumer guarantees. When you buy a t-shirt online, you expect to be able to return the shirt if it doesn’t suit you.If your pineapple from Aldi turns out to be rotten, you can get your money back and get a new pineapple for free. We’re used to guarantees that protect us from all kinds of minor financial setbacks. Unfortunately, guarantees don't work the same way when it comes to investing.If you expect a guaranteed return on your investment, your portfolio could end up underperforming (or even worse, you fall victim to an investment scam). Here’s what you need to know about guarantees when it comes to your investments.

Investors have likely heard that investing in stocks is a smart move for your financial future. But that’s only true if you build an investment portfolio that aligns with your financial goals. Unfortunately, the process of investing in stocks seems shrouded in mystery for many beginners. The good news is that researching stocks doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Like all skills, you’ll need to learn the basics to get started.

Robert was on Money Life with Chuck Jaffe this week discussing how Google AI overviews get the answer wrong over one-third of the time. This has serious consequences and you need to be mindful about what you're reading.

Being on top of your finances means that financial mistakes become fewer and farther between. But tax filing happens just once per year, and it’s easy to make mistakes that lead to overpaying the IRS. When that happens, filers have the opportunity to correct their mistakes by filing IRS Form 1040-X. Once the amended return is processed, the IRS cuts overpaying taxpayers an extra refund check.If you’ve ever made a mistake on your tax return, you may have the opportunity to correct it. We dive into how to file an amended tax return.

College tuition can vary widely between in-state and out-of-state rates — often more than double the cost for nonresidents. To make higher education more affordable, many states have entered regional tuition reciprocity agreements.These programs allow students from participating states to attend public colleges in neighboring states at discounted rates. While programs vary, these options offer matching in-state tuition or other big discounts to make college more affordable.There are four major programs that serve clusters of states:Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)New England Tuition Break (NEBHE)Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP)Souther Regional Education Board's Academic Common Market (ACM)For many families, understanding these programs can open the door to colleges beyond state lines without the steep price tag.

President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that his administration plans to send “a dividend of at least $2,000 per person” to most Americans, excluding high-income households. The payments would allegedly be financed entirely by tariffs collected on imported goods, rather than through borrowing or new taxes.Trump described the initiative as both a payment to everyone and a tool to reduce the national debt, now approaching $37 trillion. This post comes after a tough week for Trump at the Supreme Court, where his tariffs faced skepticism from multiple Supreme Court Justices.

Starting July 1, 2026, the federal student loan system will enter a new era.A sweeping set of federal policy changes will reshape how families and graduate students borrow for college starting in 2026. The legislation, passed this summer, eliminates some long-standing loan programs and replaces them with new caps and repayment plans.While the reforms aim to contain debt growth and improve accountability for colleges, they also mark a clear shift away from the flexible borrowing model that has defined federal student aid for years. The Result: fewer borrowing options, stricter limits, and new tradeoffs for both students and parents.

For decades, earning six figures was seen as the turning point between “getting by” and “getting ahead.” But today, more Americans are discovering that $100,000, or even $200,000, no longer feels like financial security.Between rising living costs, disappearing tax credits, health insurance subsidy cliffs, and inflation that still lingers, many millennial and Gen Z households earning well above the median income are wondering: Where is all the money going?When you combine the math of what these families actually take home with other statistics, like dropping homeownership and lower savings rates, the picture becomes clear: outdated tax policies and benefit cliffs, combined with higher costs of living, are holding families back.

You can potentially use a 529 plan to pay for trade school, vocational school, and apprenticeships.If you or your family have saved money for your education within a 529 plan, you can use those funds to pay for qualified education expenses without tax implications. But how about students who opt to attend a trade school instead of a traditional college or university? Can you still use the funds in your 529 to cover college costs?We explore what the funds in your 529 can be used for, whether apprenticeships are eligible, and share some tips of how to fill any potential funding gaps. 

At first glance, the Trump administration’s push to privatize federal student loans might look like a political calculation. But the economics behind recent policy changes tell a subtler story.Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), the administration’s sweeping higher-education and tax package, the federal government is tightening who can borrow and how much through programs like Parent PLUS and Grad PLUS. These loans have long been among the government’s most profitable, often taken out by creditworthy parents in the middle or late stage of their careers, or graduate students pursuing high-paying careers like medicine and law.Now, new borrowing limits and the elimination of Grad PLUS for future students are changing that dynamic. Families and graduate borrowers who once relied on federal programs for large sums may soon find themselves turning to private lenders instead.It’s a structural shift that accomplishes, in practice, what privatization would have done politically: it moves the most lucrative borrowers (and the profits that come with them) into the private market, while leaving the federal government with the less profitable parts of the student loan portfolio.

The final version of the One Big Beautiful Bill is going to reshape the future of student loan repayment.Starting July 1, 2026, all new federal student loan borrowers will only have two options: the revised Standard Plan or the newly introduced Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). For current borrowers, the transition comes between 2026 and 2028, when legacy plans like SAVE, PAYE, and ICR will be phased out and borrowers will be forced to move into either the RAP plan, or the IBR plan.The RAP plan calculates monthly payments on a sliding scale, ranging from 1% to 10% of adjusted gross income. A key feature is that unpaid interest is forgiven, and a $50 monthly principal match helps chip away at the balance. Loans are forgiven after 30 years of payments.IBR, the other remaining option for existing borrowers, retains most of the features of Old and New IBR, depending on loan origination date. Those with loans from before July 1, 2014, pay 15% of discretionary income and receive forgiveness after 25 years. Borrowers with loans after July 1, 2014 will pay 10% of discretionary income, with forgiveness at 20 years. Discretionary income is defined as earnings above 150% of the federal poverty level.

When debt is cancelled or forgiven, the general rule under IRS Topic 431 is that the cancelled amount counts as taxable income (unless an exception applies). For student loans:If you receive forgiveness of a federal student loan (or discharge) and no exception applies, the amount may be reported on a Form 1099-C and taxed.However, most forgiven student loans from 2021-2025 are excluded from federal income tax. After December 31, 2025, the exclusion will expire, and forgiven amounts may again be taxable. However, there are some programs that are always tax free federally. And when it comes to state taxes and student loan forgiveness, there are a whole lot of exceptions.

The American Federation of Teachers and the U.S. Department of Education have temporarily resolved key disputes in a major federal lawsuit challenging the handling of income-driven repayment and forgiveness programs.In a joint status report filed Friday (PDF File) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, both sides asked Judge Reggie B. Walton to deny, for now, the union’s motions for a preliminary injunction and class certification. Those motions sought immediate relief for borrowers who said they were wrongly denied or delayed in receiving debt cancellation.The agreement allows the Education Department to continue processing student loan forgiveness under the Income-Based Repayment (IBR), Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR), and Pay As You Earn (PAYE) programs while the lawsuit remains pending.The AFT had filed suit earlier this year, alleging that the Department was failing to provide legally required repayment plans and loan forgiveness. The lawsuit has a potential impact on millions of borrowers navigating overlapping repayment rules and deadlines.

Google AI overviews are misleading or inaccurate in 37% of finance-related searches, according to The College Investor's latest analysis. This is an improvement from last year, where 43% of AI Overviews were inaccurate - but a one-third error rate is troubling when it comes to personal finance.This is causing consumer confusion, and potentially harming Americans' finances. The overviews were especially bad when it comes to tax, insurance, and financial aid related queries.What's Happening: Over the last several years, Google has been rolling out AI-driven answers in search results. At the top of the search results they show AI Overviews, and they're now expanding the use of AI Mode. The problem is they are plagued with inaccurate answers. And experts say it's a serious issue.

The goal of test prep is to learn tips and tricks that help maximize your time and performance on a college admissions test. Students are taught best practices for creating a study schedule, pacing themselves during the test, and using process of elimination to narrow down the answers. While not required, test prep can certainly help put you at ease on test day – and it is commonly correlated with higher test scores.SAT test prep could be free through online quizzes and books from the library to thousands of dollars for one-on-one tutoring.