With college tuition rising every year, it's not surprising that cost is one of the most important factors for families when choosing a college. Cost, location, financial aid package, and the availability of a specific academic program topped the list when families were asked why students chose the college they did for the 2023–2024 year. Still, 86% of families believe a college degree will create opportunities that wouldn't be available otherwise, and 79% are willing to stretch themselves … [Read more...]
Life Insurance in Retirement
What role can life insurance play in your retirement plan? Most of us think of life insurance as protection against financial loss should we die prematurely. But when we reach retirement and the kids are all self-sufficient, do we still need life insurance? The answer is maybe. Here are some situations where life insurance may make sense for retirees or those close to retirement. Provide a source of retirement income While life insurance is designed to protect against unexpected … [Read more...]
Versatile 529 Plans Can Help with More than Just College
529 plans were originally created in 1996 as a tax-advantaged way to save for college. Over the past several years, Congress has expanded the ways 529 plan funds can be used, making them a more flexible and versatile savings vehicle. College, plus other education expenses A 529 savings plan can be instrumental in building a college fund — its original purpose. Funds contributed to a 529 savings plan accumulate tax-deferred and earnings are tax-free if the funds are used to pay … [Read more...]
The Versatile Roth IRA
Used with care, the Roth IRA may help serve several objectives at once — like a multipurpose tool in your financial-planning toolbox. Retirement First and foremost, a Roth IRA is designed to provide tax-free income in retirement. If your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) falls within certain limits, you can contribute up to $7,000 ($8,000 for those age 50 or older) in earned income to a Roth IRA in 2024 and 2025. Although Roth IRA contributions are not tax-deductible, … [Read more...]
FAFSA for 2025-2026 School Year Opens December 1
For the second year in a row, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as the FAFSA, will be delayed. The FAFSA for the 2025–2026 school year will open on December 1 instead of the typical October 1 date. Last year, despite a redesigned FAFSA that was supposed to be easier to complete, families faced a perfect storm — a delayed rollout, technical glitches, and processing delays, which led to confusion and late financial aid packages from colleges. By one estimate, as of March … [Read more...]
How the Typical American Family Pays for College
The typical family uses a combination of income, savings, grant aid, and loans to pay for college. For the past several years, income and savings from parents and students have consistently covered about half of the total cost, with grant aid covering about one quarter of the total cost and loans covering most of the remainder. Starting a college fund early and aggressively looking for grant aid from colleges can help families reduce the amount they may need to borrow. A net price calculator, … [Read more...]
Financial Regrets
A 2023 survey found that about three out of four U.S. adults had a financial regret. The most common were not saving for retirement early enough, taking on too much credit card debt, and not saving enough for emergency expenses. It's probably not surprising that the weight that people placed on these and other regrets varied by generation — and regret about not saving early enough for retirement was higher for those closer to retirement age. Source: Bankrate, July 19, 2023 (categories not … [Read more...]
Saving for College: 529 Plan vs. Roth IRA
529 plans were created in 1996 to give families a tax-advantaged way to save for college. Roth IRAs were created a year later to give people another tax-advantaged way to save for retirement. Along the way, some parents began using Roth IRAs as a college savings tool. And now, starting in 2024, extra funds in a 529 plan can be rolled over to a Roth IRA for the same beneficiary. Here's how the two options compare in a few key areas. Contribution rules 529 plan: Anyone can open a … [Read more...]
New SAVE Repayment Plan Offers Key Benefits
In July 2023, the Department of Education launched a new income-driven repayment (IDR) plan for federal student loans called the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan. The SAVE Plan is the most generous IDR plan to date, and like all IDR plans, it calculates a borrower's monthly payment amount based on income and family size. The SAVE Plan replaces the existing Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE) Plan, and all borrowers who are currently enrolled in REPAYE will be automatically transferred … [Read more...]
A New Year, A New Opportunity to Save with a 529 Plan
The start of a new year is typically a time when people resolve to implement or recommit themselves to a personal financial goal. This year, why not consider opening a 529 plan account, or increasing your contributions to an existing account, to enhance your child's or grandchild's financial future? 529 plans are the most flexible they've ever been since their creation more than 25 years ago. A college fund ... and more Education, in any form, can be a key life building block. A … [Read more...]
