Thank you for the great articles on how to pay for college. It's so important for parents and future college students to understand the best ways to approach this.
My future brother-in-law is a junior in high school. He insists that he cannot go to school in-state, but his family isn't in a position to help him pay for his education. My fiancée went through the same situation and we are now saddled with more than $100,000 in debt. I plan to pass on your articles in hopes that my future brother-in-law can avoid this mistake.
Thanks for the kind words. As I wrote at the start of my series, keeping college costs under control starts with an honest appraisal of how much your family can and should pay.
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Surprisingly, despite all the attention being paid to student loans, only a small percentage of students say they choose a school based on affordability, according to a survey by Key Bank. Of the students polled, 36% said curriculum was the most important factor when selecting a school; only 12% selected a school based on affordability.
Of course, choosing a school is an educational decision. But economics also plays a big part -- as the students themselves discovered. Once kids got to college, making ends meet financially was the number-one concern of students in the Key Bank study -- cited by 25% -- ahead of keeping up with the workload (20%) and getting good grades (16%). But it's a little late to find that out after you've sent in the deposit.
To get an idea of how much debt is reasonable, start with the Student Loan Advisor calculator at www.finaid.com. Students plug in their field of study, expected graduation date and loan interest rate. The site gives them the maximum loan amount they can safely handle, assuming they want to limit their monthly payments to between 10% and 15% of their income.
Say your future brother-in-law plans to major in education. As a teacher, he can anticipate a starting salary of $35,100, according to the calculator. To limit his payment to 10% of his income, he could borrow about $25,500 at a 6.8% interest rate (the rate on new government-sponsored Stafford loans) with a ten-year repayment schedule.
If he's planning to be a chemical engineer, with a projected starting salary of $60,300, he can borrow $43,700, given the same assumptions.
That's more manageable than $100,000, but it's still a lot of debt. Which brings me back to where I started my series of columns: If money is an issue, consider going to school in-state at a public college or university, or start at a local community college and then transfer. If you still decide to borrow more money to attend an expensive school, do it with eyes wide open and have a plan to pay off the debt.
Janet's college-financing series:
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Cord Cutting Could Help You Save Over $10,000 in 10 YearsHow cutting the cord can save you money and how those savings can grow over time.
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The '8-Year Rule of Social Security' — A Retirement RuleThe '8-Year Rule of Social Security' holds that it's best to be like Ike — Eisenhower, that is. The five-star General knew a thing or two about good timing.
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How Intrafamily Loans Can Bridge the Education Funding GapTo avoid triggering federal gift taxes, a family member can lend a student money for education at IRS-set interest rates. Here's what to keep in mind.
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How an Irrevocable Trust Could Pay for EducationAn education trust can be set up for one person or multiple people, and the trust maker decides how the money should be used and at what age.
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UTMA: A Flexible Alternative for Education Expenses and MoreThis custodial account can be used to pay for anything once the beneficiary is considered an adult in their state. There are some considerations, though.
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Coverdell Education Savings Accounts: A Deep DiveWhile there are some limitations on income and contributions, as well as other restrictions, a Coverdell can be a bit more flexible than a 529 plan.
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529 Plans: A Powerful Way to Tackle Rising Education CostsContributions to 529 plans grow tax-free and are not taxed when they are used to pay for qualified educational expenses for the beneficiary.
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Are Student Loans Being Forgiven or Not?Student Loans The House and Senate voted to repeal President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, but does it even matter?
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Are Scholarships Always Tax-Free? What You Need to KnowEducation Scholarships are generally tax-free if certain IRS and other requirements are met.
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Student Loan Forgiveness Blocked For Now Due to Court RulingsBiden's student loan debt forgiveness program is on hold until the U.S. Supreme Court weighs in.
