The College Investor Audio Show

A common question we see every year is " can you take out more student loan debt than you need? " It sounds crazy, but some people want to take advantage of the low fixed costs and loan forgiveness options than may come in the future. With the rising costs of tuition, fees, and college living expenses have made financing a college education increasingly difficult. The fact remains that most of us...

With college becoming more expensive, how can parents afford to send a kid to school? More than a decade after completing college,  7% of Millennials still have more than $50,000 in student loan balances . Facing our reality of digging out of debt and knowing our friends' horror stories, many millennials are motivated to help their kids get through college debt-free.  While we can’t prom...

Property taxes are typically your largest homeownership expense after paying your mortgage. Any way to save on your property taxes can be a big win for your budget! Homeownership can be a true joy. The thought of holding your very own keys in your hands and being able to point and say “That’s my house”. That’s until it’s time to pay property taxes. The average property tax in California is $4,694...

Bad credit can limit your ability to do a lot of things, including purchasing a car, home, getting a credit card, and in some cases, even a job. Being creditworthy certainly has its advantages. If you don’t have good credit, there are steps you can take to fix it. The process is called  credit repair . You can do it by yourself or have someone help you, for a fee of course. We break down your...

In its nearly 250-year history, the U.S. has experienced more periods of inflation than deflation. The last big period of deflation occurred during The Great Depression. There was another smaller period during the Great Financial Crisis. Both coincided with a recession. During a recession and deflation, people lose their jobs, demand drops, and with it, prices. But for those who are able to hang o...

Around 80% of mortgage borrowers in the United States have an escrow or impound account. In fact, these accounts are required by some lenders. These accounts hold money on behalf of the buyer to ensure certain payments are made on time - typically homeowners insurance and property taxes. This can help reduce liability and risk lenders take on, giving buyers access to better financing options. What...

When you think of financial scams, you may think of Bernie Madoff and Nigerian Princes. But if you listen to enough “financial experts” on YouTube and TikTok, you may hear that the humble 401(k) is a scam. A  401(k)  is a tax-advantaged retirement investment account offered by many employers. It's an account so basic that it may be a victim of its own success. Has the 401(k) scammed aspi...

The tax deadline is almost here! Here are some last minute tax reminders if you're still working on filing your taxes. Although it might not be the most enjoyable financial task, it's a necessary obligation that we each undertake every year. And if you use great tax software, filing taxes doesn’t take as much time as you may dread. But tax filing time isn’t only about filing returns. There are thi...

The short answer is no, you cannot use a 529 plan to pay for SAT prep.  However, all is not lost. While SAT prep courses can be expensive, they don't have to be. There are affordable options to help you prepare for the SAT. Here's what you need to know

Getting an MBA, especially at a top school, can come with an expensive price tag. After investing in an expensive degree you might not get the high-paying job you hoped for – or you might decide management isn’t for you and you want to pursue a completely different career entirely. If you’re eager to learn the material covered in an MBA program without the burden of paying for one, you can create...

Threats to your investment portfolio can come from anywhere, including politics, the economy, and even your own mind. Understanding the threats to your investments is the first step to combating them. Birch Gold , a company that helps investors buy and sell gold, polled its investors about their thoughts on the greatest threats to their well-being. We combined some of the Birch Gold responses with...

If you’re one of the 80% of taxpayers who will be receiving a tax refund this year, here's what to do with your tax refund according to experts. The average tax refund payment was more than $2,753,  according to the IRS . That's a lot of money that you can put to good use. While you can probably imagine plenty of places to put your prized refund check today, you might not be thrilled with the...

A Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) is a unique identifier that allows you to log in to Department of Education websites. You need this ID to complete the  FAFSA online , view your financial aid history, accept loans, and  select student loan repayment plans . The sooner you get your FSA ID setup, the easier it will be for you to manage everything related to loans and grants. Let's explore...

Leap Year's extra day can serve as a reminder to stop and evaluate. An extra day in the year represents an opportunity to earn more money, pay off debt, or think long term about your finances. Here are a few of the best ways you can use a Leap Year to maximize your finances.

Learning financial aid is like speaking a foreign language. There is an alphabet soup of different words and acronyms. You may think you understand the babble, but it is easy to get confused. Misunderstanding the terminology can present students with a trap that may mislead them into enrolling at an unaffordable college. Learn what these words really mean and what to watch out for.

It's one of the worst things you can face when it comes to your student loan debt - you  can't afford your student loan payment.  Maybe you're out of school and you get your first bill, and you have no idea how you're going to make that payment. Or, maybe you've been on and off deferment and forbearance for years, and every time you're encouraged to start repayment, you simply don't thin...

One of the biggest questions we see every tax season: should you pay someone to do your taxes? Getting a tax refund is a big part of that question. Most people hope for a refund and look forward to getting their direct deposits (who gets a paper check anymore)? But doing your taxes can be hard, or so the mainstream media tells you, along with commercials and more. So, should you pay someone to do...

Over the last few years, I've really thought about what it takes to get rich and grow wealth. I've spoken with  countless millionaires and I've responded to over 10,000 reader comments on The College Investor. In each instance, there are common themes that are either helping the person grow wealth, or preventing the person from getting rich. Being rich doesn't always mean having money, but 90...

Curious about how to start a side hustle? You're not alone! “Side hustle” is defined as a secondary business or job with the potential to produce extra income. Recent  data  indicates approximately 39% of working adults in the U.S. currently have a side hustle, which is a sharp increase from the number of adults who held a one before 2020. A quick internet search will display endless&nbs...

Life insurance helps support your dependents in the event of your death. How much you need and what that will cost depends on your specific situation. 

If you made student loan payments last year, here's what you need to know about your 1098-E interest statement when you file taxes. 

The main difference between an IRA vs. self-directed IRA are the assets you are able to invest in. You have more options with a self-directed IRA, but they are more expensive and subject to more rules. 

Schedule K-1 forms are income tax documents associated with "pass-through" businesses. But why are K-1s so complicated? Learn more.

When you’re ready to apply you’ll need to assemble all of your application materials together, including test scores, transcripts, resume, essays, and letters of recommendation.

We break down the free tax software companies that actually allow free tax filing for federal and state returns in 2024.