The College Investor Audio Show

Choosing the right school for you can be difficult. Not only does the decision come while you’re still fairly young, but it can also be heavily influenced by external factors that end up not aligning with what you want. Take it from someone who’s been there. In fact, about one-third of college students transfer schools at some point before finishing their degree. And total transfers  represen...

Older workers nearing retirement have long enjoyed a valuable benefit: the ability to make additional, tax-deferred contributions to their workplace retirement plans. But under a new federal rule taking effect in 2026, that benefit is changing for many. Beginning  January 1, 2026 , employees age 50 or older who earn  more than $145,000  in the prior year will no longer be able to ma...

The  Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program  requires 120 qualifying monthly payments while working for an eligible employer. But many borrowers are falling short because months spent in deferment or forbearance (even while employed full-time in public service) did not count. This is specifically harmful because of the SAVE forbearance, which  found 8 million borrowers in fo...

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)  has long been a lifeline for teachers, nurses, social workers, and other  public sector employees  carrying student loan debt. But the rules around  consolidation  (the process of combining multiple federal loans into one Direct Consolidation Loan) have shifted over time, often leaving borrowers confused. Under earlier rules, consoli...

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), representing 1.8 million members,  has escalated its legal battle with the U.S. Department of Education (ED) . Earlier this year, the  union sued ED  and Education Secretary Linda McMahon, alleging the agency unlawfully  froze access to income-driven repayment (IDR) plans  after a court blocked parts of the Biden-era SAVE plan. La...

Student loan scams are surging in 2025.  Policy changes , repayment restarts, and nonstop headlines give fraudsters the perfect chance to trick borrowers. Every day, fake “debt relief” companies and government impersonators are stealing money - or worse, hijacking borrower accounts. Before you get overwhelmed, remember three things: You never have to pay to manage federal student loans. &nbsp...

Cash App, a popular mobile financial services platform used by millions of Americans, has prevented more than $2 billion in potential scam payments since launching a real-time scam warning alert in August 2020.  In partnership with  Cash App , let’s break down the most common types of banking scams, how people are falling victim, and how Cash App is helping users stay safe. With artifici...

For the first time in nearly a year, federal student loan borrowers are seeing their balances forgiven under the  Income-Based Repayment plan . On Tuesday September 30, 2025, the Department of Education sent out a wave of approval notices to borrowers who had crossed the 20- or 25-year repayment threshold under IBR. The emails, which many borrowers referred to as “ golden letters ,” confirmed...

At first glance, banks and credit unions look alike. Both offer  checking  and  savings accounts , loans, credit cards, and  certificates of deposit . But the difference lies in their structure. Credit unions are  cooperative financial institutions  owned by their members — the people who use their services. Instead of aiming to generate profits for shareholders, they...

Federal student loan borrowers are under intense financial strain as serious  delinquencies  hover near record levels, according to  new data released by TransUnion this week . In July 2025, 29% of federal student loan borrowers in repayment, or about 5.4 million people, were at least 90 days behind on payments. While this figure is slightly lower than the April 2025 peak of 31%, it...

For months, federal student loan borrowers enrolled in the SAVE plan have faced a decision:  should I leave SAVE now , or should I wait out the forbearance longer? The Department of Education, of course, has been  very forceful in their messaging encouraging borrowers in SAVE to change repayment plans now . On the other hand, the  One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) gave a more measu...

It seems more likely that we will see a government shutdown on October 1. It's clear our government is mismanaged, but what does that mean for you and your student loans? There have been 20 "funding gaps" and 4 full government shutdowns in the last 50 years. The last shutdown happened in December 2018 and January 2019. But the threat of a shutdown seems to loom every budget cycle. Well, it really...

Ever wonder which schools are considered "Ivy League", and where the term came from? Ivy League schools are an elite group of eight private universities based in the northeastern U.S., best characterized by their historical campuses, rigorous academic programs, and strong alumni networks. From explaining the term “Ivy League” to discussing the current global influence of this network of schoo...

Want to gain control of your cash? Then you probably need to learn how to create a budget. A budget is still the best tool to help you control your spending and achieve your financial goals. But getting started with budgeting can feel intimidating. Between your bills, subscriptions, and in-person purchases, how in the world do you go about tracking all your expenses throughout the month? Learning...

The  529 plan  was designed specifically for education savings, offering tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals for  qualified education expenses . Many  states also provide tax deductions or credits for contributions . Despite these advantages, some families hesitate to commit. Concerns about what happens if a child does not attend college, limitations on investment choices,...

529 plans  were originally created to help families save for higher education with the benefit of tax-free growth. Over the years that definition has expanded, but it still calls into question: what happens when you're done with education and have an unused balance? Reasons range from children receiving  scholarships , choosing lower-cost schools, finishing degrees early, or even decidin...

For months,  income-driven repayment processing  has been a source of frustration for student loan borrowers. In August, the  Department of Education reported  (PDF File) that it processed 305,641 IDR applications. That figure marks one of the best months since courts required public updates earlier this year. The backlog now stands at 1,076,266, down significantly from nearly...

The American Federation of Teachers, representing 1.8 million members, has intensified its legal challenge against the Department of Education and Education Secretary Linda McMahon. In an  amended complaint filed this week  (PDF File), the union seeks class action status on behalf of millions of borrowers it argues are unlawfully being denied access to  income-driven repayment (IDR)...

For high school seniors looking to pay for college,  scholarships  and  grants  can make the difference between affordability and long-term  student loan debt . The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) tools has opened new ways to streamline the search process. Platforms such as  ChatGPT  and Perplexity can help students brainstorm possible scholarships, draft es...

Actor Chadwick Boseman became a household name after his role as King T’Challa in Marvel’s “The Black Panther.” The breakthrough film put Boseman  front and center in Hollywood , and when he passed away at age 43, many fans were in disbelief.  Boseman was insanely private, keeping his illness within his tight circle of friends and family. He even married his wife in a secret ceremony bef...

We all hope terrible situations will never hurt us or our loved ones. But making practical plans for your eventual death will make your passing easier. That’s true whether you die unexpectedly at a young age or you live to be 140 years old. Here are the six key estate planning documents that most people will eventually need. You might think all you need is a will, but once you understand how every...

It can be confusing to understand whether you're a dependent or independent student for FAFSA and financial aid purposes. Given the current cost of higher education, college students need all the help they can get when paying for college. There are a variety of different ways to  pay for college , including paying your own way, scholarships, grants, and  student loans . Nearly all forms...

You've probably heard of the student loan interest deduction. But what you may not know is that this is just one of several tax breaks for tuition and student loans that are baked into the U.S. tax code. There are also federal income tax advantages for saving for college through 529 college savings plans,  Coverdell Education Savings Accounts , and the Education Savings Bond Program. And some...

Today we're talking about a tough subject: what happens when you die? Specially, what happens to your student loans when you die? Do your student loans die with you (meaning your family is free and clear), or will someone else have to experience the burden of your student loan debt? Are student loans forgiven at death? It's important to know what will happen — because if you don't follow these ste...

Check out Robert's interview on Money Life with Chuck Jaffe , where he breaks down the latest on student loan repayment plan options.