College Expenses and Debt
If your high school graduate is looking to embark on a college education, there are some things you should probably consider. According to a survey by Sallie Mae, families are under increasing pressure to take out loans to finance college, spending 16 percent more last year than the previous year — the biggest increase in five years. Here’s what the college financing company found:
– Parent out-of-pocket spending was the number one source used, surpassing scholarships and grants (30 percent) for the first time since 2010.
– Among families who did borrow, the student signed for nearly three-fourths of the amount borrowed.
– Working students are now the norm, with 74 percent of students working at some point during the year,) to help cover costs.
Saving for college seems like the best alternative, but there are some misconceptions about the process.
1. Not enough disposable income
While it's true that many Americans don’t have much left after paying rent/mortgage, taxes, insurance and saving for retirement. But disposable income is also a matter of spending less. Look at what you’re spending and tick off a few items that could save you some money. As an example: the average person spends about $20 a week on coffee, which is about $1000 a year! By making your own coffee at home, you could be saving a fair amount.
2. We don’t qualify for financial aid
Well, that may not be correct. There are two different forms of aid: Merit and financial aid. The former is not based on financial need. There are tens of thousands of these scholarships and grants available. See FinAid.Org for a list of them. As for financial aid, there are many factors taken into consideration. You can always fill out the FAFSA form and send it to the colleges of your choice. It costs you nothing.
3. We could use our retirement money or home equity loan
You could. But it’s not something that is recommended. Here’s why: it’s hard to replace your nest egg once it’s gone, and adding debt to your household will only increase the financial burden on you.
The bottom line is this – you don’t need to take a loan out to pay for college. If you can’t afford the tuition, there are always other options: scholarships, financial aid, or community and commuter colleges.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
Material contained in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be used in connection with the evaluation of any investments offered by David Lerner Associates, Inc. This material does not constitute an offer or recommendation to buy or sell securities and should not be considered in connection with the purchase or sale of securities. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances.These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable– we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.David Lerner Associates does not provide tax or legal advice. The information presented here is not specific to any individual's personal circumstances. Member FINRA & SIPC.