The College Investor Audio Show

Workforce Pell is a new legal pathway within the Pell Grant program that’s intended to cover short-term workforce training - the kinds of programs that historically have fallen outside Pell rules because they were too short.Under the new rules, eligible programs generally must run at least 8 weeks but fewer than 15 weeks, and include 150 to 599 clock hours (or certain credit-hour equivalents).The Department of Education has emphasized that Workforce Pell awards are still Pell Grants - but with a different set of program eligibility rules, not a totally separate pot of money. That matters because it ties Workforce Pell to Pell’s broader budget pressures and to how Pell eligibility is tracked over a student’s lifetime.How big could the program be? Federal officials have cautioned that it’s hard to estimate because many short-term programs aren’t well captured in federal datasets today. In a Department of Education slide deck (PDF File), ED suggested the number of eligible programs could range from “several hundred to a few thousand,” depending on state decisions and how the final rules land.

Major changes to Parent PLUS loans are coming in 2026, and for many families, the timing could not be more complicated. Parents with students starting college this year or next (or already have kids in college), need to make plans for how they will pay for school.For decades, Parent PLUS loans acted as a backstop. When grants, scholarships, and student loans fell short, parents could borrow the rest without limits. Beginning July 1, 2026, that changes. Borrowing caps take effect, and repayment options shrink.The result: more families will need to rely on parent PLUS loan alternatives.This article explains what is changing, how private loans compare to Parent PLUS loans, and what families paying for college right now should be thinking about.

There are many different ways to invest in the stock market—some people prefer to buy and hold, while others trade stocks on a more frequent basis. Day traders and other stock investors have a lot of different indicators to measure performance and provide insights on when and how to invest. There are also a lot of weird indicators for stocks and other odd hypotheses when it comes to stock market performance over time. I thought it would be fun to share a few that have actually been pretty successful over time (there are, of course, thousands of others that are not as successful).Who knows, maybe there is some subliminal fate driving the performance of the markets.

In the last few years, rising college costs have been at least partially blamed on a simple and provocative idea: administrative bloat. The claim is easy to repeat and hard to forget. Some versions suggest that elite colleges employ one administrator for every two students, or even several staff members per student. These figures have even made it to Congressional policy debates, opinion pieces, and social media posts, often presented as self-evident proof that colleges have lost control of their staffing.But when these claims are checked against federal data, they fall apart.Using enrollment and staffing figures from the National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, a much different picture emerges.Across U.S. colleges, and even at Ivy League institutions, students outnumber staff by wide margins. Faculty account for a significant share of employees, and many institutions appear staff-heavy only because they operate hospitals, medical schools, or large research enterprises that serve the public far beyond their student bodies (and usually fund themselves).Let's dive into the data and see how these rumors fall apart.

Yale University will allow students from households earning up to $200,000 a year to attend tuition-free beginning in fall 2026, the university confirmed this week, expanding a financial aid policy that has been in place for several years. The threshold had previously been set at $150,000.Under the updated policy, families earning up to $100,000 annually will continue to pay nothing at all — covering tuition, housing, meals, and other required costs. Families earning between $100,000 and $200,000 will no longer be charged tuition, though they may still have to pay for room and board.

For years, income-driven repayment has been a dividing line between federal and private student loans. Federal borrowers could tie monthly payments to income but historically, private borrowers could not.That line is starting to blur.RISLA (Rhode Island Student Loan Authority), a nonprofit student loan lender based in Rhode Island, has introduced an income-based repayment (IBR) option for borrowers who refinance student loans through the organization. The plan borrows heavily from the "old" IBR framework created in 2009, offering payment flexibility during periods of lower income and forgiveness after decades of repayment.It is a small but notable shift in a private lending market that has traditionally emphasized fixed monthly payments and faster payoff schedules. As federal student loan policies continue to change, the question is whether other lenders will follow and whether borrowers should welcome them if they do.

The U.S. Departments of Education and Treasury released new details on the Education Freedom Tax Credit, a centerpiece of President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts Act.Administration officials describe it as the largest expansion of education choice to date, with the potential to steer billions of dollars toward private scholarships and education services outside traditional public school funding streams.Unlike past education tax benefits aimed directly at families, this credit works by encouraging taxpayers to contribute to nonprofit Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs), which then distribute aid to eligible students.The design is complex and a bit confusing, the rollout will take time, and its impact will vary sharply by state. For families, the key question is not whether the credit exists, but whether and how it will be available where they live.

The idea of saving money in college might sound impossible - but it's totally doable! For most college students, this is the first time really having to budget and manage money on your own. You might not know all the tips and tricks to make your money last. That's what this list is for.Here's some of the best ideas on how to manage your money and save money in college. These all come from experience. If you have more ideas or suggestions, want to share your hack, or want to tell us how silly these ideas are, leave a comment below!Let's dive in on the best ways to save money in college!

Looking for the best ways to save your tax refunds? We have seven ideas that can help you build wealth with your tax refund.The April 15th tax filing deadline may bring dread to taxpayers everywhere, but the storm cloud comes with a silver (or dollar-covered) lining.Last year, nearly 100 million taxpayers received a refund, with the average refund being $3,138. This sizable payday could be the cash you need to set yourself up for financial stability and a growing net worth.Here are the best ways to save your tax refund.

Audit protection is a service most tax preparation companies advertise as an upsell to help you if you get a notice from the IRS. These services can involve responding to IRS letters, representing you when speaking with the IRS, or even reimbursing you if the tax prep company made a mistake.I hate dealing with bureaucrats. The thought of spending time in line at the DMV is so repulsive that I tried to pay someone to wait in line for me (the person didn’t show up, so I eventually had to go).If the DMV causes me this much pain, you can imagine how bad I would feel getting audited by the IRS. I know this is hyperbolic, but being audited sounds like death by 1,000 paper cuts. Which brings me to the crux of this post. Should you get audit protection for your taxes - which is a big upsell of most of the major tax software products out there.Personally, I put my extra money towards bookkeeping software. I think that’s the better use of the dollar.However, the peace of mind factor may ultimately push you towards buying audit protection. In that case, I recommend being as smart as possible. Or use H&R Block software to get the most protection for the least cost.Should you (or I) pay for audit protection for your taxes. You may be surprised that in most cases, I think the answer is no.

The Professional Student Degree Act, introduced by Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and several other House Republicans, would expand the list of degrees considered “professional” under federal law. If enacted, the change would allow students in dozens of graduate programs to borrow up to $200,000 in federal Direct Loans - double the cap that would otherwise apply.The proposal comes amidst criticism from industry trade groups and students about the upcoming loan caps. Under last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Grad PLUS loans will be eliminated for new borrowers starting July 1, 2026. In place of the uncapped borrowing for grad school, there will be new limits on Graduate Direct Loans. Those caps depend entirely on whether a program is classified as “graduate” or “professional.”

As federal student loan borrowers weigh their repayment options in 2026, confusion around the SAVE income-driven repayment plan has grown. Data from the loan servicers is showing backlogs, but the reality is much different for borrowers at this moment. The repayment plan processing backlog is generally overblown and outdated because of applications from last year.Persistent myths that do not reflect how the system is actually working right now, and what borrowers should be doing. The result is that several widely shared assumptions about leaving the SAVE plan are simply wrong - and it could be costing you money!Here are three of the most common myths and what borrowers should understand before making a decision.

For many families, the cost of college feels unknowable until the bills arrive. Sticker prices climb past $70,000 a year at some private colleges, while headlines spotlight rare “full-ride” scholarships. The reality for most households sits somewhere in between — and it looks far different from the prices advertised on college websites.Based on an analysis of federal education data, scholarship data, and student loan statistics, most families are paying tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket over the course of a degree - which can come in the form of savings, cash flow, and student loans. Very few families pay nothing for college.

There are many benefits to receiving one or more private scholarships. It eases the financial burden of getting a college degree and minimizes the need for student loans. And it allows you to focus on your studies while at school. But scholarship applicants can face several potential pitfalls along the way. The odds of winning scholarships are often low, and you must be mindful of scholarship scams, displacement, and scholarship taxes. By learning how to anticipate and respond to these scholarship gotchas, you can increase your chances of scholarship success. This article guides you through the many considerations you need to make before applying for scholarships, so you can feel more confident throughout the process.

A tuition payment plan is a lesser-known way to pay for college as you go. It breaks your tuition bill up into smaller payments, allowing you to pay in installments over time. Remember, how you decide to finance your college education is going to be one of the most important decisions you make in your life.While a lot of students opt for student loans or financial aid packages, that isn’t the only way to pay for college. In this article we’ll dive into how tuition payment plans work, how much they cost, and some things you’ll want to be aware of before you enroll in one.

If you are thinking about diversifying your income, you may be asking yourself, “How do I diversify my income?” It's actually pretty straight forward, and many of us have already created multiple streams of income, we just don’t realize it.The goal of creating multiple income streams should be to maximize your potential in each category available to you. If you are just starting out, it really isn’t reasonable to expect you to generate tons of rental income.However, if you start maximizing your income generating potential through your primary salary, you will find yourself having excess income that you can reinvest to generate additional income streams use different buckets of assets.Remember, the average millionaire has 7 different income streams. Seven! Here are the most common ones.

The debt snowball and debt avalanche are two of the most popular methods for paying off debt.When you first start paying off debt, the most important thing is to have a plan. Without a plan, paying off debt can seem like a daunting task, which will quickly deflate any motivation you have to, you know, actually pay off debt.Having a plan can help you realize that debt is not forever and that it's possible to be debt free. So often, debt feels like a lifetime sentence, but it doesn’t have to be.As you explore the different types of debt pay-off plans, the debate between the debt snowball vs. debt avalanche is bound to come into play. Each side of the debate makes strong points for their favorite debt repayment strategy. But, which is the best debt payoff method? Let’s take a closer look at how these two strategies compare.

It’s that time of year when we look back on what we have and haven’t accomplished and decide what to tackle in the second half of the year. Even though we're in extraordinary times, most people will still have getting out of debt and building wealth as top goals.If eliminating some of your debt while simultaneously improving other parts of your financial life are among your goals, this post is for you. It’s time to take back control and kick your debt to the curb.It can sound like paying off large amounts of debt in a short period of time is impossible - but it's not! You can even pay off $10,000 in debt in just one year. Whether you have student loan debt or credit card debt, there are options.Here’s how you can pay off $10,000 in debt in one year.

Can you imagine a life where you didn’t have to work every day? Instead of needing to work you could work because you wanted to or, you could choose not to work because you wanted to. How? By building a passive income that allows you to make $50,000 per year without working!Conventional wisdom tells you that the path you’re supposed to live looks like this:Go to CollegeGet a Good JobGet MarriedTake out a loan for school, your wedding, a car, furniture, a houseWork hard for 30+ years to pay off all the debt you accumulatedMaybe you’ll have enough to retire and then again, maybe notThe truth is that there IS another way to live. You don’t have to go the traditional route. After all, you are the one in control of your life. You can do anything you want.Isn’t that a freeing thought? To know that you’re in the driver’s seat of your own life? For me it is.One thing that has been on my mind a lot, and that I have begun to work toward, is creating passive income so that my limited time isn’t constantly being exchanged for money. And because I’ve always had a fascination with passive income I’ve really been drilling down on it lately and not only learning more, but taking action.I think most people could happily live on $50,000 per year (provided they had no debt) so I thought it would be a good idea for you and I to explore some ways to make $50,000 per year without working.

When your student loans are discharged due to disability, you may be limited in whether you can work or go to school for a period of time. Otherwise, your student loans may be reinstated.This can be an especially difficult issue to navigate if your loans are discharged while you're attending school, or plan to. And it can happen even if you never planned on asking for a disability discharge.Here's what to know about disability discharge, and how to navigate your choices if your loans are automatically forgiven.