College Planning

Money in College Savings Accounts Can Now Go Toward Retirement

Secure 2.0 allows up to $35,000 in a 529 account to be rolled over to a Roth individual retirement account, but a lot of rules apply.

‘Grandparent Trap’ Becomes ‘Grandparent Loophole’

Thanks to a law effective this year, money from grandparents won't count against the amount students can get for financial aid.

Is College Worth It?

With the high cost of college, more have questioned whether it's worth the price. Tell your clients: For most kids, the answer is still yes.

Will Families Pay Less With Two Students in College? Now, It Depends

The federal financial aid formula says many families should pay a lot more, but some schools may not stick families with higher bills.

Student Loan Forgiveness For Some Clients May Start Next Month

Federal student loan borrowers who took out smaller loan amounts may be eligible for debt cancellation sooner than they anticipated.

Student Loan Borrowers Face Nightmares Reaching Loan Servicers

Student loan borrowers have faced 73-minute wait times, late bills, and incorrect statements from loan servicers, who say penalties announced this month will compound problems.

The Season for 529 Gifting

With gifting on everyone’s mind, now is a great time to discuss 529 plans with clients. Plus a new federal law provides a major incentive for grandparents.

College Prepayment Programs Receive Mixed Grades

They promise big savings but have more restrictions than 529 savings plans and many state programs have struggled.

Student Loan Borrowers Moved to Biden Plan Seeing Wrong Payments

Hundreds of thousands are discovering their monthly payments had been miscalculated, often for higher amounts than they actually owed.

New Student Loan Repayment Options Are Fraught with Land Mines

College borrowers shouldn’t rush to enroll for auto-pay for federal student loans until some of the dust settles.

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SEC Charges Investment Advisors for Overstating Use of AI

The two firms will pay $400,000 in total civil penalties for false marketing and the SEC is on the lookout for more offenders.

JPMorgan Fined $348 Million for Lapses in Trade Monitoring

The bank had failed to account for “billions of instances of trading activity” on as many as 30 different platforms, regulators said.

Top-Heavy Market Doesn’t Mean Steep Correction. Here’s Why

It's been 100 years since the market has been this top heavy, giving rise to understandable fears. History suggest those fears are overdone.

Judge: Minority-Business Agency Can’t Consider Race

A federal judge in Texas has barred a government agency from using race to reject entrepreneurs looking for assistance.

IRS Alert: Weight-Loss Food Is Typically Not a Medical Expense

Companies are falsely claiming that FSAs and HSAs cover or reimburse general health and wellness expenses.

Annuities Continue March Upward

Annuities saw an impressive boom in 2023, with sales reaching a new all-time high, LIMRA announced.

Financial Discipline Among Americans Sliding, Study Shows

People are doing less planning and feeling more financially insecure, Northwestern Mutual's latest research finds.