Advice for the College Money Talk

Push through the discomfort

Talking about money isn’t easy for everyone, but the payoff in this case can be worth it. Anticipate areas that may be especially thorny due to differences of opinion and face them head on. These might include tackling who is going to pay for college costs and how much, what amount of debt is acceptable, and what you’ll do if that dream college ends up being too expensive.

Talk early and often

Talking about money early can also give your family more time to set goals and address differences of opinion. As college becomes a reality for your family, it’s time to have more deliberate and specific conversations around money (see suggested questions below). It’s also important to revisit topics periodically, especially if metrics such as salary or savings account balances change. 

Find trusted resources

To combat misinformation and equip yourself for success, it’s crucial that you find trusted resources. To aid in forming your opinions and informing your decision, seek out and lean on professional guidance from reputable sources.

Ready to have the college money talk? Here are five questions to guide your conversation.

1. Does your family have any money set aside for college? If so, how much? If not, do you have a savings plan? 
2. Who will be responsible for paying college bills? If the student and parent are working together, what amount or percentage of college bills will each pay?
3. What will your family do if the student’s top-pick college(s) do not fit the family budget? (choose a more affordable college, start at community college, take a gap year, search for scholarships, take out loans, etc.)
4. If the student needs to take out loans, are the parents willing to cosign? Are they able to cosign, based on their credit? Will they help with repayment? 
5. What is the expected return on investment in the student’s chosen career or major? How long will it take to pay off loans with the student’s expected salary? 

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From your partnership team at Granite Edvance