Figuring Out a Budget for Your College Student

As the mother of two college students, I continue to scratch my head about a simple question. How much do my sons need for spending money, and what portion of it should I provide? Unfortunately, experts say, there’s no one answer, either on the amount … Continue reading

Should Your Child Consider a Career in a Trade?

Although the price of college is soaring and a four-year degree isn’t the guarantee of financial security it once was, 70% of parents surveyed by the National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) said they wouldn’t advise their chil… Continue reading

Student Loans: The Financial and Emotional Toll on Families

You’ve seen the frightening student loan statistics, such as the $1.5 trillion in outstanding debt they now represent. And if you’re a parent of a teenager or twentysomething, you’ve probably lived them. (A recent Bloomberg BusinessWeek report said som… Continue reading

Democratic Debates: What the Candidates Told Older and Younger Voters

(For this analysis of the first national debates with Democrats running for president in 2020, the public media websites of Next Avenue and Rewire joined forces. Next Avenue’s audience is older Americans and Rewire’s is younger Americans. So, as editor… Continue reading

How the Rich Really Play, ‘Who Wants to Be an Ivy Leaguer?’

(This article originally appeared on the ProPublica site and was co-published with The Washington Post.) My 2006 book, The Price of Admission: How America’s Ruling Class Buys Its Way into Elite Colleges — and Who Gets Left Outside the Gates, was intend… Continue reading

Nervous About Paying for College? Here’s Help

With the average 2018-‘19 cost of college tuition and fees a stunning $35,676 at private colleges and $21,629 for out-of-state students at state schools, according to U.S. News, it’s no wonder many parents and teens are frazzled about how to pay for co… Continue reading

Using Your Life Insurance to Help Pay for a Child’s College

Now that the fall semester at college has begun, many parents have the high cost of higher education tuition on their minds. Rising college bills, plus the cost of dorms, travel and books really adds up. If you have a child in high school or college, y… Continue reading