Support our non-partisan non-profit newsroom 💜 Donate now

Taxes shape our behavior. Here's what to look for in the new bill

Dec 21, 2017
The Republican tax bill moves away from using the tax code as social engineering, though some behaviors are still incentivized.
The Capitol dome is seen as lawmakers continue to work towards tax legislation on Capitol Hill on Dec. 18, 2017 in Washington, D.C.
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images

The 4 best ways to save on college

Aug 11, 2017
Expert Mark Kantrowitz tells us his top tips.
Stanford University's library.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

529 college savings plans: What you should know

Sep 27, 2013
Answering listener questions about 529 college savings plans -- and 10 tips on things you should know about them.

Banking on college acceptance

Mar 25, 2013
The private college 529 plan allows parents to prepay tuition at today's rates at some universities. The only hitch? Their kid has to get in.

Qualified expenses and 529 plans

Apr 4, 2012
We have a 529 plan and also the option to take out a subsidized Stafford loan. Does it make sense to take out the loan and leave the 529 money alone, then pay off the Stafford loan after graduation? (I'm thinking that the 529 would still collect interest for a few more years, while there is now interest on the loan for a few more years.) Thank you! Gabrielle, St, Paul, MN

New baby, college savings and student loans

Feb 15, 2012
My husband and I recently had our first child. We are considering opening a 529 plan for him, but between the two of us, we still have about $15,000 in college loan debt. Our student loans are locked in at a low interest rate (around 3 percent). On the one hand, we know that money invested in a 529 plan now will earn more over time than money invested later. On the other hand, it seems kind of odd to start saving for his college when we haven't finished paying for our own. Does it make more sense financially to open a 529 plan for him now, or to put the money we would have put into it toward paying off our own student loans first? Carol, Athens, GA

For public good, not for profit.

Savings options for college

Jan 26, 2012
My son is 7 (will be 8 soon) and I need to start saving for his college -- fast. I know I should have started sooner but here we are now with fewer than 10 years to go. What are some avenues to saving for college and get a good return? DoVeanna, Tuscaloosa, AL

A family margin of safety

Jan 12, 2012
My husband and I are late-in-life parents (he is 59 and I am 49) and we have a 1-year-old -- the absolute JOY of our lives. She is the only child for both of us and I am wondering about what you would suggest as the most cost-effective way to save for her future? Kathleen, Fergus Falls, MN