top stories in News Reel
Welcome
Tools
-
Saving for College
How much should you save?
-
Grade My 529 Plan
Does your college savings plan stack up?
How-To Guides
-
How to Save for College
Thanks to benefits in the tax code, saving specifically for college and other education expense can have some advantages
-
How to Pay for College
The rising costs of higher education are showing no signs of letting up.
-
Dear Class of ’13: You’ve been scammed; Commentary: How the College-Industrial Complex drove tuition so high
MarketWatchClass of 2013,No one else is going to tell you this, so I might as well.You sit here today, $30,000 or $40,000 in debt, as the latest victims of what may well be the biggest conspiracy in U.S. history. It is a conspiracy so big and powerful ...
-
The Experts: Should You Keep Cash in Your Portfolio?
WSJ.comBesides keeping some in an emergency fund, should the average investor have an allocation to cash and cash equivalents in an investment portfolio? The Wall Street Journal put this question to The Experts, an exclusive group of industry and ...
-
New College Lenders Step Up
WSJ.comCredit unions are offering more private student loans, creating new choices for borrowers grappling with high college costs.Nearly 590 of the nation's 6,955 credit unions—member-owned nonprofit financial institutions—offered student loans ...
-
Subscriber Content Read Preview
Regulator Seeks to Spur Restructuring of Student Loans
WSJ.comWASHINGTON—A federal regulator, concerned about the growing number of college graduates unable to repay their student debt, outlined a set of options to reduce their burdens by refinancing or restructuring their loans.
-
Private Colleges Sweeten Offers
WSJ.comPrivate U.S. colleges, worried they could be pricing themselves out of the market after years of relentless tuition increases, are offeringrecord financial assistance to keep classrooms full.
-
In Applying to College, Is Cost a Factor?
WSJ.comWhen it comes to our oldest daughter and college, we are in a place that most parents would envy. Jamie, a junior, is a strong student and is being wooed by a lot of colleges. But as the envelopes keep coming, they're all going straight to ...
-
Save for college without going on game shows; Why going on ABC’s “Bet on Your Baby” isn’t the best way to save
MarketWatchAmid rising college costs and a stumbling economy, saving enough for your child’s future college education may seem like a bit of a gamble.Now, it actually is one. In ABC’s new game show “Bet on Your Baby,” parents wager on how their ...
-
Subscriber Content Read Preview
New Options for Student-Loan Borrowers
WSJ.comTwo of the nation's largest providers of private student loans are taking steps to ease terms for some borrowers.SLM Corp., also known as Sallie Mae, this past week began accepting applications for loans that allow recent college graduates ...
-
Student Starting College This Year? A 529 Savings Plan Might Still Help.
WSJ.comFor parents sending high-school seniors to college in the fall, here's a surprising financial tip: Contributing to a 529 plan even just months before the first tuition payment is due will qualify the account owner for a tax benefit in many ...
-
Arts Degree Leaves You Seeing Red
WSJ.comMost people assume a degree in the arts is no guarantee of riches. Now there is evidence that such graduates alsorack up the most student-loan debt.
-
Appeal a Loan Rejection Despite Tighter Standards
WSJ.comThe credit criteria for getting a parent Plus loan was quietly tightened in recent years. But you still can appeal if you are turned down.Parents applying for a Plus loan have to undergo a credit check that looks for an "adverse credit ...
-
Subscriber Content Read Preview
Student-Loan Securities Stay Hot; Investors' Hunger for Returns Is Driving Demand Even as More Borrowers Fall Behind on Their Payments
WSJ.comStudent loans are souring at a growing rate—and investors can't seem to get enough.SLM Corp., the largest U.S. student lender, last week sold $1.1 billion of securities backed by private student loans. Demand for the riskiest bunch—those ...
-
Parent Trap: What to Know Before Taking a College Loan
WSJ.comDiana Jackson had no student debt when she got her Bachelor's degree from Miami University in Ohio in 1982. But when her daughter graduated from the school in 2011, Ms. Jackson was stuck with about $33,000 in parent loans.
-
Making Sense of College Aid
WSJ.comCole Schenewerk has a tough choice ahead of him.The high-school senior from El Cajon, Calif., already has gotten an acceptance packet from Southern Methodist University and a preliminary scholarship offer from an Ivy League college. And he ...
-
Student-Loan Delinquencies Among the Young Soar
WSJ.comThe number of young borrowers who have fallen behind on their student loan payments has soared over the past four years, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said in a report released Thursday.
-
Jobless Benefits Shrink—Unevenly
WSJ.comWorkers across the country are seeing the length of their jobless benefits pared back, a shakeout that is playing out unevenly and pinching people in states still struggling with unemployment above the national average.
-
How to Pick a 529 Plan; We asked advisers how they went about choosing. What was good enough for them might work for the rest of us.
WSJ.comCollege savings plans known as 529s can be a lifeline for families trying to figure out how they'll pay for higher education. But with almost 100 plans out there, and a dizzying variety of features, how do people pick the one that's best ...
-
Should Gramps save for college? Firms begin pitching 529 plans to grandparents
MarketWatchMost parents can’t afford to save money for their children’s college education. So in order to boost sales of college-savings plans, investment managers are trying a new tactic: asking Grandma and Grandpa to sign up.
-
More wiggle room for student-loan debt? The CFPB is seeking more repayment options for private loans
MarketWatchAs more borrowers fall behind on their private student loans, a U.S. consumer watchdog is pushing to make those payments more affordable.The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau last week said it’s seeking proposals on ways to make debt ...
-
Subscriber Content Read Preview
The 'Other' College-Savings Account
WSJ.comAn education savings account that recently won permanent status could offer an extra boost to families facing big school bills in the future.
-
Can student loan deferments prevent defaults? Colleges are encouraging borrowers to put off payments
MarketWatchTo lower their number of student-loan defaults, colleges are embracing a controversial tactic: Encouraging borrowers to put off payments.A growing number of nonprofit colleges are hiring companies that specialize in “default management” to ...
-
A Better Way to Do Student Loans
WSJ.comRegarding your editorial "Bursting Debt Bubble" (March 1): The statistics speak for themselves. The federal government has clearly proved its inability to run a good student-loan program. In addition to the recent Federal Reserve Bank of ...
-
Spend That Tax Refund Wisely
WSJ.comAlina Lane's 2012 tax refund came in the mail last week. But she planned how to spend the money long before it arrived.The 26-year-old will put a chunk of the roughly $3,800 refund toward paying her student loans from dental school after ...
-
Subscriber Content Read Preview
Voices: Dan Yu, Saving For Your Kids' College Tuitions
WSJ.comVoices is an occasional column that allows wealth managers to address issues of interest to the advisory community. Dan Yu is managing principal for EisnerAmper Personal Wealth Advisors, a New York City-based RIA.
-
College Courses Expand Online
WSJ.comMassive open online courses, or so-called MOOCs, are opening up access to classes at a growing number of colleges and universities.The classes, which typically are free and not for credit, enable large-scale participation via the Web to a ...
-
Subscriber Content Read Preview
SecondMarket to Launch Student-Loan Securities Platform
WSJ.comSecondMarket Holdings Inc., a New York-based online-trading firm specializing in private-market securities, on Monday will roll out a platform allowing lenders to issue securities backed by student loans directly to investors.
-
Colleges Dangle Tuition Deals
WSJ.comA growing number of liberal-arts colleges are supplementing their glossy brochures touting ivy-covered libraries and great-books seminars with more pecuniary pitches: Buy seven semesters, get one free. Apply today, get $2,500 cash back. ...
-
The high cost of a cheap college; Even if colleges were more affordable, could students afford to pay?
MarketWatchPresident Obama called for colleges to rein in their costs during his State of the Union address Tuesday night. But new data shows those who attend schools with lower tuition often end up paying in other ways.
-
Bank Fees—What Are They Good For?
WSJ.comFrom mandatory-arbitration clauses that waive jury trials to fees on empty envelopes and cash deposits, your bank is keeping disclosures tied to your checking accounts heavily cloaked in fine print and sometimes not in any print at all.
-
Risky Student Debt Is Starting to Sour
WSJ.comThe number of student loans held by subprime borrowers is growing, and more of those loans are souring, the latest signs that a weak job market and rising debt loads are squeezing recent graduates.
The 529 Basics; What you need to know before you sign up for a 529 college savings plan.
SmartMoney.comWhen considering a 529 plan, the first thing you need to know is that these plans come in two flavors: "prepaid college tuition plans" and "college savings plans." We'll admit, we're pretty partial to the latter (for reasons you'll ...
-
Student loan delinquencies hit new high
MarketWatchLate last year, total student debt outstanding surpassed $1 trillion for the first time. Now, the problem of student loan delinquency is generating its own eye-popping numbers.
-
Subscriber Content Read Preview
Where 529 Plans Are Failing
WSJ.comParents and grandparents have entrusted some $160 billion to 529 college-savings plans. But when it comes to disclosure and transparency, the tax-advantaged plans score, at best, an incomplete.
-
Subscriber Content Read Preview
Discover: Student Loans a 'Train Wreck' for Taxpayers
WSJ.comRising federal student-loan debt and potential changes to how such loans are treated under bankruptcy could be a "train wreck" for U.S. taxpayers, Discover Financial Services President Roger Hochschild said Monday.
-
Regulator eyes better 529 plan info, muni quotes; Electronic bids and asks on table for $3.7 trillion muni-bond industry
MarketWatchWASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Better disclosure and comparability for the $180 billion college-savings-plan industry and live, equity-style electronic bid-ask quotes for the $3.7 trillion municipal-bond market may seem unlikely in today’s ...
-
Tax changes help families paying for college; How the fiscal-cliff deal could ease the burden of college costs.
MarketWatchThe fiscal-cliff deal Congress reached this week has one surprise winner: parents of college students.In addition to extending the Bush-era tax cuts for all but the highest earners, the measure expands a college-related credit and several ...
-
Work-Study Students: Do Your Homework
WSJ.comEvaluating and comparing financial-aid packages from colleges is never easy, and one piece in particular often leaves parents and students scratching their heads: deciding whether a work-study offer is worth taking.
-
Risky Student Debt Is Starting to Sour
WSJ.comThe number of student loans held by subprime borrowers is growing, and more of those loans are souring, the latest signs that a weak job market and rising debt loads are squeezing recent graduates.
-
College Planning: A Crash Course on Paying the Bill
WSJ.comThe good news: Junior got into college. The not-so-good news: It's going to cost you.It's time for the annual ritual when families fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, wait for the aid letters to roll in and then sit down ...
-
Subscriber Content Read Preview
Prepaying for Princeton; A 529 Plan Will Cover Future Costs—If Your Kid Gets In
WSJ.comHow about getting four years at Princeton for the price of two?The proposition might sound too good to be true, but it is what the Private College 529 Plan promises. Arguably the oddest duck among college-savings plans, it allows parents ...
The College Tax Breaks Explained; College costs may be soaring, but these goodies will make paying those bills a little easier.
SmartMoney.comIf you've got college-bound kids, we don't need to tell you that the cost of college these days is staggering. Mercifully, Washington has delivered some valuable tax breaks over the past few years to parents trying to foot those bills. ...
-
Subscriber Content Read Preview
The Disappearing College Loan; New Program Links Repayments to Income
WSJ.comA new federal program should make it easier for some recent college graduates to keep their student-loan payments manageable.The new option, known as the "Pay as You Earn Repayment Plan," lets eligible borrowers sharply lower their monthly ...
The College-Savings Superpage; There are now more college investment options than ever before.
SmartMoney.comThink the only way you'll be able to foot your son's or daughter's future college bills is by winning the lottery? Think again. While the soaring costs of college can be overwhelming, a bit of careful planning can help you leap over this ...
-
Subscriber Content Read Preview
Tax Moves to Make Now
WSJ.comThe annual scramble to make smart tax moves before Dec. 31 is proving especially vexing this year.Congress still hasn't settled 2013 tax rates on income, investments, large gifts and estates. Deductions and other breaks are also in doubt, ...
-
Subscriber Content Read Preview
Playing the College Game; Soaring costs and confusing aid packages are making the college-selection process trickier than ever. Here's what to do.
WSJ.comAs recent graduates struggle with high college costs and a weak job market, schools are using sophisticated tactics to attract new students.
-
How You Can Become a Credit-Score Superstar
WSJ.comYou, too, can be a credit-score hotshot.Fair Isaac, creator of the commonly used FICO credit score, used to be tight-lipped about what it took to earn its best scores. But this fall, it provided some insights into common traits of the more ...
The New Company Benefit: A 529 Match? One employer has started offering the perk -- with a catch. Will the practice catch on?
SmartMoney.comIn what the company is calling a first, Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp., which provides credit-building services to mostly small businesses, announced this week a "multiple match" program for employees who contribute to a 529 college ...
-
Financial-Aid Packages Aren't Written in Stone
WSJ.comWhat if you don't get as much aid as you expected—or no aid at all?Many schools offer a re-evaluation process that can result in an increase in financial aid, based on need, merit or both.
-
Subscriber Content Read Preview
Grads Skirt Student Loans
WSJ.comCrippled by student debt, Lori Kitchen quit her government job just months after graduating from American University in 2007, figuring she would lose her security clearance once she fell behind on her loan payments.
-
Subscriber Content Read Preview
Think Twice Before Co-Signing
WSJ.comWith college costs rising, student loans are becoming a necessity even for many upper-middle-class families.If your child asks you to co-sign for a private loan, tread carefully: That debt could become your own.
-
Subscriber Content Read Preview
New Rage: Loan-Payoff Parties
WSJ.comWhen Cherie and Brian Lowe of suburban Indianapolis threw a party last spring, 150 well-wishers came bearing casseroles.This was no birthday or anniversary bash. Mr. Lowe, a lawyer, and Ms. Lowe, a stay-at-home mom, both 36 years old, were ...
-
Are You Planning a Big Life Change This Year?
WSJ.comLife goes on. If you are anticipating some major changes in 2013, you'll need to do some planning.Here's a checklist of essential money strategies to consider before you take one of these five key steps in your life.
-
THE GAME PLAN; A Possible Very Early Retirement
WSJ.comRyan Lynch researched real-estate investing for nearly a decade before he and his wife, Amber, took the plunge and bought their first rental property last year. The couple, both 31, expect a growing real-estate portfolio to provide ...
-
Don't Delay Filing Fafsa
WSJ.comYou may be filing your taxes later than usual this year. But don't let that delay your child's application for college financial aid.Tax changes resulting from the fiscal-cliff deal have caused the start of tax-filing season to be pushed ...
-
Expect Early Dividends
WSJ.comFaced with a possible tax increase on dividends next year, company boards are approving bigger payouts and cutting checks faster to avoid 2013 rates.
-
More students delay repaying loans; Half of student loans are now in deferment or forbearance
MarketWatchWhen their student loans come due, many borrowers have no choice but to postpone the inevitable. As of March, 51% of student loans were in deferment or forbearance — periods when, owing to financial hardship, borrowers are not required to ...
-
Add Federal Student Aid to Potential Cuts
WSJ.comAutomatic spending cuts that are set to kick in at year-end—as part of the so-called fiscal cliff—could result in an 8% cut in federal student aid.
Video Results ( of )
-
The Next 24: Why Zillow Makes Sense... 2:23
-
WSJ's Photos of the Day - May 17, 2... 2:00
-
The CIA's Social Media Troubles 1:53
-
Google Wallet: Gen Y Credit Card? 3:09
-
How College Grads Can Retire Rich 2:14
-
Interview: Thomas Sowell on Progres... 38:26
-
Inside the Summer Comedy Boom 4:02
-
Life Reflects Art for French Presid... 3:53
-
Rising Fashion Star Named Thiel Fel... 4:57
-
Wall Street Journal Student Orderin... 2:21
-
Euro-Zone Recession Hard to Shake O... 3:52
-
Opinion: Swarthmore Under Student S... 3:40
-
Blackberry Targets Emerging Markets... 1:36
-
Why Even Good Students Cheat in Sch... 4:06
-
Psy Goes to Harvard, Talks Gangnam ... 2:19
INVESTOR CENTER
MARKETS:
LOADING...
Buzz Box
Most Popular
//
Emailed
-
How to Rollover a 401(k)
To get a clearer picture of your money, consolidating old workplace accounts to an IRA or your next employer plan makes a lot of sense.