Let’s Talk: Suicide And Student Loan Debt

Check out Robert's interview on Money Life with Chuck Jaffe, where he breaks down the latest on student loan repayment plan options.

It really is possible to make money in one hour.You've heard of money making ideas like starting a blog or starting a business, but those ideas take time. While they have great long term potential to earn extra money, sometimes you need to earn that extra money fast. And it can be hard to find ideas where you can actually do that.Maybe you have a bill coming due, or you're looking for some extra cash pretty quick to do a fun activity. No matter what the reason, you need to remember that there are ways to make money quickly. And if you like quick money, make sure that you check out our guide to How To Get Free Money (yes, potentially $1000s).However, when it comes to quick money, you should know that it's not great money. These ideas are real, they work, but they won't make you a millionaire by any means. They will help you close a small gap in your budget or earn a little extra when you need it.You can also check out our 10 Best Money Making Apps if you want mobile access to making money!

The only way I see myself escaping my student loan debt is to kill myself.I want you to read that again: The only way I see myself escaping my student loan debt is to kill myself.Reading that sentence gets me emotional. I can sense the pain. I can feel the despair in the words. It creates a tightness in my chest as I hold back tears thinking about what that means. You can sense the burden that is on her shoulders thinking that the only way out is to end her life. Isn't that the most horrible thing you've read?You want to know something, though? I've read that sentence twice this year talking to readers here on this site.And the truth is that there are many more people out there than the two readers that reached out to me. People that we haven't necessarily connected with, but maybe will find this article and feel a little weight lifted off their shoulders.Let's talk.If you are feeling suicidal, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741.

What is a grandparent-owned 529 college savings plan? How do they work? What do you need to know about them and what changes should you know about? A grandparent-owned 529 plan is a type of 529 college savings plan where the account owner is a grandparent, as opposed to a parent. The grandchild is the beneficiary. Another alternative would be a custodial 529 plan account, where the grandchild is both the account owner and beneficiary, but the grandparent serves as custodian. There is no limit on the type of 529 plan where grandparents can make contributions. Grandparents can contribute to grandparent-owned 529 plans, custodial 529 plans, and parent-owned 529 plans. Keep in mind that grandparent-owned 529 plans have a different impact on eligibility for need-based financial aid than parent-owned 529 plans. Here's what you need to know if you're interested in a grandparent-owned 520 plan. 

As the cost of college continues to rise, more students and families are turning to employer tuition reimbursement programs as a way to fund education without debt. These programs, offered by companies ranging from fast-food chains to tech giants, provide employees with financial support for accredited degree programs, professional certifications, and even graduate degrees like getting your MBA.For workers, the appeal is straightforward: earn a paycheck while receiving substantial help with tuition. For employers, tuition assistance programs are a recruitment and retention tool in a competitive labor market.The average annual benefit is about $5,200, with some companies covering 100 percent of tuition. Starbucks, Walmart, and Papa John’s reimburse all eligible tuition at partner universities. Others, like Microsoft and Goldman Sachs, provide up to $10,000 per year.

Student loan debt is one of the most complex financial products in the United States, shaped by constantly changing federal programs, complicated repayment plans, and rules that differ based on the year you borrowed, income, marital status, and type of employment. In today's world, so many people default to “just ask ChatGPT” for quick answers. But what happens when you do?I posed two scenarios to ChatGPT. The first was straightforward: $20,000 in federal student loans, with a borrower earning $52,000 a year as a teacher. The second was more complicated: $220,000 in loans across undergraduate, graduate, and private loans, with a $120,000 income as an architect.The results revealed the pitfalls of using artificial intelligence as a financial resource. While the tool offered a basic repayment overview, it also recommended outdated programs and struggled to provide clear answers on loan forgiveness programs like PSLF. Even when it recommended questions to help personalize the output, the questions weren't enough to provide a better answer.

After several years of delayed rollouts, the U.S. Department of Education has confirmed that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be available on time this fall. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon certified to Congress that the 2026-27 FAFSA will launch by the statutory October 1 deadline, restoring a timeline that families had long relied upon when apply for financial aid.The Department began beta testing of the form in early August, describing it as the "earliest testing phase in FAFSA history". According to officials, more than 1,000 students have already submitted applications during this period, with thousands more expected before the public launch.For families eager to finalize their college financial aid plans, beta testing provides a chance to get an early start on the FAFSA.

If you drop a class or drop out of college, you may have to repay all or part of the financial aid you received. How much depends on the type of financial aid and when you dropped the class or left school. Even though the Federal Pell Grant is a grant that normally does not need to be repaid, you may have to repay all or part of it in certain circumstances. And let's face it, even the best students may drop a class here and there. So here's what you need to know about the impact on your financial aid if you drop a class or even drop out.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness is one of the most sought-after federal student loan forgiveness programs, promising debt cancellation after 120 qualifying payments for borrowers who work in government or nonprofit jobs.But this program has also been plagued by years of confusion, regulatory changes, and uneven implementation. The whiplash for some borrowers has been intense. With AI growing in popularity, some student loan borrowers are using it to get answers to technical questions.But can AI actually be trusted to explain a program as complex as PSLF?To find out, we posed a series of questions to four leading AI platforms (ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Grok, and Perplexity) ranging from the most basic definition of PSLF to more detailed scenarios. While all four tools correctly explained the basics, most stumbled when asked about nuanced issues such as whether the SAVE plan’s administrative forbearance counts toward forgiveness, whether the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) qualifies, and whether a borrower’s loan must be serviced by MOHELA.The results show that AI may be useful for simple answers but cannot yet replace official resources or expert guidance when it comes to navigating student loan forgiveness.

As student loan borrowers brace for the full impact of the OBBBA to take effect, questions are swirling about whether forgiveness has been completely suspended across the board. Some headlines suggest that no one is getting debt relief. The reality is more complicated.Whether student loan forgiveness is processing or not depends on the loan forgiveness program you're waiting on.The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is still processing applications, even as a PSLF buyback backlog grows. The Income-Based Repayment plan, or IBR, is temporarily paused for "system updates", but not due to a court order. Student loan forgiveness under SAVE, PAYE, and ICR is blocked by a federal injunction. And even disability discharge is delayed for system updates.The fact that so many issues are arising around student loan forgiveness processing is leading many to question what's happening. Are "system updates" really happening, or is the new administration slow-walking their legal mandates to provide loan forgiveness for eligible borrowers? It's concerning a lot of borrowers.