Why "AUM Fees are Bad" is a Marketing Ploy

We just got back from the NASFAA conference in Washington, D.C., and there's a lot to unpack. From the launch of the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) and what it means for forgiveness strategies, to new federal loan limits and whether private loans can fill the funding gap for future grad and professional students, we're breaking down what these shifts mean for current borrowers, schools, and anyone about to finance an advanced degree.Key moments:(03:59) Evaluating student loan options(09:08) Financial aid challenges for “stopped out,” current and repeat students(15:38) Concerns about student loan forgiveness(20:21) Tuition discount rates in educationLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

Scroll through any financial feed, and you'll eventually hit the same pitch: AUM (assets under management) fees are a ripoff, and only foolish high earners pay them. We think that framing bends the math to sell you something, so we’re breaking down why AUM fees have become the villain in personal finance marketing and giving you a real test for judging whether any advisor is worth the cost.Key moments:(03:56) Fees should be judged against service value(14:43) Separating bad service from bad fee models(17:23) Flat-fee comparisons can exaggerate AUM costs(28:02) Busyness and inertia create financial planning mistakesResources mentioned: Vanguard Advisor’s Alpha studyLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:The SLP YouTube ChannelIf you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplanner

You've heard of HENRYs, high earners who are not rich yet. But what if you're a high earner with six figures in student loan debt on top of it? That's a SHENRY, and the path to wealth looks different when a 401(k), a 457, an HSA, and a $300,000 loan balance are all competing for the same paycheck. We walk through the five moves SHENRYs can make to accelerate wealth growth, from maximizing tax-advantaged accounts to using income-driven repayment as a cash flow tool to getting more out of the degree you already paid for.Key moments:(07:24) Wealth move 1: Max out tax-advantaged accounts(08:03) Wealth move 2: Weaponize income-driven repayment(09:09) Wealth move 3: Open a brokerage account early(11:12) Wealth move 4: Use professional loan programs to optimize housing moves(14:25) Wealth move 5: Two ways to maximize the value of your degreeLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:The SLP YouTube ChannelIf you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplannerTips I Can't Share PubliclyGetting our free newsletter? Upgrade your experience and discover student loan loopholes so good, they might get repealed if I talk about them publicly. Find out my very best thought leadership that I really just can't be open about anymore, unfortunately. If you want to get our very best tips, not just the ones that I can share for free. Go to studentloanplanner.com/insider to get a special discount for your year membership.

A brand new income-driven repayment (IDR) plan is coming, and the rules are stricter than anything borrowers have dealt with before. We break down what we know about the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP): who qualifies, how payments are calculated, and the deadlines you may need to beat before older plans like Pay As You Earn (PAYE) close their doors. If you have federal loans and want to make the right move during this transition window, this is where to start.Key moments:(03:57) Checking your loan types and RAP eligibility(06:38) How RAP payments are calculated(10:44) Unpaid interest subsidy and other RAP features(18:26) RAP’s 30-year forgiveness and how it impacts PSLFResource mentioned: Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) CalculatorLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:The SLP YouTube ChannelIf you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplannerFree Student Loan newsletterIf you are not already getting our weekly newsletter every Thursday, you are missing out. We break down studio loan news, updates, money tips, all in one helpful newsletter. Sign up for free at https://studentloanplanner.com/newsletter

Since the One Big Beautiful Bill, the final student loan regulations have started landing, and we're seeing the real-world fallout in consultations every single day. We bring you what that looks like from the front lines: the latest ATF update on IDR backlogs, PSLF buyback wait times, and forgiveness eligibility checks, plus a few other things worth watching. We also cover the consolidation trap new grads need to avoid, Parent PLUS loans showing up on files where they don't belong, and what the July 1 deadline really means if you're still stuck on SAVE.Key moments:(01:52) Why the ATF lawsuit updates matter for IDR and PSLF backlogs(04:06) How forgiveness timing could trigger bigger tax bills in 2027(08:36) 88,000 pending PSLF buyback applicants, duplicate applications, and delays(12:14) Parent PLUS loan confusion: When your file shows loans you never took out(20:10) Why new grads should think hard before consolidating, and how it can lock you into a 30-year planLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:Want more? Check out our other podcastStarting to think beyond your student loans? Check out our other show, Financially Free Era. It's about what comes next, investing, building wealth, and designing a life you actually want. Find "Financially Free Era by SLP Wealth" in your podcast app.Tips I Can't Share PubliclyGetting our free newsletter? Upgrade your experience and discover student loan loopholes so good, they might get repealed if I talk about them publicly. Find out my very best thought leadership that I really just can't be open about anymore, unfortunately. If you want to get our very best tips, not just the ones that I can share for free. Go to studentloanplanner.com/insider to get a special discount for your year membership.

Grad PLUS loans are going away, and the phase-out is going to create one of the strangest stretches in the history of student loan financing. If you're enrolled in a graduate or professional degree program, about to start one, or know someone who is, the new borrowing limits taking effect July 1, 2026, will reshape how you pay for school and how you'll repay later. Learn about the new borrowing caps, the orphaned group of borrowers caught in between, why taking a leave of absence could cost you everything, and what the coming wave of private lending chaos means for your wallet.Key moments:(01:44) Why taking a leave of absence could lock some students out of crucial loans(06:19) When high-cost programs only stay open to the wealthy(07:39) Why private loans won't fill every funding gap(14:23) How shrinking loan money could reshape (or close) schoolsLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:Tips I Can't Share PubliclyGetting our free newsletter? Upgrade your experience and discover student loan loopholes so good, they might get repealed if I talk about them publicly. Find out my very best thought leadership that I really just can't be open about anymore, unfortunately. If you want to get our very best tips, not just the ones that I can share for free. Go to studentloanplanner.com/insider to get a special discount for your year membership.

The new federal student loan regulations are about to throw a wrench into grad and professional borrowers’ repayment options, and we’re tackling some of the most pressing questions borrowers are calling in with. We break down why one loan disbursed after July 2026 can flip somebody from a clear forgiveness path to being stuck in a repayment plan that costs you double (or more). You’ll also learn strategies for handling PSLF account issues, navigating income certification if your income drops, and the mental health toll all these changes might take. Key moments:(01:23) Why a single loan disbursed after July can potentially double your total repayment(08:54) Using pay stubs vs. tax returns to certify IDR plan income(15:26) Mental health, financial hopelessness, and why no student loan situation is truly unrecoverable(24:21) Calculating physician debt-to-income ratio for PSLF as a resident vs. attending(28:53) Why federal loan caps will trigger chaos in grad school funding and may force program closures or major tuition shiftsLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:Tips I Can't Share PubliclyGetting our free newsletter? Upgrade your experience and discover student loan loopholes so good, they might get repealed if I talk about them publicly. Find out my very best thought leadership that I really just can't be open about anymore, unfortunately. If you want to get our very best tips, not just the ones that I can share for free. Go to studentloanplanner.com/insider to get a special discount for your year membership. Want more? Check out our other podcastStarting to think beyond your student loans? Check out our other show, Financially Free Era. It's about what comes next, investing, building wealth, and designing a life you actually want. Find "Financially Free Era by SLP Wealth" in your podcast app.

Everyone's wondering whether AI is coming for their job (or wallet), so it's fair to ask how close AI tools are to replacing a real human student loan advisor or even your future career. We get into why some professions may weather the AI storm better than others, what the superstar effect means for your career (and your loans), and how upcoming policy changes like the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will shake up borrowing limits, the decision between federal versus private loans, and long-term strategy.We also share where human advice will always matter, and what all this means for you if you're managing loans, borrowing for school, or about to choose a degree.Key moments:(03:43) Comparing new AI models for real-life financial analysis(05:20) The “superstar effect” and how AI will widen the gap between top and average earners(09:54) Why real human expertise still matters most for high-stakes student loan decisions(12:45) Upcoming federal loan limits, Parent PLUS problems, and the likely chaos from the One Big Beautiful Bill ActLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:Free Student Loan newsletterIf you are not already getting our weekly newsletter every Thursday, you are missing out. We break down studio loan news, updates, money tips, all in one helpful newsletter. Sign up for free at https://studentloanplanner.com/newsletterThe SLP YouTube ChannelIf you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplanner

What happens when forgiven student debt becomes taxable income again? That’s the “tax bomb” we’re breaking down this week — why it’s coming back, who could get caught by surprise and what you can actually do about it (even if Congress keeps punting the ball down the road). We’ll get into 20- and 25-year forgiveness for private-sector folks, insolvency exclusions and why the whole mess falls hardest on servicers and borrowers. We also talk about the real-world impact of recent rule changes, state-level quirks and my predictions for what might (and might not) change after 2026.Key moments:(00:42) Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) stays tax-free(02:59) Who needs to worry about the tax bomb(13:12) Using insolvency exclusions to lower (or wipe out) your student loan tax bill(16:15) Why we expect Congress to make student loan forgiveness permanently tax-free in the futureLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:Want more? Check out our other podcastStarting to think beyond your student loans? Check out our other show, Financially Free Era. It's about what comes next, investing, building wealth, and designing a life you actually want. Find "Financially Free Era by SLP Wealth" in your podcast app.Tips I Can't Share PubliclyGetting our free newsletter? Upgrade your experience and discover student loan loopholes so good, they might get repealed if I talk about them publicly. Find out my very best thought leadership that I really just can't be open about anymore, unfortunately. If you want to get our very best tips, not just the ones that I can share for free. Go to studentloanplanner.com/insider to get a special discount for your year membership.

A candid look at what our student loan experts are seeing in real-time consultations. The throughline: borrowers need to pull their heads out of the sand because too many are sitting on consolidation deadlines, surprise recertifications, and PSLF misconceptions that could cost them years of credit. The conversation moves from urgent Parent PLUS deadlines to PSLF edge cases, then to disability planning and ABLE accounts — every topic drawn from patterns the team is seeing across recent consults.Key moments:(03:47) Parent PLUS borrowers must consolidate before July 1 to preserve IDR access(08:09) Servicers are pulling tax data months early — revoke IRS consent to control your recertification(22:29) Big Beautiful Bill removes IBR's hardship test, reopening PSLF for high earners(36:13) Disability creates two tracks: IDR recalculation for income drops, or Total and Permanent Disability Discharge(42:07) ABLE accounts let families save for disability expenses with tax-free growth, and 529 funds can roll inResources mentioned: StudentAid.gov - official Federal Student Aid site for IDR, consolidation, PSLF, disability discharge, and more Like the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:The SLP YouTube ChannelIf you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplannerFree Student Loan newsletterIf you are not already getting our weekly newsletter every Thursday, you are missing out. We break down studio loan news, updates, money tips, all in one helpful newsletter. Sign up for free at https://studentloanplanner.com/newsletter