Have the chances of student loan debt cancellation increased in recent weeks? Yes. But it isn’t that simple. Join me as I discuss the possibility of student loan debt cancellation, what it could mean for your repayment strategy, and why I think the looming legal battle over cancellation would create chaos. In today’s episode, you'll find out: Listener question: How your income impacts your IDR plan when filing taxes separately if you’re married Listener question: Should you pay extra on your loa...
May 11, 2021•50 min•Ep. 128
It’s a consultant takeover! All of the ladies of Student Loan Planner, Lauryn Williams, Meagan Landress, and Molly Laughter, are talking more about the mental health survey. There’s more to student debt than managing the numbers, and they’re going to unpack the challenges women face when they are up against student loan debt and while navigating life in general. In today’s episode, you'll find out: What is the mental health survey The biggest factor in mental wellness when you have student loan ...
May 04, 2021•38 min•Ep. 127
Want the secret to life with student loans? Join me as I talk with senior consultant Lauryn Williams on seven key life goals that should take priority over your student loans, whatever your circumstances in life. That’s not to say you should let your loans go into default while going after your goals, but we don’t recommend you sacrifice your dreams because of student loans. There is a better way! In today’s episode, you'll find out: Why sacrificing your goals isn’t as effective as you might thi...
Apr 27, 2021•49 min•Ep. 126
Student loan borrowers face enormous mental health challenges. Our mental health survey of student loan borrowers found that 1 out of every 14 borrowers considered suicide because of their student loans. Listen in as Student Loan Advisor and consultant Meagan Landress CSLP® and I tackle the tough topic of mental health burdens that many borrowers experience. We’re discussing the results of our survey, sharing our thoughts on the various factors that may be contributing to these issues, and our a...
Apr 20, 2021•55 min•Ep. 125
Join me and special guest Christie Arkovich who has specialized in helping clients get through financial hardships since 1995. Christie was a champion of the student loan system working for Sallie Mae during the early stages of her career but came to realize that the system is broken. We talk about her work for Sallie Mae and why she “switched sides” to help borrowers navigate the many complexities of the student loan industry. In today’s episode, you'll find out: How student loans used to work ...
Apr 13, 2021•49 min•Ep. 124
If you’re someone with a lot of student loan debt, you’re probably more familiar with the negatives around interest rates. But borrowing money isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and interest rates are a much more interesting and important topic than you might think. I’ll break down what interest rates are, why they’ve been rising steadily in recent months, and give you some guidance on making big decisions that will impact your financial future. In today’s episode, you'll find out: How interest rate...
Apr 06, 2021•52 min•Ep. 123
With so much conflicting information out there about the student loan crisis, it literally pays to have some healthy skepticism when asking for guidance on your specific situation. Listen in as I share the five types of groups who you should be slow to trust when it comes to their advice on your student debt. In today’s episode, you'll find out: Why some businesses don’t prioritize finding you the best strategy When it pays to make things a little more complicated When double debt rules and doub...
Mar 30, 2021•50 min•Ep. 122
The American Rescue Plan, signed into law on March 11, makes student loan forgiveness tax-free until the end of 2025. That’s a big deal for borrowers on long-term forgiveness. I talk about the implications of this game-changing provision and addresses several potential questions and concerns from our listeners. In today’s episode, you'll find out: What to know about the American Rescue Plan as it pertains to student loan debt Who is eligible for tax-free student loan forgiveness under this new l...
Mar 23, 2021•43 min•Ep. 121
Wondering what’s going on with the financial markets? I’m joined by consultants Rob Bertman CFA, CFP® and one of our newest consultants, Molly Laughter MBA, CFA, CFP® to examine whether we’re in a bubble. The three of us have a variety of experiences handling billions of investment dollars. We’re doing a technical deep dive into what is going on with the financial markets and what the investment landscape in general is currently like. And most importantly, talking about what it all means for inv...
Mar 16, 2021•47 min•Ep. 120
Did someone say “tax party?” I’m joined by Lauryn, Meagan and Dan, one of our newest consultants, on the podcast to discuss taxes. We talk about 2020 taxes and things to keep in mind as 2021 unfolds, including the student loan interest deduction, best practices for your traditional or Roth IRA in 2021, how to make full use of the small business deduction, what you need to know about married filing separately versus married filing jointly and much more. In today’s episode, you'll find out: Challe...
Mar 09, 2021•44 min•Ep. 119
When President Biden was asked at his first town hall whether he would forgive at least $50,000 of student loan debt, he quickly responded, “I will not make that happen.” The president is in support of canceling $10k for borrowers, but there’s a catch. Student Loan Planner Consultant Meagan Landress joins me to unpack why the president said what he did, what it means and what borrowers might expect in the next four years. In today’s episode, you'll find out: How President Biden addresses the que...
Mar 02, 2021•46 min•Ep. 118
Do you wonder if you made the right decision to go into the field you did? After investing years of time and effort, along with hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loan debt, do you ask yourself “is the grass greener on the other side?” Join me as I take a deep dive into what peak happiness might look like, how to deal with job regret and the perfect income to achieve maximum happiness as a student loan borrower. In today’s episode, you'll find out: What is “the grass is greener syndrome...
Feb 23, 2021•59 min•Ep. 117
A big focus of our podcast is maximizing loan forgiveness when you owe a lot more than you earn in student loans. But what if your income grew to a point where it would cost more if you stuck with forgiveness? Should you abandon student loan forgiveness? Join me as I discuss all you need to consider when making the decision to pay off your loan and abandon forgiveness. In today’s episode, you'll find out: How much money you need to make to consider abandoning loan forgiveness Why you should not ...
Feb 16, 2021•52 min•Ep. 116
What do student loans have in common with the Budweiser Clydesdales? You know, those massive and powerful bay-colored draught horses that you see in Bud advertisements? Forgive the analogy, but you are a Clydesdale. You have more power than you think to steer your professional and, yes, financial destiny. Join me as I make the case that you may be underestimating your ability to handle the load of student loan debt by discussing why our student loan system is, literally, an income tax you can bu...
Feb 09, 2021•46 min•Ep. 115
President Biden extended the student loan interest and payment freeze for federal student loans on the first day of his presidency. Find out what the freeze means and how you may be affected by it. I’ll also talk about the long- and short-term implications of refinancing your student loans in this environment and if you should take advantage of the low interest rates and break down the student loan legislation we might see from the Biden administration in the future. In today’s episode, you'll f...
Feb 02, 2021•58 min•Ep. 114
After navigating the system and successfully applying for financial aid, New York Times columnist, personal finance expert and author, Ron Lieber made it his life’s mission to demystify the complexity and help students and their families discover smart ways that they can “beat the system” to get the best value at a reasonable cost. We also discuss his book, The Price You Pay for College, that was released today. In today’s episode, you'll find out: How colleges financially take advantage of inco...
Jan 26, 2021•44 min•Ep. 113
It’s no secret that student loan debt affects people’s lives — and not in a good way. The ever-increasing student loan debt is a major cause of frustration and stress for many college graduates in America. Why is that? Who benefits from student loan complexity? Join me as I discuss why you need to know the complexity behind student loans and who are the biggest beneficiaries. In today’s episode, you'll find out: Why you need to know the complexity behind student loans How student loan complexity...
Jan 19, 2021•40 min•Ep. 112
2020 was a strange and unprecedented year for the entire world. But especially for the United States, it seemed like everything that could go wrong went wrong in 2020. And though we have been thoroughly tested, we remain hopeful for a better future. So how can we invest wisely and create wealth despite the commotion in the world around us? In today’s episode, you'll find out: If you would have known what would happen, what would you have done differently in 2020? How the Dow Jones performed in l...
Jan 12, 2021•30 min•Ep. 111
More than half of college attendees in the US take out student loans. Imagine saving your kids from the financial burden of student loans without being super-rich. It’s possible with a 529 plan. In this episode, I talk about 529 plans, how they work and why they’re a smart way to save for you kids’ college education. In today’s episode, you'll find out: What a 529 plan is The two types of 529 plans to consider How to save your kids from the burden of student loans How much to save each month to ...
Jan 05, 2021•34 min•Ep. 110
We’ve created over 5,000 custom student loan repayment strategies for clients. In this episode, I’m sharing the best repayment tips by occupation. Find out what most borrowers in your profession do with their student loans and how best to pay them off. In today’s episode, you'll find out: The one repayment strategy people don’t talk about The best student loan tip for physicians How filing taxes can save you money on student loans Why dentist student loan debt varies so much How to make the most...
Dec 29, 2020•43 min•Ep. 109
One of the most critical decisions you have to make as a student loan borrower is where to live and work. Join me as I talk about how the location you choose greatly influences your income, your costs and the opportunities available to you for paying back your student loans. The key is to optimize your loan plan for what you want and design your student loans around your life goals. In today’s episode, you'll find out: How location impacts whether you should refinance The best cities for student...
Dec 22, 2020•40 min•Ep. 108
It doesn't matter how good you are with the sword if you are up against an artillery of guns and other munitions. In the same way, you cannot approach your student loan debt the same way your 60-year-old uncle or your parents approached it. Here’s how to take advantage of the new weapons in the war on student loan debt. In today’s episode, you'll find out: How WWI compares to student loan debt today How to make big money as a professional The argument against “suck it up and pay your student deb...
Dec 15, 2020•49 min•Ep. 107
Lots of topics to cover in this episode - I answer reader questions about student loan repayment and the best strategies for dental specialists. We also dive into what I think about the chance of Biden forgiving student loan debt and what that could mean for your taxes, and we have an interview with Justin Sloan, CFA, CFP, about asset allocation and the best way to save for retirement. In today’s episode, you'll find out: Why dental specialists have higher student loan debt than other borrowers ...
Dec 08, 2020•37 min•Ep. 106
Your student loan balance at the end of your program can balloon more than you thought you’d end up with. Find out how that happens, why I think America’s first $700,000 dental degree is worth it and why your student loan debt doesn’t matter as much as you think. In today’s episode, you'll find out: The hidden cost of higher education How tuition inflation impacts students How much accrued interest adds to your loan Why your loans balloon so much while you’re in school How to calculate tuition i...
Dec 01, 2020•40 min•Ep. 105
If you’re facing a potential salary decrease due to decreasing insurance reimbursement rates, you can start to worry about paying your student loans. In this episode, I talk about steps to take to mitigate the impact and what you can do if you’re in this situation. I also cover lessons you can learn about managing your student loans from Trump’s finances. Find out how to lower your tax liability and save money on your student loans using lessons from Trump’s tax records. In today’s episode, you'...
Nov 24, 2020•44 min•Ep. 104
Each state is working to certify the official election results, but we have an apparent winner in President-Elect Joe Biden. Given the history of Obama-Biden student loan policies, it’s likely that we’ll see some progressive changes that could affect the future of student loans. Here are seven things that a Biden administration may try to achieve, and my thoughts on how that could affect the treatment of student loan debt going forward. In today’s episode, you'll find out: What a Biden administr...
Nov 17, 2020•53 min•Ep. 103
People love retirement accounts. If I had a dollar for every time someone got excited about contributing to their backdoor Roth IRA, I would probably be a millionaire. While it’s great energy to have, it’s not that important to your long-term financial future. In this episode, I share my thoughts on why your retirement accounts don’t matter nearly as much as you think. In today’s episode, you'll find out: Reader question: Are student loan repayment grants worth it? Reader question: Two key diffe...
Nov 10, 2020•39 min•Ep. 102
With the election looming, we’re all anxious about what might happen. And with that, a public service announcement: If you haven’t voted, please go vote! Regardless of who wins, there are risks to your finances post-election. I’m sharing the five biggest risks that you should pay attention to - and how to overcome them - once the election season is over. In today’s episode, you'll find out: How candidate policy changes could impact your finances Why you shouldn’t worry about finishing your educa...
Nov 03, 2020•37 min•Ep. 101
For this milestone 100th episode, I’m joined by all four consultants. Because we’re just one week away from the election, I’m talking with them about the election and what we expect could happen to your student loans regardless of who wins the 2020 presidential election. In this episode, you'll find out: A recap of Travis’ paternity leave Travis’ preferred brand of diapers for his new baby The difference between a “trip” and “vacation” when you’re a parent The probability of there being a “blue ...
Oct 27, 2020•41 min•Ep. 100
Justin Harvey, CFP®, and Rob Bertman, CFA, CFP®, explore income-driven repayment (IDR) plans, how each can affect your financial future, and strategies to help you maximize your student loan repayment and keep more money in your pocket. In today’s episode, you'll find out: What the IDR payment cap is and what plans have one Which IDR plans are best for physicians and other high-earning professionals How the Standard Repayment Plan can factor into your IDR plan Which plan is best if you expect a ...
Oct 20, 2020•38 min•Ep. 99
