Jacki Liautaud

Affording Higher Education

November 12, 2020 By Jacki Liautaud

College comes with a big bill – here are some tips on how to make it more affordable.

$1.6 Trillion Student Loan Debt

The Federal Reserve estimates that Americans held $1.6 trillion in student loan debt as of the second quarter 2020. According to the Investor Education Foundation, nearly 50% of Americans who have student loan debt regret not choosing a cheaper college.

A 4-year college education may cost over $150,000. According to the College Board (link opens in new tab), for the 2019-20 school year, average tuition and fees for a public 4-year out of state university was $26,820, and room and board cost $11,510.

How can I minimize out of pocket costs for college?

There may be actions you can take to minimize your out of pocket costs for college.

Begin saving now. If your student is still several years from college, consider contributing to a 529 plan. These plans are tax advantaged when used for college expenses. After tax contributions are made, but when withdrawn for educational purposes, the growth is tax-free. Take advantage of the time-value of money by starting to contribute when your child is young. Ask your financial advisor for additional details.
Check out this post on giving the gift of education.

For Older Children

Examine your family’s assets. Often, assets in the student’s name are expected to be depleted first towards college expenses. Regarding family assets, typically a parent’s primary home principal and retirement accounts are excluded from consideration.
Look into grants and scholarships which don’t need to be repaid. Many organizations offer special grants and scholarships that your student may qualify for. Ask the guidance counselor at your student’s high school for suggestions.
Complete the FAFSA or CCS financial aid request forms. These forms typically use tax returns from 2 years earlier. If your family’s situation has materially changed since then, you’ll need to complete additional paperwork from the school.
Get a job. Encourage your high schooler to get an after school job. By working on weekends and over holidays, they can save up money towards college, and learn valuable life skills in the process, including time management, responsibility, and hard work.

Discuss Expectations

Maybe most important, have a serious, realistic conversation with your student to discuss expectations with your student before they get their heart set on a school that’s unaffordable. Talk to your student about what your family may be able to contribute towards their college costs.

Many experts recommend only taking out as much in student loans as the student expects to earn in a year after they graduate. Others say future monthly payments should only consume 10% of after tax take home pay. For example, a graduate earning $50,000 might afford a monthly payment of $270, or college debt of about $26,000 at the current undergraduate federal student loan interest rate of 4.53%.

Either way, talk with your student about the cost of college, the implications of student loans, and what’s realistic given your family’s budget and situation.

Get an Associate’s Degree First

A two-year associate’s degree from a local community or junior college is typically significantly lower than the cost of a 4-year school. Students can transfer to a more prestigious 4-year school to complete their degree, while getting the prerequisites out of the way in a more affordable manner.

Consider the Trades

A 4-year college degree is not the best route for every person. Becoming a skilled tradesperson could be a great alternative for some. Mike Rowe, famous for his tv shows and podcasts, started the Mike Rowe Works Foundation (link opens in new tab) to give scholarships to people interested in getting educated in the trades. From their website: “We recognize that a good education doesn’t always require a four-year degree. That’s why we look for people who aren’t afraid to learn a useful skill and work their butts off.”

Let’s get started talking about your goals!

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Estate Planning for Everyone

November 5, 2020 By Jacki Liautaud

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

Take some action steps to get your financial estate in order.

Estate Planning For All Ages

I’d like to offer a reminder to make sure your estate affairs are in order. In today’s environment, having your estate and financial matters organized can help if your or a loved one’s health were to be compromised. Estate planning isn’t just for older people!

When you think of estate planning, you might immediately think of a will and/or trust. These are typically the first documents to be prepared, and can help you decide how your assets will be distributed, not the state. Consult an estate planning attorney to get started. I can offer referrals for Chicago-area attorneys who do this work – use the Contact Us form to send me a message.

Beyond a will, here are some other considerations

In addition to a will, there are several other areas of estate planning to consider. Here are some of them:

Powers of attorney for health care and financial matters. These documents give authority to a loved one in the event that you are incapacitated. Often when drafting a will, attorneys will also provide these documents for you to complete and sign. Make sure yours are up to date and properly reflect your wishes. Contact an attorney for assistance.
Beneficiaries on retirement accounts. If you have a retirement account (such as an IRA, Roth IRA, 401k, 403b), you have the ability to select a beneficiary who inherits these assets directly. Check your accounts to be sure your beneficiary is identified. And, if you don’t have a Contingent beneficiary listed, consider adding those in the event that your primary beneficiary predeceases you.
Passwords. Store your usernames and passwords in a safe place and let your family know where they are. This includes the password to your smartphone, online photos, and social media accounts, in addition to your banking and other financial relationships.

I am not an attorney and this information is not intended as legal advice. Consult with an attorney for your specific situation.

Reach out for a financial affairs summary sheet

I have a summary sheet that outlines a variety of financial documents and other materials to collect and have on hand in a physical folder. These materials can help your loved ones know where to go for all the important financial matters. It takes some time to assemble the documentation, but it can be very beneficial in a time of need. Reach out via this website’s Contact Us page if you’d like a copy of the financial affairs summary sheet.

Let’s get started talking about your goals!

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The Post-Covid Future of Education

October 15, 2020 By Jacki Liautaud

Post-pandemic, what might college education look like and how much might it cost?

College Education in the Post-Covid World

As I write this, we are still in the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic, and it’s early in the school year. Many students of all ages remain at home doing remote learning. But there are also many college students across the country who have returned to campus.

Mounting Financial Pressure

Colleges and universities seem to be facing mounting financial pressure to open up campus, and keep their students on campus even if they are remote learning from their dorm rooms. It’s no wonder. According to the College Board (link opens in new tab), for the 2019-20 school year, average tuition and fees for a public 4-year out of state university was $26,820, and room and board cost $11,510. If school is in session for about 8 months, that’s a monthly cost of $4,791.

College Board also examines how much college expenses increase year over year. According to the same study, public 4-year out of state schools cost of attendance increased by 2.5% from the 2018-19 school year to the 2019-20 school year. In 2019, the average US inflation rate was 1.8% (link opens in new tab), meaning that college costs increased over 38% more than inflation, in just one year.

How can colleges continue having prices like this, if they are only offering remote learning? A major benefit of a college education cited can be considered the experience of living away from home while still in somewhat of a controlled environment – a chance to “practice” being an independent member of society away from your parents. Another major benefit of college is also the relationships students build with each other and mentorships with professors. How can relationships be built in a remote learning environment?

On top of these challenges, and with so many other critical societal and financial factors, fundraising has to be a challenge for many universities at this time. Schools that may have been hanging on before, are now even more impacted since their alumni may no longer be able to support the school with donations at their typical level.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

So how is a university going to cope? Many schools are discontinuing less popular majors or eliminating whole departments. My alma mater, small liberal arts John Carroll University in Ohio, recently announced (link opens in new tab) the dissolution of the art history department to much student and alumni dismay. But if it’s a choice between eliminating a department or two, vs the whole school being closed, it’s understandable for administrators to choose the latter. But how many of these liberal arts majors can be eliminated before it negatively impacts the entire education offered at the school?

The Future of Higher Education

This New York Times article (link opens in new tab) is from May 2020, and predicts that just a handful of universities will remain after Covid-19 and the move to remote learning. A different perspective, here (link opens in new tab), written by a New York University professor outlines some of the financial impacts felt even by Harvard, but also identifies potential bright spots in remote learning. There are some fascinating and thought-provoking insights to consider, and only time will tell the true long-term outcome of the Covid-19 pandemic on higher education.

It’s too soon to tell, in my opinion, whether remote learning will spark a revolution in how a college education is offered, and the associated costs. But I believe it’s coming.

Let’s get started talking about your goals!

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Financial Mindfulness and Covid-19

October 8, 2020 By Jacki Liautaud

Covid-19 can teach us about mindfulness by helping align our lives with our values.

What Covid-19 can teach us about mindfulness

Mid-March, 2020. States across the country announced massive economic shutdowns in order to slow the spread of Covid-19. We ran to the store and bought up toilet paper and canned goods, then we hunkered down at home, yelled at our children to get back to “school” (the kitchen table), and wiped down every package from the grocery store with bleach.

In the months that have passed since then, so much about our world has changed. Everyone wonders when 2020 will ever end. It’s been 7 months that feels like an eternity. Many people have been tragically affected by the loss of life and health. My heart goes out to all who have been affected in these terrible ways.

In the midst of this tragedy, there are wonderfully beautiful things that have arisen, if we just take the time to look carefully and mindfully. Here are a few financial-oriented examples of people turning challenges into reasons to be grateful during these very difficult months:

During March/April, American’s savings rates (link opens in new tab) increased significantly due to the lockdown. Some of my clients used that savings to make significant payments to student loans, pay off credit cards, and accumulate rainy day funds.
My business owner clients have shown resourcefulness that reinforces my view that an entrepreneurial spirit is one of the backbones strengthening our American culture. They gave themselves pay cuts or paid themselves last. They offered work-from-home stipends to help their employees continue working, from home. They pivoted their business models and developed new ways of delivering their services – all over an incredibly short period of time. I asked some of my clients the question, What would it take for the pandemic to be the greatest thing that happened to your business? And many of them answered by making their businesses stronger and more profitable than ever. They figured out a need consumers had, and developed creative ways of meeting that need.
Some of my clients expressed a strong desire to give back, beyond anything they had previously articulated. They gave loved ones meaningful gifts. They gave their time and financial assistance to specific causes or charities. In recognition of their own blessings, they wanted to offer up to others that blessing. Personally, I’ve given money to several organizations and causes during this time, including local restaurants Go Fund Me pages, the Council for Economic Education (link opens in new tab) and Association of African American Financial Advisors (link opens in new tab).
Many people are changing their lives to align more with their values. My friend moved to rural Wisconsin for the space and outdoor recreation, after wanting to leave the city for years. Another family is moving to the south to be closer to her parents and sister. Still another family is making a retirement dream of living abroad their reality now while in their 40s. Personally, I spent almost 3 months this summer working from our family’s lake home where my son was cared for by my parents and played with cousins every day, building relationships that I hope will last a lifetime.
More people than ever seem to be concerned about being good stewards of their financial affairs. They have old employer retirement programs; they have recently inherited money; they have a job that remains stable despite all the year’s disruptions; they are starting a business after losing their job due to Covid-19. The uncertainty caused by Covid-19 has prompted these individuals to reach out to a financial advisor to talk about their personal situation. Now more than ever it seems important to get financial affairs in order. And more people reaching out means more families I might be able to help.

It can be easy to get down about so many things happening in the world right now – the world can feel like a scary place, filled with uncertainty and hate. But if we look a little closer and deeper, beyond social media and attention-getting headlines, we can see the good.

My America is made up of neighbors who rake each other’s leaves and hold the door when my arms are full of groceries; daughters who move across the country to be closer to their parents; grandparents who give up their free time to help their grandchildren with remote learning; and kind people everywhere. It just takes a bit of mindfulness to see it.

What has Covid-19 shown you about changes you might want to make in your life?

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Lily Pads and Investing

October 1, 2020 By Jacki Liautaud

I visited the Art Institute of Chicago this weekend, which is hosting a special exhibition on Monet and Chicago (link opens in new tab). What a treat to learn about the special connection Chicago has to Monet, and see his gorgeous peaceful paintings of water lilies, bridges, and light. Which got me to thinking about a brain teaser I once read about lily pads.

What can lily pads teach us about investing?

There’s a riddle about lily pads that can provide a great example of the value of compounding in investing.

Here’s the riddle: A pond has lily pads growing on it, and the lily pads double in size every day. After 30 days, the lily pad completely covers the pond. At what day do the lily pads cover half the pond?

“Day 15” is probably the most common and quickest response. But in fact, if the lily pad doubles in size daily, the day it covers half the pond must be Day 29.

This riddle is interesting because it’s an example of exponential growth, not linear growth. Linear growth is easy for our brains to understand: 1, 2, 3, 4. Exponential growth is harder to visualize, and so it’s harder to estimate accurately.

There’s a blog post here (link opens in new tab) that covers this in more detail.

Investing money can help it grow exponentially

The parallel between investing and the lily pad in the riddle above is the power of exponential growth.

Here’s a chart that illustrates the value of compound growth.

The orange striped section represents the compound investment growth that can occur over time, while the blue portion represents the money a person contributed. You can see that over 30 years, the size of the orange portion is significantly more than the blue portion.

This is an illustration only, and does not represent actual performance or investment advice. From this example, though, you can get an idea of how you can put time to work for your financial goals.

In the first few years, the orange investment return portion of the bars is virtually insignificant, and the blue contributions far outpace the investment return. As the years go by, however, the orange portion shows how the contributions have been able to grow over time due to compounding.

Start saving today for the future

This is why it’s so important to get started investing in your future retirement, today. Even if you don’t think you can afford to save now because your salary is low, your debt is high, etc., turn this idea around: you can’t afford NOT to start saving for retirement now.

Let’s get started talking about your goals!

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