Student Loan Debt?

[ultrarunner]

It does appear government leads when degree in any field is a requirement.

 

[kenmbz]

I used to correspond with a guy who ran a computer museum.
He was on the team at IBM that worked on the IBM PC that got selected for production.

When IBM decided to do a purge about a decade later, he was let go, he didn't have a Bachelors degree.

So fame and patents lost out to the degree.

Some of the schools we are looking at for my son are all in at $300K. Room, board, tuition etc. Scary.

 

[MossRoad]

Agreed, just had similar experience with a private college that wants my son to play football. They said the right things and offered 40k of first year scholarship, but the total cost is 65k per year. It seems like artificially high numbers to me. It’s hard to fathom anyone willing to pay $275,000 for a bachelor degree.

Have you ever met an unhappy Notre Dame graduate?

I ask, because I haven't. Might be some out there.

Average annual expected cost is around $60K for tuition and $19K for room, board, additional expenses, so around $79K. At full cost, that would be around $320K for 4 years.

Average federal loan debt of an ND grad is only $19K. So someone, somewhere is paying more so that some other one some other where is getting scholarships and assistance before taking out federal loans.

Neither the full price payers or the ones that get assistance seem to be complaining. It's all based on expected family contribution and goes to the greater good.

 

[jyoutz]

I’ve noticed many government job postings that still have the “degree in any subject” line-item in the list of qualifications, at both state and federal level. I’ve always wondered why they don’t list “degree in a relevant subject”?

Does that requirement really mean that a degree in musical theatre would differentiate a candidate from the general public for a job like corporate tax auditor?

I haven’t seen those advertisements. I know that in my field, all federal government forestry jobs have OPM standards for exactly the curriculum and degree needed to qualify for the job. And it’s the same for others whom I work with: wildlife biologists, engineers, hydrologists, etc…

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I just can't imagine sending my kid to a school knowing they will graduate with $50-$100k in debt just as they start their life. It seems like parental malpractice. Even without debt, life is expensive.

Now, they can choose to do what they wish, but I'd never sign for that loan as a parent.

 

[ultrarunner]

I just can't imagine sending my kid to a school knowing they will graduate with $50-$100k in debt just as they start their life. It seems like parental malpractice. Even without debt, life is expensive.

Now, they can choose to do what they wish, but I'd never sign for that loan as a parent.

View attachment 856131

The Income Gap is a hot topic with the solutions offered pay people more, rent control and new construction set asides plus first time home buyer grants and special loans.

Funny how when I bought the clamor was no one can afford a home with 15% mortgage interest rates... I was considered very fortunate to get a 13.5% mortgage with 20% down and 2 points.

 

[Snobdds]

I just can't imagine sending my kid to a school knowing they will graduate with $50-$100k in debt just as they start their life. It seems like parental malpractice. Even without debt, life is expensive.

Now, they can choose to do what they wish, but I'd never sign for that loan as a parent.

View attachment 856131

That is a good visual of why the younger generation will never own homes. You have to make so much money today to afford a starter home.

Something will give. But it will only happen when the boomers are gone and there is then a flood of houses on the market.

 

[Snobdds]

The Income Gap is a hot topic with the solutions offered pay people more, rent control and new construction set asides plus first time home buyer grants and special loans.

Funny how when I bought the clamor was no one can afford a home with 15% mortgage interest rates... I was considered very fortunate to get a 13.5% mortgage with 20% down and 2 points.

The asset prices were low back then. Now we have super high asset prices and 3x higher financing prices from the 15 year average.
It's a cocktail for disaster.

 

[riptides]

The Income Gap is a hot topic with the solutions offered pay people more, rent control and new construction set asides plus first time home buyer grants and special loans.

Funny how when I bought the clamor was no one can afford a home with 15% mortgage interest rates... I was considered very fortunate to get a 13.5% mortgage with 20% down and 2 points.

And to get that 20 percent down payment, I left the country for 2 plus years.

IIRC I bought down to 10 percent.

 

[ultrarunner]

The asset prices were low back then. Now we have super high asset prices and 3x higher financing prices from the 15 year average.
It's a cocktail for disaster.

I think Real Estate prices would take a sharp hit if mortgages were again 15% with 20% down and points…

 

[Snobdds]

I think Real Estate prices would take a sharp hit if mortgages were again 15% with 20% down and points…

What's the solution to this...DON'T BE AVERAGE

Over educate yourself
Over safe
Over invest

And most importantly...live below your means.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

The key really is to not be like the rest of the world. Don't buy all the **** they do. Don't keep up with them. Don't value depreciating assets. People will look at you sideways, but you'll be in a paid for home and retired while they live paycheck to paycheck until death.

I love working. I DO NOT want to be forced to as I age. And that begins in your 20s with the debt you take on.

 

[paulsharvey]

I just can't imagine sending my kid to a school knowing they will graduate with $50-$100k in debt just as they start their life. It seems like parental malpractice. Even without debt, life is expensive.

Now, they can choose to do what they wish, but I'd never sign for that loan as a parent.

View attachment 856131

The student is an adult, and can do as they see fit; but that's also one of the paradoxes. They are an adult, and can sign up for whatever loan; but the parents income counts against them until they are married, or if they get to what 25/26? Not sure why my income affects another adult?

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

The student is an adult, and can do as they see fit; but that's also one of the paradoxes. They are an adult, and can sign up for whatever loan; but the parents income counts against them until they are married, or if they get to what 25/26? Not sure why my income affects another adult?

To be fair, extending that much credit to a kid with no job or real income is insane.

 

[paulsharvey]

To be fair, extending that much credit to a kid with no job or real income is insane.

Oh yeah, 100%, but it is the students loan, the parent is not responsible. Now, what's even crazier is the Parents Plus loans or whatever they try to sell you on; and that is 100% the parents loan to repay.

 

[ultrarunner]

What's the solution to this...DON'T BE AVERAGE

Over educate yourself
Over safe
Over invest

And most importantly...live below your means.

I’ve manage to Skip quite a few… but I’m not average.

 

[MossRoad]

...I'd never sign for that loan as a parent.

We told our kids that we'd never co-sign a student loan for them. They could use their 529. They could use the set amount we had planned on giving them each year for 4 years (we planned for 5 just in case, but didn't tell them that). They could use their savings. They could work. They could take loans out on their own. But we wouldn't be on those loans.

It worked out well, both of them went to Purdue, got out debt free.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I’ve manage to Skip quite a few… but I’m not average.

I've not paid half of that on those things . Average needed for retirement is under $1M? Glad to hear it. I'm about to quit working a real job and that is already locked up.

 

[plowhog]

I’ve manage to Skip quite a few… but I’m not average.

A significant piece missing from the graphic is failed marriages. Last I knew over 50% of marriages ended in divorce, cutting assets in half.

At the time of an IPO, an associate of mine had his company stock options vest into $10M in value. He worked many years earning those.

A week later his wife filed for divorce. Now they were $5M in value, less attorney fees ....

 

[ultrarunner]

The millionaire nextdoor book reported a common theme is a good first marriage...