I am curious how people here manage their kids college funds.
Took out a 529 for both kids at birth. I went with solid performing of state funds (NY and UT), as in-state funds in WA weren't stellar with returns short or long term, no income tax deduction benefit, and the in-state GET program seemed less fungible out of state than out-of-state funds are in other states).
One of my financial goals was to get my kids through college debt-free. The cost of college these days (and projected rise in costs in the future) make this almost untenable for any student, but the more I can remove a debt burden, the more I believe I can set them up in their own lives in the right way.
Been funding those MFers constantly, often at the expense of allocation towards retirement (still max out contributions in my 401k to get match and try to get to annual limits, but with my wife leaving the workforce to be a mom we'll need to work harder elsewhere to retire with an income that approximates 80%+ of current income - another goal of mine).
At this point, if most online calculators can be trusted, I'm on track to fund in-state options as well as the current average cost of private 4 yr nationally (tuition + room/board). If somehow annual cost increase percentages spike, or they get into the Ivies or a higher cost institution that aligns with their career/education interests and passions, we can have that discussion. Feel pretty great about this.
On the positive, that would prob be the end of the GOP. All we would have to is figure out how to get rid of Dems, and find a better system than this two party bull#### we have now.
I consider this all highly unlikely.
Not to bring politics into this sub, but I honestly feel the death of the GOP would benefit the country by precisely opening up more options than a 2-party system. McConnell is every bit as liable for this shutdown as Trump, the GOP are too spineless to cross lines even though it's perfectly sensible to get things moving, and the rhetoric (to be fair, on both sides of the aisle) and non-action comes fully at the expense of actual representation and governing soundly and in the best interests of the entire nation. A clean sweep is desperately needed.
But like you, I believe that to be extraordinarily unlikely -- people stick with status quo a lot more than forcing real change, even when the benefits of change far outweigh its pains. I'd like to have hope, but the machine is too far entrenched.
