The College Investor Audio Show

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The Best Tax Filing Software Jan 16, 2018

Show notes

When selecting the best tax app for your annual filing, there is no “one-size-fits-all” answer. For the 2026 tax season (taxes for the 2025 tax year), we’ve reviewed the best and worst features of each online tax software program we cover, from price to ease of use and everything in between.

Overall, we love FreeTaxUSA as our number one tax software pick. The free/low price, along with the usability, is awesome for most taxpayers.

While we still like TurboTax for ease of use and Cash App Taxes for being free, we’ve reconsidered the apps we suggest for college students, investors, business owners, and beyond.

Remember, the tax filing deadline this year is Wednesday, April 15, 2026. Give yourself plenty of time to complete your tax return before the deadline. The sooner you file, the sooner you’ll get that refund!

Using A HELOC To Pay Off Your Student Loans Jan 15, 2018

Show notes

When it comes to paying for college, some parents look for alternatives like using a HELOC or home equity loan instead of student loans.

Your home’s equity can be used not only for home improvements but also for paying for college, or even paying off old student loans.

When it comes to using your home’s equity, Helen Huang, Senior Director of Product Marketing for SoFi’s mortgage products, says there are plenty of benefits, “Equity is a tool for improving your financial position. Use it to pay off higher interest credit cards or student debt, or to make high-value improvements to your home—like remodeling a kitchen. Banks need to know you can use the equity responsibly.”

To utilize your home’s equity, your bank or mortgage company creates a HELOC or home equity line of credit. You can take draws on this line up to the limit. Once the line has been created, you can continue drawing on it without the need to fill out an application each time.

Do You Have To Pay Back Grants? (Usually No, But…) Jan 12, 2018

Show notes

You typically don't have to pay back grants you receive as financial aid for college. However, there are some exceptions.

With the rising cost of college education, students pay for school using a combination of scholarships, family contributions, grants, and loans.

When you’re applying for financial aid, every dollar helps you get closer to your goals. Whether you’re attending college for the first time or returning to complete your education, take advantage of the financial aid options that are readily available to you based on your situation.

But what happens if you drop out of college? Do you have to pay back grants and other financial aid?

The U.S. Department of Education awards about $120 billion every year to help millions of students pay for college. This federal student aid is awarded in the form of grants, work-study funds, and low-interest loans.

What Is The FAFSA And How To Apply Jan 11, 2018

Show notes

Learn how to fill out the Free Application For Federal Student Aid so that you don't make a mistake that could disqualify you from financial aid for college!

What Does It Mean To Be Financially Stable Jan 10, 2018

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What exactly does it mean to be financially stable?

That question draws out as many answers are there are hues of colors in the rainbow.

Financial stability means different things to different people.

And especially now that we have entered a new year, there are a lot of us who have set goals on what our version of financial stability is.

Additionally, if we are being completely honest, even when we do know what it means to be financially, getting started and getting there can seem like moving a mountain.

We’ll tackle all of that in this post.

Before we get all technical though, we decided to ask a few folks what being “financially stable” meant to them.

Here are some of those answers.

Stockpile Review Jan 09, 2018

Show notes

Stockpile puts a unique twist on purchasing stocks. Instead of buying stocks directly, you purchase a stock gift card.

This is better than giving a toy or something else your to son or daughter that they'll eventually outgrow. And it can be great gift idea for full-grown adults too!

Owning fractional shares in popular companies like Amazon, Coca-Cola, Netflix and more gives the recipients of your the gifts the opportunity to watch their value grow over the years.

We were also happy to see Stockpile recently switch its pricing model to become a virtually fee-free stock broker. Keep reading our full review of StockPile to learn more.

Tools To Find Out How Much Your House Is Worth Jan 08, 2018

Show notes

Here's how to find out how much your house is worth.

1098-E Student Loan Interest Deduction Jan 05, 2018

Show notes

The 1098-E form is what you receive for tax season if you paid more than $600 in student loan interest last year.

Receiving a 1098-E form may allow you to deduct student loan interest on your federal tax return. This deduction can reduce your taxable income by up to $2,500, offering some financial relief for those managing student loan debt.

Today, we break down what the 1098-E is, and how it impacts your taxes so that you can potentially claim the student loan interest deduction.

ChangEd Review Use Spare Change To Pay Off Student Loans Jan 04, 2018

Show notes

Changed is an app that helps you pay off your student loans and other debt faster.

Putting extra change in a jar can accumulate into some real savings surprisingly fast. But then you have to use cash for your purchases, wrap all those save coins, and bring them to the bank to add them to your account.

But, with a large number of banks and apps, there's an easier way. Many now provide a way for customers to round up transactions in their bank account or credit card and apply to them to a savings account. It's a new spin on the change jar for the digital age.

Changed takes this concept even further by applying unused change to your student loans and other debt. By using the Changed app, it rounds up each transaction to the nearest dollar and applies the difference to your loans once $25 is reached. In this article, we’ll do a review of the Changed app.

The Best Alternatives To Quicken Jan 03, 2018

Show notes

Anyone sticking to a budget and wanting to know where their money is going most likely uses financial software. In fact, I've rarely seen someone be successful with their money without using some type of tool to help.

Now, this tool doesn't have to be software (it can be pen and paper or an Excel spreadsheet), but you need to keep track of your money somehow.

When I started managing my money in the early 2000s, Quicken was the only game in town. It had a robust set of features and tools - especially if you were an investor. In fact, even today, there are few tools that rival Quicken's investment tracking.

However, over the last several years we've seen some struggles with Quicken (especially Quicken for Mac), and other awesome tools come onto the market. Some people have been dissatisfied with Quicken's pricing, or their features. And other tools have really been upping their game.

We look at several Quicken alternatives that offer interesting features and can cost less.

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