The College Investor Audio Show

Latest Episodes:

Point Financial Selling Equity In Your Home Jan 02, 2018

Show notes

Point is a HELOC alternative.

"What if you could get cash today in exchange for a share of your home's value in the future?

Most Americans have the majority of their wealth tied up in their home. This is wonderful in the long term – but does little to alleviate the cost of day-to-day living. What if there was an alternative that let you take some of the equity from your home without an additional monthly payment?"

Well, that's what Point is doing, and it has some intriguing uses - including being used as a "bridge loan" to cover the costs for buying a new house, to paying off high interest debt.

Point is offering the Home Equity Investment (HEI). It's an alternative to a HELOC. Keep reading to learn more about how it works and to see if selling equity in your home could be worth considering.

The Basics On Spousal Consolidation Student Loans Jan 01, 2018

Show notes

Spousal Consolidation student loans were offered until 2009 - when Congress finally realized this is actually a terrible idea. As of today, there are less than 1,000 spousal student loan consolidation victims left.

I’m going to briefly outline what spousal student loan consolidation is, why you might want to do it, why you might want to avoid it, and ways to change it if you have this kind of loan.

Note: The federal government ended the spousal loan consolidation program. In September 2022, Congress passed legislation to allow couples to separate their spousal consolidation loans, and President Biden signed it.

In October 2024, the application process for separating spousal consolidation loans was finally released.

What To Do If Your Child Forges Your Name For A Parent PLUS Loan Dec 29, 2017

Show notes

Parenthood is full of ups and downs, but throughout it all there is the hope that you’re raising your children right. That comes with a desire to help set your child up for a successful future. When it comes to college, that may mean taking out Parent PLUS loans to help cover the high costs of higher education.

Taking on PLUS loans is a big decision. With high interest rates and essentially no borrowing limit, parents can get themselves into trouble easily. Especially when they should be focusing on their retirement savings, parents should think long and hard before taking out loans for their kids’ college education.

But what if your child takes that into their own hands? It’s not unheard of for kids to sign up their parents for PLUS loans.

What's The Difference Between A W2 and W4 Dec 28, 2017

Show notes

If you’ve ever started a new job and wondered why you fill out one form in January and receive another the following January, you’re not alone.

The W-4 form and W-2 form are two of the most common IRS documents employees handle, and they’re closely related. The W-4 controls how much tax is taken out of each paycheck. The W-2 summarizes those details at year’s end so you can report your income and file your tax return.

Understanding how these forms work together can prevent surprises at tax time - like unexpected bills or refunds that are larger than necessary.

You Need A Budget (YNAB) Review Dec 27, 2017

Show notes

YNAB, an acronym for You Need A Budget, is an app that “gives every dollar a job” so that you can make each dollar work for you.

Just fill out the categories, and you’re ready to go!

Think you DON’T need a budget? Think again. AccordingThe Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 66% of Americans would have trouble coming up with $1,000 for an unexpected expense because they don’t have an emergency fund.

The study further reveals that families with income above $100,000 would still have trouble coming up with $1,000 for an emergency.

See why we rank YNAB as one of the best budgeting apps and software tools available today!

Hulu vs. Hulu Plus Live TV: Do You Really Need It? Dec 26, 2017

Show notes

To get or not to get: Hulu versus Hulu Plus? Do you even need it?

Well strictly speaking you don’t necessarily “need” TV but it sure is nice to be able to enjoy some good entertainment from our homes.

Hulu is an online television service that has been around for just under a decade.

When Hulu started out, it was called Fancast and you could watch replays of your favorite television shows online if you happened to miss the actual broadcast.

This service was available completely free until the middle of 2016 when Hulu switched to a paid subscription only service.

Their repertoire of programming has been expanded since then to include not just replays of your favorite TV shows but Hulu-bred originals and hit movies.

If all you are interested in is the ability to watch replays of your favorite shows or stay in on Friday nights to watch last year’s Oscar winning movies, you can get Hulu for $5.99 per month streaming on your phone, tablet or computer.

Not a bad deal at all.

3 Ways To Minimize College Debt Dec 22, 2017

Show notes

If you’re listening to this, you probably either have student loan debt or you’re about to incur student loan debt and you're looking for ways to minimize your student loans.

With student loan debt balances on the rise, your best bet is to pay off your student loan debt as quickly as possible, or better yet, stop the debt from piling up by taking the preventative measures.

Many graduates have to put their life on hold because of common student loan mistakes. Avoid making these mistakes and get rid of your student loans in 3 easy steps!

According to USA Today, up to 68% of college graduates enter the workforce with student loan debt. Our study found that the average student loan debt at graduation is roughly $30,000.

To minimize the impact, follow these 3 simple steps to avoid unnecessary debt from accumulating.

401k vs 403b - Which is Better? Dec 21, 2017

Show notes

Understanding the difference between a 401k and 403b.

How To Get A Student Loan Consolidation Loan Dec 20, 2017

Show notes

Student loan consolidation is a specific federal government program for your student loans. The word "consolidation" is different than the English meaning of many to one. So separate that in your mind as we discuss student loan consolidation.

Getting rid of student debt is high on the radars of everyone who has it. Especially so when you have your loans scattered between different student loan servicers. That's where many people think student loan consolidation comes into play.

It's not unheard of for graduates to end up with 5-6 different student loans, sometimes at different loan companies. If you take out a different loan each year of college, maybe a couple summer sessions - you could have a variety of loans at different places. Plus, consolidation could make sense in certain specific circumstances - like having old FFEL loans.

In such instances, it may be worth it to consider a student loan debt consolidation loan (a mouthful isn’t it?)

It seems like a roundabout way to go about paying your debt: I mean, you are taking out a new loan to pay off another loan. Where is the sense in that?

The reality is that, if you are currently having trouble keeping up with payments or digging yourself out of debt quicker, a debt consolidation loan may be just the solution for you. Furthermore, there are other potential benefits to taking out a consolidation loan as well (such as being able to take advantage of student loan forgiveness programs). But it's not without problems.

Let's learn more here.

FreeTaxUSA Review - A Great Bargain Dec 19, 2017

Show notes

FreeTaxUSA is one of the best tax software options to file your tax return. In fact, we think it’s so good for the price that we’re naming it the best overall tax software for 2026, for the second year in a row.

Are you a bargain hunter looking to save money while filing taxes? If so, FreeTaxUSA features one of the lowest-cost DIY tax software products available today. It offers free federal tax filing and low-cost state filing, no matter how complex your filing situation, and state filing costs $15.99. The Deluxe support plan, for $7.99 extra, includes access to live chat with tax experts, which is far less than you’d pay for similar help elsewhere.

FreeTaxUSA isn't the easiest tax filing app to use. Nonetheless, it may be a good choice for the average tax filer looking to get the best value when filing their tax return. Due to the manual form entry process, it’s not our favorite choice for active stock or crypto traders or those with many 1099 forms. However, for typical households with a W-2 or two, bank account interest, and passive investments, it’s our top pick for the 2026 tax season (for tax year 2025).

Here’s a closer look at the most important features and drawbacks of FreeTaxUSA, updated for the 2026 tax filing season, to help you decide. See how FreeTaxUSA compares to the best tax filing apps for 2026 and how this tax prep option ranks in our FreeTaxUSA review below.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The College Investor Audio Show

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected