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Trump Admin Moves Six Education Dept Programs As Breakup Begins Nov 21, 2025

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The Trump Administration continues its efforts to hollow out the U.S. Department of Education by sending six programs to other federal agencies. The U.S. Department of Education announced the changes in a press conference on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.

Although federal law assigns responsibility for these programs to the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is making an end-run around the law by entering into contracts with the other federal agencies to operate the programs under U.S. Department of Education oversight.

These interagency agreements (IAAs) send the six program to the following four agencies:

U.S. Department of Labor (DOL): Elementary and Secondary Education Partnership and Postsecondary Education Partnership. DOL will be responsible for grants relating to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutes (MSIs), as well as grants focused on improving student success for college students
U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI): Indian Education Partnership
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): Foreign Medical Accreditation Partnership and Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS)
U.S. Department of State (DOS): International Education and Foreign Language Studies Partnership, including programs administered under the Fulbright-Hays grant

U.S. Department of Education staff who manage these programs will be transferred to the four federal agencies.

The agreements were signed on September 30, 2025, but not announced until now. It will take several months to transfer the programs to the other federal agencies.

Strategic Default For Student Loans: What You Need to Know Nov 20, 2025

Show notes

In 2011, some protestors encouraged borrowers to refuse to repay their student loans as part of Occupy Wall Street. They said that if enough borrowers joined this protest, the lenders would have no choice but to cancel the student loan debt.

Few people participated, and even those that did only lasted for a month or two. Nobody went into default as part of this protest.

More recently, after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked President Biden’s broad student loan forgiveness plan, some student loan protestors are once again urging their fellow borrowers to intentionally default on their federal student loans as a form of debt disobedience.

This kind of strategic default on federal student loans was a dumb idea then and it is a dumb idea now.

When a borrower defaults on their federal student loans, the only one hurt is the borrower, not the federal government.

Borrowers can’t force the federal government to forgive their student loans by refusing the repay them. Borrowers have no leverage, not even if they act together as a collective.

Even if the borrowers had some leverage, the U.S. Department of Education does not have the legal authority to forgive student loans, just as it doesn’t have the authority to incarcerate defaulted borrowers. Only Congress has the ability to pass laws to forgive student loan debt.

Is There Such A Thing As A Guaranteed Return On Investment? Nov 17, 2025

Show notes

We live in a world of unprecedented consumer guarantees. When you buy a t-shirt online, you expect to be able to return the shirt if it doesn’t suit you.

If your pineapple from Aldi turns out to be rotten, you can get your money back and get a new pineapple for free.

We’re used to guarantees that protect us from all kinds of minor financial setbacks. Unfortunately, guarantees don't work the same way when it comes to investing.

If you expect a guaranteed return on your investment, your portfolio could end up underperforming (or even worse, you fall victim to an investment scam). Here’s what you need to know about guarantees when it comes to your investments.

How to Research Stocks If You're A Beginner Investor Nov 16, 2025

Show notes

Investors have likely heard that investing in stocks is a smart move for your financial future. But that’s only true if you build an investment portfolio that aligns with your financial goals.

Unfortunately, the process of investing in stocks seems shrouded in mystery for many beginners. The good news is that researching stocks doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Like all skills, you’ll need to learn the basics to get started.

Don't Trust AI With Your Personal Finances! Nov 15, 2025

Show notes

Robert was on Money Life with Chuck Jaffe this week discussing how Google AI overviews get the answer wrong over one-third of the time. This has serious consequences and you need to be mindful about what you're reading.

How To File An Amended Tax Return Nov 14, 2025

Show notes

Being on top of your finances means that financial mistakes become fewer and farther between. But tax filing happens just once per year, and it’s easy to make mistakes that lead to overpaying the IRS. When that happens, filers have the opportunity to correct their mistakes by filing IRS Form 1040-X. Once the amended return is processed, the IRS cuts overpaying taxpayers an extra refund check.

If you’ve ever made a mistake on your tax return, you may have the opportunity to correct it. We dive into how to file an amended tax return.

Tuition Reciprocity Agreements Can Help Save On College Nov 13, 2025

Show notes

College tuition can vary widely between in-state and out-of-state rates — often more than double the cost for nonresidents. To make higher education more affordable, many states have entered regional tuition reciprocity agreements.

These programs allow students from participating states to attend public colleges in neighboring states at discounted rates. While programs vary, these options offer matching in-state tuition or other big discounts to make college more affordable.

There are four major programs that serve clusters of states:

For many families, understanding these programs can open the door to colleges beyond state lines without the steep price tag.

Trump Wants $2,000 Dividend Checks For Most Americans Nov 12, 2025

Show notes

President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that his administration plans to send “a dividend of at least $2,000 per person” to most Americans, excluding high-income households. The payments would allegedly be financed entirely by tariffs collected on imported goods, rather than through borrowing or new taxes.

Trump described the initiative as both a payment to everyone and a tool to reduce the national debt, now approaching $37 trillion.

This post comes after a tough week for Trump at the Supreme Court, where his tariffs faced skepticism from multiple Supreme Court Justices.

What’s Changing For Student Loans In 2026? Nov 11, 2025

Show notes

Starting July 1, 2026, the federal student loan system will enter a new era.

A sweeping set of federal policy changes will reshape how families and graduate students borrow for college starting in 2026. The legislation, passed this summer, eliminates some long-standing loan programs and replaces them with new caps and repayment plans.

While the reforms aim to contain debt growth and improve accountability for colleges, they also mark a clear shift away from the flexible borrowing model that has defined federal student aid for years.

The Result: fewer borrowing options, stricter limits, and new tradeoffs for both students and parents.

The New Middle-Class Squeeze: Why $100K Feels Broke Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

For decades, earning six figures was seen as the turning point between “getting by” and “getting ahead.” But today, more Americans are discovering that $100,000, or even $200,000, no longer feels like financial security.

Between rising living costs, disappearing tax credits, health insurance subsidy cliffs, and inflation that still lingers, many millennial and Gen Z households earning well above the median income are wondering: Where is all the money going?

When you combine the math of what these families actually take home with other statistics, like dropping homeownership and lower savings rates, the picture becomes clear: outdated tax policies and benefit cliffs, combined with higher costs of living, are holding families back.

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