RAP and IBR payments are set by your AGI, not your salary. Here are 10 pre-tax moves, from 401(k) and HSA contributions to a dependent care FSA, that lower both in 2026.

Find the high-yield savings account that can help you earn the most interest on your money.

Social Security's 2027 COLA is 3.6%, the largest since 2023. See what it adds to average checks and why a 22% benefit cut looms in 2032.

September inflation numbers rose 3.7% from a year ago as gas jumped 9.1%. What it means for I bond rates, the 3.6% Social Security COLA and your savings.

The OCC fined Bank of America $750 million for anti-money laundering failures, its largest penalty ever, as part of a $1.2 billion Treasury penalty action.

Estimate your PSLF Buyback lump sum with our calculator. See how IBR and PAYE set the price, the 12-month rule, and when buying back months is worth it.

Penn State recommends closing 47 of its 403 degree programs, affecting 784 students. See which majors and campuses are on the list and what happens next.

Here is the for-profit college student loan forgiveness list that qualify due to being closed or having lawsuits due to fraud.

The University of Arizona plans to freeze tuition, fees, housing and meal plans for 2027-28. See the proposed rates for resident and nonresident students.

Brookings finds most of 871 free tuition colleges relabel aid students already got, with real savings limited to families just below income cutoffs.

UC's Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan covers $15,588 in tuition and fees for California families earning under $100,000. Here's who qualifies.

The University of Oregon is cutting $65 million and closed Barnhart Hall for 2026-27 after out-of-state freshman enrollment fell short.

Texas public schools lost 76,000 students in 2025-26, the largest non-pandemic drop in decades, as birth rates fall and school choice grows.

Cleveland State University will cover tuition for Ohio students with a 3.0 GPA and family income of $125,000 or less starting fall 2027.

FAFSA assumes parents pay for college until a student turns 24. Here’s the 1986 Pell Grant rule behind it, and why the tax code uses a different test.

Saving $381 a month from age 25 at 7% gets you to $1 million by 65. See the monthly savings you need by age and return, plus the 401(k) math.

A year after most colleges rejected the Trump administration's compact, Mark Kantrowitz lays out 12 commitments Washington should make on Pell, loans and taxes.

Home Depot's free Path to Pro Skills Explorers program aims to introduce 15 million kids ages 11 to 17 to the skilled trades by 2032.

IDR-based student loan forgiveness is taxable again in 2026, and a new report says up to 3.2 million borrowers could owe. PSLF is still tax-free federally.

The dependent care FSA limit jumped to $7,500 in 2026. Here's who qualifies, what it covers, how to enroll, and how it can lower your student loan payment.

We break down the average student loan debt for each state. Find out what student debt loads look like for your state and see how you compare.

Senators Cruz and Blunt Rochester's S. 5550 would eliminate the $35,000 lifetime cap on 529-to-Roth IRA rollovers. What changes, what doesn't, and the math.

Compare today’s student loan rates and see which lenders offer the lowest APRs for October 2026.

NCAN's 2026 Affordability Gap report finds just 32% of public four-year colleges are affordable for low-income students, with an average gap of $1,801.

A fifth year at an in-state public costs about $25,850 in tuition, housing and food. Here are the six college money derailers that add cost, and how to plan around each one.

College Sports Commission data shows schools paid 34,915 athletes $1.77 billion in the first year of revenue sharing, about $50,700 each on average.

Compare today’s top high-yield savings accounts — best APYs, fees, and FDIC-insured options, updated October 5, 2026.

The U.S. college wage premium fell to its mid-1990s level from 2022 to 2026, a new study finds, with AI explaining a third as student debt hits $1.86T.

9.3 million federal borrowers are in default. Collections are paused for now. Here's how rehabilitation and consolidation work in 2026, and which one fits you.

DOJ says UCLA Law favored Black and Hispanic applicants over white and Asian ones for its 2023-2025 classes, with Black applicants getting 7x the odds.

Which universities now offer free tuition to low- and middle-income students? Read our breakdown of eligibility and schools participating.

Gallup: just 31% of Americans now say college is "very important," down from 70% in 2013, as 29% call it "not too important" amid cost concerns.

Need money to pay for college? Find out how to fill out a FAFSA step-by-step for 2027-28 and why it matters for financial aid.

The College Board says the class of 2026 averaged 1045 on the SAT, up 16 points, with gains in Reading and Writing and Math as the SAT marks 100 years.

Dependent undergrads can borrow $5,500 their first year, a limit unchanged since 2008. Here's what the caps cover, what changed in 2026, and how much to borrow.

September jobs report: employers added 29,000 jobs, unemployment hit 4.2%, and BLS cut 60,000 from July and August. Why revisions keep going down.

Student loans aren't income, interest is deductible up to $2,500, forgiveness can be taxable, and default can cost you your refund. Here's how each rule works for the 2026 tax year.

The FY 2023 cohort default rate is 0.4%, but 9.3 million borrowers are in default. Here's how the CDR works and why the Education Department says to ignore it.

Treasury and the IRS released proposed rules for the $1,700 Education Freedom Tax Credit launching January 1, 2027. Joint filers get $3,400.

Trusts count as assets on the FAFSA and CSS Profile, even when the beneficiary can't access the money. Here's who reports it, which trusts are exempt, and what it costs in aid.

Understand when forgiven student loans are taxable, which programs remain exempt, and how to prepare for potential tax liability in 2026.

Treasury will auto-open Trump accounts for every eligible child starting October 1, adding 60 million-plus accounts. The $1,000 seed still needs Form 4547.

ED and Treasury launched the Defaulted Loans Support Center on StudentAid.gov, letting borrowers apply online to rehabilitate or consolidate defaulted loans.

Compare today’s student loan rates and see which lenders offer the lowest APRs for September 2026.

The Department of Education extended the 1% student loan auto pay discount deadline to December 31, 2026, with nearly 2 million borrowers enrolled.

The Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act 77-22. Here's what it changes for NIL pay, agents, transfers, and families footing the bill.

A new earnings test could block colleges from receiving federal loans when program graduates don't out-earn high school grads. Here's what students should know.