With a ton of money in savings, there’s no doubt you can retire, yet that doesn’t mean there’s not a bunch of moving parts that need to be addressed.

Wrapped around the call we also do a handful of emails.

The cost of college makes for frightening headlines. The outstanding balance of student loans is more than $1.5 trillion nationally, while tuition continues to rise. And on the heels of a pandemic that nearly dismantled the traditional college experience, we have to wonder: Is college really worth it?

To help answer that question, we're joined this weekend by economist Beth Akers, whose recent book, Making College Pay: An Economist Explains How to Make a Smart Bet on Higher Education, shows how to improve your odds by making smart choices about where to enroll, what to study, and how to pay for it

It’s true that college is expensive, but once we see higher education for what it is, an investment in future opportunities, job security, and earnings, a different picture emerges: The average college graduate earns an additional million dollars over their career (compared to those who stopped their education after high school), and on average, two- and four-year schools deliver a 15 percent return on investment, double that of the stock market.

Yet these outcomes are not guaranteed. Rather, they hinge upon where and how you opt to invest your tuition dollars. 

Simply put, the real problem with college isn’t the cost, it’s the risk that your investment might not pay off.

Have a money question? Email me here.

"Jill on Money" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com.

No guest this week, just a bunch of emails and a couple callers.

Before the month is out, we’ll be joined again by Brent Weiss from Facet Wealth as we talk some FinLit, an always appropriate topic, but even more so in April as it’s National Financial Literacy Month.

For our first call, there’s nothing like planning for retirement as a young couple with half a million dollars in outstanding student loan debt. You know what's even crazier? I'm kind of okay with it!

For our second call in hour two, we hear why the magic of compound interest is a beautiful thing to watch. Start early, stay consistent, and voila, you end up with a boatload of money come retirement.

Have a money question? Email me here.

"Jill on Money" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com.

It’s show #501, and here’s hoping we have at least another ten more years of Jill on Money on the horizon!

This week we’re back to doing what we do best, answering all your various money questions, which includes a bunch of emails and a caller.

It’s October, which means it’s officially FAFSA season, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid which determines how much students and their families will receive in college grants, scholarships and loans.

So in hour two we’re revisiting a chat with David Klein and Kelly Peeler from CommonBond, a company that positions itself as a place for simpler, smarter student loans for a brighter future.

CommonBond, founded in 2012, has funded over $2.5 billion in better student loans. Their approach is no big secret: lower rates, simpler options, and a world class experience, all built to support you throughout your student loan journey.

Kelly and David firmly believe that student loans should be for fulfilling your dreams, not emptying your bank account. They’re helping you get there by lowering the cost of school and simplifying the process with no more stressful applications or being treated like an account number.

Have a money question? Email me here.

"Jill on Money" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com.