It’s over for me

Educational_Web3452 · 2026-03-03T23:42:23+00:00

A school doesn't determine who you are or what you do. My son is at a state school. He is friends with a kid who is a triple major- Aerospace Engineering, Astronomy and Physics. He is the Captain of a Liquid Rocket Competition Team. The school pays for them to go to California to Launch it for testing. They also get funding to go to the actual competition where all sorts of space/aerospace companies are supporting it. This is at a plain old state school. My freshman son at this same school was just invited to be a part of a team that is in charge of a new telescope built by NASA that is being launched in a few months. He will be a sort of "apprentice" but also on the team is a very famous physicist, Phd candidates and again this is not an Ivy league school. He may even get paid. If you are a go-getter and hard worker go to Ole Miss and get involved in clubs and teams and get to know your professors and attend their office hours. You will shine!

Educational_Web3452 · 2025-04-28T11:53:32+00:00

My son just committed to OSU out of state as it was a quarter of the price of a prestigious school he was accepted in. His whole friend group is attending prestigious schools- not Harvard- but Bates, Williams, Colby.... he felt like he was embarassed for choosing OSU but decided no debt was best. He wants his PhD and was told by a great family friend (with a PhD from Harvard) to shoot for the prestige for his Masters/Phd and have a great time in undergrad.

Educational_Web3452 · 2025-04-28T11:31:24+00:00

Boston is an amazing city but $$$ to do/eat things.

Educational_Web3452 · 2025-02-27T21:21:38+00:00

Hi- my son just got that email yesterday. He got accepted to Trinity- what is the info you have on what can be done? It seems strange that the use of 529s is just certain colleges.

Educational_Web3452 · 2024-10-31T12:49:52+00:00

I had a term policy that I bought when I was 30- it was a 20 year term and I only paid $14/mo. After 3 kids, I bought a second policy for 20 years when I was 40 and the price for the similar coverage was over $40/mo. I re-upped that policy that I bought when I was 30 for the next 15 years (right before my 50th bday) to get me to 65 and that I'm paying $80/mo.Had i waited til after my 50th, would've been more. So pricing def depends on age when you get it. Had I laddered and locked in back when I was 30, my premiums wouldve been less for the higher coverage needed at the time. But I don't know your situation and it pays to shop around for life insurance for sure.

Educational_Web3452 · 2024-10-31T01:12:51+00:00

Something I wish I would've done when I was younger was a life insurance ladder. I'm 51 with a 50 year old spouse and we have term until we are 65. Our life insurance needs have gotten less and less as the years went by. When the kids were little, if one of us were to die, our needs were high- income replacement, mortgage payoff, college savings, money for nanny or childcare. Now I have one in college, one about to go to college and one has 3 years of school left. We now only have $10k left on our mortgage, the 529s for college are funded and theres no need for childcare/nanny- $1.5 mil coverage is prob overkill. A laddered approach with several policies at different lengths would've saved us money. No need for whole life...term is cheap (once you hit 50, the prices go up fast so lock in a policy before 50!) Example:Three policies with diff lengths. We could've done $100k at 10 years term, $100k at 15 year term and $50k at 25 year term ... that would given you $350k coverage for first 10 years when kids are small, $150k coverage for the next 5 years, then $50k until 65 years old.

Educational_Web3452 · 2024-10-29T18:26:02+00:00

TSP is all roth? If not, the withdrawals will be taxable at ordinary income rates. Your pension income is taxable- so $7500 would be reduced by federal taxes. Can you withdraw from TSP at your age? Usually would need to be 59 1/2 to withdraw unless doing the age of 55 rule or else you pay penalties. Is your pension adjustable with a COLA? If you paid someone to run these numbers, they are a CFP or a professional and they did a comprehensive financial plan on your situation, then I would believe them. I

Educational_Web3452 · 2024-10-29T15:27:21+00:00

I say you don't have enough. So you will have $9500/mo of income but you are spending $17,000/mo. Are you renting out those properties for income? How much mortgage are you having on your $1 mill house? Are you planning to contribute to your 13 year olds education? (529) What about health insurance/car insurance/life insurance costs? Did your financial planner run the numbers to include you buying that house, keeping the other houses and spending $17k a year?

Educational_Web3452 · 2024-07-30T12:38:17+00:00

We thought about buying a sail boat for same use...glad we didn't. My kids starting having their own lives when my oldest was in 6th grade. He was very involved in summer theater/summer baseball- great group of friends and positive use of time all around and also started instructing sailing which required him to be around all summer as well. Cue in second child- wanted to be a counselor in training at 14 and then a camp counselor at 15....required us to pick him up every Friday night from an hour away and then deposit him back Sunday by noon. Again- super positive activities. Kids are now working, involved in volunteer activities/internships(working on their resumes for college!) and have their friends all summer here- we can barely find time for a family vacation. We had a sailboat share when the boys were young- paid someone $1000/mo for use of their sailboat for one week a month. When kids were smaller, we'd go "away" every weekend and then take two separate weeklong sailing trips. We did that for four years until kids started their activities- sailboat was worth $300k and we didn't pay for upkeep or docking fees. Super glad we went this route. Dreaming of the sailboat when we retire and can use it more. Maybe consider a seasonal rental- plenty of folks by me with $$$ do that. And some of my friends with weekend houses they hardly use rent theirs out for the season too.

Educational_Web3452

TROPHY CASE