Surveys consistently show that most parents want to help their children pay for college. But if you haven’t been saving for years and don’t earn enough to sign over a chunk of your income to tuition ...

Federal student loan laws are changing in 2026, with new limits on how much some parents and students can borrow. The caps are expected to push more borrowers to private student loans for college ...

KEY TAKEAWAYS The "One Big, Beautiful Bill" will restrict the amount of federal student loans available to college students next year. Students may have to take out riskier private loans to cover the ...

The college application system seems designed to confuse families. Your student starts the application process in hopes of ...

The U.S. Department of Education offers direct loans specifically for parents of college students, called Parent PLUS loans. Like with other federal student loans, only a few special circumstances ...

With the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), drastic changes are coming to federal student loan programs. One major change is the new loan limits for Parent PLUS Loans beginning July 1, 2026 ...

Rebecca Safier is a contributor to Buy Side from WSJ and finance expert on student loans, personal loans and education. Senior editor, Buy Side from WSJ Richard Richtmyer is an senior editor at Buy ...

After college scholarships and federal student loans, many families still need to access additional funds to pay the rest of their college bill. That’s where private student loans tend to come in.

Elizabeth Guevara is a personal finance reporter who explains the world of business and economics and how it impacts your finances. She joined Investopedia in 2024. Investopedia / Photo Illustration ...

The excitement of college can quickly turn to sticker shock when that first bill arrives. Many students and families quickly realize savings, earnings and even other financial aid may not be enough, ...

Students heading to dental school will probably need private loans. Here's what they should know before applying.