Let’s just say it: college is out of control.
The cost, the pressure, the way nobody wants to talk about the numbers until it’s too late.
And if you’re a parent right now trying to have that conversation with your kid—the one where you bring up cost and suddenly you’re the bad guy—I see you.

Because I’ve sat across from hundreds of families over the years, and I can tell you: this is one of the hardest conversations you’ll ever have with your kid.

And I want to tell you something else:
I’ve been here before.

Right after 2008, I had an entire tax season—spring 2009—where it felt like every other appointment was a short sale. I’d never seen anything like it. People were walking away from homes they’d built their lives around. Not because they were reckless, but because the system told them they could afford more than they could.

But here’s what hit me the hardest:
I saw it coming.

I remember sitting with clients who were pulling massive amounts of equity out of their homes. They were taking on adjustable-rate mortgages, balloon loans—whatever it took. Why? To pay for college.
And when I’d say, “You can’t really afford this,” they were offended.
How dare I question their love for their kids?

But I wasn’t judging—I was doing what I’m trained to do.
I’m an accountant. I can see the numbers. I could see where it was heading.
And it broke my heart.

Because when it comes to college, logic gets pushed to the side.
We want our kids to have the best. We want to say yes. But at what cost?

Fast forward to now.
Tuition is climbing again. Wages aren’t. And families are once again stretching beyond their limits, hoping it’ll all work out.
Meanwhile, kids are dreaming big—which is great—but they don’t understand the price tag that’s coming with it.

Your kid doesn’t know what $300,000 in student debt means.
They don’t know what it’s like to pay $1,700/month in loans while trying to rent an apartment and cover groceries.
They don’t see the weight of it. But you do. And now you’re the one carrying the worry.

Every time you try to talk about it? It turns into a standoff. Or silence. Or guilt.

That’s why I started offering family counseling around college planning.
Not therapy in the “let’s unpack childhood trauma” sense—this is real, present-day, solution-focused work to help families stop talking past each other and start planning together.

We talk through:

• What the debt really looks like long-term
• Why certain financial choices protect—not limit—your kid’s future
• How to be honest and grounded without crushing dreams
• How to come to the table with a plan, not just fear

Because this isn’t about saying no.
It’s about saying, “Let’s figure this out together.”

If this sounds like where your family is at, I can help.
I’ve been through it before. I’ve seen what works, and I’ve seen what hurts.
Let’s make sure your kid has a future worth looking forward to—and a path that won’t bury them in stress before they even get started.

– James

So your kid’s already in college—or maybe just starting—and you’re thinking, “Well, it’s too late to change anything now.” I hear that all the time.

But guess what? It’s not too late. Not even close.

Most people don’t realize this, but FAFSA gets filed every year. That means your financial situation today can affect your aid next year—and the year after that, and the year after that.

So if you had a high income the year before your kid applied, and the aid offer was garbage, that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with it forever. There are still ways to shift the picture. Retirement contributions, AGI planning, even how you report assets—those things can still move the needle. And in some cases, they can move it a lot.

I’ve seen families get zero aid freshman year and then, with some strategy and a little life reality (a job change, increased retirement savings, even another kid going to college), suddenly become eligible for real help.

And that brings me to another thing nobody talks about enough: the power of the junior college year.

Look, I’m not saying everyone has to start at community college. But if your kid has their heart set on a school like Duke or NYU or some other eye-watering tuition dream… but the numbers just aren’t working out right now? There’s a way to play it smarter.

You do two years at a community or state college, keep grades strong, and then transfer. Not only does this open the door to schools that may have been out of reach the first time around—admissions-wise and financially—but you could save six figures in the process. I’m not exaggerating.

If the dream is a $75,000/year private school, and you can knock out half of that at $6,000/year? That’s not saving thousands. That’s saving hundreds of thousands—plus interest, plus stress, plus debt.

And if you’re worried that transferring into a big-name school won’t be the “real” experience, ask yourself: when your kid graduates, do employers care where they started, or where they finished?

Let me tell you what else changes in those two years: your FAFSA. Maybe you start putting more into retirement. Maybe your AGI drops. Maybe a sibling starts college. All of that can improve the aid picture for years 3 and 4.

You haven’t missed the boat. The boat is still at the dock. You just need someone to help steer it a little better.

So if college already started and you’re looking at the bills wondering how the hell you’re going to get through the next few years—reach out. Whether we look at financial planning, aid strategies, or transfer pathways, there are still plenty of smart moves left on the table.

Don’t count yourself out just because freshman year came fast.

– James

Over the years, financial planners have gone all-in on Roths. And I get it. Pay the tax now, let the money grow, and pull it out tax-free in retirement? Sounds like a dream. I’ve told plenty of clients the same thing. It is a smart move—most of the time.

But here’s what doesn’t get talked about enough: college is coming.

And if your kid is a sophomore or junior right now, and you’re putting money into a Roth 401(k), you might be unintentionally costing yourself financial aid—like, thousands of dollars in aid.

Here’s why: Roth 401(k) contributions don’t reduce your AGI (Adjusted Gross Income). FAFSA, the form colleges use to figure out how much you can pay, is all about your AGI. If it’s high, they expect you to shell out more. It doesn’t care that you’re saving for retirement. It doesn’t give you bonus points for using a Roth. It just sees your full income and says, “Cool, you’re rich.”

Meanwhile, if you were using a traditional 401(k), your AGI would be lower. Lower AGI = better shot at needs-based aid. It’s that simple.

I’ve seen families with good intentions—saving into Roths, doing everything “right”—get totally blindsided when the financial aid letters come in. And the thing is, the Roth feels safe. You can pull out contributions if you need to. No penalty. But none of that helps if it’s raising your AGI and killing your aid chances.

So if college is even remotely on the horizon—within 2 to 5 years—it’s worth rethinking the strategy. This isn’t about beating the system; it’s about understanding how it works.

Want to know what your AGI is doing to your kid’s financial aid odds? I can walk you through it. No sales pitch, just real talk.

Shoot me a message if you want to take a look.

– James

The other day, I ran into a client while I was out running errands. We started talking about the usual—life, family, and of course, the big topic on every parent’s mind: college. My client mentioned a friend who was already knee-deep in preparations for their kid’s college journey—even though college was still a few years away. When I asked who this super-prepared parent was, it turned out they were also one of my clients—small world, right?

This got me thinking about how crucial it is to start early. And no, that doesn’t mean taking a pay cut or making drastic changes. It’s about understanding the bigger picture and knowing what options are out there. For example, did you know that your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) plays a huge role in determining financial aid? And that there are strategies—like contributing to retirement accounts or looking at different types of savings plans—that can help you position yourself more favorably?

If you think other families aren’t prepping for this, think again. I’ve seen too many families caught off guard when they realize that, despite a solid income, they’re not getting any need-based aid. Imagine a family of five in Boston, making $150,000 a year, with a mortgage on a $700,000 home, finding out they don’t qualify for aid. By that point, options can be limited, and sometimes that means tough choices, like a gap year.

Let’s avoid that stress together. Curious about what steps you can take right now? Reach out, and let’s make a plan that sets your family up for success. It’s all about making smart moves now for a brighter future!