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From snagging that first real job to starting a family (congrats all around), life is full of important rites of passage. These events are meaningful, for sure, and they can also impact the path of your personal finances.

As you take control of your money, it can be wise to think about and plan for these key transitions. That way, you can be better prepared for how they may alter your financial health.

In this guide, you’ll learn about seven major milestones plus advice on navigating these life events successfully so you can build wealth today and tomorrow.

1. Your First Job

You’ve finished your education (for now, at least) and are starting your first job. This is where your financial journey really begins. And, since you are likely earning more money than you ever have, it’s important to have a plan for how you will use that money wisely.

If your employer offers a 401(k) for retirement, you may want to consider having at least some money taken out of each paycheck each cycle and put into this fund.

Once you get your first paycheck, you can see exactly how much money you are taking home (after all deductions, including retirement, and taxes are taken out). This can be a perfect moment to make a simple budget. This will help you get the most out of your salary and build some financial stability.

•   This involves listing all of your essential monthly expenses. You can think of these as the “needs” in life, such as housing, food, and minimum payments on debts or loans.

•   Then subtract them from your monthly take-home pay to see how much you have left over to play with (the “wants” in life) and, of course, to save.

•   Saving can be crucial, so it’s wise to determine an amount you can set aside each month into a separate savings account. It’s perfectly fine to start small. Even putting a little bit of money aside each month will start to add up over time.

•   This savings account can help you build an emergency fund (generally three to six months’ worth of living expenses). Having financial back-up can help to ensure that if you should have a large, unexpected expense, you could cover it without having to rely on high interest credit cards.

•   Once you have a comfortable emergency fund, you may then want to start working on other savings for other goals, such as buying a car or other major item you are hoping to buy in the next few months or years.

If you are looking for guidance on how to establish a budget that works for you, consider the 50/30/20 budget rule. This guideline says that, of your take-home pay, you should allocate 50% towards “needs,” 30% towards “wants,” and 20% to savings.

2. Paying Off Student Loans

Student loan payments can be a drag on your monthly budget, especially if you are trying to save toward other financial goals, like buying a home or paying for your kids’ college education.

One of the best ways to pay off student loans is to pay more than the minimum each month. The more you pay toward your loans, the less interest you’ll owe — and the quicker the balance will disappear.

There’s typically no penalty for paying student loans early or paying more than the minimum. However, there is a caveat with prepayment: Student loan servicers, which collect your bill, may apply the extra amount to the next month’s payment.

The problem with that is that it advances your due date, but it won’t help you pay off student loans faster. That’s why it can be a good idea to tell your servicer (whether online, by phone or by mail) to apply overpayments to your current balance, and to keep next month’s due date as planned.

Another option you may want to look into refinancing your student loans. This could help you pay off student loans sooner without making extra payments.

Refinancing replaces multiple student loans with a single private loan, ideally at a lower interest rate. To speed up repayment, it can be a good idea to choose a new loan term that’s less than what’s left on your current loans.

Keep in mind, however, when you refinance a federal student loan into a private loan, however, you may lose the benefits and protections that come with a federal loan, like deferment and public service-based loan forgiveness.

3. Buying a Car

Buying your first car can be an exciting experience. And, you might want to rush to the nearest dealer and purchase a shiny, new model right away.

However, saving up for a vehicle before you buy minimizes the amount you have to borrow to buy a car and can save you a substantial amount in interest.

To get a sense of how much you need to save for a down payment, you can research some car makes and models that might suit you and get a sense of prices for both new and used cars.

You can then zero in on a price range you can afford and calculate the down payment. Deciding between a new vs. used car? A good rule of thumb is to put 20% down on a new vehicle and 10% down on a used one.

Making a higher down payment helps you qualify for a loan, and it can earn you a lower interest rate and result in more affordable monthly payments.

Once you know how much to save, the next step is to find a good place to start saving. Good options include: a money market account, online savings account, or checking and savings account.

These accounts can enable you to earn more interest than a standard checking account but allow you to access the money when you are ready to buy that car.

4. Buying a Home

For many people, buying a home is the biggest purchase they will ever make. So, it’s important to prepare for it.

A great first step is to figure out how much house you can afford to buy. You can come up with a target price range based on the area you want to live in, details about the type of home you want, and how much you’re comfortable spending on a monthly mortgage payment.

This exercise will help you understand how much you need to save and roughly how long it will take you to save enough.

Mortgage lenders and online mortgage calculators can also help you decide the absolute maximum you can afford to spend on your house.

One common rule of thumb is that your home payment (including loan payment, property taxes and homeowners insurance) should take up no more than a third of gross pay (your monthly paycheck amount before taxes and deductions are taken out). However, this can vary depending on the cost of housing in your area.

Once you have a target home price, you can start saving for a down payment. Many mortgage lenders prefer you to make an upfront deposit of up to 20% of your home’s cost. However, there are mortgages available for those who put down significantly less (even zero).

If you are saving for a down payment, you can think about when you want to buy a home and then work backwards to determine how much you need to save each month to reach this goal.

As with car savings, a good place to save for a home is a high-interest savings account, such as a money market account, online savings account, or checking and savings account.

5. Changing Jobs

At some point during your career, you may change jobs. Generally, this can be a smart financial and professional move, but changing jobs is still something you’ll want to plan for financially. Some tips to help your money work harder for you:

•   You’ll likely be eligible for a new set of employee benefits, including health insurance. However, it will probably be up to you to ensure that you have health coverage during the transition. To avoid any gaps, it’s a good idea to ask your new employer how soon you will be able to qualify for healthcare.

•   You may also want to create a plan for transferring your 401(k) and health savings account (HSA) to your new accounts. Rolling them over is generally a simple process, but you may want to contact your previous employer for guidance.

•   An FSA vs. an HSA can require a different approach. If you have a flexible spending account (FSA), you may need to submit all eligible expenses for reimbursement under your old program before you leave your current job. It can be a good idea to check with your company’s HR department to find out whether or not you have a grace period for submission.

Since you may be earning a higher salary, you may also want to re-examine your budget, and perhaps do some tweaking, such as funneling a bit more money into your retirement fund and/or savings account each month.

6. Saving For Your Kids’ College

Next to buying a home, child education expenses are among the biggest you may have in your lifetime. Just like retirement: it’s never too early to start saving for college. But even if you put it off, you can still help cover most or all of those college costs with wise saving and investing.

While predicting how much college will be for a kindergartener may be difficult, it gets a little easier the older your kids get. However, you can find current college costs and predictors for future college tuition costs online and use that as a benchmark for your savings.

One great place to start building education savings is in a 529 college savings plan. These are savings plans, usually sponsored by state governments, that encourage saving for future education costs.

They are often tax-friendly, in that many states will let you deduct your contribution from your state income tax. Even better, when you withdraw the money for college, the money will not be federally taxed.

That means, any growth (or money in the account that you didn’t put in) is not taxed, which can be a significant advantage over traditional investment accounts.

You can put money into your own state’s 529, or any other state’s plan. Whatever you choose, consider making monthly contributions automatic, so that your bank transfers the money right into the 529 on the same day each month.

One way to ease saving for college is to use smaller life transitions to help fund your education savings plan. When your child no longer needs daycare or preschool, for example, you could funnel what you were paying for that into your account.

7. Retirement

Retirement may seem far away, but it can come up faster than you expect and, if you’re unprepared, you may struggle financially. Saving for retirement early can provide peace of mind later.

And, the earlier you start saving for retirement, the less you’ll actually have to put away, thanks to the magic compounding interest (which means the interest you earn on your investments also earns interest).

While it can seem impossible to predict how much money you’ll need once you retire, some financial experts recommend this rule of thumb: Aim to save at least 15% of your pretax income each year from age 25 onward. If you start later, you would want to up those percentages.

Fortunately you can get Uncle Sam to help. By contributing to tax-advantaged savings accounts like traditional 401(k)s and individual retirement accounts (IRAs), your contributions are made before tax, reducing your current taxable income.

That means you get a tax break the year you contribute. Plus, that money can grow tax-free until you withdraw it in retirement, when it will be taxed as ordinary income (and at retirement time, you may be in a lower tax bracket).

With Roth 401(k)s and IRAs, your contributions are after tax, but you can withdraw the money tax-free in retirement (assuming certain conditions are met).

If you are contributing to 401(k) at work and your employer offers matching funds, you may want to increase your automatic contributions at least to that level. This is effectively “free” money.

The Takeaway

Throughout your life you will likely experience some significant events and milestones that can have a major impact on your financial well-being.

The better prepared you are for these transitions, the less stressful and more enjoyable they can be.

If you’re looking for a simple way to start saving for your financial goals, like buying a car or a home, you may want to consider opening an account that charges low or no fees and pays higher than average interest.

Interested in opening an online bank account? When you sign up for a SoFi Checking and Savings account with direct deposit, you’ll get a competitive annual percentage yield (APY), pay zero account fees, and enjoy an array of rewards, such as access to the Allpoint Network of 55,000+ fee-free ATMs globally. Qualifying accounts can even access their paycheck up to two days early.

Better banking is here with up to 4.60% APY on SoFi Checking and Savings.

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SoFi members with direct deposit activity can earn 4.60% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Direct Deposit means a deposit to an account holder’s SoFi Checking or Savings account, including payroll, pension, or government payments (e.g., Social Security), made by the account holder’s employer, payroll or benefits provider or government agency (“Direct Deposit”) via the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) Network during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Deposits that are not from an employer or government agency, including but not limited to check deposits, peer-to-peer transfers (e.g., transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc.), merchant transactions (e.g., transactions from PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc.), and bank ACH funds transfers and wire transfers from external accounts, do not constitute Direct Deposit activity. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate.

SoFi members with Qualifying Deposits can earn 4.60% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Qualifying Deposits means one or more deposits that, in the aggregate, are equal to or greater than $5,000 to an account holder’s SoFi Checking and Savings account (“Qualifying Deposits”) during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Qualifying Deposits only include those deposits from the following eligible sources: (i) ACH transfers, (ii) inbound wire transfers, (iii) peer-to-peer transfers (i.e., external transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc. and internal peer-to-peer transfers from a SoFi account belonging to another account holder), (iv) check deposits, (v) instant funding to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, (vi) push payments to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, and (vii) cash deposits. Qualifying Deposits do not include: (i) transfers between an account holder’s Checking account, Savings account, and/or Vaults; (ii) interest payments; (iii) bonuses issued by SoFi Bank or its affiliates; or (iv) credits, reversals, and refunds from SoFi Bank, N.A. (“SoFi Bank”) or from a merchant.

SoFi Bank shall, in its sole discretion, assess each account holder’s Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits throughout each 30-Day Evaluation Period to determine the applicability of rates and may request additional documentation for verification of eligibility. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Upon receiving a Direct Deposit or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits to your account, you will begin earning 4.60% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% on checking balances on or before the following calendar day. You will continue to earn these APYs for (i) the remainder of the current 30-Day Evaluation Period and through the end of the subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period and (ii) any following 30-day Evaluation Periods during which SoFi Bank determines you to have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits without interruption.

SoFi Bank reserves the right to grant a grace period to account holders following a change in Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits activity before adjusting rates. If SoFi Bank grants you a grace period, the dates for such grace period will be reflected on the APY Details page of your account. If SoFi Bank determines that you did not have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits during the current 30-day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, then you will begin earning the rates earned by account holders without either Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits until you have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits in a subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period. For the avoidance of doubt, an account holder with both Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits will earn the rates earned by account holders with Direct Deposit.

Members without either Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits, as determined by SoFi Bank, during a 30-Day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances.

Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 10/24/2023. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet..

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.

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Whether or not to go to college is a major decision. There are numerous factors to consider, including the cost of tuition, the time commitment involved, and the availability of financial aid and loans. And while the price of a college degree continues to increase, it’s an investment that can have major pay-offs, both financially and otherwise.

Going to college can open doors to new experiences, both during and after getting a degree. While the financial opportunities that college can bring are certainly worth considering, there are so many other advantages to getting an undergraduate degree. Here’s a look at some of the top benefits to becoming a college grad.

Explore Areas of Interest

Some students enter college already knowing what they want their major to be. Whether someone’s a star chemistry student going pre-med or a drama nerd ready to delve into theater, college can be a time to deepen the interests students have cultivated throughout their education.

Declaring a major sets a student up to explore a particular subject from all angles, becoming somewhat of an expert in their chosen field. A student will take numerous courses in their major, sometimes culminating in a thesis project on a specialized subject.

There are often clubs and activities in each major field, allowing students to develop communities with others who have shared interests, broadening the scope of their education.

College can also be a time to explore new areas, and can give students the chance to discover subjects they may not have known much about before.

College students are often encouraged to explore new subjects, especially in their freshman year, in order to experiment, and perhaps find a new and promising area of study.

Going to college can be a way to deepen one’s understanding of a particular subject, whether it’s something a student may have studied previously, or a completely new topic.

Either way, getting a degree is a way to open your mind and tap into a sense of intellectual curiosity in an environment conducive to rigorous and serious academic exploration.


💡 Quick Tip: You can fund your education with a low-rate, no-fee private student loan that covers all school-certified costs.

Increase Earnings

One of the most practical arguments for going to college is to improve your earning potential. The Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities reviewed the impact a college degree could have on someone’s earning potential and found that millennials with a high school diploma earned just 62% of what their counterparts with a college degree earned. And while actually achieving that college degree may cost a lot, a majority of college graduates believe it was worth it.

Like any investment, there has to be money put in up front, unless you get a full scholarship or a college loan. Ideally, that upfront investment of time and money will pay off in the long run.

Recommended: Return on Education for Bachelor’s Degrees

Open Up Potential Career Paths

While a college degree may have been a way to stand out from the crowd in the past, today it’s proving to be a prerequisite for most jobs. Research suggests that people with a Bachelor’s degree earn roughly 75% more than those with just a high school diploma, and that, generally, the higher the level of educational attainment, the larger the payoff.

While going to college can be a highly rewarding experience in itself, it can be wise to consider possible career paths while selecting courses and deciding on a major. However, there is nothing wrong with getting a liberal arts education. Employers may not necessarily be looking for a specific specialization when hiring, but often may appreciate someone with a well-rounded academic background.

Certain fields, however, like business and medicine, may require that students’ major field corresponds to their choice of career. When exploring different subjects during college, you might find out about a new area you want to pursue as a career, a huge benefit of getting an undergraduate degree as well.

Recommended: Is Getting A Degree In Marketing Worth It?

Expand Your Circle

College can be a time to build the relationships that will greatly affect your life — and possibly your career. Over the course of the four years it takes to complete a bachelor’s degree, there are countless opportunities to make new connections — from the people in your dorm, to your classmates, to those you meet through extracurriculars.

College can be a time to develop a wide and varied circle, or to simply grow several deep and lasting friendships. It can also be a time to meet a romantic partner, whether the relationship is short- or longer-term.

Having a wide circle can help out in a variety of ways. From finding post-grad roommates to knowing people in the field of work you’re trying to get into, college connections can be an invaluable resource in life.

Improve Critical Thinking and Communication

The so-called “soft skills” of being a good listener or critical thinking are also in high demand by employers, and college can be a prime time to develop them. These are skills that can be honed both in and outside the classroom, and college aims to give students a well-rounded experience that helps them develop both socially and academically.

Gain Independence

College is the first time many people live away from home, and it can be a nerve-racking experience. But once you’re over the hump, living on your own can be an extremely fun and rewarding experience.

College can be a chance to dip your toes in the waters of independence, experimenting with living alone, gaining some financial independence, maintaining a budget, and deciding what classes to take.

College can be the ideal stepping stone toward independence, and is a helpful way for young adults to see what adulthood can be like.


💡 Quick Tip: Need a private student loan to cover your school bills? Because approval for a private student loan is based on creditworthiness, a cosigner may help a student get loan approval and a lower rate.

The Takeaway

While making the decision whether or not to go to college is not always easy, there are a host of good reasons to continue your education. The benefits can be financial, social, and intellectual, and can continue to be felt throughout your life.

The friends and connections you make during college can enrich your life and help you to network in your chosen field of work, while the financial security a college degree can offer is a major factor in the decision-making process as well. It’s important to make an informed decision, taking all of these points into consideration.

If the high cost of college is holding you back, keep in mind that there are a number of funding options that can help you manage the costs. To apply for financial aid, you simply need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This will tell you whether you are eligible for grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and federal student loans.

If you still have gaps in funding, you can also apply for a private student loan. Private student loans are available through private lenders, including banks, credit unions, and online lenders. Rates and terms vary, depending on the lender. Generally, borrowers (or cosigners) who have strong credit qualify for the lowest rates.

Keep in mind, though, that private loans may not offer the borrower protections — like income-based repayment plans and deferment or forbearance — that automatically come with federal student loans.

If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. Repayment plans are flexible, so you can find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.

Cover up to 100% of school-certified costs including tuition, books, supplies, room and board, and transportation with a private student loan from SoFi.

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SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

SoFi Private Student Loans
Please borrow responsibly. SoFi Private Student Loans are not a substitute for federal loans, grants, and work-study programs. You should exhaust all your federal student aid options before you consider any private loans, including ours. Read our FAQs. SoFi Private Student Loans are subject to program terms and restrictions, and applicants must meet SoFi’s eligibility and underwriting requirements. See SoFi.com/eligibility-criteria for more information. To view payment examples, click here. SoFi reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at any time. This information is subject to change.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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While college is a good option for many people, it isn’t for everyone — and not going to a four year college doesn’t mean you can’t have a meaningful career.

More people than ever before have a college degree, but a four-year program isn’t the only way to be successful. Even employers are realizing that there are many skills that can’t be captured in a degree program. In fact, some major tech companies, including Google and Apple, no longer require applicants to have a four-year degree for some of their positions.

There are certain jobs for which you need a college degree, like an electrical engineer, marketing manager, or teacher, but there are plenty of careers out there that don’t require additional degrees.

Reasons You Should Not Go To College

There are a number of valid reasons to delay college — or put it off entirely. Here are some to consider:

•   You’re not excited about your options. Maybe you didn’t get into the schools you expected to or you’re having second thoughts when you try to imagine yourself attending the schools you did get into. If the thought of college fills you with dread or doubt rather than excitement, taking a year off to reassess your options can be a good strategy.

•   You’re unsure what career you are interested in pursuing. You may want to explore different options by being exposed to college-level courses at a community college, or spend time volunteering, working, or traveling.

•   You’re already working. If you already have a job, you may be wanting to lean into your current job or save money to go to school in a few years.

•   You’re exploring non-degree avenues. There are many high-paying trades that don’t require a degree but may require on-the-job experience or an apprenticeship.

•   You have a plan for a gap year. Some people like to take a year to travel, work, or otherwise take a break in between high school and college to further explore their identity and what they want to do in the future.

•   You feel you’re going to college only to please your family. If you feel pressured to go to college, it may be a sign that college isn’t the right option for you, at least right now.

•   You have essential family obligations. Some students need to help their families and may not be able to take time off to go to school. These students may consider community college or a part-time degree program. Speaking with your current high school counselor may help you find ways to juggle multiple responsibilities.

•   You want to take time to pursue a talent. From sports to the performing arts to a creative path, some people choose to explore a talent more seriously, focusing time, energy, and resources prior to going to college. This can be a decision you make with the help of your family and any coaches or teachers.

Reasons You Should Go To College

College can be a great time to grow and learn and, for some, it’s a natural step. Here are some other reasons why college may make sense:

•   You’re excited and realistic about college. You recognize college may have ups and downs but feel confident that college feels “right” as your next step — not just something your family or teachers expect from you.

•   A college degree will help you achieve your career goals. You’ve done your research and/or talked with alums and people working in your targeted field and feel confident that college makes sense for your career goals.

•   College fits into your overall financial plan. You have a sense of how much college will cost and a plan for how you will pay for it, which might include a combination of financial aid, savings, and federal or private student loans. You also want to make sure you will be able to manage any student loan payments after you graduate.

•   You have a ‘Plan B’ in case you realize that college isn’t the right fit. Sometimes people realize one semester into school that college may not be what they need at that moment in their lives. It can be helpful to talk about what this may be, so that you don’t feel trapped if school doesn’t feel like it’s a good fit.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

Alternatives to a College Degree

Just because you aren’t interested in a four-year degree doesn’t mean you need to forgo higher education entirely. Alternative educational models, like trade schools and community colleges, offer many practical certification and two-year associate degree programs that can help you get ahead.

It is important to know that even if you’re not planning to pursue a four-year degree, you still have options when it comes to creating a career that is right for you.


💡 Quick Tip: You’ll make no payments on some private student loans for six months after graduation.

Trade School

Sometimes known as technical or vocational schools, trade schools can prepare you for a specific job, such as a dental hygienist, electrician, cosmetologist, or web developer. These programs are normally much shorter than four years, and certain programs may allow you to finish in only a few months. There are both public and private trade schools.

Trade schools don’t award bachelor’s degrees. Instead, when you graduate from a trade school, you typically receive a diploma or certificate indicating that you are trained and certified to perform a specific job. Some trade school programs do offer associate degrees, which are the same type of degrees offered by many community colleges.

Recommended: How to Know if Trade School is Right for You

Community College

As mentioned above, community colleges usually offer two-year degrees called associate degrees. These degrees can either stand alone or be a stepping stone to obtaining a bachelor’s degree at a four-year school.

Indeed, many community colleges offer career preparation programs that are designed to help students jump into the workforce without the need for a bachelor’s degree.

Community college could also be a great way to test out college life and see if you want to continue pursuing higher education. They tend to be much less expensive than four-year universities, which means it won’t cost you an arm and a leg before you decide if higher education is right for you.

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are paid positions designed to teach the apprentice about a specific job or industry. They can help you learn how to use industry-specific tools and technologies and help you develop your skills over a period of time. This may be in fields as diverse as plumbing to transportation engineering to baking.

Apprenticeships can be a win-win for employers and employees because they allow those starting out to begin working (and earning a paycheck) immediately, and they help employers fill vacant jobs.

Recommended: A Complete Guide to Apprenticeships

Certificate Programs

Similar and sometimes overlapping with trade schools, certificate programs offer specialized training in a specific area. This may include coding, cybersecurity, yoga, fitness, getting a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or other areas where specialized knowledge may be a prerequisite. These certificates may also be helpful in making job seekers eligible for positions with higher starting salaries.

Recommended: Are Coding Bootcamps Worth the Money?

Taking a Gap Year

A gap year is when a student takes a year off between high school and college. Some colleges allow accepted students to defer for a year, holding a place for them in the next year’s incoming class. Some people create a travel itinerary, others may work or volunteer for the year. There are some gap year programs that create opportunities for students, but keep in mind that some programs may be costly.

Starting a Business

If you are already passionate about — and have a lot of knowledge about — a specific field or industry, you might consider skipping college altogether and jumping into that business.

Starting your own business takes a lot of hard work, but it could mean that you get to be your own boss and work in an industry you love. And because you could quickly become an expert on the products or services you provide, you aren’t necessarily at a disadvantage because you lack a degree.

If You Do Go the College Route

There are plenty of options if you choose not to attend a four-year college. However, there are also options within the world of college, including the type of college you choose, the major you decide to pursue, and how you pay for college.

There’s no denying that college can be expensive. In the 2022-2023 school year, the average cost for tuition and fees at an in-state college was $10,423, while the average sticker price for a private college was $39,723. And, these numbers don’t include room and board. This can be a big financial commitment, especially if you are on the fence about pursuing higher education.

That’s why it can be a good idea to begin creating a payment strategy early. A great first step is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to see how much federal aid — including scholarships, grants, work-study, and federal student loans — you qualify for.

Federal student loans do have limits on how much a student can borrow each year they are enrolled in school. Some students may need additional funds to bridge the gap. In that case, some may consider borrowing a student loan from a private lender, such as a bank or credit union, to help cover college costs.

In general, it can be a smart idea to tap all your federal loan and grant options before you consider private student loans. That’s because federal loans offer some protections, such as deferment options, that private loans may not. However, private loans can cover up to 100% of the cost of attendance, including money to pay for books, room and board, and personal expenses.


💡 Quick Tip: Parents and sponsors with strong credit and income may find much lower rates on no-fee private parent student loans than federal parent PLUS loans. Federal PLUS loans also come with an origination fee.

The Takeaway

College can lead students on a new career path, but depending on your goals and other factors, may not be necessary. Some students may choose to pursue a trade or vocational program instead of a four-year degree, while others may simply want to wait a year or so to earn and save more money to cover the cost of going to college.

If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. Repayment plans are flexible, so you can find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.

Cover up to 100% of school-certified costs including tuition, books, supplies, room and board, and transportation with a private student loan from SoFi.

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SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

SoFi Private Student Loans
Please borrow responsibly. SoFi Private Student Loans are not a substitute for federal loans, grants, and work-study programs. You should exhaust all your federal student aid options before you consider any private loans, including ours. Read our FAQs. SoFi Private Student Loans are subject to program terms and restrictions, and applicants must meet SoFi’s eligibility and underwriting requirements. See SoFi.com/eligibility-criteria for more information. To view payment examples, click here. SoFi reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at any time. This information is subject to change.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

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First-time parents are likely to be very busy taking care of their little one, from basic needs (food, more food, and so forth) as well as raising them to be a kind contributing member of society.

It’s easy to put one’s own financial needs on the back burner or even on hold when focusing on your child. But as your family expands, it can be all the more reason to drill down on your finances and work on taking control of (and making the most of) your cash.

Raising a child costs an average of $20,000 a year, according to one recent study, which could stretch anyone’s budget to the max. To assist you in wrangling your finances, here’s a list of ways that parents can improve their finances.

1. Overspending on Baby Gear

As a first-time parent, you likely have quite a bit of work to do before the baby arrives. You may need to create and furnish a nursery for your child, and stock up on diapers, bottles, clothes, toys, and so much more.

As you’re setting up your new life with a baby, it can feel like buying everything brand-new is the only option, but that can be costly. You might consider taking advantage of used or gifted items.

You can buy a lot of items secondhand at a lower cost through online marketplaces or at brick-and-mortar used goods and consignment stores. That’s one way to save money daily.

And if you have friends, family, or neighbors that already have children, they may be looking to unload some of the gear their children no longer use. Things like cribs, playpens, toys, books, and clothes are all great for passing down.

2. Living Without a Safety Net

As a new parent, you’re about to incur all sorts of costs you may have never thought of.

Now that you have a child or one is due, having an emergency fund is even more important. You’re now responsible for all of their needs, and there may be unplanned costs that pop up along the way.

Saving for an emergency is a process, and it’s okay to start small — even just $25 a week will add up over time. Some people opt to store their emergency fund in a high-yield savings account or checking account.

3. Avoiding a Budget

Before you had children, maybe you cooked the majority of your meals at home, did all of the house cleaning weekly, prepped meals, and meticulously shopped for groceries to stay on budget.

The first few months with a newborn can be a blur, complete with sleep-deprived nights and exhaustion. You may not have as much time to cook and clean, or keep up with the other activities you were handling before the birth of your child.

You could hire a housekeeper, get take-out meals, enroll in a subscription meal-delivery service, or have your groceries delivered every week — but all of those conveniences come at an added cost, obviously.

A new monthly budget can help prepare you for the extra expenses.

As your child grows, there can be more and more new costs. Maybe they need braces or want to participate in a sport, art classes, dance lessons, or music lessons. Thinking about these costs now may make planning for them easier.

4. Putting Off Saving for Retirement

Another financial mistake some new parents make is failing to save for retirement.

Learning to pay yourself first isn’t easy for a lot of parents to do, but you could consider prioritizing retirement while helping your child as much as possible and educating the child on smart practices for student loan borrowing.

For retirement saving, one way to start is by enrolling in your company’s 401(k) plan if one is offered. Some employers will match your contribution, up to a certain percentage, and you’ll be able to have your contribution taken directly from your paycheck.

If your employer doesn’t offer a 401(k), you could open an IRA instead.

It’s never too early to start saving for retirement.

5. Not Saving for College

As mentioned, you may not want to focus solely on saving for your children’s tuition and let retirement planning fall by the wayside. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t try to save for both.

While a standard savings account may seem like the easy choice, there are other options available that are designed to help you or grandparents save for a child’s education.

You might enjoy the benefits of a 529 college savings plan. There are two types: education savings plans and prepaid tuition plans.

•   With an education savings plan, an investment account is used to save for the child’s future qualified higher education expenses, like tuition, fees, room and board, computers, and textbooks. Earnings used for qualified expenses are not subject to federal income tax or, in many cases, state income tax.

•   With a prepaid tuition plan, an account holder purchases units or credits at participating colleges and universities for future tuition and fees at current prices for the beneficiary. Most of the plans have residency requirements for the saver and/or beneficiary.

A Coverdell Education Savings Account may also be worth looking into. In general, the beneficiary can receive tax-free distributions to pay for qualified education expenses.

Contributions to a Coverdell account are limited to $2,000 per year. The IRS sets no specific limits for 529s.

6. Missing Out on Tax Breaks

When you have a child, you may be eligible for certain tax benefits. It might be worth reading up on the Child and Dependent Care Credit, the Child Tax Credit, and, for lower-income parents, the Earned Income Tax Credit.

There’s also an adoption tax credit, which offers tax incentives to cover the cost incurred if you adopted a child.

Consult a tax professional to see if you qualify.

7. Not Teaching Your Kids About Money

If kids aren’t taught the basics of financial literacy at a young age, they may struggle to balance a checkbook, make a budget, or save money when they’re older. Helping your children learn what it means to manage money by teaching them to save and spend their earnings can help set them up for financial success in the future.

You may want to introduce your children to money at a young age — kids love to play store, and by exchanging goods for money, they’re already beginning to understand the basic principles of commerce.

As they get older, you may want to try giving them an allowance in exchange for chores or homework completion.

You could even have them make a budget with their earnings, and encourage them to spend, save, and donate.

The Takeaway

New parents are often too overwhelmed to think a whole lot about managing money, but trying to avoid common financial mistakes could help the whole family, at first and much later.

If you’re a first-time parent and aren’t sure how to plan your finances, a money-tracking app could help. Your bank may offer one that can help you take control of your cash.

Interested in opening an online bank account? When you sign up for a SoFi Checking and Savings account with direct deposit, you’ll get a competitive annual percentage yield (APY), pay zero account fees, and enjoy an array of rewards, such as access to the Allpoint Network of 55,000+ fee-free ATMs globally. Qualifying accounts can even access their paycheck up to two days early.

Better banking is here with up to 4.60% APY on SoFi Checking and Savings.

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The SoFi Bank Debit Mastercard® is issued by SoFi Bank, N.A., pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated and can be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

SoFi members with direct deposit activity can earn 4.60% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Direct Deposit means a deposit to an account holder’s SoFi Checking or Savings account, including payroll, pension, or government payments (e.g., Social Security), made by the account holder’s employer, payroll or benefits provider or government agency (“Direct Deposit”) via the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) Network during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Deposits that are not from an employer or government agency, including but not limited to check deposits, peer-to-peer transfers (e.g., transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc.), merchant transactions (e.g., transactions from PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc.), and bank ACH funds transfers and wire transfers from external accounts, do not constitute Direct Deposit activity. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate.

SoFi members with Qualifying Deposits can earn 4.60% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Qualifying Deposits means one or more deposits that, in the aggregate, are equal to or greater than $5,000 to an account holder’s SoFi Checking and Savings account (“Qualifying Deposits”) during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Qualifying Deposits only include those deposits from the following eligible sources: (i) ACH transfers, (ii) inbound wire transfers, (iii) peer-to-peer transfers (i.e., external transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc. and internal peer-to-peer transfers from a SoFi account belonging to another account holder), (iv) check deposits, (v) instant funding to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, (vi) push payments to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, and (vii) cash deposits. Qualifying Deposits do not include: (i) transfers between an account holder’s Checking account, Savings account, and/or Vaults; (ii) interest payments; (iii) bonuses issued by SoFi Bank or its affiliates; or (iv) credits, reversals, and refunds from SoFi Bank, N.A. (“SoFi Bank”) or from a merchant.

SoFi Bank shall, in its sole discretion, assess each account holder’s Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits throughout each 30-Day Evaluation Period to determine the applicability of rates and may request additional documentation for verification of eligibility. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Upon receiving a Direct Deposit or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits to your account, you will begin earning 4.60% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% on checking balances on or before the following calendar day. You will continue to earn these APYs for (i) the remainder of the current 30-Day Evaluation Period and through the end of the subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period and (ii) any following 30-day Evaluation Periods during which SoFi Bank determines you to have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits without interruption.

SoFi Bank reserves the right to grant a grace period to account holders following a change in Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits activity before adjusting rates. If SoFi Bank grants you a grace period, the dates for such grace period will be reflected on the APY Details page of your account. If SoFi Bank determines that you did not have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits during the current 30-day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, then you will begin earning the rates earned by account holders without either Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits until you have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits in a subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period. For the avoidance of doubt, an account holder with both Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits will earn the rates earned by account holders with Direct Deposit.

Members without either Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits, as determined by SoFi Bank, during a 30-Day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances.

Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 10/24/2023. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet..

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.

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