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Investing in individual bonds can be complicated, but exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that invest in bonds — a.k.a. bond ETFs — can provide a more straightforward way to invest in fixed income securities.

Investors may associate ETFs with stocks, thanks to the popular ETFs that track stock indices like the S&P 500. ETFs also happen to trade on stock exchanges, like the New York Stock Exchange.

Bond ETFs work similarly. Though the ETF holds bonds and not stocks, it trades on a stock exchange. Said another way, a bond ETF is a bundle of bonds that an investor can trade like a stock.

Bond ETFs make it possible for investors to buy a diversified set of bonds, without the time and effort it would take to build a portfolio of individual bonds.

Before getting into the specifics of bond ETFs, it will be helpful to understand ETFs and bonds separately. Let’s begin with ETFs.

ETF 101: Reviewing the Basics

An investment fund provides a way to pool money with other investors so that money can then be spread across many different investments (sometimes referred to as a “basket” of investments).

For most small investors, it would be too costly to individually purchase 500 individual stocks or 1,000 individual bonds. But such a thing becomes possible when doing it alongside thousands of other investors. Though different vehicles, mutual funds and ETFs provide investors with an incredible opportunity to diversify their investments.

For retail investors, investment funds come in two major varieties: mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. Mutual funds and ETFs are constructed differently — ETFs were built to trade on an exchange, as the name implies — but both can be useful tools in gaining broad diversification.

Whether investors will choose a mutual fund or ETF will likely depend on their preference, and context. For example, someone using a workplace retirement plan may only have access to mutual funds, so that’s what they use.

Someone who is investing independently may choose ETFs, because it’s possible to purchase them without any of the normally associated trading costs.

Whether an investor is using a mutual fund or an ETF, what’s most important is what’s held inside that fund. Think of an ETF as a basket that holds an array of securities, like stocks or bonds.

Most ETFs will hold just one type of security — only stocks or only bonds, for example. A bond ETF could be broad, or it could contain a narrower sliver of the bond market, like corporate bonds, green bonds, or short-term treasury bonds.


💡 Quick Tip: If you’re opening a brokerage account for the first time, consider starting with an amount of money you’re prepared to lose. Investing always includes the risk of loss, and until you’ve gained some experience, it’s probably wise to start small.

What Is a Bond?

Effectively, a bond is a loan to an organization: i.e. a company, government, or other entity. Investors loan the entity their money, and then the entity pays interest on the amount of that loan.

Bonds are quite different from stocks, which offer investors the opportunity to buy shares of ownership in a company or entity.

There are countless types of bonds. Treasuries are loans to the U.S. government. Municipal bonds are loans to a state or local government. Companies sometimes issue bonds in order to raise money. These entities are borrowing money from investors and issuing IOUs in the form of bonds.

How Bonds Work

When investors buy a bond, they are agreeing to the rate of interest and other terms set by the bond. Because bonds pay a fixed rate of interest, bonds are sometimes referred to as fixed-income investments.

Bonds typically make interest payments, sometimes referred to as coupon payments, twice annually.

Example of a Bond

Let’s say an investor buys a Coca-Cola bond for $10,000 that pays a 4% rate of interest over 20 years. The bond earns $400 every year, earning the investor a total of $8,000 over the 20-year period. At the end of the period, the $10,000 “principal” investment is returned. As long as the investor holds the bond for the full 20 years, there should be no surprises.

Because bonds pay a fixed rate of return, their earnings potential is largely predictable. But there is limited upside on what can be earned on a bond. For this reason, bonds are considered to be a safer, less volatile complement to stock holdings, which have a higher potential for returns over time.

Types of Bonds

Bonds are issued by different entities and are often categorized by the issuer. There are four categories of bonds available to investors.

Treasury bonds: Bonds issued by the U.S. government.

Municipal bonds: Bonds issued by local governments or government agencies.

Corporate bonds: Bonds issued by a public corporation.

Mortgage and asset-backed bonds: Bonds that pass through the interest paid on a bundle of debts, such as a bundle of mortgages, student loans, car loans, or other financial assets.

As one could imagine, there are many subtypes within these broad categories.

When it comes to risk, the bond market produces a wide range. Corporate, municipal, and asset-backed bonds are generally considered to be higher risk than treasury bonds.

Whereas a business or even a municipal government could potentially “default” on a loan, it is highly unlikely that the U.S. government would go bankrupt. (As yet, the U.S. government has never defaulted on a treasury bond.)

Because they are considered low risk, U.S. treasury bonds typically pay less interest than the other bond types. This is an important trade-off to understand. Higher-risk investments should pay a higher rate of interest in order to compensate the investor for taking on that additional risk.

This is why it is possible to see bonds with high rates of interest issued by unstable governments or by highly speculative companies. These are often referred to simply as high-yield bonds or junk bonds.

Bonds can also vary by their maturity dates. It is possible to purchase bonds with a wide range of timelines, ranging from the very short (a few days) to the very long (30 years). Although it depends on the current state of interest rates, long-term bonds tend to pay more than short-term bonds. This should make intuitive sense; investors want to be compensated for locking their money up for longer periods.

Benefits of Bond ETFs

While bonds offer certain benefits to investors, including relatively low risk and predictable income, these instruments are complex. Owning and managing a portfolio of bonds requires experience and sophistication. This is where bond ETFs come in. In some ways, bond ETFs give retail investors easier access to the bond market.

Bond ETFs can be purchased in small dollar amounts.

For some bonds, the starting price is $1,000. This can be prohibitive for small investors who don’t have $1,000 to start building their bond portfolio, let alone a diversified one.

Generally, ETFs are sold by the share, and the cost of one share varies by ETF. Some trading platforms allow for the purchase of partial shares, which allows investors to get started with as little as $1.

They provide diversification.

It is possible to buy into a fund of hundreds or thousands of bonds using a bond ETF. This type of portfolio diversification would be otherwise impossible to achieve for small investors trying to build a bond portfolio on their own. ETFs make diversification a possibility, even at very small dollar amounts.

They are low cost.

ETFs, by their nature, are low cost. Because they are typically passive funds by style, the management fee embedded within the fund — called the expense ratio — is typically quite low. Compare this to an actively managed mutual fund of bonds, where the expense ratios can top 1%.

There’s another fee that investors will want to be aware of, called a trading cost or transaction fee. This is the cost of buying and selling ETFs (and stocks). These fees can be quite prohibitive for smaller investors. Luckily, there are ways to buy ETFs without paying any trading or transaction fees.

They are easy to buy and sell.

Individual bonds are not always easy to buy and sell. Said another way, they are not particularly liquid. Bonds do not trade on an open exchange, like stocks and ETFs. It is likely that an investor would need to involve a professional to broker the transaction.

ETFs, on the other hand, are very easy to sell. Most banks and trading platforms allow investors to do it themselves, online. This way, an investment can be sold quickly if needed.


💡 Quick Tip: Distributing your money across a range of assets — also known as diversification — can be beneficial for long-term investors. When you put your eggs in many baskets, it may be beneficial if a single asset class goes down.

Downsides of Bond ETFs

Bond ETFs do have their downsides, though.

Bond ETFs reveal underlying price changes in the bonds, which some investors may find disconcerting. Because yes, it is possible for bonds, and a bond ETF, to lose value.

When holding an individual bond or a portfolio of bonds, an investor is not provided minute-by-minute updates of the market value of that investment. In this way, a bond is like a house. There is no ticker sitting above anyone’s house that tells them the value of that property at that very second.

This is not the case with a bond ETF, where price changes can be felt in near real time. It will be important that investors are prepared for this. It is generally not wise to make a decision about long-term investments based on recent price gyrations, not just with stocks but with bonds, too.

The Takeaway

The first step is to research bond ETFs, as there are many kinds. Bond ETFs can be broad and cover a wide sample of the bond market, or they can be narrower. For example, it is possible to buy a long-term treasury bond ETF or a bond ETF that only holds certain municipal bonds.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.

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The information provided is not meant to provide investment or financial advice. Investment decisions should be based on an individual’s specific financial needs, goals and risk profile. SoFi can’t guarantee future financial performance. Advisory services offered through SoFi Wealth, LLC. SoFi Securities, LLC, member FINRA / SIPC . The umbrella term “SoFi Invest” refers to the three investment and trading platforms operated by Social Finance, Inc. and its affiliates (described below). Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of the platforms below.
Fund Fees
If you invest in Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) through SoFi Invest (either by buying them yourself or via investing in SoFi Invest’s automated investments, formerly SoFi Wealth), these funds will have their own management fees. These fees are not paid directly by you, but rather by the fund itself. these fees do reduce the fund’s returns. Check out each fund’s prospectus for details. SoFi Invest does not receive sales commissions, 12b-1 fees, or other fees from ETFs for investing such funds on behalf of advisory clients, though if SoFi Invest creates its own funds, it could earn management fees there.
SoFi Invest may waive all, or part of any of these fees, permanently or for a period of time, at its sole discretion for any reason. Fees are subject to change at any time. The current fee schedule will always be available in your Account Documents section of SoFi Invest.

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Advisory services are offered through SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Information about SoFi Wealth’s advisory operations, services, and fees is set forth in SoFi Wealth’s current Form ADV Part 2 (Brochure), a copy of which is available upon request and at adviserinfo.sec.gov .

Investment Risk: Diversification can help reduce some investment risk. It cannot guarantee profit, or fully protect in a down market.

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Your income is one of your biggest assets, and losing it can quickly take a toll on your financial wellbeing. Disability insurance can offer an important safety net because it pays you a percentage of your salary if an illness or injury ever prevents you from working.

There are two main types of disability insurance: short-term disability insurance, often offered through employers, and long-term disability insurance, which may be purchased separately. As their names imply, short-term disability insurance lasts for a shorter period of time than long-term disability insurance.

But there are other key differences between short-term and long-term disability, including how quickly coverage kicks in and cost.

Here, we’ll take a close look at both types of disability insurance.

What Is Short Term Disability Insurance?

Short-term disability insurance (also called short-term disability income insurance, or STDI) is a type of insurance that will provide supplemental income in the event of an injury or illness that keeps you from working. The length of time you can receive benefits (or supplemental income), is known as the benefit period.

Short term disability policies typically have a benefit period of three to six months, though some may last up to a year. The shorter the benefit period, the less you or your employer will pay in premiums for coverage.

Benefits vary by plan, but these policies typically pay anywhere between 50% to 70% of your pre-disability salary during that time.

Disability policies also have specific start dates when your payments begin. The waiting period is typically referred to as the elimination period.

Short-term disability policies often have an elimination period of 14 days, though it can range from 7 to 30 days. That means payments would start 14 days after your disability occurs, or from the last day you were able to work.

Some employers have policies that require employees to take all of their sick days or, if the injury happened on the job, workers’ compensation benefits, before short-term disability is paid. Employers may also require you to show proof from a doctor that you have undergone an illness or injury that prohibits you from working.

They also may require you to see an approved healthcare provider for regular updates on your condition while you are out of work. Many of the rules for short-term disability coverage are determined by your state.

How Do I Purchase Short Term Disability Insurance?

Most commonly, people get disability insurance through their employer. Companies often offer this benefit for no or very low cost.

In some states it’s mandatory for employers to offer this. Employees may pay a small fee from payroll deductions. Your employer is generally the easiest and most cost-efficient way to get short-term disability insurance.

If you are self-employed, or your employer doesn’t offer this benefit, you may be able to purchase short-term disability insurance from a private insurer. The hitch is that few carriers offer private short-term insurance and, if they do, it tends to be costly.

You could pay anywhere from 1% to 3% of your annual salary for a benefit that may only last a few weeks or months. You may find it makes more sense to invest in long-term disability insurance.

What Is Long Term Disability Insurance?

Long-term disability insurance — also known as long-term disability income insurance or LTDI — is an insurance policy that protects employees from loss of income in the event that they are unable to work due to an illness, injury, or accident for a long period of time.

The benefit period, or the amount of time you’ll receive benefits, for long-term disability insurance is often a choice of 5, 10, or 20 years, or even until you reach retirement age, depending on the plan. In general, the longer the benefit period, the more you’ll pay in premiums.

Long-term disability insurance typically pays about 50% to 60% of your pre-disability salary, depending on the policy. In most cases, the higher that number, the higher the premium. Some policies will also make up the gap in your income if you must return to work at a lower-wage job because of an illness or injury. That coverage may also come with a higher premium.

The elimination period (the amount of time you must wait until benefits begin) for long-term disability insurance usually includes several options, including 30, 60, 90, 180 days, or a full year. In general, the longer the elimination period, the less you will pay in premiums. The most common elimination period is 90 days. But if you can’t afford a policy with that elimination period, you may be able to reduce your premium costs by electing a longer period of time until benefits start.

You may want to keep in mind, however, that a longer elimination period means that you would have to go without income for a longer period of time, and might need to have savings or other resources to cover living expenses.

Each long-term disability insurance policy has different conditions for payout, diseases or pre-existing conditions that may be excluded, and various other conditions that make the policy more or less useful to an employee. Some policies, for example, will pay disability benefits if the employee is unable to work in his or her current profession. Others expect that the employee will take any job that the employee is capable of doing — that’s a big difference and could be consequential to the employee.

How Do I Purchase Long Term Disability Insurance?

Some employers offer subsidized long-term disability insurance policies to employees at discounted group rates. If your employer doesn’t offer this, you may be able to purchase long-term disability insurance from a private insurer. Unlike short term disability insurance, these policies are widely available. Also, unlike short-term disability insurance, private insurers typically offer individuals a range of long-term disability policies to choose from.

Long-term disability insurance is also sometimes available for purchase through professional associations, potentially at discounted group rates. The cost of long-term disability insurance can vary depending on the benefit period, the elimination period, your age, health, occupation, along with other factors. In general, these policies tend to run between 1% and 3% of your annual salary. This is about the same as if you purchased a short-term disability policy outside of your employer.

If you were to use the insurance, however, you would benefit for years, not months, making long-term disability insurance more cost-efficient than short-term disability insurance.

Do I Need Short Term Disability if I Have Long Term Disability?

When possible, it can be beneficial to pair short term and long term disability insurance together.

Short-term disability is intended to cover you immediately following a serious illness or injury, and long-term disability insurance is intended to maintain supplemental income if your condition keeps you out of work past the end of your short-term disability benefit period, even to retirement, depending on your plan.

If you have both short-term and long-term disability policies in place, short-term disability can pay you benefits during the elimination or waiting period before your long-term disability coverage begins, at which point you would transition from one policy to the next to receive benefits.

The combination can help you achieve the smallest possible income gap should you need to use disability insurance.
The best combination for you will depend on what options your employer offers, how much money you have saved in an emergency fund, and what you may be able to afford to purchase on your own.

The Takeaway

Disability income insurance offers an important way to protect your livelihood should you find you can no longer work at the same capacity you were expecting. The primary distinction between short- and long-term disability insurance is the coverage period.

Short term policies generally cover just the first few months you’re unable to work. Long-term policies, on the other hand, can last for years — decades even — after you’re unable to work and may see you through retirement. Because long term disability insurance benefits don’t start right away, it can be beneficial to pair long term disability benefits with short term disability insurance.

While nobody likes thinking about how to protect their loved ones when they pass away, life insurance is another policy to consider in addition to your health insurance plan. SoFi Protect and Ladder offer life insurance coverage that you can set up in minutes.

Learn more about your life insurance options with SoFi Protect.

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Coverage and pricing is subject to eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Ladder Insurance Services, LLC (CA license # OK22568; AR license # 3000140372) distributes term life insurance products issued by multiple insurers- for further details see ladderlife.com. All insurance products are governed by the terms set forth in the applicable insurance policy. Each insurer has financial responsibility for its own products.
Ladder, SoFi and SoFi Agency are separate, independent entities and are not responsible for the financial condition, business, or legal obligations of the other, Social Finance. Inc. (SoFi) and Social Finance Life Insurance Agency, LLC (SoFi Agency) do not issue, underwrite insurance or pay claims under Ladder Life™ policies. SoFi is compensated by Ladder for each issued term life policy.
SoFi Agency and its affiliates do not guarantee the services of any insurance company.
All services from Ladder Insurance Services, LLC are their own. Once you reach Ladder, SoFi is not involved and has no control over the products or services involved. The Ladder service is limited to documents and does not provide legal advice. Individual circumstances are unique and using documents provided is not a substitute for obtaining legal advice.

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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Many of us rely on a job for our income. If that includes you, and if you find yourself unable to continue performing your job duties because of a physical ailment, disability insurance can be a godsend. It replaces a portion of the income you lose when you can’t work.

Disability insurance comes in two distinct flavors: own-occupation (also called own-occ) and any-occupation (or any-occ) disability insurance policies. Although they may sound similar, there are some key differences in how much coverage each type of policy offers.

What Is Disability Insurance?

Let’s start with a review of what disability insurance is and how it works.

Disability insurance is an insurance product that protects workers against income loss due to a disability. In other words, if a disability or illness keeps you from being able to do your job, disability insurance can provide you with a source of income. But typically, the payments don’t replace the full amount of your lost wages.

Disability insurance usually has an expiration date. Short-term disability insurance pays a portion of your lost wages — typically between 50% to 70% — for three to six months. Long-term disability insurance can pay around 60% to 80% of your lost wages for two years or until your retirement, based on your specific policy. (The duration may be reflected in the premium amount.)

There’s also public disability insurance through the Social Security program: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which is free and can pay for as long as you are disabled or until you reach retirement age. Those payments are calculated based on your average indexed monthly earnings, which means they might be higher than the 60% to 80% range offered by private insurers. However, SSDI can be difficult to qualify for and the process can be lengthy. Even if you are approved, you must wait five months after approval to receive your first payment.

Recommended: Short Term vs. Long Term Disability Insurance

Own-Occupation vs. Any-Occupation Disability Insurance

When purchasing private disability insurance, you may have the option to choose either an own-occupation policy or any-occupation policy. (Note that your employer may only offer only any-occupation policy, so be sure you read your paperwork carefully to understand what you’re getting.)

Own-occupation is a more robust disability insurance product. It protects you in the event you become disabled and can’t work at your job. Typically, it’s more expensive than any-occupation disability insurance.

Any-occupation disability insurance protects you in the event you become disabled and can’t work at any job you’re reasonably qualified for.

Let’s dive deeper into the differences between these two products.

Own-Occupation Disability Insurance

Own-occupation disability insurance insures you against any disability that keeps you from performing your regular job. In many cases, you’re still eligible to receive benefits even if you find another job.

There may be language in the contract stating that you have to have been working at the moment you became disabled in order to be covered. But there are also policies that cover people who become disabled outside work if their disabilities prevent them from performing their job duties.

Highly skilled surgeons, for example, frequently get own-occupation insurance, since their jobs require such finely tuned motor skills. For instance, if Grey’s Anatomy heart surgeon extraordinaire Dr. Preston Burke, who suffered from hand tremors after surviving a gunshot injury, had had own-occupation insurance coverage, he could have chosen to move into a different role in the hospital and still received benefits for losing his ability to perform his original job. He could also have chosen not to work at all and still have received benefits.

Any-Occupation Disability Insurance

Any-occupation disability insurance works a bit differently. This type of policy insures you against any disability that keeps you from performing any job you’re reasonably qualified for.

“Reasonably qualified” is determined by the insurance company and is based on factors like your age, education, and experience level. If you’re still considered “capable” of working with the disability — even if it’s at a lower-paying job — you would likely not receive any disability benefits at all.

This means that any-occupation insurance is a much less flexible and reliable form of disability insurance coverage. However, it’s often the only option available through an employer. Be sure to read your benefits package carefully, since you might want to purchase additional coverage to ensure that you’ll receive benefits if you do find yourself unable to do your work.

Let’s go back to the Dr. Burke example to see how the difference between these two insurance coverage options plays out. Because Dr. Burke was still a talented doctor who could perform other medical services and assessments, any-occupation disability insurance wouldn’t have covered him at all after he sustained his gunshot wound. Although he was unable to perform delicate heart surgeries, he could have taken another job in the hospital or even a job outside the medical field entirely. Thus, his any-occupation disability insurance wouldn’t have kicked in unless he sustained a more incapacitating injury that rendered him unable to work at all.

Recommended: Everything You Need To Know About Getting a Loan While on Disability

The Takeaway

Disability insurance helps you replace part of your lost income if you become unable to perform your job duties due to an illness or injury. But when you’re covered depends in large part on whether you have own-occupation or all-occupation insurance.

Own-occupation disability insurance coverage kicks in if your disability prevents you from performing the specific occupation you hold. Any-occupation disability insurance coverage kicks in only if you can’t perform any job you’re reasonably qualified for.
That’s why it’s key to know what kind of policy you have and whether you have the right coverage in place.

Disability coverage can offer one level of protection; life insurance can provide another. If you’re thinking about getting life insurance, SoFi has teamed up with Ladder to offer competitive policies that are quick to set up and easy to understand. You can apply in just minutes and get an instant decision. As your circumstances change, you can easily change or cancel your policy with no fees and no hassles.

Complete an application and get your quote in just minutes.

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Coverage and pricing is subject to eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Ladder Insurance Services, LLC (CA license # OK22568; AR license # 3000140372) distributes term life insurance products issued by multiple insurers- for further details see ladderlife.com. All insurance products are governed by the terms set forth in the applicable insurance policy. Each insurer has financial responsibility for its own products.
Ladder, SoFi and SoFi Agency are separate, independent entities and are not responsible for the financial condition, business, or legal obligations of the other, Social Finance. Inc. (SoFi) and Social Finance Life Insurance Agency, LLC (SoFi Agency) do not issue, underwrite insurance or pay claims under Ladder Life™ policies. SoFi is compensated by Ladder for each issued term life policy.
SoFi Agency and its affiliates do not guarantee the services of any insurance company.
All services from Ladder Insurance Services, LLC are their own. Once you reach Ladder, SoFi is not involved and has no control over the products or services involved. The Ladder service is limited to documents and does not provide legal advice. Individual circumstances are unique and using documents provided is not a substitute for obtaining legal advice.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

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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If you’re working and want to continue school but aren’t sure how to fund it, your employer may offer assistance.
It’s called tuition reimbursement, and it’s how many companies help employees pay for continuing their education. Tuition reimbursement programs are growing in popularity as companies work to attract and retain employees.

What is tuition reimbursement? It’s when companies such as Starbucks, Amazon, Target, and more offer programs to help employees pay for a portion of their educational costs. These programs vary by company. Some may only cover course costs if the path of education is related to your job. Others may require employees to remain with the company for a certain period of time after completing their degree.

If you’re wondering, how does tuition reimbursement work?, read on to learn the tuition reimbursement meaning and to find out the requirements involved.

What Is Tuition Reimbursement?

Tuition reimbursement, or tuition assistance, is an arrangement where an employer pays for part or all of an employee’s continuing education whether undergraduate degrees or graduate school.

How does tuition reimbursement work? Your employment contract may lay out the terms of the tuition reimbursement: how much of your tuition your company will cover, what courses qualify, any minimum GPA requirements, and the minimum time period of employment.

Tuition reimbursement is often offered as an employee benefit on top of a salary package, along with other benefits like health insurance, a 401(k), or transportation expenses.

This is different from student loan repayment assistance, when your company provides some amount of money toward student loans you already have.

Not every company offers tuition reimbursement, but many large ones do provide reimbursement or financial support for continuing education. Some companies may stipulate that courses must relate to your current work.

Recommended: What Are College Tuition Payment Plans and How Do They Work?

Why Companies Offer Tuition Reimbursement

Tuition reimbursement is a perk that helps a company attract and retain employees, while also benefiting the company itself, since the courses you take may provide skills or knowledge you can put into practice at work.

Some companies are upping their educational benefits as a way to stay competitive. They may offer a range of benefits to their employees like refinancing student loans and student loan contributions.

Not sure if your employer offers tuition reimbursement? Check with your HR representative to see what options are available.

Tuition Reimbursement Requirements

The specifics of each company’s tuition reimbursement policy are likely laid out in an employment contract, but it’s common for a company to offer a tuition reimbursement only in accordance with certain eligibility requirements.

You’ll probably have to sign up and pay for the courses yourself first, so you’ll want to budget appropriately. In most cases you’ll need to pay for your courses out of pocket and then provide proof of completion and your grades in order to be reimbursed.

Program requirements

Your employer may limit its reimbursement program to certain institutions. For example, they may provide a list of accredited institutions you can choose from. Or they require that you attend a four-year program.

Coursework Requirements

Your company may reimburse you only for classes pertaining to your current job description.

Other times, companies will approve courses focused on moving you into a management role or on gaining skills you can put toward other future roles or assignments. For example, if you work in project management for a large corporation and are interested in learning how to use data visualization, you might be able to take community college courses in data production and visual graphics.

After understanding what courses qualify for tuition reimbursement, you could then look over the other requirements. For example, there may be minimum GPA or attendance requirements.

Timeframe Requirements

Sometimes a company will also require you to continue working with them for a set amount of time, since they’ve invested in your education and don’t want you to take those new skills to a competitor.

Tuition Reimbursement And the FAFSA®

An employer’s tuition reimbursement program doesn’t preclude you from filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In most scenarios, an employer is unlikely to cover 100% of tuition costs, and you may still qualify for aid in the form of federal loans and grants.

That said, you will be asked to note how much you are reimbursed for, which may have an effect on how much financial aid you’re offered.

Is Tuition Reimbursement Taxable?

While you should always consult with a licensed tax professional regarding the current tax law, and in no way should any of this information be considered tax advice, the IRS’ website currently states that employers can deduct the cost of tuition reimbursement (up to $5,250 annually). It’s a business expense for them. The IRS website also states that the first $5,250 of tuition reimbursement isn’t considered taxable income for employees. However, anything above that counts as part of your taxable wages and salary. Again, talking to a tax professional is always recommended.

The IRS does have some requirements on tax-free educational assistance benefits — which are not necessarily the same requirements your employer has.

Typically, for the IRS to consider tuition assistance as tax-free, it should be used to pay for tuition, fees, textbooks, supplies, or equipment.

And typically, it can’t be used for meals, lodging, transportation, or any equipment you keep after the course. It’s also not applicable to sports, games, or hobbies — unless they’re a degree requirement or you can prove they’re related to your employer’s business.

Again, consult with an accountant or tax attorney to get the complete picture.

What Are Other Options to Lower Education Costs?

The average cost of attending a four-year public college as an in-state student during the 2022-23 school year was $10,950, and that price tag only goes up for private schools and out-of-state students.

Federal Student Aid

For those who do not qualify for employer offered tuition reimbursement, there are other options that could be worth considering. As mentioned above, students can fill out FAFSA® annually. This allows them to apply for all types of federal student aid, including scholarships and grants, work-study, and federal student loans.

Private Student Loans

Beyond that, some may consider private student loans.

While one of the basics of student loans is that they offer students the opportunity to finance their education, private student loans don’t always have the same borrower protections, like income-driven repayment plans, that are afforded to federal student loans. For this reason, they are most often considered only after all other options.

Recommended: Private Student Loans Guide

Refinancing Existing Student Loans

If you already have student loans, when it comes time to repay you could consider refinancing to a lower interest rate. One of the advantages of refinancing student loans is that it could help you reduce the amount of money paid in interest over the total life of the loan; refinancing at a lower monthly payment could help with budgeting in the short term. However, lowering monthly payments is frequently the result of extending the loan term, which will result in increased cost over the life of the loan.

It’s important to know that there are various federal student loan repayment options and borrower protections (such as deferment or forbearance options). Refinancing federal loans eliminates them from these programs.

The Takeaway

Employers who offer tuition reimbursement programs will cover a portion of tuition costs if the employee meets specific program eligibility requirements. These requirements vary by company, but may include things like maintaining a minimum GPA, doing certain coursework, and stipulations around the length of employment.

Refinancing is another method that might help you lower your education costs. If you’re looking to refinance your student loans now, prequalifying online with SoFi takes just two minutes. SoFi offers student loan refinancing with low fixed and variable rates, flexible terms, and no fees.

Learn more about refinancing your student loans with SoFi.

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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.

This article is not intended to be legal advice. Please consult an attorney for advice.

SoFi Student Loan Refinance
If you are a federal student loan borrower, you should consider all of your repayment opportunities including the opportunity to refinance your student loan debt at a lower APR or to extend your term to achieve a lower monthly payment. Please note that once you refinance federal student loans you will no longer be eligible for current or future flexible payment options available to federal loan borrowers, including but not limited to income-based repayment plans or extended repayment plans.

SoFi Loan Products
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.

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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