Paying for college is one of the biggest financial hurdles families face—even as you’re chasing or approaching FIRE. What’s the smartest way to save for higher education while also securing your financial future? Scott, Mindy, and Amberly are breaking it all down on today’s episode!

Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! There are several ways to fund your child’s education, and if you’re actively building wealth, you likely have even more options at your disposal. We’ll show you how to find “free” money through government grants and scholarships, but since these could be off the table for those who are pursuing financial independence, we’ll also compare popular college savings accounts—like the 529 college savings plan and UTMA (Uniform Transfer to Minors Act) account. If you want to limit your tax liability, one option reigns supreme!

We know this is a personal decision, and you shouldn’t be guilted into one direction or the other. Whether you’re saving for your own children, your grandkids, or just curious about how to balance college tuition costs with FIRE goals, we’ll equip you with a practical roadmap for funding education on your own terms—one that keeps you on track to retire early!

In This Episode We Cover

How Scott, Mindy, and Amberly are funding their children’s college education

The pros and cons of 529 college savings plans versus UTMA accounts

How to uncover “free money” to help pay for college tuition costs

State-specific tax benefits to keep in mind when contributing to a 529 plan

Securing your financial future before saving for higher education

And So Much More!

Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-639

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]

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