Make our kids take loans and pay them at the end as surprise, good idea?

[Anonymous]

Why on earth would you do that to your kid? I guess you want them to live with you after college for the next 10 years

[Anonymous]

Take out loan,

Put your money in investment

[Anonymous]

You reference your DH dumbly failed because school was free. Did you do the same? Why punish your kids based on stupid things you all did?

[Anonymous]

Bad idea.

[Anonymous]

What strange idea. You sound....off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have them take federal loans, pay the rest, then offer the remainder saved for either paying off loan or down-payment.

Fwiw, I worked a lot while in school to help pay for tuition. It def impacted my grades, but I gained a much more well rounded education with that experience.

I would do this. Or give them the option of going to a lower cost school that fits what you'd pay. That's what we did with our kids. Budget was x. If they wanted someplace more expensive they could take the federal loans + pay from their summer job income. Both are happy with their lower cost schools and appreciate the freedom from loans. They are also working hard and doing well in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What strange idea. You sound....off.

...and drama seeking

[Anonymous]

Just say how many years of college you'll pay for or whatever amount you are willing/able to pay.

A friend's parents told her that they would pay for four years of college. She went to a junior college for a year then transferred to a four year and before her senior year, her parents reminded her they had paid for four years. She took out loans to pay for her final year.

[Anonymous]

What a horrible idea

[Anonymous]

Won't work if you have more than 1 child. The others will think it's also the plan for them.. Not sure what would work. Not sure sneaky works. I saw my hard working, paying for it themselves, peers at my state school and was in awe. They knew ... if I have to repeat this class, it's coming out of my pocket. They really buckled down. Knew exactly why they were there. This was good for me to see, quite privileged coming from a W school. They would out-study me and end up with the better grades, not based on their HS preparation but on sheer force of determination. They were more independent in all areas. They just weren't reliant on Mom and Dad in any way (that I could see). In order to get there, to college, they had been in charge of their future, for some time.

Not sure there is any way to produce the same result if you haven't lived it authentically. I don't think there's any hybrid model for rich kids.

[Anonymous]

Take enough that will qualify for loan forgiveness in the future. Then pay the rest yourselves.

[Anonymous]

I remember thinking this was a good idea when I was in college (so, young and dumb). Now that I’m a parent I see it would be a mistake to lose credibility with my children like that. Especially telling them I was too dumb and irresponsible to plan for their college. Why would they then trust me with important advice about things like internships and majors?

[Anonymous]

Manipulative parents disgust me. I can't imagine how you've treated your kids growing up

[Anonymous]

Aren't there other signs of you not being "broke?"

Why would you add to your kid's stress?

This may cause them to make choices (like working instead of attending to classes) that impact their later options in life (i.e. grad school/GPA).

So, no, I do not think it is a good idea.

(Plus, you want to build not erode trust in a family)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take enough that will qualify for loan forgiveness in the future. Then pay the rest yourselves.

Nice. Make other taxpayers pay for their kid's education, even though they can well afford it.

You must have attended the Trump school of civics/personal responsibility.