529 plan performance is tough to measure - it's not just the investment returns, but it's also about the tax benefits and fees.

Minimizing costs is usually key to maximizing returns, but not always. Sometimes, state income tax breaks can compensate for the cost of 529 plans with higher fees. So, how can you find the best 529 plan for your state and situation?

A more focused analysis of 529 plan portfolio performance net of costs and state income tax breaks yields results that differ from traditional 529 plan ratings.

Let's break it down.

Don't you wish you could lower your student loan payment? It's possible, and legal, do work some "magic" to get your student loan payment lower.

If you don't do anything with your student loans, you're automatically signed up to a generic repayment plan that typically has even payments for 10 years. However, that can be tough, especially right after graduation.

Maybe you've just started working, or maybe you don't even have a job yet and you're just side hustling to make a little money? Maybe that standard repayment plan option just isn't working for you, and you're worried what will happen if you don't make a payment or you default. Maybe you haven't looked at your student loans since before the payment pause?

If you're considering student loan deferment or forbearance, or if you're thinking about simply ignoring your student loan payments, don't!

Here are five legal ways that you can lower your student loan payment so you don't have to go into default.

You know you want to invest. You know you need to invest. But honestly, how do you start investing in your 20s after college?

Who do you trust? Do you pay someone to help? How do you know you're not going to be ripped off? Or even worse - how do you know you won't lose all your money? If you want to invest after college, here are our thoughts.

For 20-somethings, investing is important, and you know it. In your 20s, time is on your side, and the more you save and invest now, the better off you'll be later.

But, frankly, getting started investing after college is confusing. There are so many options, tools, thoughts, blogs to read about, and more. What the heck do you do?

I'm

going to share my thoughts on what you should do to start investing

after college in your twenties when you're 22-29 years old. Let's dive

in.

Applying to college may be the most stressful thing you've encountered in your life so far.

Depending on the college you're applying to, you may have to submit grade transcripts, test scores, evidence of extracurricular activities, essays, and references.

But one thing that colleges will almost never ask you about is your high school attendance. It's important to note that many high schools do include attendance information as part of your grade transcript.

However, in almost all cases, colleges will not look at your high school attendance record.

Our parents had it rough during tax season. Doing their own taxes sometimes took a week or more.

They’d spread papers and receipts across the kitchen table. Then they’d punch numbers in a calculator and flip through the IRS’s annual tax guide until ink coated their fingertips.

Yikes!

Today, thanks to tax software and other innovations, we can do our own taxes with fewer headaches. In fact, doing your own taxes with tax software should likely take you less than an hour (even less if you're organized). And new apps even allow you to do it on your phone!

Here's what you need to know about how to do your own taxes!

As you start to consider where you’ll go to college, affordability is typically top of mind. The cost of higher education in the U.S. can be daunting, but understanding financial aid policies – and identifying need-blind colleges – can make the process less overwhelming.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term “need-blind,” it refers to an admissions policy in which a college chooses not to consider a student’s financial situation when making the decision on whether to admit that student.

Here’s everything you need to know about need-blind schools and how they might impact your college decision.

Curious how to become a billionaire? It's a question that got me thinking...

Earlier this year, I was browsing social media and came across an interesting post. Someone asked a pointed question, which seemed particularly relevant as I was in Las Vegas at the time. “What do you need to do to become a billionaire?”

With all of my personal finance and business knowledge, I began to ponder what my top advice would be. I came up with two answers pretty quickly. Here are my thoughts on how to become a billionaire.

The thought of going back to business school appeals to those who want to boost their income and advance in their career. However, business school can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $150,000 per year, so it is critical that the benefits of business school will outweigh the costs. Even the average cost of $60,000 is too expensive to "find yourself".

If you're thinking about going to business school to get your MBA, you should do so with specific purpose and be working to realize specific benefits. You need to have a specific ROI on the investment in your education.

Is going to business school and getting an MBA worth it? Maybe.

I received my MBA and I can honestly tell you that it was only worth it because it was partially-paid for by my employer. The true out-of-pocket cost of $80,000 would probably not have been worth it.

With that being said, these are the questions that you should answer before pursuing an MBA.