The Shocking Cost of College: How to Be Smart and Avoid a Tuition Trap

Brian Skrobonja talks about the real cost of college—and why most families are dangerously unprepared. Tune in to learn how to fund your child’s education without sacrificing your retirement. Expect to hear eye-opening numbers, smarter strategies than 529 plans, and a flexible approach that keeps you in control, no matter what path your child takes.

• Brian starts by explaining how to avoid being blindsided by college costs. Most parents assume they’ll have time until the first invoice shows up. And when it does, it doesn’t just hit your wallet—it hits your entire financial life.
• Understand why “college tuition” is just one part of the picture. The real cost includes everything else: housing, books, transit, lab fees, and incidentals. And those extras can add up to more than tuition itself.
• Brian explains how college costs can quietly destroy retirement plans. You want to help your child, but helping without a plan can wipe out decades of savings. 
• How to ensure college costs don’t catch you by surprise. 
• Learn why a 529 plan is helpful—but also restrictive. It only works if your child follows a specific path and goes to college. 
• Brian describes why flexibility should be a priority when planning for college. What if your child takes a gap year? What if they don’t go to college at all? You need a funding tool that moves with life—not against it.
• Why a 529 plan can hurt your financial aid eligibility. Every dollar in that account shows up on the FAFSA. And that could mean less aid, more loans, and more stress.
• How cash value life insurance creates breathing room. It doesn’t show up on aid forms, and you can use the money for anything—college or not. That kind of freedom changes how you plan.
• Brian explains how life insurance can do what college savings accounts can’t: tax-deferred growth, tax-free access, and zero usage restrictions. 
• Learn why not all life insurance is designed for this. Some policies are built for death benefits—not cash value. You need the right structure, the right funding, and the right guidance.
• How to plan for college without sabotaging your lifestyle. Tuition shouldn’t mean pausing your retirement or downsizing your life. According to Brian, smart planning means both futures can coexist.
• Understand the real power of liquidity in college planning. For Brian, savings are great. But if they’re locked up when the bills arrive, they’re just numbers on paper.
• Brian reveals why thinking in lump sums is the wrong mindset. College is a cash flow challenge, not just a savings goal. You don’t need $200K on day one—but you do need to know where every semester’s payment will come from. 
• Brian describes what real planning actually looks like. It’s not just picking an account—it’s designing a strategy. One that flexes, protects, and puts you in control, no matter what life throws your way.

 

 

Mentioned in this episode:

BrianSkrobonja.com

SkrobonjaFinancial.com

SkrobonjaWealth.com

BUILDbanking.com

Common Sense Financial Podcast on YouTube 

Common Sense Financial Podcast on Spotify

 

References for this episode:

https://capstonewealthpartners.com/11192015cash-flow-is-king/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://research.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/Trends-in-College-Pricing-and-Student-Aid-2024-ADA.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://www.parents.com/parents-are-sacrificing-to-pay-for-college-11761247?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://moneywise.com/managing-money/debt/my-wife-and-i-are-well-off-but-we-told-our-daughter-21-we-couldnt-afford-to-pay-for-her-colle