The College Investor

The College Investor aims to assist you in breaking free from student loan debt, allowing you to focus on creating genuine wealth for your future. We guide you through your personal finance choices, helping you to eliminate debt, increase your income, and understand the basics of investing, among other topics. Since its inception in September 2009 as a personal finance blog by Robert Farrington, we have transformed into a comprehensive financial media brand. Today, we connect with millions of readers monthly through our website, podcast, and video content, offering expert guides, reviews, tutorials, and much more.

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Student Loan Collections Resume May 5: What to Know

3 days ago | thecollegeinvestor.com | Robert Farrington |Colin Graves

Federal student loan collections will resume May 5, ending a five-year pause that began in March 2020. Borrowers in default will face wage garnishment and tax refund offsets if they don’t take action to resolve their loans. The Department of Education is launching a nationwide outreach effort to alert borrowers and offer tools to help them return to repayment.
Dow Drops Nearly 1,000 Points As Trump Escalates Fed Feud

3 days ago | thecollegeinvestor.com | Robert Farrington |Colin Graves

The Dow fell nearly 1,000 points Monday as stocks responded to growing uncertainty over Trump’s tariff policy and threats toward the Fed. Investor confidence in the dollar and U.S. institutions is weakening, with the dollar hitting a three-year low. Safe havens like gold and bitcoin are climbing, as market watchers brace for more policy shocks and rate uncertainty.
New FAFSA Numbers Show Completions Surge for Class of 2025

3 days ago | thecollegeinvestor.com | Colin Graves

FAFSA completions are up 60% year-over-year, a 15-point increase from last year’s class. Despite progress, completion rates remain below pre-2021 levels. Tennessee leads all states in completion rates, while Oklahoma and Nevada posted the largest year-over-year gains. FAFSA completions for the high school class of 2025 have surged.
What Happens To Financial Aid If You Take A Gap Year

3 days ago | thecollegeinvestor.com | Colin Graves

Your aid package is not guaranteed to remain the same if you defer or take a gap year. Your need-based aid is recalculated annually, and merit aid deferment is based on school policies. If you take college classes elsewhere during a deferment, you also risk losing aid. With the stock market fluctuating and new tariffs raising concerns about family finances, some families are re-thinking the college decision (at least in the short term).
Thrifty Pig Review: Earn Money With Paid Surveys

5 days ago | thecollegeinvestor.com | Colin Graves

Thrifty Pig is a paid survey company that allows you to earn rewards that you can redeem for PayPal cash, gift cards, or a paper check. Although working with any survey company won’t be enough to replace your day job, paid surveys offer a way to bring in a small amount of extra money for minimal effort. You can increase your earnings by signing up for multiple survey sites, which are free to join. We explore how ThriftyPig works and what you can expect to earn.
Key Dates For Student Loan Borrowers In 2025

5 days ago | thecollegeinvestor.com | Colin Graves

Student loan borrowers are seeing their key dates move, depending on their repayment plan or loan situation. Borrowers on the SAVE plan are reporting their forbearance extended to September 2026. Existing IDR borrowers are seeing their recertification dates move, while others are finally seeing plan applications processing. Student loan borrowers are confused with all the different repayment plans, dates, and changes that could be impacting them.
Judge Blocks Trump Plan To Fire 90% Of CFPB Staff

6 days ago | thecollegeinvestor.com | Colin Graves

A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to fire 90 percent of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s workforce. The judge expressed concern that the administration was ignoring an earlier court order requiring a clear legal basis before layoffs. A hearing scheduled for April 28 will examine whether the CFPB followed proper procedures in planning the reduction.
Capital One And Discover Merger Approved By Fed

6 days ago | thecollegeinvestor.com | Colin Graves

The Federal Reserve has approved Capital One’s acquisition of Discover Financial Services, uniting two major players in credit cards and online banking. The merger comes with a federal consent order fining Discover $100 million for overcharging merchants, with Capital One now responsible for the remediation. Consumers may see shifts in both bank account offerings and credit card options as the two companies consolidate operations and platforms.
Trump Moves to Cut 90% of CFPB Staff, Memo Reveals Shift

1 week ago | thecollegeinvestor.com | Colin Graves

The Trump administration has issued termination notices to over 1,500 CFPB staff, reducing the agency by nearly 90%. A newly released memo outlines a major policy shift that deprioritizes enforcement, supervision, and regulation of nonbank lenders, student loans, medical debt, and fintech firms. Experts warn the move may violate court orders and could cripple the agency’s ability to protect consumers from financial fraud.
Can Trump Revoke Harvard’s Tax-Exempt Status?

1 week ago | thecollegeinvestor.com | Robert Farrington

President Trump has publicly called for Harvard’s nonprofit status to be revoked, accusing the university of ideological bias and refusing federal demands. Federal law prohibits the president or executive branch from directing the IRS to audit or investigate a specific taxpayer, including a university. The IRS can revoke tax-exempt status, but it must follow an extensive legal process involving audits, documentation, and opportunities for appeal.