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Robert Farrington

Robert Farrington is America’s Millennial Money Expert® and America’s Student Loan Debt Expert™, and the founder of The College Investor, a personal finance site dedicated to helping millennials escape student loan debt to start investing and building wealth for the future. You can learn more about him on the About Page or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.

He regularly writes about investing, student loan debt, and general personal finance topics geared toward anyone wanting to earn more, get out of debt, and start building wealth for the future.

He has been quoted in major publications, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, ABC, NBC, Today, and more. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes.

Robert’s latest articles

A graphic illustrating the "529 plan penalty" features a large, white trapezoidal weight with the number "529" prominently displayed in dark green. This weight rests heavily on a substantial stack of green bills, symbolizing money or financial savings. The background is a light, clean design with minimalist financial motifs, including three circular dollar signs, plus signs, and triangles in a complementary green and dark gray, subtly reinforcing the theme of financial planning and potential costs. In the upper left corner, the logo for "The College Investor" is visible, including a graduation cap icon. This image effectively visualizes the burden or "penalty" associated with misusing a 529 plan, emphasizing the financial consequences of not adhering to qualified education expenses, as discussed in the accompanying article on avoiding the 529 plan penalty. Source: The College Investor
December 24, 2025

What Is The 529 Plan Penalty And How To Avoid It

A 529 plan helps with higher education expenses so the last thing you want is to be hit with a 529 plan penalty. Find out how to avoid them.

Passenger jet plane preparing for takeoff on an airport runway against a vibrant sunset sky. This image symbolizes the journey of international graduate students pursuing education abroad, highlighting the complex financial planning, visa uncertainties, and funding decisions they must navigate before "taking off" on their academic careers.
December 23, 2025

International Graduate Student Financial Aid Options in 2026

International graduate education in 2026 brings higher costs, new loan options, and visa challenges.

A stylized illustration on a light blue background depicts an open, bright yellow envelope emerging from the screen of a silver laptop. Inside the envelope, a white document is visible with the word "ACCEPTED" prominently displayed in bold green letters, symbolizing success in college applications or scholarship awards. The laptop's screen shows the bottom portion of the envelope, while its keyboard and trackpad are detailed with gray keys, suggesting an online application or notification process. In the lower-left corner, the white text "THE COLLEGE INVESTOR" is clearly visible, identifying the brand and reinforcing the image's relevance to financial aid and higher education. This image visually represents the positive outcome of using college scholarship search websites to find and secure financial assistance, directly supporting the article's focus on helping students pay for college by highlighting the rewarding feeling of receiving an acceptance or scholarship notification. Source: The College Investor
December 23, 2025

10 Best College Scholarship Search Websites

We break down the best college scholarship search websites to help you find legit scholarships that you have a high chance of winning.

Millionaire Neighbor
December 22, 2025

5 Things Your Millionaire Neighbor Isn’t Telling You

Here are the 5 things your millionaire neighbor isn’t telling you about getting rich, and you likely already know one living by you.

Young woman with natural curls lying on her stomach in bed, wearing satin pink pajamas and browsing on a laptop while holding a credit card. This image illustrates the seamless integration of digital finance into daily life, reflecting 2025 trends where consumers increasingly manage payments, banking, and investments online from the comfort of home. Source: The College Investor
December 21, 2025

Most Visited Finance and Crypto Sites of 2025

See which banking, payments, and crypto platforms dominated internet traffic in 2025.

Close-up of a student’s hands typing on a silver laptop keyboard next to textbooks and glasses. This image visualizes the urgency and focus required when applying for mid-year student loans or an Education Line of Credit to cover unexpected college expenses like housing or course fees after the semester has already begun. Source: The College Investor
December 20, 2025

How To Borrow Student Loans For College Mid-Year

Need a student loan mid-year? See why an Education Line of Credit offers faster access and fewer applications.

Private Student Loans For College
December 20, 2025

How Do Private Student Loans Work?

Considering a private loan? Before you sign, here’s everything you need to know about how private student loans for college work.

The iconic Geisel Library at the University of California San Diego stands majestically against a bright blue sky, its unique brutalist architecture resembling hands holding up a stack of books. This striking eight-story concrete and glass structure, with its geometric patterns and expansive windows reflecting the surroundings, is framed by lush green landscaping and pathways, hinting at the vibrant campus environment. The image visually anchors the article discussing concerns about UCSD freshmen's declining math skills and the university's response with remedial courses, raising questions about admissions practices, test-optional policies, and grade inflation amidst record demand for college admissions.
December 19, 2025

High GPAs And Test Optional Mask Poor Math Skills At College

UCSD’s new report reveals a sharp rise in freshmen needing remedial math, raising concerns about admissions, grade inflation, and student readiness.

Capitol building in Washington. The United States Senate and House of Representatives. Source: The College Investor
December 19, 2025

This Week In College And Money News: December 19, 2025

Congress introduces new college aid bills, nursing loan rules face pushback, and student loan backlogs remain high.

A judge in black robes listens intently to two attorneys arguing their case in a wood-paneled courtroom. This legal setting illustrates the professional sectors—specifically law, medicine, and dentistry—most impacted by the new 2026 federal student loan caps, which limit annual borrowing to $50,000 for professional degrees. Source: The College Investor
December 19, 2025

Professional Student Loan Caps Explained for 2026

New federal law caps professional student loans starting in 2026. Learn how the limits affect law, medical, and dental students.

Person's feet in yellow boots standing at a bright yellow line painted across gray cobblestones. This visual metaphor represents the critical threshold facing graduate students: the hard cutoff date of June 30, 2026, marking the end of the Grad PLUS loan program and the start of strict new federal borrowing caps. Source: The College Investor
December 18, 2025

Graduate Student Loan Limits for 2026: What Borrowers Need to Know

Grad PLUS loans are ending in 2026. Learn how new federal Direct Loan limits will affect graduate and professional students.

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