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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

Businesswoman standing at a fork in a rural road, contemplating two distinct paths that stretch toward distant mountains. This visual metaphor represents the strategic choice families face when deciding between the specialized education savings of a 529 Plan and the broader, long-term financial flexibility of the newly proposed Trump Accounts. Source: The College Investor
December 9, 2025

Trump Accounts vs. 529 Plans: What Parents Need to Know

Compare Trump Accounts and 529 Plans to understand savings limits, tax benefits, and how each impacts education funding.

Silhouette of a businessman scratching his head while facing a large, glowing white arrow pointing upward, flanked by two dark arrows curving away. This visual metaphor represents the confusion federal student loan borrowers face as they transition from multiple legacy options like IBR, PAYE, and SAVE into the singular new path of the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP).
December 8, 2025

Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) vs. IBR, PAYE, and SAVE

Compare RAP, SAVE, PAYE, and IBR with updated rules on payments and forgiveness. A guide for borrowers preparing for the transition.

Holiday Tipping Guidelines
December 7, 2025

Holiday Tipping Guide 2025: Who to Tip, How Much, and What to Give

Here’s what you need to know about tipping the mailman and other holiday tipping guidelines this year.

Rear view of a row of diverse college graduates wearing black caps and gowns with gold tassels during an outdoor commencement ceremony. The image represents the 61.1% of students from the fall 2019 cohort who successfully completed their degree within six years, illustrating the steady but flat national graduation rate highlighted in the latest data. Source: The College Investor
December 7, 2025

U.S. Six-Year College Graduation Rate Stays at 61%

The six-year college graduation rate remains at 61.1%, which has held relatively steady for the past four years.

A close-up, graphic image features a dark brown wooden judge's gavel resting on a matching block on the right, with a vintage-style gold scale of justice balancing on the left. The scale's left pan is filled with gold, symbolizing the significant financial burden of student loan debt for lawyers, which can average $180,000 for law school graduates. The background shows blurred text, partially revealing "STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR LAWYERS," with "LAWYERS" highlighted in red. This visual directly supports the article's focus on various student loan forgiveness programs available to practicing lawyers and addresses the challenges of high six-figure debt despite potentially lucrative careers.
December 6, 2025

Student Loan Forgiveness for Lawyers: What Is Available?

As a lawyer, you might have a lot of student loan debt. Is there student loan forgiveness for lawyers? Find out what is available here.

Sunny daytime view of the White House South Portico with the fountain and red flowers. This symbolizes the federal policy updates in this week's news, specifically the proposed "Trump Accounts" for newborn college savings. Source: The College Investor
December 5, 2025

This Week In College And Money News: December 5, 2025

The latest updates on higher education, new data shows a steady 6-year grad rate as S&P issues a warning and Trump Accounts debut for families.

This graphic illustrates modern financial software options, featuring a white smartphone leaning against a black desktop computer monitor, both displaying a red dollar sign icon. The devices symbolize the digital tools used for money management and budgeting, connecting directly to the article's discussion of Quicken alternatives like Kubera, Empower, and YNAB. The background is a vibrant coral-red bar across the top with minimalist black and white geometric shapes, including dots, crosses, and triangles, suggesting the organized and streamlined nature of tracking investments and net worth. The foreground prominently displays "THE COLLEGE INVESTOR" in black capital letters, emphasizing the target audience for these financial management and budgeting tools.
December 4, 2025

What Are The Best Alternatives To Quicken For 2026

While Quicken is a popular tool, there are so many great ways to manage your money online. Check out these best alternatives to Quicken.

A vibrant, cartoon illustration depicts the comparison between a personal line of credit and student loan refinancing. The image features four diverse individuals interacting with financial elements. On the left, a man with gray hair and a red shirt stands next to a large blue credit card, which rests on a substantial pile of golden coins, symbolizing a personal line of credit. In the center, two women, one in a blue top and the other in a red dress, stand near an ATM, with more golden coins at their feet, representing banking and transaction options. To the right, another man in a blue suit stands next to a stack of cash, indicating student loan refinancing. The prominent text "CREDIT VS. STUDENT LOAN REFINANCING" is displayed in red and blue letters above the scene, clearly highlighting the article's core financial comparison for student debt payoff strategies.
December 4, 2025

Personal Line Of Credit Vs. Student Loan Refinancing: How To Choose

Here’s how to compare a personal line of credit vs. student loan refinancing if you’re looking to lower your student loan interest rate.

Vector illustration set against a blue background featuring a wrapped gift box on the left and a flying piggy bank wearing a graduation cap on the right. The piggy bank, symbolizing education savings, has a coin with a dollar sign being deposited into it. This graphic represents the concept of gifting money to a 529 plan, highlighting how friends and family can contribute to a child's future college education through direct deposits, crowdfunding platforms, or estate planning strategies. Source: The College Investor
December 3, 2025

How To Gift Money To A 529 Plan

Want to gift money to a 529 plan? Learn the best ways to contribute, tax rules to know, and how to avoid common mistakes when giving to college savings.

Close-up of a businessman in a suit using a calculator next to coins and wooden letters spelling "TAX." This illustrates the financial planning involved when considering a tax refund advance loan to bridge the gap between filing taxes and receiving a refund from the IRS. Source: The College Investor
December 3, 2025

Best Tax Refund Advance Loans: TurboTax, H&R Block, And More

Get your tax refund early with a refund advance loan. See updated offers from H&R Block, TurboTax, Jackson Hewitt, and others.

The White House stands under a dramatic sky filled with vivid orange and purple sunset clouds, symbolizing the dawn of the new Trump Accounts program. This image accompanies the guide on claiming the $1,000 "Baby Bonus" for children born 2025–2028, a major federal savings initiative launching with a philanthropic boost from the Dell Foundation. Source: The College Investor
December 2, 2025

How To Claim The $1,000 Trump Account Baby Bonus

Learn how parents can claim the new $1,000 Trump Account baby bonus and the added $250 gift for eligible families.

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