College vs. Retirement
Explore the estimated trade-offs between college funding and retirement savings based on your inputs.
Family Information
Your current age. This helps calculate years until retirement.
Your child's current age. This determines how many years until college costs begin.
When you plan to stop working. This affects how long your savings must last.
Total balance across all retirement accounts — 401(k), IRA, Roth, brokerage, etc.
College Funding
How much you save for college each year. $500/month = $6,000/year.
Typically 4 years for a bachelor's degree, 2 years for community college.
Expected annual cost including tuition, room, board, and fees. Average private university: ~$60K/year.
Investment Returns & Inflation
Annual increase in college costs. Historical average: 5-6% per year.
Expected annual return on 529 plan investments. Conservative estimate: 5-6%.
Expected annual return on retirement investments. Historical stock market average: 7%.