Student debt in the U.S. is reaching new heights.
In 2015, student loan debt was $1.2 trillion, compared to $0.2 trillion in 2003, reports the Centre for Retirement Research at Boston College.
Further, U.S. student loan debt now accounts for more than 30% of total household non-mortgage debt, surpassing credit card debt in 2011, notes the study. U.S. grads in 2013 had $31,000 in student debt.
And student debt isn’t a problem in just the U.S. — Canadian post-secondary students also face growing tuition fee costs, which could force them to take out larger loans.
The Canadian Federation of Students warns annual tuition fees could rise to $19,900 in 2035-2036, reports advisor.ca’s Suzanne Sharma. Students may not be thinking about the realities of debt, so advisors should help.
Have frank discussions about what it means to take out a loan. The government may offer your client’s child $10,000 annually, but she doesn’t have to use the whole amount if she only needs $8,000. Explain how blowing that extra $2,000 on pizza each year, for instance, will amount to the costliest pizza she’ll ever have, thanks to interest.