How much is "fair" to pay for your child's college education?

You don't have to pay a dime if you don't want to. Period. Your annual income is really not that much, I am surprised you can really pay that much. Are you SURE you can pay that? Did you know that many community colleges cost less than $3,000 a YEAR? A YEAR!!

My advise about your daughter: It is always easier to spend someone else's money. If she is paying on her own, she will have an entirely different attitude about going to a school (and will be more likely to graduate, believe it or not) if she is going to have to cough up 12K a year on her own, working and sacrificing. Has she saved any of her own money yet? She should have been working and saved at least half of everything she has earned while living at home since she was 16. Its time for her to grow up and take responsibility for her own finances.

SO. Tell your daughter you will pay entirely for her first two years at a State school (she can go for less than 10,000 is you put a cap on it at 8,000 then that is fine)... then after that, she can do whatever in the heck she wants... transfer out of state, drop out.. whatever.

You and your daughter will quickly discover that she will never be able to borrow enough money on her own to pay for this expensive out-of-state school.. not as a freshman now, and not ever. The max amount of money a dependent freshman can borrow in federal Stafford loans is only 5,500 a year. Dependent sophomores 6,500 a year, and juniors and seniors 7,600 a year (each year). This is the max for Stafford loans no matter how expensive the school is. (which is why community colleges and state schools are so popular).

Paying 25K for an education she can get at a third of the cost by staying in state is insane and a total waste of money. It shows her in-maturity and selfishness. Only folks who have money to burn do this, and you certainly don't. Don't let your daughter to be selfish enough to take your second child's chances away (not to mention keep saving for YOUR OWN retirement).

Like I said, it's always easier to spend someone else's money. My parents paid my first two years of college for me entirely, after that I was on my own. I knew this ahead of time so when I chose my school, I found one I could afford on my own when I became a Junior and Senior. I am so grateful to them for doing so. Most of my friends weren't so lucky and never graduated. (Those who's parents paid). It got very tough when I became a Senior and was working 2 jobs to keep my apartment and going to school full time, but I survived. I froze in the winter and sweat to death in the summer, but I survived.... and am a better person because of it.

When MY son goes to college, I'm going to tell him I'll pay for his LAST two years of college. This will insure I won't be paying for him only to drop out after failing or messing around. Sure, I may get stuck paying for a Masters program or the last two years of a Doc program, but it will make sure he PLANS his education long before he gets there.

Good luck!!!

I would pay for my kids education. The FAFSA uses the parents tax info to get money from the government. In order to be considered independent you have to have been close to being homeless, have a child, or these other odd requirements. You can be living somewhere else and still be considered a dependent under your parents. I would think it unfair if the parents make the kid pay for their education since most college students are pretty much poor and only have a minimum wage job. I pay for my own stuff such as books, and parking permits because I choose to. I just feel that my parents can use that money for things they need. Luckily I was given a fee waiver so I don't have to pay for tuition just the health insurance that comes with the school.

I'm not a parent yet but if I was I would probably offer to pay 1/2 of it or 1/3 the cost plus books, IF they attended a reasonably priced school.

Do not pay more than you can afford. Plus it is good to be thinking about your other children.

In my family, a family of 5 kids with 3 out of college and 2 in college, my parents don't pay for anything. The cost of the dorm, books, tuition, and enything else is all on us. But they do pay for the food (cheap food like ramen) and school supplies such as notebooks, binders, that sort of stuff.

Honestly, I think your daughter is going to a school that cost too much. As for you, the parent, don't go in debt for your child. Let her take out all the loans and carry that responsibility, after all she chose to go to a high-priced school. This does not make you a bad parent. Even if your child disagrees one day she will learn.

(I should add, for other parents who helped child with college. For one of the roomates I had one said her parents paid for 1/2 of her college expenses. This roomy was a transfer because she knew her parents were having a hard time paying for 1/2 at her old college. For another roomate I had her parents paid for the school materials, including textbooks. They didn't pay any of the tuition of fees or room and board.)

i think it's great that you're helping your daughter afford to further her education. i don't however, think it's your responsibility or concern to help her come up with the rest of tuition when she decides to attend an out of state school..if possible maybe she could take some basics at a community college and then transfer to her dream school for the last two years. that would ease the financial burden. if she insists on attending all four years at an out of state school then just be sure to tell her that you have provided everything you possibly can and that loans are either out of the question or that you will only take responsibility for SOME loans. i feel that it is her responsibility to find a way to pay for the rest if this is a decision she made. my brother and i weren't lucky enough to have parents or family members to help us with our tuition and we have managed just fine so far. best of luck with this situation and congrats to you and your daughter on her decision to attend college! :)

ok liste nlol, my parents make over 100,000K a year, most of it is spent on taxes, BUT, don't go to an out of state college, they will rape you of your cash and loans, My parents won't even be able to afford and out of state tuition. I'm going to OSU which has an entire school fee of about 13,000 per year, but since the Navy has a maximum federal loan pay back of 65,000 they will take care of my entire 4-5 years of college at OSU. Now if I weren't living in Ohio and went to OSU, it would cost me $33,000 a year! so try to find an instate college, unless the college you are looking at has experiences that no other university or college has.

Be strict. Tell your daughter that you simply can afford her college tuition for an out of state school.

If she insists on the out of state school, she will have to make up the money working full time during her summers.

2/3 of it

2/3

both me and my brother pay for our own college

he graduated last week =0