retirement vs college savings | Intentional Money

Seen from above, a woman sits cross-legged on a living room rug, stacking sage blocks labeled Retirement, with a small plum block labeled College waiting beside her, illustrating saving for retirement before college

Saving for Retirement or Your Kids' College: Which Comes First?

Should you save for your kids' college or your own retirement first? How to think about the trade-off, how financial aid treats each, and how to save for both.

Family Finances

Elizaveta Shafir

6 days ago8 min read

A woman in a sage-green sweater stands on a sage stepping stone with a Retirement card, while a young boy stands on the far grassy bank beyond a plum stone with an Education card, illustrating why retirement savings come before saving for kids’ education.

The Financial Belief I Had to Unlearn: "My Kids' Education Comes First"

A banker's question changed how I see kids education vs retirement. Why I now put my own retirement first, and how I still support my kids.

Mindset

Elizaveta Shafir

Oct 23, 20256 min read

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Saving for Retirement or Your Kids' College: Which Comes First?

The Financial Belief I Had to Unlearn: "My Kids' Education Comes First"

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