What is the cost of a college education, and why should I start saving up?

What does the hard data show about college education costs..?

As parents, it's natural for us to think about our children's future.When we visualize their future, what do we see? Watching them getting a college education and graduating is probably one of the first thoughts that come to mind. At some point have you started to analyze how much does a college education cost? Let us present you the average expenses for college students in Latin America:

In Mexico, pursuing a college degree with an average duration of 4 to 5 years costs around $40,538 USD, and this is without taking into consideration additional living expenses (such as housing, food, transportation) that are around $10,386 USD per year.

In Chile, a college education costs an average of $36,588 USD and to that we still have to add living expenses such as rent, food, utilitis, transportation... which are on average $10,068 USD per year.

Now, if you wish to study abroad (in the US, for example), a college education costs an average of $228,271 USD , and living and school expenses add up to an average of $25,200 USD per year.

We also have to point out that college education costs increase by an average of 7-8% each year, double the rate of economic inflation! You're probably wondering what's the reason for such a rapid growth, these are some of the main reasons:

-Nowadays there's a higher demand for access to a college education than there was in the past.

-There are not enough open spots in the universities for the number of students who enroll each year, nor are enough schools being built to keep up with the demand.

-Most of the top universities are private, and by being businesses, they seek to maintain or increase their profits.

Without a doubt, a post-secondary education is a heavy expense, and for that same reason, what better than planning in advance so that once we have to face this expense, we have enough capital and we can avoid falling into debt, sell our assets, or even deny any opportunity to our children due to the lack of resources.

How can I prepare myself for this expense?

In this case, you definitely have to save, but, what is the smart way to save? If you are one of those who usually keeps their money under a mattress or in a piggy bank, you may want to reconsider your saving methods. If you are saving for the long-term, you have to remember the effect that inflation will have on your future cash savings. Your money will not have the same value or purchasing power if you simply stash it for years and years... so what is the best way to make the most of your money?

An educational savings fund is a tool that allows you to make periodic contributions that will go to a savings fund, during the saving period your funds will grow according to inflation and eventually once your children reach the age of attending college, they will have that savings fund that has been accumulating for several years to pay for their school expenses. Just like in a retirement plan, time is your bestally in this type of plan. The sooner you start saving, the lower your monthly contributions will be and you may even reach your savings goal sooner than expected.

Where do I start?

The first step is to take financial advice, since each person's situation is different. There are several factors to take in consideration to find the plan that best suits your possibilities and goals. Remember that at KNG International Advisors we offer free consultations. Do no hesitate to contact us to schedule yours!

If you would like to know more about this, we invite you to try our educational fund calculator.

The best time to start planning your children's future is today.

Now that you have a better idea of what educational savings funds are and how they work, the first step to start a fundamental financial project for your family's future is to take professional advice.