Financial Focus

16 plan can help ease college “sticker shock”

The school year will soon be here. And if you have young children, you’re one year closer to the day when they may be headed off to college. When that day arrives, will you be financially prepared?

College isn’t cheap. For the 2023–24 academic year, the average cost — including tuition, fees, housing, food, books, transportation and other expenses — was nearly $29,000 for in-state students at four-year public colleges and universities and about $60,000 for private schools, according to the College Board. Most students do get some type of financial...